At the DAM
Props to Timothy Standring and Louis van Tilborgh, who jointly curated the exhibit. For more information, read this Huffington Post article. For ticket information, here's a link to the Denver Art Museum website.
Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Museum. Show all posts
Becoming Very Impressed
The Denver Art Museum has acquired and arranged an impressive new exhibit, which showcases Vincent van Gogh's ten years of development and professional work as a largely self-taught artist and is aptly named Becoming Van Gogh. I highly recommend it, and I'm sure the art museum itself would be thrilled by your attendance - According to one security guard, even IF every ticket available for the exhibit were sold, the museum would not earn back all of the money required to produce it. If you live in the area and have an hour to spare, why not check out an art exhibit that took almost as long to curate as it took to paint.
Props to Timothy Standring and Louis van Tilborgh, who jointly curated the exhibit. For more information, read this Huffington Post article. For ticket information, here's a link to the Denver Art Museum website.
Props to Timothy Standring and Louis van Tilborgh, who jointly curated the exhibit. For more information, read this Huffington Post article. For ticket information, here's a link to the Denver Art Museum website.
What's Up, Philly?
Credit: Christian Carollo of photoblog Picture Philly
I grew up in Malvern, Pennsylvania. That's in Chester County, in the western suburbs of Philadelphia referred to as the Main Line. Malvern is less than 30 miles from Center City; about a 40 minute drive, depending on traffic. Throughout my life I had gone into Philadelphia for many reasons: museums, field trips, sporting events, parties, restaurants, concerts... Even when I was in school in Pittsburgh I drove home once every 4 to 6 weeks, and often made the trip into the city to see friends.
Which is why I was surprised to learn that my friends had never been before. It's true that Philadelphia and Pittsburgh are about as far east and as far west as you can get in Pennsylvania, respectively. It's a 300 mile drive on the Interstate from one to the other. Yet I felt that at some time or another most Philadelphians would have visited Pittsburgh and vice versa. Apparently not. These cities are very different and have distinct cultures, not to mention a heated sports rivalry. Even I have to admit that before enrolling at the University of Pittsburgh, I knew absolutely nothing about whatever lie west of Harrisburg.
Anyhow, to prepare for Kristina and Mary's visit, I thought hard about the best things to do in my city, the City of Brotherly Love. And this list is what I came up with. Here are some of the best things for students to do in Philadelphia year-round.
ART
Barnes Foundation So long as your tickets are reserved in advance, you will enjoy a wonderful and uniquely curated collection at Barnes. $10 for students, closed on Tuesdays. 2025 Benjamin Franklin Parkway, click here for more information.
FOOD
Reading Terminal Market This year marks the 120th anniversary of the historic Reading Terminal farmer's market. Given its location in center city beside major hotels, bus and train terminals, this indoor market could well be your first or last stop during your visit. Although the booths can be hit-or-miss, there are several established and consistently delicious food stands worth visiting. [I suggest ending with Bassett's Ice Cream or Hope's Cookies!] 51 North 12th Street, click here for more information.
Pat's and Geno's Ahh, the Philly cheesesteak. True, you've probably tried one elsewhere, but it only hails from one place. If you end up in South Philly for any reason, you cannot leave without trying either Pat's King of Steaks or Geno's Steaks. Decide if you want your cheesesteak 'wit' or 'wit-out' onions and what kind of 'whiz' (cheese) you're going for. As far as the best cheesesteak in Philly goes, Cathy of food blog Gastronomy said it best: "While there are definitely superior cheesesteaks to be eaten in Philadelphia, it's Pat and Geno who get the most press and accolades due to their hilarious rivalry and close proximity." It's time to take a side. Head to 9th Street and East Passyunk Avenue and you'll find them both.
MUSIC
Theater of Living Arts Converted from a single-screen movie theater into a small concert venue, the TLA on South Street has something going on almost every night of the week. See up-and-coming acts like Emeli Sandé, White Panda, and Kimbra, as well as bigger names like Newfound Glory, Waka Flocka Flame and Owl City. 334 South Street, click here for more information.
Trocadero The Troc is located on the border between Center City and China Town and can boast that it is "the only 19th century Victorian theater still in operation in the United States." It is only very slightly larger than the TLA. This fall Bloc Party, Stephen Marley, and Sean Paul will all be playing here. 1003 Arch Street, click here for more information.
Electric Factory Before you ask, yes it was converted from an electric factory... into one of the biggest venues in Philly. Look to the Electric Factory for a constant line-up of big names in music. In the next two months catch Tyga, Alanis Morissette, Citizen Cope, and Taking Back Sunday will be getting down on this stage. 421 N. 7th Street, click here for more information.
Mann Center The Mann Center for Performing Arts is a nonprofit organization. This Fairmount Park concert venue can seat 5000 people inside (not to mention outdoor and lawn seating) and presents a range of music and performance art from classical to contemporary. Upcoming events include Bon Iver, Animal Collective, and Disco Biscuits. 5201 Parkside Avenue, click here for more information.
HISTORY/LANDMARKS
John F. Kennedy Plaza It's a simple park, with a large fountain and plenty of steps and benches (occasionally being used by the homeless). What makes this tiny plaza special? It's former reputation as a beloved skateboarding locale and, oh yeah, the LOVE sculpture designed by Robert Indiana. You've just gotta snap that touristy picture (or pay the hustlers there $1 to do it for you.) Intersection of 16th Street and John J. Kennedy Boulevard.
Historic Philadelphia Philadelphia used to be the capital of our great nation and is home to such historical gems as Independence Hall and the Liberty Bell. Both of these sites are free to visit (though timed tickets required to tour Independence Hall). My favorite place to go for history is the third museum on Independence Mall: the National Constitution Center. There is a charge for admission ($13 for students) but I think it's worth it. Constitution Center at 525 Arch Street. Independence Hall & Cracked Bell at 6th and Chestnut.
SHOPPING
Rittenhouse Square It may surprise you to learn that Philadelphia was named one of the World's 10 Best Cities for Parks by Frommer's. Rittenhouse Park is just one small park among many, but it is a peaceful lunch spot in Center City, surrounded by luxurious hotels. It also marks the beginning of some great shopping. Walnut Street, which branches off of the park, as well as Chestnut Street, which is one block away and runs parallel to Walnut, are probably two of the the chicest and highest-density streets in the city for shopping. BONUS: In Pennsylvania, clothing is tax-free! Check out visitphilly.com's ideal three-day shopping itinerary.
