Valencia 18/7 - 20/7

So after a rather eventful and sleepless weekend in Barcelona, Monday night we decided to just explore the City of Arts and Sciences at night! It’s such a beautiful part of Valencia during the day, and it really is something special at night. We took pictures, sat, and talked. And after a little bit, we were all hungry and decided to go to the McDonalds in the Mall across the street, so that we could get McFlurrys. McFlurrys are DEFINITELY better abroad than in the States!!! They may be a little smaller, but you have the option of adding chocolate, white chocolate, or caramel syrup along with your choice of candy. The Kit Kat McFlurry with caramel syrup was my favorite! To us, that was a rather successful evening.

The City of Arts and Sciences at night!

My wonderful friends!

McFlurrys in Spain. Priceless.

So beautiful.

The next day my Spanish Art/Culture Class took a field trip to the Cartuja de Vall de Crist, which means Valley of Christ, in Valencia. The Cartuja de Vall de Crist is the ruins of an extremely old monastery. These old buildings show the Gothic Architecture that we had been learning about. It was a bright, sunny day, and the ruins are placed in a remote area in the mountains. We had a guide, who also informed us of the history of this famous monastery.

Cartuja de Vall de Crist

Jenny and I on our class field trip.

“Wikipedia says that the importance of the monastery can be deduced from the characters who dwelt in it as Bonifacio Ferrer, who became Prior greater San Ignacio de Loyola and the antipope Benedict XIII. In 1386 he laid the first stone of the church of San Martín is one of the few buildings still remain and began construction of the cloister . Later, in 1399 construction began on the main cloister, also in style Gothic , as above.”

http://translate.google.com/translate?hl=en&sl=es&u=http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cartuja_de_Vall_de_Cristo&ei=00ItTrObGcie-QaM1uDsDQ&sa=X&oi=translate&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CB4Q7gEwAA&prev=/search%3Fq%3DCartuja%2BVal%2Bde%2BCristo%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS363%26prmd%3Divnso

On Wednesday morning, I ventured over to the Museo Taurino, which is Valencia’s Bullfighting Museum. Since I didn’t want to actually see a bullfight, I thought that it would be interesting to learn the history of bullfighting in Valencia.

“The Museo Taurino website says that the Bullfighting Museum of Valencia was founded in 1929 thanks to holdings donated by Luis Moróder Peiró and the picador José Bayard Badila – two bullfighting memento collectors who gathered together a significant number of Valencian objects and bullfighting materials in the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Over its history, the Museum has renewed and updated its holdings, becoming one of the oldest and most important centres for bullfighting lore in Spain.”

http://www.museotaurinovalencia.es/home.html?event=wbe_i18n_change_lang&change_language=en

This permanent bullfighting exhibition informs you about all of the details of bullfighting from matador training to their costumes to picking bulls, etc. After walking around the exhibition, I was able to watch a 10-minute video clip of the events that lead up to the bullfight and the bullfight itself. It’s a rather gory event, and I don’t think that I would be able to watch one in person. Many Spaniards are against the bullfights, but it’s also a notary part of the Spanish culture and custom. 

Museo Taurino

The Bullfighting Ring

People in line to buy tickets for the bullfights.

Barcelona 15/7 - 17/7

Our ISA group met at the Mestalla (Soccer Stadium) at 8 in the morning on Friday to leave for Barcelona. Barcelona is about 4 hours by bus from Valencia, as buses are obligated to stop during the trip.

When we arrived in Barcelona, we picked up our tour guide – a man who works for ISA Barcelona – to give us a panoramic bus tour of the extremely large city. We were able to see the Plaza de Toros Monumental – the bullfighting arena in Barcelona. There is also another bullfighting arena in Barcelona called the Plaza de Toros de las Arenas, but this bullfighting arena has been converted into a shopping mall and is no longer used for bullfights. Also, during out tour, we stopped by the Barcelona Olympic Stadium (Estadi Olímpic de Montjuïc), where the 1992 Summer Olympic Games took place. The bus trekked up to the top of the hill of Montjuïc, so we could look at the beautiful views of the harbour of Barcelona and the city itself. In passing, we were able to see the Palau Nacional, which is the National Palace in Barcelona. Barcelona is another city in Spain that borders the Mediterranean Sea, so you can experience the beach there like you can in Valencia.

At the top of the hill of Montjuïc.

The view of the harbour of Barcelona.

Palau Nacional

After our panoramic bus tour around Barcelona, we were dropped of at our hotel to unpack. A group of us quickly unpacked and left the hotel to walk to an English movie theater by the beach to see the final Harry Potter movie! When we got to the theater, many of the shows for that day were already sold out, so we were lucky to get tickets. I was NOT going to watch Harry Potter in Spanish. We were really excited, and the movie was in English with Spanish subtitles. But how many people can say that they watched the final Harry Potter movie in Barcelona?

At the movie theater ready to see Harry Potter!

