A Tale of Two Cities

16 May 2011, Posted by Samantha in lifestyle, 0 Comments

A recent trip to Amsterdam and Barcelona re-emphasized the notion that cities are “where it’s all happening,” and that each one has something to learn from another.

The first thing I noticed when stepping off the plane in The Netheralands’ infamous city of Amsterdam (other than how impossible it was going to be to pronounce anything in Dutch), was how everything seemed to flow naturally, beautifully, and unintentionally. From the infinite amount of bikers, to the metros, to the small boats floating along the canal, it all seemed to be in sync. It was like the city was doing its own dance without even realizing it. Luckily, my light complexion, eyes, and hair combined with my above average height, had me fitting in almost seamlessly, if you don’t take into consideration the fact that I never actually knew where I was going, I’m a terrible bike rider, and Hering makes me gag. In truth, Amsterdam, as an urban center, is a mixture of sorts: the preservation of architecture was matched with the innovative and sustainable infrastructure (bike lanes galore!). McDonald’s was tucked between a Cannibis cafe and petite biergarten. And rush-hour traffic was forced to take the longer routes around expansive parks and open areas. The city is fast, but relaxing, modern, but traditional. Sitting in the two most popular squares, Leidseplein or Rembrandtplein, it’s amazing to watch this city just move, in a way unlike any other European or American city I’ve experienced, in a way, I find, I cannot really explain in words (that’s right New York and Paris, start taking notes!).

Enter: Barcelona. All of the sudden, everything feels hot, sexy and electric (including me, even after lugging suitcases up and down winding staircases and my last shower being a bit longer ago than I’d like to admit). But in all seriousness, live music emits around every corner, castanets make the beat for the crowds walking Las Ramblas, and glasses of Sangria appear on your table right after your morning coffee (my, oh, my I ordered that at 10am?). As I sat eating some seafood paella, I’m thinking I could get used to this. But just as you begin to feel like you’re caught in some spicy romantic novel, where all that matters is the wine, food, and locals and nothing of historical merit has a place, you look up. And there you find the architectural genius of Antoni Gaudi, so magnificent that you begin to feel undeserving. Truly, what fascinated me most about this city was how once-in-a-lifetime architectural work (and not only of Gaudi) appeared around the most unsuspecting corners, on the most trivial of streets. The contrast added to the impact; it was as if someone was breaking up your morning routine of walking the dog and catching the train with a trip to Mars. I must admit, I don’t know a ton about art or architecture, but I know what it means when something stops you in awe and dead in your tracks. Gaudi’s La Sagrada Familia and Parc Guell did just that; such monolithes of historic beauty sprout up in the middle of a modern, urban center, comparable to Rome’s Coliseum. Gaudi’s vision consumes you as you walk through the streets, and you find yourself wishing  you had the chance to see it through his eyes, even if only for a minute.

 

No city is perfect, yet every city is different. We are in a time where more people are moving to cities than ever before, so, like it or not, cities ARE the future, and we need to learn as much about what makes them work as we can.