South Street When visiting South Street, I usually begin around 10th and wander all the way down to the Pier over the Delaware River. If you come here to shop, you'll find plenty of delightfully counter-cultural stores to explore. Try Condom Kingdom for laughs (read: penis pasta); I also like Garland of Letters and Retrospect Vintage. In between thrift shops and hookah bars, there are plenty of spots to grab a bite or a beer. On the cheaper side, Johnny Rockets and Lorenzo's are reliable. Keep an eye out for the tile and mirror mosaics on alley walls. ***Note: Lorenzo's is recovering from a fire this June - Get Better Soon!
SPORTS
If driving to the stadiums is too daunting - or you don't have a car to tailgate with - there are other ways to reach the stadiums. Either take the subway (Broad Street Line southbound from Center City) or hail a taxi; neither option will break the bank. Standing room tickets can be found cheap. Be prepared for, ahem, passionate fans.
Citizens Bank Park Catch a Phillies game from April to September. Click here for more information.
Wells Fargo Center Watch our fly boys knock the puck around from October to April. Click here for more information.
Lincoln Financial Field E-A-G-L-E-S Eagles! Watch 'em fly from September to December. Click here for more information.
For special events and seasonal or once-a-year occurrences, the best websites to check are Philadelphia Magazine and Uwishunu (the official tourism blog of Philadelphia).
My Favorite Museums
Well, it's been almost four weeks since I completed my internship in Pitt's Study Abroad Office, and I really honestly miss the place, the people, everything about working there. There are few places where it's not only possible, but acceptable to spend an afternoon discussing, debating, and ranking the best museums in the world. In consideration of things like diversity and coherence of the collection, food, manageability and location, here are the museums that I advocated for:
Art museums like the Uffizi in Florence and the Louvre in Paris are indisputably some of the best in the world - yet for someone like me, who appreciates art but can't necessarily ingest/comprehend such enormous collections, they're just not manageable.
On the other hand, some of the museums that I have visited have been randomly fun and interesting but a bit too specific to make my list: these would be museums like the Museum of Childhood in London or the Museum of Hash, Marijuana, and Hemp in Amsterdam.
Obviously there were many diverse museums to visit when I was living in London: the Freud Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Tate Modern and the National Gallery. In Provence curiosity pulled me into the Museum of Natural Science in Aix-en-Provence and even the Camargue Rice Museum. And because Pitt subsidizes the arts in Pittsburgh, students have free admission to all sorts of interesting museums - the Carnegie Museums, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory...
But at the end of the day, my Top 5 are untouched by any of the museums that I have seen (so far). My coworkers gave me some recommendations that they hope will challenge my Top 5. Their favorites are the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, the National Portraiture Gallery in Washington, DC and the Museo de la Memoria in Rosario, Argentina (a museum of political dictatorship and the dirty war). We'll just see about that! And hopefully soon, I feel that travel bug itching to have its way...
Dylan's TOP 5 Museums
- Leopold Museum in Vienna
- Philadelphia Art Museum
- Imperial War Museum in London
- Museu Nacional de Catalunya (MNAC) in Barcelona
- Museum of Modern Art (MoMA) in New York City
At the Tate Modern during my first trip to London
Honorable Mention:Art museums like the Uffizi in Florence and the Louvre in Paris are indisputably some of the best in the world - yet for someone like me, who appreciates art but can't necessarily ingest/comprehend such enormous collections, they're just not manageable.
On the other hand, some of the museums that I have visited have been randomly fun and interesting but a bit too specific to make my list: these would be museums like the Museum of Childhood in London or the Museum of Hash, Marijuana, and Hemp in Amsterdam.
The museum that was the most unexpected success for me was the National Gallery at Veletrzni Palace in Prague. I'd definitely like to throw an honorable mention their way.
Obviously there were many diverse museums to visit when I was living in London: the Freud Museum, the Victoria & Albert Museum, the Tate Modern and the National Gallery. In Provence curiosity pulled me into the Museum of Natural Science in Aix-en-Provence and even the Camargue Rice Museum. And because Pitt subsidizes the arts in Pittsburgh, students have free admission to all sorts of interesting museums - the Carnegie Museums, the Andy Warhol Museum, the Mattress Factory...
But at the end of the day, my Top 5 are untouched by any of the museums that I have seen (so far). My coworkers gave me some recommendations that they hope will challenge my Top 5. Their favorites are the Musee d'Orsay in Paris, the National Portraiture Gallery in Washington, DC and the Museo de la Memoria in Rosario, Argentina (a museum of political dictatorship and the dirty war). We'll just see about that! And hopefully soon, I feel that travel bug itching to have its way...
I'll Be Up, Up, and Away
This weekend my friends Jill, Kristina, and I hosted a friend from out-of-town, giving us the perfect excuse to show him all of our favorite places and head to the top of the Monongahela Incline.
Pictures of the red cars perched on the Duquesne Incline or the Monongahela Incline are iconic Pittsburgh images. Both leave from Carson Street and climb Mount Washington up to Grandview Avenue. They are located about a mile and a half apart on the southern shore of the Monongahela River.
I have visited the Duquesne Incline several times but I had never ridden the older Monongahela Incline, and I was happy to cross it off of my Pittsburgh Bucket List - the deadline is graduation day!
We chose a route through the South Side so that we could show our friend the row houses, boutiques, and plentiful bars that we love before setting our car down in the Station Square parking garage.
The funicular ride up the side of "Coal Hill" was free for us because we are University of Pittsburgh students. [The incline is operated by Port Authority and unlimited access to Port Authority Transit is included in our tuition.] Usually the fare is $4.50 round trip and the operators at the top require exact change. The Inclines are convenient to visit because they open early and close late - I believe they operate from 5:45am to 12:45am almost every day.
From the observation deck, you can see the stadiums on the north shore, the entire city, and all the way to the Cathedral of Learning (Cathy is a beloved Pitt landmark).
In the end, I still prefer the Duquesne Incline because it has great historic photos of Pittsburgh in its industrial heyday, the air choked and clogged with pollution from the steel mills. It's like a mini museum.
Pictures of the red cars perched on the Duquesne Incline or the Monongahela Incline are iconic Pittsburgh images. Both leave from Carson Street and climb Mount Washington up to Grandview Avenue. They are located about a mile and a half apart on the southern shore of the Monongahela River.
I have visited the Duquesne Incline several times but I had never ridden the older Monongahela Incline, and I was happy to cross it off of my Pittsburgh Bucket List - the deadline is graduation day!
We chose a route through the South Side so that we could show our friend the row houses, boutiques, and plentiful bars that we love before setting our car down in the Station Square parking garage.
The funicular ride up the side of "Coal Hill" was free for us because we are University of Pittsburgh students. [The incline is operated by Port Authority and unlimited access to Port Authority Transit is included in our tuition.] Usually the fare is $4.50 round trip and the operators at the top require exact change. The Inclines are convenient to visit because they open early and close late - I believe they operate from 5:45am to 12:45am almost every day.
