Relaxing Day

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Today we did not plan any tours and really only had one goal, to pack breakfast and lunch for our 11 hour train ride to Granada the next day. So no pictures from tours, just some images that provide everyday color in the neighborhood where we are staying. 

The quest for food has been very rewarding. We went to a new market were vendors sold meats, vegetables, seafood, bread etc.... We started at a meat and cheese stand. Auldyn told the lady behind the counter that we were taking the train from Barcelona to Granada and we wanted to pack a breakfast and lunch. She commented on how nice the scenery would be so I now have hope that we may have some great images to share with you later... She sold us some ham, sliced very thin, and some cheese to make sandwiches. We asked to try some goat cheese as well and of course had to purchase a small portion. She vacuum sealed the goat cheese and said we would be fine with the meat and cheese being stored at room temperature. Now remember all the images of ham hanging from the ceiling.... so the non-refrigeration is not really a problem.

Spain tastes like green olives.... with the use of olive oil most dishes provides slight olive flavor to many dishes. I am finding that I love having a beer and a plate of olives at the end of the day, so we had to get some olives for our lunch on the train. We went to a stall where the venor primarly sold olives.... olives in olive oil, olives with onions, olives... well I am not sure but at least 10-12 different varieties and combinations. The shop keeper allowed us to sample and for about $1 we purchased a large quantity of olives. Mmmmmm. The prices of the items were very reasonable untile we purchased our $6 of cheery tomatoes. Very good tomatoes, but expensive.... We tried some fresh figs, purchased a couple of apples and headed out.

Auldyn found some cool stuff for herself at some VERY nice boutique shops and then we found a wine store. Auldyn and the shop owner discussed what wine would be good for our travel and for about $6 we were off with a bottle of red wine. I can't wait! A 11 hour train ride is sounding great.

WOW!! What a dinner tonight! I just asked Auldyn to give me adjitives to describe dinner and she said the none exited. She is right, but I will try to put our final meal in Barcelona into words -- later in the blog.

So we headed back to our restaurant we went to the first day that had the authentic Spanish meal. We were not disappointed.  Understanding Spanish culture is important in how you structure your day and make an ordinary day into extraordinary! So pardon the wondering in my blog. The "big" meal of the day is lunch. We had our breakfast between 10-11 and lunch about three....and we had to wait for a seat at the restaurant. Most Spanish restaurants have a three plate special for lunch (menu del dia) menu of the day. You can choose from 3-5 dishes for each course. I chose a salad, fish, and cake. Auldyn had pasta with ham, steak, and tiramisu. My salad contained figs, fresh greens, and a slightly sweet dressing. Auldyn's pasts was with ham and in a cream sauce. My fish was baked and served with a light sauce, the steak was cooked perfect. The portions were just right and we had a great Spanish lunch. We headed back thought the neighborhood to rest at the hotel before the evening started. We needed to get some books to read on the train, a cork screw, and some cups. 

We rested at the hotel for about an hour and headed out at about 6:30 to find our final items for our train trip. We headed back into the Barri Gothic knowing that we wanted to go to the department store to look through the english book section to find something to read on the train. Well, the wonderful part of the Barri Gothic is the maze like streets... we thought we knew where we were going but we took a wrong turn. We found ourselves in one of the most beautiful plazas ever.... is was anchored by a medieval church and framed by buildings at unpredictable angles. It was magical. 

We found our way to the book store and I purchased "Death in the Afternoon" by Hemingway. A story about bullfighting. Auldyn purchased "City of Falling Angles" by the same author as "Midnight in the Garden of Good and Evil". Her book is set in Venice. The books were Cheap, 3 euros.... they are old books that did not sell in America and were sent to international locations. Funny.

So about 8:30 we headed out for dinner. It should be noted that at 8:30 the streets of Barcelona were crowded!! Full of shoppers, vibrant... at 4:00 it was dead, shops closed and nothing going on... So heading out at 8:30 for dinner was a bit early. About 9:00 we discovered a very crowded restaurant. We headed in, but started to head out because it was packed full of people we could not make out way through the crowd. If it was not for the old gentleman behind the bar waving at us we I would have missed one of the best meals of my life.... really...

