and the Barrio Gotico and the beach/docks. The beach and the docks go all along the south side of Barcelona and were only about a 10 minute walk from the hostel. At the docks, there were of course tons of sailboats as well as a huge mall, movie theater, IMAX, and the aquarium. We had fun taking pictures in the shark in front of the aquarium. 
The weather was warm enough that we didn't have to wear jackets so we hung out on the beach for a while and relaxed. Jared frolicked in the freezing cold water and got wet while I took a nap. I think Lauren and Jean both talked to their mothers and we just hung out. The wind was blowing like crazy which started to get cold so we walked back. On the way back were tons of sailboats in the water and there is seafood restaurant after seafood restaurant all the way down the dock. They looked yummy but expensive! Then we went back past the hotel and bought lunch at the open air market where they everything you could possibly think of including seafood that was STILL ALIVE!!! Talk about interesting! They also had tons of wierd types of fruit, several of which I tried. Lauren and I bought some pasta and garbanzo beans to share and I bought a mango, a guava fruit, and a hot pink fruit that I can't remember it's name...it was a wierd name but it tasted good! 
Then we went to the Park Guell and climbed all the way to the top (of a huge mountain.) There were actually escalators to the top of the mountain because it's such a huge hill and at the top there was an amazing view of Barcelona and the sea and we saw the monument there and ate our food. Then, as the sun set, we saw the longest bench in the world that was done by Gaudi and is amazing and the Gaudi houses. They looked like gingerbread houses. I liked them alot. 
Then we went to try and see the James Bond movie but it was in Spanish (go figure) and we wanted to see it in English so we ditched that idea and split up for dinner. Lauren and I ate at this wonderful vegetarian place. We met some American boys that are living in Barcelona and talked to them for a while (don't worry Dad, they were about 12) Then we headed back and went to bed. The next morning we went and saw this gothic church that had a double altar (one above and one below, underground...so cool! We then went to the Picasso Museum which was really awesome! I'm not a huge Picasso fan b/c so much of his stuff is kind of wierd but this museum had work from every stage of his art. There was a temporary exhibit with alot of his earlier works that I absolutely loved! Turns out Picasso was normal at one point in his life. We also saw his study of Las Meninas which is a famous painting by Velazquez or Goya, I can't remember which, and I loved that as well. Then we went to the chocolate museum where we saw tons of chocolate sculptures that were amazing! 
After that, we headed north to see the Gaudi houses and stopped for lunch at this place on the way. In case you are unaware, in Barcelona, they speak Catalan which is not Spanish (Castillian) and alot of people also speak Spanish and English. But, we got to this place and the menu of course was in Catalan and we made the biggest ordeal about ordering because it's one of those you pick what you want and put together your own meal...that was tough... but finally we ate and it was yummy! Then we went and looked at a Gaudi house because it was too expensive to go in and then went to La Pedrera which is another Gaudi house. We went inside this one and saw the apartment he decorated and the roof. The apartment is really neat and one of my favorite bits was the sewing room complete with an antique Singer sewing machine and an old iron warmer from back when they used iron irons. 
The sewing room was black and white so I took black and white photos there. We also saw the biggest doll house ever in the child's room. The roof is like a playground and would be so much fun to run around if there hadn't been so many people. 
The view from the top is amazing as well! You could see all of Barcelona. After La Pedrera, we went to La Sagrada Familia which is the largest construction site in the world and also a cathedral also done by Gaudi. He basically owned Barcelona, I won't lie. While one side is all Gaudi and very impressionistic the other side is very traditional and gothic almost...a very wierd combination but there none the less. 
After, La Sagrada Familia, we walked up to the famous hospital with a Catalan name that I can't remember that looks like it was done by Gaudi but wasn't. It is actually still a working hospital and you can go inside. When we went through the corridor, we could see the emergency room and that was a bit wierd, knowing that those people were in the emergency room and we were touring. But once inside the outer wall, the hospital looks like a college campus. 
It is absolutely fantastic and beautiful and made me miss Trinity because it is all red brick and green grass...tear... After that we headed back to the center of the city and Lauren and I went to go see an IMAX show. The first bit was really cool! It was called STOMP and was about rythyms from all over the world. I could have watched it for an hour and a half but no, they had to put on the second half which was the worst movie I have ever see in my entire life. It was a 3D animated movie meant for children I think but it was horrendous. I was disturbed by some of it and I'm old...I don't know how any parent could let their child watch it. It was terrible but it was really funny when at the end all the kids were trying to touch the 3D bubbles. Not only the little kids but the adults too...hello, their not real! That was the only part of the movie that was even close to being okay...whoa. But then we hustled over to meet the rest at Hard Rock for the compulsory visit. They played really good music while we were there and we had a great time! 
After that, Katie, Lauren, Jared and I headed down to the beach to see it at night and hung out for a while and then went home and went to bed. On the way to the beach, I got stopped by this girl who recognized me because she is from Tulsa and went to Kelly and we chatted for a few minutes and talked about the study abroad experience etc... It just proved Jared's point that I know people everywhere I go...how does that happen? So that was fun! The next day we woke up, got ready, ate some breakfast, and headed to the bus station to catch the bus. It was a great weekend but I definitely like Madrid better because in Barcelona, people assumed I speak English and would talk to me in English all the time and I didn't like that. But oh well, I'm not living there!
1 comment:
12 days sista, and tell Jared he us baller!!!!!
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