From the observation deck, you can see the stadiums on the north shore, the entire city, and all the way to the Cathedral of Learning (Cathy is a beloved Pitt landmark).
In the end, I still prefer the Duquesne Incline because it has great historic photos of Pittsburgh in its industrial heyday, the air choked and clogged with pollution from the steel mills. It's like a mini museum.
Sorry for the poor photo quality - I took these photos using my iPhone on an overcast day with light rain.
Van Gogh Up Close
My beauteous sister Amanda outside the Museum
I really preferred "Van Gogh Up Close" to the last exhibition, "Rembrandt and the Face of Jesus," because it was more varied and more imaginative. The subject and the colors were the same for nearly all of Rembrandt's portraits: the head of a man painted in brown and black. The mood and the tone were in stark contrast to the gorgeous August weather outside when my father took me to see it.
I CANNOT WAIT to see the next exhibition: Gauguin, Cézanne, Matisse: Visions of Arcadia (opening June 20th)! An earthly paradise, or arcadia, sounds just like heaven to me.
Prague
I have mixed feelings about Prague. Undeniably Prague is a beautiful and interesting city, and yet my trip there left me feeling slightly unsatisfied.
Why do we travel? There are so many articles on the internet that attempt to answer this question it's absurd. First of all, who is this "we"? Students? Americans? Mankind? And second of all, how could there ever be one reason or even an exhaustive list that explains why anyone who ever left their home did so? I just don't believe it's possible.
For instance, Psychology Today published an article in October 2009: "Travel to Create Your Self" by Robert Fuller, Ph.D. In this article, Fuller puts forth his theory on why "we" travel. To summarize:
The only thing I can say with certainty is why I travel. I travel to learn. I travel for a challenge. I travel to create a home. I think that an important goal of traveling is feeling that in some capacity you have gotten to know the city - things like mastering the public transportation, the customs, or the language. Or finding a favorite cafe, perhaps making a friend. Especially as a study abroad student, I am constantly trying to create a home in some way everywhere I go. On this rating scale London feels like home as much as Aix-en-Provence does, as much as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Florence, and New York City do. I have never struggled with this as much as I did in Prague. I did put effort into it, and yet by the time I left I hadn't fully achieved that level of familiarity and enjoyment that I am always seeking. In this instance, I think the difficulty was directly related to how prepared I was to travel there - not very. I know the experience would have been entirely different if I had planned the trip more carefully or used contacts to find a friend of a friend to show me around.
Undeniably Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. The Vltava river, Prague Castle, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge... But I never stopped feeling like a tourist - either promoters were trying to pull my friend and I inside with offers of cheap meals or discounted tickets, or the staff did not want to serve us because we could barely manage "hello" and "thank you" in Czech those first two days. There were fewer happy moments when I felt as though I could blend into my surroundings than in Vienna or Oslo.
That said, Amy and I still had a good time in Prague despite some rainy weather. We left Vienna by train early Monday morning. In an effort to save money we booked a ticket to Brno, just over the border, where we disembarked to buy tickets for the second half of the journey in marks, the Czech currency (although we had to unload our suitcases, run to the ticket office, and reload in quite a hurry we did save a lot of money). First on the agenda, as ever, was to find and check into our hostel. I had booked Artharmony Hostel, located on the fourth floor of a building in New Town, based on location and affordability. It was wonderful - both the hostel and the man at reception could best be described as peaceful and welcoming, there was free internet access on the computers, and our room (the Jan room) was cozy and clean with a fun Egyptian theme. Liberated of our suitcases, we walked down the wide road Ječná towards the river. The scenery was beautiful, and we stood on a bridge (or most in Czech) to survey the landscape in silent appreciation. As we walked north along the Vltava, our view of Prague Castle and the trees in their fall colors improved.
Our next move as tired and hungry tourists was to turn directly into the chaos of the King's walk, where we were certain to find English-speaking citizens to serve us. To stave off our hunger, we stopped for a pint of beer at the first acceptable bar. Amy chose Pilsner Urquell and I chose Budwar, the original (and not awful) Budweiser beer! No relation to the American brand. The rest of the night was spent exploring the Old Town with Prague sausage from a street vendor for dinner. And really, the beer was so good that who cared what we ate that night?
Our first mission on Tuesday was to find a guide book in English to research our sightseeing options and learn a few Czech phrases. The best and closest option seemed to be Wenceslas Square, and sure enough, we found a three-story bookstore with an Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide tucked away in a corner. Over breakfast we picked out the art galleries at Veletrzni Palace, one of several buildings which collectively form the National Gallery. We had to combine a subway journey and an overground tram to reach the building in Holešovice, but the art was well worth it. The majority of the galleries and exhibitions contained 19th and 20th century French art, as well as modern and contemporary Czech and European art. After several hours of beautiful artwork, interrupted by just one quick coffee in the cafeteria, we crossed the street to try Bohemia Bagel for a light lunch (our guide book recommended this restaurant, but only go there if you are really homesick for an American bagel!).
Back in the more central districts of Prague, we watched the astrological clock in the Old Town Hall sing out the hour. And in the afternoon, we happily went shopping for jewelry! The exchange rate and the abundance of garnet in the Czech Republic meant that Amy and I could realistically shop for fine jewelry on a college budget for the first time in our lives. Amy fell in love with a beautiful ring - there was a light green moldovite stone in the center surrounded by deep red garnet stones in a sideways tear drop shape.
We found dinner locally (relative to our hostel), and it was the most authentic and delicious meal yet [Restaurace U Pomniku, Gorazdova 1]. My meal was savory goulash with knedlicky (dumplings) and, of course, beer - Master Zlaty 15° for me and Gambrinus 10° for Amy. By listing the Top 10 Czech beers, our guide book had challenged us to find and sample all of them. We couldn't go home that night without finding at least one more - luckily, Krusovice was on tap at the first bar we tried. Easy! Not to mention yummy...
Success:
2. Pilsner Urquell
3. Krušovice
4. Budvar
7. Gambrinus
On Wednesday, my final day in Praha, Amy and I headed up to Prague Castle - the top sight in the city. It was a slow and steady hike up the steps of Hradcany hill, and it was a proper workout. And after all our huffing and puffing the actual castle was closed! In lieu of Prague Castle, which was closed for restorations, an art exhibit was offered in its place. The paintings were respectable enough, but the design of the space made the exhibit feel a bit spare.
St. Vitus Cathedral was very, very beautiful. It was even colder inside than it was outside, I felt like I was in a refrigerator. Our tickets also included the Basilica of St. George and the Golden Lane, where I did some souvenir shopping in the tiny historic houses.
