Where we went: Barcelona.
Date: 24th to the 26th of April.
Summary: On Tuesday morning at one o clock we left the school to travel to Dublin airport. We went through security and set off for Barcelona at quarter past six in the morning. I was lucky enough to go off while going through the metal detector so I was swabbed for drugs. I was never out of the country before so to say I was nervous to go on the plane was an understatement. The ride wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be so I was glad to land and walk on the ground again.
We arrived in Barcelona at quarter to ten. We met our guide and transported to our first place on our agenda, the Cosmo Caixa Museum. I enjoyed it as there were lots of interacting things to do. You could also walk through an Amazon Forest reproduction which was very realistic and pretty to look at.
After that we drove through Barcelona and got told interesting facts by our guide. One thing we drove past was a bull fighting arena. Since bull fighting was banned in 2012 it was since remodelled into a shopping centre. We then got to walk around the Gaudi Sagrada Familia Church which began building in 1882 and is still not finished to this day. They hope to finish it in 2026. It was so amazing to look at. The detail in every little thing is so fine and beautiful. We also saw the Gothic Quarter and Cathedral which was lovely to look at. We also got to go around on our own for a while to shop and looked around the town.
Before going to the hotel, we travelled to the Cable cars which go up to Montjuic mountain. Being a person who doesn’t like heights, I was a bit nervous going on them but I’m glad I did as the views were amazing and you could see all the built-up area of Barcelona. The view at the top of the mountain was also beautiful. There was a castle on top of the mountain but we didn’t go into it.
We got to hotel at half six in the evening exhausted from the day. We settled in and ate. At half eight we went bowling which I love and enjoyed playing with my friends. I was glad to get to my bed and get some sleep before the next day.
Early Wednesday morning, we travelled to the Gaudi centre where we learned all about Antonio Gaudi and what he did in his life. The museum wasn’t as interacted as the last but we got to look at a video about Gaudi. It was cleverly made as you sat on spinning chairs. You moved around to the video as it switched walls every so often. We listened to facts about Gaudi on a phone they gave us which was programmed with the audio.
We then transported to Port Aventura theme park. I didn’t go on any roller coasters but I enjoyed walking around the park and relaxing in the sun. The theme park was so big and it was divided into different countries with different rides according to that country. For example, in China they had a roller coaster called the Dragon Khan. After the day we could either go to the beach or relax at the hotel pool. I chose to relax at the hotel before dinner. It’s nice to sit in the sun to relax.
After dinner we were allowed down town to shop for a few hours before going to bed I walked around shopped a bit and went to the beach. I bought souvenirs at the shops and enjoyed looking at the town at night.
On Thursday morning, we packed and got ready to go home. It was pretty easy to make such a mess in two nights but very hard to clean it up! We got on the bus to visit the Tarragona Cathedral and The Roman Amphitheatre. It was nice to look at and the view of the sea was gorgeous. We then got to go around the town on our own and do whatever we wanted. I went to a café with others and relaxed in the sun. It was lovely to take a break from walking around all day.
Next on the agenda was Camp Nou Stadium. The tour was long and if you were interested in soccer it would have been very interesting but I wasn’t that pushed to look at all the trophies and used soccer boots in the glass cases. It was a very large stadium and at least I can say I was there.
The last thing we went to before the airport was Maremagnum shopping centre. The shopping centre was full with all expensive shops, even some not in Ireland. I bought a few souvenirs to go home with and then got on the bus to go to the airport. Luckily, I didn’t go off going through the metal detector this time. We got the flight at quarter past nine and I slept most of the journey. It was a long few days but very enjoyable overall. I couldn’t wait to get back to my own bed and catch up on all the sleep I missed. We got home at three in the morning.
Reflection: After the trip I learned a lot about Gaudi and Barcelona architecture. I took a lot from the trip. I never went outside of Ireland before so I will always remember this as it was my first time on a plane and the first place I seen around the world. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of the world in years to come. This helped to achieve my aims and objectives of the year as I got on better with my classmates and I tried thing I wouldn’t have tried before. I would of never went on a cable car before now and since I did it, I noticed it wasn’t that bad.
