Barcelona By Louis Benedict Par

Most of the times, I am wondering, “What it is like to be out of town?” I’m thinking it’s a bit more charming than the usual sights and views you’re getting. It feels like dull and lifeless. I know that you are having a rough time managing your time with your family and your job and everything. Why don’t you try visiting some foreign countries? I I’m thinking about visiting some foreign countries around the world, just for the sake of amusement and entertainment.  You see, my mother and I are dreaming to go out of town. She said that we’ll go somewhere when I’m older. So, for the present day, I am just pretending I’m older now. Haha. So, at the moment, I’m feeling some exoticness, something natural, and a bit of more cultural. Ah, I found it! I have found the perfect place for me to visit and explore. Here it is, the beautiful land of Barcelona.

It is the cosmopolitan capital of Spain’s Catalonia region. It is known for its art and architecture. The fantastical SagradaFamília church and other modernist landmarks designed by AntoniGaudí dot the city. Museu Picasso and Fundació Joan Miró feature modern art by their namesakes. City history museum MUHBA, includes several Roman archaeological sites. People say Barcelona feels a bit surreal – appropriate, since Salvador Dali spent time here and Spanish Catalan architect AntoniGaudí designed several of the city’s buildings. Stepping into Gaudí’s Church of the Sacred Family is a bit like falling through the looking glass - a journey that you can continue with a visit to Park Güell. Sip sangria at a sidewalk café in Las Ramblas while watching flamboyant street performers, then create your own moveable feast by floating from tapas bar to tapas bar. Now, let us take a look about the jaw-dropping tourist spots featured in Barcelona

First of all, we have the beautiful structure of the SagradaFamília church. It is a large Roman Catholic Church in Barcelona, designed by Catalan Spanish architect AntoniGaudí (1852–1926). Although incomplete, the church isconsidered as a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and in November 2010 Pope Benedict XVI consecrated and proclaimed it a minor basilica, as distinct from a cathedral, which must be the seat of a bishop. It seems likely to be complete to me. Well, what do I know? It’s just the front of the church anyways. So, when you are about to walk in in this amazing work of art, you’ll see this.

It is the interior of the SagradaFamília. Everything was made and built by hand. Every piece, every detail, every bit of this structure is well-crafted. I am shocked when I took a look at the interior of the church. My mouth was open, my mind was blown away, and I can’t stop thinking about this beautiful work of art. It was so roomy and if my calculations are correct, the SagradaFamília church can fit up to at least 100,000 people in there. Shocking!

Moving on, we have the amazing landscapes of the ParcGüell. ParcGüell is one of the most populated attraction in Barcelona. People come here often to celebrate reunions, hang out, have fun, meet new people, and basically, get-togethers. Count EusebiGuell was a prominent industrialist in Barcelona who was inspired to build a garden city with 60 houses on a hill called MontañaPelada (Bare Mountain). The park was designed by prominent architect, Antoni Gaudi, and built between 1900 and 1914. The venture was not successful and only two houses were built. Count Guell convinced Gaudi to buy one of them. This house, designed by Ramon Berenguer, is now the Casa-Museu Gaudi, which contains furniture designed by Gaudi and other personal effects of the architect.  The city of Barcelona has owned the park since 1923 but the Casa-Museu Gaudi is owned by the SagradaFamilia foundation. In 2013, the City of Barcelona divided the park into paid and free sections. The most interesting sights are located in the paid section, the "Monumental precinct". Here you will find the main staircase with a dragon fountain made of broken bits of glazed ceramic tile (trencadis). This leads to the Salon of the Hundred Columns, which was supposed to be a market place. The columns really number only 84 and are Doric in form. The ceiling of the Salon has tiled mosaics with designs on the ceiling. On top of the salon is a public square with a very large undulating bench in the form of a sea serpent that has backrests adorned with the broken bits of glazed tile. The bench was made by the architect Josep Maria Jujol. The free section includes the landscaped areas and, at the top of the park, the Calvary which is adorned by a large cross. This place has very good views of the city. To some, the highlight of Park Guell is not the architecture of Gaudi, but the views of the city. It is definitely a nice walk and worth the effort to visit. For those who are challenged by a strenuous uphill walk, taking a taxi or bus #24 is recommended.

