Let's make this my Travel Blog

It has been 5 months since I left Barcelona and I'm itching to travel again. My summer lacked travel due to my recent arrival back in the U.S., my 3 classes, and the removal of my tonsils. So here I am in D.C. waiting patiently for this year to be over so I can run around this planet of ours. Current plans include Panama both during spring break and during the early stages of the summer, possibly Malta sometime during June or July, and Helsinki, Finland in August with Spirit of Place.
Luckily, I don't have to wait until Spring Break to travel. A friend and I are going to Burlington Vermont this winter to get in a little quality time with the slopes and our boards.
But to occupy my time until then I've been busting my butt in studio and going to a few concerts (Disco Biscuits and Dark Star Orchestra). I'm just looking forward to the time after this year.

This Is For Cece

This is our analysis of La Rambla del Raval.
Group: Chris Corneal, Chris Gordon, Adrian Negron, Teresa Taylor

Architectural Disneyland!

On Friday, April 17th, we went on an extra credit sketching walk. We walked La Rambla de Poble Nou and through some parts of Barcelona we never knew existed. We saw many new structures as well as many old ones.
The photos explain it better than I ever could.This day was an excellent adventure.

HAIL!!

Last week it hailed. HAILED!!!
Here are evidential photos...


I was scared to leave the apartment.

Roma para Semana Santa!

For Easter, I decided to visit Rome. Not only was there free lodging with friends studying abroad, but why not go chill with the Pope for Easter. Getting there was quite the adventure, but once we were there, all the stress was lifted. We had nothing to do but enjoy ourselves. Lauren was nice enough to let us stay in her apartment, which is located in Campo de Fiore. Although the area is quite touristy, it was nice to see the campo transform into a temporary market every morning and to see the locals enjoying meals at the outdoor cafes.
The first evening in Rome, Dave Pilkenton took Kaety and I to Piazza Navona before going to the Old Bear for dinner. We then visited Dave's apartment. It was nice to see Jon and Alex.
The next day, Kaety disappeared quite early to see the Vatican, the Sistine Chapel, and all of the Piazza del San Pietro. Dave and I took a nice long walk down to the Tiber, past the Colosseum and Roman Forum, and the Pantheon. We enjoyed some natural gelato and had the most delicious pizza in the area. That night Dave cooked a wonderful meal of pasta and eggplant for us.
On Saturday, I spent the morning sketching and relaxing in the campo. I did a little shopping as well. Lauren and I had lunch with Matt and Pat at Magnolia, while watching the futbol game. That night I cooked my grandmother's secret meatball recipe and pasta for Kaety, Lauren and Dave.
Sunday morning, we startd early and walked over to the Vatican with Pat and Matt at 7:30am. We had tickets for the mass and wanted to make sure we got a decent seat, which we certainly did. The mass, despite the fact that it was very chilly, was beautiful and it was so nice to have mass with the Pope again. Between groups of asians getting communion 3 times, an Italian man on his cell phone all throughout the mass, and a couple passing their 5-year-old daughter over 2 rows of chairs several times to some family members, we definitely had an interesting experience. The rest of Easter was spent warming up in the apartment, napping, and watching "Funny Face" with Audrey Hepburn. For a goodbye Easter dinner, we went back to the Old Bear and had a relaxing meal.
Kaety and I left separately the next day and it was definitely a long travel day. But visiting Rome was a great last trip for me. I really enjoyed seeing everyone studying there and talking about what we liked and didn't like about our programs. It was a nice change for the weekend.

Hey! I'm in Fes!

