Gaudi, Nouvel, Calatrava, and Mies all in one day
Trip Start
Aug 28, 2007
1
20
23
Trip End
Dec 16, 2007
Barcelona,
Spain
Sunday, September 30, 2007
So we walk back and then walk up the street to find 116 (the street number for the hostel) and only found a "Hotel Catalonia" but no sign for "HOSTEL Catalonia" So we walk back down to use the directions...we ask another 3 taxi drivers...walk back and look for it near the Hotel, with no luck and walk back down and try random streets that may run in with it. So Kelly and Erin stop and ask for help in an Irish bar
comfy seat in a spiffy hotel
. Luckily the bartender and another girl who was like 2 years older than us, who was from California and living in Barcelona, both spoke English. They sat there for for 25 minutes helping us, letting us use their phones, and calling the hostel for us and speaking in Spanish to them, but still no help. The girl told us that most hostels don't have signs in Barcelona and that you have to ring a door bell for them to let you into a business looking building and walk up stairs to get to the hostel. So she gave us her number and we should go back and look for a door bell that said "hostel" on it at the Passeig Gracia 116 (which apparently Passo and Passeig is the same thing...but why not just use ONE?!), and if we couldn't find it we could call her and she had plenty of space in her apartment if we needed a place to stay. So we go back...and FINALLY we find it. Why can't establishments just give you cut and dry details and correct directions?So we finally get into the hostel at like 1:30 in the morning and are given our keys for our lockers. We stayed in a room designated for 8 people, so we have two other girls from Hong Kong who spoke good English and were studying in England (Erin asked). So they weren't weird so thats good! The hostel also failed to tell us that we needed to bring blankets and towels...so we all slept in whatever clothes we brought....and still froze. So we're still drenched, cold, and exhausted. No wonder 3 of 6 of us are sick! So we all went to freshen up, mind you the shower was a mess...so we kind of avoided that situation, plus we had no hot water (yet the lady informed us that her room and the others had it and didn't know why we didn't...our luck)
spiffy bar in spiffy hotel
. So we all climb into our bunk beds and attempt to pass out. Sooo cold.This morning we woke up at 9:00 and set out for breakfast to sit down and eat while planning our day and navigating on the map. We stopped at a really cute and cheap brunch place, I had a breakfast sandwich with some meat and a tomato mixture, sooo good. I had a hot chocolate too...amazing! So we point out all the places we wanted to go to on the map and create the traveling strategy.
First on our list was Casa Mila by Gaudi which was sooo amazing! We paid to get in and we walked through the entire building! They gave us headsets with our entry fee and we could press the number of the exhibit and it would tell you all about it. When you entered the building you walked into his courtyard which was beautiful! The building on the exterior and interior ungulates, giving opportunities for balconies and light for every room. The use of color was simple, playful, and amazing. We walked through the rooms he created that were furnished with all of his furniture that he designed. Gaudi loved to customize the interior and furniture to go with his buildings and this was a clear example of that. In the attic they had an exhibit that showed drawings and models of all of his projects that he worked on and designed. It was so amazing to see everything. I swear this man was insane or on crack when he designed! We walked up to the roof where he made various sculptures out of the vents and chimneys and you could get an amazing view of Barcelona
spiffy hotel
. Not including some hilarious pictures!On the way to Sagrada Familia we stopped at Starbucks, so good. We stopped and sat at a small park, yes, I did get on the swings...of course I did! I'm still a little kid at heart! The entire walk we could see the steeples of the church. Now Sagrada Familia was started in 1882 while Gaudi was still alive to control his design for the Church, however when he died the church's building was provided for by private money which is why it is STILL being built today. The finished date is scheduled for 2026, the 200th anniversary of Gaudi's death. Even unfinished the church was nothing short of BREATH TAKING. The reliefs on the facade of the church were amazing in themselves portraying many of the major biblical stories. Walking up to the front doors, there were words extruding from panels and the doors, all were names found in both the Old and New Testament with Jesus, God, and Holy Spirit in gold on top of all the names. Of course, I had to touch it, like everywhere else feeling the textures of a new place. Walking into the vestibule, the ceilings weren't AMAZING, but till beautiful. Once you step through the threshold into the naves, yes naves, there are more than 3 of them. In the central nave they're storing all the molds and castings, but you could walk around the lateral naves. I only remember three stained glass windows being fully completed, but with the others open air (like the rest of the church since it wasn't fully closed in yet)
cheese! (SF)
. Light spilled into the space, just the thought of all the stain glass was AMAZING.Jean Nouvel's building was an interesting one! You could see it from all over the city. Barcelona's Business Reps asked Nouvel to design the main building to front the new business district. Nouvel excepted the commission and decided that the building would be in the shape of a, I'm sorry to say it, penis. He felt the building would best represent the predominately masculine business scene if it were in the shape of a male attribute...and why not a penis? The building had a screen system around it with red, white, and black panels...at night the building lights up in different colors depending on the lights and panels they're using.
We then walked over to check out the site for the World Fair that was held in Barcelona in 1929...in the beginning of the walk, before you went up the grand stairs, if you looked to your right you could walk over to the Barcelona Pavilion designed by Mies. The only issue was, we couldn't walk in! They had to closed for setting up for a concert! We were so angry! We tried to sweet talk the stage crew, but that didn't work. So we just played paparazzi and took pictures over the barriers. So then we continued up the walk of the World Fair, past fountains and gardens...lots of stairs...lots. They had escalators that took you all the way up to the top. But, as always, I just sprinted up each flight of stairs and caught my breath on the landings and then sprinted up the next flight...and so on and so on...did I mention there were a lot of steps? Once on the highest point, you could see the entire valley, so amazing
I look so wwwiiittttlllleee (CM)
. And yes, I do have panoramas. I just have to work on them. I sat on the stairs for a while and listened to a man playing the guitar, he was very good. I actually recognized some of his songs. I even walked down and gave him a euro as we were walking around the building to go over to the Olympic Grounds.The Olympic Grounds were designed for the 1992 Olympics. They figured, if you have a spot for the World Fair, where the exhibits once were before they were sold across the world, you might as well use the space for something else! Why not the Olympics?! So we walked through the park to Calatrava's Communication Tower which was stunning against the blue sky. We walked over to the Olympic Stadium and tried talking the guy into letting us in to take a few pictures, but apparently there was a practice going on and we weren't allowed in.
Deciding that we were exhausted, we went back and took a nap and then got ready for dinner. Of course we had to go down to the Harbor for dinner. There was a carnival! But we didn't go. So we ate at a restaurant that over looked the harbor...the six of us shared two dishes - one seafood and one seafood/chicken. It was soo good. The white wine was AMAZING. After dinner we walked and talked a lot and then passed out when we got hommmeee. More to come tomorrow!
