Whimsy and Water Features
~by Samuel Barnett
This summer I have had the extreme fortune of participating in the Georgia Tech Oxford Program, during which Iâve listened to world class musicians, tried new local cuisine, and gazed upon exquisite art and architecture. As someone with a passion for urban development, I was ecstatic that my first stop would be in Barcelona, Spain. That first evening, a small group of us decided to climb one of the many hills tucked in and around the city. Prior to embarking on this program, I was worried about getting to know new people; as I gazed over terracotta rooftops towards the Balearic Sea, I had no idea just how close Iâd become with those around me.
One of my favorite class experiences was receiving a guided tour of the Basilica de la Sagrada Familia, a behemoth church which has been under construction for nearly 150 years. Designed by legendary local architect Antoni GaudĂ, the church is nothing short of extraordinary; the exterior is full of intricate figures and detailing, the top adorned with gigantic gothic revival spires. Despite its immense exterior, the interior somehow feels even more vast; in true GaudĂ fashion, the interior defies any traditional architectural categorization, with its tree-like supports and chromatic stained-glass windows.
After seven days in Barcelona, we then headed towards Madrid, the capital of Spain, stopping overnight in one of the smaller cities, Zaragoza. Even though it was only one night, my crew was determined to still see the city; we eventually made way for El Parque Grande JosĂ© Antonio Labordeta, a large rectangular park with gorgeous landscaping and water features; people of all ages meandered along paths or sat in the benches and on the grass, some fanning themselves as if to brush away the last of the dayâs heat. We eventually found a nice spot overlooking the long park into the rest of the city; with the fountain burbling below us and a light breeze weaving through the banisters, we watched as the sun fell, peeking behind buildings, slowly melting away.
Though each group had their own share of amazing cities and experiences, one unique aspect of the Spain/Portugal group was spending more time in each city. Personally, I enjoyed being able to savor each city and getting to know it just that little bit better, even if that meant visiting a fewer number of cities than other groups. That extra time afforded us many half days (and even some full days) to explore the city on our own; many of my favorite memories on this trip have come from wandering with a friend with no destination in mind. Albaicin, in Granada, was one such neighborhood through which two friends and I wandered along cobblestone streets up hilly terrain, coming across several âmiradorsâ or viewpoints with superb views of the midsize city. One such mirador looked out towards âLa Alhambraâ, a massive Medieval palace and fortress with Moorish and Christian influences from its many occupations. On a wall adjacent to the mirador, a small piece of graffiti read:
Tengo la Alhambra en frente y solo te miro a ti.
I have the Alhambra in front of me and I only look at you.
Some may call it saccharine, but I loved this demonstration of feeling; even though this one was (likely) romantic, it reminded me that, more broadly, despite differences in language, culture, and government, many of us face similar joy, sadness, excitement, and, yes, love.
I saw and heard these emotions in numerous influential artworks and pieces of music. My favorite concert was a nighttime open-air historically informed performance (HIP) in the Palace of Charles V in the Alhambra complex. Under the direction of Jordi Savall, a legendary Spanish composer and director, Le Concert des Nations performed works by Vivaldi and Bach using techniques, instruments, and tuning mirroring those used during the time in which the pieces were originally composed (hence âhistorically informedâ). As a musician myself, each of the concerts was excellent, but none quite so invigorating as this one; something about the combination of location and technique captured a sound and feeling unlike any Iâve experienced back in the States.
Anyone who has met me knows of my passion for the art of coffeemaking, so this trip to Europe has been nothing short of fascinating in that regard. Iâve visited easily over three dozen specialty coffee shops, each with unique character and quality â in fact, Iâm currently writing from Common Ground in Oxford, sitting across the table from a friend who visited many of these same places with me. I never envisioned that my niche obsession would be appreciated, let alone shared, but introducing these new ways of appreciating coffee to my friends has been one of the unsung highlights of my travels. If you visit these same cities, here are my top spots: Bracafe, Barcelona; Syra Coffee, Madrid; La Finca, Granada; Muy Coffee, Seville; and Copenhagen Coffee Lab, Lisbon.
Though most of my groupâs travel time was spent in Spain, the last city on our itinerary was Lisbon, the capital of Portugal. In many ways, it was a fitting last stop â a coastal bustling city reminiscent of our first stop in Barcelona. On one of the last days, we took a half-day trip to Cabo da Roca (Cape Roca), the westernmost point of continental Europe overlooking the Atlantic Ocean (Roca translates to âsea cliffâ). Many of us ended up carefully descending the less steep side of one such cliff, eventually coming across a group of boulders; I sat atop one of these in silence, and with the cool morning breeze rushing around us, watched the waves batter at the cliffs below. You make so many amazing memories on this trip that scenes like these are opportunities to just be â and to think, whether back on those same memories, or perhaps something else, something personal. Itâs important, in between the rush of it all, to not forget to make space for you.
As much fun as the travel portion may be, many welcome the change of pace during the latter half at Oxford. Here, youâll have a more âstandardâ class structure; classes take place Monday through Thursday of each week, meaning you have ample time to travel to new and exciting destinations on weekends. Apart from exploring Oxford and taking several day trips to London, I also traveled to Edinburgh, Scotland, and Amsterdam, Netherlands. Both cities were amazing in their own regard; Edinburgh with its rich centuries-long history and winding cobblestone streets, and Amsterdam with its scenic canals and prolific bike infrastructure.
Thinking back on all these cities and those Iâve met â not just on the program, but the many kind strangers along the way â Iâm filled with gratitude. Gratitude for all the amazing people behind the scenes, both here in Europe and back in Atlanta, who helped make this trip a reality; gratitude for Dr. Ulrich and Dr. Townsend, professors who helped enrich my cultural experiences in Spain, Portugal, and beyond; and gratitude for my fellow students and friends, whoâve demonstrated immense care and kindness and acted as companions in some of my nearest and dearest memories.












