Exploración en Barcelona
Hola!
Long post ahead - it's been an exciting couple of days here in Barcelona! Since my last post, I've had a chance to explore a few more places in and around the city.
My Saturday started relatively late because I slept in. I ate a late breakfast and went shopping once I got ready to start the day. Then, I met a group of students from CIEE to watch the sunset and the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (Parade of the Three Wise Men).
We met at the Placa de Espanya as a group before heading out. On the other side of the Plaza is the National Palace that also serves as the Catalan Art Museum. We watched the sunset from the top before walking back down to the Placa de Espanya to Las Arenas (the bull ring/shopping center). We went up on the terrace, which has a 360 degree view of the city and restaurants, and is free for anybody.
After that, we walked for about 30 minutes to secure a spot along the parade. Once we found one, we had to wait for a while for the parade to start. The parade was exciting and had a lot of different moving pieces to it. We also had a local student with us who told us about some of the traditions and history behind the festivities.
An article tells it as follows:
I met other students from the program out at a local bar close to Razzmatazz. It was a fun night!
Long post ahead - it's been an exciting couple of days here in Barcelona! Since my last post, I've had a chance to explore a few more places in and around the city.
My Saturday started relatively late because I slept in. I ate a late breakfast and went shopping once I got ready to start the day. Then, I met a group of students from CIEE to watch the sunset and the Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (Parade of the Three Wise Men).
We met at the Placa de Espanya as a group before heading out. On the other side of the Plaza is the National Palace that also serves as the Catalan Art Museum. We watched the sunset from the top before walking back down to the Placa de Espanya to Las Arenas (the bull ring/shopping center). We went up on the terrace, which has a 360 degree view of the city and restaurants, and is free for anybody.
After that, we walked for about 30 minutes to secure a spot along the parade. Once we found one, we had to wait for a while for the parade to start. The parade was exciting and had a lot of different moving pieces to it. We also had a local student with us who told us about some of the traditions and history behind the festivities.
An article tells it as follows:
This celebration itself stems from the New Testament where it is stated that the kings, Melchor, Gaspar, and Balthasar, traveled by night all the way from the farthest confines of the Earth to bring gifts to Jesus, whom they recognized as the Son of God. As well as regal, the Three Kings are depicted as wise men, whose very wisdom is proved by their acknowledgement of Christ's divine status. Arrived from three different directions, the kings followed the light provided by the star of Bethlehem, which reportedly lingered over the manger where the Virgin Mary gave birth for many days.
In 1885, the Spanish government called for a parade to mark the very special holiday. While the traditional scriptures tell of gifts of myrrh and gold and incense, these days the Kings are more prone to bringing candies and more practical gifts. It remains, however, a beloved tradition and also the longest standing parade in Spain.
In 1885, the Spanish government called for a parade to mark the very special holiday. While the traditional scriptures tell of gifts of myrrh and gold and incense, these days the Kings are more prone to bringing candies and more practical gifts. It remains, however, a beloved tradition and also the longest standing parade in Spain.
There were a variety of participants in the parade: buses, cars, dancers, and more. Everything ends with candy that came from all the trucks and cars that drove by for the finale. I even caught a couple!
This video shows one of the large figures in more detail. When the kids don't behave, they get "carbò" (coal). This character represents a coal miner who brings it to them! Here's another article from Barcelona too about the parade if you're interested in learning more.
I met other students from the program out at a local bar close to Razzmatazz. It was a fun night!
This morning, my host mom and I celebrated los Tres Reyes Magos with a present! She got me a scarf so I can stay warm when it's chilly in the city.
I decided to go to the Parc del Laberint d'Horta (Laberinth Park of the Horta District) and saw the Poema Visual by Joan Brossa. This article that I read before coming to Barcelona called the park the "green jewel of the Horta and Guinardó district," and after visiting, I understand why! It's beautiful and easy to explore. Children and adults alike weaved their way through the maze up to the top of the hill for a beautiful view of the gardens. Next, I continued to explore the area and stopped in at many pools or green areas. There's also a palace on the premises that tourists cannot enter. (Pro tips: The garden is free on Sundays. There's also a concession stand, but you need to spend at least 6 Euros to pay with a card.)
After this, I went to Eixample to meet a new friend named Emily who's also studying abroad. We toured Casa Battló and got to see the rooftop! This Casa was designed by Gaudi and is beautiful. Everything's based on the ocean and a dragon, and there are very few straight lines in the building's design.
We then stopped into a restaurant called Txapela on the Passeig de Gracia. I got a few tapas with protein as my afternoon snack and really enjoyed them! It's also really close to the CIEE Study Center, so I plan to meet there for lunch throughout the semester when I can.
Finally, Emily and I continued exploring the city, stopping in at lots of sites along the way. Between the metro, the maze, and the other walking, my phone tells me I walked 7 miles today!
Hasta pronto,
Amy
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