The Adventures Of...: 2010

Sunday, June 6, 2010

Budapest, Barcelona, and Balenthia (a.k.a. Valencia)

So -- I got really behind with this blog thing! Here are some recap pictures of Budapest (pronounced Budapesht), Barcelona (locally pronounced Barthelona), and Valencia (locally pronounced Balenthia)!

BUDAPEST!!!

Airport with new (fake) bag and awesome purple sunglasses!

View from top of Gellert Hill. With a rainbow!

View of the city from Gellert Hill.

On one of the bridges -- with Ironhide! He got to go to Budapest.

1 of Budapest's 8 bridges that span the Danube. Budapest was originally two cities, Buda and Pest, divided by the Danube that then joined to become a single city. Pest is on the left, Buda is on the right.

Erm . . . Parliament, I think?

Really cool teahouse -- it's like a treehouse on the inside with all different levels that you have to climb ladders to get to.

7-hour delay for our flight out of Budapest . . .

BARCELONA!!!

Saw some Roman tombs . . . in the middle of the city . . . go figure . . .

Awesome graffiti!

Cathedral -- Santa Maria? Not sure . . .

government building

Gargoyles!

This church has been under construction since around 1298!

VALENCIA!!!

View from Laura's family's apartment.

Colleen and me on the docks!

So many people were taking their wedding photos on the docks -- it was beautiful!

ME!

Gorgeous sunset over the ports in Valencia.

Laura, Colleen, and me!

This building was lit from below by lights that changed color -- it was so cool!

science museum

Wednesday, May 26, 2010

Tapas and Hardrock

Yesterday: class. shopping. Hard Rock. Class. Tapas!

My Hard Rock burger! I know, I know . . . American food in Barcelona . . . but I wanted a burger!

Hard Rock

Best soda anywhere in the world: Europe Orange Fanta!

Cheers to girls' night at Talle de Tapas!

Juliana's octopus

My prawns

Juliana's Norwegian marinated salmon

table full of tapas

Molly tried Juliana's salmon . . .

And really didn't like it . . .

Love from Spain!

Tuesday, May 25, 2010

Park Guell & La Sagrada Familia

Yesterday was another exploration day! Started with Park Guell, designed by Antonio Gaudi -- it's really awesome. He didn't do any leveling or grading and worked completely with the surrounding environment. It's also almost completely covered in mosaic.

The view when you first enter Park Guell.

Me again.

Ceiling -- there are colorful mosaics scattered in with all of the traditional cream tiling.

Tunnel. I have no clue how they managed to create all these archways . . .

Random headless performer . . .

View of entrance to Park Guell.

Me! Be sure to notice the awesome red twisted glass necklace I bought at a street market -- it's a snake.

View from Park Guell! That's La Sagrada Familia on the left.

Highest point at Park Guell.

Lizard Guard

Gelato by La Sagrada Familia!

We didn't actually go in today -- we were exhausted from the walk to and around and from Park Guell. Save Sagrada for another day . . .

More adventures to come!

Sunday, May 23, 2010

Rose Garden, Beach, and Wandering

These first few are from a couple days ago -- I've started slacking off the with blog!

That day we meandered through the most incredible rose garden ever -- the air was just full with smells of more varieties of roses than I thought existed . . . It was beautiful! Then I got yelled at for taking pictures of a military establishment . . . Oops! hehe

Beautiful green parrots that fly around Barcelona.

Entry to the rose garden by the University!

This is a military compound by the University. I got yelled at by a man with an AR for taking these pictures . . . Oops! :)

THE BEACH. WE FOUND IT! And we found a few topless people . . .

Now for today! 5-24-2010

Molly and I decided to explore the city! So we walked around for 4 hours and did just that . . .

Found cool fountains, a gorgeous museum, fantastic crepes, haggled with street vendors for good deals, and walked along the beach. A fantastic Barcelona afternoon!