I am sorry for not really keeping this up to date the past couple of weeks, I have had so many crazy, intense, emotional, draining things go on I have not really found the time. Hopefully this week I can catch you up with all of the information and all the new and exciting pictures too. But first I would like to tell you thanks for listening. I don't really know how many of you have been really keeping up with these from week to week but thanks for reading. I am not really a journaling type of person, but it has been really nice to share my thoughts and experiences with all of you. And so, I thought that I would not dilly-dally with this one and just tell it to you straight. To be completely honest with you, I have had a series of unfortunate events (haha not like the book) but seriously a ROUGH couple of weeks. Most of which would take about 3 hours to write out in detail or 1 hour phone call so I think I will stick to a condensed version. I am sure all of you who read this while at work (Aunt Judy and DONA) your bosses will appreciate it. Basically ever since I returned from the youth camp that was right around the 4th of July everything hit me like a ton of bricks. I was so home sick!! And I am not usually one to admit when I miss my family (mostly because of my mommy, I love her so much and I hate seeing her cry because I am crying) but WOW do I miss my family, friends and boyfriend. Its been tough for me to keep my chin up especially because on top of the length of time, but also because all the drama and problems I have been running into lately. I think the hardest thing is that I am here by myself and for the most part working and traveling by myself. Its funny because when I am in America I am CRAVING alone time, but while I am here I am CRAVING time with my loved ones. Lately I think that I have been realizing how important people are in your life like the old saying, "it doesn't matter where you are, but who you are with" has been really getting to me lately. Missing my first fourth of July in America really did not help either. Kirsty and I keep dreaming of American food and traditions, and it been hard to substitute things for home. Besides the fact that I was really homesick, I was dealing with a monster of a problems rolled into one. And Isn't it funny how when you need the most help you never ask for any? I feel like this whole time I should have been completely focused on my relationship with God but I haven't. Instead I have been bummed, just letting each work day pass and moving onto the next day. On top of a many few other things plus being homesick, I was looking to get away for the weekend and so I thought Barcelona would be the perfect place. I planned everything out and basically 2 nights before everything was booked my overnight train to barcelona said that I couldn't pick up my ticket at the station, and it was too late to be mailed so they refunded me the money. I was really frustrated because it takes a LOT to plan weekend trips. You have to look at everything beforehand so that you can make sure you have the right connections. You have to have LOTS of energy and be ready to go early in the morning till late at night. Pretty much I power threw the whole city in 2 days. Its nuts, fast-paced and I love it! So I really wanted to figure out a way to go and luckily I found a flight at about the same price as the train leaving saturday morning. So I stuck to the original plan, left after work around 5:20PM to go to the Maubuege train station, picked up my ticket at the window had about 10 minutes to walk across the street to get a subway :) one of the FEW American chain food restaurants and has become my dinner stop every trip. I ran to the train and just barely made it 3 minutes to spare and headed towards Paris. In Paris I took the metro to my hotel which was AMAZING! right next to the airport and very cheap! I think that was the best part because it was in a good area for a girl at night and so close to catch the metro to the airport in the morning. heres what it looked like.. all 3 beds to myself, and a TV! haha
I woke up at 4:30AM to catch a flight to Barcelona Spain at 7:00AM and then take a train into the city and started a hop on hop off bus (heres the sign)
the first sight I see was the Case dels Ossos (House of Bones) by Antoni Gaudi
heres the top view from the bus
I was also able to see La Segrada Familia which was also by Gaudi, my one regret about this trip is that I didn't go inside this church. It is still being built even though he is dead. It is the landmark of Barcelona. I thought it was just crazy how once they finish they plan on continuing building more pillars to represent the 12 disciples. All of his work is inspired by the sea which looks amazing close up.
this is the back.. as you can see still under construction
As I kept taking the bus tour I noticed so many interesting houses they made me feel like I was in a little spanish villa! It was so quaint and fun to take pictures of all the houses.
A real live futbol (soccer) stadium! I TOTALLY wish there was a game going on while I was there otherwise I would have gone in a heart beat. It was still awesome to see..
and a snapshot of inside.. AMAZING! it is so huge!
After about half way through the day I decided to get off the bus towards the water and walk around in the shops and grab a bite to eat in the Cuitat Vella heres a picture of one of the cool stands they had there with spanish masks..