This was the rainiest day yet, not to mention chilly, so we fortified ourselves at lunch with roast pork with cabbage and dumplings before walking through the rain, sans umbrella, in search of the Lennon wall. If you haven't heard of it, this is a graffiti wall created after Lennon's assassination.
We signed our names and then crossed the famous Charles bridge over the Vltava, stopping inside the church on the opposite bank - I believe it was Kostel svatého Františka z Assisi - for warm drinks. Just the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled on the foam of my cappucino was enough to revive me. We sipped slowly and relaxed, long enough to allow some of the damp to leave our clothes. The rest of the afternoon was pleasant enough - we walked into Josefov (the Jewish Quarter) past the Old Jewish Cemetary and along the upscale shopping street Pařížská.
In the evening, I re-packed my suitcase and researched bus routes to the Airport and Amy and I went out for one last beer (or several...). By that point, we had sampled four of the top ten Czech beers, but had yet to try #1: Staropramen. Don't worry: we found it later on tap at the bar in the Imperial College Student Union in London. And it was delicious. And we were happy.
In the morning, Amy and I ate a continental breakfast of pastries and coffee at the main train terminal before parting ways. Amy was staying until the evening and had plans of her own for the day: the Museum of Communism, Kafka's house, fried cheese. I was moving on to Norway.
I must say that although we struggled to feel at home in Prague, we still had a nice time and I would really like the chance to return one day and try again.
Why do we travel? There are so many articles on the internet that attempt to answer this question it's absurd. First of all, who is this "we"? Students? Americans? Mankind? And second of all, how could there ever be one reason or even an exhaustive list that explains why anyone who ever left their home did so? I just don't believe it's possible.
For instance, Psychology Today published an article in October 2009: "Travel to Create Your Self" by Robert Fuller, Ph.D. In this article, Fuller puts forth his theory on why "we" travel. To summarize:
- The excitement of fear, and the satisfaction of overcoming that fear. "Fear is part of what makes travel enlivening and relevatory."
- To break down stereotypes, see for ourselves, and gain a fresh perspective. "As we struggle to reconcile what we're experiencing with what we take for granted, we strip away what's arbitrary in cultural practice and approach what is universal."
- Travel is transformative. In taking ourselves out of our typical surroundings, we learn about who we are - who we are becoming confronts who we used to be.
The only thing I can say with certainty is why I travel. I travel to learn. I travel for a challenge. I travel to create a home. I think that an important goal of traveling is feeling that in some capacity you have gotten to know the city - things like mastering the public transportation, the customs, or the language. Or finding a favorite cafe, perhaps making a friend. Especially as a study abroad student, I am constantly trying to create a home in some way everywhere I go. On this rating scale London feels like home as much as Aix-en-Provence does, as much as Pittsburgh, Philadelphia, Florence, and New York City do. I have never struggled with this as much as I did in Prague. I did put effort into it, and yet by the time I left I hadn't fully achieved that level of familiarity and enjoyment that I am always seeking. In this instance, I think the difficulty was directly related to how prepared I was to travel there - not very. I know the experience would have been entirely different if I had planned the trip more carefully or used contacts to find a friend of a friend to show me around.
Undeniably Prague is one of the most beautiful cities I have ever visited. The Vltava river, Prague Castle, Old Town Square, Charles Bridge... But I never stopped feeling like a tourist - either promoters were trying to pull my friend and I inside with offers of cheap meals or discounted tickets, or the staff did not want to serve us because we could barely manage "hello" and "thank you" in Czech those first two days. There were fewer happy moments when I felt as though I could blend into my surroundings than in Vienna or Oslo.
That said, Amy and I still had a good time in Prague despite some rainy weather. We left Vienna by train early Monday morning. In an effort to save money we booked a ticket to Brno, just over the border, where we disembarked to buy tickets for the second half of the journey in marks, the Czech currency (although we had to unload our suitcases, run to the ticket office, and reload in quite a hurry we did save a lot of money). First on the agenda, as ever, was to find and check into our hostel. I had booked Artharmony Hostel, located on the fourth floor of a building in New Town, based on location and affordability. It was wonderful - both the hostel and the man at reception could best be described as peaceful and welcoming, there was free internet access on the computers, and our room (the Jan room) was cozy and clean with a fun Egyptian theme. Liberated of our suitcases, we walked down the wide road Ječná towards the river. The scenery was beautiful, and we stood on a bridge (or most in Czech) to survey the landscape in silent appreciation. As we walked north along the Vltava, our view of Prague Castle and the trees in their fall colors improved.
Our next move as tired and hungry tourists was to turn directly into the chaos of the King's walk, where we were certain to find English-speaking citizens to serve us. To stave off our hunger, we stopped for a pint of beer at the first acceptable bar. Amy chose Pilsner Urquell and I chose Budwar, the original (and not awful) Budweiser beer! No relation to the American brand. The rest of the night was spent exploring the Old Town with Prague sausage from a street vendor for dinner. And really, the beer was so good that who cared what we ate that night?
Our first mission on Tuesday was to find a guide book in English to research our sightseeing options and learn a few Czech phrases. The best and closest option seemed to be Wenceslas Square, and sure enough, we found a three-story bookstore with an Eyewitness Top 10 Travel Guide tucked away in a corner. Over breakfast we picked out the art galleries at Veletrzni Palace, one of several buildings which collectively form the National Gallery. We had to combine a subway journey and an overground tram to reach the building in Holešovice, but the art was well worth it. The majority of the galleries and exhibitions contained 19th and 20th century French art, as well as modern and contemporary Czech and European art. After several hours of beautiful artwork, interrupted by just one quick coffee in the cafeteria, we crossed the street to try Bohemia Bagel for a light lunch (our guide book recommended this restaurant, but only go there if you are really homesick for an American bagel!).
Back in the more central districts of Prague, we watched the astrological clock in the Old Town Hall sing out the hour. And in the afternoon, we happily went shopping for jewelry! The exchange rate and the abundance of garnet in the Czech Republic meant that Amy and I could realistically shop for fine jewelry on a college budget for the first time in our lives. Amy fell in love with a beautiful ring - there was a light green moldovite stone in the center surrounded by deep red garnet stones in a sideways tear drop shape.
We found dinner locally (relative to our hostel), and it was the most authentic and delicious meal yet [Restaurace U Pomniku, Gorazdova 1]. My meal was savory goulash with knedlicky (dumplings) and, of course, beer - Master Zlaty 15° for me and Gambrinus 10° for Amy. By listing the Top 10 Czech beers, our guide book had challenged us to find and sample all of them. We couldn't go home that night without finding at least one more - luckily, Krusovice was on tap at the first bar we tried. Easy! Not to mention yummy...
