In Search of Floating Cities
After recovering from that dreaded food poisoning, I'm now finally back to normal speed. Which only means one thing:
Back to exploring Barcelona.
But this time, no more lounging around cafes or sipping on vino. Oh no. This time, we're going to explore new heights. And when I say heights, I mean that hill over there, tucked beneath the clouds - the floating city - almost 250 metres tall, overlooking the entire Catalan region. (Of course, it's not really a city anymore, more an abandoned military site, but it's definitely a land mass of some sort that appears to be floating high above our heads!)
I was about to ask you to come, but that look on your face says it all. You really don't like hiking, huh? Well how about I give you a short spiel first, see if it's up your alley, before you make up your mind?
So here it goes...
I'm going to a lookout point hardly anyone knows about. It's on top of Rovira's Hill, but the locals call it the Bunkers del Carmel, or more simply, the Bunkers. They say it was a military base back in the Spanish Civil War and was dismantled just recently in the 90s. Then a few years back, a film crew decided to shoot their famous promo here, showing breathtaking views of Barcelona. Ever since, small pockets of people have been coming here, bringing their picnic baskets and bottles of beer, and watching the sunset with a group of mates.
And the best part is, it's located right next to our apartment. It's only a forty minute walk! I swear I'm not joking. And if it takes longer, then you have my permission to return to the heart of civilisation and grab yourself a good, hearty drink.
Agreed?
Ok, let's go!
We wake up early Sunday morning, hours before the locals have a chance to recover from partying the day before (and boy, do they party hard!). After getting into our basic hiking gear, we set off in search of the Bunkers. As we keep walking, we notice the ground starts to rise on a sharp incline, to the point where we are puffing and panting. Occasionally, we pass the odd person coming the opposite direction. They give us a nod of the head, as if to indicate our exhaustion, before passing us by.
The path becomes narrower as we head up the slope, until it becomes nothing more than a dirt track funnelling its way through the grass. Some students have weaved paper chains along the bushes, turning our path into some kind of entrance to a fairy realm.
Eventually, the bushes clear away, so that we're surrounded by the blue sky stretching in all directions. I'm not a fan of heights, so it takes some time for you to convince me to look down. But when I finally do, I let out a small breath.
The houses look tiny from up here! Almost like miniature models. One of them is our apartment. Not sure which one, but I'll pretend it's tiny dot next to the regal Hospital de Sant Pau, whose dome can still be seen halfway up the hill.
Twenty minutes later, we make it to the Bunkers lookout point. Some kids are sitting on the tallest slope, their feet swinging in the morning air. They're eating baguettes and baskets of fruit.
Finding a seat, we pull out our own little picnic and look out onto the landscape. I feel as if we're perched on top of a floating city, with a sweeping, panoramic view of Barcelona and the land that stretches beyond. No wonder they decided to shoot a movie promo up here!!
The buildings are spread across the landscape in large pockets, and at the centre of it all lies the crown jewel: the Sagrada Familia.
We were fortunate enough to make a visit last night, when the crowds had mostly dispersed for dinner. The interior was absolutely breathtaking, with the supporting pillars shaped like tree branches and the stained glass windows letting in colourful patches of light. Over a hundred years to build, can you believe it, and still ten years before completion! One of Gaudi's finest works, no doubt about it.
Yet in terms of size, I must say it appeared reasonably large from up close, but certainly not larger than other buildings. However, from up here, you can certainly appreciate its size, with its turrets twisting into the sky, soaring high above all the other buildings.
Definitely eyecatching from a bird's eye view perspective, that's for sure! Gaudi must be pleased that over a hundred years later, with all the sky scrappers and advances in technogy, his grand design is still taller than all of the other buildings here in Barcelona.
We sit there for an hour or so, nibbling on our figs that we brought with us, and making small conversation. But mostly, we're too mesmerised by the view to be speaking for long.
After a few good hours, we pack up our things and head down the hill, feeling refreshed and revitalised.
It's good to escape the city every once in a while.
