We spent our morning in the airport. We had to get up early yet again. We didn't get breakfast because it wasn't open as early as we were. We all had our bags and were freaking out about weight. And as we waited for the bus to pick us up we used the scale over and over again. Then we got on the bus and we were all exhausted and most of us didn't get ready for the day. We arrived at the Paris airport where we ended up standing around and waited till we could check in. Some people went to find food and came back with a McDonalds mask. Andrea had it on so we had some fun with that. While we sat there we a had a rather rude lady sitting next to us. I don't know if she didn't like us because we sat next to her or if it was because we were American. We weren't even that loud. We were half asleep anyway. But she was a real pill. But that soon was over and we were in line for our tickets. I had to check an extra bag and I was thinking it would be a lot of money but it was only 30 euros. So I was happy. I then went through security and off we went. We got on the plane, I was sitting next to Phil and Danielle. We all tried to sleep on the flight so we would have energy for Barcelona! The flight didn't take too long and soon we were in the hot humid air of Barcelona. We met our tour guide, William. Then we loaded onto the bus. The tour was of old Barcelona. We saw the Olympic stadium that was originally built for a Olympic bid in 1932 but was then used in the 1992 Olympics. I loved seeing it because my uncle was a part of the 1992 Olympics. He was an assistant soccer coach for the US soccer team. It added something special to being there. I was in total awe. We also got to see the black Madonna. We also got to see this building that was made for the International Exhibition there was also a building by Mies Van der Rohe. It was totally his style. Straight lines and very geometric. It also had different colors of stone and a great pool of water. It was cool to see a building and recognizing who built it. We then made our way to a spot that over looked the coast. While the view was beautiful the ground we were walking on was what intrigued me. There were bottoms of beer bottles and other glass bottles on the ground to make a pathway. There were all these patterns made from found river looking rocks and either colored cement or wood pieces. It was really cool and a way to spice up the mundane. We then continued on in our tour. While it was so much fun it was really hot and that was getting to me a little. But we continued walking. We saw some amazing buildings. Spain had a style all its own it is their version of Art Nouveau, Catalan modernisme architecture. We stopped at one point at the hotel so we could drop off our bags and then we were off for the rest of our tour but it was all walking now. We walked past tent city. It is full of protesters who are looking to change the world. They are all in this square. There was even a tree house! We walked past it and on into old town. We walked all over! We walked by a building that was designed by Richard Meir. It was his style for sure. We could tell from a distance it was his because there were many squares and white. The Gettysburg Center in California was designed by him and it was very much in the same style. William was a little surprised that we produced the name so quickly. I guess the outside of the building is used as a skate park. Skate boarders come there to ride with their friends and to perfect their tricks. We continued on in our tour to a space in front of a church were a band was gathered and a group of older people where they did a traditional Spanish dance. Catalonia I think is what it was called and unfortunately it is dieing out because the youngsters don't really care to learn it. Kind of sad that something so important to the culture and its history is slowly disappearing. We continued on and saw this really cool library with different textures and a pattern made of punch outs in metal. Looks like it was inspired by circuit boards or those key cards our Paris hotel had. We also went to this court yard with a fountain. On one side there is a church wall and bullet holes lined the wall. It was from executions that occurred during the Spanish civil war. William was telling us how now he will sit at the fountain and during lunch time kids who go to a church school come flooding out at lunch and they play in the very courtyard where people were executed. It is a nice turn around. It makes a place with a bad history have a good one. We continued on and at one point saw works by Picasso that are all over a building. He drew them and then they turned into stencils were they poured colored cement so they were two different colors. It was a different technique that I hadn't heard of until I saw this. We continued on and went through this big market place. It was kind of disgusting because there were dead fish and huge legs. It was disturbing since I don't eat most meat. There was also a head of some kind of animal and it really disturbed me. But on top of the meat there was also a ton of fresh fruit and almost everyone got these smoothie like things. They really enjoyed them. And we continued on our way. We went to the meeting place where a building was covered with umbrellas and a dragon sticking out of the side. We then went down by that building into an ally way and that is where I found the place I would spend the entire next day searching for. It is a store where they got permission from the city council to take old pvc posters from the city and make bags. It was originally started by sisters and then other places have caught on to the idea. I loved that the bags are unique and all different. They also area part of Barcelona history. It would be the perfect souvenir. After our tour people wanted to shop including Darrin so we took about two hours to shop. I really just wanted to go to the hotel and crash. I rolled with it though and hung with Larua, Andrea, and Danielle as they shopped. We then had some really good gelato and then walked back to the hotel. It was so hot and a really long walk. At least it felt like it was a really long walk. Then we got there and we were at the amazing hotel. It was truly beautiful. I was so happy to be in a nice hotel with a hot shower and a bed where I could crash. The bed was so comfortable. The bathroom though had one disturbing feature. A wall of mirrors facing the toilet and shower. Its like I don't want to see myself go to the bathroom! And I don't want to see myself in the shower. I was happy that the mirror fogged up from the hot water. It was just one design feature that wasn't needed. After a hot shower, a call to my parents, I went straight to bed.
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| Mies Van der Rohe's building |
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| One of the Olympic Stadiums |
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| a unique pathway |
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| Barcelona! |
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| It was so hot I didn't care what I looked like. This is me with the Harbor |
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| The pathways were so unique! Bottle bottoms and colored stone making flowers. It was beautiful |
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| Spain's version of Art Nouveau |
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| William took us to this amazing store! This chair was made out of bottle caps! |
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| Another example |
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| Richard Meir's Building |
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| The Market. Great collection of color |
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| Picasso's building |
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| The dance that is slowly dieing out. |
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