{"id":2421,"date":"2017-02-15T22:58:58","date_gmt":"2017-02-15T14:58:58","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/?p=2421"},"modified":"2018-05-17T01:45:07","modified_gmt":"2018-05-16T17:45:07","slug":"20170215barcelona","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/2017\/02\/15\/20170215barcelona\/","title":{"rendered":"Day 4 of Spanish Vacation: Barcelona on February 15th, 2017"},"content":{"rendered":"

After a Ryanair flight from Fes back to Barcelona, we took an Aerobus ride downtown and checked into our hotel. Leaving the chaotic Moroccan Medina’s behind, it felt so great back to civilization.<\/p>\n

\"Pla\u00e7a<\/a>

<\/br>Pla\u00e7a Universitat at Night<\/p><\/div>\n


\nThe images in this post are hosted on Imgur. Email me should there be any display problems.<\/span><\/p>\n

So now it’s the morning of February 15th, as we took it easy and got up late (we never got up early in our three-day stay in Barcelona)<\/span> to recover from last night’s flight. After breakfast at our hotel near University of Barcelona, we made Sagrada Fam\u00edlia our first stop of the day, which was just a metro-ride away.<\/p>\n

\"Barcelona<\/a>

<\/br>Barcelona Metro University Station<\/p><\/div>\n

Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/span><\/h3>\n

A monumental church devoted to the Holy Family, an unfinished architecture masterpiece by Catalan architect Antoni Gaud\u00ed, an emblem of the city of Barcelona.<\/p>\n

We arrived at Sagrada Fam\u00edlia a little bit earlier than the designated time on our e-ticket, so we took a tour of its surroundings first, and found its reflection from Pla\u00e7a de Gaud\u00ed Pond pretty charming.<\/p>\n

\"Pond<\/a>

<\/br>Pond in Pla\u00e7a de Gaud\u00ed<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia from Pla\u00e7a de Gaud\u00ed<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Exterior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Passion<\/a>

<\/br>Passion Facade of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/br>With the resurrected Christ high between the towers.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Towers<\/a>

<\/br>Towers of Passion Facade<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings near Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Decorations<\/a>

<\/br>Decorations of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Nativity Facade<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Ceilings<\/a>

<\/br>Ceilings of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Audio Guide Room<\/br>This room looked much like traditional European Churches compared with Sagrada Fam\u00edlia\u2019s modern artistic interior.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Model<\/a>

<\/br>Model of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/br>What it would look like when finished.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

At first, I was somewhat skeptical about Sagrada Fam\u00edlia, little good comes out of my procrastination. Well, it’s Spain, so things understandably don’t get built overnight. After all, who would labor and toil when he could just sit in the restful Southern Europe sun leaving life’s troubles behind? I was even giving it a laugh when the audio guide said Sagrada Fam\u00edlia would be finished by 2026, the centenary of Gaud\u00ed’s death, “No way!”.
\nBut when I approached Sagrada Fam\u00edlia through Nativity Facade, my opinions changed. Not like any churches I’d seen before, on its exterior, it transcends the mundane emotionless European churches of spires and arches and triangles, as Antoni Gaud\u00ed managed to fit half the Gospel stories over the doorways of Nativity Facade. It’s like, when the rest of European churches were obsessed with geometry, Antoni Gaud\u00ed brought out literature to decorate Sagrada Fam\u00edlia’s facade, and gosh it’s beautiful.<\/p>\n

\"Decorations<\/a>

<\/br>Decorations of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Nativity Facade<\/br>Central view, where Mary and her husband Joseph gave birth to Baby Jesus in the lower middle column, three Magi from the East offered their gifts in the lower left, shepherds kneeing down in the lower right, and angels singing praises to the couple in the upper parts.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Decorations<\/a>

<\/br>Decorations of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Nativity Facade<\/br>King Herod\u2019s solider killing young babies in the right, Mary and Joseph fleeing the country with Baby Jesus in the left.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Inside Sagrada Fam\u00edlia, Antoni Gaud\u00ed used branching columns to imitate trees of life. Emblems of the Twelve Apostles were placed on each of twelve major columns. Sunlight fell through stain glasses on both sides, leaving vivid paints on the columns and walls.
\nAt the same time, the chants of Veni Sancte Spiritus was hanging over my head, just to make the experience perfect.<\/p>\n

\"Nave<\/a>

<\/br>\"Nave<\/a><\/br>Nave of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Light<\/a>

<\/br>Light through Stained Glasses<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Altar\"<\/a>

<\/br>\"Altar\"<\/a><\/br>Altar<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Light<\/a>

<\/br>Light through Stained Glasses<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Light<\/a>

<\/br>Light through Stained Glasses onto Columns<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Glory<\/a>

