For you Christina, here is the Sagrada Familia. I keep thinking that it is melting :)I lose time when traveling, and so when I went to the Sagrada Familia, I unwittingly ended up at high mass on Sunday (thinking it was Saturday). It was a very long service, and all I wanted to do was walk around. Oh well. I really need to stop following people places :)
Barcelona is so lovely, I decided to stay here for about 9 days. I have been walking the city to see more and more of Gaudi's masterpieces. He is an architect of the Modern period who is inspired by the shapes of nature--trees and fractals, spines and bones, all things curvacious. I have really fallen in love with him, having missed him in graduate school. The audacity of his designs is magical and at time outrageous, which makes sense--he was designing houses and furniture for the excessively rich Americanos, those who had come back from Spanish colonies with a lot of wealth, and they were al competing with each other for the best houses.
Architecture aside, Barcelona is comforting in so many ways. After weeks of winding streets and maps that are confusing, I am glad to be back on a grid system of avenues. The Romans had a really good idea in making left and right turns. I appreciate that.
So here are some pictures of Barcelona, the city that I do not want to leave but for more adventures.
http://sheisasinafieldasilkentent.shutterfly.com/pictures/168
3 comments:
Those are super great pics Fonda! Those places must be just fantastic to see in person! It seems that we are so used to seeing buildings built with predominantly hard angles and maybe a few arches but nothing with quite so much whimsy and curvature. Definitely appears more organic in design. I love all the mosaic work, tambien! Miss you!!
Thank you so much. It is difficult to choose from the 300 pictures you take each day what any friend would like, so I appreaciate that.
Steve, you would love Gaudi's work. Even if you couldn't live in it, and maybe you could (we should talk), it is wonderful to walk through and be in for any moment in time. The Casa Batllo apparently has NO straight lines built into the original structure. It all flows more organically and lyrically. Maybe someday we can come to Spain together and experience the poetry of his designs.
And the tiles. On mosques and modern works, the tiles are the most sumptuous pieces for me. The designs and the colors and the effects that each design has on the mood of a given place...beautiful.
The personal experience is what this trip is all about, so I love your affirmation. Thank you :)
I miss you, too. If only to hear a Steve witticism...
Love you, Fonda
I'll definitely have to add Spain to my to-do list for future travels ... didn't manage to make it there back in the 2002 trip.
I look forward to your return and many tales!
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