Buenas Noches Amigos,
So today was a day filled with muchos exitement. While we were a little sleepy this morning, once we got ourselves out of the apartment and to the cafe for a cafe con leche and a warm pastry, we were ready to take on the challenge of seeing Sagrada Familia. We planned which metro/tram/funacular/ blah blah blah underground vehicles that move you from one place to another, and thought we were in for a smooth ride. Well if there is anything I've learned while travelling by the subway system here in Barcelona, it's that you will come across confusion every time. Today at our local station of El Putxet we were greated by the out of order ticket validation booths. Meaning... they were just open ( normally one must put in a ticket purchased at a kiosk, and the nice little machine will stamp it and then give it back to you and allow you through the gates by opening the doors for you) So, like every other person in the station we just proceeded through the gates and down into the earth to ride that L7 train. We got off the L7 at Placa Molina as planned and then walked to the parallel station of Sant Gervasi to get on the L6 going to Placa Catalunya. Brianne and I stopped at the Provenca station where we were to transfer to another parallel station to take the L5 to the Sant Pau station. HOWEVER..... upon trying to leave the Provenca station to get the that parallel station the now not so nice gate machines wouldn't let us out because our tickets were not validated to have gotten on the train in the first place. We took the tickets to the machine that you purchase tickets from, and it said we now needed to pay 50.00 Euros in order to leave.... HA NO! Due to Brianne's quick thinking we remembered that one does not need to validate their ticket at Placa Catalunya station... SOOOOOOO back on the L6 we go to Placa Catalunya, walk out the gates that do not need validation just to walk back through them and getting our cards stamped. Then back on the L6 back to Provenca station and finally to that parallel station and taking the L5 to Saint Pau. Like I said, we have now come to accept that there will be... opportunities as we would have said at the Calgary Science School... when taking the train.
Once we got off the train at Saint Pau we were a littler turned around, and in a less nice area from what we'd experienced of Barcelona thus far. After a little wandering we came across the remarkable Hospital De La Santa Creu Sant Pau. This hospital is under restoration for a school class of 200 medical students and 80 researchers to attend in September 2012. While there is a more modern part that houses most patients currently admitted into the hospital, the parts that are not under construction remain partially operational. Of course with the intention that the whole hospital will become operational post reconstruction. Here are some photos to help emmerse you in our adventure.
As you can see one side is very gothic, while the other is completely different and has a sandstone kind of resemblance. Both equally wonderful, yet one would think they were different buildings. Utterly incredible. While I love Canada, and am incredibly proud and happy to be an Canadian citizen, when I visit places around the world I cannot help but be jealous of the stories and histories of places older than my own. Like I say;
The World Is Rich, And I Can't Imagine Not Knowing It...
xoxo B
So today was a day filled with muchos exitement. While we were a little sleepy this morning, once we got ourselves out of the apartment and to the cafe for a cafe con leche and a warm pastry, we were ready to take on the challenge of seeing Sagrada Familia. We planned which metro/tram/funacular/ blah blah blah underground vehicles that move you from one place to another, and thought we were in for a smooth ride. Well if there is anything I've learned while travelling by the subway system here in Barcelona, it's that you will come across confusion every time. Today at our local station of El Putxet we were greated by the out of order ticket validation booths. Meaning... they were just open ( normally one must put in a ticket purchased at a kiosk, and the nice little machine will stamp it and then give it back to you and allow you through the gates by opening the doors for you) So, like every other person in the station we just proceeded through the gates and down into the earth to ride that L7 train. We got off the L7 at Placa Molina as planned and then walked to the parallel station of Sant Gervasi to get on the L6 going to Placa Catalunya. Brianne and I stopped at the Provenca station where we were to transfer to another parallel station to take the L5 to the Sant Pau station. HOWEVER..... upon trying to leave the Provenca station to get the that parallel station the now not so nice gate machines wouldn't let us out because our tickets were not validated to have gotten on the train in the first place. We took the tickets to the machine that you purchase tickets from, and it said we now needed to pay 50.00 Euros in order to leave.... HA NO! Due to Brianne's quick thinking we remembered that one does not need to validate their ticket at Placa Catalunya station... SOOOOOOO back on the L6 we go to Placa Catalunya, walk out the gates that do not need validation just to walk back through them and getting our cards stamped. Then back on the L6 back to Provenca station and finally to that parallel station and taking the L5 to Saint Pau. Like I said, we have now come to accept that there will be... opportunities as we would have said at the Calgary Science School... when taking the train.
Once we got off the train at Saint Pau we were a littler turned around, and in a less nice area from what we'd experienced of Barcelona thus far. After a little wandering we came across the remarkable Hospital De La Santa Creu Sant Pau. This hospital is under restoration for a school class of 200 medical students and 80 researchers to attend in September 2012. While there is a more modern part that houses most patients currently admitted into the hospital, the parts that are not under construction remain partially operational. Of course with the intention that the whole hospital will become operational post reconstruction. Here are some photos to help emmerse you in our adventure.
It's a pretty remarkable palce. See my Facebook album for more photographs.
From Sant Pau we made our way to avenigua de Gaudi, and strolled down the street leading to none other than Sagrada Familia. This temple is pretty insane. How one could even begin to imagine the design of this place is beyond me. And I've seen the wonders in Greece. The level of intellectual intensity put into the design of this building is truly remarkable. While we chose to only view the outside of Sagrada on this visit - my parents are coming to visit around my birthday and I know they will want to see the whole thing. So we are saving out 15 Euros to experience the entire adventure that is Sagrada Familia - we were, and are both still completely in awe of Gaudi. I really cannot tell you about it. You have to see it. So here you go.
The World Is Rich, And I Can't Imagine Not Knowing It...
xoxo B
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