June 11, 2015 - Madrid, and then back to Barcelona

This morning we were able to sleep in a bit - until 8:30! Then another amazing breakfast at our Madrid hotel, and out again. A torrential rainstorm kept us in the lobby for a little while, then off to the most wonderful Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Susan Yelton, our very savvy traveling companion, has mentioned that the Thyssen is one of her favorites, and we have to agree. Containing one of the world's most distinguished private art collections, the Thyssen is beautifully curated, organized perfectly, and, most important to us, very uncrowded. It was possible to stand before some of the world's masterpieces all alone and just revel in the experience. We spent a solid two hours, visiting first the temporary collection, which was a group of Zurbaran masterworks, then going to selected works in the private collection. The number of treasures amassed by this family is unbelievable. Is it too politically incorrect to say that we enjoyed this smaller museum more than the Prado?

Above - The living wall as it looked on June 9. Below - The same wall as we left Madrid on June 11.)

After a light lunch, we gathered as a group in the lobby of our hotel, then set out to walk the few blocks to the train station. We left promptly at 5:00 p.m. for Barcelona, and had a pleasant, smooth, and very fast ride aboard the bullet train.

In Barcelona, it was raining - seems as though that has been a theme for the past two days. We divided into groups of four and caught taxis back to our hotel. We had a very nice taxi driver who apologized profusely because his English was not so good. Acknowledging that our Spanish/Catalan is far worse than his English, we were charmed. He dropped us right at the door of our hotel, and for 10 Euros per couple, we felt we had the best of the bargain!

So funny that we felt as though we had come home, in a sense. Our rooms were just as we left them (but much tidier), and, after a brief unpacking, we set out for our favorite tapas bar (the Toothpick Place), and enjoyed a light meal, some wine and beer, and stopped in for a quick gelat on the way back to home base.

Now we're back in the room, completely unpacked, showered and ready for bed. Tomorrow we gather at 9:00 a.m. - destination: Gaudi!

And at least as far as I'm concerned, I loved our Madrid experience, but Barcelona is friendlier, has a more exciting vibe, is definitely cleaner - and the food is better. We're glad to be back.

June 10, 2015 - Today we had a little rain ....

We stepped out on the Paseo del Prado this morning to be greeted by clouds and a cool breeze. What a lovely day - we had been expecting temperatures in the 90s. It began to rain, really just a little rain, as we headed past the Prado towards the Hercules statute and the Fuente de la Cibelas. This statute graces the main square for athletic celebrations; for instance, as many as a million people have gathered to celebrate an important futbol win by Real Madrid. (Noting here that Barca is still the best futbol team in the universe.)

We headed towards our ultimate destination for today, the Plaza Mayor, with Arleen, our peerless (and fearless) leader, pointing out many architectural wonders along the way. Madrid, which is a much younger city than Barcelona, is home to some fabulous 17th and 18th century structures and many beautiful promenades. Finally we reached the Royal Palace, which is certainly in a class with Versailles. Like Versailles, it no longer houses the royal family (although Spain, unlike France, still has an actual royal family), and is used primarily as a tourist mecca and for great state events. We were lucky enough to be present for an impressive posting of the guard, complete with fife and drum and beautiful, perfectly matched gray horses. Two of the horsemen graciously circled the plaza, giving the crowd a chance to take as many pictures as anyone could want.

We circled around one side of the palace (vowing to return later today or tomorrow and actually go inside) and made our way down to the ruins of the Moorish wall. Madrid, as a new city by European standards, doesn't have the kinds of ruins that we've seen in Barcelona, but this is an impressive archaeological spot. It also boasts a magnificent view of the entire city spread below the palace.

Then - on to Plaza Mayor! This is an absolutely enormous plaza, ringed with shops and restaurants and filled with visitors and street performers. Here we had lunch and did a little shopping.

After a most pleasant break, we headed back to hotel, walking the length of the Calle del Huertas.

