There's a columnist in our local newspaper who writes a piece every once in a while that's kind of a bullet list of his random thoughts (I figure he jots these down from time to time, then uses them when he's at a loss for a topic). Inspired by him, I'm inclined to share my stray musings from our just-completed trip to Barcelona and other cities and towns in Spain. So here goes:
1. Dogs: We saw so many cute dogs in Barcelona. These are urban creatures, in every sense of the word. As a city that's existed for over 2,000 years. Barcelona seems to have grown randomly, with no planning for such second millennium luxuries as green space. Consequently, parks are at a minimum. There are many trees, but each one has its own (tiny) space carved from the sidewalk. Some dogs seek these little sandy areas to do the necessary, but most dogs just poop on the sidewalk. Note: Owners seem quite diligent in their pickup activities. AND - Barcelona, at least in the areas we frequented, is quite tidy. We saw many municipal employees sweeping and picking up. So one way or the other, dogs are not a nuisance, and we loved seeing them and talking to their owners.
BUT - conclusion: Our dog would not do well in this city. He doesn't even like the tile floor in the kitchen. Can't imagine him loving living on sidewalks. Side note: The dogs were amazingly well behaved and friendly, even with the crowds of tourists. Many were not leashed, yet stayed with their owners like good doobies. Additional note: We missed our dog.
2. Toilets: When we were in Germany, Italy, the Czech Republic, we became accustomed to the presence of public toilets. Yes, one had to pay a euro to use them, but they were there. In Barcelona, Madrid, Valencia, Montserrat, Besalu - no public toilets. My conclusion is that this just isn't happening in Spain. SO - one has two choices: go into a bar/restaurant and purchase something in order to use the W.C., or find McDonald's. No one ever batted an eyelash when we marched through Mickey D's to use the (always very clean) facilities. I don't know whether the lack of public potties is simply a cost-cutting measure on the part of the Spanish government, which has, admittedly, had a lot of hard times in the past decades and can't afford to construct and maintain public facilities, or if it just hasn't occurred to them. This old lady (and her hubs and companions) found it to be an inconvenience and sometimes a REAL inconvenience.
3. McDonald's: So interesting to me that McDonald's in Europe is far, far superior to McDonald's in the U.S. Wassup with that? And before anyone expresses shock that we actually patronized McDonald's while in the land of beautiful coffees and pastries, I'll note that on two occasions we broke down and purchased caffe Americano decaf, which, as far as I can tell, doesn't exist anywhere else in Spain. Side note: Starbucks is just as boring in Spain as it is in America - can't tell a bit of difference. Still don't like their coffee.
4. Windows: One of the true joys of European travel and staying in small hotels is the wonderful windows. Our room had a little balcony-ette (small ledge with iron railing) with French doors that opened to the street. We were on the fifth floor, so could have quite easily climbed the railing and jumped, if we had so desired. Curiously, no one seemed worried that we would do that. Consequently, we had access to the breezes, smells, sights and sounds of the neighborhood - and, with the exception of one fly, no bugs. This alone is a miracle to someone from Florida.
The most wonderful thing about the windows, however, is the mechanical shade. One of my pet peeves in travel is that, no matter how fancy the hotel, the heavy, light-blocking drapes NEVER meet in the middle. There's always a little sliver of a crack, and the sunlight comes pouring through in the morning, usually around 6:00 a.m. So annoying! Listen up, Holiday Inn Express (and Ritz-Carlton, for that matter): install some mechanical shades. With the touch of a button, the shade completely covers the window, blocks the light, and keeps the room DARK. Which is what one needs to be able to sleep, right?
5. Air travel: I never realized before what a difference a congenial (and quiet) flight crew can make on a lengthy flight across the water. Our flight to Barcelona was pretty miserable, with the crew making noise, talking, clattering, etc., all night long. Plus the head attendant was pretty crabby. The flight home was a delight. We had a newer plane with more comfortable seats, and one of the attendants actually joked with the passengers. This seems like something Delta could work on. Just sayin'.
6. Loved going, loved returning: Finally, I'm so grateful for OLLI at FSU. The staff (Debra and Terry) work so hard to make everything comfortable and interesting, and keep their smiles and pleasant demeanor through thick and thin. We learned so much on this trip (and others), and had an experience we'll treasure forever. And having good OLLI friends as traveling companions is just the icing on the cake. I will admit, however, that it's good to be home - did I mention that we missed our dog?
Thanks to all of you who have followed the Adventures of Mike and Nancy on this trip. I will blog again!
