Seer is defined as: extravagantly brilliant or indicator, generally to be tasteless
…. And not be confused with Antoni Gaudi. The word cry is not derived from him but is rather much older. But that said, he certainly reflects his style. And so when asked to describe Barcelona, Spain in a word, I said “Gaudi!”
After a 13 -hour journey, all my two friends and I wanted to be daylight. But my first impression of Barcelona, through the brilliance of the beautiful warm sun, was darkened with a smelly fusion of smoke, sewers and urine while we leave the station. But with Barcelona was my choice for that Europe Trip, my hope has focused hoping to explore Barcelona de Gaudi. We were tired, hungry and between ourselves three, did not know a word of Spanish (except If), and we wanted to arrive at our hostel and cool off.
We found a taxi and showed him the address of our inn, he inaugurated and our bags in the car. Although he did not say a word of English, it became obvious that it did not seem sure to know where to go, but he left. After a rapid, noisy and cruel Spanish fire which has become stronger as we timidly put our heads with a lack of understanding, he tightened a newspaper and pointed out the window on a variety of breathtaking sculptures. We all smiled. He was trying to explain to us that it was a special moment to be in Barcelona because an exhibition of this work was exhibited on the street on which we were driving, Las Ramblas. Thinking that he was mean and shouted insults to be ignorant tourists to realize that he was doing his best to be nice and playing the tourist guide, I realized that everything does not seem, especially in a foreign place and a foreign language.
We finally arrived in a non -descriptive building. How would we ever have found it? It was not the first or the last place I stayed that had no name on the building. But with bags in hand, we lengthened where we located someone who took us to an old ajusting elevator and to the sweater door that I had only seen in the films. Our hostel was the second floor of the building and after a visit to the common room and computers, we led to our room. Behind this door – there was by far the smallest room we have ever seen. I would be more likely to call it a closer glorified. In one way or another, this “room” had a small bunk bed, plus a small single bed and a large window with a view of more windows from the interior courtyard of the building, and the tight whiters of a man dragged to dry. There was also a door leading to an adjoining bathroom that was the size of our bedroom. To enter the bathroom, we had to push the small single bed against the small bunk bed, so that we can crack the door enough to enter. Awesome! We all laughed. I knew it didn’t matter because we would only sleep and wash here. If but nothing else, these nearby districts would literally bring us closer and give us another travel story.
On the second day, we had our first introduction to Barcelona de Gaudi during our visit The Sagrada FamiliaAntoni Gaudi’s unfinished work. The original Gothic church was designed by Francisco de Paula del Villar y Lozano but was taken over by Antoni Gaudi in 1883 at 31 years old. He continued to completely change the design and put his distinctive style in it. Born in 1852, Antoni Gaudi had three main passions, architecture, nature and religion, but was also a vegetarian, and he certainly left his stamp on Barcelona.
Land prompted in 1882 for the construction of the temple of the Basilica I Expiatori of the Sagrada Familia. And after 131 years, this still unfinished building is the most fascinating church of all time, thanks to Gaudi. This building is probably the strangest that I have ever seen. From grandiose outside to cavernous inside, your senses are overwhelmed by the minute of Gaudi with details. Not only is it a breathtaking experience, but be sure to reserve a neck massage for the future, because you will get your neck all day so as not to miss something. I could not believe it, I even laughed when I saw the back of a spotted cat coming out of the ceiling. Seriously! Who thinks, ‘Ya, let’s get a cat in the building and see who spots it? WHO? Gaudi, who is who. At the top of the basilica, there is a beautiful view of the city. But, a note to visitors, be sure to look where you walk because there are holes deliberately placed in the ground looking in the church below.
Another essential attraction of Barcelona de Gaudi is the Guell park. It is said that this is one of Antoni Gaudi’s most remarkable masterpieces. Park Guell is a public park full of colors through its abundant mosaics, and fantasy through its fusion of nature and architecture. The park was built between 1900 and 1911 on the hill of El Carmel, overlooking the city and covers 17 hectares – which makes it one of the greatest architectural works in southern Europe.
It is by far the most interesting park I have ever visited and I have the impression that I could have spent the whole day exploring its hidden jewels of the oasis and precious. There is a large stone bench that curves for a magnificent view of the city. Throughout the bench, there were beautiful mosaics in a variety of bright colors. The paths covered with what looked like La Roche Ciselle seems old and the park buildings, of which we were the house of Gaudi who became a museum, looked like something Willie Wonka and the chocolate factory. With emerald green lurikeets in palm trees and brilliant bright pigeons, the tail died out, everything gave an air of fruitful fancy. If I had to describe Park Guell in two words, guess what they would be. Gaudi Paradise!
Our day in Park Guell was interrupted by my foot, more precisely my blisters. Any traveler can refer, while walking for hours and hours, for days and days, it is inevitable. The blister exploded! Even with a good pair of sandals and duadurm, my mini-blister had somehow cultivated two other blisters on itself. Even my friend, with whom I was, a nurse, had never seen such an epic bulb! So, after the park, we took the sweetness of the rest of the day with an excellent dinner and our first taste for papaya. Then, we did a bit of retail therapy a little necessary and found some of my favorite stores in Europe, here in Barcelona.
After a lot of walking and exploring, it was great to spend time relaxing on a Mediterranean beach, enjoy the shelves. But I realized that there were sites to see everywhere. Here, on the beach among the tramps of the beach was a standing man standing, facing everyone. It was beyond tanning and probably spent the days when it was not tanned, weight weight. And he was proud. He stood there, smiling, bending and posing. We laughed and could not help taking a photo of this Barcelona site!
Our last visit was along the famous street – Las Ramblas, which is in fact a succession of short streets with different names, hence the plural – Las Ramblas. At the lower end by the sea, the port of Barcelona is the monument of the colon dedicated to the explorer Christopher Columbus, and heads towards the Plaza de Catalunya. Las Ramblas at first glance seemed to be a beautiful street, the center and beating the heart of Barcelona. And that’s part. But on one of our walks along this lively street, we came across a section that was filled with street vendors, but not typical food and your tourist diet, these sold living animals.
At first, I was in shock when we casually checked these precious little creatures. There was everything, common pets such as rabbits and birds, but also more exotic natural fauna such as tamias as well as reptiles like iguan babies, and turtles and turtles stacked in tanks. They were all in horrible conditions! It was clear that their care and their health was not even a reflection afterwards. I was disgusted and I became crazy and emotional. It attacks me so much that my friends must have taken me away, driving me quickly on the street. I learned later that in 2003, 4 years before our visit, the Catalunya animal protection law prohibited “the public exposure of live animals to sell” to prevent their abuse or negligence – but it is not applied evenly.
Las Ramblas was not so bad, apart from the section of animals, it was actually a street lined with fairly picturesque trees. During the period of our visit, there was an outdoor exhibition on the Las Ramblas of some of the large bronze sculptures of the Polish sculptor Igor Mitoraj (those that the taxi driver tried to show us) inspired by the man and his past. I am not an effective art but I know of beauty and inspiring pieces when I see them and I was completely pierced by these massive pieces. Some made my face smile and a laugh like the “thinking” bull, while others left me out of breath like the winged and headless body.
Barcelona was an intriguing and complex city. For me, it gives off beauty with the help of Antoni Gaudi.
Have you explored Barcelona de Gaudi?
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