Final BCN photos

Yea, this BCN photo retrospective is coming to an end. Now with a second trip to Barcelona under our belts, there are still so many places we have not seen or visited. If you have not yet been to this wonderful place, and an opportunity presents itself...RUN, don't walk. Pretty fantastic.

B&H in Parc del Ciutadella.



The arch in Parc del Ciutadella.



Bocce players in Parc del Ciutadella.



Spanish dancers outside the Barcelona Cathedral.





Spanish exterior, Picasso Museum.



Hachie Gal in teh courtyard of Palau de la Generalitat.



Barcelona street musician.




PS - did anyone see that stage 6 of La Tour de France ended in Barcelona? It was a soggy and slippery day as the riders raced into Barcelona. Cool aerial shots, though, of the city.

Land of Mr. Freeze

We can happily report that the upstairs floor of the London house is cooling quite nicely...it is actually downright COLD thanks to our nifty portable A/C purchase. Of course, we really have only needed it for one day since its arrival as the outside temperatures have fallen about 10 degrees. Isn't that the way it always works?

Still, we feel as if we are in the land of Mr. Freeze at night with our trusty "cold zone". YES! It feels rather glorious...

(Hint: for those who are not Batman afficionadas, Mr. Freeze was a super villian who had to stay in freezing conditinos or he would melt and die).

The Other Casa

Casa Mila, usually called the stone quarry, is Gaudi's greatest contribution to civic architecture and the last work he completed before devoting himself to Sagrada Familia.



Built between 1906-1910, it's constuction was ridiculed by the "intellectuals" of the day. Truly a masterpiece, we only viewed it from the outside....next trip will require an interior tour.





Casa Mila by night.

Dos Casas

Two Gaudi private residences are available for touring in BCN: Casa Batllo and Casa Mila. Since time was of the essence for us, the Budman and I opted to tour Casa Batllo. WOW! I still find it hard to imagine that this built in 1906 - he was quite ahead of his time.



Built as a block of flats commissioned by Senor Batllo, it involved a conversion of an existing building complete with stunning mosaics, fantastic carpentry, tiling, and chimneys and rooftop. The building has been said to symbolize the legend of St. George killing the dragon whose scaly back arches above the main facade. OK - what gives with St. George? He is apparently a favorite for artistic intrepration across all of Europe - a bit overused though?????



Salvador Dali saw the curving rails, walls, and windows as representative of waves on a stormy day!

Interior of Casa Battlo.





















The chimneys, usually unseen and functional, have become Gaudi's trademark. These are covered in mosaic tiles. Additional photos show pictures of the dragon's back.





The ceramic cross was made in Mallorca but was damaged in transit. Gaudi liked the cracked effect and used it anyway. The arms point to the cardinal points of the compass.



Night shots of the exterior of Casa Batlló.

Sagrada Familia

Definitely the most unconventional church I have ever seen, a half day was spent in Barcelona touring Gaudi's Sagrada Familia, the church where he poured out his creative efforts during his final days. The church is crammed with symbolism inspired by nature and was his most, albeit unfinished, prestigious work. In 1883, after work had begun on a Neo-Gothic church on the same site, Gaudi was given the task of completing the church; instead of completing the church, he changed everything about the design, resulting in constant improvisation. Today's structure exhibits the Modernisme style he was such a proponent of.



When public money for the project ran out, Gaudi went from door to door begging for more funding. He was so devoted to the project that he lived as a recluse on the building site for the last 14 years of his year before being struck down and killed by a tram. His funeral service was held at the Sagrada Familia and he is buried in the church's crypt. At his death, only one tower on the Nativity facade had been completed, but work resumed after the Spanish Civil War. Still unfinished, work continues to today financed by public donations.





Gaudi's initial plans have been kept over the years but new technologies have allowed this vision to be achieved a bit more quickly...if you can say over 120 years is quick...that is medieval church construction pace if you ask me. Still to come is the central tower, which is the be encircled by four large towers representing the evangelists. Four towers on the the Glory (south) facade will match the existing four on the Passion (west) and Nativity (east) facades. The bell towers, of which 8 of the 12 have been completed, one for each apostle, are topped with Venetian mosaics.



