The Unlikely Hospital

The Sagrada Familia, I have blogged in August which was ages and ages. I think cousin Rain still sore over the fact we were attracted to the Souvenier Shop first. After La Sagrada, we went to Hosp Sant Pau. You can actually see Sant Pau Hospital from La Sagrada Familia. Its just diagonally across, about 10 minutes walk if you don't stop by and take pictures.

The front entrance of the hospital. Looks like some hotel.

The hospital is unlike what you see in M'sia, not even the posh posh ones like Damansara Specialist. Built in 1901 , it is still a fully functional hospital until this very day and its classified as a UNESCO Heritage building. Doubt many people will put a hospital in the intenary. I can just imagine this conversation

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Friend : So where did you plan to go in Barcelona

Me : Hospital

Friend: What?? Hospital? Do plastic surgery?

Me: No, saja want to go there see...

Friend : Choi....

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I found it by accident while reading the my senior manager's Guide to Spain. After that, its always in the back of my mind to visit this not-so-like-hospital hospital. The entrance itself is already unbelievable. I won't have think this is a hospital had I not read about it earlier. From the entrance into a short hallway, you will enter into a big court yard.

The left side of the hallway. Remind me of those movies whereby the actress will glide down the steps slowly dressed in shinny low cut gown and diamonds around the neck.

I just realize I didn't take any pictures of the courtyard... huh.... Anyway the hallway leads to an open courtyard and the first thing you notice is the smell of jasmine flowers. They planted them around the courtyard. Its quite therapeutic if you if it doesn't remind you of a certain race.

The hospital housed all branches of medicine in respective buildings within the hospital compound. There are 48 branches all in separate pavilions and connected by underground galleries. So if a patient need to be transfer from ER to ICU, you don't need to wheel it out of one pavilion to another.

One of the pavilions

So on the top it looked like a little village but underneath look like the inside of an ant hill. Too bad I didn't manage to see it. I think I can only see it if I go in horizontally on a crash cart.

The department of diagnostic. I was sitting opposite it for quite some time before I realize.

You might not know, but A, C and D were quite reluctant to go in the first place. What is there to see in a hospital. Well nothing if it looks like this.

Damansara Specialist Center. I was admitted into their ER twice

But for Hospital Sant Pau, maybe it's worth the experience to stay for a night. Choi....

Ah well, beautiful as it is, it didn't really take my breath away. The truly breath-taking incident was when I suggested we walk to Parc Guell which is quite near on the map.

It looked near rite?

It was even suggested in senior manager's guide book. Swear!.. The only thing the book didn't mention is the route is up and down the hill. After walking vigorously up and down the hill for 1/2 hour, we look like this..

*pant*pant*pant*.

Good thing is we didn't get lost. I doubt I would have made it to Guell Park if I got lost. Murdered by Cousin Rain. Then I will really be going into Sant Pau horizontally.