Barcelona - Spain, 09/21/2007 to 09/24/2007
Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia ( Spain) and the homonymous province . It is situated on the seafront Mediterranean, about 120 km south of the mountain chain Pyrenees and the border with France On a plain bounded by the sea in the east, the coastal mountain range (Sierra de Collserola ) west, the river Llobregat south and Besós north. These conditions do not allow it to grow in size, is as boxed.
With a population of 1,593,075 inhabitants Barcelona is the second largest city by population Spain behind Madrid and tenth of the Union European.
Barcelona has hosted many world events that helped shape the city and give it international exposure. The most important have been the Universal and International Exhibition 1888 and 1929 respectively, and Summer Olympics 1992. In 2004 there was another international event, or Forum 2004 Universal Forum of Cultures .
We arrived at Barcelona by Highway (at rush hour the highways are impassable ). The traffic here is complicated by the slow and bindings. There are billboards on the side of the highway that encourage moving train in saying this: "if you can read this sign is not going to the center by train."
Arriving in the city are located the hostel Hi Barcelona - Mare de Deu de Montserrat in a quiet area of \u200b\u200bBarcelona. We were surprised to meet a beautiful building of great historical and architectural value. There we left our truck mate Matthias who began a new stage of your journey where you travel alone by Barcelona, \u200b\u200bMadrid , Chicago, Washington and New York, and remain in the homes of relatives and friends or acquaintances. In the same hostel we got Michael (the commissioner Systems or mustard), a friend of the GV and he walked together Barcelona and Madrid .
Then and now at night we went to the home of a known Uruguayan Mauritius we stayed at home, with a kindness that can only bring the people inside. He and his wife received us incredibly and stayed at home for three nights.
We made a dinner toast with tomatoes and prosciutto to lick your fingers, and did a nice desktop playing various topics. Then we took a walk in order to see an overview of the city, we walked basically everything that we would know within three days.
the second day in Barcelona get up 9:30 am, a quick breakfast and went to Guinardó subway station and got off at the station Urquinaona. We stayed at the Plaza de Catalunya where we are already with the movement of "La Mercé 07", which is what we here call "the holidays." Really are as festivals where Catalans enjoy shows, concerts, dances, and other events.
After obtaining a good map of the city in the English Court we went for a walk along the promenade. Here the promenade leading from the Plaza de Catalunya to the old harbor, ending at Plaza Columbus. It's called " wadi" (in Catalan Les Rambles) as each section has a different name, until the pier and bridge. Las Ramblas is one of the rides seemed to me more attractive, because it is full of people day and late into the night. There are newsagents, flowers, birds and pets, street performers, cafes, restaurants and shops. Near the port you can usually find street vendors (and Uruguay) as well as painters and artists. We walk down Las Ramblas, La Boqueria market, where I loved how they were arranged or presented fruit and other products for sale. Side streets also have a special charm. One of them ended at the Plaza of the IP where there was a fair of souvenirs, and then we arrived at the Plaza Nova which was the Cathedral of Barcelona full of scaffolding and covered by a red cloth. There also was a stage with a performance of "La Mercé 07. From there we went to the Plaza de Sant Jaume, where buildings are Generalitat of Catalonia and Barcelona City Council .
We follow a narrow but lively streets to the Gothic Quarter where we found a building on the ground floor is part of the ruins of the Roman walls.
then flows where they end Las Ramblas near the old port, there was the statue of Christopher Columbus pointing towards the sea. Nearby were the shipyards of the Middle Ages , which built the ships that sailed around the Mediterranean . This area is the old port and offers other attractions such as an entertainment center with shops, restaurants, a cinema IMAX and the largest aquarium Mediterranean marine fauna.
After by Las Ramblas and we went along a lane a few meters in length, which led us to the Plaza Real (cat.Plaça Reial), a plaza with palm trees and buildings with porches with bars and restaurants, and in which weekends together collectors stamps and coins . Here was a caravan of motorcycles with sidecar of all colors and patterns.
From here try to see the Guell Palace, but restoration was all covered with Adami and fabrics. We returned to Las Ramblas and had a very lively atmosphere with a group of entertainers on stilts and drummers playing and drums.
found out for a lunch spot called "All You Can Eat", which means "all you can eat", so we broke the mouth with dessert and drink included for 9, 95 euros. After lunch we went to a typical neighborhood Catalan Modernism, with its characteristic buildings, square blocks of songs sectioned (diagonal corners), its leafy streets and broad avenues.
went there to Passeig de Sant Joan to visit the Arc de Triomphe (built for the Universal Exhibition , 1888). I must say that of Paris impressed me this does not change.
Then take Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes and Passeig de Gracia arrived to see the Amatller House built between 1898 and 1900, the Casa Batllo (filled and ceramic tiles ) , and Casa Mila, also known as La Pedrera "(with original fireplaces and balconies). The last two houses are works by the famous architect Antonio Gaudí . Also in Barcelona belong to him, the church the unfinished Sagrada Familia , and the wonderful Guell Park (with stairways and columns ).