Africa. Not what I expected. Then again, we were in the northern-most country of Africa, therefore, the weather and landscape was much like southern Spain. Don't get me wrong, I thoroughly enjoyed Fes, but it was nothing like I expected. Morocco is an Islamic country. French and Arabic are the major languages, but many people speak English. Fes is very dry and sandy, but unfortunately it rained most of the time that we were there.
We arrived to the tiny Fes airport and waited in the longest customs line I'd ever been in. We then took vans to the riad - Dar al Andalous. This is where we'd be staying for the week. The riad was the equivalent of a mansion. Huge, highly decorated, and gorgeous. Our room was enormous and had a jacuzzi tub and everything. We were living in luxury. That first night, we had a 5-course dinner and apparently ate pigeon - who knew! Needless to say, we went to sleep delighted.
The next morning, we ventured out with our guide - Momo. We saw the Bab Bou Jeloud Gate, a medersa, the Kiad Alkantara, a mosoleum, and we also visited a traditional textile weavers factory and a traditional Berber pharmacy. At the pharmacy, we were given a demonstration and sample of 10 different products. All of the pharmaceuticals are natural herbs and oils.
The second day, we went to another Riad - the Riad Mokri, which actually was a 20th century Ksar Palace. We visited the Medersa Sherratine and the Nejjarine Fondouq, the tannery.
The third day, we went to a nearby town called Meknes. Although it was pouring all day, we saw the imperial gate, the reservoir and royal horse stables, and the Mausoleum of Moulay Ishmael. We then visited the El-Hidm Square Market and the Bab Mansour (the main gate of the city).
The fourth day, we saw a ceramics factory. All of the processes of making ceramics were explained. It was very interesting too see.
I think my pictures speak louder than my words. Enjoy.

Bilbao and 3 Wineries of Rioja

Day 1
Early departure and arrival in Bilbao. For the first few hours in Bilbao, we took a walking tour along the river. We saw a sculpture by Eduardo Chillida, a basque sculptor and the bridge by Santiago Calatrava. The structure underneath the bridge looks like a spine.
We then took the long way around to get the most picturesque view of the Guggenheim. From a block away, the Guggenheim seems mediocre at best, like a small, metal sculpture in the distance. But as you approach the museum, it seems to grow. Even when you are directly in front of it, it continues to grow and tower above you. The interior and exterior mimic the movement of fish and dances around you.
The exhibits inside were exceptional and very modern. One of the permanent installations by Richard Serra, "The Matter of Time" (2005), was a constant exploration and that is where i spent most of my time. The rest of the day was spent exploring and enjoying each others' company.

Day 2
We begin our wine-tasting journey with a bus ride through the countryside. The first winery was the oldest of the three and uses all traditional methods and machinery for wine-making. The tasting pavilion was designed by Zaha Hadid and was very interesting in form.
The second winery was very fancy and included a high class hotel designed by Frank Gehry. The hotel looks like pouring wine with white and purple titanium representative of that.
The third and final winery was a pristine structure by Santiago Calatrava. The building felt like a museum rather than a winery. But the structure is very impressive.

Overall, the trip was a success. We saw some great works of architecture and spent some quality time with each other.

Trip Playlist:
March 12th - The Wanting Comes in Waves / Repaid, The Decemberists
March 13th - Salty Eyes, The Matches
March 14th - In the Backseat, The Arcade Fire

Spring Break: London and Madrid

Upon arriving in London, my immediate gratification was the fact that everyone spoke English. What a change of pace. Everything is so much easier in English. I don't have to spend extra time trying to figure out what people are saying.
London is gorgeous. Plain and simple. And the history of the city follows you to every extent. While waiting for Steve to arrive, I took a somewhat informed derive, only heading in the direction of the Paddington train station. I found a gorgeous little church - St. James of Paddington - and sat in the garden across the street to sketch it. I know, I'm a dork. But it was so pretty and simple, yet ornate. And even though it was locked, I didn't mind. I like not knowing what the inside looks like; I like the mystery.
I also took a stroll into Kensington Gardens and saw the Peter Pan statue, because I dont ever want to grow up.

