In my mid 20’s I ran a small luxury travel business with the goal of seeing as much of the world as I could - while making enough to cover living expenses.
My thesis was simple: you can always make more money, but you can’t make more time.
In 2019, I found myself on an industry-sponsored trip to Barcelona and Mallorca.
Choosing a favorite trip is probably as close to I can get to choosing a favorite child, but this one was definitely top.
I met some incredible people, went to a Champions League match, and got to experience a side of Barcelona I’ll never forget.
At this point, Barcelona is synonymous with 2 names: Gaudi and Messi.
If you were lucky enough to visit the city during the Blaugrana golden years, you got to experience both.
And while Messi might have the city’s heart, Gaudi - unquestionably - is its soul.
On the 100 year anniversary of his death and 114th year of La Sagrada Familia’s construction, the Pope was in town to commemorate “God’s Architect” and the completion of the 566ft high central spire: “The Tower of Jesus Christ”.
It is officially the tallest church in the world.
The history of church architecture in Europe - and this one in particular - is fascinating.
There was something deeply aesthetic happening from the Renaissance through the early 20th century. Incredible beauty - on par with nature itself, in ways that were meant to reflect and worship the creator. Something missing from the modern world.
La Sagrada Familia is on another level. You can spend your entire life in there and notice something new every day.
I don’t always recommend tour guides, but for this visit, it unlocks a new dimension.
Our guide was a confident, intelligent, and charismatic Spaniard who - among other things - insisted Canada’s name is derived from Catalan slang “ca’ nada” meaning “there’s nothing there.”
While that’s up for debate (although I choose to believe him), his knowledge of the church was not, including its thousands of miniature figures and designs, the stained glass detail (warm colors on the eastern walls for sunrise - cool colors on the west for sunset), the impossible dimensions, and more.
It’s hard to imagine something more human-proof: ridiculed intensely at the start, labored meticulously over a century, celebrated globally forever.
Go see it. If you have the means, I’d highly recommend it.
RP WEEKLY!!!!