The man who saved me from leaving the restaurant. So he pointed toward the back of the restaurant and sure enough one table was empty. This restaurant was a tapas bar. The complement to the restaurant that served the menu del dia. A soposed lighter meal of appetizer sized plates. We did not order, we did not even speak to the waiter. He put down a large bottle of sparkling wine. We filled our glasses and the food started to come.... without a word to the waiter. We were brought plates of ham, other meats, bread with olive oil, raw fish, and Spanish omelets on toasted bread. WOW... we ate all of the food and the waiter asked if we wanted more.... sure, he asked if we wanted cheese, sure, and some olives and anchovies would be good too... the bread and olive oil is just kept coming. Auldyn figured out the secret of the restaurant. She pointed at the back of the restaurant and noted that a "mom" was cooking. Sure enough a mid 50's woman who ran the show was preparing the dishes. The olives were nothing like I have ever had before... no kidding the flavors and intensity were a mix of salty, spicy, and savory. All this was great, but for dessert we went to heaven. Biscotti with a glass of what I think was port wine. You took the biscotti and soaked it in the port wine and ate the biscotti.... wow... and I actually think that you can make this dessert at home!! Highly recommended. 

So I am back at the hotel getting ready to get up early and get on a train. A bit sad to end the Barcelona leg of the trip and excited about Granada. 

Untitled from David Matthews on Vimeo.

Untitled from David Matthews on Vimeo.

A Day of Contrasts

Today we saw two landmark pieces of architecture, the Casa Batllo and the Barcelona Pavilion today.

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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. 

Run 2 Barcelona

The ritual of morning runs through the city continues..... 

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Barcelona Cathedrals

"What does it mean to be a Christian?" "If it is not Love it is not Christian." "God is Love." -- A translation of the priest during Mass by Auldyn while at the Barcelona Cathedral. 

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It was a day of touring Cathedrals of Barcelona. Not far from our hotel is the Barcelona Cathedral that was constructed during the 1300's. We entered the Barri Gothic up a non-discrips alley into a plaza where we found the entrance to the cathedral. Mass was taking place, but the tourist could walk thought the structure and take photos. It was nice to have Auldyn with me to translate the sermon. "What does it mean to be Christian." The  700 year old columns had new LCD monitor mounted to them so you could see the priest. 

After the tour of the cathedral we went browsed the antique dealers in the plaza. I purchased a small silver cross and old post cards. We headed to lunch and had a wonderful Spanish meal in a very small restaurant located on a plaza. I had soup, like gazpacho but thicker, fish, rice and some home made yogurt with nuts and honey for dessert. Auldyn had pork with honey mustard sauce, a salad with warm goat cheese and chocolate cake. IT WAS FANTASTIC! 

We headed off for the big tour of the day the Sagrada Familia. It is a cathedral under construction and designed by the Spanish architect Gaudi. This was a fantastic tour and words will never explain.... It alone is worth the trip to Barcelona. We walked from the restaurant along a sycamore lined street to the Sagrada Familia. We entered the passion side of the structure. A stark, almost modern facade with columns that were shaped like bones and muscle. Christ hung over the entry hung on a cross of modern I-beam steel. The only non-organic, mass-produced element on the facade. I am sure that this is no accident by Gaudi, the entire structure is made from artisans and a cross made of mass produced steel is very much a comment on our contemporary culture. The inside of the cathedral was a collage of color, form and light under various states of completion. The stained glass was a mix of warm and cool hues. As the light entered the space it washed the stone with color and make the space glow with blue, yellow, and orange. 

We took the elevator to the top of the spire and took in the wonderful view of the city. We could see the sea, the mountains, the streets and buildings of Barcelona. WOW.... check out the video and picture gallery of the day. 

After a long walk back to the hotel, and stop along the way for a beer, green olives, and croquetas...(deep fried mashed potatoes). Great Tapas!!! Love the green olives!!! 

For dinner we went to small sports bar in the Barri Gothic where Germany was playing Australia in the world cup. A very lively crowd cheering on Germany who won 4-0! Great time!!! We had patatas bravas (fried potatoes), bocadillos (ham sanwich), beer and olives.   One the way back to the hotel we stopped for some ice cream.

Untitled from David Matthews on Vimeo.

 

 

Room with a View

Image from hotel room with iphone.

So the hotel is great, but when we checked in the only room the had was on the top floor. The main problem was the only windows were skylights. We asked for a room (Auldyn did in Spanish) with a "regular" window. They got us this great corner room with a floor to ceiling window that looks out over a Roman fortress wall.

WOW!!