Barcelona: FC Barcelona and Montserrat- with some pictures!

On Friday, we had dinner with our RA, Anselmo, and 3 other of the kids he is assigned. After that we went to a two story Irish pub called George Payne to catch the end of the FC Barcelona game. The place was packed with die hard fans and when they won the place broke out in song. People were banging beer bottles on the tables, hugging, singing.. they were some of the happiest fans I've ever seen. On our way home to the Metro, Ella and I stopped by las Ramblas where a huge crowd had gathered to celebrate. Some men were standing in a light post waving flags and shooting off flares. It was nuts but I appreciate their passion (this is reminding me of the Rangers loss and I have to say it ruined my Saturday morning to see we had lost. I was not a happy camper. But it sounded like a well played game and at least they made it to overtime. Still stinks though).

On Satuday, Ella, Emma, Nicole, Jonny, Andy and I took an hour train to Montserrat. From the base of the mountain we rode a cable car up to the monastery and it was BEAUTIFUL! The views of the country side and the towns below were incredible. The monastery itself was gorgeous. There were intricate lamps, all different, lining the sides of the church and statues that took up entire walls were amazing. Above the alter in a upstairs corridor was the Black Virgin Mary statue. People were lined up to touch it. I was in complete awe the whole time inside.

After that we grabbed lunch and then headed out to hike up the mountain more. We were trying to get to a certain cross, but missed a turn off and took about a 2 hour hike up the mountain. At one point, a woman passed us and said "wow walking up all this way!" and it hit us that we could have taken a short train to our destination. That costs money though so we laughed that we're all cheap college students who need our exercise. Anyways, the views were even better than before and we couldn't have asked for a better day to be up there.

We walked back down and watched a quick movie on Montserrat that featured music of the famous boy's choir of the monastery and had old pictures of people visiting and attending church there in the past. I am still blown away by the fact that people were able go get all the way up the mountain back then. I can't imagine how the train and cable car system were built- it's seriously amazing to me.

Click the pictures to bring up a gallery

happy fans in a lamp post in last Ramblas