Barcelona - Spain
Hi
Yet another travelogue ! Oh I like it !!!
Dec 2nd To Dec 4th 2005 , I was in Barcelona (Spain). Yes the place made famous by the 1992 Olympics.
But mind you it has much more to boast of apart from Olympics.
We , Me, Sriram, Ananthu and Arun, , started on Friday 2nd Dec. We took the Lufthansa flight to Barcelona.
But as luck would have it our flight took off happily one hour late, and we were all kicking ourselves, why we got up early to be in airport in time. Anyway ultimately we were off to Barcelona.
Our apartment was very good. Ya this time instead of hotels or youth hostels we stayed in an apartment.
It was just like staying in our own house, complete with a kitchen and all. More over the caretakers (Sylvia and Augusta) were extremely good and very helpful.
Our apartment was just on a sideline to the most famous ‘La Rambla’- the main market and most happening part of the city.
Barcelona, as we saw it was mainly about Olympic village, The great Antoni Gaudi, the Historical Gothic Remains and Beach.
First day we went to the Olympic village, its spread over a vast expanse of land and uphill. We had good exercise climbing it. But one sad thing was, I lost my cap, blown away by the strong wind. Anyway !!
And night we went to the seaside , where we have the statue of Christopher Columbus (ya , he discovered America- started to look for India but instead landed up in America- Jaana tha Japan pahunch gaye Chin )
This was the place where king (or prince- doesn’t matter anyway)Ferdinand and princess Isabel welcomed Columbus on his return.
Next day was more interesting, we set out to discover the magic of the , may we say the best architect of our times, Antoni Gaudi.
I have seen many cities in Europe, every place has a majestic cathedral, some palaces and buildings and all, but in Barcelona, all these are present but there is a uniqueness about these places. And this a because of Gaudi.
Every building he built speaks his mind, his flow of thought and is in sync with the place (sea side city)
His buildings reflect the natural phenomenon like a growing tree.
We saw a building designed by Gaudi ‘La Pedrera’ it was built as a residential place for a rich businessman.
This house is so unique, you would require a guide to tell you what the utility and uniqueness of many things in that.
The entire house a great manipulation of light, colour and natural phenomenon like waves.
He has designed it such that the lightening, ventilation etc is all natural, along with giving it an extremely beautiful look., even to the smallest of details like the door hinges and knobs.
Anyway, it has to be seen to be believed.
Next day we saw the temple ‘Sagrera Familia’ it has been in construction for more than a century now !!!!
Actually it was started by Gaudi, but it was such a mammoth of architectural work that it has taken him forty years and after his death many people tried to complete it. But some say there is some bad omen , anybody who tries to complete it something bad happens. So it was left incomplete. But now the govt has taken up the work and plans to complete it by 2010. the magnificence and the great architecture of this building has to be seen to be believed. The entire cathedral architecture is inspired by a growing tree. Pillars like tree trunks, with branches , and also fruits , which form part of the decorative spikes on the top of the church and all bunches of fruit have a special meaning , linked to the Christian scriptures (I would not like to call any religious beliefs as mythology)
Even the stones used for each pillar is unique. The colours of the stones also has a meaning and not just meaning they have engineering importance like the strength they can support. Great combination of art and engineering skills. One thing, I must say, I never saw anything like this before , in all my trips in Europe.
Only one word for Gaudi- Great
Apart from these places we went to many places, but they dim in the presence of Gaudis work.
All in all it was a very good trip. Different from other places in Europe.
- Sandeep Kulkarni
Yet another travelogue ! Oh I like it !!!
Dec 2nd To Dec 4th 2005 , I was in Barcelona (Spain). Yes the place made famous by the 1992 Olympics.
But mind you it has much more to boast of apart from Olympics.
We , Me, Sriram, Ananthu and Arun, , started on Friday 2nd Dec. We took the Lufthansa flight to Barcelona.
But as luck would have it our flight took off happily one hour late, and we were all kicking ourselves, why we got up early to be in airport in time. Anyway ultimately we were off to Barcelona.
Our apartment was very good. Ya this time instead of hotels or youth hostels we stayed in an apartment.
It was just like staying in our own house, complete with a kitchen and all. More over the caretakers (Sylvia and Augusta) were extremely good and very helpful.
Our apartment was just on a sideline to the most famous ‘La Rambla’- the main market and most happening part of the city.
Barcelona, as we saw it was mainly about Olympic village, The great Antoni Gaudi, the Historical Gothic Remains and Beach.
First day we went to the Olympic village, its spread over a vast expanse of land and uphill. We had good exercise climbing it. But one sad thing was, I lost my cap, blown away by the strong wind. Anyway !!
And night we went to the seaside , where we have the statue of Christopher Columbus (ya , he discovered America- started to look for India but instead landed up in America- Jaana tha Japan pahunch gaye Chin )
This was the place where king (or prince- doesn’t matter anyway)Ferdinand and princess Isabel welcomed Columbus on his return.
Next day was more interesting, we set out to discover the magic of the , may we say the best architect of our times, Antoni Gaudi.
I have seen many cities in Europe, every place has a majestic cathedral, some palaces and buildings and all, but in Barcelona, all these are present but there is a uniqueness about these places. And this a because of Gaudi.
Every building he built speaks his mind, his flow of thought and is in sync with the place (sea side city)
His buildings reflect the natural phenomenon like a growing tree.
We saw a building designed by Gaudi ‘La Pedrera’ it was built as a residential place for a rich businessman.
This house is so unique, you would require a guide to tell you what the utility and uniqueness of many things in that.
The entire house a great manipulation of light, colour and natural phenomenon like waves.
He has designed it such that the lightening, ventilation etc is all natural, along with giving it an extremely beautiful look., even to the smallest of details like the door hinges and knobs.
Anyway, it has to be seen to be believed.
Next day we saw the temple ‘Sagrera Familia’ it has been in construction for more than a century now !!!!
Actually it was started by Gaudi, but it was such a mammoth of architectural work that it has taken him forty years and after his death many people tried to complete it. But some say there is some bad omen , anybody who tries to complete it something bad happens. So it was left incomplete. But now the govt has taken up the work and plans to complete it by 2010. the magnificence and the great architecture of this building has to be seen to be believed. The entire cathedral architecture is inspired by a growing tree. Pillars like tree trunks, with branches , and also fruits , which form part of the decorative spikes on the top of the church and all bunches of fruit have a special meaning , linked to the Christian scriptures (I would not like to call any religious beliefs as mythology)
Even the stones used for each pillar is unique. The colours of the stones also has a meaning and not just meaning they have engineering importance like the strength they can support. Great combination of art and engineering skills. One thing, I must say, I never saw anything like this before , in all my trips in Europe.
Only one word for Gaudi- Great
Apart from these places we went to many places, but they dim in the presence of Gaudis work.
All in all it was a very good trip. Different from other places in Europe.
- Sandeep Kulkarni
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