April 5, Free and Soaring and Ending our Trip

Today is a free day for Mark and me, meaning no one is taking care of us.  No guide, no limovan, no arranged meals or agenda.  We opted to do a very “touristy” thing.  Since Mary and Peter were off doing their own Picasso themed tour, and knowing Mary didn't seem too enthusiastic for hanging 250' over water, Mark booked tickets to take cable car (gondola) across the harbor and up to the Montjuïc Castle, a fort atop Montjuïc hill.  Or at least that was the intent.  Note that Mark and I have traveled extensively over the years and almost all of it has been through our own planning, including lots of double checking schedules and venues.  Also note that after only three weeks of abdicating decision making to guides and caregivers, we failed at the rather simple task of getting from the beginning of our cable ride to where we thought we would be at the end of it.  To start off, rather than walk (yet again) between the hotel and the harbor, we hopped in a cab and gave the driver… the wrong location.  We noticed this as we passed the monument to Columbus in a direction we shouldn’t have been going.  Turns out we [think] we gave him the end point of our ride, not the beginning. 

Columbus Monument
curiously pointing to Algeria, not the New World

Our driver was very jovial and forgiving and after a spin around a roundabout or two, we were dropped off at the harbor about a half hour ahead of our ticket time.  Barcelona hosted the very successful 1992 Summer Olympics and the beach area near the boat harbor is a lasting reminder of the investment made for that event with a lovely long boardwalk and several swimming pools.  We took a brief, sunny walk on the beach and could only imagine how busy it must be in high summer. 

Sculpture honoring Olympic water sports
and Cable Car tower in back

Looking east along the beach

Mark on the Mediteranian Sea

Even with our hiccup of a misdirected taxi ride and a beach stroll, we still got to the cable car early.  No one was checking ticket times so we just got in the very short line and waited for the single, six-passenger elevator trip up a very tall tower to another short line at the top.  Soon we were on board one of the two 19-passenger gondolas, swinging out of the tower and across the harbor.  While the excursion is hardly an E-ticket ride (a Boomer reference), the views are fun and worth the 20€ price. 

Gondola across the harbor

View: Looking along the beach and harbor from the tower

View: Looking up the tree-lined "Rambles" pedestrian street

Part way across the bay, we noticed the end point of the cable car was no where near the top of Montjuïc hill and the fort.  Suspended in mid air with excellent cell service and an eSim with oodles of data, I resolved there are TWO cable car systems and we had tickets only for the first leg.  Arriving somewhere mid hill, Google Maps lead us on a 15 minute walk up to the next terminal. 

Ride we thought we were taking

Rides we took plus a walk inbetween

Spying a larger line from a distance, I purchased our tickets online (saving a whole 4€).  We stood in line for a bit, then got out of line to look for online ticket holders line (there wasn’t one), then got back in line twenty people later.  Oh well.  By this time, we were feeling like travel rookies.  However, this next ride up the hill used a string of ski resort-like, 8-passenger gondolas, and all moved quickly. 

Second gondola ride

The day was beautiful, the fort provided a nice place to walk and take in a 360° view of the city, the huge container port, and the Mediterranean Sea. 

Entrance to the Montjuïc Fort

View of the shipping port and cruise ships

Keeping in touch with Peter and Mary, we agreed a time to meet up back at the hotel then scout for lunch.  I think we were riding on a high of not eating strictly Spanish fare and Peter found an interesting little cellar restaurant where we watched our pizzas being made in the brick oven while sipping wine. 

Lunch with Peter and Mary

Oddly short door to the restaurant

Mark and I had an early rise the next day so we celebrated our last afternoon together with Peter and Mary on the terrace of our hotel.  They sipped their last bottle of Spanish wine.  Being too early in the season for the terrace bar to be open, Mark lovingly fetched a Cosmo for me and a G&T for him at the bar on the ground floor.  How he navigated elevator buttons and door handles was miraculous.  We ended our trip with the Andrades with views of people bobbing about on the roof of Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and last hugs at the doors to our rooms.

Thank you for your patience in reading my posts and I hope you enjoyed at least some of it!

C

PS  Our flights home, including a layover night at DEN were without problems.  We were tired puppies by the time we got home to new snow!

April 4, How "Gaudi"

One of the amenities of our hotel, Casa Mimosa, is fresh flowers in our room.  It is a wonderful way to start and end a day.

Today is a free day, which means no guide, no magic limo, and figuring out ourselves where to eat.  Mary got tickets for early entry into Casa Mila, otherwise known as La Pedrera ("the quarry").  The Mila family commissioned Gaudi in 1906, and it is the last residence he designed.  It was completed in 1912.  We can see the elaborate roof structures from the terrace of our hotel which is on the same block, on the opposite corner, so it was fun finally getting inside.

The design incorporated many "new" technologies, including underground parking, ensuite bathrooms, elevators, and architectural engineering allowing for moving interior walls, and lots of natural light.  The whole second floor was the residence of the Mila family, and the other floors were divided into appartments for other wealthy families.

The sitting room

What is available for viewing is the Mila floor.  While the floorplan is original, much of the furnishings are contemporary to the time period, but not original.  Like the philosophy of Frank Lloyd Wright, all elements (hardware, decorations, furnishings) comply to a theme of nature, whether it be in color or shape.

Master bedroom

Unlike country homes, rooms in these posh appartments are relatively small, and I didn't see a one that was rectangular.  Socializing in larger numbers may have been done in common areas such as the courtyard.  

