05-29-2007
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#16 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cologne, Germany
Posts: 9,870
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Day two
On the evening before I went to Barcelona I finally found the day trip I had been looking for when I first started planning the trip: going to the Dali-Museum in Figueras. Saw it only after I had booked my 3-days Barcelona card so of course I lost money but I had been dreaming of seeing this musuem for about 20 years so I didn't wanna loose that occasion. So I had to get up very early that morning to be in plaza Catalunya at a quarter past 8. There I asked someone for info and he told me which bus I had to go to. Turned out I was the only person in the line who knew it so we already had something to talk about while waiting....  The first stop we made was in Girona. I didn't know anything about this town except it's name before we arrived (wasn't really interested in it either as my goal was to go to Figueras). But then when we got out of the bus and went to the river I thought ' but Florence is in Italy....'  We had half an hour to get some coffee and I went with the canadian guys from Montreal, the australian and the guy from Los Angeles to a bar. Problem was we were just ignored there... at some point the waiter told me he would wait on us but what we did was waiting...  so while we were waiting time passed and then we didn't have any time left to get coffee... bad luck for them - business lost.... the square was nice though. Then the guided tour around Girona began. We took so many pictures and were completely fascinated by the town. It is awesome... haven't heard the story which goes with this but I can swear that the lion had the expression of the face before that guy kissed his a$$...  This street reminded me a lot of Tuscany.  And this garden was just beautiful as well...  I think this was a monastery.  Inside the arab bath...   I loved the colours of that roof:  The cathedral of Girona:  And again a great building...  The sqaure in front of the cathedral:  One of the narrow steep streets in Girona:  If you don't have other possibilities to dry your stuff it needs to hang on the roof...   The flat iron building of Girona...  And another funny balcony...  Tapas and salad...  Nice decoration  And some more decor on the buildings...  Once again the cathedral which is overlooking the town:  And then we were off to Figueras. On the way most of us slept a little bit as we all seemed to just have to make a siesta. What expected us there was: Have to say a few words before posting more pics. I knew Dali was a genius and a great artist. I knew too that this guy was so crazy that he was over the edge. Till sunday I hadn't realized though how much of a genius he really was. I knew most of the more famous pieces of art which are in the Dali museum in Figueras but you understand some of the ideas only when you see them in person. I will give you examples in the pics I'll post further down.  In the courtyard. The statues represent the 'Oscar' but Dali made them all female.  One of the more famous pieces (I think it is called something like 'schizophrenic torrero' but not sure about that).  This is one of the art works which are really amazing. In the middle are two mirrors and to the left and the right are one painting each. Now when you look into the mirror the two paintings melt into one. The fantastic thing about is that it doesn't matter how much you move your head to the left or the right, the two images ALWAYS fit into one piece.... and there were several of them.  This is Dali's tomb.  Here is another example of his genius. I had seen pics of his 'Mae West face' before but I had never realized that this was an installation. Here is what you see standing on the ground:  This is the picture of the face of Mae West I had seen before....  And another example: this is the entrance hall of the museum. You see a painting with the face of Abraham Lincoln. I had seen this before and knew it was one of the paintings with double meanings. When you are close you see his wife Gala standing in a window but at the same time it is the face of Abraham Lincoln. What was really amazing though was that looking at the painting with your eyes you see Gala. But when you look at it through your camera you see only Abraham Lincoln (which is what you see on that pic as well). It was absolutely amazing and I have never seen anything like that.  That's a door...  The installation in the courtyard  And this cadillac is full of water:  Ceiling in one of the rooms:  When I finally left the museum after about 2 hours I was so fed up that I didn't go to the second one which contains jewels designed by Salvador Dali. And this is the famous wall outside. The small yellow things in the red area are all bred as Dali liked bread a lot (of course it's not real bread).   The museum from the other side.  On our way back to Barcelona...  Plaza Catalunya again:  Another tapas bar. Till Stewart told me I hadn't known this kind of tapas existed. There are different toppings on the bread. You get a plate and go around and take whatever you want to eat. In the end the toothpicks are counted and you pay based on the number of them.  After dinner we were tired so I went back to the hotel and another great day was over.... Last edited by Andiline; 05-29-2007 at 04:29 PM.. |
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05-29-2007
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#17 (permalink) |
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life=playa
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: London, UK
Posts: 715
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You take such fantastic photos! I really really must get back to Girona - in the summer it's just alive with people and it feels so different, I loved wandering round the little streets and my friend and I used to stand on the bridges over the river for ages just chatting and looking at the buildings *sigh*
It seems like you enjoyed it, I hope so so, without wishing to sound greedy...is there MORE please! |
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05-29-2007
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#20 (permalink) |
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aņejo
 Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 30,889
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I love your photos... can't imagine how many you would taken if you really had time? Our daughter was there... and the photos were just ok. I think you must have a better camera.
