Barcelona
Barcelona is easily one of my top three favorite cities in Europe. It may be because we had terrible weather in Granada and Madrid, but I think I would love it no matter what. The sky was blue, it was perfectly warm and sunny. The food was amazing, the people were friendly, there was a beach, there was mountains, there was a big city feel, there was the cozy streets and pubs. Everything was so so awesome. The best part of Barcelona is that I got sunburn and there was a snow day in Champaign.
Day 1
Since Barcelona is so big, we decided we wanted four days there. The first day we took our hostels free walking tour through the Gothic Quarter of Spain. Our guide was so cool and he had actually studied abroad in Washington State.
One cool thing that we passed in our walk was a testing sight for solar energy. Its climate is very conducive to utilizing solar power, but before they convert all of their power to solar, they want to make sure certain areas would benefit. I didn't know this, but Barcelona is actually one of the leading countries in EU as far as green technology goes. For example, Barcelona has public bike sharing system. It works similarly to the car sharing concept, but with bikes. Bikers are everywhere in Europe, so people really utilize this system! The bike system was so successful that is motivated the rich and poor of Barcelona to continue their green efforts. Since Barcelona is a huge tourist attraction, the city is gaining attention from citizens all over the world as you are forced to see the sustainability efforts. The tourists are great ways to spread the word of the possible benefits sustainability can have and a great way to get other communities interested in what Barcelona is doing. For me, it was interesting to see Barcelona doing so much to be a leading power of sustainability when it is pretty much supporting the rest of the Spanish economy. I have noticed that other countries really push through any resistance to make sure they are making sustainable efforts. It is less about political sides and who is "winning" but about really making changes to help our future needs and economy.
One cool thing that we passed in our walk was a testing sight for solar energy. Its climate is very conducive to utilizing solar power, but before they convert all of their power to solar, they want to make sure certain areas would benefit. I didn't know this, but Barcelona is actually one of the leading countries in EU as far as green technology goes. For example, Barcelona has public bike sharing system. It works similarly to the car sharing concept, but with bikes. Bikers are everywhere in Europe, so people really utilize this system! The bike system was so successful that is motivated the rich and poor of Barcelona to continue their green efforts. Since Barcelona is a huge tourist attraction, the city is gaining attention from citizens all over the world as you are forced to see the sustainability efforts. The tourists are great ways to spread the word of the possible benefits sustainability can have and a great way to get other communities interested in what Barcelona is doing. For me, it was interesting to see Barcelona doing so much to be a leading power of sustainability when it is pretty much supporting the rest of the Spanish economy. I have noticed that other countries really push through any resistance to make sure they are making sustainable efforts. It is less about political sides and who is "winning" but about really making changes to help our future needs and economy.
Day 2
All of us at the park on the Bike Tour!
Our second day here may be the best day abroad. The weather was absolutely perfect. We woke up and decided to take our hostels free bike tour. We met at this big statue on the beach and our guide was a super cool Irish man. There was only us 6 U of I students and then my friend from home, and one other man from Ecuador. Our guide's name was Duncan. We rented the bikes for 5 euro and then tipped him at the end, but we would have paid that much to rent a bike even if it didn't have a guide. The tour went through the beach, through a lot of Gaudi's famous buildings, through the rich area, and through the prettiest park I have ever seen. The bike tour lasted about 3 hours. Afterward, we went to a pub with Duncan and the Ecuadorian man to have lunch. It is so cool hearing other people's travelling, studying, working experience. Learning about how other people live is such an awesome conversation.
After lunch, we went to a tapas place to sit outside on the beach in the sun. We sat there for four hours just eating tapas. We got a sampler platter and made friends with the waitress who helped us practice our Catalan. The Barcelona area of Spain speaks a different language, called Catalan, and it is sort of a combination of French and Spanish. A good example of this is the Spanish word for exit is "salida" and the French word for exit is "sorte". The Catalan word for exit is "Sortida". We probably would have stayed there longer, but we signed up for a "spanish cooking experience". This was absolutely awesome. The experience started by meeting back in the pub we had lunch at. Our hostel really made it easy to get to know other travelers and do cool things. After a quick introduction to the experience, the chef led us to Barcelona's fresh market. Most cities in Europe have these enormous warehouses filled with fresh food of all kinds. We picked up fresh sea food, fresh spices, fresh vegetables, and fresh grain for the paella. Then, we walked back to the restaurant to cook. He gave us a full tutorial of how to make real spanish tapas before he gave us the paella tutorial. One of my favorite tapas was taking a fresh slice of bread, grating it with a tomato, drizzle olive oil on top, then top it with salami and manchego cheese. So delicious! I know I talk about food a lot, but it is one of the best parts about being in Europe! This cooking experience was honestly one of my favorite things we have done so far. We had unlimited tapas and paella for only 20 euro! We got to meet so many cool people and listen to their perspective of studying abroad. It was definitely worth the money.
