Barcelona

Barcelona was one of my favorite citues that Ive ever been to. My only regret is that we didnt have two weeks there and one in Madrid. Every building is both pretty and exiting. There is not an ugly building in the whole city. We visited the various buildings that Gaudi designed including the amzing Segrada Familia. Im not a fan of visiting church after church but this church was facinating. The fact that they started construction about 100 years ago, and are still building it is amazing. They say theyre only halve way done with the whole building and its been "under construction" since the early 1900s. You walk into the building and you would think it was built two years ago. The inside is amazingly modern. The pillars of the church were built to look like trees, and the stain glass windows are both elabrate and let in tons of light.

Park Guell, another one of Gaudis masterpieces had a beautifull panaramic view of all Barcelona. Part of the park was built from random pieces of saramic he had found in his basements and junkyards! Finally the beach, I missed the beach so much when I was in Madrid and the mere sight of it made me happy. The water is cold and the beach is huge.

Vallencia and The Valley of the Fallen

I had my last day of school today and on Sunday we are off to Barcelona! After a long first couple of days the rest of the trip has flown by. Yesterday we went to Vallenia after a half day of school. It was amazing. The archetecture and finite deatail that was put into the planning of the city is amazing. You could see how well protected the city was back in the Mediveal times. There is a wall surrounding the entire city and a river the works as a natuural moat.  The fact Christians, Muslims and Jews lived in complete harmony for such a long time is a perfect example of how without the corruption of people telling us what to do and wear and believe, people of different faiths and backrounds can truly live together peacefully.

I cant believe I forgot to mention this in my last post but we went to The Valley of the Fallen. It was constucted just after Franco took power in Spain and it was built as a place where peopel who had died durring the civil war could be burried as Hereos. It is an amazing placve. Basically, is is a church litterally carved into the mountain.You enter in the church and you fell as if you had entered the heart of the mountain. However, it has a bloody history. Franco made the losers of the war build it for him. They were not paid in money, but the ammount of deaths the war caused. One day of work on the church equaled two deaths caused. Im exited for Barcelona and Marbella, I cant wait for the beach! Its been too long since ive been in the water.

Madrid

Ill do a short post because I have to be in class in 10 minutes. Madrid has been awesome. We have visited so many places in just a week. The most famous of them being; The Prado museum, Salamanca, Segovia, Puerta Del Sol, and Plaza España the site of the Spanish revolution in 1808. Thats not even half the places we'have visted in 7 days. Im exhausted. Moreover, dinner isnt until 930 or 10 at nite. Im lucky to get to bed at 12. The family i live with couldnt be nicer. I live with the mother Rosa, and her 18 year old son Dylan.

The only things about madrid that drives me crazy is the heat, and the smoking. Everyone in Europe smokes! Its unbelievable. I was placed in the bigginner level which is fine with me because its still hard. Im learning a ton but four to five hours of classes a day is a little much for me. We have to buy our own luches every day and food here is really expensive. The cheapest luch at a store or restaurant is about 5 euros. Our house is a 30 minute metro ride to school and its 1 euro per trip. I have to go back to class now ill do another post in a couple of days.