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Published: January 28th 2007
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We left super early Friday morning to get to the airport on time for our 50 minute flight to Barcelona, the one major Spanish city I hadn't seen yet. The six of us traveling together were all kind of cranky upon arrival, but after we checked into our hostel (located on the Michigan Avenue equivalent of Barcelona, el Paseig de Gracia), walked around a little and had some lunch, we all felt better and ready to explore. The sun was shining, and even though it was reaaaally cold, we enjoyed the cloudless skies. We explored Plaza Catalunya and Las Ramblas, where restaurants, stores, and street performers (and pickpockets) abound. We continued all the way down Las Ramblas to the Waterfront area, where we were awed by the beautiful architecture that existed in all the government buildings. Olympic Villa and Port Olympic, both built for the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona, were fun to see, and a big mall with a Starbucks (which yes, we gave into out of exhaustion) has since been built at the end of the pier. It was nice to sit and relax by the water for a little, and after shopping for a bit while the boys
relaxed, we all headed back into the main part of town to visit Gaudi's La Pedrera. We toured the apartment building he designed and got to go all the way up onto the rooftop terrace, where we were greeted with an incredible view of the city. The boys headed back to the hostel to sleep while the girls window shopped around Paseig de Gracia, and we all headed out later for a nice, posh dinner on La Rambla. We then walked around the area to see what the nightlife was like, and we were amused to see a midnight tour of rollerbladers cruising through the city streets, seeing Barcelona by night on wheels. My friend from Harand Camp who is studying in Barcelona for the semester met up with us and she and her friends took us to the oldest bar in Barcelona, Bar Marsella, which has been around since 1820. Once frequented by Picasso and other famous artists and writers, the bar is a
taberna de absintio, or an absinthe bar. I didn't try it, but the other people there said the drink is like nothing you have ever tried before. You light a sugar cube on fire over
the glass before letting the melted sugar drop into the drink, and then water it down before drinking it. It was fun to just watch that. We were also greeted there by the other 15 or so students on our Bilbao program who had gone to Barcelona that weekend, in addition to a couple kids I knew from high school studying there, plus other girls I had met through friends back home...it was a very ecclectic group! We headed home "early" for Barcelona standards at least, ready to sleep and get ready for the next full day.
We got up relatively early Saturday morning, enjoyed the hostel's free breakfast and coffee, and took a metro up to Parc Guell, also designed by Gaudi. The park was absolutely beautiful, and it was a perfect day to stroll around it. The architecture and just the layout of the park itself were incredible, and it was amazing to recognize how Gaudi used shapes from nature in nearly everyone of his design schemes so perfectly. After we had had our fill of the park, we headed over towards Sagrada Familia, again, designed by Gaudi. He actually took over the construction of this giant
cathedral from someone else, but never finished it; it took him nearly 40 years to just construct the intricate nativity facade. The cathedral still remains unfinished, and if it ever does get done, it won't be for at least another 50 years. The group split up after that, and a couple of the girls and I went back to town to meet my camp friend again. Exhausted from walking around for the past several hours, we decided that a nice, long coffee break in a cute Spanish cafe sounded perfect - and it ended up being one of the best coffees I've ever had in my life! We walked around the town a little more and shopped, since Barcelona is such a big shopping city, and then headed back to the hostel to rest. We met the others for a delicious paella and sangria dinner, and then headed back to go to bed relatively early. We had done a LOT in just two days!
It was kind of difficult to travel with such a large group, but once everyone realized that we didnt have to stay together the entire time, we all had a much better trip. Barcelona's architecture and ambiance was great to experience and see once, but it is an incredibly touristy city - I felt like I was in New York or Chicago for the weekend. It is incredibly westernized, aside from the many historical buildings. It also made me appreciate Bilbao even more - every time I tried to speak Spanish in Barcelona, I got a response in English. At least here, it's rare for someone to speak English well, so I am forced to practice and learn!
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Rachel! aka Pookie
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hey elizabeth! found your journal and it sounds like you are having so much fun! and i am way jealous that you got to see all the amazing gaudi buildings...and just as a warning absinthe is crazy don't have more than a shot if you ever try it...because my friend went a little loco on it. and i want you to come back in one piece! oooo and send me your address so i can write you!