Barcelona: Faith & fashion, fun & fusion

MANILA, Philippines - Barcelona is the Mediterranean gateway to the land that entrances the senses  Spain. With its varied cultures, diverse styles and gastronomic masterpieces, Barcelona is a palette of vibrant choices. It is history’s vault as well, the only city in the world with NINE UNESCO World Heritage sites.

A visual feast, it also offers a smorgasbord of gustatory delights (after all, Ferran Adria, arguably the world’s “greatest chef,” is from Barcelona) and fashion finds. Barcelona is also a mecca for pilgrims in search of style reinforcements (read: Loewe, Massimo Dutti, Adolfo Dominguez, Zara, Mango, Camper and Desigual, all Spanish-born brands) as well as spiritual invigoration (the Sagrada Familia and the Cathedral of Montserrat, among many religious sites).

If it were a clothing brand, it would be, to me, like a Pucci and a Desigual. Vibrant, colorful, different, a standout. If it were a painting, it would definitely be a Picasso.

Barcelona, the capital of the province of Catalonia in Spain, offers a twist to the usual Spanish fare  the literal twist beginning with the Sagrada Familia, reportedly the most visited site in the entire Spain. According to the Catalonia Tourism Board, the province is Spain’s top tourist destination and the second most popular in Europe after the Paris region, with more than 17.8 million tourists per year.

From Barcelona, one may take a high speed train to Madrid (a two-and-a-half-hour ride) or take a plane for about 70 euros, less than the fare from Manila to Boracay.

Inside the cathedral, an unfinished work of art as well as a place of worship. Photo by RITA DY

A running ‘concrete’ telenovela

An architectural marvel by renowned architect Antoni Gaudi as well as a place of worship for Catholics, the Sagrada Familia is an unfinished work of art that fuses man’s genius with divine inspiration. It also symbolizes, to me, what Barcelona is all about  a quirky mix of history and modernism, a bold attempt to be different, to stand out from the rest. Yes, the word “gaudy” came from “Gaudi.”

In a 2,000-year-old city like Barcelona, the Sagrada Familia is considered a modern structure. From 1883 until his death in 1926, Gaudi worked exclusively on the Sagrada Familia, conceived as a “Cathedral of the 20th century.” It is expected to be completed around 2030  which I doubt. For the cathedral’s attraction is its unfinished story. Every spire, every column, every stained glass window tells a story. Even portions of the Bible and the mysteries of the Holy Rosary are depicted on the three different facades of the multi-wing cathedral. And like an unfinished telenovela, people will be glued to this narrative in stone with bated breath, with wonderment.

During his lifetime, Gaudi completed the crypt and the Nativity facade at the side, which have been declared a World Heritage Site. The surviving models and drawings have made it possible to continue with the building work, which continues to be funded by private donations.

According to the official guide to the cathedral, the Sagrada Família is intended to be a symbolic building, and this explains why it has three monumental facades: the eastern one dedicated to the birth of Christ, the western one dedicated to the Passion of Christ, and the Glory facade, which is the biggest of all, and is devoted to religious faith. The four towers on each facade represent the 12 Apostles. A dome-shaped tower will eventually crown the apse, symbolizing the Virgin Mary, and the four tall towers dedicated to the evangelists will encircle the central spire, which will be built over the crossing and represent the Savior. You can go up the towers on foot or using the lift, and enjoy breathtaking views of Barcelona.

Inside an arcade, designed by Gaudi, in Barcelona’s Guell Park. The mosaic ceiling is supported by 86 Doric columns.

Filipinos should look for the holy water fonts inside the cathedral  giant clam shells from the Philippines donated by the Filipino people.

Another must-see from the genius of Gaudi is the Guell Park, which dates back to 1914. Eusebi Guell was one of Gaudi’s benefactors, and he donated land for Gaudi’s expressions of his artistry. A UNESCO World Heritage site, the Guell Park, like the Sagrada Familia, was never completed.

The park looks like a fairyland with structures that seemed cut out from storybooks. You could almost imagine elves mingling with Peter Pan and Wendy; Hansel and Gretel with Snow White.

There is an arcade (once intended to be a market) with 86 Doric columns supporting a mosaic ceiling. Looking up, you will feel like you’re under the shade of a hundred concrete mushrooms.

Above it is an esplanade surrounded by the famous undulating mosaic benches, like giant eggshells cracked and made into a canvass and then painted over with the most amazing colors, in the most curvaceous shapes. From here, you have a most breathtaking view of Barcelona. You have to suspend disbelief  and be awed by how one man dared to be different in a 2,000-year-old city without fear of censure.

Barcelona’s art does not only take shape in its medieval and Gaudi buildings, but also inside its museums. One of the must-see’s in the city is the Picasso Museum, which cradles over 3,500 works belonging to Pablo Picasso’s first period, when he was mostly intensely involved with Barcelona. Picasso came to Barcelona with the Ballets, in pursuit of one of the Russian ballerinas, Olga Kokhlova, whom he married a year later. While the other members of the company set off on a tour of South America, Pablo remained in Barcelona.

Fashion and fusion

Shop in Spain! The taxes are lower than in other fashion capitals in Europe, and the menu of brands  from the high-end to the popular  just as extensive. Remember, the world’s most popular brands like Mango and Zara were conceived and born in Spain.

We were in Barcelona on the invitation of Singapore Airlines and the Spain Tourism Board and billeted at the truly majestic Majestic Hotel on the Passeig de Gracia. Passeig de Gracia is also a fashion avenue, with all the name brands just across the street from the Majestic. You have Armani, Dolce & Gabbana, (a Spanish brand), Carolina Herrera (whose daughter lives in Spain), Louis Vuitton, Gucci, Loewe, Hermes, Zegna, Adolfo Dominguez and Purificacion Garcia. But you also have popular brands like Mango and Desigual. We toured the newly renovated Loewe store, which showcased its latest leather collection. The Spaniards believe their leather is the softest, most easily molded in the world  and dare the rest of the world to challenge the claim.

With the legendary Ferran Adria blazing the trail for molecular gastronomy, Barcelona boasts many restaurants that offer art on a plate. If you think Barcelona is just tapas and paella, think again. We were taken to restaurants in the Hotel Arts and the Palace Hotel that served fusion at its best  with a hint of the Spanish flavor here and there. One of my favorite lunches was at the Palace Hotel, which whipped up a feast of vichyssoise on ice plate, marinated salmon; macaroni as surf and turf, lobster and foie gras. The macaroni was laid on a plate with holes (like a ceramic colander). After we were through with the macaroni, the waiter took out the first plate to reveal a bowl with a bisque from the drippings of the surf and turf. Bravo!

Thus is Barcelona  a city that reflects Gaudi’s mosaics  colorful, stylish, non-conformist, unforgettable. A mosaic of faith and fashion, fun and fusion.

(For inquiries, you may write to singapore@tourspain.es or call Spain Tourism Board at +656-737-3008.)