We take the metro green line station to station Diagonal Espanya to see the Plaza Spain. There is the Plaza de Toros Arenas call Barcelona (which was amended), the exhibition grounds of the Fira de Barcelona , the Palace of Congresses Barcelona and the Palau Nacional . This is the most significant work Montjuich. Was carried out for the Universal Exhibition of 1929, and was built as a monumental, eclectic building, culminating in a majestic dome. Here is the headquarters of the National Museum of Catalan Art, which showcases collections of Romanesque, Gothic, Renaissance and Baroque. Here is the light source Montjuich , known as the Magic Fountain. We recommend going at night to view this source, but did not give us time.
As night fell and we went back to fit and we are getting ready to watch the match for Barcelona against Sevilla.
the third day in Barcelona get up 9:30 am, breakfast very strong and we went to Guinardó subway station and got off at the station Barceloneta. Is a typical neighborhood of sailors, with medium and buildings all the same. Although the occasion of the Olympic Games suffered a sweeping transformation, yet still retains its aroma sailor.
walk along the promenade from the beach of Barceloneta. It seems that the beaches of Barcelona is one of the attractions that has built Barcelona in recent years. Thanks to the regeneration of the coast made in 1992 , during the Olympics , Barcelona now has six beaches that occupy more than 4.2 linear miles of coastline. The beaches are full downtown, are well communicated and are located just minutes from anywhere in the city. The beaches are subjected to cleaning every day throughout the year. The six beaches are, from east to west, the beach of San Sebastian, Barceloneta, New Icaria, Bogatell, Mar Bella and Nova Mar Bella. In the latter there is a space reserved for nude sunbathing.
We walked along the beach to the Poble Nou where the Olympic Village, a new district created on the occasion of the 1992 Olympics including Olympic Marina. There stand two tall towers: the Hotel Arts and the Torre Mapfre. His height, about 150 meters, is similar to that of the new Torre Agbar (2003).
From there we took the metro yellow Bogatell to Verdaguer station in which we combine with the blue line and got off at the station Sagrada Familia to see the greatest work of famous architect Antonio Gaudí . It appears that Gaudí left unfinished Sagrada Familia church and continues to be built in the same way as the cathedrals in the Middle Ages, with donations and contributions. On the basis of modern construction, is scheduled for completion by 2020. The church will have 18 towers that symbolize the 12 apostles, the 4 Evangelists, the Virgin and Jesus Christ (which should be the highest to stand out from the others.)
From here we Gaudí Avenue pedestrian section which has a restaurant with tables crowded. Here we come to strange Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau . This is another work of Catalan Modernism but not Gaudí but the architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner . It occupies 9 blocks of houses in the enlargement of Barcelona (where are all perfect square blocks) and the architect built it in a diagonal to the grid extension to show their disagreement with that straight Cerdá Plan. It is composed of specialized pavilions whose connections are made through underground tunnels, as there is outside an area with gardens and fountains. This was very strange to see young people taking the sun in the courtyard of a hospital.
There we took the metro blue in the Hospital de Sant Pau station to Sants Station and there combine with the green line to the station Palau Reial, where we visited the gardens of the Palacio Real de Pedralbes.
From here we walked to the stadium of FC Barcelona Nou Camp called, through the Gran Hotel Princesa Sofia is where players stay away teams before each game. We were at the door but had just closed and there was no press card is worth. Here had been the game yesterday between Barcelona and Sevilla. Here I learned the Nou Camp tomorrow turned 50 and Foster presented a draft where you become the Camp Nou stadium with lots of color reference, and also kind of modernist works do not affect sports.
Then we take the blue metro at the station at Plaza de Sants Collblanc in which we combine with the red line to the station Espanya. We spent by the great cultural center Caixa Forum, which is installed in the former textile factory modernist Roman House, designed by Puig, 1908. Since its opening in 2002 has become one of the most visited art centers of the city.
continue toward the Pueblo Espanyol where we just free because it was the People's Festival because of the Fiestas de la Mercé 07. The English Village is on the right of the magic fountains of Montjuic , and enters the door of Avila. Was carried out for the Universal Exhibition of 1929, was born with the spirit of becoming the synthesis of monumental Spain, combining in a picturesque village, representative samples of traditional architecture of the different areas of Spain. This was a very nice ride for a ride was different from what we were seeing in Barcelona.
At night we went back to fit, omelette dinner and went to sleep, after thanking the people so friendly that we received at home and made us feel right at home in Uruguay .
Barcelona was our last stop in the Mediterranean then take the route north to Madrid .
all pictures of Barcelona - Spain:
http://picasaweb.google.es/viajaconhenry/BARCELONA1
http://picasaweb.google.es/viajaconhenry/BARCELONA2
big hug from Barcelona, \u200b\u200bHenry
0 comments:
Post a Comment