Gaudi

Today was a fabulous day in Barcelona.

I first walked to La Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's unfinished legacy. It's a massive cathedral that is simply put - amazing. It is unfinished because Gaudi got hit by a tram and passed out. No one helped him for a while because they assumed he was a beggar (didn't have an ID on him and had an artsy neglected appearance wearing old clothes). If only they had helped him sooner. However, he still wouldn't have been able to finish La Sagrada Familia in his lifetime. It's still under construction and expected to be finished in 2026.

There weren't lots of people walking towards it so I was hopeful it wouldn't be too crowded. But once I got into eyesight of it I could see all the tour buses parked in front and loads of people walking out from the metro. Lazy bums. I'll give them that it was a far walk, but still. The line wrapped around the cathedral so I got a nice view of the exterior while waiting in line. It ended up only taking 30 minutes to get in which was a nice surprise. I had a great visit there and was in complete awe. Google it for a glimpse if you haven't seen it or photos of it before.

Side note - while in line a woman was walking through passing out flyers for "Elvis Presley - The King Story...Directly of Las Vegas!!!" I think I'll skip it since Ang, Gabe, and I are taking my dad and Connie to see the Viva Elvis Cirque de Soleil show in Vegas in June for their 60ths. :)

I then walked to La Pedrera, Gaudi's apartment building officially called Casa Mila but better known as La Pedrera. That line was shorter but took longer to get inside. I had a nice chat in line with a woman from Albany, NY here as a parent chaperone for a school trip of 33 15-year-olds. She decided to ditch the group and hit up La Pedrera. She was really nice and we talked the whole way in line and kept running into each other inside and chatting some more. She told me that yesterday there was a fire in La Sagrada Familia and they had to evacuate everyone. How angry would I have been if I had to leave after waiting in that line.

In case you are curious like me, this is from Catholic Online (who knew): "An alleged arsonist set fire to Sagrada Familia (Holy Family) Basilica in Barcelona, Spain, midmorning on April 19. The blaze damaged the sacristy in the basilica´s crypt and forced evacuation amid dense smoke. More than 1,000 visitors were evacuated and several were treated for smoke inhalation. A 65-year-old man with a lighter still in hand was restrained by a group of ten tourists and turned over to local police, reported the Spanish daily La Razon."

Anyways, La Pedrera was very cool. It's an apartment building but no one lives there. There are some offices there but basically it's a tourist destination. The outside is made of limestone and wavy. All of his work is very nature-esque, whether it looks like water, ocean-life, bones, animals etc. The roof was very cool with a bunch of warrior looking chimneys and some statues that look Darth Vader like. My photos won't do it justice, but I'll upload them when I get home. After the roof visit you go to the attic, which they've turned into a Gaudi museum. And then down to an example apartment which was huge and so fancy. I'd live there.

Next stop was the Casa Battlo. It was cool to see in the La Pedrera attic a photo of the Casa Battlo before and after Gaudi remodeled the facade in 1906. It is thought to represent the legend of Sant Jordi and his dragon. Casa Battlo barely had a line, probably because it was the most expensive of the three places. It is privately owned by a family and apparently (according to the included-in-the-price audioguide) they spend their own money on the upkeep of the building. It was very beautiful with colorful ceramic tiles, colored glass windows, and dragon spine looking stairwells and balconies. My photos won't and my words aren't doing it justice.

Side note of good news - I haven't always been able to use my student card, but today all three places accepted my student status and I got in at a discounted rate. A few places in Madrid (and all of the places in Italy) required that you be an EU student and under the age of 26 in order to get the discount.

I had so much fun taking photos in all three Gaudi places. I think I was so photo-happy because all three spots felt like a museum, but unlike a museum you can actually take photos. Also it's such unique architecture. I can't believe how "different" it is now, and to think of how he paved the way back then is just cool. I imagine he had some resistance and criticism, but not sure. I need to educate myself a bit more about Gaudi and his work.

Next door to the Casa Battlo is the Casa Amatiller which you can visit the ground floor for free, and then the Casa Lleo Morera which you can't visit. All three were designed by different architects and they make up what is known as the Block of Discord.

I then walked over to Tapas 24 for a snack (guidebook reco). I had two glasses of cava (sparking wine) and a tapa. Darcy, they only had one croquette that had ham in it, BUT I did see a place close to my hostel that does have a few non-meat ones. I will try those tomorrow!

After that tasty treat I walked down Rambla de Catalunya, La Rambla, and headed back to my hostel to relax, type up this blog entry, and watch the Barcelona/Madrid game in the hostel common room. Which is what I'm doing now. There are lots of people coming and going and I have my iPod in so that I don't have to listen to too much yakking, but it's low enough so I can eavesdrop on the sly. Ugh tourists. ;)

Two stories though that were earbud removal worthy were first-hand accounts of two different hostel guests. The first one - she was in the train station this morning (the one where I arrived in from Madrid) and a man came up and asked her if she needed help with directions as she was looking at her map. Only when she got to the hostel and went for her wallet to pay did she realize it was missing. The second one - she was in a crowded metro (also today) and felt her bag move, turned around, and saw a woman walking away and slip out of the train as the doors were closing. Wallet gone.

That got the whole room talking of other stories in restaurants, coffee shops etc. The Americans in here have been going to Starbucks everyday (of course they have...) and said that there are signs all over the walls in a few of them that say "please watch your stuff, this area is worked by professional thieves".

Turns out it sadly happens all the time, which is mentioned in my guidebook repeatedly and ingrained in my head by Alegria. Andrew also warned me that he experienced people sticking their hands in his pockets three times here. A few times yesterday I put my backpack on my back and knew Alegria would be shaking her head so I moved it in front of me. I feel like a tool walking like that, but after hearing all these stories today, I'm ok looking like a tool.