Barcelona
From València, Pram and I took the train to Barcelona. It was an agonizing, four-hour trip because we were sitting in front of obnoxious people. Barcelona provided a great pay-off for our suffering though. I became enamored with Barcelona’s architecture, its friendly people, its rich history, and its insane nightlife. I hope to return soon to this city by the sea.
We stayed in a hotel right off the Plaza de Catalunya, the city’s main square. I tried to strike a balance between seeing the city and going out and partying. I partly believe that I can party anywhere, so why should I travel 1,000 miles to do so. On the other hand, I also think this is the best way meet the locals. I tried to be somewhat disciplined though, getting in before 7 in the morning. One could easily stay out later—I believe Pram rolled in around 9 or 10 some mornings, which is customary with Spain’s nightlife.
Our typical day involved waking up—early if we didn’t stay out too late, early afternoon if we did—and seeing some sights. We ate a late lunch (the Spanish way) with a few courses and some wine, then continued to see the sights until it was time to get ready for the evening. Around midnight, one goes to the bars for a nice chat with new friends, and the discos come to life around 3 in the morning. My nocturnal tendencies were completely (and overly) satisfied here.
The welcoming Barcino sign; I'm sitting in the crescent-moon-shaped 'C.' Barcino is the ancient name for the city, named after Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who founded this Carthaginian colony in the third century B.C. Conquered in 133 B.C. by the Romans, by 15 B.C. the city came to be known as Faventia Julia Agusta Paterna Barcino, which was thankfully shortened to Barcelona. Barcino is the ancient name for the city, named after Hamilcar Barca, father of Hannibal, who founded this Carthaginian colony in the third century B.C. Conquered in 133 B.C. by the Romans, by 15 B.C. the city came to be known as Faventia Julia Agusta Paterna Barcino, which was thankfully shortened to Barcelona.
As wonderful as this viaduct looks, it is actually a 1920s add-on. This overpass is on Calle de Bisbe and connects the Casa de los Canonigos, built in the 15th century, with the Generalitat. What I'm curious about is why, after these two buildings sat side by side for centuries, was there a need to connect them one story above the ground. Curious.
A store front window filled with origami. I don't know exactly what these dancing yellow creatures are, but they look happy, don't they? Other windows had red ants, green frogs, and orange fish. I never did find out what the store sold.
Las Ramblas is a wide avenue that runs from the seaside to the relatively newer parts of town in L'Eixample. The name comes from ramla, the arabic word for sand. This avenue traces the path of a river that was dry and sandy in the summer. Merchants would use the dry riverbed to conduct business and sell their wares until the mid 1300s, when it was paved and became a more permanent marketplace. Today the avenue is divided into two-lanes for cars in each direction that surround the wide walkway up the middle. On the walkway are newsstands, cafes, and a lot of pet shops (where birds are the big seller). Each section has a speciality and is known for something different. Along the way are many street performers, such as this tree guy behind Pram. Many of the performers strive for a motionless day, emulating the stone-carved monuments in Barcelona, but the tree guy would move his hands and head in slow-motion as a tree might. He was an original.
A grand apartment building on a corner in L'Eixample, where all the corners have been cut off to make diagonals. Done for the wide-turning street cars of yesteryear, they now provide extra parking places in miniature squares. Because this section of the city was planned from Madrid, Barcelonans have never really embraced this idiosyncrasy. The pedestrian is forced to walk the diagonal, cross the street at the narrow part, and walk the opposite diagonal to continue along the same street, adding many steps to one's journey. One is often tempted to just walk across the wide part of the square, but people generally refrain from this act—I guess Spaniards are either too laid-back or law-abiding for this. I'm guessing it's the former.
Looking up to the magnificent ceiling of the Sagrada Família cathedral. One of the few familiar cathedral icons are the rose windows.
The stained glass in La Sagrada Família is very modern in its colors and forms. While I'm used to seeing stories depicted in the glass, here there seem to be no discernible characters or stories. There are some words, though, in the smaller circular windows.