That night, after catching up with Steve and checking into our unique little hostel, we took the ultimate tour by walking along the Thames. We saw Big Ben and the London Eye, ate at an "all-you-can-eat" chinese place, passed the Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge, and walked all the way down to the Tower of London Bridge, which we crossed and enjoyed the gorgeous view of the city lights on the Thames. The rest of the trip included Fleet Street, St. Paul's, Covent Garden, Elana Tenenbaum, the National Gallery and the National Portrait Gallery, the Natural History Museum, King's Cross Station, St. Pancras Station, the Tate Modern, Costa (HUGE coffees) and much more. Here are some photos of the Highlights!


London Playlist:
Feb. 28th - Journey from A to B, Badly Drawn Boy
March 1st - Chasing Pavements, Adele
March 2nd - Judy Is A Punk, The Ramones
March 3rd - Mardy Bum, Arctic Monkeys
March 4th - Albion, Babyshambles

I loved every second of London. As for Madrid, I had a relaxing trip, catching up with friends and exploring the city. Pablo took us up to a castle, which was really cool.

Construction Tour of the Sagrada Familia

What an amazing day. We got the best tour of the Sagrada Familia available. We climbed up into the scaffolding and got the best views of the parts of the church that are still under construction. Here are a few photos.

Andalusian Adventure

Day 1 (02.07.2009): Barcelona -> Madrid
Although I was sick while in Madrid, we did get to go to the Prado Museum and see a painting by Valasquez that was very intriguing. It brings the question of optic versus actual center into view.

Today I went to the hospital :(
Song of the Day: Saturday As Usual, Bright Eyes





Day 2 (02.08.2009): Madrid
Today I slept... all day....
Song of the Day: Grace Cathedral Hill, Decemberists

Day 3 (02.09.2009): Madrid -> Cordoba
When driving into Cordoba, the initial view of the Puente Romana, the Mezquita, and the ancient city skyline was breathtaking. As the sun went down, it was a thousand times magnified. Tonight, since there isn't a whole lot to do in the city, we went to Hamman, Banos Arabes - the Arabic Bath House that has been fully restored. It was a very new and different experience, but extremely relaxing as well. Within the city, the light and the lack of night life gives you the feeling that you are on an abandoned movie set. As we walked through the streets, following our interests (a chosen derive, if you will), we felt more and more lost and alone, but it wasn't uncomfortable. We just followed the beauty of history.
Song of the Day: Brand New Day, Sting


Day 4 (02.10.2009): Cordoba -> Granada
The highlight of Cordoba is the Mezquita (finished in 1000, formerly a mosque, later consecrated as a Catholic church). While walking through the enormous peristyle hall, completely lacking human scale, I almost felt as if I had fallen down the rabbit hall and might never find my way out. The monotony of the double-arched columns is broken only my the main altar of the central chapel. The white and gold domes tower above and hug the space. The low temperature discourages long visits, but it is worth the price of a pair of gloves to spend some extra time wandering through the halls and into the courtyard.

We arrive in Granada and immediately wander the city. A few of us took another chosen derive to our meeting spot through the hills of the Jewish quarter, the oldest part of Granada. We ended up halfway up the mountain at a lookout, overlooking the valley and onto the Alhambra. We then sketched a vignette of the Alhambra at sunset which was a very worthwhile experience. Not only could we see the whole city, we also experienced the extreme beauty of the Alhambra, Granada, and the Sierra Navada mountains. After the sun went down, we went to a Teteria for tea. I ordered the Te Nazari, which is a local tea. It was delicious. The environment within the teteria was in a Moroccan style - low lighting, small highly-decorated tables, candles, and tapestries.
Song of the Day: Strange and Beautiful (I'll Put a Spell on You), Aqualung

Day 5 (02.11.2009): Granada
Today, we started early and hiked up the mountain to the Alhambra. The experience of the walk up definitely added to the appreciation we had for the beauty and history of the Alhambra and Generalife. The city is very well preserved and most of it is in the intricate Arabic style. The palaces include a series of c ourtyards and gardens that add a certain element of relaxation to the walk through the sites. We visited the Nazrid Palace and the Palacio del Alcazaba; the two were very different from each other. The Nazrid Palace was very ornate; every wall, ever tile was highly decorative and very beautiful. The Alcazaba, however, was the military palace, and therefore very plain and massive. The intricacy of the Barrio of the soldiers, however, inspired me - there is a complete lack of grid system and made me wonder how it was designed. We then visited the Generalife, which was the summer palace and gardens of Isabella and Ferdinand.