This street was originally far from the more upscale areas around the palace and was the home to many of Spain's most distinguished writers. Situated near the city's vegetable gardens in the 17th and 18th centuries (Calle del Huertas means Street of the Vegetables), it was a cheap area in which to live, and writers, like most artists, generally needed inexpensive lodgings.

At various points along the street are embedded brass letters which are quotes from the works of novelists and poets whose names are recognizable to any Spanish schoolchild. While our group wasn't familiar with all of them, some we did recognize, and we were particularly struck by the quote from Cervantes, which is the opening line of "Don Quixote." Arleen pointed out a few plaques on the walls of houses where some of these men lived; most of the dwellings that would have been occupied in those centuries are gone, however, and the quotes in the pavement are an excellent way of memorializing this era and these famous writers. What a special treat to be guided by a native speaker who can convert these words into colloquial English!

The Calle del Huertas ends at the Paseo del Prado, and here we were on familiar ground. We returned to the hotel for just a bit of a rest, then were off again. We did a little more shopping, then explored the neighborhood around the hotel (found a grocery store with water for just one euro/bottle) and also walked past a restaurant called Steakburger, which boasts the best hamburgers in town. This, I believe, is a pretty low bar to jump, Madrid not being the hamburger mecca that, say, Tallahassee is. We will never know, of course. I will admit, however, that Mike broke down this morning and purchased a decaf caffe Americano from McDonald's this morning. And enjoyed it thoroughly. Suffice it to say that European McDonald's is a cut above the American model.

After a brief rest, we met some other OLLIs for a stroll over to the Reina Sofia museum. Viewing Picasso's "Guernica" was a don't-miss for our whole group and most of us visited this museum sometime during the day.

It's difficult to explain the difference between seeing photos, no matter how artful, of "Guernica" and seeing the real thing. First of all, it's enormous. It occupies its own room in the museum, and is the only artwork that one absolutely cannot photograph, even without flash. On an adjoining wall is a series of photos taken by Dora Maar, Picasso's lover at the time, that show the progression of the work from first drawing to final iteration. It is the most detailed record of an artwork in progress ever, I believe. And Picasso created it in only one month.

The painting itself deserves much more time and contemplation than we gave it. Having said that, I will note that we spent quite a bit of time in the room, talking and reading about the painting and simply looking at it.

[As a sidebar, I'd like to comment that a huge bonus of this study abroad with OLLI has been the insightful bits of Spanish history our instructor has shared with us. Our previous knowledge of the awful pain that "Guernica" communicates adds immeasurably to our appreciation of the painting. It's truly a joy to travel with one so knowledgeable, and between what Arleen has offered us in situ and a lot of what our instructor from Florence and from Maymester, Bill Walter, has taught us, we are experiencing this trip on many, many levels. If you are reading these words, I say get thyself enrolled in OLLI at FSU ASAP.]

After "Guernica," we adjourned to the plaza and finished the evening with pizza and red wine. What an enjoyable meal! We love our OLLI friends, and every engagement with these fellow travelers and learners adds to the experience. Now we are back in our hotel home base and looking forward to perhaps a bit of a sleep-in in the morning. We are on our own until we catch a 5:00 p.m. train back to Barcelona. I must admit, we are biased: we love Barcelona, its Catalan vibe, its wonderful food, its cozy feel, and will be happy to return there. But before we leave magic Madrid, we'll maybe hit the Prado one more time, or go to the Thyssen, or maybe check out the Royal Palace, or ....

June 9, 2015 - Madrid!

Up early this morning to catch our taxis to the station to take the bullet train. Our hotelier arranged for three vans to pick us up, and off we went! How funny when all the OLLIs emerged and trotted into the station behind our leaders. But all the careful planning and organization of our wonderful OLLI folks is working beautifully; so far we haven't lost a single traveler.

The bullet train was fun - a new experience for Mike and me. We have taken the train in Europe, but this was our first experience with high-speed rail. How wonderful if we could do this in our country! I can envision a great route running from Washington state to the Mexican border, and one running from at least Jacksonville to at least Washington, D.C. Oh, yeah, and a smaller one from Tallahassee to Atlanta, please.

