Beautifully quiet, the Monastery of Poblet is one of the oldest and largest functioning monasteries in all of Spain. Built over 100o years ago, it at one time housed 100 monks and 40 laypersons. Now about 30 monks reside in the beautiful buildings on a hillside just a few miles from the village of l'Espluga de Francoli.
After the tour we enjoyed a traditional Catalan meal. Salad, sausage and noodle soup, fish, and creme brulee made up the four course meal. It wasn't the best, but it was welcome to a hungry belly like mine.
We walked through the town to a local cave which was more a second rate museum than an exciting cave, disappointing those of us with Carlsbad Cavern-like expectations.
Hour and a half bus ride back to campus. Melissa, Karen and I are getting ready for our trip to Paris tomorrow!
Day 13
Breakfast, Class, Lunch, Nap.
After our siesta, we took the train into Barcelona with plans to visit Park Guell, a park designed by the ever imaginative artist and architect, Gaudi. A cute gate welcomes you into the oasis of vegetation, water, flowers, and structures amidst the bustle of Northern Barcelona. We explored the park and I was pleasantly surprised to find the arches featured in a season finale of America's Next Top Model.
We took many pictures and played around for a while before climbing to the top of a mountain in the park where several crosses have been erected. Also worth noting was the performer signing Elvis songs at the top of his lungs with a thick Spanish accent. Well worth the hike for that alone.
We souvenir shopped our way back dow the mountain and hopped on the train back to the university. Melissa and I watched Twilight and drooled over the dreamy Rob Pattinson.
Day 9
Worst day of class ever. In my entire educational career I have never been so worthless and distracted. Rosella, our professor from Barcelona taught European Union Economics for 4 straight hours. I couldn't pay attention to save my life.
But, the best experience I've had in Barcelona thus far saved the day! Kelli, Katie, Scott, Eric and I went on the Fat Tire Bike Tour of Barcelona. It was absolutely amazing. I suggest anyone traveling to Barcelona, Paris, London, or Berlin to do it! We loved it!
During the bike tour alone, we saw:
- Placa Sant Jaume - the Plaza housing two very important Catalan government buildings
- The Cathedral - a beautiful cathedral just off Las Ramblas that even the scaffolding and tarps of refurbishment and construction cannot mask
- Palau del Musica - a wonderfully interesting building covered in sculpture and decor
- Parc de la Ciutadella - the huge city park where people play table tennis, sunbathe, rent boats, and walk dogs
- La Sagrada Familia - The crown jewel of Barcelona, Gaudi's baby.
- The Barcelona Beach - a fun ride along the coast was relaxing
- Santa Maria de Mar - a plaza were a flame still burns for the last Christians soliders killed there hundreds of years ago.
All these places were absolutely amazing. Our tour guide was witty, fun, and energetic and we enjoyed the ride. We asked our guide for dinner suggestions and he pointed us to Bar El Tropazon, the most delicious tapas bar hidden in the Gothic part of the city. We feasted on calamari, spicy potatoes, two types of mussels, pork kebabs, peppers, mushrooms, squash, delicious peppers(shown being "toasted" below), and spanish omelets. To top the delicious meal, we downed three pitchers of the most delicious sangria known to man, two of the cava variety, made with a white sparkling wine, and one traditional.
Stuffed, we headed back to the hotel and stopped along the way for me to make my much anticipated purchase of "Aladdin pants." I'll let you know if I ever wear them. Kyle fell prey to the magician on Las Ramblas who slipped a scarf in his sock and we searched in vain for un bano.
Day 11
A rather quiet day.
Breakfast, Class, lunch. An awesome run up several flights of stairs and homework with my roomie, Melissa.
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