Gaudi, Gaudi, Gaudi
Trip Start
Sep 12, 2006
1
94
100
Trip End
Sep 08, 2008
Barcelona,
Spain
Wednesday, August 20, 2008
Day One - Barri Gotic
Surprisingly, we landed at Barcelona's main international airport, and not another smaller one 50km to the south as I was expecting. We got a bus into the city and found our residence in El Raval pretty quickly. With three full days to explore the city we were in no rush to get out and see the major sights on our first afternoon, so instead we decided to wander aimlessly around La Rambla and Barri Gotic. La Rambla was a long pedestrian strip cutting through the city, with everything from bird stalls, flower stands, buskers, bars, historic shops, grand buildings, stinking produce markets, pickpockets, bored police and prostitutes to tourists from almost every country on the planet. It was a lively place, and I could see why it was so talked about by all those who'd visited the city. The narrow, cobbled lanes of Barri Gotic were slightly less hectic, festooned with bars and eateries. After a busy morning it was a good place to chill out and grab some lunch. Unfortunately the Cathedral was undergoing a renovation, and as has happened so many times to me on my travels, I was only able to get a photo of scaffolding. With grand plans for our first full day in the city we took it pretty easy in the evening, chilling out with a mojito at an El Raval bar.
Day Two - Gaudi's Genius (Park Guell and La Sagrada Familia)
The reason Ania was so keen on visiting Barcelona was because of the legacy of Anton Gaudi and his amazing post-modern architecture, and it was some of this we aimed to see on the Thursday. Our self guided tour began in the L'Eixample district with a coffee near Casa Batllo, a very weird looking concoction emerging from Gaudi's fascinating imagination. The balconies looked like the jaws of some strange beast, and the roof supposedly represented St George and the dragon. It was a hefty 16 euro entry fee, so we decided to leave it for the time being and see the sights we knew we wanted to see first.
We continued on up Pg de Gracia to another of Gaudi's masterpieces, La Pedrera (or Casa Mila). The grey stone facade looked a little like a cliff face sculptured by waves and wind, studded with 'seaweed' in the form of wrought iron balconies. We knew we couldn't afford to see everything, and from what I'd read the interior of Casa Batllo was better, so after taking a few photos we continued onto our next destination, Gaudi's most extraordinary creation, the still unfinished La Sagrada Familia.
It wasn't too difficult to find the huge temple, with its four spires each topping 100m standing out among the rooftops. Unfortunately, the queue to get in was four times as long as the towers were high, and we figured it would take hours to get in. We decided it would probably be better to have a little look around and return later in the day, in the hope the sun would be shining and the hoards of tourists moved on. The main entrance was beneath the Passion Facade, but the most famous was that of the Nativity on the other side. It was finished in 1935, nine years after Gaudi's untimely death at the hands of a city tram. We found a nice quiet spot on a bench in a park opposite to relax and take in the amazing sight away from the crowds for a while. And crowds there were, larger than any I'd seen elsewhere in Europe! The entire block surrounding the temple was full of coaches.
Our next stop was another spawned by the genius of Gaudi, Park Guell. Originally planned as a secluded getaway for Barcelona's rich and famous, it later became and enchanting public space for all to enjoy. And enjoy it we did. After climbing the hill to the side entrance we spent about three hours wandering around and taking in the sights. There were plenty of people about, but it was easy to find a quiet spot, be it on the winding Banc de Trencadis snaking its way around the perimeter clad with coloured ceramics, or among the sculptured paths and porticos with their splendid city views. The two Hansel and Gretel gatehouses were also a highlight, showing more of Gaudi's talent. It was a great place to relax, soak up some sun and have some lunch.
We returned to La Sagrada Familia around 4pm, and surprisingly the crowds had completely dissipated and we were able to walk straight on in! The temple was a work in progress, and the interior was basically a giant construction site, reminding me of that I saw at a huge orthodox church in Belgrade. I did find it quite amusing when a Polish tourist complained to his girlfriend that he'd paid 10 euro just to see a construction site! However, there was certainly plenty to see, and the sheer size of the interior made me gape in awe. Even more impressive was a close up look at the Nativity Facade at the rear, where we spent a good half an hour. There were two museums to have a poke around in as well, one on the ground level and one below in the crypt, which had some interesting artwork depicting the finished product, should it happen.
