It seems to me, Barcelona is best experienced while gazing upward. There is so much to see overhead. Yesterday I took the metro to the Sagrada Famillia. When you exit the subway this what you see. It is stunning, and a work-in-progress. Gaudi buildings startle me. They are so grand, imposing, kind of creepy, whimsical and just so bold. The line to enter the church wove around and around, and with limited time in Barcelona I didn't want to waste over an hour standing in it, so I experienced the church from the outside, walking around the entire block with the other gawking tourists too hot and impatient to wait. Hopefully I will get back to this one within the month.
Next I took a local bus to Parc Guell, a failed gated community of sorts developed and designed by Gaudi. There is nothing "failed" about this place. It is so imaginative, creative and whimsical. Here are a few pictures to try and capture it. I have hundreds, I think. As I said yesterday, Gaudi's works are so photogenic! Every way you turn there is a photo op waiting to be captured.
Looking up at the tile work in what would have been the market stalls had the community actually been built.
Archways, tile work, views of the city, the water, more archways, more tile work. Absolutely breathtaking.
After a few hours wandering around the property, I took the bus and then the metro to the Picasso museum, which was a thrill. I spent three hours there. I knew about Picasso's Blue Period but not his Rose Period. He was already a master painter by age 14. The museum houses his early works. He spent his formative years in Barcelona before moving permanently to France.
My feet were absolutely aching after my day, but the museum was in the old quarters of town and I just couldn't stop wandering, until I magically wandered back to my hotel.
Last night I had plans with Melissa and Daniel. Melissa met Jen Kagan in India at the Iyengar Institute in Puna and they have stayed in touch. We met at the Barcelona Contemporary museum for a drink and then later went to a dance performance in the theater. There is some sort of world dance festival here, and shows pop-up at various sites in town. I can't even explain the dance show, but let's just say there were many dancers in wheelchairs - I'm unclear if they were really confined to wheelchairs or it was part of the schtick, but it was pretty amazing. Melissa's boyfriend Daniel met us there, and after we wandered through the Raval to a Tapas place they frequent. Dinner started at 11:30pm and went til 2am. What fun! They were the best and I loved hanging out with them, so thanks, Jen!!! (Connections Kagan?)
Okay, that took longer than I thought. I'm off to El Bruc now - oh wait, one more tidbit. Apparently the town of El Bruc is famous for standing up to Napoleon!? I need to some research on this, but allegedly that is the case.
Adios for now.
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