Barcelona. Day Uno
Wednesday 23 november 2005 4.09am s’pore time
9.10pm spain time
I have to blog this. Yes. The airplane delay was abit of a letdown. After that, thankfully the next klm plane flight to Barcelona came right on time, wif no glitches this time. Luckily. Flight was very pleasant. This afternoon was an almost clear cloudless sky so u cd see the scenery downstairs. Spotted paris from above from the effel tower and the arc tromphe wif the rds radiating from it. Also saw those spectacular snow capped mountains which I think border spain and france. Its was all so breathtaking. And on the flight they served us this very tock gong biscuit wif caramel filling as a kind of afternoon snack.
After cheacking out from Barcelona airport, (which surprised me by its small size. Within few minutes of touchdown we were out of airport already), we began racing to the town and exploring the sites in earnest. Ya all this due to the fact that we were 6 hrs behind time.
First stop was Gaudi’s Sagrida Famiglia church( its now technically still considered a temple actually, since its not consecrated yet.) although half finished, its truly a work of art. The size, and originality in deco and style characteristic of gaudi’s wk really makes this unfinished wk still a wonder to behold. There’s a museum downstairs where they show u the sketches made by gaudi himself and subsequent artists and architects who worked on this project. Very interesting exhibits there. Especially the models…got one that gaudi made out of mini sandbags if the model contructed upside down, which is an ingenious way to gauge the recommended weight for the pillars and structure and so on…really a genius. There’s also a crypt in one corner of the museum where gaudi’s buried. Its really an astonishing building, no a breathtaking work or art. That overwhelming that overpowers u when u gaze skyward at the soaring towers of the unfinished sanctuary is something that cannot be described fully in words. There r just some things in this world where u can truly feel only if u go the actual site itself. My father had went here earlier in aug and he kept on describing to me how amazing this building was, an I cd not really fully understand what he was teling me, until todae, when I stood in front of that magnificent Nativity façade. If only u all were there….
Then bus zoomed us thru all the other attractions, casa mila, and other famous buildings designed by gaudi. No time to disembark, cd only take some shots on the bus. Then zoomed past their age-old market which the locals go to to buy clothes, foodstuff and all that nonsense. Reminds me of lau par sat back home. Just that unlike here in barcelona, where many centuries old traditions stay the same in the course of the city’s development, nothing back home stays the same. In s’pore, its always, this was once something something but its now…
Oh well. That’s not the main focus todae, so I’ll move on. The bus proceeded to zoom past the exposition sites of 1972, Spanish village, the neo-classical Olympic stadium, and to the top of monjunc hill where we were treated to a breathtaking view of Barcelona from the peak admist the glorious setting sun. very romantic view. Can see the old town, new town, peaks of sagrida famiglia, cathedral and some of their skyscrapers…
After that dusk had started setting in, and we proceeded to view the old town square. Here the lanes are narrower and everything is much more packed. Architecture also takes a more older, classical. Baroque turn, a contrast to the more moderninisme art deco and minimalist styles scattered in the new town. Arrived at the old town square at around 6. we were given 45 mins to explore abt. Me and my parents decided to visit the cathedral first since it dominated the square itself. Façade was under restoration, but cd tell that its gothic exterior must have been very inspiring.
So we went in. Nothing, and I mean nothing prepared me for what I was going to see. The dimly lit interior was massive. wif forests of majestic pillars and high soaring gothic buttresses. And there were very ornate side chapels covered in gold, decorated wif statues of the saints and the virgin mary. The hallmark of the cathdral for me r the many small ruby red candles or votive lights lit everywhere in the dark interior.
And u have the soft murmurs of the rosary in one corner, wif the congregation led by a nun. All I have to say is that the ambience in the cathedral was magnificent. An indescribable feeling u get walking in such a sacred space. Not even st peter’s cd match this. Not even the elaborate interiors of the other churches in rome d match this. This cathedral is what I call a real Cathedral. I was so mesmerized by the soft ambience, awed by the architecture, that I decided to stay in cathedral until 645, where we were supposed to meet back at the square outside. My parents decided to explore other stuff outside, but I decided there’s not much u can see given the time we have remaining so I continued walking around cathedral on my own, taking more pictures and slowly taking all the details in. Then I sat down in one of the pews and said a decade. One of the first times that I cd actually think clearly and concentrate in prayer in a church. After that walked around more, then met my parents again. Time to meet back in 5 mins time. They say. So we walked out. As a souvenir, we went next door the cathedral shop, and bought this small statue of the virgin. Expensive. Cost 14 euros, but its worth it, as a real reminder of that wonderful spiritual experience I had. And the statue somehow captures that esoteric and mystical quality present in spanish Catholicism. Looking forward to more of these faith-reaffirming experiences in Toledo and fatima.
And the images of those rosy votive candles illuminating the walls and statues of the saints still linger on.
After that went for dinner at this Chinese “shanghai” restaurant. Food was not too bad, and was not salty. And the hallmark of todae’s trip is still the cathedral.
And I have to say that barcelona’s a marvelously beautiful city. So full of life, and the architecture is…..got baroque, gothic, roman. Norman, neo-classical, neo-gothic, art deco, modernisme,….a kaleidoscope of 2000 yrs of architectural history all packed side by side next to each other. A real gem. And I’m still reeling from todae’s bus ride which passed by all those richly-decorated facades in a flash. U see something interesting, then b4 u noe it further up the street, or next to it there’s another even more shen building. They say the got all the world-famous architects to design barcelona’s buildings. That’s how they got such a nice collection of structures all over the city. Hope I grow up that time become architect will also b able to leave my mark here.
If only s’pore cd look like Barcelona. Its an utopian vision for now. An impossible reality. But then, nothing’s impossible in this world as long as u got the brains and the willpower to fulfill that dream.
Feeling tired after a long flight and long day. Am looking forward to tmw, and I’ll b back wif more stuff to share. night night.
alvin ong dozed and watched the sawdust trampled night @ 9:59 PM
<< Home