<\/br>Glory Facade Interior<\/br>Choir, abstract sculpture of Jesus, and Lord\u2019s Prayer in multiple languages.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Nativity<\/a>

<\/br>Nativity Facade Interior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Passion<\/a>

<\/br>Passion Facade Interior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Crypt<\/a>

<\/br>Crypt of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/br>The first part of the church to be built.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\nThen there’s the Passion Facade with sculptures showing scenes towards the end of Jesus’ human life. The sculptures were denser, more recognizable, and in Gaud\u00ed’s typical abstract style.
\n

\"Passion<\/a>

<\/br>Passion Facade of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/br>Veronica with the veil of Jesus and The fall of Jesus are two sculptures in the middle.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Betrayal<\/a>

<\/br>Betrayal of Christ<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"The<\/a>

<\/br>The Denial of Peter<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Columns<\/a>

<\/br>Columns of Passion Facade<\/br>Representing human ribs and full of strength.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sacristy<\/a>

<\/br>\"Sacristy<\/a><\/br>Sacristy Collection<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Light<\/a>

<\/br>Light through Stained Glasses<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Ceiling<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Ceiling<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Columns<\/a>

<\/br>Columns of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Tower Visit<\/span><\/h4>\n

After that, we sat in Sagrada Fam\u00edlia for some time to wait for our designated tower visit time. My bad as when I brought the tickets online, I should arrange the tower visit first because its times were fixed.<\/span> We chose the towers on Nativity Facade, because they were built when Gaud\u00ed was still alive.
\n

\"Pla\u00e7a<\/a>

<\/br>Pla\u00e7a de Gaud\u00ed and Surrounding Buildings<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Construction<\/a>

<\/br>Construction at Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Tower visit of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia starts with an elevator ride up, and then it was fabulous views of the city of Barcelona (the nearby buildings presumably have height limits no to block views from Sagrada Fam\u00edlia), followed a walk down Sagrada Fam\u00edlia’s towers with its inner structures at hand.<\/p>\n

\"Plant<\/a>

<\/br>Plant Decorations<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Gaud\u00ed<\/a>

<\/br>Gaud\u00ed Avenue leading to Recinte Modernista de Sant Pau<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Barcelona<\/a>

<\/br>Barcelona Harbor from Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Towers<\/a>

<\/br>Towers of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Nativity Facade<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Tower Interior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Tower Interior<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Windows<\/a>

<\/br>Windows of Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Stairs<\/a>

<\/br>Stairs in Sagrada Fam\u00edlia Nativity Facade Tower<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Buildings<\/a>

<\/br>Buildings by Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Spiral<\/a>

<\/br>Spiral Stairs down Sagrada Fam\u00edlia<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Choir<\/a>

<\/br>Choir Floor<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Police Station Visit<\/span><\/h3>\n

After Sagrada Fam\u00edlia, our original plan was to visit Casa Batll\u00f3, another Gaud\u00ed’s architecture achievement. So under Google Map’s advice, we took the metro purple line to Passeig de Gr\u00e0cia Station.
\nJust as we’re exiting the station, I found the zippers on my friend’s backpack was open. Further look inside revealed that his wallet (luckily, not his passport) was stolen during our metro ride. So instead, we went to a police station under Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya (quite interesting location) to report the incident.<\/p>\n

At the police station, we waited for some time (typical Spanish) for an English-speaking translator to arrive so that we can get the official police report (for his insurance to reimburse his loss). While waiting, we used the chance to finish our (late) fast food lunch. To keep it short, it came from a nearby McDonald’s.<\/p>\n

Park G\u00fcell<\/span><\/h3>\n

Having reported the theft we just encountered, we found it was too late in the day for us to visit Casa Batll\u00f3 anymore, so we decided to visit Park G\u00fcell on the city’s Northern hills instead (at least the park didn’t have a closing time). When we departed Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya, the sun was all shining brightly, and we thought, maybe we could catch some great sunset. (No, it would be too late to visit the ticketed part of Park G\u00fcell which was Gaud\u00ed’s estate.)<\/p>\n

\"Fountain<\/a>

<\/br>Fountain at Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pla\u00e7a<\/a>

<\/br>Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Francesc<\/a>

<\/br>Francesc Maci\u00e0 Monument<\/br>122nd President of Catalonia.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Fountain<\/a>

<\/br>Fountain at Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

From Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya there was multiple direct buses available to Park G\u00fcell. <\/p>\n

\"Viaduct<\/a>

<\/br>Viaduct Details<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Colonnaded<\/a>

<\/br>Colonnaded Footpath under Roadway Viaduct<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Colonnaded<\/a>

<\/br>Colonnaded Footpath and Roadway Viaduct<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Casa<\/a>

