Tässäpä teille toinen osa mun Barcelonan reissusta! Lauantaina lähdettiin Magdan kanssa käymään Tibidabo-vuorella Barcelonan ulkopuolella. Mulle ei olisi ikinä tullutkaan mieleen tulla tänne, siksi on ihan maailman parasta, kun on paikallisopas joka tietää kaikki tälläiset paikat, johon mennä! Tibidabo on vuori, josta on upeat näkymät Barcelonan kaupunkiin. Se on Serra de Collserolan vuoriston korkein vuori kohotessaan 512 metrin korkeuteen merenpinnasta. Vuoren päällä sijaitseva huvipuisto on Barcelonan vanhin ja osa laitteista on peräisin 1900-luvun alusta (pelottavaa...)!
Here's another part of my Barcelona trip! On Saturday me and my host sister Magda went to visit the Tibidabo-mountain in the afueras of Barcelona. I had never even heard of this and never would have gone there without her! That's why I always prefer to explore new cities with locals because they know these things. If theme parks aren't your cup of tea there is also a beautiful church to view- the Temple de Sagrat Cor. Built in 1806 and renovated in 1902, it is a Neo-Gothic structure with a bronze statue of the Sacred Heart at the top. You can take a lift to the top of the church and check out the city at 575 meters above sea level.
Here's another part of my Barcelona trip! On Saturday me and my host sister Magda went to visit the Tibidabo-mountain in the afueras of Barcelona. I had never even heard of this and never would have gone there without her! That's why I always prefer to explore new cities with locals because they know these things. If theme parks aren't your cup of tea there is also a beautiful church to view- the Temple de Sagrat Cor. Built in 1806 and renovated in 1902, it is a Neo-Gothic structure with a bronze statue of the Sacred Heart at the top. You can take a lift to the top of the church and check out the city at 575 meters above sea level.
Vuoren päällä sijaitsee näyttävä Pyhitetyn Sydämen katolinen kirkko. Kirkon lasisissa ikkunoissa oli upeita kuvia Latinalaisen Amerikan neitsyistä.
Vaikka Tibidabolla tuuli, oli päivä ihanan lämmin. Barcelona alkoi vihdoin näyttää parhaita puoliaan, eikä noiden näkymien jälkeen epäilyttänyt hetkeäkään, ettenkö olisi ainakin ihan pikkuisen ihastunut tuohon kaupunkiin. Vuorireissun jälkeen mentiin keskustaan käppäilemään ja katsomaan Gaudin taloja ydinkeskustaan. Oltiin molemmat aika väsyneitä ja mentiin päikkäreille ennen kuin lähdettiin Magdan meksikolaisten kavereiden kanssa irkkupubiin kuuntelemaan live-musiikkia! Tää kyseinen mies oli ehdottomasti paras live-esiintyjä ikinä!
Even though it was pretty windy on top of Tibidabo, Barcelona was starting to show me its better side. After those views it was obvious I was going to have a tiny crush on the city. After the trip on the mountains we headed to the centre to see some of the Gaudi-style buildings. We were pretty tired after having walked all day long, so we decided to take a nap before heading out with another Mexican friend of Magda's. We decided to go listen some live-music to an Irish-styled pub. It turned out to be the best pub-live show I had ever seen.
Even though it was pretty windy on top of Tibidabo, Barcelona was starting to show me its better side. After those views it was obvious I was going to have a tiny crush on the city. After the trip on the mountains we headed to the centre to see some of the Gaudi-style buildings. We were pretty tired after having walked all day long, so we decided to take a nap before heading out with another Mexican friend of Magda's. We decided to go listen some live-music to an Irish-styled pub. It turned out to be the best pub-live show I had ever seen.