After lunch, we went to a tapas place to sit outside on the beach in the sun. We sat there for four hours just eating tapas. We got a sampler platter and made friends with the waitress who helped us practice our Catalan. The Barcelona area of Spain speaks a different language, called Catalan, and it is sort of a combination of French and Spanish. A good example of this is the Spanish word for exit is "salida" and the French word for exit is "sorte". The Catalan word for exit is "Sortida". We probably would have stayed there longer, but we signed up for a "spanish cooking experience". This was absolutely awesome. The experience started by meeting back in the pub we had lunch at. Our hostel really made it easy to get to know other travelers and do cool things. After a quick introduction to the experience, the chef led us to Barcelona's fresh market. Most cities in Europe have these enormous warehouses filled with fresh food of all kinds. We picked up fresh sea food, fresh spices, fresh vegetables, and fresh grain for the paella. Then, we walked back to the restaurant to cook. He gave us a full tutorial of how to make real spanish tapas before he gave us the paella tutorial. One of my favorite tapas was taking a fresh slice of bread, grating it with a tomato, drizzle olive oil on top, then top it with salami and manchego cheese. So delicious! I know I talk about food a lot, but it is one of the best parts about being in Europe! This cooking experience was honestly one of my favorite things we have done so far. We had unlimited tapas and paella for only 20 euro! We got to meet so many cool people and listen to their perspective of studying abroad. It was definitely worth the money.
Day 3
A good example of Gaudi architecture in Park Guell
Our third day in Barcelona we went to Park Guell, a good example of Gaudi architecture. His architecture is noted for mimicking forms you would see in nature. He was a very religious man and believed that no architect should surpass God's architecture. His structures usually have forms that look like trees, or smooth lines and curves. While in Barcelona, you can clear spot a building designed by Gaudi. The main part of the park is the enormous terrace with a bench in the form of a sea serpant surrounding it. The unusually shaped buildings and structures show how cool Gaudi's work was.
Another great example, possibly more famous, is the Sagrada Familia. It is the Church of the Holy Family initiated by Gaudi in 1882. One of the biggest reasons this church is so famous is that it is still incomplete. Gaudi devoted his final years entirely to the project. He even lived inside the church just before he died. The Sagrada Familia has beautiful, natural facade on the western side of the building, because this is the only side Gaudi lived to see through. The eastern side has much harsher lines and structures. The basilica was funded solely on private donations and Gaudi actually used to go into the streets and beg for money for this project. The donations were interrupted during the Spanish Civil war and then continued in the 1950s. The sad thing about Gaudi's death is that he actually dressed himself like a commoner. He was hit by a train one morning and taken to a poor man's hospital because no one recognized him. People believe that if he was recognized and given the care he could afford, he would have survived.
Another great example, possibly more famous, is the Sagrada Familia. It is the Church of the Holy Family initiated by Gaudi in 1882. One of the biggest reasons this church is so famous is that it is still incomplete. Gaudi devoted his final years entirely to the project. He even lived inside the church just before he died. The Sagrada Familia has beautiful, natural facade on the western side of the building, because this is the only side Gaudi lived to see through. The eastern side has much harsher lines and structures. The basilica was funded solely on private donations and Gaudi actually used to go into the streets and beg for money for this project. The donations were interrupted during the Spanish Civil war and then continued in the 1950s. The sad thing about Gaudi's death is that he actually dressed himself like a commoner. He was hit by a train one morning and taken to a poor man's hospital because no one recognized him. People believe that if he was recognized and given the care he could afford, he would have survived.
Day 4
Montserrat is a coastal mountain range in Barcelona. This mountain range is what Christopher Columbus named the Caribbean island after. Montserrat is well known for the Benedictine Abbey, which hosts the Virgin of Montserrat sanctuary which is identified by some with the Holy Grail. The monastery is Catalonia's most important religious retreat and it is also the highest range in Catalonia.
We took a bus all the way up to the abbey and it took about an hour. The tour guide said that if you walked all the way up the mountain it would take you 17 hours. We got into the basilica and we walked around and it was so beautiful. The most beautiful thing was hiking to a cross on the top of a mountain range. It was so so so steep and was definitely my work out for the week, but completely worth it. Seeing a cross placed next to the edge of a cliff is a really powerful thing to see. We felt like we were on top of the world and we loved it!
We took a bus all the way up to the abbey and it took about an hour. The tour guide said that if you walked all the way up the mountain it would take you 17 hours. We got into the basilica and we walked around and it was so beautiful. The most beautiful thing was hiking to a cross on the top of a mountain range. It was so so so steep and was definitely my work out for the week, but completely worth it. Seeing a cross placed next to the edge of a cliff is a really powerful thing to see. We felt like we were on top of the world and we loved it!