So last night I couldn’t get my computer to connect to the wireless access at the hotel.  Thinking that it was a problem with the hotel’s router I packed it up last night and figured I would try it again with Jason before he headed off to the conference.  Well, this morning it still wasn’t working, and what’s worse is it looks like there is something actually wrong with my computer, so I’m not going to be able to get it fixed until I get home.  Luckily there is an Internet café right around the corner.

The problem was I needed to send my group members from school the paper that I wrote and was due today.  I sent them the presentation yesterday, but they still needed the paper.  So I was freaked out and didn’t know what I was going to do.  Jason and I had words because I ticked off that he couldn’t get my computer working and he just gets upset when I am.  So anyway, he leaves for the conference and I go upstairs and put my paper on my thumb drive to go to the Internet café.  When I get there its still closed since its only 8 in the morning.  So I went back to the hotel and went back to bed.

When I got up at noon it was a brand new day.  I got my gear and stopped at the Internet café for 30 min., e-mailed out my paper, and then got on the metro.  Today I was going to see Gaudi’s Sagrada Familia.  So I hop on the metro and I’m on my way.  I had to make a transfer and boy, which was a long transfer.  I had to walk around in this huge square just to get to the next metro station.  Once I got on it was only a few stops down the line.  I get off the metro and when I get to street level I see this sign that says that the Sagrada was 55m ahead. Being a dumb American I had no idea if that was close or not.  Then a cleared the corner of the building on the corner, and there it was.  It was so big, and it was really beautiful.  I know a lot of people think its ugly, but I think it is really interesting.  I sat in a park across the street from the “back” side of the church.  Most pictures I’ve seen are of the other side, so I’m guessing that’s the front.

I didn’t pay the 11 Euro to go in, I figured I’d wait and see if Jason wants to do that on Friday.  My first impression of the place was that it was huge.  It took my breath away, but it didn’t look as orange or redish as it does in photographs.  I’m guessing that’s just the way it looks at certain times of the day with the light hitting it just right.  I walked around to the “front” and that was even more spectacular.  It looks like someone frosted a giant cake.

I walked down the Avingude de Gaudi’ toward the Hospital de la Santa Creu I Sant Pau.  I had lunch at Pans and Company – the equivalent of fast food here in Barcelona.  I didn’t think a hospital would be any big deal, but this one is gorgeous.  It’s still a functional facility today.  The grounds are laid out at a 45 degree angle to the surrounding neighborhood and there is something like 23 total wards, each housed in a separate building.  The mosaic tile work and stained glass windows are wonderful. 

After walking around the hospital grounds I decided I was going to head to the Parc Guell, but thought better of it when the guide book said that it was a 15 min walk from the closest metro and only one city bus stopped anywhere close.  It said wait for the Bus Touristic, which we’re doing on Friday.  So then I walked down the Travessera de Gracia. On the map it didn’t look like it was that far, but it must have taken me about an hour or so to make it from the Hospital to the metro I was looking for.  In the process it looked like I walked through a pretty quiet, residential part of town.  I’m guessing they don’t see many tourists on their streets. I finally made it to the metro and was never so happy.  It took me forever.