A Different Side Of Spain

This weekend I ventured to a city within Spain that many consider not within Spain, Barcelona. The residents of Barcelona considered themselves Catalonians, think they live in Catalonia, and speak Catalán. We first noticed the difference between Madrid and Barcelona after taking our first steps out of the metro.  The signs for the exit had changed: They were no longer the familiar "salida" but the unfamiliar "sortida."

Saturday morning we took Barcelona by storm. Waking up at 8 AM, we set off to see the Sagrada Familia, one of the most iconic cathedrals in not only Barcelona but in Spain. It is not the typical Spanish cathedral. Designed by the infamous Antoni Gaudí, this Spanish cathedral is characteristic of Catalán Modernism. After touring the Sagrada Familia,  we stepped aboard the hop-on hop-off bus tour that would should us part of Barcelona within 8 hours. We were able to see the beautiful Park Guell, the bustling city center of La Ramba,  and the scenic beaches.  I expected it to be similar to Madrid, but this was not the case at all. The architecture was modern, aside from all of the work by the infamous Gaudí, which helped me fall in love with Barcelona. Some of my favorite architecture included the Sagrada Família, the Caso Battló, and the Park Guell. The Park Guell being my favorite. The mosaic tiles were absolutely gorgeous. If I had my way, my next home would be designed by Gaudí.

Saturday night, we decided to venture to La Boqueria, one of the most famous markets within Barcelona. It's full of fabulous fruits, veggies, candies, and even prepared food. Though we reached the market when it was closing, it was still one of the most interesting markets I had seen in Spain. After walking around, we met up with the Barcelona Intrax Interns. Heading to their apartment, we expected to enter a place similar to our own. However, their apartment had a bit of an edge on ours. With the sun setting and the moon rising, the Barcelona Intrax Interns guided us up their stairs to the rooftop terrace, overlooking the beautiful Sagrada Família. This was by far one of the most beautiful views I had seen the whole day.