OH MY GAUDI!

Idalis: Tuesday, September 2, 2008 8:34 PM

We have finally arrived at my favorite city in Europe! Barcelona is such a wonderful place. I've instinctively wandered to many a real-estate window, perusing pictures of apartments and calculating how many US dollars it translates into, and wonder: Would it be that hard to learn Catalan? This city, so vibrant, eclectic, and full of life, has completely put me under its spell.

We flew from Marrakesh to Barcelona via Ryan Air, finding a flight that was cheaper (and much shorter) than having to take an overnight train to Tangier, ferry to Malaga, and then overnight train again from Malaga to Barcelona. When Kevin and I realized we could do the long trip in less than two hours by plane, we happily cashed in our frequent flyer miles that we had been saving for exactly this purpose.

We arrived in Girona, Spain at 11:15 PM on Sunday night, but still had an hour bus drive to the center of Barcelona. Our host in this city, a great Portuguese guy named Federico, welcomed us into his home by way of Joao, our fabulous host in Lisbon. Federico was extremely generous (and patient), as we didn't arrive at his home until about 1:00 AM. He let us in, showed us his nice apartment, and immediately made us feel welcomed. Everyone crashed soon after, and Kevin and I had a restful sleep on a surprisingly comfortable air mattress. Adrian and Ivan: I'll make sure and take down the brand. Maybe mom can invest in an upgrade for the next time you guys come down. Your feet don't elevate with this one at all :)

After a glorious night of sleep, Kevin and I got up, showered, and found a great little bakery right around the corner from Federico's apartment to have what has become our traditional breakfast: cafe con leche and a delicious bollo (pastry). Fueled with some caffeine, Kevin and I set out to explore this stylish, contemporary city. People from Barcelona, and the region of Catalunya in general, are very proud of their rich culture, amazing food, and own language, Catalan. And they have every right to feel that sense of pride!

After a short metro ride (conveniently located around the corner from Federico's apartment), Kevin and I arrived in Placa de Catalunya, located in the heart of the city. We made our way down Las Ramblas, probably the most famous street in all of Spain, and definitely one of the most entertaining. It's a great place to people watch. It's lined with street vendors selling flowers, postcards, and 20 different kinds of birds! Street artists perform daily, and we got to see a silver-plaited angel, a copper-painted goddess, and a magician from New Orleans, Louisiana. Only in Barcelona! At the end of Las Ramblas, Kevin and I admired the Monument a Colom, a statue of Christopher Columbus that sits atop a high pedestal.

The end of Las Ramblas leads to the waterfront. We walked through Port Vell (Old Port) and gazed at the hundreds of beautiful, breezy sailboats docked there. We then made our way to the fisherman's quarter, La Barceloneta, a slightly scruffier part of town, but a beautiful one nonetheless. After spending a week in “dry” territory, we were feeling quite thirsty, and enjoyed a cold, crisp Estrella beer while staring out at the Mediterranean Sea at Platja Barceloneta. Later that evening, we met up with our new friend, Federico, who showed us around Barri Gotic, and brought us into an elegant, peaceful church, Esglesia de Santa Maria del Mar, the backdrop for the book “The Cathedral of the Sea” by Catalan author Idelfonso Falcones (Andres: It sounds a bit like “Pillars of the Earth,” so I'm hoping to read it next). Federico took us to a local, lively bar, where we shared delicious tapas (pan con tomate, jamon, butifarra sausages, and chicken with couscous) and sampled the local wine. We sat hunched over our glasses, and talked into the wee hours of the night about everything under the sun: traveling, literature, Barrack Obama, Spanish vs. Portuguese culture, and the awkwardness of bathing at a Muslim beach. It was a night filled with great conversation and hearty laughter. Federico, thank you for your insights (and warm smile).

