Meteor Garden Barcelona

Hola!

How are you guys doing? Hope you are all well and vibrant while reading this blog because it’s time for another Meteor Garden moment, this time, in Barcelona! (Hooray!)

My journey to Barcelona started with an 11 years old kid whose dreaming of going to the different shooting locations of Meteor Garden. I promised myself, one day I’ll make it there too. A dream that has been desired for too long and FINALLY– after 15 years, this dream has turned into an indelible reality.

As we relive again memories of Meteor Garden, allow me to share to you my trip in this marvy and lively city of Barcelona.

Let us start at Barcelona’s famous promenade - Las Ramblas. It’s a 3 lined pedestrian street and one of the famous landmarks. Here you will see different café’s, souvenir shops, markets, street performers and many more. It can be crowded, especially during the height of the tourist season.

Las Ramblas (Google Photo)

As you walk along Las Ramblas, you will find La Boqueria market. This is an ideal place for a hungry mouth.

La Boqueria Market

A few steps from La Boqueria market is Pastisseria Escribà. (see Google maps) Shan Cai beckoned Dao Ming Si to have a look at the Escriba patisserie, where they proceeded to eat a strawberry cake.

Pastisseria Escribà

According to legend, you will return to Barcelona when you drink water from Font de Canaletes fountain - and I surely did! I actually drank a lot- heck I was thirsty. Haha! Surely, I can go back, yes? (fingers crossed)

Font de Canaletes fountain

Next, let’s go the spectacular Sagradia Familia.

Sagrada Familia

I’ve always dreamt of celebrating my birthday in Barcelona. So standing in awe of La Sagrada was truly one for the books. Exactly the same feeling when Shan Cai saw this basilica for the first time. Kudos to the genius architect behind it –Antoni Gaudi.

If you want to get inside be sure to purchase your ticket in advance. You surely don’t want to wait in a very long line just to get inside, do you? Click here to reserve your ticket.

Alright, now let’s get going and move to our next stop - Park Guell. I suggest to reserve your ticket in advance too as it gets crowded especially during pick season. Click her for online reservation ticket.

Park Guell

During the first episodes of Season 2, the two went to Park Guell. Dao Ming Si gave Shan Cai a balloon but it flew away, so he left Shan Cai to buy more balloons. Upon returning, he looked for her but she was nowhere to be found. The exact scene is taken at El Teatro Griego (The Greek Theatre).

El Teatro Griego (Park Guell)

Shan Cai, still lost in the park, tried to look for Dao Ming Si in Sala Hipóstila (Hypostile room).

Sala Hipóstila (Park Guell)
*Credits to the owner of this pic

As you can see below, they were both hectically looking for each other in El Portico de la Lavandera waves.

El Portico de la Lavandera

In front of Sala Hipóstila is L’escalinata del drac (Dragon's stairway). This is where Dao Ming Si mistook Shan Cai for a stranger. Just behind him is one of the many unique elements of Park Guell – colorful salamander.

Do you want to know the church Dao Ming Si planned to propose to our girl Shan Cai? Well, I did my research and I found out that it’s in Sant Ponc de Corbera. (See Google maps)

Sant Ponc de Corbera
(Opens every 1st Sunday of the month)

This small church is about 32km away from Barcelona center. To get here, you have to ride e8 bus. Depending on your starting point, you have to ride a bus (e8 bus operated by Autocorb) from Barcelona city center and alight at Rotonda de Hans Christian Andersen. (see Google maps) Ticket costs €2.2 (one way) and can be purchased from the driver. For tickets and information click here.

Be ready as you have to walk around 2.5km just to reach the church. This was actually the first destination I went to, the day after I arrived Barcelona. When I went there I didn’t see any cabs, only mountains with few people around, so I had no choice but to walk. After 1km I saw a street sign “Sant Ponc de Corbera”, I turned left and continued walking until I see another sign of it. Please be reminded that going to the church is like hiking mountain. For a moment, I felt scared wandering alone this unknown place, not to mention the anxiety whether I could still go home safe and sound. (Sound adventurous, isn’t it?) After a several steps, FINALLY, I saw the church (whew!). I was really exhausted and oh! Sweat!

Anyways, enough of my experience. Here, we have to scenes: an intimate scene and a desolated one. Let’s start with the heartbreaking scene. As I’ve mentioned, this is the church Dao Ming Si intended to propose.

In this scene, you can see Shan Cai entered the church.

She frantically waited for him but he stood up for the second time around.

Dao Ming Si, on the other hand, had a terrible accident along the way which ended up losing his memory. (aw!)

So why did he choose this church? Why not in Sagrada Familia instead? Well, let’s all blame Lei and the ring! Haha!

Before heading to Barcelona, Lei handed over a letter to Dao Ming Si at the airport. On his letter, he mentioned about Sant Ponc and its legend – any lovers who will pray in this church will have an everlasting relationship. And oh! the superstitious ring! Legend said, whoever bought one of its pair will eventually encounter bad luck. (Eye-rolling)

But hey! Don’t be in despair. In this church is where they ended up at long last.

As you can see, I was not able to get in as this church is only open every 1st Sunday of the month. It was already 3rd week of October when I went there. (smirk)

Finally, towards the final episode of Scene 2, this bench, with all the names engraved on it, can be seen.

Mission Accomplished Meteor Garden fanatics!!! From Taipei to Barcelona I was able to visit different shooting locations of my beloved Taiwanese series. Thank you F4, Shan Cai and all the casts of Meteor Garden for making our childhood years extra awesome. I’d like to pat my back for holding on to that dream. Aaaahhh, surely my 11 years old self is overjoyed.

That’s all folks. If you want to watch my vlog about it, check out Meteor Garden |shooting locations part 4 | Barcelona. Xixi everyone.