<\/br>Casa Mart\u00ed Trias<\/br>One of the few houses in the park.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Flowers<\/a>

<\/br>Flowers Blossoming<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

More bad news from Park G\u00fcell, as I found my Sahara-sand-inundated camera ceased to operate completely. Before this, my gallant camera soldiered on despite having inaccurate exposures at daylight, which is sort of fine because my cell phone can very much take care of day-time photography. But at Park G\u00fcell, my camera just died, completely.<\/p>\n

At Park G\u00fcell, we reached Tur\u00f3 de les Tres Creus (Hill of Three Crosses) which was the highest point of the park consisting of a pile of rock. There are currently three crosses on a hill of stone, called the ordeal. Two of them indicate the cardinal points (NSEW), and the other pointing to the sky. But this was not the intention of Gaud\u00ed, he wanted to build the chapel here in the city garden, but since they found some prehistoric remains, was inspired in caves to build this monument. (Translated by Google from www.parkguell.es\/ca\/guia-turo-las-tres-creus<\/a>.)<\/span> This was in my opinion an ideal place to watch sunset from the park, however, just after we left Pla\u00e7a de Catalunya clouds began to gather over Barcelona skies, and it even began to drizzle. So goodbye sunset and hello freezing sea wind.<\/p>\n

\"Park<\/a>

<\/br>Park G\u00fcell and Surrounding Mountains<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Downtown<\/a>

<\/br>Downtown Barcelona<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sagrada<\/a>

<\/br>Sagrada Fam\u00edlia among Buildings in Downtown Barcelona<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Trail\"<\/a>

<\/br>Trail<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

After our last glimpse of hope for sunset was blown away by the bitter sea wind, we decided to walk down the hill and exited the park.<\/p>\n

\"Palm<\/a>

<\/br>Palm Trees<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Palm<\/a>

<\/br>Palm Trees around Main Terrace<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Entrance<\/a>

<\/br>Entrance to Park G\u00fcell<\/br>Standard shot of Park G\u00fcell<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Sala<\/a>

<\/br>Sala Hip\u00f3stila<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Grounds<\/a>

<\/br>Grounds of Gaudi House<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Mosaic<\/a>

<\/br>Mosaic Salamander<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pavilion<\/a>

<\/br>Pavilion at Park G\u00fcell Entrance<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Barcelona Harbor<\/span><\/h3>\n

After that, my friend suggested we visited Barcelona Harbor for the night. Not a bad idea since Barcelona was anyway a seaside city, and we hadn’t planned to visit its shores.<\/p>\n

\"Rambla<\/a>

<\/br>Rambla Avenue<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Columbus<\/a>

<\/br>\"Columbus<\/a><\/br>Columbus Monument<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Port<\/a>

<\/br>Port of Barcelona Building<\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

After that, it was basically random walk.<\/p>\n

\"Barcelona<\/a>

<\/br>Barcelona Harbor<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Barcelona<\/a>

<\/br>Barcelona Harbor<\/br>With distant mountain veiled by clouds.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Ships<\/a>

\"Ships<\/a><\/br>Ships in Barcelona Harbor<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Centre<\/a>

<\/br>\"Centre<\/a><\/br>Centre Maremagnum<\/br>A shopping mall.<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pedestrian<\/a>

<\/br>Pedestrian Street in Barcelona Harbor<\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Pedestrian<\/a>

<\/br>Pedestrian Street in Barcelona Harbor<\/br>A huge private yacht was in the background.<\/span><\/p><\/div>
\n

\"Catalunya<\/a>

<\/br>Catalunya History Museum Building Exterior<\/br>A waterside warehouse turned into history museum.<\/span><\/p><\/div><\/p>\n

Finally, it was dinner time (8pm), as my friend suggested local seafood cuisine.<\/p>\n

\"Seafood<\/a>

<\/br>Seafood Dinner<\/br>At my friend\u2019s insistence, I tried this famous local dish consisting of shrimp(the only thing I didn\u2019t hate), octopus (I doubled my lifetime octopus intake that night), oyster. I\u2019m not a sea food friend at all, so after this, to appease my raging stomach, I fed it with proper food from Burger King.<\/span><\/p><\/div>\n

I was so amazed at myself that I didn’t throw up after eating all this seafood that I usually stayed clear of. Maybe it’s because the Burger King that followed which tranquillized my stomach?
\nEND<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

After a Ryanair flight from Fes back to Barcelona, we took an Aerobus ride downtown and checked into our hotel. Leaving the chaotic Moroccan Medina’s behind, it felt so great back to civilization.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[204,2],"tags":[355,356,357],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421"}],"collection":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=2421"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":2933,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/2421\/revisions\/2933"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=2421"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=2421"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"http:\/\/www.huangyizhou.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=2421"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}