Grapes to Gaudi

The past two weeks have been filled with lots of travel and adventures, so I'm going to split them up into two separate posts. After finishing my exams last Wednesday, I started the weekend off with going to see an opera at the Grand Theatre in Bordeaux. The Grand Theatre is kind of like the Kennedy Center of Washington, DC, a beautiful and ornate opera house that you can only go into if you have tickets to a show. I had seen a ballet there earlier in the semester and was eager to return, so a friend and I got tickets to see Le Trouvere, an opera by Verdi. We had bought the cheap student tickets, so we were literally sitting in  an enclosed box with a small window cut-out to see the stage, but it was wonderful nonetheless. I'm always amused by just how dramatic operas are--in no other situation will a dying woman sing about how she's, well, dying.

The next day, the same friend and I had signed up for a student vineyard tour with the office of tourism in Bordeaux. So we boarded a bus and visited two chateaux just a little outside of Bordeaux. The first one we visited, Chateau Courtade-Dubuc, was a charming little vineyard run entirely by a husband and wife. Their property is only 9 hectares, extremely small for a vineyard, but it allows the family to completely control every aspect of the wine production process. The husband took our group on a great tour of the property and explained the whole process that goes into making their wine. As he was explaining their sales and distribution, he emphasized that he likes to know all of his customers and where his wine is going. I was struck by the personal connection he felt with all of his buyers and appreciated how he valued his relationships with all who bought his wine. At the end of the visit, we got to taste two red wines; one "traditionnel" and one aged in an oak barrel. The first was a bit too bitter for my taste (typical of Bordeaux reds) but the one aged in oak had a slightly fruitier taste and a fuller body--my favorite of the two.

Where the magic happens

Bottled and ready for sale

Les vignes!

Then we moved on to our second chateau, Chateau Marsan. It was fascinating to compare the two chateaux, since Marsan was much bigger with a lot more property, shinier facilities, and was clearly much wealthier. Their production and distribution far exceeded Courtade-Dubuc, yet the chateau was also a family business, founded by the grandfather and now managed by a father, an uncle and a grandson. I really liked the family aspect to both of these chateaux and from both of the tours, I got a strong sense of what a personal connection the people here have to their wine, the grapes, and their land. At the end of this tour, we got to taste four different wines: a dry white, a rose, a red and a sweet white. The sweet white was my favorite, and is also a speciality of this region.

All the different types of wine at Chateau Marsan

So many barrels of wine!

Switching gears a little bit, the next day, my friend Alyssa and I left for Barcelona! I had been wanting to visit the city ever since I arrived in France, and we finally found time to go. I absolutely loved the city, an found it full of beautiful colors, a boisterous energy, and lots of dynamic and expressive people. On our first day, we explored the Park Guell, a huge public park designed by Gaudi. We spent the afternoon in the park, exploring hidden nooks and crannies and marveling at the eccentric and colorful architectural features. The park also affords a beautiful panoramic view of the city stretching all the way to the ocean.
The next day, we visited Gaudi's Sagrada Familia church, which was breathtaking. The architecture is amazing, particularly how Gaudi sought to evoke the idea of a forest within the church with the columns. The church is filled with an incredible luminosity which made it a truly magical place; unlike anything I've ever seen before. Later we wandered down Las Ramblas, the central pedestrian avenue in Barcelona, and stopped in at the Boqueria Market, a colorful and vibrant food market with amazing displays of fruits, vegetables, chocolate, spices, meats and cheeses. In the afternoon, we explored the Gothic quarter, full of dark and narrow streets and hidden little churches.

View of the city from Park Guell

One of Gaudi's

Fruits and vegetables at the Boqueria

Gaudi tried to evoke the idea of a forest with the columns as tree trunks with branches and a canopy overhead

The next day we ventured down to the beach and explored the Barceloneta neighborhood. Th
is neighborhood felt like the real Barcelona to me, filled with brightly colored apartment buildings, laundry hung out to dry over balconies, and lots of people out doing their weekly shopping. We enjoyed a delicious lunch at an authentic Spanish restaurant (we were the only tourists there) and spent a while lounging on the beach, which was remarkably clean. In the afternoon, we visited the Park Montjuic and spent a while wandering the grounds and the Catalan art museum that was housed in a beautiful old palace. That night was a huge soccer game between Barcelona and Real Madrid, who are huge rivals. The game ended in a tie which somehow allowed Barcelona to advance in the tournament (I'm not sure of the exact details), and after the game, the city absolutely exploded with celebrations. As we were walking back to our hotel, every single car and moped in the street was honking its horn and people were singing and shouting in the streets, draped in the colors of the Barcelona team. It felt like New Years, but it was really just everyone celebrating a soccer victory. The energy and excitement in the city was palpable, and it was an incredible moment to witness.

National Palace at Montjuic

View of the city from Montjuic

I was sad to leave Barcelona the next day, since the city is so vibrant and exciting. And even though I prefer smaller towns to big cities, I could see myself theoretically living someplace like Barcelona. Even though it's big and there are a lot of people who live there, the air felt clean and clear, and there's so much greenery in the city that makes it feel not quite so industrial. It's definitely going on my list of one of my favorite places that I've been.