High tech bathroom

The rooms of the appartment were interesting but my favorite space was the attic.  I don't believe this had any use by the residents other than for storage or utilitarian laundry purpose, but it demonstrates both the size of the building and it's architecture.  Models of the building are on display and help greatly to understand the complexity of the design.  I highly recommend reading the Wikipedia site about this building (https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Casa_Mil%C3%A0) as it offers so much insight to Gaudi's design and intentions for this remarkable structure.

Model of the attic

Familiar to what we learned in design of the Sagrada Familia are the parabolic arches.  The changing spacing of them and curving floorplan give a sense of infinity to the whole, large space.  Note the construction is in brick.

People for scale

Brick arches

The rooftop is a cross of Dr. Seuss and Disneyland. 

Rooftop

View of the atrium

Mosaic work 

View of the Sagrada Familia from the roof

Done with La Pedrera, we opt to walk to the harbor.  On the way, we stop to "snap" another Gaudi building, Casa Batlló, loosely depicting the theme of St. George and the Dragon -- a common fable across all of Spain.  

We are now definately tourists

A closer look at the facade shows mosaic tiles provide color.

Our route takes us throuh the Gothic area which Mary and Peter missed the first night in Barcelona in favor of his trip to the hospital.  Following one of Rick Steeves tours of Baecelona, we wandered through the old town.  Mark and I were listening to the audio tour, occasionally imparting knowledge to Peter and Mary who opted not to listen to it.  They faithfully and silently traipsed after us even though we spent considerable time correcting wrong turns and backtracking.  Mark and I tried to keep our personal differences on orienteering to a minimum, but my preference for "North Up" and his for twisting his phone around is perfect fodder for marital dispute. 

The Sleeping Jesus sculpture 

Roman columns preserved in the atrium of an appartment building

Points of interest along the route were a mix of historical and amusing.  We missed seeing the condom shop (it was closed), but did catch the caganer store.  I refuse to post or even take photos of these little figurines that my cohorts found so funny.  They have even less cooth than I.  Just Google "caganer".  It's a thing. 

A purse store displaying a common color palette of Barcelona 

We made it to the harbor, oogled some large yatchs and realized it was nearing Spanish lunchtime (2:00 pm) and we were hungry!  Some quick web work found us an Indian restaurant with decent reviews.  I think we were all ready for some non-regional nosh and we weren't disappointed.  What looked like a huge amount of food as it was served surprising disappeared, including four pints of beer.

Yummy non-Spanish lunch

No fools that we are, we've learned a thing or two from our guided tours and one of them is when you are tired, "why walk when you can be driven".  Cabs are easy to hail and very reasonable.  Within 15 minutes we were back in our flower scented rooms and ready for naps.  Our rooms are next to eachother and I insisted on some balcony photos for the books.

All's well that ends well. 

C

April 3, Mont Serrat

Ditto morning routine: get up, shower, have breakfast, get ready, meet guide, get in limovan, and have an adventure.  I'm beginning to look forward to being at home and …

• Wearing different clothes
• Staring out my windows at nothing but trees
• Being in my own space
• Typing on a real keyboard
• Eating my own cooking

I need a vacation from vacationing.  That said, I'm still up for meeting Matteo, our guide for today, who is a tall, middle-aged, enthusiastic gentleman ready to share lots of information.  We are headed to the Montserrat Monestary.  The Montserrat mountains (serrated mountains) earn their name from the unusual features of uplifted and eroded conglomerates. The weather is not bad but clouds and fog hang around the peaks and I didn't get the best of shots.

The monestary was founded a thousand years ago and enshrines the statue of the Virgin of Montserrate.  The statue is called a black virgin and the theory is the wood she is carved from was exposed to candle smoke for so many years, it turned black from absorbing soot.  The monestary is also home to the Montserrat boys' choir, made up of altar boys, and is one of the oldest boys' choir in Europe.  The associated music school requires proficiency in piano and at least one other instrument for entry.  Two hotels and a hostel provide accommodations for pilgrimage visitors. 

Community of the Monserrat Monestary

Inside the basilica, there is a constant stream of people slowly making way through art filled passages and stairway to see the Virgin and press a hand onto the globe of the earth she holds.  We were part of that procession.  Signs requested silence because part of the route went past the nave and altar as mass was being said to what looked to be several hundred young students.

The Black Virgin

Music was definately a common theme in many the art forms.  The ceilings were covered in frescos of musicians, and bas reliefs depicted a variety of instruments. I particularly liked the concertina playing woman.

The monestary is also home to a wonderful museum of art, much of which has been gifted by patrons.  Caravaggio, Monet, Miró, Dalí, and Picasso are just a few artists represented.  One gallery theme was paintings of women.  These are two of my favorites.

I could have easily spent hours more in this museum, but Matteo had arranged a lunch so we had to leave.  Too much fun!  We took a cable car ride down the mountain (stunning views) and connected back up with our driver.

Off to the "El Celler De La Guardia", a winery turned into a farmhouse restaurant.  We were served family style with plates of shared food including lamb chops, pork belly, and sausages.  And the wine just kept coming!  Apologies, no food pictures, we ate it all.

Courtyard of the restaurant 

Matteo was so kind, he let us nap for our 45 minute drive back to Barcelona, a sweet end to another great day.

Cheerio.