barTHelona

Since I just got back from Barcelona, the Spanish capital of art, culture, and design, I'm going to let the photos speak for themselves. I also realized that not everyone could access the Shutterfly photos so here are a few vistas:

Barcelona has outlawed bullfighting, but not Correbous, an equally gruesome "sport" where torches are attached to the bull's horns and lit on fire. I signed an anti-correbous petition that hopefully will go to the Catalunyan Parliament. In exchange for my signature a very nice man gave me a pin with a picture of an impaled bull on it. Super! 

Quiz question of the day: Why is this photo significant? Any Breene with the right answer gets a free churro. 

And thus, we begin the Tour de Gaudi! Here's a short lesson on Spain's favorite architect:

Antonio Gaudi was a Catalunyan architect who lived and worked around the turn of the 20th century. His style is incredibly distinct; he belonged to the Modernistic school but was also extremely influenced by patterns and textures seen in nature. It also contains many elements of fantasy - examples are the dragon roofline of Casa Batllo and the gingerbread house-like buildings in Parc Guell. Gaudi was a genius, and like many of those types, he was also a famous recluse. Towards the end of his life he developed antisocial tendencies and an all-consuming obsession with his last and grandest work, the Iglesia de la Sagrada Familia. He actually lived the last years of his life from the crypt of the construction site. Rather sadly and anti-climactically, Gaudi was hit by a street car and died in 1926, 84 years and counting before his final masterpiece was finished. 

Casa Batllo, originally constructed AS SOMEONE'S HOUSE. por favor! It is now a museum that I didn't have time to visit. Save it for my next trip to Barcelona.

roof of Casa Batllo which looks like a dragon. the tower on the right is its pointy tail.

I accidentally deleted most of my Sagrada Familia pictures, which is probably a good thing because nobody wants to see 1235934834 photos of a church. According to our information packet, they are trying to complete the interior by the end of 2010 (fat chance) and the exterior by 2030. That sounds like a long time, but they still need to construct the highest and largest spire and my host mom, Maria, told me they didn't have the plans. Whoops! 

                                                 

Julia, Carmen and I inside. I'm making that face/body expression because I was about to smack Carmen for posing in such a ridiculous manner. If you look closely, my right hand is on the move.

Fachada de la Pasión 

Enough of the Sagrada Familia already. Last stop on the Gaudi tour: Parc Guell. This park was actually a business venture dreamt up by Eusedi Guell, a Catalunyan businessman. He wanted to create a luxury housing development outside of Barcelona (the park is up on a hill about 30 min. from the downtown). Anyway, Eusedi called up our boy Gaudi and they got to building. The community was to have 60 houses, but Gaudi decided first to build the communal buildings like the pavilion that would serve as a market, the terrace to take in views of the city, and the guardhouses. This turned out to be a good call, because Guell estates was a total failure and nobody wanted to live in the boonies. Eventually Guell sold the property to the city of Barcelona and it has since become a municipal park. 

Carlitos and I in Parc Guell

Plaza de Catalunya aka the Puerta del Sol of Barcelona

Other things I liked about Barcelona:

roughly: "this isn't a crisis; this is capitalism." oh, those silly Catalonians. 

Super-fancy stores. This one's for Taylor

This one's for Jill

just another bank or something, nothing special