We arrived in Madrid before noon and set off to check into the hotel. It's within sight of the train station (an architectural marvel itself) and an easy trek pulling our little rolling bags. An NH hotel, it's a bit fancier than our digs in Barcelona, which is nice - but certainly no more comfortable. It shares one characteristic of the Barcelona hotel: it is right in the middle of the action.

After checking out our rooms, a few of us strolled down the street to a little plaza directly across the Paseo del Prado from the Prado Museum, found a small sidewalk cafe and had a nice lunch, a prime feature of which was an absolutely enormous glass of sangria filled with fruit and ice - just what we needed on a hot day. I know, I know - sangria is so cliche. But man, did it taste good! (And no, the men had beer.)

(Above - Mike's lunch. Following - a massive paella.)

After lunch, we gathered in the hotel lobby again to go as a group for an afternoon guided tour of the Prado. The Spanish word "prado" means meadow, and the museum, which was one of the first in the world to be constructed specifically as a museum (the Louvre, for instance, was once a palace before it became an icon of the art world), was built in a meadow. Originally it was conceived as a natural history museum, but our old pal King Ferdinand decided it should become the Royal Museum of Paintings and Sculptures. Today the Museo del Prado is one of the world's great art museums.

We have heard Diego Velazquez's "Las Meninas" referred to by more than one OLLI instructor as the greatest painting of all time. How one could even decide to choose the world's greatest painting is beyond me, but I must admit that it is a phenomenal work, and one painting that is a don't-miss. (We are planning to purchase some Las Meninas dolls for Ava, but shhhh - don't tell her.)

Once our guided tour was concluded, Mike and I headed for one room we had already planned to see together - the Hieronymous Bosch room. There we gazed at the real "Garden of Earthly Delights" and the "Table of the Seven Sins." Pile these up with the paintings from Goya's black period and you have a bunch of seriously disturbing works. It's hard to imagine their having been very desirable for the drawing room or the dining room - but we suppose they were!

We are now back in our room having a little toes-up before dinner. Mike's FitBit tells him he walked over seven miles yesterday (and I was right there with him), and we are just plain tired. So a little later we'll venture to the Plaza Major for a nice dinner, then home to bed.

Tomorrow we have an extensive walking tour of the city led by our wonderful instructor, Arleen - and we hear that the Reina Sofia is open with no charge tomorrow from 7:00-9:00 p.m. We must see Picasso's "Guernica"! And maybe on Thursday, before we leave, the Royal Palace.

June 8, 2015 - What an exciting evening, and all day long

Last evening we sat at the cafe on the cathedral plaza and watched as people thronged to see and hear the ceremonies and parade for the celebration of the holy day of Corpus Christi. There was music and a solemn procession, and the parade of giant puppets wound around the cathedral through the narrow streets and back into the square. Quite a spectacle!

*

This morning we set out once again at 9:00 a.m., headed to Las Ramblas. Las Ramblas is a lengthy promenade, almost in the French fashion, with each Rambla named for a particular feature of that block or group of blocks. There are buildings on each side, with narrow sidewalks, then a traffic lane on each side of the middle wide area meant for - well, rambling. The Rambla of the flowers is filled with flower stalls selling wonderful arrangements, plants, pots, and seeds. There is a whole Rambla with nothing but little cafes.

And of course there are vendors everywhere, hawking souvenirs, pleading with tourists to come in for tapas, caffe, even ice cream. High above the street on a balcony is a woman (or maybe a man) dressed as Marilyn Monroe, complete with platinum blonde wig and iconic dress, made to blow up around her (his?) waist by a handy electric fan. She/he was beckoning us all to come up to the Erotic Museum. Those arms were pretty muscular, and the legs underneath that dress - well, let's just say they had little resemblance to the originals.

We passed the beautiful opera house of Barcelona, and the Theatre Principal.

Arleen pointed out that along Las Ramblas we begin to see touches of the modernista architecture - there's even a large circular portion of the pavement that was designed by Joan Miro and given to the city as his gift. We take a brief detour off the main promenade to see the Palau Guell, designed for the very, very wealthy Sr. Guell by Gaudi himself.

