Frolicking in Catalunya

My trip to Barcelona came and went in a blink. Because the majority of the museums were closed on Saturday May 1st due to Labor Day, we immediately hit up the Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya just a couple of hours after landing from our early morning flight. Boasting a hearty collection, the museum was a swift introduction to our stay in the Catalan-infested region. From there, we wound our way through the Parc de Monjuïc to the Fundació Joan Miró. Among my favorite pieces were a floor-to-ceiling tapestry woven with hunks of yarn, a Calder mercury fountain in the courtyard, and the sculpture-speckled terrace. Lunch in the park gave us a burst of energy before venturing to the Museu Picasso. Although I wasn't a huge fan of the museum, I did enjoy the several rooms dedicated to Picasso's take on Velázquez's Las Meninas.

That evening, we sat in awe among the audience of a concert by a Spanish guitarist, Xavier Coll. It was not only his flawless picking on four different guitars that spanned four different eras of Spanish eras (and his 10 year old daughter accompanying him on cello for a double encore) that made the concert unforgettable, but also the modernisme hall in which the concert took place. Every inch of the palau was covered in undulating mosaics, intricate carvings, and bursts of color. A stained glass composition, punctuated by giant roses, dominated the ceiling.

Saturday brought Gaudi galore. We started from the rear of Parc Guell and made our way to the curvaceous benches and, eventually, the mobbed entranced marked by the famous lizard. We then waited on line (25 minutes for tickets and then 20 minutes for an audio guide) with every other tourist in Barcelona outside of the Sagrada Familia. Despite the construction, the church was INCREDIBLE, and I cannot wait to return to see the finished product (that is if it's completed during my lifetime)! Nature's influence was ever-so-evident in the monumental cathedral, and I really liked the exhibits that explained Gaudi's fascinating command of geometry. Our final stop was La Pedrera - Gaudi's famous apartment building. Continuing on our way towards Picasso's hangout (4 Gats) for lunch, we passed by various Gaudi contributions including Casa Batllo, some trippy lamp posts, and other wavy balconies.

After lunch, we strolled down Las Ramblas and wandered (okay, shopped...) throughout the Barri Gotic before making our way to the hotel for a much-needed siesta. A seafood dinner near the beach really sealed the deal! Two and a half days in Barcelona was not nearly enough time, but traveling with my parents, running into a long lost camp friend (and some current classmates from Madrid), and taking the high speed AVE back to Madrid (instead of having to deal with the airport) set this weekend apart from others.

Although I do love where I'm "studying," Barcelona did give Madrid a run for its money (food-wise, architecture/Gaudi-wise, and art-wise)! Oh well, at least we speak castellano here... none of that Catalan crap!