Saturday, June 20, 2015
Tuesday, June 16, 2015
June 16, 2015 - La Sagrada Familia, the Palau de la Musica Catalana, and our last day
Today has been memorable. We began our day at La Sagrada Familia, an artist's conception of which has graced this blog account since the beginning of our trip. Rick Steves characterizes Gaudi's masterpiece as a "melting wedding cake," and that description seems pretty apt. That is, if one is speaking of the exterior.
This structure is almost a fever dream of loops and sags, towers topped with what looks like ceramic fruit, hundreds of sculptures, friezes, symbolic plants and animals, and much, much more. Our very capable guide made it clear to us that many artists have worked on this still unfinished church, and their vision has become a part of it. It's uncertain as to how Gaudi would have felt about that!
The interior space is truly magnificent. Inside, the church is a marvel of symmetry. All the measurements, front to back, side to side, floor to ceiling, are in multiples of 7.5 meters, except those that are very small - and they are one-half of 7.5. The significance of this number wasn't made clear to us, but I found this little factoid fascinating.
Gaudi spent the last 43 years of his life obsessively working on La Sagrada Familia, living in the church, and walking back and forth to mass more than once a day. He was a devoutly observant Catholic, and he, like so many of his predecessors throughout the centuries, was quite comfortable with the idea that the building wouldn't be finished in his lifetime. He said, "My client [God] is in no hurry."
La Sagrada Familia is totally financed by donations, with no help from government or the organized Catholic Church. And, very touching to Mike and me, there is a small school attached to the main building which was designed and built by Gaudi for the children of the workmen. It is an architectural gem. We agree with Gaudi: who says a school must be built with straight walls, flat ceilings, and institutional paint? I think some of my favorite pictures from today will be of this little building.
After a most delightful lunch with some of our group in which we sat for one last time at an outdoor cafe, we headed for the spectacular Catalan Music Hall, the Palau de la Musica Catalana. Privately owned by the Orfeo Choir, this building, while not designed by Gaudi, is a true jewel of Modernista design. The acoustics are perfect! I only hope that my little camera will produce some good shots. At every turn there is a WOW moment. What a wonderful way to end our day!
(Our delightful guide.)
Now we are packing, for, alas, we must leave Barcelona tomorrow. We will have one last gathering of our group this evening to toast our unparalleled instructor, Dr. Arleen Pabon, and our guiding lights, Debra and Terry. They have planned and executed a perfect trip for us. Of course we haven't had as much time as we'd have liked, but does one ever? We are truly leaving this party at a point when we are having a good time.
So home to Tallahassee, to family, friends and beloved pets, to summer heat and doldrums. We will never forget this experience - Barcelona is truly a magic city!
This structure is almost a fever dream of loops and sags, towers topped with what looks like ceramic fruit, hundreds of sculptures, friezes, symbolic plants and animals, and much, much more. Our very capable guide made it clear to us that many artists have worked on this still unfinished church, and their vision has become a part of it. It's uncertain as to how Gaudi would have felt about that!
The interior space is truly magnificent. Inside, the church is a marvel of symmetry. All the measurements, front to back, side to side, floor to ceiling, are in multiples of 7.5 meters, except those that are very small - and they are one-half of 7.5. The significance of this number wasn't made clear to us, but I found this little factoid fascinating.
Gaudi spent the last 43 years of his life obsessively working on La Sagrada Familia, living in the church, and walking back and forth to mass more than once a day. He was a devoutly observant Catholic, and he, like so many of his predecessors throughout the centuries, was quite comfortable with the idea that the building wouldn't be finished in his lifetime. He said, "My client [God] is in no hurry."
La Sagrada Familia is totally financed by donations, with no help from government or the organized Catholic Church. And, very touching to Mike and me, there is a small school attached to the main building which was designed and built by Gaudi for the children of the workmen. It is an architectural gem. We agree with Gaudi: who says a school must be built with straight walls, flat ceilings, and institutional paint? I think some of my favorite pictures from today will be of this little building.
After a most delightful lunch with some of our group in which we sat for one last time at an outdoor cafe, we headed for the spectacular Catalan Music Hall, the Palau de la Musica Catalana. Privately owned by the Orfeo Choir, this building, while not designed by Gaudi, is a true jewel of Modernista design. The acoustics are perfect! I only hope that my little camera will produce some good shots. At every turn there is a WOW moment. What a wonderful way to end our day!
(Our delightful guide.)
Now we are packing, for, alas, we must leave Barcelona tomorrow. We will have one last gathering of our group this evening to toast our unparalleled instructor, Dr. Arleen Pabon, and our guiding lights, Debra and Terry. They have planned and executed a perfect trip for us. Of course we haven't had as much time as we'd have liked, but does one ever? We are truly leaving this party at a point when we are having a good time.