As we reached the end of Las Ramblas, we turned and walked along the seaside to one of the highlights of our trip: a private tour of the Royal Academy of the Arts. Arleen's very good friend had arranged for our group to visit - and what a treat it was, indeed. We viewed the most beautiful llatja (familiar to Americans as loggia) where merchants have met to trade in all kinds of commodities since the 14th century. It was absolutely breathtaking.

(Above - Awful picture taken with my camera which does not do well without flash.)

Then we were permitted to sit in the Academy meeting hall upstairs while Arleen offered a lesson on the functioning of such institutions all over Europe. This was such a privilege - we were quite awestruck.

Our morning of formal instruction ended at this point, and we made our way across the busy street to the beautiful public areas of the port. Totally renovated for the 1992 Olympics, this is an amazing area. Locals and tourists alike stroll the boardwalk, sit in the parks, and (as we did) have lunch in cafes that overlook the marina.

 (Above - my lunch. Note Russian salad with small cone protruding. This became one of my faves.)

I must report that after this most amazing morning and early afternoon we returned to the hotel and did something so boring: laundry. This most necessary task was interesting also. The little laundromat was quite an experience. We are indebted to the kindness of two different merchants in the dingy little street who gave us change for our euros with a smile. The washer demanded four euros and 50 cents - exact change only. The dryer needed a two-euro coin - only. Sigh. We now have clean underwear.

This evening we returned to a little square that we discovered on this morning's walk and had a lovely dinner. Then back to the hotel - time to pack for Madrid! We leave early in the morning to catch the bullet train, and will return Thursday evening. I'll have my trusty netbook and will keep posting! But now - since we have a 5:45 a.m. get-up - to bed.

June 7, 2015 - We're really beginning to feel comfortable here

Last night (Saturday) we strolled over to the plaza in front of the cathedral, hoping for a castell, which is sometimes performed on Saturday evenings in the summer. Basically it's a human pyramid, with extra points earned for quick construction and quick tear-down. No luck; no castell. Then we remembered: the European championship of futbol was to be played - Barcelona vs. Whoever - and it was due to begin any moment and would be broadcast from Berlin. Since we've already been told and have agreed that Barca is the best futbol team in the universe, we could understand what was happening: everyone was glued to a TV somewhere. (We're Seminoles, remember?)

SO - we strolled to what's become a favorite little restaurant - not long on ambience, but great food and a most congenial waiter. The five of us were seated, had ordered, were having a small adult beverage, and the whole place exploded into cheers - Barca goooaaaallll! Seriously. We could have been at the Ale House on a fall Saturday night in Tallahassee.

We strolled back to the hotel, only to find almost our entire group in the lobby around the TV. Sure enough, everyone was watching Barca futbol! We went to our room and tuned it in. We are gratified to report that Barca won, 3-1, and is the official European soccer champion. The celebration continued into the night.

*

This morning we were back at our studies promptly at 9:00 a.m. To conclude the medieval portion, we visited the Church of Santa Maria del Mar. This has become our favorite church so far. The residents of the neighborhood (our El Born from yesterday) long ago decided they must have a church. They hauled blocks of stone all the way from Montjuic, the women provided food for the workers, and they built a truly remarkable space. Arleen assured us that this church is as wide as is possible using medieval materials and architectural knowledge. While most of the medieval churches are quite narrow, concentrating the focus on the altar and above, this church is wide inside. There is great space and light (relatively speaking), and much less ornamentation and splendor. It has the feel of the common man. We loved it.

We then ventured a short way down the Passeig El Born towards the cultural center, then made our way back via Las Ramblas. We did take a brief break, during which time Mike and I treated ourselves to the first baked goods of the trip - two enormous chocolate cookies.

After a light lunch at Pans (which is definitely European fast food), we set out for a free afternoon. We opted for the Barcelona City History Museum, and it did not disappoint.

