Sit me down, shut me up

Barcelona was incredible. Wish I'd had more time to spend there.

After I got in from Zaragoza I got a map from the tourist office in the station, but I couldn't figure out how it corresponded to the metro plan, so I decided to just walk to my hostel. Oh, it was hot. After five minutes I had to stop and change my shoes for my sandals. I found the Avignue de Parallel, and then Carrer Nou de la Rambla, where my hostel was. After I got settled I went to Decathlon, the big sports and camping store on La Rambla to get the rest of the stuff I needed for Briançon. Got back to the hostel and went to dinner with Debra, an English girl, and Alice and Stephanie, two Canadians.

Next day I spent the morning doing laundry and going back to Decathlon for a few things I'd forgotten. After lunch I took the metro to Barcelona's most important site, La Sagrada Familia. And I was struck dumb. It's a funny feeling to know that the building before you is without a doubt the single most beautiful church in the world, that no other cathedral, anywhere, will equal it. And it won't even be finished for another seventeen years! Having seen the outside façades, I paid the fee to see the interior, and it was astonishing. The hyperboloid forms of circles grouped together at key structural points let in a maximum amount of sunlight without sacrificing any architectural integrity, and it's probably these nature-inspired forms that makes the church look as if it wasn't wrought by human hands, but rather grew on the spot by itself, or was originally one giant piece of stone that was shaped by a divine will. It makes the National Cathedral look like a high school art project that was thrown together at one in the morning! It makes Notre Dame look like the Parisians bought it at Ikea!

From there I walked along the waterfront at sunset, had dinner, and hung out with Alice and Stephanie and two Welsh guys on the roof of the hostel. Then I went back to La Sagrada Familia for night shots. Kinda disappointed with the result, since it was just spotlit from the outside, but then I realized that they probably haven't wired the inside yet.

Went back to the hostel, maybe to go to bed. And that's where things got cool.

I went into the common room and met the Welsh guys from before. We planned to go take a walk and maybe go to a bar, but they claimed they need more time at the hostel to drink; apparently some people need to be drunk to actually walk anywhere, I've never understood that. So while I waited for them I chatted with two Swedish girls, Evelyn and Lydia. They were getting ready to go to a club, and, impatient with the Welsh guys, I asked if I could come with them. They said sure, and Evelyn even called ahead to get me on the list so I could get in for free.

We walked to Club Blvd, one of the biggest clubs in the city. We got in, got drinks, and chatted some more before checking out the dance floors. There were three of them, one playing techno, one American eighties music, and one salsa. the second one had an impressive light show going, with green and red lasers everywhere. The girls knew more of the songs than I did. We danced until about three thirty and then went back to the hostel.

Didn't want to risk sleeping through my alarm like I had in Madrid, so I got my stuff packed immediately and went down to the common room to nap on the couch. I was woken up by the sound of people coming down for breakfast. Grabbed two bowls of cereal and then headed out for the train station.

Spent the train ride in a half-awake stupor, and went to bed early last night. Now I'm in Nice and it's already 11:30. Must actually get out and do something instead of blogging about stuff I already did.