So excited!!!

On Saturday, we woke up early for complimentary breakfast by the hotel. Then, we had a walking tour around the two Gothic Quarters of Barcelona – one called Barri Gotic – where we viewed the Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia (the main Cathedral of Barcelona). This cathedral was gorgeous, and the only way that you are allowed entry is if you cover your knees and shoulders. So we all wore jeans and sleeved shirts in Barcelona in July on a walking tour. Yes, it was very hot, but it was definitely worth it. Later, we visited Temple d’August in Barcelona’s Gothic Quarter. These columns represent the Roman influence in Barcelona dating back to the first century AD.

http://www.stay.com/barcelona/attractions/10353/temple-d-august/

Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia

Temple d'August

Our walking tour

We also toured the Placa Sant Jaume in the Gothic Quarter of Barcelona, where you can find the Palace of the Generalitat and the City Hall. This plaza was the center of the Roman Empire in Barcelona. Continuing along our tour, we come across the Sinagoga Mayor de Barcelona (synagogue), which has been recognized as one of the oldest buildings in Europe.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ancient_synagogue_(Barcelona)

Placa Sant Jaume

We also briefly viewed the church Santa María del Mar in Barcelona, but there was a wedding that was about to take place, so we weren’t allowed to stay for long. Our next stop was the Museu Picasso, as Pablo Picasso was actually born in Málaga, Spain.

After our guided walking tour, we were given free time for the rest of the afternoon. My friend Bre and I decided to walk along the street called Las Ramblas, a popular street for tourism. We walked and shopped until we ended up at the Placa de Catalunya, which is a large city square. After taking pictures and enjoying the sites, we made our way back to the hotel. After a quick 10-minute break at the hotel, we left with a group to view the Sagrada Família. This church is still under construction – it was started last year, but it won’t be expected to be finished until about 2026.

“Wikipedia says that the Sagrada Família is a large Roman Catholic church in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain designed by Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí (1852–1926). Although incomplete, the church is a UNESCO World Heritage Site,[4] and in November 2010 was consecrated and proclaimed a minor basilica by Pope Benedict XVI.[5][6][7]”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sagrada_Fam%C3%ADlia

Placa de Catalunya

Sagrada Família

After viewing the exterior of this massive structure, we took the Metro to the outskirts of Barcelona to experience first-hand Camp Nou, the Barcelona Soccer Stadium. It was overwhelming, as we shopped in the enormous gift shop and walked around the stadium.

“Wikipedia says that Futbol Club Barcelona (Catalan pronunciation: [fubˈbɔɫ ˈkɫub bərsəˈɫonə]), also known as Barcelona and familiarly as Barça,[2] is a Spanish professional football club, based in Barcelona, Spain. They play in La Liga, and are one of the only three clubs to have never been relegated, along with Athletic Bilbao and rival Real Madrid. They are the current Spanish and European football champions.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FC_Barcelona

In front of Camp Nou - Barcelona's Soccer Stadium.

Later that night a small group of us decided to go out to this special bar in Barcelona called IceBarcelona. It’s a bar that is completely made out of ice – with ice sculptures, ice walls, ice seats, ice tables, ice glasses, etc. Before you go in, you have to put on this giant parka and gloves, as it’s -04 degrees Celsius inside the bar. It was a lot of fun, and we definitely enjoyed the outfits that we had to wear.

Inside IceBareclona!

Ice sculpture of the Sagrada Família

On Sunday, we again woke up early for our complimentary breakfast by the hotel and set out for another walking tour to experience all of Antoni Gaudí’s works. First, we explored Park Güell with its abundant gardens and tile sculptures. This is where Gaudí once lived, and you can see many of his works here.

“Wikipedia says that Park Güell (Catalan: Parc Güell, IPA: [ˈparg ˈɡweʎ]) is a garden complex with architectural elements situated on the hill of el Carmel in the Gràcia district of Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was designed by the Catalan architect Antoni Gaudí and built in the years 1900 to 1914. It is part of the UNESCO World Heritage Site "Works of Antoni Gaudí".”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Park_Güell

Park Güell

After touring this exquisite park, we ventured back into the center of Barcelona to see another Gaudí creation – Casa Milá. The particular architectural style of Gaudí is well admired by many.

Gaudí's Casa Milá

Literally down the street is the well known Casa Batlló – another Gaudí creation that resembles a house of bones from the outside. Gaudí’s architecture is unique and can be recognized by the people that live in Barcelona and many more.

Gaudí's Casa Batlló

Finally, at the end of a long weekend, we walked to the Columbus Monument at the other end of Las Ramblas. The statue of Christopher Columbus is famous for many reasons.

“Wikipedia says that it was constructed for the Exposición Universal de Barcelona (1888) and is located at the site where Columbus returned to Spain after his first voyage to the Americas.[1] The monument serves as a reminder that Barcelona is where Christopher Columbus reported to Queen Isabella and Ferdinand after Columbus' most famous trip.[2]”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Columbus_Monument,_Barcelona

The Columbus Monument

With Alphie!

