It has been several years since we last visited Barcelona and our plans for this visit focussed primarily on a visit to the Basilica of the Familia Sagrada and an out of town trip to Figueres,noted mostly for its Salvador Dali Theatre and Museum.
The Basilica had changed somewhat since our last visit with the completion of much of the interior, as well as the addition of some additional towers and a treasury.
Our visit allowed us to spend some time surveying the massive interior with its soarking roof supported by pillars designed to resemble trees with "leavees" that added both visually and acoustically. The stained glass windows were reflective of the direction which they faced, those to the east showing cooler hues of blue and green, while those of the west showed deep reds and orange, reflective of the afternoon sun.
A trip via elevator to the 65 metre level afforded some spectacular views of the city, as well, upon descending via a spiral staircase of 383 steps, some eye catching views of the building's exterior. With several towers yet to be completed the final stages of construction are planned for 2026.
Having been dedicated by the Pope in 2010 the Basilica is now an official place of worship, although it's religious significance will probably never match it's appeal as an architectural masterwork. With hundreds of figures and animals sculpted into the building's exterior, it is a work of art that can transfix for hours as one catches the little intricacies and details that Gaudi and subsequent contributors have added to the look of the building. It is a Must See for anyone Catholic or who appreciates abstract architecture . Like the statue of Chief Crazy Horse in South Dakota, these are icons to man's determination to leave a mark on the planet which will make people think.
Friends rail about the expense involved and how the money could be used to clothe the poor and feed the hungry. Both projects are privately funded, employee hundreds if not thousands and unlike governments, dont waste money. I think they are doing their share.
On the morning of our third day in the city we boarded a high speed train for the one hour ( 110km) journey north to the town of Figueres where we spent a few hours visiting the Dali Museum and theatre
Unlike the museum in St Petersburg, Florida, this museum featured mostly Dali's smaller paintings and art works as well as a few copies of some of his masterworks- Located in a rather unique theatre the building featured several large rooms and galleries as well as several joining hallways, spread out over several floors. While the art and imagination of this creative genius/madman was quite stunning, it did not produce the same awe and excitement of seeing the massive paintings on display in Florida.
Sufficiently Dalified after almost 3 hours we grabbed a quick lunch and headed for the train station for our final stop of the trip.
Girona lies about 20km south of Figueres and the journey took about a half hour by commuter train. A quick taxi ride brought us to our lodgings for the evening, the Hotel Ultonia, the first "actual" hotel of our trip- the rest all having been B& B's or guesthouses.
Like most stops on our journey, Girona consists of a rather mundane modern town that surrounds an "old town" In the case of Girona, this consisted of a fairly large Jewish Quarter, consisting of narrow winding streets as well as several surrounding districts. With buildings dating back to the Middle of Ages and even earlier the old town is located adjacent to a small river which separates it from the modern town which can be accessed by several foot bridges.
Although we did specifically visit the Cathedral we spent most of our time just wandering through the narrow cobbled streets admiring the scenery. The Cathedral dates back to 1038 when it was consecrated and began as a Roman style building, but converted to Neo-Goyjic in the 13th Century The ratherdark interior featured a rather large number of chapels dedicated to various saints and significant figures in the history of the local area and the Catholic Church in Spain. We visited for almost two hours, trapped by a heavy downpour of rain that left the adjacent streets too skippy to
walk
Further walks, as the pavement dried found us exploring deeper into the upper areas of the town. Narrow winding lanes proved sunning viewpoints of the descending sun and the approach of evening.
Thursday morning a leisurely walk brought us to the train station for a slow ( 15 stop) 90 minute ride back to Barcelona. Plans to visit Parc Guell and the Magic Fountain of Plaza Espahna didn't happen , being substituted by a visit to the Arc de Triomf and an adjacent wine fest near the Parc de La Citadella.
A couple of hours in Gothic Quarter to the east of the Ramblas brought us to the "real Farmers market" with few tourists and prices much lower that the tourist trap of Mercat de la Bouqeria
Returning to our quarters off Diagonal we did a druy run through packing before heading for a local restuarant/ cafe for supper. Squid and Chickens for mains, grilled veggies, fries and rice for side dishes- all under 25 Euro including a glass of the house wine.
Our departure Friday morning was by, mostly, Airport bus- about $6:50 each for the half hour ride- Toronto take note!!! with your discount ( but still twice the price fares!!
Farewell Barcelona.
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