I know….we thought he’d gone home, too. But we discovered ET outside the Joan Miro Foundation in Barcelona. There were lines of people queued up to get inside. I guess they wanted to know more about ET. Instead we learned about Miro’s art. There was an extensive collection that showed how his style evolved over time. It helped to understand the evolution in order to appreciate what was described as “his iconography.” It was an unexpected pleasure to be at the foundation – even if ET wasn’t. We also went to the Picasso Museum which was another excellent experience. The museum’s pieces focused on the evolution of his art from his early years as a school boy. The work he produced as a teenager was equivalent to excellent realist painters. We arrived at the museum at 10AM in the pouring rain to find a long line winding down the narrow ancient street. We joined in the line of umbrellas to wait. Fortunately, it moved quickly and we were inside in about 20 minutes. It was fascinating to see how Picasso, like Miro, evolved his style over time. The striking thing with both Picasso and Miro was that they mastered realism early in their lives and moved on to express themselves in the simplest ways possible. Their art evolved to lines and colors. I loved a quote from Picasso, “Je ne cherche pas. Je trouve.” - “I do not search. I find.” For me, that quote speaks to his life-long striving to uncover the simplicity of what already exists.
We traveled to Barcelona from Avignon by train. We had some time before boarding the train so we wandered through the gates in the original city wall. As it happened an exhibit on roses started that day at the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes). We had just enough time to take a quick trip through. The interior of the Palace was filled with more than 20 varieties of roses.
They were beautiful. Kids and adults were browsing the pretty colors and textures of the flowers. Flowers seem to make everyone smile! As we exited the Palace, the bells in the adjacent church chimed noon. It was an ensemble of magic - flowers, sun and chimes. The train trip was lovely with beautiful views along the coast from the large river deltas in France to the coastal hill towns of Spain. The train stopped twice at the border. The first stop was for the French police to board the train and check passports. The second stop was for the Spanish police to board the train and check passports. After we crossed the border into Spain the train announcements were only made in Spanish. It’s as though the culture changed at the border. We’ve noticed it in the meals as well.
In France, dinner is a minimum of an hour and half with leisurely service that extends the meal to become an event. Spain is completely different. Food appears in a flash, and there’s no tracking down the waiter to get a check. They are there as soon as you finish. I thought I’d be happy with more prompt service but either we’ve become used to the French approach or the Spanish are too fast. But, it feels rushed to us now. I have to make one other observation. The French seem to have a reputation for rudeness but since we’ve been in Spain we’ve encountered more rude, impolite and abrupt wait staff and service personnel than anywhere we’ve been. We’ll see if it is just a city thing. I hope so. Nonetheless, we’re enjoying the tapas and last night we had the “world’s best chocolate cake” – at least that’s what the tour book says. It was very yummy. Thankfully, the portion size was tiny.
This morning was beautiful and sunny. I discovered the perfect time to experience the beauty and peace of Barcelona – 7AM on a Saturday morning. There was no one out but me, a handful of runners and bars full of people drinking beer. Yes, beer. But they were in the bars and I was exploring the wonderful waterfront (including the Christopher Columbus statue) and parks. A delightful way to start the day. However, it was an especially “blond” morning. As I walked through the park I remarked to myself that the birds in Barcelona were unusually loud and raucous. They must have some special birds around. That’s when I noticed the big “Zoo” sign.
We spent the morning with Gaudi. La Sagrada Familia, his unfinished masterpiece of a cathedral, was simply astounding. I won’t live to see the completion but it will be a work for the ages. We saw the death façade (still under construction) and the birth façade (the closest thing to finished). The two facades were striking in their contrast. The birth side exudes life and activity while the death side is stark and angular. The scope of his vision is inspiring.
He conceived of and launched a daunting project knowing that he would not see it through to completion, and yet he proceeded trusting that it would be finished someday. Impressive. We walked by his apartment building and through Park Guell – and were exhausted. Lunch of tapas and a walk through the mercato (market)examining (and maybe sampling a little!) all the types of ham and stunning fruits were enough to get us through to a nap.
We’ll need the nap because we bought tickets to a Spanish guitar concert tonight. It STARTS at 10:15PM. Oh dear!
As we prepare to leave Barcelona for Madrid tomorrow, I am struck by the beauty of this city. It’s hard to compare with Paris, but Barcelona has a vibrancy that is contagious. People are milling about everywhere and the streets bustle with life and activity. There is a scenic spot around almost every bend, and a clear appreciation for art. Public art – old and new - is all over the city. As I write, a concert is playing under our hotel window in front of the cathedral, and spontaneous dancing has broken out. It be the national dance as groups are circled up and in step. How nice is that? And a block away, protesters are marching down the street. Their voices mingle with the music to make a statement about the coexistence of beauty, pride of country and unrest. I think that sums up Barcelona.
