That Time What When Steven Got All Up In Europe

A travel blog where I (Steven) travel. And Blog. Can't get much more straightforward than that.

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I suppose if this blog is to have any sort of legitimacy I should probably chronicle my feelings at this point.

Tired, mainly. I should’ve been asleep an hour ago, and apparently if you’re going on a long flight you need to get your rest. Eff that noise. I’ll sleep on the way to San Diego.

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My first "Real" post. 

I hate how far away everything feels for me. I remember writing this, I remember the feelings, but it all just kinda feels like 

"Yeah. That happened. It was a thing. But now there are other things."

I don't think I like it. It's mainly just all nostalgia eating away at me, but it's also accepting the fact that nothing this cool will happen to me again for a very long time. And I think that's why I never finished this blog, cause once I post everything, there's nothing left to tell, no stories, no pictures. 

I mean I'll keep telling stories. I'll tell a good story to the same person fifty times, I don't give a damn.

I just miss the whole experience, really, and the fact that it keeps getting farther away is real concerning to me.

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A shot of the lizard fountain or drac (dragon) at one of the entrances to the park.

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This pattern outside the Gaudi House was freaking out my eyes, so I took this picture to anchor myself in reality.

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Here's a shot of my friend Justine looking pensive in front of some crazy mosaic work.

I third-wheeled her and her boyfriend this entire trip, if I haven't mentioned it before, and I appreciate that they never got too tired with me. 

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More Park Guell

That bench those people are sitting on is designed to resemble a sea serpent, and is covered in Catalan symbolism, of which Gaudi was a fan.

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My blog turned 2 today, as Tumblr reminded me. I guess that means I should finish it.

I just have everything from Barcelona to post, and that's basically it. Maybe I'll post a retrospective. Athena Abroad would love that.

Anyway, here's the view from atop Park Guell. You can see La Sagrada Familia in the distance, and in the first picture you can see a view of Torre Agbar, in all it's phallic glory.

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This doesn't have anything to do with anything, I'm just looking through pictures I have on my phone.

Always remember to pack your Sox before a trip.

= D

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One time, I went to Park Guell, and I forgot my camera in my hostel. 

Fortunately camera phones are a thing. 

Also this walk was brutal.

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Door of the Passion Facade.

Words from the Liturgy are written in various languages, including Catalan, Spanish, and Latin. 

The small square covered in numbers is a Magic Square, placed there by Joseph Subirachs, sculptor of the figures on the Passion Facade. Adding the numbers in any direction yields the same number every time, in this case 33, the number of years Jesus lived. 

I initially took the picture because I thought it was some weird Da Vinci code thang, but I guess it's just symbolic math, which is way worse than a centuries-old conspiracy covered up by the Catholic Church.

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La Sagrada Familia Master Post

Part 2: Interior

Oh, just soak it in. 

Gaudi intended for the inside to mimic branches and trees, sort of like the spires on the outside of the cathedral. Gaudi also extensively used evolving geometric shapes for the pillars and other inside bits. Almost none of the interior designs are flat in anyway, being made up of curves mimicking nature's lack of straight lines. 

The two pictures at the bottom show windows into the chapel area. 

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The Glory Facade 

Started in 2002, It's planned to be the largest and most striking of all the facades, representing the the road to God, namely that of Death, Final Judgement, and Glory, as well as Hell constructed from an underground passage leading up the the facade. 

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La Sagrada Familia Master Post

Part One: The Exterior

Hooo boy.

La Sagrada Familia Is one of the most-recognized landmarks in all of Barcelona. Construction began 1883 under the watch of Antoni Gaudi, whose work I've shown before. Construction has not finished and is not expected to finish until 2026, 100 years after Gaudis' death. 

Let's start with those spires. The original design calls for 18 of these bad boys, 12 for the Apostles, 4 for the Evangelists, one for the Virgin Mary, and the final and tallest representing Jesus Christ. At the moment there are only 8. The Christ Spire is supposed to reach up 560 feet, or 170 meters. This length is actually a meter less than the height of Montjuic, because according to Gaudi his work should not surpass God's. Nonetheless, upon the completion of the spires La Sagrada Familia will be the tallest church in the world. 

Let's look at these facades. The place will have 3 grand ones, the Nativity Facade, the Passion Facade, and the Glory Facade. The first constructed was the Nativity Facade, which is why it resembles classical sculpture the most. Gaudi's design called for every one of these thangs to be painted as lifelike as possible. This side faces the rising sun to represent the birth of Christ.

Now, that turtle is a brother to a tortoise, upon both which rest a pillar. Gaudi used animals as symbolism quite often in his work, as evidenced by anyone who's been to Park Guell. Anyway, these two represent land and sea as symbols of unchanging time. In the same vein there are chameleons on either side of this facade representing change.  

The cubist-looking one is the Passion Facade. The gaunt, angular design was meant to look bare, as if it were a skeleton stripped bare. It was designed to cause fear and anguish in observers. It depicts scenes from the Passion of Christ. Construction was started in the 50s, and in the late 80s sculpting of the details and scenes took place, headed by Joseph Maria Subirachs.

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Barcelona Cathedral 

The bottom two are shots of the bell tower of the cathedral.

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Some old cameras at a flea market in Barcelona. 

There was a lot of other stuff there, like old books and records on vinyl. There were various baubles like glasses and jewelry and stuff too.

Also a lot of Fascist literature for sale.

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Remains of a medieval castle

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Carrer del Bisbe Irurita

Bridge constructed by Joan Rubio in the Flamboyant style, an offshoot of Gothic architecture. However, the authenticity of it's Gothic roots are controversial, as it was claimed to be redone during the 1929 International Exhibition.

I just took a picture of it because it reminded me of the Bridge of Sighs in Venice.