It was a fantastic day, and after heading back to the hotel and cooking some dinner we ventured back out into the city. We'd had a drink the previous evening, so this time we went the non alcoholic variety and opted for a delicious chocolate ice-cream in Barri Gotic. Ania thought it would be fun to go and get a close up look at Barcelona's very own cucumber shaped tower, the nearby Torre Agbar. We were hoping to see it shimmer in both red and blue, but unfortunately we picked the wrong evening for a light show. However, not wanting to call it a night, we swung back by La Sagrada Familia for the third time that day to have a look at it bathed in light. It was a spectacular sight, and a spectacular way to end a day full of Gaudi sightseeing.
Day Three - La Ribera, Picasso and storm clouds
The following day we had a bit of a sleep in before making our way on foot to the district of La Ribera. We took our time, taking a few photos in Barri Gotic before finding a secluded cafe in a cobblestone lane just in front of the magnificent Esglesia de Santa Maria del Mar. Raised in record time, a mere 59 years, it is one of the purest examples of Catalan Gothic architecture. After finishing our coffees we had a look inside, and it was truly amazing. Fortunately we were early enough and there was barely another tourist around.
Our next stop was at a museum paying homage to one of Barcelona's favourite sons, Picasso. Housed in five medieval stone mansions, the permanent collection was made up of more than 3500 pieces, mostly from Picasso's early years, up to 1904. It was a great place to spend a couple of hours and appreciate the talent of one of the 20th century's most famous artists. The highlight for me was probably his reconstruction (deconstruction) of Las Meninas.
With heavy clouds hanging over us we took it easy for the next couple of hours. Although the weather wasn't really conducive for time at the beach, Ania was keen on going for a swim, so we made our way down to Platja de la Nova Icaria. This was one of a number of man made beaches along Port Olimpic, made around the time of the 1992 Olympic Games held in the city. Unfortunately the clouds didn't clear as we hoped, but grew heavier, so we decided to head back to the city. On the way the heavens opened up and we were drenched in a huge downpour. The only shelter we could find was under some canvas in an empty market stall in La Rambla. Not wanting to hang around soaked to the bone, we decided to make for the hotel to freshen up, and later on once it cleared we made our way back out into El Raval for some evening drinks.
Day Four - Montjuic, the Mediterranean and more Gaudi
The morning of our final full day in Barcelona was spent on the nearby hill of Montjuic. A furnicular railway took us half way up before we made for the Castell de Montjuic on foot. We got a little lost initially, but soon regained our bearings. It wasn't hard with such noticeable landmarks nearby like the Olympic stadium and cable car! The Castell on the top was interesting, and the views over the city just spectacular. Unfortunately my camera ran out of battery, but I was lucky enough to be able to get a couple of shots. We spent about half an hour up here before heading back down to the hotel to grab our gear for the beach. With the sun shining, and Ania headed back to Poland, she didn't want to miss this opportunite to go swimming in the sea.
We spent a couple of hours at the beach before heading back to the hotel to get a change of clothes and my camera before making our way out to our final sight for the trip, Casa Batllo. We'd seen the exterior on our first morning, but were keen to have a look inside. And it was well worth the hefty entrance price. A staircase took us up to the first floor where everything swirled in the main salon. The ceiling was twisted into a vortex around its main lamp, and the doors, window and skylights were dreamy waves of wood and coloured glass. The same themes continued in the other rooms and covered terrace, with twisting, tiled chimney pots adding a surreal touch to the roof. Possibly the highlight was the incredible attic, reminiscent of something straight out of a David Lynch film.
It was an amazing time we spent in the city, and the best possible way to spend our final few days before a break of a few months while I came home. Everything I'd heard about Barcelona was true, and I was glad we were able to make the most of our time and see quite a lot of the city. Gaudi's architectural masterpieces were one of the highlights of Europe for me.
Comments
That's funny...
about scaffolding. We had a discussion on this exact topic in the forums: http://www.travelpod.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=12211
Louise Brown
TravelPod Community Manager