Barcelona Day 3- Camp Nou and Montjuic

I anticipated this specific day for probably two months; though in reality I've anticipated every day of this trip since February. But today is special, because we get to delve into Barcelona's culture of athletics with Camp Nou and the Olympic Stadium.

As you know, I've been blessed to have seen a number of ballparks and stadiums in my life. The hallowed brick and ivy of Wrigley and the cleanliness of Camden,  the roars of M&T Bank and the grotesqueness of RFK. Not to forget Naval Academy's football stadium, as well as the top of Byrd Stadium. But Barcelona's are home to two significant phenomena- the best football team in the world (hey, even if you disagree, that's what they keep telling me) FC Barcelona and the 1992 Olympics.

Camp Nou was built in 1959, so it's not exactly Cowboy Stadium. Despite that, it holds about 80,000 people, an impressive feat for a stadium that old. Prior to fire code regulations, they could stuff as many as 120,000 into the confines. Quite frankly, that's ridiculous. Even today it remains one of the highest capacity stadiums in the world.

The blue and red seats were somewhat tattered, but definitely serviceable. The stadium was worse for wear, but still good.

Across a couple sections of them were the words, "Mes Que Un Equip", (Watch that be completely wrong) which means "More than A Team" in Catalan. During the dictatorship, the use of Catalan in public places was banned, as the government tried to produce a uniform culture for all of Spain. But within Camp Nou, Catalan could be freely spoken, chanted, and celebrated; no way the government could arrest 80,000-120,000 people. So in a way FC Barcelona was a way to preserve the local Catalan culture- the entirety of Catalunya is behind this team. Mes Que Un Equip.

Attached to the stadium was a museum, celebrating all the  championships FC Barcelona has won since the end of the 19th century. There were rows and rows of assorted trophies. They even had the most recent UEFA Champions League trophy on display.

The Olympic Stadium is of a completely different style. On the exterior was a very Romanesque design with pillars, and statues of men with chariots. It had a majesty fitting of the 1992 Olympics. The interior was set up with a a field in center and track and field stuff surrounding.

Quick fact: When NFL Europa was an existing league, the Barcelona Dragons played here. The dragon refers to Saint George, whose cross (aka the England flag) is associated with Barcelona. Both are considered a myth; I haven't remembered the legend since elementary school.

I have pictures, I swear! In Italy I'll probably have a big posting day, and then you'll be flooded with photos (I'll have timed posts so it doesn't come in a freaky storm).