Success:
2. Pilsner Urquell
3. Krušovice
4. Budvar
7. Gambrinus
On Wednesday, my final day in Praha, Amy and I headed up to Prague Castle - the top sight in the city. It was a slow and steady hike up the steps of Hradcany hill, and it was a proper workout. And after all our huffing and puffing the actual castle was closed! In lieu of Prague Castle, which was closed for restorations, an art exhibit was offered in its place. The paintings were respectable enough, but the design of the space made the exhibit feel a bit spare.
St. Vitus
St. Vitus Cathedral was very, very beautiful. It was even colder inside than it was outside, I felt like I was in a refrigerator. Our tickets also included the Basilica of St. George and the Golden Lane, where I did some souvenir shopping in the tiny historic houses.
This was the rainiest day yet, not to mention chilly, so we fortified ourselves at lunch with roast pork with cabbage and dumplings before walking through the rain, sans umbrella, in search of the Lennon wall. If you haven't heard of it, this is a graffiti wall created after Lennon's assassination.
We signed our names and then crossed the famous Charles bridge over the Vltava, stopping inside the church on the opposite bank - I believe it was Kostel svatého Františka z Assisi - for warm drinks. Just the smell of cinnamon and nutmeg sprinkled on the foam of my cappucino was enough to revive me. We sipped slowly and relaxed, long enough to allow some of the damp to leave our clothes. The rest of the afternoon was pleasant enough - we walked into Josefov (the Jewish Quarter) past the Old Jewish Cemetary and along the upscale shopping street Pařížská.
In the evening, I re-packed my suitcase and researched bus routes to the Airport and Amy and I went out for one last beer (or several...). By that point, we had sampled four of the top ten Czech beers, but had yet to try #1: Staropramen. Don't worry: we found it later on tap at the bar in the Imperial College Student Union in London. And it was delicious. And we were happy.
In the morning, Amy and I ate a continental breakfast of pastries and coffee at the main train terminal before parting ways. Amy was staying until the evening and had plans of her own for the day: the Museum of Communism, Kafka's house, fried cheese. I was moving on to Norway.
I must say that although we struggled to feel at home in Prague, we still had a nice time and I would really like the chance to return one day and try again.
Vienna
My mom lived in Vienna during her junior year of college, and I've wanted to go since I found out. I love studying abroad (obviously), and I liked the idea of sharing that with her. I guess I wanted to feel connected in that way, retracing my mother's footsteps in a foreign city.
Everything that I knew about Vienna before going I had learned in school - Vienna as the seat of the Hapsburg dynasty and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire... Vienna as the home of Sigmund Freud... Vienna as the cultural, economic, and political center of Austria. I knew that Vienna was on the Danube river, and that many great classical musicians have lived and worked there.
I booked my trip with Amy H., roommate extraordinaire, and I couldn't have chosen a more suitable travel buddy to explore Vienna with. Amy appreciates classical music and modern art, and Vienna is the place to discover these things. I fell in love with both.
Amy used her Hostelling International membership to find the Jugendherbergen Wien on Myrthengasse, affordable at €36 for two nights and only a ten minute walk from the Museums Quartier. We stayed in a clean four-person female dorm with a shower, and breakfast was included.
After checking in on Saturday afternoon we walked towards center city, between the identical off-white museum buildings at Maria-Theresien-Platz to Heldenplatz where we stumbled into some sort of military festival. It was an unexpected but lucky discovery. Amy tried a Wiener Schnitzel (sausage), and we both sampled generous cups of glühwein (warm red wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla). The glühwein was fantastic - like alcoholic apple cider - it warmed and revitalized us in more ways than one!
We wound our way home through the Old Town. Although the shops were closed for the night, you could still look into them and see shopkeepers bent over books, possibly recording their sales for the day. There was something romantic about the warmth of the light inside and the old-fashioned technique of accounts kept by hand. We decided to explore the city at night, but first we stopped at Cafe Raimund for hot drinks. In other circumstances, I might have found the ridiculously large chandeliers, the lace curtains, and the red cushioned chairs with a leather bank and velvet back to be gaudy. In Vienna, it seemed appropriate and even atmospheric. A ten minute walk lead us towards government buildings such as the classical-style Parliament and the gothic-style city hall, or Rathaus. Both were illuminated, and seeing those majestic buildings deserted at night only added to the illusion of being in a city from another time.
Sunday was all about music and art, and plenty of it! First on our agenda was a Catholic mass at the Hofburgkapelle, where the Vienna Boys Choir would be performing. In fact, the choir has been performing at the Hofburgkapelle, the Chapel of the Imperial Palace, since 1498. The concert is free to attend if you didn't mind standing at the back of the small chapel. The choir was situated on a balcony above the standing room, and the effect of being able to hear but not see the voices of so many talented 10- to 14-year-olds echoing through the chapel was ethereal.
Our next destination was a must-see for Amy, and though I was indifferent about going, I did find the Mozarthaus interesting. From the museum, located behind St. Stephen's Cathedral, we hurried to the famous Ankeruhr clock in Hoher Markt, the oldest square in Vienna. Every day at noon twelve figures parade across the face of the clock accompanied by music. I was not prepared for the length of the event - I was expecting a quick three-minute song, but it dragged on much longer than that. We left once we had seen each of the figures, not wanting to wait for the end.
Sunday afternoon was rainy, but we didn't mind - we were headed indoors to the Leopold Museum. The cafe in the museum complex was lively and inviting, and we settled in for pumpkin soup with organic wholemeal bread. Again, the cheapest thing on the menu and very filling. It was also a lovely autumn meal. I haven't found pumpkin pie or pumpkin muffins or pumpkin spice lattes yet over here, it was late October, and I was craving something pumpkin! The Leopold Museum is definitely one of my top 3 favorite museums. I have to quote the museum website, because their focus description includes all of the artists that I was so immediately and emotionally taken with:
The symphony orchestra played four movements from different symphonies. The acoustics on stage were sensational. I could feel the steady pulse of the percussion instruments reverberating through the floor and hear the delicate harmony of the violins echoed by the far wall. In the third movement, the flute melody played in my right ear like a suggestion; the french horns bellowed in front of me like a confrontation. Sensational. Another great ending to a fabulous trip!
Everything that I knew about Vienna before going I had learned in school - Vienna as the seat of the Hapsburg dynasty and the capital of the Holy Roman Empire... Vienna as the home of Sigmund Freud... Vienna as the cultural, economic, and political center of Austria. I knew that Vienna was on the Danube river, and that many great classical musicians have lived and worked there.
I booked my trip with Amy H., roommate extraordinaire, and I couldn't have chosen a more suitable travel buddy to explore Vienna with. Amy appreciates classical music and modern art, and Vienna is the place to discover these things. I fell in love with both.
