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Barcelona: Day 3

Catalonia declared independence yesterday, and within a few hours, the Spanish government decided to revoke the region's autonomy. This meant that the already charged atmosphere did not get any respite, which made me much less relaxed.

We decided not to go to Montserrat today because the forecast predicted a cloudy day, which could have affected the view. Instead, we got up early to see Gaudi's Casa Batlló - a beautiful water-themed work of art along the Passeig de Gràcia. Walking through the various floors of the mansion, I marveled at the curved lines, innovative architectural design combining aesthetics with function, and bright colors that invoked imagination. 

From Casa Batlló, we walked to Plaça de Catalunya and experienced the hustle and bustle of La Rambla. The wide pedestrian path was nice, but only if you managed to avoid the many tour groups. We eventually turned off La Rambla to take a peek at another Gaudi building - Palau Güell - on the way to Parc Montjuïc, where we were hoping for a view of the city. 

Turns out that the cable car ride up to Montjuïc Castle offered the best view in that area, which wasn't that spectacular. Entrance to the castle was not free as advertised, so we decided to skip it.

We headed to the Gothic Quarter for lunch and to wander and explore the area around the Basílica dels Sants Màrtirs Just i Pastor. Unfortunately, we realized that the Catalan president, Carles Puigdemont, was going to deliver a speech in that part of the city within an hour to what I assumed would be an anxious crowd. Luckily, we were able to get away, switching our plans to take us to another Gaudi showcase - Parc Güell. 

It turned out to be quite the workout, walking up the hill to the park, which offered much better views than Montjuïc, and exploring all the sections that were open to the public for free. On the way back down, we scored a nice quick dinner at a random café that had paella, and then enjoyed some cava before retiring for the night.

I am thrilled to be heading out of the city to Montserrat tomorrow to avoid another demonstration that will probably involve thousands of people marching along Passeig de Gràcia. Once we're out of Barcelona, I think I'll be able to relax more. Granted, Barcelona has a lot to offer tourists, but when there's so much political tension, with reminders of the conflict everywhere, it's hard to just relax and have fun.



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