Barcelona, Spain, Tuesday, 4/15/08

Right after daybreak, I began walking. It was a brisk, but sunny day. The meetings began at 4 p.m. and I was not going to get stuck inside today. On the agenda: croissant and cappuccino at a lovely little cafe with marble tables, photos along La Ramblas, and I made my way into Casa Batllo and Casa Mila before the crowds got silly. Maybe a little shopping in the afternoon.

I became fascinated with the colorful, circles of glass in windows, doors and skylights. That, and the curves of things…from door handles to building fronts. It paid to look up as you walked…wrought iron balconies, colorful glass, and ornate pastel buildings from the graceful art nouveau period.

I got into Casa Batllo before the crowds came. Actually found myself alone in the exquisite dining room for about 5 minutes. Parquet floors, carved wood columns, light wooden curvy door frames with circles of glass as transoms. Blues, greens, magentas and pinks mixed with clear glass. Air bubbles frozen in the glass “on the day they were made.” The door handles were even beautifully curved to be easy to grip. Sea themes in the room with “undulating wood” and a whirlpool on the ceiling surrounded by golden sunlike rays. On the roof, a great view and a giant white porcelain cross dome–supposed to resemble a sword going into a dragon (the dragon being the rest of the roof of green and orange terra cotta tiles curving over the top. What a dream of a place. Stunning in it’s uniqueness.

Casa Mila was not as exciting…but after Casa Batllo, it had alot to live up to! I spent time on the roof admiring the view and the Darth Vader-like (or…maybe they look like something else to you?) chimneys. I think my favorite part of this casa was the apartment set up to look as it once did at the turn of the century. Spacious, delicate and filled with peach and rose colored glass, and door frames with that curving, flowing style.

Walked and walked and walked. Lunch was a pizza and coffee on La Ramblas by Casa Mila. I ducked into shops and began to wonder about the presence of long, skinny-legged elephants and horses as trinkets. Dali apparently spent some time here, and these elephants and horses are from this Temptation of St. Anthony.

Another interesting thing I learned that day–the cross shaped streets all have buildings with the corners lobbed off. This is designed to let people see around the corner and make the city feel safer.

I took the metro back to the hotel (Eurostars Grand Marina Hotel Barcelona) with time to dress for dinner and a bus top tour. Meetings would begin the next day. Dulces Suenos! (Sweet dreams!)

A couple of days later, past the meetings, I would ramble again. It was a rainy day and I ducked into shops throughout the quaint little lanes of Barrio Gothic. I purchased 2 really cool leather and “silver” bracelets, but mostly wandered snapping photos and watching. I saw a guy playing what looked like a wok, but sounded like a harp. ??? I saw dogs galore and more art nouveau and Gaudi books and art photos. I can’t make out the Klimt presence that I saw here…maybe they just love his art?

I’d like to come back here one day. It’s a great city for walking, seeing unique sites and snacking yourself silly at the tapas bars. On the final night, Lisa and I went walking to see the things she’d missed this week. We ended up with a tray of bad paella and a good pitcher of sangria–e:mailing Sarah who had left Barcelona that afternoon, but had missed the connection in Paris. She was alone in a pub having a pint and a burger. 🙂