Beneath the royal palace and the courtyard where Ferdinand and Isabella welcomed Christopher Columbus is the excavation of Barcelona as it existed from the time of the Romans. These ruins were preserved from the 9th century, even as new layers of city were being constructed on top of them. The world benefits from Barcelona's thousand-year tradition of historic preservation. Today's visitors can go down in an elevator to the Roman level, and move slowly through the decades while ascending back to the year 2015. This museum is beautifully curated, with exceptional labeling in many languages, including English, so one can truly understand the history from Barcino to Barcinona to Barcelona. The artifacts are stunning: there are Roman spoons that could easily be used at today's breakfast table. There are frescoes that glow, even when viewed from many feet away. There are fish macerating vats and wine vats and dye vats and laundry vats that contain residue from the 4th century A.D. There are funerary busts that, as the narration notes, completely accomplish their original intent: people are still talking about these folks long after their deaths. 

This was an amazing experience, and we were there for at least two hours. Bonus: museums are free to the public on first Sundays, so we didn't even need a ticket!

We then found a lovely, cool sidewalk bar and refreshed ourselves with a beer (Mike) and a glass of wine (me). Those who know me will be surprised to hear that I quite enjoy the local white wine - it's a Catalan grape that is very refreshing and light. And have I mentioned the weather? It's been perfect. Low 80s in the daytime with a lovely sea breeze, high 60s in the evening. We can stroll the streets and sit in the cafes and enjoy, enjoy, enjoy.

Now we're having a bit of toes-up. Today is the celebration of the Feast of Corpus Christi at the cathedral, and we can hear the music through our open window. In a half hour or so, we'll go out in search of dinner. But for the moment, we rest and decide that this is pretty fabulous.      

June 6, 2015 - The never-ending quest for iced tea, and other stuff

I definitely meant to send a shout-out to our waiter from yesterday in Besalu. He tackled the issue of iced tea with complete confidence - not bad for a guy who was completely mystified by our request.

Mike loves iced tea - tries to limit his consumption, but really, it had been days since we left Atlanta. So we decided to try to explain the concept to our very kind waiter, who, of course, spoke no English. And needless to say, we do not speak Spanish, much less Catalan.

So we said black tea. Since it was approximately 95 degrees in the shade in Besalu, he was puzzled, but willing. I then said, two glasses with ice. Extra charge, he said. Okay, I said.

In a few moments we were served two cups of boiling water (with a saucer that functioned as a lid, both for splashing prevention and also heat retention), two teabags of indeterminate origin, two small water goblets, each with exactly two small pieces of ice. Ice, it seems, is a rare commodity and not to be just slung around willy-nilly.

SO - we steeped our teabags until the water was a pale shade of tan, I dumped my two pieces of ice into Mike's glass (so now he had four, rapidly melting), and he poured his very hot tea into the glass. After about a minute, he sipped. "How is it?" I asked. He nodded.

He took another swig, then I poured most of my cup of very weak brewed very hot tea into the glass. Voila - disappearing ice. "How is it?" I asked. He nodded again.

An iced tea drinker from the American southern states just isn't that hard to please.

*

This morning (Saturday) we assembled in the lobby promptly at  9:00 a.m. and set off to study the cathedral.

The Barcelona cathedral is a marvel of Gothic architecture, both inside and out. Our instructor knows it so well and we are so lucky to have her traveling with us. One problem: outside instructors aren't allowed into the cathedral with groups - and our headphones were a dead giveaway. So we followed Arleen from the entrance up to the apse, and she nodded meaningfully at features that she wished to expound on once we were gathered again outside on the plaza. 

What a wonderful building! The miracle of medieval construction continues to amaze. The soaring vaulted ceiling, the beautifully painted keystones, the intricately carved altar pieces - all are a feast for the eyes.

Outside again, we, as good OLLIs, peppered Arleen with questions. She's so great - she's so patient - we're so curious! As we travel around the neighborhoods and learn about medieval building systems, we are so lucky to have such a knowledgeable architect and gifted teacher as our guide.