Wednesday, September 3, 2008 11:07 PM

Tonight, I sit in front of the computer for a little while, giving words to my thoughts, while Kevin and our wonderful host, Federico, sit outside on his cool, spacious balcony which overlooks the lit Torre Agbar, a colorful cucumber of a building! I can hear Kevin and Federico talking outside, as they slowly sip a Bock Damm and listen to nuevo flamenco. We've just gotten back from another great dive bar called MyKasa, where we dined outside on tasty tapas: lacon (the best jam ever!), patatas bravas (spicy potatoes), anchoas (anchovies), pan con tomate (bread with tomato), chipirones (fried baby squid), and pinchos murones (a type of grilled pork shishkebob). Dinner was excellent, as usual, and much cheaper (and more colorful) at this locals' neighborhood hangout than Kevin and I could ever find on our own. Not to mention the wonderful conversation, where the three of us ruminate over immigrants, gypsies, and satellite television. All tapas are shared, sopped up with bread, and washed down with a cold cerveza or vino tinto. Have I told you how much I love this place?

Every place we visit definitely has a soundtrack attached to it. In Morocco, it was the call to prayer at 5:00 AM. In Portugal, it's the heart-filled, sad fado. And in Spain, it's the clinking of cups. Every morning, Kevin and I seek out a new cafe or bar in search of our simple breakfast: cafe con leche and bollo (pastry). In the morning is when I've noticed Spain's dawn chorus. As the day is still just getting started, every bar and cafe we stroll by is either serving or removing diminutive cups, accompanied by the clinking of glasses, as the bartender or waiter shuffles around the tables. And oh my! The pastries in the windows! They're prettier (and tastier) than any Macy's window display I've ever seen. In the evenings, it's the meeting of glasses filled with cerveza, vino, or cidra that produces this harmonious sound. Although it will never be sold as part of a flamenco compilation, this melody will always be the sound and music I associate with this amazing country.

Yesterday, Kevin and I became Gaudi groupies. Antonio Gaudi, a famous Catalan architect, reshaped the Barcelonian landscape, and was at the forefront of the Modernist movement. His buildings, scattered around this city, draw millions of people from around the world to admire, us included! We first visited Gaudi's Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia, an unfinished tall cathedral that was his life's work. Kevin and I have visited many churches on this trip, but none can compare to the sheer magnitude of the Sagrada Familia. Started by Gaudi in the 1880's, it's expected to be completed in 2025. Although still a work in progress with cranes everywhere, Kevin and I walked around and through the cathedral utterly speechless, admiring the spiral staircases, colorful stained glass, nature-inspired sculptures, and soaring towers. Although I am not a religious person, I can respect the beauty in his apparent noble cause. Gaudi, a devout Catholic, really seemed to find his life's purpose in praising and honoring God through the work he built. Kevin and I have decided to come back when construction is done (in about 17 years!) to celebrate with people from Barcelona the completion of this long-awaited project. It's sure to be a big party, and Sunday mass will never be so much fun!

After setting our agape jaws back into place, Kevin and I took the metro to Avinguda Diagonal, where our plan was to quickly find two of Gaudi's other buildings and take some pictures before heading back to Las Ramblas for lunch. Fortunately, we got lost, and got to see some amazing architecture along the way. We kept expecting to see this and that apartment building noted in our guidebooks, but no, these are just homes people live in that also happen to be beautiful works of art. Intricate, gothic architecture sits side by side with ultra modern glass buildings. We finally found La Pedrera, Gaudi's wavy, melting rock apartment building, and Casa Batllo, a mosaic tile extravaganza! We made our way to Las Ramblas to my FAVORITE thing in this city: Mercat de la Boqueria. Yes, the architecture is amazing, and the sights are astounding. But I love this quirky, colorful fresh market. You can buy (in no particular order): fresh-squeezed kiwi juice, a million types of ham, congealed blood (I'll pass), fresh seafood, fruits and vegetables, wine from every region of Spain, cheese, nuts, and tapas as far as the eye can see. I loved just walking down all the aisles, peering into the stalls, and trying to figure out what some of the food was (Did you know that tripe looks like honey combs?). I was in food heaven!!!! We found a little tasca (tapas bar) tucked away in the back corner where patrons had orgasmic looks on their faces after biting into their orders. Kevin and I pulled up two stools and said, “We'll have what they're having.” No menus, no prices, just pointing and ordering what you like, since the offers change daily. We feasted on mini chorizo (pork has never tasted so good!), spinach sauteed with pine nuts and raisins, calamari, and bread to soak up EVERY last drop! It was one of the most memorable meals we've had, and the coconut and chocolate gelato we got on the way out only guilded the lilly!

