Submitted by Kylie Cleesattel on the 2013 summer session study abroad program in Salamanca, Spain sponsored by the Department of Foreign Languages and Literatures…
Barcelona surprised me a lot. From what I had heard, I was expecting just one big party town, but there was much more depth to Barcelona than just that. On Saturday morning, we took a trip to Montserrat, which was about an hour bus ride from the center of Barcelona. Montserrat is by far the most beautiful place I have ever been. I was absolutely humbled by the view- it was unlike anything I have ever seen.
Back in Barcelona, we then ventured to the Sagrado Familia, which is the church that Gaudí, a famous Spanish artist, started, but died before finishing. It is still not done because the artist was so well respected that they are following his building plans to the tee. It was a beautiful church, but I have to admit, it was not my favorite one that we have seen so far because of how modern it is- I really enjoy the old Spanish architecture. Something that really surprised me was that the crucifix on the back side of the church depicts Jesus as naked and not covered by a cloth. Our tour guide told us that when this part was revealed, the Spaniards were so offended that they threw eggs and tomatoes at the church. I thought this was incredibly interesting because religion is something that is very sacred to the Spaniards and to deface a famous church is very shocking to me. Overall, Barcelona was full of culture, interesting locals, beautiful views, and rich with information. It was very different from Madrid, but I still feel very blessed that I was able to see it.