Mont Juic & The 92 Olympics

It is no secret that the success of Barcelona in recent years owes most of it to the olympics that were held here in 1992. When Barcleona got the bid to host the olympics they created a plan that would not only make th event a huge international success but also put the city on the map as an event city. The long-term investment strategy paid off for the city as they were able to reappropriate most of the structures they built for the Olympics. This is a rare feat for a city because there is so much money to be in put into hosting the olympics. Mont Juic was the site of the Olympic stadium and indoor arena that now doubles a concert venue.

The graffiti is so prevalent that it fits into the city just as much as a building does. In America its discouraged so when it is present on a wall or building it looks unnatural.

The clouds were rolling over the hills and I happened to catch this great shot of the fountains with  rain clouds billowing behind it. 

The famous telecom tower on Mont Juic. It was designed specifically for the Olympics and transmitted much of the television feeds from International TV broadcasters. 

I did get a chance to look inside the olympic stadium and I was given the chills because of all the great athletes that have been through this stadium and were looking at the same view I was taking pictures of. 

Music

One of the things that I love most about Barcelona is the fact that you hear music being played everywhere. Whether its techno in the train station, saxophone on La Rambla, or a string band playing blues on the Barcenoleta boardwalk, you are never too far from a person who is willing to share their talent and passion for music with the strangers in this city. I came to enjoy sitting on a nearby bench and simply listening to them play for ten to fifteen minutes. 

I see this guitar player every day outside of my metro stop and he plays the guitar like no one I've heard before. His simple electric noodling is perfect for the setting of Passeig de Sant Joan which is a relatively peaceful area around that time of day. 

This band was playing up at Park Guell when I visited and I had to take a photo of them because they were perfectly framed by the trees with the city and sea in the background. They were also pretty good.

In Madrid, there is a big park that doubles a pond for rowboats. I took this picture after listening to these guys play for about 25 minutes. They played to their environment and to their crowd which I enjoyed because it perfectly fit the mood and time of day. 

Around sunset at Park Guell, this guy started playing only Elvis songs with an old twangy metal guitar. I managed to get this picture with him completely silhouetted from the waning sunlight. If only that damn trashcan wasn't there. 

Being a musician myself I appreciated the commitment of all these people to their craft and the courage it takes to perform on the street. I wish I could have jammed with them for a little bit but they looked pretty busy at the time. 

Museu del Disseny de Barcelona

When I first saw the name of this museum I actually thought that Barcelona had a museum devoted to Disney movies....I was pleasantly surprised when I found out that it is a actually a museum that celebrates both the modern and classical design style of furniture, cars, clothes, appliances, and graphic design. This was especially interesting to me because I like learning things with a visual component; for me the information sticks with me if I can associate it with an image.

The exterior of the building doubles as a park where people can relax and enjoy the sun.

"How the hell did they get a car in there?"- was something that crossed my mind while taking this picture.

Just like everywhere else in this city, FC Barca appears in some form or another. This time its a poster for the inauguration of the stadium's renovations in 1957. This is interesting because it was during the Franco era which suppressed the Catalan culture especially the football team. 

My experience here was shortened due to time constraints but I feel like I learned more about the fashion of early Catalans and europeans by seeing the museums exhibition of underwear over time. You can learn a surprising amount about fashion and body shapes just by looking at a bunch of panties from the early 20th century. Nonetheless, this was a very cool museum that I'm glad I had the opportunity to visit. 

Road to Tibidabo

On a lazy Sunday, me and a few friends decided to eat a big breakfast and go hike up Tibidabo, which is the tallest mountain surrounding the city. We got off at the Tibidabo metro station in the hills of Barcelona and proceeded to walk up the streets until we reached the dirt trails leading up to the amusement park. The hike was absolutely beautiful and reminded me a lot of the time when I hiked the canyons in Ojai, California which is a city 30 minutes north of Los Angeles. There is almost no vegetation because it is so dry but they do occasionally get snow and we saw salt on the roads in preparation for the freezing temperatures. When I say snow I don't really mean snow like we get in the states but a light dusting maybe a few inches maximum.

This was taken from a restaurant that overlooks the whole city. What is really amazing about Tibidabo is that its so tall that not only can you see all of Barcelona and the beach but you can even see Badalona and its beach.  

The golden hour of picture taking was upon me as we walked up the hill and I took advantage of the dramatic lighting to snap these pictures. 

Because I had to be at a dinner with my friend's parents, I could not go all the way to the top to see the church but it wasn't something I had much interest anyways. However, I was wearing my running shoes and sweatpants so I put on some Rolling Stones and ran down the hill into the sunset which was stunning because of the time of day. I did this a few weeks later when my dad came to visit and it was equally beautiful. 

Current Event: School "shooting" in Barcelona

13 Year Old Kills Teacher

On Monday, April 20th, a 13 year old came to school with a crossbow and proceeded to injure four people. One of the injuries was fatal and the other three were treated at a nearby hospital. This event was pre-meditated by the student who kept a list of people who hurt him on a "black list." He had a crossbow with him so he could not reload fast enough to injure or kill more people which is the only good part about this story. when this happens in America (which is does too often), the student usually has a gun that is easy to use and reload resulting in a death toll that is rarely only person. This is an unusual situation however because the 14 year old cannot go to jail and wasn't even technically arrested due to the way the Spanish penal code is written. They will be examining the parents of the aggressor and have already send him to receive psychiatric treatment.

