Spanish Impressions – Barcelona (2 of 3)

by ccue on December 29, 2022

The train from Madrid to Barcelona is convenient and affordable which makes up for the lack of scenery.

Barcelona is a vibrant city with a young population, and full of things to do. Main streets branch into different alleys often, and the narrow streets are often lined up with shops and eateries. Barcelona is a big international city with tourists as well as plenty of locals wherever we go. Tourist books mention pickpockets so much that we become more guarded of the surroundings and often put our backpack on the front in busy street traffic.

La Rambla is the most famous street in Barcelona and it spans over multiple metro stations. It is a good place to take the pulse of the city, get some snacks and shop for souvenirs.

The hotel reception desk suggested we visit the fountain and its night show located near a metro stop. We arrived with more than half an hour to wait, and there were already hundreds, if not thousands of people, around the fountains. The evening climate was comfortable. The show started with the musical chant of “Barcelona”, as tons of water started to fill up the central pool and its surrounding moat. The pillars of water came alive in different heights, different colors and different patterns. There was energy and happiness in the air as the crowds, tourists and locals alike, gathered around with some dancing, some singing, some relaxing and some simply hanging out. The show lasted over an hour and was totally worth waiting for. This ranked among the best musical fountain shows.

La Sagrada Familia (The Holy Family) is the attraction of the attractions in Barcelona. I would claim it in the top ten attractions in Europe. After decades of construction, the basilica is open for mass service but remains the largest unfinished catholic church after decades of construction. No photos can fairly capture the originality and power of its architecture. It is surreal standing in front of La Sagrada Familia and I would remember that sense of dizziness in my first sight of the architecture. Gaudi is a genius and has been underrated in the English speaking world population. He designed the basilica design inside out, where the bible stories can be appreciated through the sculptures on the outside, while the outside nature is fully on display in the interior. I can be at the site for hours and hours to experience the holiness and discover the magic.

It was a blessing in disguise when we were infected with COVID-19 just weeks before the trip. After the recovery, we felt invincible and decided to watch FC Barcelona playing live at Camp Nou. On match days, the whole city of Barcelona came united with people of all ages wearing team jerseys, turning strangers into fellow soccer fans. Messi has left FC Barcelona recently and we missed his star power. (FC Barcelona discovered Messi in his teens, and Messi played for FC Barcelona for 20 years until his emotional departure in 2021. In December 2022, he led the Argentina team winning his maiden world cup, and we were so happy for him). Camp Nou has a capacity close to 10,000 and is the largest stadium in Europe. We got good tickets that give a good view of the soccer field and the players. The stadium surprisingly gave a cozy feeling, unlike some other smaller stadiums we have been to watch tennis, or shows. The team played well against team Elche. What impressed us the most was not from the soccer players, but from the spectators who were so full of unity and team spirit. They sang songs, they booed the opponents, they made gestures and they celebrated the goals. FC Barcelona got an easy win over Elche. Sports are among the best things to unify people. We hope that more cities would consider adopting the “sport” strategy to cultivate a sense of camaraderie.

Established in the 11th century, Montserrat Monastery, located in the volcanic landscape of Montserrat, made a decent day excursion from Barcelona. Arriving on a Sunday, the plaza area was surprisingly touristy and there seemed some hiking events going on. It created a contrast to the monastery being the most important Catalonia religious retreat and still have over 70 monks in residence. The basilica has the more traditional architecture filled with luxurious golden decorations, depicting solemnness. We attended the Sunday mass partly to listen to the angelic voice of the famous Montserrat choir. After the mass, we went for short hikes around the rugged landscape.