Breaking the Curse: Barcelona. Finally.
Post date: Nov 07, 2016 7:49:40 PM
There are two things you need to know prior to hearing about this trip.
I tried to go to Spain 6 times during my PhD. I planned itineraries, looked at plane tickets, and bought the Lonely Planet Guide. I talked about the trips, excited each time. And each time, I fell short of either time, or money. I came to the conclusion that Spain was for me cursed.
My friend Ian is living the dream right now. He is finishing up his MBA, and decided to do a semester abroad in Barcelona. I have spent the majority of my life in school and I had no idea this was even a possibility, so I applaud him for figuring this out and actually doing a semester in Spain.
With these two combined, I was determined to come to Barcelona for the weekend. But because it’s Spain, there were challenges. We had trouble connecting about which weekend I should come, I waited too long to book the plane tickets. I ended up having work both late on Friday and relatively early on Monday. So it was going to be a quick trip, but I was determined that it would in fact be a trip to Spain. And I succeeded!
Because I was half convinced that I wasn’t going to make it (because Spain is cursed) I had planned nothing. And Ian stepped into my deficiency with ease and served as an epic tour guide. We started at the #1 site in Barcelona: La Sagrada Familia. The famous catalonian architect, Antoni Gaudí, started this masterpiece before his tragic death (hit by a street car). They are still attempting to finish it. It’s been 100+ years (note the cranes in the background).
But one thing that stands out is that it is unlike many cathedrals I have seen before, La Sagrada Familia is driven in design by one man rather than by a series of people, and it conforms to his ideas of divinity rather than following the patterns of most catholic architecture. In that respect it has familiar features and radically different designs.
The stained glass windows are stunning in their deviation from what I expected. The colors are coordinated which casts a glow on the inside of the church, rather than telling a story.
In the afternoon, when I was there, it was truly breathtaking.
Additionally, and unusually (relative to other catholic churches), Gaudi was obsessed with the forms of nature. The doors are covered with the tree of life, celebrating species large and small. Like these guys (I’m still a snail girl at heart).
I couldn’t stop giggling when I saw this turtle was holding up a pillar and therefore a large part of the structure. It’s turtles all the way down (yes, I know, I’m going to hell).
Ian and I then walked around the gothic quarter, which was stunning. I couldn’t stop staring in amazement, from storefronts to apartments to random beautiful statues. Like these shoes, which were awesome. The whole store was just ballet flats of different colors and designs.
Ian walked through the crowds like a boss, demonstrating both how to be an awesome host and serving as kind of a Vanna White of some of the stunning random architecture.
I live in Germany, not really known for the quality of it’s cuisine. So while in Spain I ate a lot. The food is not only delicious (I had a tortilla de patata that I wanted to make love to, it was SO good) but is visually appealing. Like these cronuts, which we didn’t eat (too full) but couldn’t help but photograph because of their artful arrangement.
And of course there were tapas. I’m not about the eating after 10 pm (when most spaniards sit down to dine), but I could get on board with delicious finger food.
Ian and I spent a solid 30 minutes hanging out in front of the Cathedral of Barcelona. There was a pair of gentlemen playing the guitar, it was a balmy 68 F, and the sun was setting as we sat on the steps in front of this glorious building. As you can see by our expressions, it was very pleasant.
On Sunday we got up early and went to find more Gaudi. This time we went to the Park Guile, an entire park designed by Gaudi. It was meant to be a life-style community sort of thing, with 60 houses and built in community gathering spaces (marketplace, gathering points) designed by Gaudi. The park is a success, the housing development was an unequivocal failure (only 3 of the 60 houses were completed). But true to Gaudi style, it was full of things broken apart and then reassembled beautifully, like the arches of the aqueduct below.
It also provides a spectacular view of Barcelona, from it’s position on the hill you can see all the way to the Mediterranean.
This aqueduct is supposed to be the funnel of a wave.
It is fairly obvious what the pillar below is meant to be.
After visiting Gaudi’s park, I was determined to see the water (partially for a contrast with the Baltic Sea I visited last weekend). So Ian and I headed to the beach. The walk along the waterfront was so very pleasant, warm weather, nice and sunny, but the highlight was this moment right here.
Yep that’s a glass of sangria I drank, while looking over the waves of the Mediterranean. It took me a long time and a lot of misses, but I found this perfect moment in Spain. Take that curse!
Finally, my trip was coming to an end, and the hour to head to the airport was drawing near. But Ian revealed that there was one more view I needed to take in, so we climbed up the hill to the top of the Placa d'Espanya. (Full disclosure "climb" isn't the most appropriate word. There were escalators)
And the view was… just beyond description. The sun was setting over the hills, the city was practically breathing with life. I felt like I was on top of Barcelona.
We had some time to kill, so we wandered around and wandered straight into the Olympic stadium from 1992 Olympics. The Barcelona Olympics are the first summer Olympics in my memory, and began a lifelong obsession with following these amazing athletes. Plus the view was spectacular.
I felt like we were on Mount Olympus! (Yes, I know, different country/city/culture, but the idea of the athletic greats walking around on the top of this hill… just go with my romantic description…)
There was a point in my life when I aspired to be one of those athletes, but I fell short. Still, being able to stand there was awesome.
Even the torch, more than 20 years old, is still epic in it's grandeur.
It was awesome to catch up with an old friend, it was amazing to walk around this spectacular city. Overall, one of my favorite trips around Europe.