Today we toured Barcelona with a professional guide. Our group of 85 students plus faculty and staff were taken on two buses on a tour through some of the city's high spots. Our guide was Miguel, who was terrific. He took us up Monjuic, where the 1992 Olympics were held.
Miguel was especially helpful in helping us understand why the noted Barcelona architect Antoni Gaudi was so brilliant. He showed us how Gaudi was both innovative and practical. His curving figures use elements from nature (flowers, palm trees and salamanders) in striking details. At the same time, he was an environmentalist before such a thing existed; he designed his work to capture rain water to feed the landscape in this relatively arid land. Gaudi's work is showcased in Parc Guell.
We ended the tour with Gaudi's most famous work, Sagrada Familia. The church, began 130 years ago, is still about 20 years away from completion. The exterior is unlike any cathedral I've seen. I look forward to returning and touring the interior.
After a breezy morning, the weather for the afternoon tour was postcard-perfect. Barcelona is a wonderful city, save for its pickpockets. Last night, I got nicked. Some dude jostled me on the metro and before I realized what had happened, my 40-euro (about $55 U.S.) subway farecard was stolen. I have a special backpack to protect all my stuff and am pretty careful, but all it took was one moment of not being at attention. Lesson learned.
Miguel was especially helpful in helping us understand why the noted Barcelona architect Antoni Gaudi was so brilliant. He showed us how Gaudi was both innovative and practical. His curving figures use elements from nature (flowers, palm trees and salamanders) in striking details. At the same time, he was an environmentalist before such a thing existed; he designed his work to capture rain water to feed the landscape in this relatively arid land. Gaudi's work is showcased in Parc Guell.
We ended the tour with Gaudi's most famous work, Sagrada Familia. The church, began 130 years ago, is still about 20 years away from completion. The exterior is unlike any cathedral I've seen. I look forward to returning and touring the interior.
After a breezy morning, the weather for the afternoon tour was postcard-perfect. Barcelona is a wonderful city, save for its pickpockets. Last night, I got nicked. Some dude jostled me on the metro and before I realized what had happened, my 40-euro (about $55 U.S.) subway farecard was stolen. I have a special backpack to protect all my stuff and am pretty careful, but all it took was one moment of not being at attention. Lesson learned.
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