An exhibit shows the technology used for the towers of La Sagrada Famillia.



The Passion facade, which is currently above the temporary entrance was completed between 1986 and 2000 by a local artist. The sculptures are quite angular and apparently did not met with the approval of all.















The Nativity Facade, was finished according to Gaudi's personal instructions before his death; thus, looking a bit more subdued than the Nativity Facade.







The nave, which us still under construction, is a forest of pillars supporting the four galleries above the sides. Natural skylights are used to light the structure but much stain glass is used in other parts of the building.























This former schoolhouse at La Sagrada Familia was used to educate the children of the craftsmen and workers who worked on the church. Gaudi's architectural influence is reflected even in this structure.

Modernisme and Gaudi

Towards the end of the 19th century, a new style of art and architecture was born in Barcelona. Modernisme, a variant of Art nouveau, was embraced by many artists and architects. Common characteristics of this architectural design include:

all aspects on interior and exterior decoration and design follow the art form
use of parabolic arches in decorative and structural elements
elaborate use of wrought iron
organic forms inspire; use of animals and plants in the decorative elements
dramatic cupolas
curved lines

Born in Reus, Antoni Gaudi was the leading proponent of Catalan Modernisme. With highly original work, he went on to create some of the finest buildings, homes, parks, and churches in Barcelona. His most celebrated work, the church of the Sagrada Familia (upcoming post), was his life’s passion from 1914 to his death in 1926, when he was killed by a tram.

We devoted one entire day in BCN to a tour of Gaudi’s buildings (see below). Many buildings are not open to the public, but several of them are including Casa Mila, Casa Batilo, and of course, Sagrada Familia. More on these three structures later.

Bari Gotic

BCN’s Gothic Quarter is the true heart of Barcelona. The oldest part of the city, it was the site chosen by the Romans during the Reign of Augustus (27 BC – AD 14) on which to found the new town. Since that time, it has been the location of the city’s administration buildings as well as the Barcelona Cathedral and the royal palace, Palau de la Generalitat, the site where Columbus was received by Ferdinand and Isabel on his return from the New World in 1492.

Barcelona Cathedral - this gothic cathedral was begun in the 12th century, and is still under construction and/or restoration today. The main facade was not completed till 1898 - today it is covered for renovation (first phot below). The backside of the cathedral contains the romansque elements from earlier periods. Photos of the cloisters are also included along with a fountain and statue of St. George.















Interior of Barcelona Cathedral - interior photos of the nave, choir stalls, crypt, and the Cappella de Sant Benet, the chapel dedicated to the founder of the Benedictine Order and patron saint of Europe.























Scenes in and about the Gothic Quarter.























Basilica de Santa Maria del Mar - the only example of a chuch built entireley in the Catalan Gothic architecture. It took just 55 years to complete, which is unrivaled in the Middle Ages.

BCN…finally

The long awaited return to Barcelona finally transpired. We were starting to think any and all future trips to BCN were jinxed because it seemed every attempt to visit that fabulous city was thwarted either by a trip cut short or cancelled. Third time is a charm…or in this case, I think 6th time a charm. Anyway.

Our four day weekend greeted us with gorgeous sunshine, endless tapas restaurants (which I must admit to embracing this concept - endless grazing), TONS of wonderful architecture, and of course, the requisite shopping. The next few posts with try to capture some of the highlights of that trip, photographically speaking.

I suppose the pre-eminent BCN star is Gaudi…the man and the legacy of his architecture. While I was aware of his work, this weekend allowed the Budman and I to totally immerse ourselves in his BCN achievements. The crown jewels, La Sagrada Familia, Casa Mila and Casa Botlo, are indeed impressive, but everywhere you look there was an example of his work. Sadly, no trip to Parc Guell this visit…ah, simply another reason to return!

So, starting off slow, our BCN trip….

La Rambla…its sights and sounds. Certainly one of the most famous streets in BCN, if not THE most famous, it is alive 24x7. A stroll down its length allows you to see its seafront (experienced on our first BCN trip), check out its palatial buildings, visit the food stalls, shops, cafes and street vendors, including those cute little bird stalls, and check out the sometimes wierd but entertaining street performers. A good start to the BCN experience.

