Barcelona and irrelevant volcanos (April 16-19)

I feel like I have expressed my travel woes pretty clearly throughout my blogging this year. Every little thing that could go wrong, regardless of how much planning I put into it, somehow does. Trains, buses, planes, I just never seem to have the best of luck. So when the volcano erupted on wednesday the 15th causing travel horror stories throughout Europe, it was only logical to expect that I would soon find myself involved in one of my own (hint: there is an exciting twist coming up). My plane was to leave Sevilla for Barcelona Friday night at 10:00. By this time the effects the volcano was having on travel throughout Europe had been well documented. So far the Sevillan airport had remained open, but there was little guarantee that it would continue to do so. Anyways, I was about 90% positive that I wasn't going to end up going to Barcelona - to the point that I almost didn't even go to the airport in the first place. But here is where the story takes a very unexpected turn..... I have never had two days of travel so smooth, so crisp, so flawless as I was about to experience. The airports were empty. From entering the airport doors to getting to my gate took all of 10 minutes. Both of the planes took off on time and landed early. I thought it was a dream, this had never, would never, could never happen to me. The only thing I could possibly find to complain about is that smooth travel doesn't make for as exciting, on-the-edge of your seat stories. But I'm going to through that complaint out of the window - I would chose this any day over sleeping in a middle-of-nowhere train station in Austria.

I was planning on meeting my friend in Barcelona who studied abroad in the same program with me last semester (he now studies in France) but French travel was an absolute mess. All of the flights were canceled and, conveniently, every French train was on strike. To say the least, he wasn't going anywhere.

The city itself was really neat. Surrounded by hills that give great vantage points and allow for a bit of exercise, I didn't get too bored in my two full days there. The Sagrada Familia, a modern day church, was stunning. It was designed by the famous Spanish artist 'Goya' and to this day its still under construction (they estimate that it will be finished within the next 20 years). It is unlike any other church I have ever been in. It has a modern design, futuristic sculptures of Jesus and it combines Goya's strong connection with nature with his fate in God.

(On the outside of the church: Jesus at the cross)

 (It makes me wonder how they built churches  without cranes....)

You might be able to see in the following pictures of the inside of the Cathedral, but Goya had a strong emphasis on light and the outdoors. The pillars that hold the Cathedral up are constructed as if they were trees and small strands of light come in from above as if penetrating a roof of leaves. On the outside Goya constructed pillars topped with different types of fruit and animals. Being that I have never been much a church goer but have always loved the outdoors, I found the Sagrada Familia to be particularly appealing. One of the things that Goya said before he died was that he wanted the church to be a place for everybody, regardless of their religious beliefs. I'd say that he accomplished that goal. 

(The one on the left is of the actual pillars themselves

and the one of the right shows how the design

follows that of a tree)

 

(Side note: putting pictures into this thing is one of the more frustrating things I've had to do)

Below are some photos of the famous Park Guël. Hiking around there was a lot of fun. There is a plaza full of performers, tourists and local kids, but if you go a bit higher you can get away from just about everybody else and find that inner nature of yours. 

Anyways I know that this blog is pretty bland in terms of stories, but if you find some other blogs written around these dates I'm sure you'll have some fun. My hostel was full of kids trying to get to England who were stuck for a full week in Barcelona. I remember one kid who told me that he decided to take a quick, 5 euro flight (ryanair sometimes has ridiculous deals) from London to Palma de Mallorca for one night on Thursday then got the last flight out from Palma to Barcelona on Friday (where he had just been the week before) and last I knew he was going to try to hitchike to France and the take a ferry into England and try to get there that friday (i left on monday). Makes me feel almost guilty about how smooth I had it.... though I shouldn't let my confidence get too high because there is supposedly a strike planned for British Airways and my trip home just so happens to be smack in the middle of that..... Lets hope for the best and prepare for the worst I suppose...