This morning, we continued our Gaudi pilgrimage and visited Parc Guell, a trippy, cartoonish park in the Gracia district of Barcelona. It was originally designed to be a self-contained community for the rich. Lucky for us, the project flopped, and it became one of Spain's most visited public (and free!) parks. It's filled with colorful tile mosaics, Candy Land-looking structures, and many Italian tourists. Kevin and I hiked up to the cross and (despite my vertigo) looked over the skyline of Barcelona, pointing out the two highest structures we recognized: Torre Agbar and Sagrada Familia. We spent the rest of the afternoon running errands and buying our train tickets to our next destination: San Sebastian. We did so a bit half-hearted, as we really feel that we could stay in this area of Spain for a long time and explore the whole region of Catalunya. There's so much we didn't get to see. We feel that we've been rushing through much of our itinerary, in an effort to “fill it all in,” and this is a place we definitely want to come back to. Spain, you haven't seen the end of us yet! Tomorrow we plan on spending the day doing as little as possible and reserving our energy in preparation for our overnight train to San Sebastian. We will go to the beach and stare at the Mediterranean Sea. Kevin will swim in the ocean, and I will sit on the shore, read my book, and savor the hot sun on my back.

Post script: Thursday, September 4, 2008 7:38 PM

We have about 20 minutes before Kevin and I leave to take the metro to the train station, where we will take an overnight train (first class – yay!) to San Sebastian. We are excited to be meeting up with our friend Javier, but are a little sad to be leaving Barcelona. It is a vibrant, sexy city, one that we definitely see ourselves coming back to and exploring, the next time with greater leisure.

Our host here, Federico, has been wonderful. He accepted us into his home late (on a work night), on an evening he wasn't even expecting us, simply on the recommendation of an old colleague. He has treated us so well. We've slept like babies, one night even taking the air mattress out to the balcony to sleep under the stars (good idea, Amor!). He has given us access to his home, our own set of keys to come and go as we please. His place is very well situated in Barcelona, around the block from a convenient metro station. We love his neighborhood, sprinkled with markets, little bars and cafes, grandparents walking their grandchildren, and the bustle of people running their daily errands. But most of all, we just love Federico! He is a very intelligent person, wise beyond his years, and knowledgeable about many different subjects. We have so enjoyed spending time with him, gaining his perspective, sharing stories and glasses of cold Estrella beer, on these long, moonlit nights. Our conversations on his balcony go on for hours, and although he has to be up early in the morning to go to work, will always answer that one last question or tell us another amusing story. Federico, thank you for your generosity and hospitality. We hope to be able to repay you someday!

During one of these long talks, the question came up, “How are Americans different from Europeans?” It's a question that has come up several times, including with our new Lisbon friends, but Kevin and I haven't been able to answer it very well. When it came up last night, though, I think I finally had an answer. We were sitting outside at a bar on a Wednesday night, surrounded by couples and families, kids chasing each other, even though it was already after 10:00 PM. I think this is something we would not see too much of back home. Kids out on a school night? Grown, working adults having a drink the evening before a big presentation? This is what I think is different about the two cultures. We, in America, tend to delay our happiness. We wait until the weekend to meet up with friends, or save up all of our vacation time for one measly week in the Caribbean somewhere. Europeans, on the other hand, seize the day! They will meet up with friends and family, even on a work night, because it's important to them to do so. They will take many holidays during the year, exploring their rich continent, or another. We, on the other hand, seem to frown upon this type of gratification and instead, value a Puritan ethic: Save for a rainy day, work hard now and you will be compensated later. I think this attitude has served us well, but I think it may also serve us well to look at our neighbors across the Atlantic and learn a lesson from them: Do not put your happiness on hold, as tomorrow is never a guarantee. Find pleasure in today, however small, and enjoy the moment.