Monkey off my back

WOO-HOO!

Yes, that proverbial "monkey" is indeed off my back. Officially, today at 9:26 AM, I successfully completed the practical portion of my UK Driving Test. Thanks to the fine, and last minute tutelage of my friendly AA driving instructor, Byron, I passed the test with 0 major faults and 2 minor faults. (Technically, you can't pass the test with any major faults or 15+ minor faults).

The day began at 6 AM when Byron and I set off in the AA "learner's car" ...yes, the one with the big letter L on the front and back of the car, a HUGE bar across the roof of the car that read "LEARNER", and the rather tacky yellow and black logo of the AA Driving School on the hood and both sides of the car door. Anyone looking from outer space would have been able to locate me with no problem whatsoever.

To be truthful, I was a bit nervous, because (1) I had taken this blooming test before and failed, and (2) the entire process has just taken a little under 7 long and arduous months to complete. Besides the "loser" feeling I would have had if I failed again, I don't think I could have withstood another 8 weeks of waiting before the "next" test, which would have resulted in more tube/bus travel to work in the current oppressive London heat. My one way travel time to office: 1 1/2 hours on public transport versus the 20-25 minutes in a car. My perfectly good SUV has been sitting curbside ...one tank of gas consumed in 7 months. That is ALL about to change.

I do think the "round-about" gods were smiling on me today. Not my strong suit when I was at the top of my driving game, but I did seem to get the easy round-about exam questions this morning. I'm not complaining, mind you. Totally OK with that. As Byron said, we just need to teach you to pass the driving test...and that was good enough for the day.

So, what was the first thing the newly approved driver did after passing her practical test? Hand the keys to the learner vehicle back to Byron and politely ask "would you mind driving the 45 minutes back to West London? I am worn out". Yes, the earliest date and location I could schedule an exam was some 45 minutes outside of London in a town called Slough. Slough...a place that will always carry a warm place in my heart...

This weekend's US Independence Day celebrations will take on a dual meaning for me...I am now free to drive all over this country if I want to. For now, a drive to IKEA and/or Costco sounds promising since it is a destination you really need a car for. A thrilling prospect indeed; don't knock it until you have been barred from driving for 6 months b/c you only have a "learner's permit". And that is after 30 years of US licensed driving.

But not anymore....

Could they tell stories on me!

We are so fortunate to have had another recent get-together with friends from Texas who were in the UK for 2 weeks. The Budman and I caught up with these international travellers long enough, to grab a meal, hug some necks, and catch up with them the night before their return to Dallas.

You see, I have known these people for almost 40 years. Old habits die hard, so technically I still think of them as Mr. and Mrs. E. As I have been best friends with their daughter, Tracey, since elementary school, it is still hard some times to refer to them as Jim and Catherine, but I try.

Next to my parents and aunt, these "grown-ups" have known me longer and better than about any other adult living people, have seen me through all the major events of my life (graduation from high school, college, and grad school, college pledging, engagement and wedding, deaths of my parents, Gingerbread Trail experiences, and life living abroad - thanks for always being so supportive) and shared in my triumphs as well as despairing moments. Always, ALWAYS, they can make me laugh even in the darkest hours (that night in fall '88 around your Yellowstone house kitchen table springs to mind) This evening was no different!



One of the stories that Catherine shared, which I had totally forgotten, is one night while we were in high school, Tracey and I has just returned from evening tap class, only to burst into their bedroom while they were watching TV, tapping up a storm, apparently with visions of "making it big on the Big White Way".

That is one of the greatest things about old friends, not friends who are old, but friends who have known you for a long time. They have these wonderful memories that somehow your own memory bank may not have recorded. So, take the time today to say hello to an old friend and share a walk down memory lane! It will be good for your soul!

And as for Jim and Catherine, we look forward to a return engagement.

week 2 Wimbledon

We are well into week two of Wimbledon and all I can say is "this place is "Murray crazy". Apparently, the young Scotman's ill-fated comments from 2006 about rooting for anyone who plays football (soccer for you, Americans) against the English are all but forgotten. It has been 73 years since a citizen of GBR won the men's single title. That's indeed a long dry spell. The fact that he is Scottish apparently is not longer an issue. Everyone loves a winner I guess.

