2018-07-22

【Aiden in English】

        Well, I suppose all good things come to an end. While I do miss my cozy bed... and delicious Chinese food... and favorite television, there are some experiences I don't want to ever end. But first, Barcelona awaits. 

        Oddly enough, Barcelona, normally the highlight of most trips, is the shortest stop we're having, and not because of the time in port, but the time we must disembark the next morning. Furthermore, we arrived in Barcelona at noon, so all shore excursions were four hours, at the longest. For a city so large, that pretty much meant a drive around the coastal city with minor photo stops. The stops include a massive cathedral under construction, a small Spanish village, and a few glimpses of the city from higher areas of the Montjuïc. 

        Sagrada Família or the Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family, in my opinion, the highlight has been in the works for almost one and a half centuries, with the original architect, Antoni Gaudí, dead for ninety-some years. Not only does it have one of the most unique styles I've ever seen, but it may also be the coolest, most audacious church I've ever caught sight of as well. The best way to describe it is a melting piece of carved cheese. Really good cheese. It isn't a surprise for its melting looks: the temperature was unbearable. However, that didn't dampen my view of the cathedral. My first thought was: that's very big. Indeed it was, and it continues to grow, scaffolding stretching higher and higher into the sky. The church itself was a gothic-styled masterpiece, with arches and towers, Angels, and God sculptures. 

        Unfortunately, the immense amount of tourists walking around the area meant that the visit only included the exterior. It did give a good sense of the overall wonder, stunning from essentially every angle. 

        Not going to lie, Barcelona looks extremely like Marseille. Narrow streets, carved fountains, medieval churches, appealing bakeries, dignified Luis Vuitton, luxury Gucci, street-side vendors, you name it. If anything, Barcelona is a bit greener. But during the trip through the old town, I felt much more connected, most likely due to the tour being the last one of the cruise. 

        This cruise was very special. Not only were the destinations awesome, but the people as well. I met many others with similar interests, mostly sports, and held conversations about pretty much anything we could relate to. We explored the ship, has midnight ice cream runs, played cards into the dawns. I have yet experienced such immediate bonds with anyone, anywhere, ever.

        And with that, I have to slowly drag my feet off the MS Oosterdam, a sad smile on my face, with only the memories and phone numbers to mark the past twelve days aboard.

【红霞译文】

        得嘞，原来所有美好都会结束，尽管我十分怀念自己舒适的床铺、可口的中餐、追赛的电视，但有些经历情愿永无终结，不过首先巴塞罗那正迎候我们到来。

        滑稽的是，巴塞罗那原为本次出游的重头对象，结果反倒变成我们逗留最短的地方，况且并非由于时间有限，而是因为明早咱得打道回府，再说今天中午时分游轮方才抛锚，因此岸上游览的时间仅有四个钟头。言外之意，要想转遍这座地域宽阔的海滨城市，我们只能以车代步，偶尔在名胜古迹前停下来摄影留念，纳入行程的景点包括尚未竣工的大教堂、西班牙民俗村以及从地势较高的蒙特惠奇山观赏秀丽景色。

        依我看，圣家堂得算全城的制高点，被大兴土木修造了差不多一个半世纪，建筑师安东尼·高迪本人早已离世九十来年。且不说其建筑风格独领风骚，它可能是我迄今所见到的最酷毙最奇异的教堂，用融化切妥的奶酪来形容巴塞罗那毫不为过，好一个了不起的奶酪！变成眼前这个样子实在不足为奇，毕竟温度高得难以忍受，然而丝毫无损它在我心中的光辉形象。乍看上去圣家堂极其高大，不仅如此，而且还将持续增长，脚手架高耸入云，建筑本身堪称哥特式杰出代表，拱门塔楼刻有天使及上帝画像。

        遗憾的是教堂前参观的游人川流不息，我们仅沿着外周猫个大概齐而已，从每个角度看过去都摄人心魂。

        坦率地说，巴塞罗那很像马赛，街道狭窄，喷泉美观，教堂老道，点心馋人，路易·威登气派，古驰奢华，地摊脚踩脚碾，简直要什么有什么。如果硬要区分两者差异，那么巴塞罗那绿化得比较棒，驱车穿过老城，我感觉格外亲切，极有可能因为这是整个航线中最后一站。

        这条游轮非常特别，不仅各个目的地都值得称赞，而且生源也挺不错。我结识了不少臭气相投的朋友，多数缘于体育运动，大伙海阔天空畅所欲言，不是一起撺掇探索游轮，就是胡吃海喝冰激凌宵夜，拱猪搓牌狂欢到凌晨，我从未在任何地方与任何人度过如此亲密的日子。

        说到这里，我不得不慢慢离开奥斯特丹号游轮，脸上露出伤心的苦笑，十二天游轮生活留下的只有记忆和电话号码。

Today in History(历史上的今天):

2014: Two Summer Camps(两种夏令营)

2013: 水上派对(Pool Party @ Maplewood)

2012: Camp Report(夏令营简讯)

Crosslinks(相关博文):

Spain(出游西班牙)

Europe(欧洲掠影)