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Gracia |
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Today was spent in Gracia, a place where Catalan traditions are fiercely upheld. by far my favorite area of the city. it�s a place that very few tourists frequent and walking around you really get a sense of local life. the buildings are ornate and have alot of character. lots of narrow streets and alleys with all kinds of stores and restaurants along the way.
"Hello Moto!" Everybody drives one, i mean everybody. even older gray haired gentleman don their helmets and ride away in their suits. alot of the parks that are in the middle of large intersections are filled along the perimeter with moto parking! sometimes they take shortcuts and jump on the sidewalk. crossing the intersection can mean a game of playing chicken! one has to walk with no fear and no hesitation otherwise you�ll get squased by the moto or passing people. i found that green light means go, yellow means go faster and red means stop only if in danger of hitting someone. |
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Parc
Guell |
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after my long afternoon in gracia, and partaking of the catalan tradition of cava at noon, i took the bus to Parc Guell. Gaudi's creation while high on shrooms (though the bench, ergonimically correct for the ole tush, is by asst. Jujol) is mesmerizing and offers fantastic views of the city. there�s all these winding gothic benches so it was nice to take a break here and there. lots of birds chirping and the day was sunny with a light breeze - marvelous afternoon to wander the park. there�s lots of hills and staircases and paths to explore. some of the sections have these cavernous caves where the "walls" are actually stone pillars. i guess the acoustics are so good that there are alot of musicians that come and play. i turned the corner of this tunnel and came upon a flamenco guitarist playing for no one but himself. i have repeatedly kicked myself for not taking a picture but it was such a private moment and it seemed wrong to act like paparazzi. it�s one the best memories i will have of this trip ... a beautiful unexpected discovery. the park is really huge, more so than i expected so i didn�t get to the other side cuz 1) i was tired 2) i had to meet my friends for dinner and
3) i was tired. |
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Go To |
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Plaza Espanya |
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Eixample |
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Recent Activities |
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Day One |
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Barceloneta |
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Parc Ciutadella |
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Montserrat |
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Barri Gotic |
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La Sagrada Familia |
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Interesting tidbit: No matter how hard I tried not to stand out like a tourist, the locals seem to know that you are. I rode the bus for at least 20 minutes and when I missed the stop for Parc Guell, the locals and bus driver looked at me (discreetly of course) ... almost as if to say "wasn't that your stop?" |
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La Pedrera |
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