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.