On Tuesday, our final day in Barcelona, Sarah and I took a morning trip to MontSerrat, a gorgeous mountain outside of the city where there is a huge Benedictine abbey. We took this little train with big windows up the step incline to the abbey site and when we got to the top we had the most magnificent views! Just as we got there, a storm was moving across the valley toward Barcelona and it was a beautiful sight!
We made our way to the abbey and went inside for a tour! It's pretty neat that the monks built such a beautiful abbey on top of the mountain, the detail and the decor made the whole ambiance very special. Inside the abbey, the church was full of gold mosaics and decor, including a stairwell dedicated to the female saints. Sarah found her saint easily... but I had to do some maneuvering to make mine work.
When we got to the top of the stairwell, there is a small chapel covered in gold mosaics and it has a wooden statue of the Virgin who is holding an orb in one hand. Apparently it's tradition to rub the orb and the Virgin will grant you wisdom! We both of course had to touch it... but I am starting to think the Virgin forgot about granting us wisdom... considering well... we're still the same goofy girls trying to find our way around Europe!
After touring the abbey, we ventured out to a lookout point to absorb the views! The rock formations were really unique and there was something about the depth of the valley that was reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. Sarah was a little afraid of the height and did everything she could to stay away from the edge, but I loved it!!
We brought our own lunch up to the mountain, so we found a little park bench to sit and eat on. As we were sitting there, I felt something on my head and looted at my shoulders to discover tiny white flakes! It was partly sunny... a little cool... and snowing!!!! There was obviously something magical about this mountain... because it was not weather conducive to snow...
After our wonderful mountain experience, we made our way back to Barcelona to take an evening trip to Sagrada Familia, the famous Gaudi cathedral. I didn't realize that the to this day, the cathedral remains unfinished. It was certainly the strangest cathedral I have ever seen! Gaudi's organic influences were widely present and there was an eery feeling about the place. Despite the oddity of much of being in an unfinished cathedral, the detail and sculpture was fantastic! Every figure was intertwining and engaged with its surroundings. The whole place was very unconventional and unique... one of my favorite sites!
On our last night in Barcelona, we went out for Paella again... and of course... more sangria and met Megan for our last evening on the town! We found a fantastic little bar that served the most delicious crepes I've ever had and actually ran into some other Americans, one of whom knew Megan's friend at Georgetown! Our entire spring break we were constantly surprised by the number of people we ran into that we knew! In Paris (the next leg of the trip) I saw several people wearing Georgetown t-shirts by the Eiffel Tower and by Notre Dame, had someone run up to me and ask me if I went to Georgetown!! It truly is a very small world! Anyway, we made our way through the hundreds of drunk Irish (soccer game) to our hostel... for me to discover that the sweatshirt I bought from Oxford was stolen out of my hostel room! I suspect our fellow roommate (Irish) may have returned drunk and pissed (Ireland lost) and may have taken it out of spite... who knows! But that was 15 pounds (British currency) gone to waste!
Next off to Paris!!!!!!!!!
We made our way to the abbey and went inside for a tour! It's pretty neat that the monks built such a beautiful abbey on top of the mountain, the detail and the decor made the whole ambiance very special. Inside the abbey, the church was full of gold mosaics and decor, including a stairwell dedicated to the female saints. Sarah found her saint easily... but I had to do some maneuvering to make mine work.
When we got to the top of the stairwell, there is a small chapel covered in gold mosaics and it has a wooden statue of the Virgin who is holding an orb in one hand. Apparently it's tradition to rub the orb and the Virgin will grant you wisdom! We both of course had to touch it... but I am starting to think the Virgin forgot about granting us wisdom... considering well... we're still the same goofy girls trying to find our way around Europe!
After touring the abbey, we ventured out to a lookout point to absorb the views! The rock formations were really unique and there was something about the depth of the valley that was reminiscent of the Grand Canyon. Sarah was a little afraid of the height and did everything she could to stay away from the edge, but I loved it!!
We brought our own lunch up to the mountain, so we found a little park bench to sit and eat on. As we were sitting there, I felt something on my head and looted at my shoulders to discover tiny white flakes! It was partly sunny... a little cool... and snowing!!!! There was obviously something magical about this mountain... because it was not weather conducive to snow...After our wonderful mountain experience, we made our way back to Barcelona to take an evening trip to Sagrada Familia, the famous Gaudi cathedral. I didn't realize that the to this day, the cathedral remains unfinished. It was certainly the strangest cathedral I have ever seen! Gaudi's organic influences were widely present and there was an eery feeling about the place. Despite the oddity of much of being in an unfinished cathedral, the detail and sculpture was fantastic! Every figure was intertwining and engaged with its surroundings. The whole place was very unconventional and unique... one of my favorite sites!
On our last night in Barcelona, we went out for Paella again... and of course... more sangria and met Megan for our last evening on the town! We found a fantastic little bar that served the most delicious crepes I've ever had and actually ran into some other Americans, one of whom knew Megan's friend at Georgetown! Our entire spring break we were constantly surprised by the number of people we ran into that we knew! In Paris (the next leg of the trip) I saw several people wearing Georgetown t-shirts by the Eiffel Tower and by Notre Dame, had someone run up to me and ask me if I went to Georgetown!! It truly is a very small world! Anyway, we made our way through the hundreds of drunk Irish (soccer game) to our hostel... for me to discover that the sweatshirt I bought from Oxford was stolen out of my hostel room! I suspect our fellow roommate (Irish) may have returned drunk and pissed (Ireland lost) and may have taken it out of spite... who knows! But that was 15 pounds (British currency) gone to waste!
Next off to Paris!!!!!!!!!
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