The Monks of Tarragona
This week has been a jam-packed one. School has picked up and I am gone each day from around ten in the morning to five in the afternoon. Back just in time for a nice siesta before dinner! I could get used to this routine.
But as I adjust more to the schedule and time over here I find myself needing less rest and yearning for more exploring. So I've run with it. Wednedsay after class I recruited a group to go do a little sight-seeing. (I have become quite the self-proclaimed expert with Google Maps so I feel pretty confident finding places.) I have been looking things up to go see so I make sure my mom gets to see all the good stuff when she comes (shoutout again mom). First we went to Plaća Espana and saw Palau Nacional, which was amazing. The view from the very top provides stirring 360 degree views and deciding to go right before sunset was definitely the correct choice. We basked in the sun and enjoyed each others company. It felt so nice to finally be absorbing more of the culture and grapsing an understanding of why the Catalon are such proud and passionate people. From here we took the metro to Passieg de Gracía to see Casa Milá, an eccentric house designed by Gaudí himself. We didn't go inside, (it was 20 euros and I am on a budget here), but the curved architecture accompanied with the intertwined metal balconies were like nothing I had ever seen. We made it back just in time for dinner with the host fam and were satisfied with our tourist ventures. To cap off a great day we grabbed some sangria with friends from our program and continued to enjoy Barcelona.
Thursday marked the first "field trip" we had with our program and the university we study at in Spain. To be quite honest, we were all kind of dreading this excursion to a Spanish monastery called Monèstir de Poblet. But it actually ended up being so wonderful and enlightening. The grounds were spacious, the aesthetics were stunning and there was even a vineyard on-site. We toured the entire place and even saw a monk (so silent) setting up for a meal. Everything was so quiet, pure and dazzling. I really enjoyed myself.
Tonight I write to you as I am scrambling to pack my bags and get a good night sleep. We are off to Amsterdam at 5:20 tomorrow morning!
Happy early 4th of July,
Codes
Monèstir de Poble
Monèstir de Poble
View from the top of Palau Nacional
Monèstir de Poble
Monèstir de Poble
Palau Nacional
Casa Milá