Before the museum, we had lunch at a Moroccan cafe. The dudes who ran it spoke Arabic, but our dialects were so different that we just spoke Castellano instead. Interesting, no?
Monday, July 30, 2012
Dali
Dali was a genuine Catalan artist, born and raised. But his allegiances to Franco and his extreme narcissism are kind of a turn-off. Additionally, the Dali museum in Figueres was a let down. Packed and poorly layed out. More show than substance.
More interesting was the Toy Museum down the street from Dali. There, we learned about the Catalan obsession with scatology. They even include an ornament in the nativity scene!
Before the museum, we had lunch at a Moroccan cafe. The dudes who ran it spoke Arabic, but our dialects were so different that we just spoke Castellano instead. Interesting, no?
Before the museum, we had lunch at a Moroccan cafe. The dudes who ran it spoke Arabic, but our dialects were so different that we just spoke Castellano instead. Interesting, no?
Sunday, July 29, 2012
Montserrat
Everyone told us to go visit Montserrat for this reason or that reason. It's only about 40 minutes from Barcelona. The best part about Montserrat is the approach. There is nothing like it. It is a mass of rock alone in the woods with the most unique jagged facade. The hill climb was challenging for the Opel, but we persevered. On the mountain is a very old monastery built to preserve and protect the Black Virgin found there centuries ago. Legend has it the the statue was hidden in the mountain to safeguard it from the Moorish invaders.
The line to see the statue was too long. So we just took pictures from really far away in the church.
A funicular took us to the very top where there were hiking trails and serious views.
A funicular took us to the very top where there were hiking trails and serious views.
Monjuic
Montjuic is a hill in southwest Barcelona. It boasts incredible views of the sea and city. But more than the vistas, it boasts some incredible history. This was the site of innumerable executions, murders, and other tragedies. Along the southern face of the hill is an enormous cemetery with the most grandiose tombstones I have seen. In 1992 it was the stage for the Barcelona summer games. There is so much to see in Monjuic. We have visited two or three times and seen a third of it.
This past weekend, we scored a sweet parking spot right across from the Miro Museo and the entrance to the teleferic.
The Miro museum was amazing, without huge crowds, but with a very accessible collection. On the 3rd floor was the most perfect library. Roman and I spent about a half hour together there reading in silence.
Our wonderful neighbors in Houston, Bill and Larry, made us promise to visit the dancing fountains at night, so we will return to Montjuic again this week to keep our promise.
This past weekend, we scored a sweet parking spot right across from the Miro Museo and the entrance to the teleferic.
The Miro museum was amazing, without huge crowds, but with a very accessible collection. On the 3rd floor was the most perfect library. Roman and I spent about a half hour together there reading in silence.
Our wonderful neighbors in Houston, Bill and Larry, made us promise to visit the dancing fountains at night, so we will return to Montjuic again this week to keep our promise.
Thursday, July 12, 2012
Independence Day
We celebrated the 4th of July with the Burkes. Paul grilled burgers and I baked fries. About the meat here, it's almost all local raised and grass-fed. The red meat is actually red, even after it's cooked. We dined on the terrace overlooking Vilanova and the nearby hills.
The Catalans know a lot about independence. They were once a powerful and wealthy nation of their own with their own identity and language. Unfortunately for them, they were bocadillod between Spain and France. The have been suppressed and marginalized for decades. Speaking or teaching Catalan language was even illegal for many years.
As an aside, Finn had these old school Irish Legos that were passed to him from Jenn. The Native American ones were honestly some of the most down-right offensive representations of that culture I have ever seen. More representative of the Village People than of the Cherokee nation.
The Catalans know a lot about independence. They were once a powerful and wealthy nation of their own with their own identity and language. Unfortunately for them, they were bocadillod between Spain and France. The have been suppressed and marginalized for decades. Speaking or teaching Catalan language was even illegal for many years.
Festa Major de San Pere de Ribes
Every town has a festa major, the town party that honors their patron saint or something like that. San Pere de Ribes is the town 2 minutes from our house and had the typical festa. In Catalunya, els gegants (the giants) are ever present. We've been here long enough now where we actually recognized people there we knew!
Wednesday, July 4, 2012
Museu de Mamuth
We accidently ran into the place on the way back from Parc de Ciutadella. It was very small and the sign outside said that visitors could touch and handle the exhibits.
Well, on the way out, I reread the sign! DO NOT TOUCH ANY OF THE EXHIBITS! Oh well...
The only thing the kids didn't touch was the pristine baby mammoth because it was behind glass.
Well, on the way out, I reread the sign! DO NOT TOUCH ANY OF THE EXHIBITS! Oh well...
The only thing the kids didn't touch was the pristine baby mammoth because it was behind glass.
French Catalonia and the Pyrenees
What the hell, we rented a car and drove to France. Catalunya extends into France on the opposite side of the Pyrenees. Although they identify themselves as Catalan (the flag of Catalan independence is flown everywhere), I don't think many speak the language. The French were much more successful at suppressing their independent states than were the Spaniards!
The car had 5 speeds. My favorite was neutral. So, mi mujer did the driving.
The Pyrenees are only 2 hours by car. We passed by Girona and Figueres on the way.
We booked this bed and breakfast the night before by chance. AWESOME!
Giant park next door, pool, trampoline, tractor, etc... The town was Prades.
It is weird to drive so few km and end up in place where no one speaks english or castillian.
Lugares que visitamos:
- Animal nature park (400m up, 5km long hikable zoo)
- Villefranche-de-Conflent, a town inside and medeivel walled fort
Extra credit for anyone who can identify the biker dude in the picture in front of the store
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