So home to Tallahassee, to family, friends and beloved pets, to summer heat and doldrums. We will never forget this experience - Barcelona is truly a magic city!
June 15, 2015 - Valencia!
[As I write this, it is early morning June 16. I began last evening, but was so tired I had to promise myself to finish today before breakfast!]
Today [June 15] our group boarded a bus for a long, but comfortable, ride to Valencia. We arrived at the building that houses the permanent site of the FSU Study Abroad Program in Spain. What a lovely historic site! The building enfolds a part of a Roman tower and wall from the 3rd or 4th century. The director of the FSU program, Dr. Ignacio Messana, gave us an overview of the program, the building, the students, and the program's mission. (Current students were in the midst of final exams and presentations, so, alas, we were unable to go downstairs to see the lower ruins.) We loved making this FSU connection, and were so proud to hear comments from shopkeepers in the immediate area who praised our young folks for their demeanor and enthusiasm. Dr. Messana noted that the FSU's international program, which maintains four permanent sites and many more locales, is generally ranked in the top five in the U.S. - go Noles!
After this "campus" visit, we set out to walk in the area. Arleen took us first to the Torres Serranos (Towers of the Mountains), which have stood as sentinels of the city for a thousand years, then into the placa of El Micatel, a bell tower attached to the Valencia cathedral.
After taking a brief lunch break, we crossed the busy street to gaze into a most impressive park - a dry riverbed that has been dedicated as public space by the city of Valencia, which winds through the city to the Mediterranean. Faced with the necessity to re-route the Turia River as a flood control measure, the city and its citizens created this most beautiful space. From the pedestrian bridge we could see soccer fields and long expanses of grass and trees. Dr. Messana had told us that this park compares to both Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London in size. And we had only just begun to experience its attractions!
Back on the bus, we proceeded to drive along the length of the park (former river) to an area called the City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies). The buildings that occupy the riverbed are almost impossible to describe. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the buildings swoop and soar (seemingly) and overwhelm the visitor with their size and grace. My poor camera could hardly do this area justice! We have been so fortunate on this trip to learn about architecture in Spain that spans thousands of years - and the City of Arts and Sciences was the icing on the cake,
After a lengthy bus ride back to Barcelona, we stopped at our favorite tapas place, had a quick bite and are heading for bed. Tomorrow is our last day in this magical place, and we're going to make the most of it! We will finish our studies with a tour of the Sagrada Familia - and figure out one last special treat.
Today [June 15] our group boarded a bus for a long, but comfortable, ride to Valencia. We arrived at the building that houses the permanent site of the FSU Study Abroad Program in Spain. What a lovely historic site! The building enfolds a part of a Roman tower and wall from the 3rd or 4th century. The director of the FSU program, Dr. Ignacio Messana, gave us an overview of the program, the building, the students, and the program's mission. (Current students were in the midst of final exams and presentations, so, alas, we were unable to go downstairs to see the lower ruins.) We loved making this FSU connection, and were so proud to hear comments from shopkeepers in the immediate area who praised our young folks for their demeanor and enthusiasm. Dr. Messana noted that the FSU's international program, which maintains four permanent sites and many more locales, is generally ranked in the top five in the U.S. - go Noles!
After this "campus" visit, we set out to walk in the area. Arleen took us first to the Torres Serranos (Towers of the Mountains), which have stood as sentinels of the city for a thousand years, then into the placa of El Micatel, a bell tower attached to the Valencia cathedral.
After taking a brief lunch break, we crossed the busy street to gaze into a most impressive park - a dry riverbed that has been dedicated as public space by the city of Valencia, which winds through the city to the Mediterranean. Faced with the necessity to re-route the Turia River as a flood control measure, the city and its citizens created this most beautiful space. From the pedestrian bridge we could see soccer fields and long expanses of grass and trees. Dr. Messana had told us that this park compares to both Central Park in New York and Hyde Park in London in size. And we had only just begun to experience its attractions!
Back on the bus, we proceeded to drive along the length of the park (former river) to an area called the City of Arts and Sciences (Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciencies). The buildings that occupy the riverbed are almost impossible to describe. Designed by Santiago Calatrava, the buildings swoop and soar (seemingly) and overwhelm the visitor with their size and grace. My poor camera could hardly do this area justice! We have been so fortunate on this trip to learn about architecture in Spain that spans thousands of years - and the City of Arts and Sciences was the icing on the cake,
After a lengthy bus ride back to Barcelona, we stopped at our favorite tapas place, had a quick bite and are heading for bed. Tomorrow is our last day in this magical place, and we're going to make the most of it! We will finish our studies with a tour of the Sagrada Familia - and figure out one last special treat.
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