That afternoon, we visited with the Archbishop of Granada, Javier Martinez, whom my parents happened to have met and befriended while in Rome in the fall. He gave us an insider view of one of the only remaining truly Renaissance courtyards left in Spain. We then got a tour of the Cathedral of Granada in which he poured out his knowledge of the history of Granada, Spanish art, and the Royal Family. He enthusiastically shared everything he knew and showered us with gifts. We gained a lot by having him guide us through the history of Granada.
Song of the Day: Naming of Things, Andrew Bird

Day 6 (02.12.2009): Granada -> Seville
Upon arriving in Seville, we visited the Cathedral of Seville. The main altar of the cathedral is made of 2.5 tons of gold from Mexico and Peru and took 35 years to build. We were able to climb La Giralda, the main tower of the cathedral. The views from the tower were sensational. We then went to the university where we received an in-depth lecture on the history of southern Spain from Professor Antonio Gamiz Gordo. He did his thesis on the Alhambra and was a very good source for the history of the development of architecture during regime changes and different time periods.
That night, we were lucky enough to go to a private dinner party where traditional flamenco was played/danced and we were served delicious food. The restaraunt, after our dinner, brought in a comedian - Larry - who was hilarious... even though he spoke entirely in spanish.
Song of the Day: Kill, Jimmy Eat World

Day 7 (02.13.2009): Seville
Today, we got an in-depth tour of Seville from Patricia Macdougall - a friend of CUA and a fellow architect. She led us through the major sites of Seville and gave us more information than we could have asked for. We then visited the Alcazar, the former and current palace for the Royal Family. We focused on the gardens and the use of water in Islamic archtiecture. There was so much to see within the complex.
With a free evening, we walked down along the river (Rio Guadalquivir) to the Calatrava bridge (El Alamillo bridge). Although I wasn't a fan of the bridge at first, I was stunned as I walked across the bridge; the views you get of the cable connections to the main support of the bridge are very interesting.
Song of the Day: Instinct Blues, White Stripes

Day 8 (02.14.2009): Seville -> Merida
Happy Valentine's Day!
We arrived in Merida and almost immediately began to visit sites. We did what Sophia would call the Roman Circuit of the ruins to understand Merida's history as a Roman city. We started at the Teatro Romano, then to the old Roman Forum. We then made our way down the street to the Templo de Diana which also had a Renaissance-style palace built into it. We then stopped in Placa Espana for a cafe con leche and a sketching break. We then made our way to the Arco Romano de Triunfo which is literally only the arch; the wall around it is completely gone. We ended the circuit at the Museo Nacional de Arte Romano, a Moneo museum which displays Roman art and artifacts and includes an entire crypt of Roman ruins. The muesum, although very simple, was perfect and complex enough to display the art in the best possible way. I loved the time I spent there.
After a "romantic" tapas dinner with Christi, Alex, and Jenna, we all made our way down to the river to see the Roman Aquaducts (Acueducto de los Milagros). Although they were obviously in ruins, you could see the complexity of the structure and just imagine the advancement of the times that this brought to Merida. The night ended at the Calatrava bridge (the Lusitania Bridge).
Song of the Day: Everything is Everything, Lauryn Hill


Day 9 (02.15.2009): Merida -> Madrid -> Barcelona
A long day of travel.
Finally home.
Song of the Day: Paris Sunset #7, Ben Harper