Now, you are probably wondering, how can I possibly get to this fine landscape? Well, it’s easy if you ask me. To get here, you need to take either of the following, the taxi, the bus, and the metro. By taxi, from PlacaCatalunya, taxi fare will be approximately 12 euros (as of June 2013).

By bus, Bus # 24 runs from PlacaCatalunya and points along Passeig de Gracia to El Carmel stop, whis is at a secondary entrance to the park,near the top of the hill. It will be easy to tell when you've reached the right stop, as virtually everyone will get off the bus. From there, you can walk downhill towards the main entrance, which is much easier than the traditional approach of the park. Bus #92 runs from locations west of Passeig deGracia and ends at El Carmel. Buses #32 and 74 let off at Travessera de Dalt, and from there you can walk several blocks uphill along Carrer de Larrad to reach the main entrance a tthe base of the park, then continue uphill through the park. Bus #116 will deposit you on the west side of the park.

And lastly, by metro, L3 (green) line to Lesseps (access to main entrance by walking up some steep streets) or Vallcarca (access to Park Guell side entrance by walking and outdoor escalator.

Ah, that was rough. For a tourist, it is so confusing. Moreover, it is essentially annoying for the fact that you can’t speak anything, not even the native language for Barcelona, which is in fact, Spanish. So, better yet, get a tour guide to help you with your exploring. The third famous tourist spot will definitely get your bones chilling.

Behold the concert hall of Barcelona, the Palau de la Música Catalana. It’s not that much when you see it but when you are about to watch one of the performances hailed in this fine establishment, if you will, it’s like listening to the angels. I know I can’t go to Barcelona and see the performances for myself but you know, it’s like a choir of angels singing. When you hear it, it is like your heart is being cleaned by the gods. Amazing isn’t it? Well, you know what’s more amazing than this? The hotels. Let’s check it out!

Here is an example of a hotel in Barcelona. A hotel like no other. It is the Hotel Granvia. People say that they were very pleased with their stay. Above all, the staff is always kind and keen to help. The receptionists always welcomed them with a big smile, which is really appreciated. Overall, they have extremely good service. A tourist said that their two nights there for a birthday break wasn't disappointing.

The room; spacious, enough cupboard space, nice chrome and white tile bathroom with a lovely rainfall shower, hair dryer with a decent motor, nice and quiet even though they faced the road. But, everywhere was spotlessly clean.

Great location: 10 minute walk from Casa Batllo and shops. The best bit about the hotels are the breakfast (definitely worth the price, had a full selection of hot and continental breakfast, freshly squeezed orange juice ) and the outside space which is largely under used - they spent a few hours out there with some cava and tapas before we got a taxi to the airport and it was just bliss!

Let’s move on to the culture of this fine vacation spot. Barcelona is the capital of Catalunya (Catalonia), here is a brief description of what I believe is a unique culture, the History, the Language, the National Symbols, the Popular Culture, and the Gastronomy. They all together form one of best cultures of the world. When it comes to the language, In Barcelona there are two official languages: Catalan and Spanish. Next to Catalunya there are other territories where the Catalan is used: the Valencian Community, the Balearic Islands and part of Aragon, the Franja de Ponent. It is the only official language in Andorra and its use extends to the south of France and the city of Alghero, Sardinia. As a result, it is calculated that there are a total of nine million people that speak Catalan and 11 million that understand it. The Catalan is the ninth most spoken language in the European Union. Catalan was established between the 8th and 10th Centuries as an evolution of Latin, as were Spanish, French, Italian and the other Romance languages. Every year, 10,000 titles are edited in Catalan, which is the tenth most translated language in the world and taught in 166 universities.

Finally, we have to remember, there are few rules that can be maintained in Barcelona. The most important rule above all rules is regarding about churches. Covering your shoulders and legs is a traditional sign of respect in religious settings. When visiting churches in Barcelona, especially at the Barcelona Cathedral, this tradition is strictly enforced by guards at the door.Don't try to hide your shoulders and legs under maps and pages from tour books - trust us, this doesn't work. On hot days, toss a lightweight scarf in your bag. Drape the scarf over your shoulders or tied around your legs for entrance into churches and cathedrals. That’s the end of my travelogue. Now tell me, what’s your favorite/dream vacation spot?