The Facade of the Nativity was completed in Gaudí's vision (he completed only one of the four towers before his death). Each of the three facades of the cathedral will have four towers, each tower dedicated to one of the 12 apostles. Thus far, the Facade of the Nativity and the Facade of the Passion are complete, the Facade of the Glory, the main entrance on Calle Mallorca, will someday sprout another four towers. In the center will be a massive, 575-foot tower symbolizing Christ.
Pram before the hyper-detailed Nativity Facade of La Sagrada Família.
The Nativity Facade of the Sagrada Família.
The Nativity Facade of the Sagrada Família. (mosaic 1)
The interior of the Sagrada Família cathedral is completely filled with scaffolding. This was an amazing sight in and of itself. The looming Mother Teresa is a sign for a photographic exhibit on her life and work, which was also quite moving, but a little lost in this spectacular edifice.
The nave of the Sagrada Família Cathedral. Gaudí's architectural vision was inspired by nature, exhibited here by the concrete forest reaching to the partially completed ceiling. Note the balcony at the bottom.
One of the many stories represented on the Passion Facade of La Sagrada Família. Here we see the betrayal of Jesus by Judas, who kisses Jesus and consequently reveals his identity to his arrestors. Below is a serpent representing the presence of satan. To the left is the facade's cryptogram, a square with over 300 combinations adding to the number 33, Christ's age at his crucifixion. The symbol appears in many places on this facade.
On these doors are words from the scriptures; notably, 'Que es la veritat?' or what is the truth in Catalan.
A scene on the Passion facade depicting the judgment of Jesus.
The burial of Jesus is depicted in the background, and reflected in the somber face in the foreground.
The Passion Facade of La Sagrada Família was completed by architect Jordi Bonet and sculptor Josep Subirachs after Gaudi's death. Plans for the cathedral were mostly destroyed during the Spainish Civil War, when many cathedrals and churches were destroyed. Thankfully, this cathedral survived, but Gaudi's workshop was burned and his tomb in the cathedral's crypt was vandalized. Architects are now combining what remains from Gaudi's original plans with their own styles to complete the massive project. Sponsors hope that the cathedral will be completed by the centenary of Gaudi's death in 2026.
The towers of the Sagrada Familia Cathedral form the park across the street.
Geese occupy the cloisters of the Cathedral of Santa Eulalia, the main Gothic cathedral in Barcelona. They have resided here for five centuries.
The main tower of the main Barcelona cathedral, known as La Seu, rises high above this large cloister.
The Barcelona cathedral is said to be the darkest in all of Europe. In the crypt lies Saint Eulalia, a Christian martyr who died in the year 303.
From the roof of the Cathedral, the rooftops of Barcelona offer a plethora of antennas, wires, and chimneys, broken by an occasional tower.
Southeast from La Seu Cathedral's rooftop, a few nearby cathedrals are in the neighborhood, and the Parc de Montjuic covers the mountains on the horizon.
Sitting atop the main Gothic cathedral in Barcelona, the towers of the Sagrada Familia are visible, poking above the low-lying roofs of the city.
On the roof of the cathedral looking toward the giant tower that defines the front facade.
This arch was constructed for the 1888 Expo and serves as the entrance to the Citadel Park.
The grand fountain in the Parc Citadel, with mythical figures and gargoyles.
A giant fountain in the city park, complete with gargoyles and charging horses.
The front facade of the Casa Batllo, with its organic accents: its shapes resemble a Grateful Dead album cover.
A doorway in Gaudi's Casa Batllo.
The back porch behind Casa Batllo.
A decorative tile mosaic on the back of Casa Batllo.
The decorated chimneys on the roof of Casa Batllo.
The central light shaft in the Casa Batllo. Designed to bring light down to the lower floors, the windows get progressively larger to gather more light on the lower levels.
Casa Batllo's attic is accented with a parabolic ceiling.
The Gaudi-designed Parc Guell.
The view form the elevated Parc Guell. On the terrace is a geat view of the entire city and out to the Mediterranean Sea.
Under a road in Parc Guell, with Gaudi's signature organic supports.
Gaudi's timed ceiling under the grand terrace of Parc Guell.
One of the gatehouses at the entrance of Parc Guell.