Date: 24th to the 26th of April.
Summary: On Tuesday morning at one o clock we left the school to travel to Dublin airport. We went through security and set off for Barcelona at quarter past six in the morning. I was lucky enough to go off while going through the metal detector so I was swabbed for drugs. I was never out of the country before so to say I was nervous to go on the plane was an understatement. The ride wasn’t as bad as I thought it would be so I was glad to land and walk on the ground again.
We arrived in Barcelona at quarter to ten. We met our guide and transported to our first place on our agenda, the Cosmo Caixa Museum. I enjoyed it as there were lots of interacting things to do. You could also walk through an Amazon Forest reproduction which was very realistic and pretty to look at.
After that we drove through Barcelona and got told interesting facts by our guide. One thing we drove past was a bull fighting arena. Since bull fighting was banned in 2012 it was since remodelled into a shopping centre. We then got to walk around the Gaudi Sagrada Familia Church which began building in 1882 and is still not finished to this day. They hope to finish it in 2026. It was so amazing to look at. The detail in every little thing is so fine and beautiful. We also saw the Gothic Quarter and Cathedral which was lovely to look at. We also got to go around on our own for a while to shop and looked around the town.
Before going to the hotel, we travelled to the Cable cars which go up to Montjuic mountain. Being a person who doesn’t like heights, I was a bit nervous going on them but I’m glad I did as the views were amazing and you could see all the built-up area of Barcelona. The view at the top of the mountain was also beautiful. There was a castle on top of the mountain but we didn’t go into it.
We got to hotel at half six in the evening exhausted from the day. We settled in and ate. At half eight we went bowling which I love and enjoyed playing with my friends. I was glad to get to my bed and get some sleep before the next day.
Early Wednesday morning, we travelled to the Gaudi centre where we learned all about Antonio Gaudi and what he did in his life. The museum wasn’t as interacted as the last but we got to look at a video about Gaudi. It was cleverly made as you sat on spinning chairs. You moved around to the video as it switched walls every so often. We listened to facts about Gaudi on a phone they gave us which was programmed with the audio.
We then transported to Port Aventura theme park. I didn’t go on any roller coasters but I enjoyed walking around the park and relaxing in the sun. The theme park was so big and it was divided into different countries with different rides according to that country. For example, in China they had a roller coaster called the Dragon Khan. After the day we could either go to the beach or relax at the hotel pool. I chose to relax at the hotel before dinner. It’s nice to sit in the sun to relax.
After dinner we were allowed down town to shop for a few hours before going to bed I walked around shopped a bit and went to the beach. I bought souvenirs at the shops and enjoyed looking at the town at night.
On Thursday morning, we packed and got ready to go home. It was pretty easy to make such a mess in two nights but very hard to clean it up! We got on the bus to visit the Tarragona Cathedral and The Roman Amphitheatre. It was nice to look at and the view of the sea was gorgeous. We then got to go around the town on our own and do whatever we wanted. I went to a café with others and relaxed in the sun. It was lovely to take a break from walking around all day.
Next on the agenda was Camp Nou Stadium. The tour was long and if you were interested in soccer it would have been very interesting but I wasn’t that pushed to look at all the trophies and used soccer boots in the glass cases. It was a very large stadium and at least I can say I was there.
The last thing we went to before the airport was Maremagnum shopping centre. The shopping centre was full with all expensive shops, even some not in Ireland. I bought a few souvenirs to go home with and then got on the bus to go to the airport. Luckily, I didn’t go off going through the metal detector this time. We got the flight at quarter past nine and I slept most of the journey. It was a long few days but very enjoyable overall. I couldn’t wait to get back to my own bed and catch up on all the sleep I missed. We got home at three in the morning.
Reflection: After the trip I learned a lot about Gaudi and Barcelona architecture. I took a lot from the trip. I never went outside of Ireland before so I will always remember this as it was my first time on a plane and the first place I seen around the world. I wouldn’t mind seeing more of the world in years to come. This helped to achieve my aims and objectives of the year as I got on better with my classmates and I tried thing I wouldn’t have tried before. I would of never went on a cable car before now and since I did it, I noticed it wasn’t that bad.