On part of the Columbus Monument.

From there, we met the bus to go back to Valencia, where we arrived around 9 that night.

Today I leave for Morocco, so I'll be going to Africa!

Valencia 13/7 - 14/7

So field trips have been basically my favorite part of having to take classes, while studying abroad. On Wednesday, my Spanish Art/Culture class visited the Valencia Cathedral to learn more about its architecture. We were able to see the beautiful décor and paintings on the walls. Everything was intricately detailed. One unique artifact to the Valencia Cathedral is that it has been recognized as the home of the Holy Grail – the cup used by Jesus Christ at the Last Supper. There have been numerous movies about the quest for this sacred cup. Many Popes have stated that they believe that the real Holy Grail lies in the Valencia Cathedral.

The outside of the Valencia Cathedral.

The inside of the Valencia Cathedral.

Waiting to start our tour of the Valencia Cathedral with our professor.

It's so beautiful.

“Wikipedia says that there are cups claimed to be the Grail in several churches, for instance the Saint Mary of Valencia Cathedral, which contains an artifact, the Holy Chalice, supposedly taken by Saint Peter to Rome in the 1st century, and then to Huesca in Spain by Saint Lawrence in the 3rd century.”

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Grail

The supposed Holy Grail.

After our class field trip, my friends and I ventured to our favorite restaurant Cien Montaditos down the street from our school, because on Wednesdays, you can get anything on the menu for 1 Euro. Cien Montaditos sells mini sandwiches, but they have appetizer and dessert sandwiches as well. They are really a favorite for us, as you can get as many as you want!

And after eating, we all headed to a bar called Portland, where on Tuesday and Wednesday nights, Spanish speakers come there to talk to English speakers in English. So English is the only language that you will really hear there on those nights. It’s fun for us to help the Spanish speakers practice their English, and it doesn’t make us feel so bad when our Spanish isn’t nearly as good as theirs!

South Carolina license plate at Portland!

On Thursday, I decided that I would explore El Centro a little more before my classes that day. It’s always fun and entertaining to walk around such a busy part of the city. I went into El Corte Inglés for the first time. It’s a Department Store in Valencia, but instead of having a Nordstrom, Dillard’s, Macy’s, Bloomingdales, etc., they just have El Corte Inglés, which is always packed. There are over 8 floors in each store, and they aren’t always in malls. When I was walking in the main shopping district of town, there were 2 El Corte Inglés stores right next to each other.

After getting lost in El Corte Inglés, I walked through 2 very popular buildings in El Centro – each for different reasons. First, I walked through La Lonja de La Seda, which is well known historically for it’s Gothic architecture. This beautiful building used to be for silk exchange, when Valencia was a main economic center of Europe. Its luxury explains its historical importance.

The outside of La Lonja de La Seda.

The inside of La Lonja de La Seda.

“Wikipedia says that The Llotja de la Seda (Valencian pronunciation: [ˈʎɔdʒa ðe la ˈseða], Spanish: Lonja de la Seda, English "Silk Exchange") is a late Valencian Gothic style civil building in Valencia, Spain, built between 1482 and 1548, and one of the principal tourist attractions in the city. The UNESCO considered it as a World Heritage Site in 1996 since "the site is of outstanding universal value as it is a wholly exceptional example of a secular building in late Gothic style, which dramatically illustrates the power and wealth of one of the great Mediterranean mercantile cities."[1].

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Llotja_de_la_Seda

After touring La Lonja de La Seda, I decided to walk through Valencia’s Mercado Central, which is equivalent to an extremely large supermarket, expect for each station sells different products. Each person at a station sells his or her own products – usually home grown/home raised. The Mercado Central overwhelms you will different smells, and everything is extremely fresh. The building itself is something to look at, as its architecture is truly one of a kind.

The outside of Valencia's Mercado Central.

Fruit Stand.

The inside of Valencia's Mercado Central.

The Spaniards LOVE their Ham!

Later on that day, I had a field trip in my Spanish Literature class. My Spanish Literature professor conveniently used to play for the Valencia Fútbol Club – the soccer team in Valenica, which is known to be the 3rd best team in Spain after Real Madrid Fútbol Club and Barcelona Fútbol Club. It is currently the off-season for soccer players, so the soccer stadium is closed. But my professor was able to get us an elite tour of the Estadio Mestalla, Valencia Fútbol Club’s Soccer Stadium. We were able to sit down in the most expensive suite and tour the locker room, room for press conferences, team benches, the field, and more. It was definitely an exciting experience to be that close to a field when legendary players, such as Juan Mata, play.

The outside of the Mestalla.

Sitting at the Press Conference Desk.

In the Locker Room!

Getting ready to play!

In front of the Valencia Fútbol Club field!