Amy used her Hostelling International membership to find the Jugendherbergen Wien on Myrthengasse, affordable at €36 for two nights and only a ten minute walk from the Museums Quartier. We stayed in a clean four-person female dorm with a shower, and breakfast was included.
After checking in on Saturday afternoon we walked towards center city, between the identical off-white museum buildings at Maria-Theresien-Platz to Heldenplatz where we stumbled into some sort of military festival. It was an unexpected but lucky discovery. Amy tried a Wiener Schnitzel (sausage), and we both sampled generous cups of glühwein (warm red wine spiced with cinnamon, cloves, and vanilla). The glühwein was fantastic - like alcoholic apple cider - it warmed and revitalized us in more ways than one!
Festival at Heldenplatz; statue of Archduke Charles of Austria; Rathaus in the background
Glühwein
From Heldenplatz, we continued down Kohlmarket past the posh shops selling artisan chocolate, fine jewelry, and traditional clothing like dirndls and lederhosen. Turning right at Graben we were stunned at the sight of the buildings. Over the weekend, I really came to appreciate the spectacular architecture and urban planning of Vienna. At the end of the wide pedestrian boulevard was St. Stephen's Cathedral. The roof tiling was an attractive aspect of the church, and I was immediately struck by the similarities with the Sagrada Familia in Barcelona. The inside was beautiful, but more importantly warm! We only stayed for a few minutes because a mass was about to begin.
Walking down the Graben boulevard
Amy with Stephensdom
Dinner that night was gulaschsuppe, a thick salty beef and vegetable soup served with a large roll. [Vienna is an expensive city, and Amy and I quickly learned that soup is usually one of the cheapest things on the menu and very filling, especially when served with bread.] The restaurant was L. Heiner on upscale Karntnerstrasse.
We wound our way home through the Old Town. Although the shops were closed for the night, you could still look into them and see shopkeepers bent over books, possibly recording their sales for the day. There was something romantic about the warmth of the light inside and the old-fashioned technique of accounts kept by hand. We decided to explore the city at night, but first we stopped at Cafe Raimund for hot drinks. In other circumstances, I might have found the ridiculously large chandeliers, the lace curtains, and the red cushioned chairs with a leather bank and velvet back to be gaudy. In Vienna, it seemed appropriate and even atmospheric. A ten minute walk lead us towards government buildings such as the classical-style Parliament and the gothic-style city hall, or Rathaus. Both were illuminated, and seeing those majestic buildings deserted at night only added to the illusion of being in a city from another time.
Sunday was all about music and art, and plenty of it! First on our agenda was a Catholic mass at the Hofburgkapelle, where the Vienna Boys Choir would be performing. In fact, the choir has been performing at the Hofburgkapelle, the Chapel of the Imperial Palace, since 1498. The concert is free to attend if you didn't mind standing at the back of the small chapel. The choir was situated on a balcony above the standing room, and the effect of being able to hear but not see the voices of so many talented 10- to 14-year-olds echoing through the chapel was ethereal.
Souvenir shopping
Our next destination was a must-see for Amy, and though I was indifferent about going, I did find the Mozarthaus interesting. From the museum, located behind St. Stephen's Cathedral, we hurried to the famous Ankeruhr clock in Hoher Markt, the oldest square in Vienna. Every day at noon twelve figures parade across the face of the clock accompanied by music. I was not prepared for the length of the event - I was expecting a quick three-minute song, but it dragged on much longer than that. We left once we had seen each of the figures, not wanting to wait for the end.
See how slow it moves?
"In no other museum in Vienna one can get so close to the fabled “Fin de siècle Vienna” and witness the birth of Modernity. The collection shows how the art of the Habsburg Empire changed from strict Historicism and lovely Mood Impressionism within a few years to the worldwide unique “Wiener Moderne” which encompasses Klimt and Schiele as well as Oskar Kokoschka, Richard Gerstl, Koloman Moser and many other artists who are all well represented with major works at the Leopold Museum.
A further focus of the museum is on the Austrian interwar period, which brought out many important artists like Albin Egger-Lienz, Anton Kolig and Herbert Boeckl and partly points already in the direction of the second half of the twentieth century. This is why Austrian artists of the post war generation or exceptional works of the nineteenth century by Ferdinand Georg Waldmüller, Friedrich Gauermann, August von Pettenkofen, Anton Romako, Emil Jakob Schindler, Carl Schuch and others are repeatedly presented."
Death and Life by Gustav Klimt was an instant favorite, as well as the entire Secession movement, and I won't forget the impact of Egon Schiele's art on me. Amy and I spent hours and hours at the Leopold, so long in fact that at one point we had to break for hot drinks and cakes at the cafe. I greedily devoured my apfelstrudel, and was only persuasive enough to get one bite of Amy's Sachertorte (dry chocolate cake with apricot jam created by the Sacher Hotel in Vienna). My cafe latte was so rich it tasted like a milkshake.
It was still raining when the Museum closed and we were forced to leave. We still had one more thing planned for that evening: a concert at Musikverein. According to the unwieldy, outdated guide book that Amy carted with us all over Vienna, the Golden Hall in Musikverein is one of the four acoustically best concert halls in the world. The Concentus Musicus Wien was performing Haydn directed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The CMW specializes in historical performances on authentic period instruments. We bought last minute seats on stage for €21.
Sachertorte and apfelstrudel
It was still raining when the Museum closed and we were forced to leave. We still had one more thing planned for that evening: a concert at Musikverein. According to the unwieldy, outdated guide book that Amy carted with us all over Vienna, the Golden Hall in Musikverein is one of the four acoustically best concert halls in the world. The Concentus Musicus Wien was performing Haydn directed by Nikolaus Harnoncourt. The CMW specializes in historical performances on authentic period instruments. We bought last minute seats on stage for €21.
Poor quality photo, but at least you can see our perspective from the stage
The symphony orchestra played four movements from different symphonies. The acoustics on stage were sensational. I could feel the steady pulse of the percussion instruments reverberating through the floor and hear the delicate harmony of the violins echoed by the far wall. In the third movement, the flute melody played in my right ear like a suggestion; the french horns bellowed in front of me like a confrontation. Sensational. Another great ending to a fabulous trip!
Four days in Oslo
Well, I’m finally back in London after nine days of travel. I’m a little bit worse for wear, but I spent the most amazing vacation in Vienna, Prague, and Oslo.
You may be wondering how I ended up vacationing in Norway. To start, Norway fascinates me: the people, the history, the culture, the government, and the way of life. Norway is a peaceful Scandinavian nation of stunning physical beauty (and I could equally be referring to the landscape or the Norwegians – tall, blonde, and fit). They have universal health care, subsidized higher education, and a comprehensive social security system. I did not see the northern lights, or snow, or the extreme seasonal variations in daylight. And yet it is still magical to think of Norway as a land of midnight sun and winter darkness. Sadly, I didn’t spot any trolls or Father Christmas – I imagine I’d have to go farther into the northern forest for that. But although I’m fascinated by the country, the real reason that I chose Norway was the opportunity to visit my good friend Katja.
