You might enjoy reading the essay entitled Vuelva Usted ma�ana written by a respected Spanish writer of the 19th century, Mariano Jos� de Larra. I am planning on reading this essay with my students at the beginning of the semester, as we begin to approach 20th century Spanish literary themes.
Posts: 146 | Location: New York City | Registered: 29 June 2001
Yeah me too, I've been there a lot of times, both in winter and summer. Those that say they were dissapointed did'nt open their eyes & pay attention to what it is all about, what it means, why it's there, the story of the place, the history, art, etc. They miss the point of it all, and don't understand or get in tune with the essence of the place. I know it well, I have felt it there many times, you have to experience a certain something in PARC G�ELL. Some say it is the spirit of the great Maestro, wondering around in there. It is a place that means many things to many people.
It's a fun place and also a place of more serious contemplation, a place that has meditative qualities, a place of Romance, many a proposal of marriage has been made in PARC G�ELL over the decades that it has been sitting there, it is a place of sweet memories for many a young couple, a family place for weekend picnics with the Kid's, or simply for a stroll for those with things on their minds, and need a walk to clear their heads of worries. You go in there, and forget about it all for a couple of hours, have a Cafe or two, think about Gaudi, and what his life must have been like a hundred or so years ago when the plans for a grand new suburban Garden estate were revealed. If you haven't read about it all, please try to get the book/s and I'm sure that the next time you go there, you too will feel it, you will see something more than just trees & stones.
I will be going there again in a week or so, and will get together with the essence of the Park & go up to the top to see the "Tres Cruces" three crosses, which are a very significant feature there, and have great meaning, at least to those who can appriciate it.
It's like that when I go up to Montserrat for a day, there's a special feeling up there, that is difficult to describe, you really have to experience it for yourself. I've been up there a lot in recent years, and If you've never been up there, I strongly recommend you take a day to visit Montserrat the next time you are in Barcelona, it makes a great day out, lot's of fun, good food, excelent shops, very nice gifts & souvenirs & highly Interesting too for those who have faith. The views are Awesome, great for some photography, & the ride up on the Cable car "Teleferico" is quite Staggering, even the geology & ecology of the the Mountain is quite fascinanting, even if you are only remotely interested in that kind of thing, you would notice the amazing looking shapes and the composition of the mountain, it's very distinctive & immediately recognisable features, even from many kilometros away. I've got fairly good Pics from there as well, although over the last 3 years, they have been Radically restructuring the the entrance to the complex, with a lot of heavy construction going on in preparation for a new Rack Railway coming up from far down below from the Re-vamped Monistrol station, and the works that I have been monitoring the progress of over the last 3 years have been Massive, it's a Huge project, and very disturbing to the Original Looks/features of the what I suppose you could call the "front door" of the Moutain, where the Cable car station is located, but it is still worth a visit, even with all that going on.
Let me know if you would like any Pics of either PARC G�ELL or Montserrat, and I'll "e" some over to you gladly.
Saludos a todos
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Posts: 696 | Location: Santander | Registered: 11 August 2003
Heres an update on the New Rack Railway at Montserrat. The Rack Railway is now open to the public and fully functioning Brilliantly.
I have just returned from Catalunya, and had a day at Montserrat, and I travelled from Plaza de Espa�a in Barcelona on the R5 to Manresa as usual, then had to change at the new Monistrol station, onto the new Rack Railway, which is called "El cremallera".
It is much better than I Imagined it would be, quite literally fantastic, very very Impressive, and highly recommended.
I strongly recommend you take a day to visit Montserrat the next time you are in Barcelona, it makes a great day out, lot's of fun, good food, excelent shops, very nice gifts & souvenirs & highly Interesting too for those who have faith.
Well, I was just wondering...I mean, if you had to travel to some monastery/monument etc. on two trains in the UK you'd have to have a lot of faith in the railway companies!
The word "Montserrat" means literally "Serrated Mountain" and as you say, it is used to refer to the monastary, but it is not just a monastary, there is also the Basilica, the museum, and a whole lot of very long and Interesting history going back over a thousand years or more, of inhabitants there, and is an extremely fundamental part of all Catalan history from the earliest settlements in that part of the Peninsula. It is also a place of other interests and activities, such as Archeology, Geology, Geography, wildlife, etc and has been a major political, religeous & Cultural part of the lives of many people from Catalunya to Valencia for centuries, and so you see it's not just a monastary as such, but many things to/for many people.
People go there to study rock samples, the place is an absolute gold mine of minerals of every kind, some areas are packed full of huge chunks of Marble, Onyx, Quartz, and every kind of stone imaginable. It attracts serious rock climbers from all over the world, Ecologists, etc.
Or it is a place for the family to go & have a few hours of fun larking around on any of the public walking areas, riding on the near vertical funicular railway, there are lots of diferent things for people of all ages to do up there, and many serious Photographers spend a lot of time up there, trying out new equipment, school parties go up there to take photos, artists to paint & draw, or for some people just to have lunch. So it's not just a religious thing up there, but that is there as well of course, for those who, like I said " have faith" and appreciate that sort of thing.
But really, you should not be put of by the fact that there is a monastary there, or the fact that it has got one of the most fabulous Basilicas, or that it has a world famous Choir that millions of people from all over the world travel to see. Instead, go there and see for yourself, you will have a surprisingly good day out, there is a very good restaurant & Cafeteria/Bar, and the museum is really something.
You don't have to go there for religious purposes, and many don't, far from it in fact, I see many smokers & drinkers up there, who could not give a monkeys for any of it, they are just up there for a day off, to eat, drink & smoke, so don't concern yourself with the religious side of things, just go and enjoy.
Posts: 696 | Location: Santander | Registered: 11 August 2003
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