A Day of Contrasts
Monday, June 14, 2010 at 4:40PM Today we saw two landmark pieces of architecture, the Casa Batllo and the Barcelona Pavilion today.
I started the day with my morning 4 mile run. This turns out to be a good plan as I am able to preview the city before we head out on tours. On my run I pasts the market were the shop keepers were setting up to sell their food. (Note the previous post for images from the run.) So I thought we should start with a breakfast from the market. Auldyn and I headed thought the Barri Gothic to the market where we found a small stall where they sold a traditional breakfast. We had a Spanish omelet or Spanish tortilla made eggs and potatoes. We also had churros with chocolate. Of course I had my cafe solo and Auldyn had cafe con leche (coffee with milk). We then went to one of the fruit vendors and purchased strawberries and cherries, and then some nuts from a lady who allowed us to try the sweet and salty mix to decide what to buy.
The market was nice, but full of tourists. One had be careful of pickpockets. I was glad I went, but I do not feel I need to go back.
We headed up the street to Corte Ingles department store. The department store was large and had the typical basement full of food and many levels of clothing and household items, but they did not carry what we were looking for....
We headed up the street about a half a mile to the Casa Batllo. A famous residence designed by Gaudi. It was a fantastic tour.... self paced, most rooms open for viewing, and a all the photography you wanted. I can't say enough.... Gaudi took his inspiration from the under the sea-- ver7 organic. From living in the belly of a fish to the wonderful transitions of blues in the atrium it was well conceived and implemented. The organic forms are rich and emphasize the craft and artisanship of Gaudi and the craftspeople. It was like being under the ocean.
Casa from David Matthews on Vimeo.
When we completed the tour we headed back toward our hotel and found the Adidas store where Auldyn became a fan of the Spanish soccer team. She looks great in red.
The previous day we asked about a restaurant from the lady who sold us antique postcards and she recommended the 4 Cats. The menu of the day, menu del dia, was not available on Sunday so we went back today for our big meal of the day. It was wonderful. We had pasta with pork, green salad with shrimp, pork and rice, and grilled calamari. The menu of the day included wine and dessert. We split chocolate cake and fresh fruit.
We then headed back to the hotel and completed some shopping along the way. I had run the battery down in the camera and had to get the backup back in the hotel room. The second location we headed to was the Barcelona Pavilion designed by Mies van der Rohe in 1928. Only 25 years later than Casa Batllo, but a minimal modern structure stripped of traditional ornament. This was a reproduction as the origional structure was taken down in 1930, and as Auldyn notes probably would have never made it though the Spanish Civil War.
The building was reproduced in stunning detail and accuracy. One has to remember that this is one of the very first modern structures where space is the primary element of design. Walking thought the structure you feel the lightness of the overhead plane and your imagination engages the walls as they extend well past their physical limitation. The layers, elegant details, directness with the materials stood in contrast with the more decorative approach of Gaudi. The stone walls are beautifully book matched and are direct and real. The stone is stone and is not pretending to be something else. Where Gaudi took you on a trip under the sea with materials bent, colored, and formed to be like waves, serpents, and spines, Mies let us know of a future were mass production and industrialization could provide elegance and beauty. It was a wonderful experience.
Barcelona Pavilion from David Matthews on Vimeo.
We took in a contemporary art exhibit and coffee before we headed back for a tapas dinner.
We stolled through a neighborhood near our hotel full of winding streets, small shops and galleries, and plenty of restaurants. It was still early and we had to burn some time before dinner.
Eventually the restaurants and crowds started in on the neighborhood and we had a wonderful time eating olives, cheese and quince, and beer.
Reader Comments (1)
Hey - looks like you're having a great time! :-) Love the COLORS! - can you get me a scarf like the one Auldyn is wearing????