Katja is smart and adventurous and loves to travel; she has spent the last few years alternately traveling through Europe and Africa and studying in France and India. We met in 2010 at the Université Paul Cézanne in Aix-en-Provence, where we struggled together through ten hours of grammar class per week. By inviting me to stay with her this past weekend, she unwittingly agreed to be my full-time tour guide in Oslo, navigating the city, answering my non-stop questions, and directing us to great cafes, bars, and restaurants. I want to take a moment to thank Katja and her family for welcoming me into their home. After a long week of travel and youth hostels it was heavenly to sit down to a family dinner, curl up on a sofa, and generally feel taken care of. Katja was generous with her time, her family, her friends, her food, and her clothes – she shared so much with me and made my experience unforgettable. I hope that one day I can return the favor. Takk! Thank you so much!
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I left Amy in Prague on Thursday morning. Amy had been my travel companion in Vienna and Prague, but we were separating and she was headed for Bruges. Arriving at the airport three hours in advance of my flight was definitely unnecessary, as I spent over two hours sitting at the gate before boarding. On the positive side, I did finish A Certain Justice by P. D. James, which I had bought at Heathrow. I couldn’t put it down. When I arrived, I took the train from the airport to Oslo Central Station where Katja was waiting for me – with chocolate! We were thrilled to see each other, and walked around the city center as we caught up. That evening, we had dinner with her family – salmon and vegetables over rice – before meeting her friend Kristin for drinks in a hip part of the city. Unfortunately for me, prices are high in Norway and the exchange rate was brutal. I chose a Norwegian beer, Aass, for 66 kroner ($12). 60-66 for a half liter of beer or a glass of wine is standard. We talked for a long time about the bombing and the youth camp attach this past summer, Norway’s intervention in Libya, and the problem of rape in Oslo - mitigated with silly girl talk, of course.
Friday morning began with a typically Norwegian breakfast – Kaviar. Before you get the idea that Norwegians are ridiculously wealthy lushes who eat caviar like cream cheese, let me just explain that Kaviar is a salty, salmon-colored fish paste, which is very healthy and very cheap and also extremely pungent. We spread it on thick brown bread. Breakfast also included a pear, an orange, and some brie. The weather outside was chilly and overcast, but dry. We left around noon for Vigeland Sculpture Park. The park is the life work of the sculptor Gustav Vigeland, and includes more than 200 statues depicting the stages of life and the range of human emotions. The scale of the project was incredible, and the nude statues in bronze and granite were moving and thought-provoking. I loved the maze in the ground around the main fountain, which, according to Katja, takes several dizzying hours to complete. The park is well used and well-loved by the residents of Oslo.
The maze
Afterwards, we headed towards the posh residential
area to the Viking Ship Museum. The Viking ships and tombs discovered around Oslo were very cool, and there were sleighs, tools, and textiles on display as well. It was fun to compare the truth about Vikings to my cartoonish image of them. It may be inaccurate, but I picture Viking men seated on the benches of a long boat rowing for days on end, while a hulky bearded Viking in a horned helmet oversees them, eager to punish any slackers. Wherever they disembark they wage war, pillaging and plundering coastal villages. At least according to any parody I've ever seen. If you're interested in the Vikings, and their legacy in Britain, check out BBC'S Blood of the Vikings series (start here). But be warned, you may be disappointed to learn that Viking helmets did not have horns!
We devoured an enormous portion of Thai food at
the Rice Bowl for a late lunch/early dinner and then went home to shower and
change for our night out. Katja, Nora, Vanda, Kirstie, Kajsa, and I chatted over several refreshing Moscow Mules before venturing out so that they could show me the trendy bar scene. I was really impressed by how well the girls spoke English, and they were gracious and convivial hosts. We got on really well and had a blast.
At breakfast on Saturday I tried Norwegian goat
cheese, which is a semi-hard cheese with a rich ochre color. I was also
introduced to an ingenious Norwegian invention: a special cheese cutter. I
bought one later that day as a souvenir.
Katja and I explored downtown Oslo at a relaxed
pace. It was beautiful outside, and the Opera House was a popular place to be
that afternoon. The architectural design of the Opera is meant to invite
everyone to come, not just those who can afford to attend the Opera. You can
walk up wide paths to the top of the building, where a fantastic view of the
Oslofjord awaits.
The roof of the Opera
Oslofjord
We sat up there for a while admiring the view
before declaring the necessity of caffeine and leaving in search of coffee.
Katja lead us to Café Jaegar, where we ordered two lattes and one cookie, and
sat on a couple of porch swings on the patio with comfortable cushions and
blankets. It was a great place to take a brief rest before heading to the old
harbor.
Katja enjoying her swing and her coffee
As I mentioned earlier, I bought a couple of souvenirs
in Oslo: a cheese cutter, some ugly troll magnets, and a stuffed moose. Oh, and chocolate...
Goodies!
We ate sushi for dinner that night before turning
up at Katja’s friend’s apartment for a “pre-party.” Having a few beers or
glasses of wine with friends before leaving for the bar or club is common, even
imperative, with the cost of alcohol in Norway being so high due to heavy
taxes. I laughed the entire time we were there – here are some snapshots of the
people I met, though I couldn’t possibly do them justice. There was Maria, our host, beautiful and riotously funny if very
politically incorrect; Vidar, her unlikely but surprisingly well-matched
boyfriend, nerdy and an advocate for Labour politics; Marius, an art student,
who entertained us all by sticking Maria's novelty Star Wars chopsticks through
his gauges; Christian, soft spoken and intelligent, interested in linguistics
and chemistry; Kajsa, outspoken and animated, her personality fills a room. We
talked about: making mistakes in other languages (and in the process teaching
me everything NOT to say in Norweigan and Swedish, which actually wasn't too
helpful), recounting embarrassing stories and fabricating alternate endings
(ahem, Katja’s cameo in a Bollywood film), politics, stereotypes of Americans, and
Norwegian culture. I learned a lot and laughed a lot, and after several hours
we went to a nearby club called Blå.
The next morning, we caught a subway train to the
entrance of the forest north of Oslo for a hike. The forest was a beautiful landscape of evergreen
trees, bright yellow-green moss, and streams of clear dark teal water. We took
a less trafficked trail, breathing in the cold damp fog as we ascended 700
meters to the Ullevålseter Lodge. It took just over an hour. Ullevålseter is a
summer farm where hikers, cyclists, and skiers can rest and eat lunch. There
were dogs and children everywhere, which seemed to illustrate two things to me:
first, that rigorous physical exercise in nature is part of the Norwegian
lifestyle; and second, that ir precisely the reason why the welfare system can
work – the active lifestyle that is part of the culture means that the government
can rely on a physically fit nation. Health care can be provided to all because
in general the people of Norway are exceptionally fit. On the way down, we
passed several lakes with surfaces as smooth and still as black glass. It was a
wonderful end to the trip.
