Barcelona, it was the first time that we met, Barcelona, how can I forget

I wrote this passage after a mesmerizing experience in Guadi's Park Guell in Barcelona. In the Spring Semester 08 I studied abroad in London and over my break I went to Paris and then Barcelona. Visiting the park grounds was one of the highlights of my trip, due to the tremendous scenery and the general sense of peace and serenity I gained simply from stepping foot onto the property. The photograph to the right is one that I took while looking out from the top of Park Guell. The man pictured was a stranger and unaware of my camera - I captured him in his true form - taking in the view, just as I did. 

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I climbed steadily up towards  the top of  a cobblestone,  cemented hill.  I passed small trinket stores, hearing American accents and English words. After beads of sweat began to form in the small of my back and on my brow (as I was covered in my down jacket), we finally reached the pinnacle. Roaming green hills and marble arches adorned with mosaics of blues and greens, a sea of rich, shiny colors, created a serene yet visually stimulating atmosphere. A statue of a lizard, a tile image of an octopus, splayed across the wall, among countless other creations, specifically imitations of trees, plants, flowers, and other kinds of natural foliage were interspersed and plastered on the architecture throughout the park. Large oak trees formed shade for observers while white manufactured halls and columns paved the way to several natural dirt paths. We walked in silence, except for the crunching of the earth beneath our feet. My eyes drifted outwards and scanned the Barcelona coast, the sun beating down across my face, the warmth feeling soothing and inviting. I saw the sea, sparkling in the light, behind a foreground of expansive buildings and construction sites. People were close to each other, involved in laughter and conversation,  wrapped in blankets, resting on hard benches, faces upward towards the sky. I found a spot upon a hill that spoke to me, somewhere in between the engraved cacti and rock-covered ground. I sat on a large stone and told myself to commit to one action: breathing. I inhaled solitude and respite - lingering on my own thoughts. My back was slouched but my head was held high. I was in a completely relaxed state, deeply involved in my interior world, yet not concerned with worries or fears. It was a time of reflection and a chance to let go and relinquish any baggage that had been weighing down on me. When it was time to leave, we walked in silence all the way back to the metro station, never questioning our desire not to speak, only reveling in the fact that we had all been touched by this experience.