Hello family and friends! I am now home, graduated, and my computer is fixed (if you
are my facebook friend, you probably already knew that by the influx of photos
I’ve added in the past two days!)
Anyway, it’s time for me to finish this blog.
The weekend after I went to Morocco
I traveled to Barcelona with some friends. What a unique and fun city! It is so different from Seville because it is large,
cosmopolitan, diverse, and very touristy.
Touristy isn’t necessarily a good thing, but it was great to see people
of different ethnicities and orientations. When we first got there, we dropped our stuff off at the
hostel and went to the city center to get tapas. I shared my delicious go-to tapa Patatas Bravas with my
friend Rachel and then took a chance on ordering a salad. It was actually delicious! Props to Barcelona for making the only
good salad I had in Spain the entire semester!
After
lunch we walked down La Rambla, a famous street lined with shops, restaurants
and bars. Our first stop was a
beautiful market called La Boquería.
We tried EVERYTHING. (Well, I didn’t try any meats but my friends all
did.) We had cheese, fruit, candy,
pastries, vegetables, and chocolates. I tried so many fruits that I’d never had
before! My two favorites were
Dragonfruit and Passion Fruit.
At
the end of La Rambla we went to the Picasso Museum. At first I was reluctant to go because I felt “museumed-out”
after having gone to so many in the weeks prior, but I am so glad that we
went. The museum displays his
earlier works and formative years.
It shows his raw talent from the very beginning and I loved experiencing
his development as an artist. My
favorite exhibit was the Blue Period.
There was also an exhibit of his ceramic works which were stunning, and
frankly, I did not even know that they existed before that trip.
After
the museum we went to get dinner and then headed back to the hostel. But the day went sour after my friend
got pick-pocketed on the subway.
It is so scary how skillful this pickpockets are. She had her purse close to her body and
still, they were able to get into her wallet. Another one of my friends got pick-pocketed in Madrid. It is disgusting that it occurs but it is
fact, and one must be so careful when traveling, especially in Barcelona, which
is known for its pick-pocketing.
Barcelona is filled with landmarks
designed by the famous architect Antoni Gaudí. He was inspired by his religious faith, love of nature, and
deep connection to the Catalonian culture. His most famous piece is the Sagrada Familia. It is a Christian Cathedral that was
begun in 1882 by Francesco de Paula del Villar i Lozano and taken over by Gaudí
in 1883. However, he died before
finishing it and to this day, it is still unfinished. George Orwell called the Sagrada Familia “one of the most
hideous buildings in the world,” but I thought it was fabulous. The mere fact that it is so unique
filled me with a love and appreciation for Gaudí’s work.
My friends and I also headed out to
his Park Güell, which was my favorite part of the whole trip. It is filled with famous mosaic pieces,
the most beautiful benches I’ve ever seen, two gorgeous buildings that look
like Gingerbread houses, and the Gaudí House. The whole park was like nothing I’d ever seen before.
I truly wish that I had spent more
than a weekend in Barcelona, but I am thankful that I got to see the city. I know that I have so much more to
explore of the city, and I hope to make it back there one day.
Thank you so much for reading and
don’t forget to check again for posts about the rest of my semester.
Elyssa :)
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