The afternoon was our first time on our own since we arrived four days ago. A small group of us hit our favorite tapas bar for a quick lunch (and once again, it didn't disappoint), then struck out on a Rick Steves walk through El Born.

The funky Bohemian neighborhood of El Born is home to many ethnic citizens, many wonderful shops and restaurants, and the Picasso Museum. Picasso, who was born and lived in Barcelona until his 20s, held the city in high esteem until his death. Luckily for the world, Picasso's father saved pretty much everything he ever created from his early teens forward (think about those drawings you have on your fridge from the grandchildren), and this museum is a lovely little gem containing much of his early work, even a few pieces from the Blue and Rose Periods. It is absolutely astounding to see what Picasso did at the ages of 15, 16, 19, 20. The expansion of his genius and growth of his artistic abilities is perfectly captured here. What a transcendent experience!

(Above - El Born Cultural Center, where we could have spent an entire day.)

Along the walk through El Born, we window-shopped, took in the atmosphere, people-watched, and pretty much wore ourselves out. We also noticed that the vast majority of folks surrounding us were under the age of 35 - this is truly a city that skews very young. It makes for a wonderful, energetic vibe, true enough; but these old feet are tired now.

We are headed to the Cathedral Plaza to watch whatever might transpire there this evening; we have heard that Saturday night on the plaza can be quite entertaining. And I suspect we'll hit that tapas bar again before returning. Tomorrow, we get a tiny bit of a sleep-in, then off to the church of Santa Maria del Mar. And maybe another Rick Steves walk tomorrow afternoon. Las Ramblas, here we come.

June 5, 2015 - A trip to Besalu

Today we boarded a bus at 9:30 a.m. to travel to Besalu, northwest of Barcelona. Established in the 11th century, Besalu is an almost perfect example of a medieval town. With 2300 residents (as of the last census), it's just a village, but it's a living town, not just a tourist attraction.



As we crossed the beautiful Romanesque bridge, complete with tower and portcullis, we marveled at its solid construction and obvious wonderful design. Spanning the Fluvia River, the bridge is built with angles and breakwaters, the angles to strengthen the bridge and the breakwaters to weaken the river. Since the use of concrete had been forgotten about at this time (I know, hard to believe), the stones were placed in a way that has lasted over a thousand years without mortar. Although it's now closed to motor traffic, the bridge is wide enough to accommodate a modern automobile, and certainly strong enough.

The town boasted a prominent Jewish population of bankers and merchants, and archaeologists have discovered the remains of a synagogue and a mikvah, utilizing the water from the river for the ritual bath which is such an important part of Jewish religious and cultural tradition. Steps lead down the hill from the town to the river, where fishing is permitted - and one of our group even spotted a little river snake.

This small village is home to not one, but two, medieval churches, and also a monastery and a medieval hospital. The town is protected from the rear by the foothills of the Pyrenees, and from the front by the river. The bridge itself has the tower fortification and two very solid wooden doors that could have been closed against any enemies. And as a last resort, one of the churches has enormous doors that could have been closed and locked, sheltering the villagers inside against the armies of rival noblemen or even invaders from France or northern Africa.

All of us could immediately see similarities between this tiny town and some of the towns we visited last summer in Tuscany. It's fascinating to know that principles of construction and defense were so widespread - once again, those wily Romans wielding their influence far after the fall of empire.

As I write this, we sit in our hotel room in Barcelona with our balcony windows open, enjoying the slight breeze and the sounds of the street. The temperature is 79 degrees, with low humidity. We have yet to see a cloud - crossing fingers that that continues. We are considering a little drink in a shady terrace bar, then a stroll through the early evening from plaza to plaza, and maybe an early bedtime.  We begin again in Barcelona tomorrow, continuing our travels through history with more examples of medieval architecture and design systems. Tomorrow afternoon, free exploration time. I believe we might take the walk down Las Ramblas from the Placa Catalunya to the sea. Or maybe visit the Picasso Museum. Or maybe explore the fabulous department store, El Corte Ingles. Or .....