Notes from Spain

Notes from Spain
By Karen Marcotte

On May 28, we left Madrid to head to Barcelona. We were on the AVE train – Alta Velocidad Espanola. This train cruises at 180 miles per hour and you do not even realize you are moving. It comes complete with movies to watch although most of us took advantage of the comfortable seats and smooth ride to nap a bit. We have been going strong for ten days and needed a little down time. The trip, however, was short – only three hours and that included several stops along the way.

We arrived in Barcelona and went straight to our hotel which was in a quiet neighborhood but very close to a subway stop. We settled in and had dinner at the hotel. Gary, our great guide, took us on a late and quick trip to Las Ramblas, the major boulevard of Barcelona. Anything and everything can be seen here – bird sellers, flowers stalls, news stands, restaurants and the ever present street performers. One person was even attired as a tree !

The next day we began our official tour of this Mediterranean port city. We began at Parque Guell which was built by Barcelona’s outstanding architect, Antoni Gaudi. This artist’s works must be seen to be truly appreciated and understood. The Parque contains a huge flat area surrounded by one continuous park bench. Colors and shapes from nature predominate as the décor of the bench. Throughout the park, man-made substances such as concrete are formed into natural shapes such as trees and even a cave like area complete with stalactites on the ceiling. The real surprise is underneath the flat area where 84 pillars support the area providing a cool space for a market. These columns also collect rainwater to be used to irrigate the park in this dry corner of Spain. Multiple houses designed by Gaudi in his distinctive style are in this area as well. Works by Gaudi are ever present in Barcelona. As we continued our drive in this lovely city we were exposed to Gaudi works on almost every corner. They are unique and easily spied. Our next stop was at the Gaudi masterpiece of Sagrada Familia, the church of the Holy Family. This work is estimated to require 200 years to complete. They are hoping to have the first Mass by 2010 but work will still be continuing for several more decades to achieve completion. This artistic endeavor combines the religion of the past with the beliefs of the present and contains a forecast of the future. It is a remarkable work that is best viewed from a distance and then seen close up with the assistance of a guide. There is so much to this church. I think I would like to return in several years to check on the progress.

We continued to the top of Montjuic one of the large hills overlooking Barcelona and site of the 1992 Olympics. It was intriguing to see how the Olympic buildings have been put to use for sport and educational facilities. The view from here is gorgeous even though the side facing the Mediterranean was closed off to due to repairs. As we headed back down, we passed the harbor where eight cruise ships were docked. Among them was the Queen Elizabeth II. Barcelona has become a major cruise ship port of call. The rest of our day was spent in free time enjoying the many old and new parts of Barcelona.

The last day of our trip was totally free time. By this time, all of us are comfortable in Spain and feel we can strike out on our own. Students were still trying their Spanish language skills which is difficult in Barcelona since they speak Catalan. Some students went to the beach and I forgot to remind them that in Europe many women go topless at the beach. They let me let know that upon their return! The adults struck out for the Picasso Museum, the Dali exhibit and the Barcelona Cathedral which is a middle ages Gothic work. (I will need to do more research on Picasso and Dali as well as Gaudi!) Last minute shopping was done at the El Corte Ingles department store. The group opted to all meet for dinner at the hotel on our last night and we celebrated good food, great company and a wonderful country whose roots go deep in San Antonio. We are all anxious to return to Espana. I know that I will not wait another 27 years !!


PAC can be proud of the students on this Study Abroad program. We had no major problems thanks to our students and their commitment to this program. They were wonderful ambassadors of our college, the District, our city and our country. They were courteous, helpful to everyone around them and followed the rules of the road. I am very proud to be their teacher. My highest compliment is that I would travel with them again in a heartbeat. And I’ll be doing so in May, 2009. Several of the Spain students are planning to go on the Holocaust tour to Berlin and Munich, Germany; Krakow and Warsaw in Poland and Prague in the Czech Republic. I look forward to another great adventure as PAC continues its leadership in Study Abroad Programs!