Plaza de Catalunyalla (Katalonian aukio), josta napattiin matro Tibidabolle, oli tuommoisia telttoja pystytetty. Se vähän järkytti mua, että kuinka avoimesti Barcelonassa näkyi alueen poliittinen tilanne ja mielenosoitukset. Melkein kaikki kadut oli maalattu Katalonian merkkeihin ja jokaisen kerrostalon ikkunoista ja parvekkeilta roikkui Katalonian lippuja. Tiesin, että Katalonian itsenäisyys on ollut Espanjassa puheenaiheena viime syyskuusta lähtien, mutta en osannut aavistaa tilanteen olevan näin näkyvä. Nuo teltat ilmeisesti liittyi jotenkin Naistenpäivään ja naisten oikeuksiin, sillä "sin mujeres no hay revolución" tarkoittaa "ilman naisia ei ole muutosta".
In Plaza de Catalunya (Catalunya square) there were a lor of tents. I was pretty shocked by the political stuff showing in Barcelona. I knew the Catalunya situacion had been on the table since September but I wasn't expecting anything like that. Many of the streets were full of painted Catalunya-symbols and the city was full of posters and Catalunya flags hanging from windows and balconies. Apparently those tents on the Square had to do something with the International Women's Day, since the board says "sin mujeres no hay revolución", "without women there's no revolution".
In Plaza de Catalunya (Catalunya square) there were a lor of tents. I was pretty shocked by the political stuff showing in Barcelona. I knew the Catalunya situacion had been on the table since September but I wasn't expecting anything like that. Many of the streets were full of painted Catalunya-symbols and the city was full of posters and Catalunya flags hanging from windows and balconies. Apparently those tents on the Square had to do something with the International Women's Day, since the board says "sin mujeres no hay revolución", "without women there's no revolution".
Sunnuntaina, mun viimeisenä päivänä, lähdettiin taas kipuamaan korkeuksia, tällä kertaa suuntana Park Güell. Päätettiin kävellä, sillä Magdan asunto on aivan Sagrada Familian vieressä. Matkalla päästiin taas todistamaan sitä ihanaa espanjalaisuutta, johon olen aivan rakastunut. Mummot ja papat sunnuntaikävelyllä, lapset leikkimässä isien kanssa puistossa, katalonialaismummot kutsumassa toisiaan kahville parvekkeilta huutaen :-D
On my last day, Sunday, we decided to go climbing again. This time we headed out to Park Güell, which is a park built in Antonio Gaudi-style. Since Magda's apartment was located close to La Sagrada Familia we decided to walk. On the way to the park I remembered again why I love Spain so much. The people are out there! Elderies on a Sunday walk, children playing with their fathers and old Catalinyan ladies inviting each other for a coffee (yelling for each other from the balconies)!
On my last day, Sunday, we decided to go climbing again. This time we headed out to Park Güell, which is a park built in Antonio Gaudi-style. Since Magda's apartment was located close to La Sagrada Familia we decided to walk. On the way to the park I remembered again why I love Spain so much. The people are out there! Elderies on a Sunday walk, children playing with their fathers and old Catalinyan ladies inviting each other for a coffee (yelling for each other from the balconies)!
Güellin puisto on Antonio Gaudin suunnittelema puisto Barcelonan Gracian kaupunginosassa. Puisto on tunnettu trencadís-keramiikalla mosaiikkimaisesti koristellusta muurista ja paviljongeista (kaikilla Barcelonaan matkustavilla on Instagramissa kuva itsestään nojailemassa tähän keseiseen värikkääseen muuriin). Sää sunnuntaina oli upea, jonka takia puisto oli tupaten täynnä turisteja. Meiltä jäi puiston maksullinen osio väliin, sillä siellä oli menossa mittavat kunnostustyöt ja päätettiin olla maksamatta sisäänpääsymaksua "turhan takia". Ensi kerralla sitten!
Park Güell is a park designed by Antonio Gaudi. It's located in the Gracia-neighbourhood in the Northern Barcelona. Park Güell is designed and composed to bring the peace and calm that one would expect from a park. The buildings flanking the entrance, though very original and remarkable with fantastically shaped roofs with unusual pinnacles, fit in well with the use of the park as pleasure gardens and seem relatively inconspicuous in the landscape when one considers the flamboyance of other buildings designed by Gaudí. The park, at that time, was packed of tourists and we decided not to pay the entrance fee (also because they were making some reconstructions and the balcony was basically not in use). Maybe next time!
Park Güell is a park designed by Antonio Gaudi. It's located in the Gracia-neighbourhood in the Northern Barcelona. Park Güell is designed and composed to bring the peace and calm that one would expect from a park. The buildings flanking the entrance, though very original and remarkable with fantastically shaped roofs with unusual pinnacles, fit in well with the use of the park as pleasure gardens and seem relatively inconspicuous in the landscape when one considers the flamboyance of other buildings designed by Gaudí. The park, at that time, was packed of tourists and we decided not to pay the entrance fee (also because they were making some reconstructions and the balcony was basically not in use). Maybe next time!
Magda halusi näyttää mulle puiston vieressä olevan pienen kirkon, sillä se on meidän äidin (mun meksikolaisen host maman) kylän suojeluspyhimyksen kirkko.
Güellin puiston jälkeen otettiin bussi Barcelonan toiselle laidalle, Montjuïcin kukkulalle. Siellä sijaitsee 1600-luvulla rakennettu, upea Montjuïcin linna. Kiivettiin kirkon rappusille, kuunneltiin katusoittajaa ja katseltiin edessä avautuvia upeita Barcelonan maisemia.
After the Güell park we took a bus to another side of the town to visit the Montjuïc hill. The gorgeous castle, Montjuïc castle, was built on the 15th century. We climbed up, sat on the stairs and listened some live music while watching the amazing views of the city.
After the Güell park we took a bus to another side of the town to visit the Montjuïc hill. The gorgeous castle, Montjuïc castle, was built on the 15th century. We climbed up, sat on the stairs and listened some live music while watching the amazing views of the city.
Mun paluulento Mallorcalle lähti vasta illalla 11 aikoihin, joten mulla oli loistavasti aikaa nauttia viimeisistä auringonsäteistä Sagrada Familian luona. Tykkäsin tosi paljon tuosta alueesta, sillä sinne turistit eivät olleet löytäneet sankoin joukoin. Lentokentälle pääsin kätevästi metrolla muutamalla vaihdolla (matka vie aikaa n. tunnin, joten jos metrolla mielii lentokentälle, niin täytyy varata riittävästi aikaa!).
Mulla oli kaiken kaikkiaan aivan mahtavat neljä päivää täynnä meksikolaista ruokaa, tequilaa, uusia tuttavuuksia ja espanjalaista kulttuuria. Ihastuin Barcelonaan kovasti ja voisinkin mennä sinne vaikka heti uudelleen. Barcelonassa mua todella paljon miellytti se, kuinka "korttelisoitu" kaupunki on. Joka paikkaan on älyttömän helppo löytää, kun kadut on selkeässä järjestyksessä. Vaikka turisteja on paljon, niin hengailtiin sellaisilla paikallisten suosimilla alueilla joten sekään ei loppujen lopuksi kovin paljoa häirinnyt. Toivottavasti pääsen jonain päivänä vielä uudelleen Barnaan!
My flight back to Mallorca took off around 11PM so I had time to enjoy the last sunset by the Sagrada Familia. I really loved that area since it wasn't so crowded by tourists. I went to the airport by the metro and it was more easy than I expected (it takes a lot of time tho, around one hour!).
All in all I had the most amazing time in Barcelona. My long weekend was full of mexican food, tequila, new friends and Spanish culture. I didn't fall in love with the city but I could go there back anytime. I really loved the fact that the city is divided into clear "blocks" and therefore everything is easy to find. Even though the city is full of tourists we mostly spend time in places that the locals favoured. So the amount of people were not really a problem. I hope to visit Barna soon again!