Barcelona

I had always heard that Barcelona was a magical city. After visiting it, I have to agree. Think Alice in Wonderland down-the-rabbit-hole, a little girl playing make-believe, and charming Europe, all rolled into one.

The one architectural masterpiece that best embodies Barcelona has got to be Sagrada Familia. I was expecting just another cathedral (after all, this is Europe), but this was unlike anything I hadd ever seen - experienced, really - before. It was gorgeous. And not in the Notre Dame kind of gorgeous. But in a Candy Land sweetness kind of gorgeous. You literally feel like you're standing in a magical forest and there's a good possibility that you may be greeted by a sacred tree nymph.

Gaudi was ahead of his time. His use of color, texture, movement, nature - it was unbelievable. Very contemporary yet still tasteful. Of course, the cathedral is still unfinished (it's not slated to be completed for another 25 years or so). So I can't wait to come back and see it in all its glory.

A few pictures are included here, but they don't do it justice (pictures never do).

During our research sessions yesterday, our Spanish moderator asked one of the respondents (in Spanish, of course, but translated here):

Moderator: You're not from Spain, are you?
Respondent: No. But I've lived here for 13 years. I didn't think my accent was that noticeable.
Moderator: Your accent is perfect. But you look like a foreigner.

I was struck by two things: 1) that the moderator could tell someone they looked like a foreigner without fear of litigation and 2) that he could even tell he was a foreigner. It made me realize what a melting pot we are. Aside from our obesity and penchant for wearing athletic shoes, there really is nothing that makes us uniquely American. We don't have facial characteristics that give us away. But other countries are so much more homogenous that you can "tell" if something doesn't belong.

I guess that makes us mutts. And maybe a little bit boring. I'm OK with that...as long as I can still be visited by a magical tree fairy.