Days 30-36: Walk a Mile, Or Fourteen, In My Shoes

Wow, another week, another amazing time! Every time I start to write one of my blogs, I forget how much we did in the previous week, that is, until I look at the pictures. haha

The events of the week started on Tuesday, when, for our class, our professor took us to the famous hill of Monjuic in Barcelona. We began the day by going to the German Pavilion designed by Mies van der Rohe. Designed in the 1920s, this building is know for its breakthrough style of architecture for that time. Today, a reconstructed version that was built in the 1980s stands in its place, but it still keeps true to the original building.

Glass signage

They were setting up an exhibition next to the pavilion so this was the best view I could get from the front

Mies used reflection and transparency to connect the building to nature

Front entry

 The different colors used in the pavilion were meant to mimic the German flag. (Black rug and travtertine, red curtains, and yellow/gold travertine)

Main exhibition space

Reflecting pool with sculpture

Large reflecting pool

View of back porch and gardens

Gardens in the back

 Next we walked across the street to the CaixaForum which is an old textile factory designed by Puig i Cadafalch in 1911. The owner was worried about fires, so the whole complex is ultra fireproofed.

CaixaForum (pavilion at entry designed by Arata Isozaka)

Model of the forum

Rooftop terrace

Waved roof structure due to catalan vaulting

So much brick structure/ornament

 Next we went to a different part of Monjuic to see the Botanical Gardens and the Olympic Ring. Even though most of the plants weren't blooming because it is winter, the gardens were still very beautiful and green. We had also been to the Olympic Ring before, but this time we got to go inside the stadium.

Sign in front of the gardens

Main entrance (the whole building was concrete and exposed steel)

Cactus?! Reminds me of home...haha

The gardens were separated into regions of the world, this section was California

 Another cool thing about the gardens is that they were constructed/planted on the site of an old garbage dump.

View of all the gardens

I thought this plant was cool

Pond at the exit

Olympic Torch

Olympic stadium for 1992 games

On Wednesday, our professor took us to the Museum of the History of Barcelona and also took us for a walk around the old Roman city of barcelona. Inside the museum there was miles roman ruins, ancient artifacts and jewelry from that time, and old frescos found painted on the walls. Pictures were not allowed inside but I got some good pictures of the old building complex it was in.

History Museum of the City

Entrance courtyard to the museum

The class waiting to go in

These building were part of the old roman city

Old Roman wall that surrounded the city

More of the Roman wall

Circular Plaza, the only of its kind in Barcelona

On Thursday, after class, we went to the Picasso Museum. I have to say that he might be a little too abstract for me. But it was interesting to see the way his style changed overtime. There were also a couple of paintings that I really liked! Sadly, pictures weren't allowed in here either....but the entrance level was very cool.

Picasso Museum

Brick vaulted ceiling

Catalan vaulting

So many doorways...

 On Friday we rode the train for 5 hours down the coast to Valencia. Needless to say, I had plenty of time on the train ride to write postcards, listen to music, and stare at the ocean. :)  We also decided to walk across the entire city to see everything, which we estimated to be about 14 miles (hence the blog name). But it was definitely worth it! On the trip, we saw: an old silk factory, old roman city gates, a riverbed that was turned into a park, a futuristic "city", and an amazing aquarium!

Plaza de toros next to the train station

Adjuntament Plaza in Valencia

Our hostel (in an old church)

Old Silk Factory

Spiraled columns

Old city gates

View from the top of the gate

Old mosaic advertisements

 The Turia River Park, as I mentioned before, was constructed in an old riverbed. They diverted the river underground, so now a linear park surrounds the entire old city. One of the coolest ideas I have heard.

Turia River Park

Calatrava bridge through the trees

Calatrava bridge #1

Pond in the park

Fountains in the park surrounded by orange trees

 Valencia is most famous for The City of Arts & Sciences designed by Santiago Calatrava, who is from Valencia and is one of my favorite architects. Walking around it/through it, made me feel like I was in the future. It was really cool...

Hemisphere and Opera House

Calatrava Bridges #2 and #3

So many columns!

Muesum of Science (left), Calatrava bridge #4, and the Agora (far back)

Outdoor garden pavilion

The aquarium was very cool, with all different types of animals. They had an exhibit for almost every part of the world. 

Main aquarium building

Penguins!

Biggest crab ever! King Spider Crab

One of the fish tunnels

Shark attack!

No seriously, they started circling overhead...

The end of the dolphin show. The dolphin launching its trainer into the air, no big deal. haha

As I said, it was an awesome week with so many things to see. The best had to be when we got to see all of Calatrava's buildings! So crazy and complex.

Also, yesterday I had a great Birthday and I am excited for this weekend because we will be going to Italy! Hope everyone had a wonderful Valentine's Day. :)

Until next time...

Un abrazo,

Seth

Micah 6:8