Semana Tres y Girona

This past week was mainly focused on classwork but we did get to do and see some fun things! On Thursday some of our group went to the opening of an exhibit at the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona (the MACBA). The exhibit was various works by Joan Rabascall. While some were a little too pornographic for my tastes, I liked alot of it quite a bit! We did have to sneak in though since you technically needed an invitation but our professor invited us saying that one good thing about this city planning things so loosely and casual is that you can sneak into them. They also had free champagne which was nice.

"Imperfect Crime"



Later that night we attempted again to go to a club on the beach that was recommended and actually got in this time! However, it was quite ritsy and played a lot of rap music so I only stayed for an half an hour or so. The next morning we met one of our classes at Gaudi's famous cathedral, Sagrada Familia and our professor gave us a tour of the building. It was fantastic! Gaudi had always been one of those architects that just seemed kinda crazy and random, but upon looking at the museum there, he had method to everything and was a genius! He used canternary arches and developed his shapes using complex geometry and spent years doing studies and models. Quite fantastic!



i'm not what significance the turtle has...






one of the methods he used to develop arches



beautiful interior






views from the top




scary stairs!


erin trying to be brave


We then went to Hospital Sant Pau, which is an old, but still functioning public hospital. It used to know as the hospital for the poor and when Guadi was found after having been run over by a steam train (he stayed out of the spotlight as much as possible and was not instantly recognizable - they didn't know who he was!) they took him to this hospital. Though they discovered his identity before he passed, he wanted to stay and die there with the poor.






The next day many of us decided to put of schoolwork aside for the day and took a train to Girona, Spain about an hour and a half away. When the train first pulled in it drove through a dumpy looking part of town, but when we got off, it was actually quite nice! We first wandered around for a bit, taking pictures of the town.









We then decided to go to the Museu del Cinema. It turned out to be very cool!! It was very interactive and completely worth the 2 euros. My favorite part, and I think all that went would agree, was this mirror box that made the movie look like a sphere and caused images of us to repeat forever! I guess the picture will explain it better.

view of an image from straight on - all obscure


view at an angle - it looks normal! crazy!


no light


backlight


the mirror box!


chaplin tribute


We then decided to walk to the Cathedral, which has the largest single nave in the world!

red bridge


stairs to the cathedral


not too special from the outside


view from the steps


the nave






the cloister




talking on our 'phones' - well, audio guides


We then found a random path around the cathedral and then ended up on the wall that surrounds the city. The view was beautiful!

on our way












breathtaking




Our trip was great! However, when we got back to the train station and after waiting at the stop for a good 30 minutes, a man in a bright yellow vest came and told us that there were no more trains coming that day! Apparently the hurricane force winds that were hitting the Barcelona area (it wasn't too windy in Girona) had caused the trains to stop running indefinitely. He suggested we go see if there was a bus running. So Beca, our lovely translator went and chatted which the people at the bus station who at first told us that there were no bused heading to Barcelona, we began to worry. He then said that there was one heading to the Barcelona Airport (apparently he didn't think that counted as Barcelona?? I don't know....) but that there may not be any seats. So we head the stop, the bus arrived and though it cost us 18 euros, could get us home. One problem though...our group had split up and over half of us were not around. We called and called and told them to run and they barely made it onto the bus! All is well now though and we made it home, just a little poorer. Mother Nature strikes again.

Donde Esta la Biblioteca?

So another week has gone by and I have again seen so much!! Everyone else from our group has arrived and we started class...which are alright I suppose. Studio should actually be quite interesting. We are working with Placa de Glories, which is a major intersection of a highway, smaller roads and open public space. We are mapping the site (my group is focusing on detailing human behavior in the area...not a coincidence since I'm a psyc double major) then we are going to design alternate solutions to make it more usable. The city is already planning on changing the current raised highway into a tunnel, but then there won't be many trees! So we have to make it a better space. Our other two classes require a 20 page paper and another project, but they shouldn't be too bad. For the most part we just get to tour different parts of the city so they are quite nice.

here are some pictures I took on a walk professor neuman from a&m took us on:

an original gallery, which is what the galleria's of today are based on


they have fountains everywhere! apparently it's well water and tastes much better than the tap water here


part of the original roman wall that surrounded the old city


potted plants outside of a senior center


Port Vella



We finally got to Park Guell! Very amazing, yet another crazy work by Gaudi.



















Our class went on our first tour of the city. We hit the historic center and the Raval district, which is a pretty artsy area where the MACBA (modern art museum) designed by Richard Meir resides.

i'm loving the orange


old roman columns


another market...the roof was actually colored with a pattern made from pixelated versions of photos of fruit!


lots of fish...poor guys


santa maria del mar...i was told this church has amazing accoustics and that i must hear a concert there






the macba



Later that night Erin, Jeff and I decided to finally walk to the beach. It's beautiful!! I can't wait for it to warm up and we can swim!








A group of us went dancing at a club really close by. It was tons of fun! I didn't think I liked to dance but I just realized I only like to dance to cheesy 90s music where everyone knows every word and all sing along and are goofy.



me and my roommate



I went to go visit our site and take down some observations and noticed a swarm of birds on top of this hill/old park/trash heap and walked to see what they were doing and found a couple feeding them. I sat up there watching the people and the birds. We then all went to Parc de la Ciutadella which used to be the site of Barcelona's Citadel. Apparently on Sunday all the artsy folk gather and it was nice and busy and beautiful (for the most part, all of the ponds are dry this time of year). The park backs up to the beach so we went again, this time it was daylight. That night we went to this bar that was decorated like a forest. It was actually in the back of the wax museum so it was very creepy walking to it.





diagonal hotel on our site, behind torre agbar


cute couple walking...i'm a creeper


at the park


a giant mammoth


posing with the light pole


at the forest bar


Yesterday was Nicole's birthday so some us went on a picnic to celebrate and then to Ice Barcelona that night. Ice Barcelona is a bar made out of ice (it's actually on the beach..kinda ironic) They give you coats and gloves at the door and all the glasses are made of ice. My first glass leaked so I got a new one and then I broke it....apparently ice and I do not agree...

playing at the park


boy band album cover


they're gross :)


neat amphitheater


the second album with the crazy graffiti




girl band?


jeff needs a leash...


so cold!


frozen shoes


me 'n erin


erin 'n beca


the ladies


i'm a bit blurry, you couldn't see my face with the flash


me and the birthday girl


Today we went to this great buffet for lunch! It was all seafood and sushi and it was not only delicious but interesting...all of the food circles in the center of the room on a conveyor belt and you just grab a plate of whatever you want as it circles by! crazy fun food!