Montserrat, Parc Guell, Casa Mila, Barcelona!!!

So its been awhile since I've updated you on my trip... It is definitely not because I did not have anything to update you on. This past weekend, a special someone visited and I played the role of tour guide. It was definitely a full weekend as much walking and sight seeing was involved. Not only did we see Barcelona, but we also went to Montseratt which is about an hour outside of Barcelona and is about a little 3,000 Feet high (you'll see what I mean from the pictures!)

Montseratt was awesome getting in tune with nature and experiencing first hand how people actually carved out mountains and settled down there. In addition, taking the tour of Casa Mila and seeing the roof was incredible. The way he frames certain things and just uses the two courtyards to bring in light to the apartments are very thoughtful. Once again, Guadi amazes me. I always learn something new from his works, no matter how many times I visit them. In all, it was a great weekend and I am exhausted from it, but I am a good exhausted. I am ready for the new week, and soon I will be in Africa, which I would have never in my wildest dreams thought I'd visit. Until then, hope this was entertaining, and definitely stay posted for news on my trip to Africa.

Bilbao and Rioja!

So this was our second field trip and as the title says, it was to Bilbao and Rioja. Our first stop was Bilbao where we walked to the Guggenheim and along the way discussed about other significant architectural gems of Bilbao, such as, the Calatrava Bridge, and also sketched it. We then reached the Guggenheim and sketched that. We then had all day to experience the museum, which was amazing (more amazing than it looks in pictures). Afterwards, I just kept walking around and seeing the small city of Bilbao which was a very interesting and fun place.

As for the next day in Rioja, where we did wine tasting and sketched the places we visited, that was another great adventure. Our first stop was the Winery where Zaha Hadid has an addition. The was cool because the winery still practiced several old ways of making wine. The second stop, was the Winery where Frank Gehry has his hotel addition, which after seeing the Guggenheim was just as breathtaking. This winery practiced both old and new ways of making wine which was interesting to see the two. And the third stop was the Winery designed by Calatrava. This was another amazing sight and also interesting because this winery was all modern.

In all, although the trip was short, the architecture seen, the cities visited, and the memories that I will have from this were invaluable. I hope you enjoy the pictures and appreciate the architecture as much as I did.

Spring Break in Madrid (Toledo, Segovia, & Valle De Los Caidos)

So Spring Break has come and gone... It seems like I had just left for Madrid and am now back. Although I had been to Madrid for my first class field trip, it was nice to go back and see all that Madrid had to offer. In addition, I visited Toledo, Segovia, and Valle De Los Caidos (Valley of the Fallen). It was great to see buildings such as the Madrid Airport Barajas, specifically T4 which is amazing. In addition, Los Torres Kio and Los Cuatro Torres were all an awesome sight to see. In Toledo it was interesting to see such an old city near an advanced city, and in Segovia, The Roman Aqueduct and the Castle where Disney got their inspiration for their castle was another incredible sight.

Although it is quite controversial among Spain, Valle De Los Caidos is something that one must see... It is a memorial/church/cemetery for those fallen during the Spanish Civil War built into a mountain. It is something architecturally amazing. Some other sites I saw were the Palacio Real de Madrid and the Reina Sofia the New Addition. I also caught a rainbow sight which was interesting because the weather wasn't exactly the greatest that day as it was mostly windy and sometimes rainy for most of my stay. In all it was a good break, one that will be remembered.