It has officially been a month since I left Barcelona and boarded the plane back to Edinburgh and exams (one of which I have the delight of sitting this afternoon), but these Barcelona posts are still going. And you guessed it, this one is about yet another park.
Parc de la Ciutadella was my favorite part of Barcelona. It was only a five minute walk away from my hostel, but when you enter through a line of palm trees and a Spanish version of the Arc de Triumf it's like another world. A world complete with your typical park pleasantries like fountains and gardens, but also mammoth statues (see my friend above) and even more Gaudi. In short, it's the perfect place for tourists with their cameras and sunbathing locals with their blankets to soak up a few minutes of relaxation during the busy day. It wasn't until I returned to Edinburgh and barely heard a peep on my street that I realized just how bustling Barcelona is. Parc de la Ciutadella is a necessary retreat and one that I definitely took advantage of a few times throughout my trip when I needed a break from my jam packed tourist itinerary.
[The greenhouses exploding with ferns on the inside]
[Spain is famous for its oranges, you could play softball with them!]
Parc de la Cuitadella was Barcelona's first park and therefore serves more function than just a nice place to take your dog for a walk. Besides strolling locals you can also find the Spanish Parliament, Barcelona Zoo, and the geology and zoology museums. Lions and politicians right next to each other? They probably have a few things in common. '
This wouldn't be a post about Barcelona if they wasn't some reference to Gaudi and sure enough the most famous part of the park is the Cascada Fountain. You may notice that it doesn't have the mindboggling modernista architecture of Gaudi's typical designs, that's because it was a collaboration between Gaudi and Josep Fonstare. Gaudi was an unknown architecture student at the time, but the dripping cement is now a signature of his. 
The fountain may not remind you of Gaudi, but how about Rome's Trevi Fountain? The design was based off of it, but unfortunately there's no running water because the Cascada is currently under-construction.
My goal when traveling is not just to feel like some foreigner trying to capture an entire country on camera, but Parc de la Cuitadella had the rare ability to give me a few good photo opportunities and make me feel at home in the city. Being around all of the lounging locals, made it seem like I was really living and not just touristing in Barcelona. For that reason I'd say it's a must-see if you're visiting Barcelona and a regular routine if you're from there.
After this afternoon I'll only have one more exam and Barcelona post left. Start getting excited, I know I am.
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