Leaving via Barcelona - Dali Museum in Figueres

From the Cote d'Azur we headed west along the coast via Cassis, the Camargue, and the Pyrenees, back to Barcelona for a flight back to Canada. We managed a stop in Figueres, Spain (the closest town to the French border just south of the Pyrenees) and a visit to the Dalí Theatre-Museum. Salvador Dali (1904-1989) was born and died in Figueres, and he designed his own museum which opened in 1974.

After passing through phases of Cubism, Futurism and Metaphysical painting, he joined the Surrealists in 1929 and his talent for self-publicity rapidly made him the most famous representative of the movement.

The Dalí Theatre-Museum has to be seen as a whole, as the great work of Dalí, for everything in it was conceived and designed by the artist in order to offer visitors a real experience of getting inside his captivating and unique world.

for more information about Dali, his life and his art, check this web site:

http://www.salvador-dali.org/en_index.html

In the garden, the sculpture "Rainy Taxi". As described in Rick Steves guide book: 'You know how you can never get a cab when it's raining? Pop a coin into Dalí's personal 1941 Cadillac, and it rains inside the car. Look above, atop the tire tower: That's the boat enjoyed by Dalí and his soulmate, Gala — his emotional life-preserver, who kept him from going overboard. When she died...so did he (for his last seven years). Below the boat drip blue tears made of condoms.'

The original painting is one of his most famous called "The Persistence of Memories" but also know as "Soft Watches" or "Melting Clocks." This is actually a woven tapestry above his bed.
Surrealistic, avant-garde - this museum can show you all the wild craziness that art can be.

Back to the market!

the Buoys of Barcelona...

loved these guys in the Barcelona harbour!!

Barcelona 3

Art Nouveau was everywhere! Here are some of the many buildings I saw while visiting Barcelona - I love this place!!!

Barcelona 2

Although the architecture of Gaudi was the number one reason for visiting Barcelona, I was amazed by the modern architecture that was all over the city - I just wish the cities of North America could be as inspired in their decisions when picking an architect and his design.

Barcelona, Spain - ANTONI GAUDI

The city of Barcelona has been cleaned up and personal safety is no longer as big of an issue as the tour books would have you believe. I loved the city and mainly came to it in search of all things GAUDI - and it delivered!

La Sagrada Familia is one of Gaudi's most famous works in Barcelona. It's a giant temple that has been under construction since 1882 and still won't be finished for another 50 or so years! From the outside that looks like dripping icing, to the inside that resembles looking up into the canopy of a rainforest - it is a site that HAS to be visited.

Park Guell was commissioned by Eusebi Güell (one of Antoni Gaudi's main patron's) who wanted to create one of the first gated communities for Barcelona aristocracy. Built high above the port of Barcelona with stunning views, the park contains amazing stone structures and stunning tile work.

Casa Batlló is one of the two great buildings on Passeig de Gracia, the other being La Pedrera. I love this description by Rainer Zervst:

"Mighty pillars that appear to resemble the feet of some giant elephant are the first thing to meet the eye of the passerby from street level. The roof reminds him of a completely different animal: it is bordered by a jagged line similar to the backbone of a gigantic dinosaur. A facade extends between the two, including a number of small, elegantly curved balconies that seem to stick to the front of the house like birds' nests on the face of the cliff. The facade itself glitters in numerous colours, and small round plates that look like fish scales are let into it. There are no edges or corners here; even the walls are rounded in undulations and have in essence the feel of the smooth skin of a sea serpent about them."

Casa Mila or, as it was known to the locals, "La Pedrera" meaning 'the quarry', confounded the populous of Barcelona. With its wavy exterior lines it resembles sand along the water's edge formed by the coming and going of the tides. From the interiors designed by Gaudi, through to the chimney pots on the rooftop and the tiles on the sidewalks outside - this is just another masterpiece designed to showcase the age of Art Nouveau, or as it was known in Spain, Modernista.

At the height of his career he was synthesizing the basic shapes of nature while applying them to architecture. A quote from the great man himself explains his passion for organic designs using metal workmanship and ceramics where most architects would use concrete:

"EVERYTHING COMES OUT OF THE GREAT BOOK OF NATURE." A. Gaudi

I encourage you to look up his works and discover the world that is Gaudi...