I decided that I would try and find my hotel before the night time and check in, freshen up and the go back out for Barcelona dinner and night life. I was so lucky to be able to stay the night where I did it was so much fun! La Rambla street was my favorite thing in all of Barcelona, there was always something going on and lots and lots to look at!
heres the top view from the bus
I was also able to see La Segrada Familia which was also by Gaudi, my one regret about this trip is that I didn't go inside this church. It is still being built even though he is dead. It is the landmark of Barcelona. I thought it was just crazy how once they finish they plan on continuing building more pillars to represent the 12 disciples. All of his work is inspired by the sea which looks amazing close up.
this is the back.. as you can see still under construction
As I kept taking the bus tour I noticed so many interesting houses they made me feel like I was in a little spanish villa! It was so quaint and fun to take pictures of all the houses.
A real live futbol (soccer) stadium! I TOTALLY wish there was a game going on while I was there otherwise I would have gone in a heart beat. It was still awesome to see..
and a snapshot of inside.. AMAZING! it is so huge!
After about half way through the day I decided to get off the bus towards the water and walk around in the shops and grab a bite to eat in the Cuitat Vella heres a picture of one of the cool stands they had there with spanish masks..
I decided that I would try and find my hotel before the night time and check in, freshen up and the go back out for Barcelona dinner and night life. I was so lucky to be able to stay the night where I did it was so much fun! La Rambla street was my favorite thing in all of Barcelona, there was always something going on and lots and lots to look at!
this is the classic landmark of La Rambla a quirky dragon on the side of the wall...
Why I liked it so much was mostly because of all the entertainers, every time you walked down the street there would be new ones in such elaborate costumes! I made a mini collage of some of the people I saw. When you gave them a coin they would do something fun so I ended up walking down just placing pennies in all of them to see what they would do. So many giggles!
La Rambla Market with AMAZING fresh squeezed juice!
At the top of the street there was Placa de Catalanya which was interesting to see the Catalanya culture. In Barcelona they speak Spanish and Catalan
Later that night after I relaxed and cleaned up a bit I finished the bus tour to the Placa d Espanya. I also loved this area too. I stayed until the first night fountain show where tons of people came to watch in front of the Creu Coberta which I think was a palace/museum.
the Creu Coberta
the steps where I sat and watched the sunset before the show and ate ice cream. This is on the way to the Creu Coberta and you can see the fountains along the way. The watershow was amazing, and to Disney music in spanish!
the opening song was the circle of life from lion king, which made me smile haha
me by the fountain show..
The next morning I woke up and went to a church I found close by before I left. This was so cool to see how people in Spain do church. I loved the inside just as much as England's why do they get all the cool old churches to worship in?!? no fair! The people there were amazing and my spanish was REALLY BAD.. but then again I never was a good spanish student to begin with. But it was nice to be able to understand some of the message on my own and I loved the style of music they played. I did not know but it was Catalan I guess.. which explains some of the spanish I didn't understand haha! above the stained glass it says God is Love.. or at least I am pretty sure.. Amy Budd is that right?
Last but not least I headed to the Gothic quarter of the town where I got to explore after a LONG walk and time getting lost it was very peaceful and EXACTLY what I needed for what was to come later that day on sunday... eekk!
I don't know if you heard or not.. but I missed my flight on the way home. It turns out leaving 5 hours early is not early enough. But I did not know how far away the airport was with this airline so after a lot of tears, a lot of different directions, tons of worry I followed people to an airport and it was perfect I arrive about 1 hour and a half before.. and then I figured out it was the WRONG airport and where I needed to be was completely on the other side of the city. about 2 hours away. I bought the most expensive taxi I probably would ever have in my life. Crying the whole way, trying to speak spanish to the driver. and Arrived to the correct airport 10 minutes after my flight departed. My cell phone died.. and I almost ran out of money, had to by a whole new ticket with TONS of stupid fees, and then took a flight 3 hours later to Paris, and I was still 1 hour away from the city. So I had to take a bus into the city, which too about 2 hours and then I had to hop on the metro to the train station Gare Du Nord but there were no more trains until morning. So I had to find a hotel at one in the morning. Thankfully this cute old man helped me and I got to talk to my parents, and he made me a tuna fish sandwich for free. Such an angel! I ended up taking a morning train on monday to my hometown and walking to my house from the train. Thank the Lord I am safe! and thank you for all who knew and prayed! I figure that if that was my one bad experience here in europe.. then I am not complaining because I know it could have been a lot worse. Anyways that was my crazy Barcelona Trip but I am just thankful to be safe. Au Revoir for now.. Lots more blogs to come this week!Love and a Hug!
Nicole