Weekend Getaway: Barcelona
Hola!
The ability to simply purchase a bus ticket one day and arrive in a different country the next is undeniably one of the greatest perks of studying abroad in western Europe. This afternoon I am writing this blog post from my bedroom in France, but the past two days, I woke up in Spain! This entire trip was very last minute – my friend Jenny and I bought our Eurolines tickets after class last week and boarded the overnight bus to Barcelona on Friday night (after a glass of wine with some friends, of course). Eight hours later, we arrived at Barcelone Sants station a bit northeast of the city center. We ate a picnic breakfast (consisting primarily of baguette and brie) on the benches in the main terminal while waiting for the metro line that would take us to our hostel. The sun was just about to rise and the station was fairly empty; the only noises were the rolling wheels of suitcases, the soft music on the radio, and the near-constant clicking of the times and destinations changing on the Arrivals/Departures board.
I’ll include the briefest of introductions to the city in which we found ourselves that morning: Barcelona is a clean seaside city on the eastern coast of Spain, with a well-organized metro system and incredible architecture. Spanish and Catalan are the co-official languages - the city strikes a perfect balance of well-preserved culture and modern worldliness. Barcelona is accessible, and the fact that the Catalan culture remains perfectly intact despite the volume of international business conducted there is wonderful.
So, after checking into our hostel – which was slightly out of the way, but very clean and within our budget (for those of you who are wondering how much a trip like this costs, we spent about 75 euro for the bus tickets and 20 euro for the hostel) – we headed navigated to the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia. Despite the drizzly, dreary weather, the church was awe-inspiring. It is so unique, it’s almost disorienting the first time you see it – the organic shapes, the colors – it’s unlike any cathedral I had seen before. The facades, the stained glass windows, the interior, the geometry – and the most mind-boggling aspect of all: the church has been under construction since 1882! And the project is far from complete, with the anticipated completion date being 2026. The architect was the renowned Antoni Gaudi, whose masterpieces can be found throughout the city. I wish I could recall what it had looked like when I first toured the cathedral back in spring 2007, while on vacation with my sister, mother, and grandmother. In any case, Jenny and I spent two hours there following a tour in my Rick Steves’ Best of Europe guidebook. From the Basilica, Rick suggested a public bus and a scenic walk to the Parc Guell, which we happily followed. At the Parc, we saw Antoni Gaudi's house and his inspired ideas for a gated community – plans which were eventually abandoned and the site was turned into a park. Below, I am seated at the vibrantly tiled (and ergonomically designed) benches that line one of the park's terraces.
Below is a picture of Rick and me at Parc Guell - inside the guidebook are two drawings I bought from an artist there that were too intricate and beautiful to pass up.
An hour of wandering the Parc Guell was about all that we had energy for after our busy morning, so around one o’clock we went to our hostel to formally check in and eat lunch on the rooftop terrace there. The sun had finally emerged and we enjoyed a long picnic lunch of tomatoes, chicken sandwiches, and white wine.
It was late afternoon by the time we left our hostel for a stroll down Las Ramblas, starting at the Colombus monument near the port and ending at the Plaça de Cataluyna at the top. We found a Starbucks several blocks from Le Meridien, where I stayed back in 2006. The barista thought my name was Lila, or maybe he just preferred that name for me. I grabbed a quick, rejuvenating vanilla latte and we headed back out into the fray of street performers and tourists. We watched several acts (wary of pickpockets, as per Rick’s advice) before heading down to the cathedral of Barcelona in the Barre Gotic. The walk was scenic and there were talented acoustic guitar players scattered throughout the streets. We arrived just as a mass began, and the hymns sand by the choir added a great ambiance to our self-guided tour. For dinner, we rendez-vous-ed with two of our friends from the CEA program in France – the engaged couple Caitlin and Adam. The four of us enjoyed tapas and sangria on the port. During dinner we were solicited to join a pub crawl later, which we debated but ultimately tossed the idea aside because it started to pour! We dashed into the subway (and by dashed, I mean that we wandered lost for twenty minutes) and went back to our hostel. Our feet were aching and we were exhausted. By midnight we were fast sleep.
The next day was the first Sunday of the month, and so several popular museums were free for the day. The Museu Nacional d'Art de Catalunya (MNAC), housed in the National Palace of Barcelona, was our first stop. It was AMAZING. A series of outdoor escalators carried us to the top of the steps, where musicians were playing outside of the museum’s terrace café. We happily gave up our backpacks in the bag check and explored the MNAC for an hour and a half. I instantly fell in love with their art collections: we only had time to explore the Gothic, Baroque, and Modern art, but that was more than enough. I was confused as to why none of our other friends who had visited Barcelona previously had made their way to this museum; it was incredible. I would absolutely recommend it to anyone going to Barcelona.
From the Museum, we headed down towards the Barre Gotic, with the intention of seeing the Picasso museum for free. Unfortunately, the line was obscenely long, so we bought two beers and settled down on the beach. I passed the time collecting sea glass in a variety of colors – blue, green, purple, clear. There were plenty of beggars and hecklers trolling the beach for gullible tourists, but they were turned away easily enough and we were able to enjoy the siesta hours relaxing there. From the beach, we headed to the church of Santa Maria del Mar. I have pictures of my sister, Amanda, and I standing there from our trip in 2007, so I recreated those photos for fun! Afterwards, we took the Metro to the Block of Discord. I’ll just mention that the Metro is very impressive: it is clean, not a single spray of graffiti, and it runs quickly and efficiently. There were even music videos playing on board!
The "Block of Discord" comprises several houses on the Passeig de Gracia, where rich families competed to have the most creative facades on their houses. Below is a picture of Casa Amatller (left) and Casa Battlò (right, designed by Gaudì, my favorite). The designs are visually stunning, just delightful to look at. By the time we had finished admiring them, we needed to find a place and have some dinner (red wine and fresh seafood) before catching our overnight bus back to Aix at 10pm.
Jenny and I both enjoyed our weekend in Barcelona so much, and it just blows my mind that I could arrive in this city in eight hours. That’s about the same amount of time it would take me to drive from my home in the Philadelphia suburbs to Montreal, Quebec. Maybe I’ll try it once I’m back in the states, since this trip was such a success. Thank you Barcelona, thank you Rick Steves, thank you for reading my blog, and good night!
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