Pictures!

Below are pictures of Montserrat, the monastery and some other interesting pictures from my trip, enjoy!

Montserrrat, Montjuec, Montblanc Muchas Montanas!!

Sorry for the time between posts, I have been extremely busy traveling, checking out the major tourist attractions, planning future trips, and (oh yeah) attending classes! This last week included the fiery spectacle that is the Feast of Saint Joan, fiestiaing (a new word?) at the posh CDLC on Barcoloneta beach, climbing the craggy peaks of Montserrat, and a refreshing swim in in the Piscinas Montjuic (beautiful pools overlooking the city, the former home of the high dive in the 1992 Summer Olympics. The scenery and landscapes that abound in the Catalunya region of Spain ane incredible and offer both high mountain peaks and ever-expanding sprawling overlooks of the Mediterranian sea and expansive beaches.

The feast of Sant Joan, an annual festival of fire and the Summer solstice emerging from pagan traditions, was an incredible displey of countless floral, shimmering colors exploding in the sky, all night reverly including enough cava to fill an ocean and bonfires that burn past morning. We spent the night on the beach with a large group of friends, and enjoyed the festivities and delicious ¨Coques¨, traditional pasteries made with fruit and anise. The fireworks were spectacular and not only relagated to the air above the water, with children and others ensuring that the fireworks continue in and around the crowd (I actaully took a firework to the leg, luckly my jeans saved me!). The night itself was filled with the youthful, ecstacic spirit of Spain, always full of life, happiness and appreciation for the ¨finer¨ (hedonistic :) ) side of life.

On Saturday, we traveled once again on the incredibly efficient train system for about an hour to the cable car that extends directly up the mountain to the classical monastery, museum and paths above. The cliffs of Montserrat are like none other in the same vicinity, showing a very rounded, ¨serrated¨appearance, that have shown through geologic evidence to have been under the sea millions of years ago in history! WE purchased both tickets at the Espanya station and were successful in reaching near the top of the mountain. I would highly recommend traveling to Montserrat for a day trip for all who visit Barcelona.

The monastery was incredible as well as the cathedral next to it, while the museum was also amazing. We came at the right time apparently, as the museum had on loan a comprehensive collection of archeological artifacts from the Sumerians, Egyptians and ancient Iberian peoples. They even had a mummy and pottery with cuneiform (the oldest form of writing!), and also many sculptures and tools. Even more exciting was the museum´s collection of Picasso, Monet and Dali, with several pieces on display nearly 5000 feet above sealevel in a building literally carved out of a mountain! A Bunch of pictures are to come!!

El incitio de escuela!

Today was the first day of school here in Barcelona (I am here for study abroad, remember!), and it was an eventful one for sure. I woke up for my first class and enjoyed a typical Spanish breakfast (desayuno, no not coffee and cigarettes) of cured ham on a croissant, and a delicious and very strong cafe solo, essentially a shot of espresso. Food and drink can not usually be taken to go in Spain, probably due to the cultural importance of the experience of meals and the appreciation of savoring a meal; however, I discovered a very small coffee shop near my apartment that will provide a tiny cup for espresso to go and a bag for my bocadilla (sandwich).

The metro in Barcelona is very efficient and even with changing lines, it is possible to get essentially any where near the city center in under 15-20 minutes. This is incredibly helpful for the trip from my apartment to school, located in the L' Example (y' shample) district of Barcelona. Catalan, an ancient language that was spoken exclusively in the northeastern region of Spain for over 800 years, is omnipresent in Barcelona, further complicating navigation for an someone who speaks Castilian Spanish un poco (a little). Nevertheless, the Catalan is somewhat similar to Spanish, despite the ubiquitous use of x and l', and some signs are written in Catalan, Spanish and English. My class itself is an overview of Spanish culture and history, and my other class is a Spanish language class, both working (ideally) to push my towards fluency and the understanding of the multifarious Spanish culture. Grades are assigned out of 10, with a 5 as passing and 10 as "perfection". Maybe American colleges could try out this system? Later, we checked out the exceptional Mercato en la Rambla, a sprawling, extremely colorful produce and meat market full of an incredible variety of produce and delicious food.

Thanks to everyone checking out the blog, more awesome posts are to come. Here are some more pictures of the city!:

Lost in Barcelona!

Buenos noches! The last few days have sped by, full of attempts to learn subtle cultural practices, preparation for the beginning of school and a few small mishaps that tend to befall the American traveler (Tip- don't put 4 people in an elevator made for 2, your key may break off trying to escape). The highlight of the last few days would have to be "The Lost Bar/Dharma Initiative", a meticulously decorated bar based on one of my favorite TV shows Lost, complete with Oceanic flight 23(?), the infamous hatch, Dharma beer and energy drinks, and fellow Spanish Lost lovers. To top it off, the bar touted large LCD TVs playing another my my favorite shows, "The Walking Dead", an AMC original series that I cannot wait to come back for a second season. The bar is located on an unassuming street near the ME Hotel Barcelona, check it out: