Temple de Sagrada Familia

What a difference a few days make! I'm finally feeling completely recovered and now I am alive again. I see with my eyes and experience with my senses the sights, sounds and sensations of Barcelona. I'm laughing with my fellow students, enjoying the learning experience, noticing more the amazing architecture and sites Barcelona has, and I get out more to see all this amazing city has to offer. I'm feeling many different emotions and sensations as I allow myself the freedom to be.

I've found a routine that works:

• 7:30 a.m. Get up and get ready for the day. Have breakfast.
• 9:00 - 1:00 Classes.
• 1:30 Lunch. A big and healthy one. Makes due for the rest of the day. This is a big change for me. In the U.S. I would eat about every 3 hours or 4 times a day. This is supposedly healthy for you, but here in Barcelona, it works for me to have one big meal and then I'm done for the day! I may get hungry later and if so I eat some fruit or nuts.
• 2:00 - 6:00 Check email, check my investments, go to the gym (2-3x a week), visit the city or go on a tour, do homework.
• 6:00 - 10:00 p.m. Monitor the business news and the U.S. stock market. I plan to start doing more visiting and social activities during this time.

Today in class our teacher handed out photos of exotic and weird people and we were supposed to take on the persona of the person in the photo and with our backs to our partner we talked in Spanish describing ourselves to the other person. It was to simulate Internet "chat." For example, I would say in Spanish I am tall, have brown hair, etc. based on the photo we were given. My photo was of a transvestite in a leather outfit. The girl next to me saw my picture and thought it was soooo funny she started to laugh and could not stop. She was laughing so hard she could not control herself! It was so absolutely hilarious. The girl's name is Carlotta and she is Italian. I have not come out to anyone in my class, but have no problem doing so if the question ever comes up. I don't know what Carlotta was thinking was so funny, but it was infectious and fun.

My "partner" was Carl from Sweden. He is so typically Swedish: blonde hair, blue eyes and very handsome. He works at the Swedish embassy in Barcelona. He is 28. We had fun today.

Okay, so what about Sagrada Familia? The school sponsored a tour of the symbol of Barcelona today and I decided to go. We met at the temple/church and were guided by Raul who was so very handsome I had a hard time concentrating on what he said. He was so thoroughly knowledgable of the Sagrada Familia, and it was interesting to hear his explanations both in Spanish and English. His English was good. And his eyes green. His teeth ever so white. His hair black. His beard about 3 days growth. When he looked at me I thought I would fall right into his soul. I tried my best not to stare. He may have been in his late 20's or up to his late 30's but it was hard to tell. He had a smattering of grey hair throughout his head but it must have been premature. Interestingly, I found that I actually understood a lot of what he was saying in Spanish! To me, this is amazing in and of itself.

Where the fuck are the pictures you are saying. I promise I will eventually post pictures. I have purposefully not been carrying my camera around because I did not want to look like the other American tourists who carry their cameras around.

Here's a quick synopsis of what I remember about the Sagrada Familia:

• The temple construction began in 1882 and one year later Antoni Gaudi was appointed the project director. He personally worked on the project over 40 years.
• Gaudi only saw the first of three fascades before he died of an accident. He was run over by a cable car. His plans for the project continue today.
• It could take 35 to 150 years to finish the project, depending on who you ask.
• Two of the three fascades have been built and the third is under construction. Each of the three fascades has (or will have) four towers, each representing the 12 apostles.
• When the project is finished there will be two more towers taller than all the rest in the center of the structure. Those will be of Mary and Jesus. Jesus of course will be the highest tower about twice the height of the apostle's towers.
• The oldest fascade faces East where the sun rises and shines on it. This fascade represents life and is dedicated to the birth of Jesus, and to Mary and Joseph.
• All of the construction is based on Gaudi's appreciation and knowledge of nature which he learned and observed while growing up. The colors (all natural, no paint or colors), the structure (the columns branch out like trees at the tops), the staircases (they spiral like a sea shell), and more, are all representations of nature. On the East fascade there are depictions of the birth of Jesus, the killing of all babies under a certain age by the Romans, Joseph and his carpentership, Mary, and more.
• The West fascade, where the Sun (or Son?) sets (or "dies") is where the last days of Jesus are portrayed. For example, the Last Supper, the Crucifiction, Betrayal, and Ascension are all portrayed here. The columns that support this fascade look like tree trunks and at the same time look like bones, symbolizing death.
• A nearby street called Calle de Antoni Gaudi is the only street in Barcelona that runs North/South. Gaudi believed that energy runs from North to South and so this street runs right into the only "opening" (I don't know quite what that is) in the church, which is to allow the energy to enter it.
• Gaudi was buried in the underground premises below the only functioning chapel in the "under construction" facility. I tried to go see his tomb, but it was closed.

That's what I recall from the tour. I can not attest to the accuracy of it all, so don't sue me if it's incorrect.

We climbed the stairs of the East fascade and it was quite an ascension. From the many portals along the way we could see the entire skyline of the city. At one point I asked Raul what was the tall structure in the distance (the thing that looks like a penis the size of the Empire State Building). His reply was that some people think it is a tribute to the male anatomy, but he let us know it was the building of the water company that supplies water to the city. I forget who the architect was, but I loved his answer, as he looked at me with his white teeth and green eyes.