I know….we thought he’d gone home, too. But we discovered ET outside the Joan Miro Foundation in Barcelona. There were lines of people queued up to get inside. I guess they wanted to know more about ET. Instead we learned about Miro’s art. There was an extensive collection that showed how his style evolved over time. It helped to understand the evolution in order to appreciate what was described as “his iconography.” It was an unexpected pleasure to be at the foundation – even if ET wasn’t. We also went to the Picasso Museum which was another excellent experience. The museum’s pieces focused on the evolution of his art from his early years as a school boy. The work he produced as a teenager was equivalent to excellent realist painters. We arrived at the museum at 10AM in the pouring rain to find a long line winding down the narrow ancient street. We joined in the line of umbrellas to wait. Fortunately, it moved quickly and we were inside in about 20 minutes. It was fascinating to see how Picasso, like Miro, evolved his style over time. The striking thing with both Picasso and Miro was that they mastered realism early in their lives and moved on to express themselves in the simplest ways possible. Their art evolved to lines and colors. I loved a quote from Picasso, “Je ne cherche pas. Je trouve.” - “I do not search. I find.” For me, that quote speaks to his life-long striving to uncover the simplicity of what already exists. 
We traveled to Barcelona from Avignon by train. We had some time before boarding the train so we wandered through the gates in the original city wall. As it happened an exhibit on roses started that day at the Palais des Papes (Palace of the Popes). We had just enough time to take a quick trip through. The interior of the Palace was filled with more than 20 varieties of roses. 
They were beautiful. Kids and adults were browsing the pretty colors and textures of the flowers. Flowers seem to make everyone smile! As we exited the Palace, the bells in the adjacent church chimed noon. It was an ensemble of magic - flowers, sun and chimes. The train trip was lovely with beautiful views along the coast from the large river deltas in France to the coastal hill towns of Spain. The train stopped twice at the border. The first stop was for the French police to board the train and check passports. The second stop was for the Spanish police to board the train and check passports. After we crossed the border into Spain the train announcements were only made in Spanish. It’s as though the culture changed at the border. We’ve noticed it in the meals as well. 
In France, dinner is a minimum of an hour and half with leisurely service that extends the meal to become an event. Spain is completely different. Food appears in a flash, and there’s no tracking down the waiter to get a check. They are there as soon as you finish. I thought I’d be happy with more prompt service but either we’ve become used to the French approach or the Spanish are too fast. But, it feels rushed to us now. I have to make one other observation. The French seem to have a reputation for rudeness but since we’ve been in Spain we’ve encountered more rude, impolite and abrupt wait staff and service personnel than anywhere we’ve been. We’ll see if it is just a city thing. I hope so. Nonetheless, we’re enjoying the tapas and last night we had the “world’s best chocolate cake” – at least that’s what the tour book says. It was very yummy. Thankfully, the portion size was tiny. 
This morning was beautiful and sunny. I discovered the perfect time to experience the beauty and peace of Barcelona – 7AM on a Saturday morning. There was no one out but me, a handful of runners and bars full of people drinking beer. Yes, beer. But they were in the bars and I was exploring the wonderful waterfront (including the Christopher Columbus statue) and parks. A delightful way to start the day. However, it was an especially “blond” morning. As I walked through the park I remarked to myself that the birds in Barcelona were unusually loud and raucous. They must have some special birds around. That’s when I noticed the big “Zoo” sign. 
We spent the morning with Gaudi. La Sagrada Familia, his unfinished masterpiece of a cathedral, was simply astounding. I won’t live to see the completion but it will be a work for the ages. We saw the death façade (still under construction) and the birth façade (the closest thing to finished). The two facades were striking in their contrast. The birth side exudes life and activity while the death side is stark and angular. The scope of his vision is inspiring. 
He conceived of and launched a daunting project knowing that he would not see it through to completion, and yet he proceeded trusting that it would be finished someday. Impressive. We walked by his apartment building and through Park Guell – and were exhausted. Lunch of tapas and a walk through the mercato (market)examining (and maybe sampling a little!) all the types of ham and stunning fruits were enough to get us through to a nap. 
We’ll need the nap because we bought tickets to a Spanish guitar concert tonight. It STARTS at 10:15PM. Oh dear! 
As we prepare to leave Barcelona for Madrid tomorrow, I am struck by the beauty of this city. It’s hard to compare with Paris, but Barcelona has a vibrancy that is contagious. People are milling about everywhere and the streets bustle with life and activity. There is a scenic spot around almost every bend, and a clear appreciation for art. Public art – old and new - is all over the city. As I write, a concert is playing under our hotel window in front of the cathedral, and spontaneous dancing has broken out. It be the national dance as groups are circled up and in step. How nice is that? And a block away, protesters are marching down the street. Their voices mingle with the music to make a statement about the coexistence of beauty, pride of country and unrest. I think that sums up Barcelona.
When we toured / scanned in 2001, Madrid & Barcelona were very different cities. I don't recall being rushed at meals but service was quick. Only a night in Barcelona so don't remember much except the market & an Irish pub on Halloween night listening to Creedance Clearwater Revival - perhaps not a classic Catalonian experience. :)
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