Currently watching him play on Monday evening London time, and he is about to beat Wawrinka. I must confess to being caught up in Murray mania until I realize Andy Roddick is still in the mix for the US. Guess I technically need to be a homer but I long ago adopted the custom of rooting for the US AND my host country in whatever sporting event is under way. When in Seoul and Dusseldorf respectively, we pulled for S. Korea and Germany in the World Cup; ditto for the UK in last year's summer Olympics. Seems to increase the odds of my team/man winning.

One final note, I used to judge the calendar by when the NFL, NHL, the Final Four, Spring Training for MLB, and the World Series began. Now, my calendar is tuned to European Football, Wimbledon, and the Tour de France commence.

Yep...starting to be gone a bit too long, me thinks?

chastisement

OK...guilty as charged....vacation posts and photos will come....soon....I promise.

It's hot, hot, hot

Yes, today's string of sunny London days is now officially starting to wear thin for me I never thought I would be saying this, but "can we please get some rain, a little cloud cover, and a cool front?". To steal Cole's phrase, "it's too darn hot!".

Officially, the highs today in London town were 86 degree Fahrenheit. Before any of my fellow Texans start ribbing me about how hot it has been in Texas the last week or so and can't this Texas gal deal with the mid-80s, please remember the following distinction...we have no A/C in our homes in London. For that matter, many of the offices suffer from the same predicament. As Budman returned from his tube journey home tonight, albeit with a sweaty shirt back and a soggy suit, we noticed that the temps inside the house were hovering around 90 degrees. Still tempted to trade in my London weather for your Texas A/C?

Which brings me to the next point: we have made the purchase of a portable A/C unit which arrives from the John Lewis department store on Saturday.

It will be Independence Day of another sorts for us this Saturday!

Congrats to the grad!

During our recent trip to Texas, we were not only able to catch up with family and friends, eat some of our favorite foods, and shop at some of our favorite stores...no, the primary reason was to attend our niece, SaraBeth's, graduation from Baylor University. Being the proud aunt and uncle that we are, we cannot say enough fabulous things about SB's accomplishments while at Baylor...academic, extracurricular, musical, etc. We'd say she was a great gal even if she was not our niece!



So on that soggy Saturday in Waco in May, we saw her march across the platform during commencement exercises at the Ferrell Center to the thunderous applause and "hoopin' and hollarin'" of her proud family and friends! Well done, SB!



And can we add, we simply do not recognize the campus of BU...WOW! It has sure changed from when the Budman and I attended.

The following day, we attended a lovely brunch in her honor....Congrats graduate!

OK...it does pay to have an inside connection

Hachie Gal might not have the inside track to getting a table to the most exclusive restaurant in London...or knowing a friend of a friend of a friend that can get me a concert ticket of choice....but in Hachie Gal terms (please, don't laugh! this is my world, now), I do have some inside connections into one VERY important event...

...drum roll please....

YES! Hachie Gal has already secured a 2010 London Marathon ballot courtesy of my new best friends at Guide Dogs UK. As it currently sits, I am already on a first name basis with Will and Catherine as I have run the last few races as fundraisers for them including the 2009 London Marathon and London BUPA 10000. Making friends (and collecting donations) has apparently paid off.

Just hung up with my buddy, Catherine, who has offered me one of the few Guide Dog secured ballot places. Their logic is to reach out to people earlier this year so runners can get on with their fundraising efforts well in advance and hopefully pull in a bigger amount of donations.

So, it appears that Hachie Gal has a very important date for April 25, 2010! More details to come on how you can support my efforts!

Happy birthday, Phil!

The Duke of Edinburgh marks his 85th birthday today. He was born on 10 June, 1921, the youngest child and only son of Prince Andrew of Greece and Princess Alice of Battenberg.

It appears that only a private birthday celebration is in order today although with the Queen's birthday later this week, they will do a combo public birthday event with the Queen's parade on the 13th, a Royal Marines Band performance on London's Horse Guards Parade on 15 June, as well as national service of thanksgiving at St Paul's Cathedral to mark her official 80th birthday.

Happy Birthday!