Friend won't go to "building site"

[ChedderGorgeous]

My friend and I are due to go away "somewhere in europe" at Easter. We had agreed on a city break. Lots of options were discussed and we settled on Barcelona where neither of us have been. Flights booked but no accommodation yet. One of the sites we discussed being excited to see is la sagrada familia.

In conversation, I mentioned that it seemed crazy to us, living in 2024 that it had taken 140 yrs to complete and still wasn't quite built, but in the past this was the norm for cathedrals. My friend was more silent for the rest of the convo and today she asked if we could actually rebook for someone else as she didn't fancy going to a "building site" on her holiday (she particularly likes to visit cathedrals wherever she goes). Wtf? I've tried explain to her that it won't be like the quarry of the HS2 extension there, but she is insistent that she only sees a cathedral in "all its glory".

I'm so frustrated with her (given flights are already booked) that quite frankly I'm going to cancel. AIBU?

She sounds like an idiot. Surely it would be on any cathedral connoisseur's must-see list?

She's not an idiot but has perhaps led a "sheltered life"

It’s her (stupid) choice. You go on your own for a couple of hours and she can visit somewhere else in the meantime.

Going to a cathedral is not the whole trip. If she doesn't want to see it, then still go to Barcelona, but see other sites. Or you can go on your own and meet up with her later.

how tedious. Do you find her limited in other ways ?

How bizarre. It’s not like you’re actually staying in the cathedral is it! Just visiting (and you should, it is incredible).

I’d ignore her nonsense, go on the trip and to La Sagrada Familia anyway with or without her.

La Sagrada Familia is incredible. If your friend wants glory she’ll get it.

Maybe show her the virtual tour on its website? https://sagradafamilia.org/en/virtual-tour

It’s also pretty much completed! It’s an incredible building which is stunning inside. What an odd friend. Maybe show her some recent pictures..?

You are preaching to the converted! She is sadly set in her ways and rarely changes her mind. She will normally get a t shirt with a location "ticked off" on the back and she has said she can't tick off a work in progress. I mean I don't mind changing the flights if there is no cost penalty but now I feel like not going at all (with her!)

She's nuts! It's breathtakingly beautiful

Yes just go without her to the Sagrada Familia and meet up later. ( tell her she can go when it’s finished 😅)
Her attitude is a little strange though - do you think she’s trying to get out of the trip for another reason (cost maybe?) and making this her excuse?

Does she want to cancel the whole trip to Barcelona because she thinks the Sagrada Familia is a "building site"? WTAF??? How dumb is she?

Is she also the type who won’t want to eat “forrin food”?

I did wonder about cost but everywhere's expensive flying abroad. She hasn't mentioned cost.

She's traditional in her food tastes but never said anything like that

Have you both paid for your own flights already?

Why not just stick to your plan and go to Barcelona?

If she wants to go somewhere else, she can choose a different destination and pay to switch her flights. If she's still keen to go to Barcelona with you, but not a 'building site' leave her at the hotel that day. Her loss...

Sometimes holidaying by yourself is more fun!

Go on your own. She sounds bonkers

I wouldn’t be frustrated. I would just internally roll my eyes about how idiotic she sounds but say “fair enough we can do our own thing that day and then meet up later”

You never know she might get FOMO and come with you after all

Cancelling or rearranging the holiday seems like an over reaction to me

Go to Barcelona with her and the cathedral without her. She may change her mind when she sees it. And there’s loads more to do.

Though having said that, it’s due to be finished in 2026, 100 years after Gaudi’s death. That’s actually quite soon - maybe it would be worth waiting? I looked up when it’s due to be finished so I could say “haha she’d have to wait another 23 years for it to be finished” but actually 2-3 years? That’s not that long.

Go on the bus tour it goes past it & I think you can get off- if not once she’s seen what it’s like she will definitely want to go for a proper visit.

She may have led a sheltered life, but if she a) didn’t know about the Sagrada Familia and b) is incapable of looking at a guidebook or googling it and finding out for herself that it is nothing like a building site, then I’m sorry but she is also an absolute idiot.

Well you're both overreacting.

Her to an unfinished building, and you to be cancelling over a rather brainless comment on her part.

Go on your trip, and she can sit on a cafe while you go to the Sagrada Familia

Well I've just clicked on that virtual tour link and the first thing I saw was a giant Crane..... So how much of an "idiot" is she really?? I can see where she's coming from. Just go somewhere else that you're both happy with! Rather than throwing a tantrum because your friend doesn't want to go to where you want to go 🙄

I missed that she wants to go to a different city now. Does she seriously think that the only reason for going to Barcelona is to see that? It's like saying that she wouldn't go to London when Big Ben had scaffolding on. Yes it's disappointing but it's not like there isn't the whole rest of the city to explore.

She chose Barcelona along with you. So no, she doesn't get to dictate that you change the flights and accommodation and lose money, just because she has a weird idea about the Sagrada Familia.

What a moron, I went there in 2009 and it was spectacular