This was especially shocking news to wake up to on Monday morning because although it was genuinely shocking, I had become so used to updates appearing on my phone regarding school shootings that my reaction was somewhat limited. The first thing I thought was "It would have been so much worse if he had a gun." This is undeniable. Americans can't seem to grasp the concept that more guns do not necessarily mean peace and that even one falling into the hands of the wrong person can result in a catastrophic event. It is significantly harder to own a gun in Catlaunya so it makes sense why a crossbow was the weapon he used but nonetheless, this is a terrible tragedy that should be mourned. I commend the Catalan government for addressing the potential root of the problem by sending him to get psychiatric treatment and questioning the parents who could lose their custody if they are viewed as unfit to continue raising this clearly troubled child. Getting to the heart of the issue can stop events like this from happening in the future but for the 13 year old boy, his life will never be the same and he will never forget the day that he killed his teacher in front of her daughter

Barcino

Before I came to Barcelona had an idea of the amount of Roman influence on this city. I grossly underestimated the actual amount of ruins and underground remains of the old city Barcino. During Catalan culture class, we visited part of the remains of the old city and I was shocked by how well it was preserverd. We learned that over the years, land had eroded and covered the old city in mud and dirt until it was excavated because of new structures being built. This is very common in Europe because of the age of the cities and all the remains that have been buried over the years.

The old hallways of the underground basement are still pretty creepy.

"Whatchu lookin at?"

The basement was enclosed and had very little ventilation which made the conditions very harsh for the slaves that worked there. 

The circular basins were used to keep wine. Catalans placed a significance on wine just like the Romans did.

A sarcophagus of someone who was very short had their body chopped up into pieces in order to fit into this. 

Out of all of our field trips, this was on of my favorites because we got to see up close in person what it was like to be working in the steamy underground maze of wine cellars, laundry rooms and fish preservation. 

Palau de la Muscia Catalana

Most people who come to Barcelona know of the designer and architect Gaudi but most don't realize that many artists at the time emulated the style of Gaudi. One architect Domenech Montaner was not as well known as Gaud but created some of the most spectacular Catalan architecture in Barcelona including the Palau de la Musica Catalana. This building is dedicated to the progression of Catalan music and has been partially rebuilt since its original opening in 1905. 

As you can tell by the pictures, Montaner borrowed many elements of Gaudi's work and put his own spin on it. Combing classical Roman archtecture with the color and vibrance that was associated with Catalan design, Montaner was able to make a unique building that mirrored the passion of the events unfolding inside.

The acoustics in the main hall are fantastic and we got to hear the organ play before we left which was absolutely mesmerizing.

The sky light isn't acutally esposed to the outside but still captures the sun from any angle and disperses it throughout the hall adding an orange glow to the theater. 

I came here with my family to take a tour of the facility and we all left very impressed with the way it has been maintained. The coolest thing about our tour of the Palau was the video showing several internationally known and local musicians who have played there saying that it is their absolute favorite place in the world to perform. They said that this was because of the statues that were on the stage behind the performer carved into the wall. They claimed that because each one was differently dressed and had different instruments, it was like they were playing with the statues who had seen many performers come and go over the years. 

Sitges

I didn't go to Carnival....I know I know I messed up. I still wanted to see the tiny beach town of Sitges for myself though. Its surprisingly easy to get there; all it takes is a simple train from Passieg de Gracia and a 20 minute ride. when you get to the town you have a ten walk through the winding, small streets to get to the beach that the city surrounds. The city has benefitted from being close to Barcelona airport and has a reputation for its annual Film Festival and Carnival celebration.

In addition to the boardwalk and beautiful houses and hotels that litter the beachfront, there is a beautiful church on a cliff that overlooks the sea. It's called Iglesia de San Bartolomé y Santa Tecla and it is the most prominent landmark that can be seen from most places along the beach.

A statue of Santiago Rusiñol with the church in the background. 

Sitges has a long history with the arts and anything creative. The Catalan painter/playwright/ Santiago Rusiñol called the beach town his home and has a certifiably awesome bronze statue (pictured above) that features him with a painter's palette in one hand and a pipe in his mouth. Sitges was also ground zero for a counterculture movement during the 1960's when Franco was still in power and censoring art. It became a haven for some artists and has a thriving LGBT community that still exists to this day. The real beauty of this city is in its small alleyways and streets that are littered with stores of every variety: from clothing stores, to fresh fruit, you can find everything you want in this small city. 

A tiny alley that leads to the beach. 

Mercat de sant Josep de la Boqueria

When I returned to Barcelona to study abroad in the city, one of the places I remembered vividly was La Boqueria. An enclosed food market that sells a wide variety of foods (prepared and raw), the first mentions of this market was in the 13th century. Back then people would set up tables and stands to sell raw meat to the locals. It gained popularity throughout the years and was officially recognized by the city in 1826. After this, in 1853 a structure was built around the market and the metal roof that currently exists today was added in 1914. The odd part of my experience in Barcelona is that I don't eat seafood. My friends and family have told me I'm crazy for going here without eating seafood but I don't care. Its the smell of it that really bothers me because once I smell something I taste it and the smell of raw fish is not exactly pleasant. Theres a hell of a lot of great food in this city that has nothing to do with paella or octopus so I manage.

I will always remember the smell of La Boqueria...fishy with a hint of raw meat.

One of the best things at the market is the fresh fruit juices in little cups that litter the fruit stands. They must be putting crack in the juices because when I was there I had about five of them. Like most things if you go further into the market you will find cheaper and cheaper prices on the same products you can get at the entrance. I capped off the day with a Catalan Sausage and some bravas (personally addicted to them and their sauce) with a beer. My dad was visiting for the weekend so I took him here and after we hiked Tibidabo.