I finally got on the forum the other day for the first time and had no idea what i was doing.. so many buttons and funny faces jumping around; any ways, I finally got the pic w/frame we all took in Cologne and want to send off one copy to you and the other to Tony. Tony if you're reading this, send me your add so I can finally get this thing out of here. Remember, we took the pic in Sept!@ By the way, I had another fantastic time in Germany and Spain just last month where i was visiting Lisa (our daughter) and parents in Madrid.. But...there is no place like home thanks for the beautiful photos, Linda Grup |
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05-29-2007
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#22 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: dallas - kinda, tx
Posts: 9,713
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wow... amazing!! i adore both gaudi and dali... my parents went to barcelona for one day on their cruise last year... said it was breathtaking... your photos are definitely better though.
someday... someday we'll go! *dreamy sigh* |
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05-29-2007
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#25 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cologne, Germany
Posts: 9,870
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Day 3
This was already the last day. I slept in but decided not to have breakfast in the hotel but to drink a coffee later on in a cafe. By 9 I had checked out and left my suitcase in the storage area of the hotel and went to Casa Batllo. Casa Batllo is another one of the buildings designed by Antoni Gaudi and it has been declared World heritage by the UNESCO. These are two outside views:   This time I went inside. Inside a lot of things are made of wood. The main theme of the building is the ocean so you see lots of waves and blue stuff there. This is a chimney. One seat is for a couple and the other one for a chaperon...  The amazing thing about these glas windows are the small dots you can see in the middle of each glass. They contain a bubble of the air of the time they were made.  This is one of the windows on the big window you see on the first pic. As you can see this house doesn't need any air condition as Gaudi designed it in a way that the air could circulate freely.  This is the back from a deck. Unfortunately I didn't capture the waves in which the pavement was built.  Another detail:  One of the rooms inside.... would be hard to find any fitting wardrobes...  On the rooftop deck:   Another floor with round walls:  Ocean theme again on the stairways.  The building next to Casa Batllo. Don't know what it was but it sparkled in the sun....  This guy looks like he's preaching, just didn't hear him...  I headed towards the Cathedral and the Gothic quarter afterwards as I had been told that the gothic quarter is great... One of the tipical buildings in Barcelona:  The square in front of the cathedral. Wasn't worth taking a pic of the cathedral itself as it was under construction and mostly covered with tissue.  A pic for Seakony... I lit a candle there....   And one for Jez...  Both the previous pics were taken in the cloister of the cathedral.  The main altar inside the cathedral.  Then I discovered that there was an elevator to the top of the cathedral and decided to go up. From up there you had a magnificent view over the city:   Don't know what this building is maybe a shopping center:  I had seen this building the day before when the went to Figueras. It is the 'Water tower' meaning it belongs to the Water Company in Barcelona. The amazing thing is that the facade has 42 different colours...  Another view of La Sagrada Familia  Children playing on the roof. I think this was part of a Kindergarden.  Part of a tower of the cathedral.  The black Madonna (had to take a pic as we have a black madonna here in Cologne as well and at least here she is very special).  Near the cathedral:  A bakery:  Not sure what animal that is supposed to be....  Mercado Santa Caterina:  Back side of the cathedral again  One of the small streets in the gothic quarter:  Some crazy stuff at 'La Rambla'  A tipical square which was quieter than La Rambla so I sat down there and had my last tapas for the trip there. What I found there is that a lot of the waiters/waitresses are asian (at least they look like it) and don't necessarily speak english....  One of the artists on La Rambla (I would have sweated like a pig...  ). Near the harbour  Dali again at La Rambla.  And a covered street (glass roof over it).  Then it was time to go back to the hotel, get my suitcase and take the bus to the airport. On the way I saw the Royal Palace I should have visited as well as it looked magnificent... didn't have nearly enough time though. Only conclusion is: I have to come back and I will! |
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05-29-2007
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#26 (permalink) |
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aņejo
Join Date: Feb 2004
Location: Cologne, Germany
Posts: 9,870
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Thank you guys... Linda, glad you finally came to the board as well.
Had seen your post already yesterday but didn't have time yet to send a PM. As far as the pics are concerned... they do have their price... my back HURT every evening as in total I brought 4 lenses with me but depending on my plans for the day I had 3 with me every day. Boy, they don't look heavy but they are... I was constantly changing lenses and was convinced some dirt would get inside the cam and make nasty grey spots on the pics but strangely this didn't happen 'halleluja'
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