Spain - art and architecture

Fun fact: did you know that the train tracks in Spain are different from all the other countries in Europe? When you get to the border you have to get out of the French train and get onto the Spanish train. When leaving Spain, I had to exit the Spanish station, walk three blocks, take a subway, walk another block to the French station!

I have been lucky with the weather on this trip. Starting in Ireland, I worked my way south to keep just ahead of the cold weather. An endless summer.

On a perfect, balmy day in Barcelona, I strolled down The Ramblas (the main street, pedestrians only) past the grand opera house, ornate churches, plain prostitutes, pickpockets, flower stalls, artists, street mimes, outdoor bird markets, cafes, and a wonderful indoor market. The market contained a plethora of chicken legs, bags of live snails, dozens of different types of olives, bin after bin of fish, fresh, colorful produce, attractively bottled liquors, and every kind of candy you can imagine. Sleepy dogs lay about, blocking the aisles.

On the Ramblas there was a wonderful Brazilian band performing, while Spaniards danced their Spanish dances - so intense and romantic. Nearby, cafes served up sizzling Tapas - the local hors d\243uvres.

There are these 'statues' all over Europe - people who have painted themselves and their clothing either silver, gold or white and strike perfectly motionless poses for contributions from the captivated crowds. The funniest thing I saw on the Ramblas was when one 'statue' was working and another one came up and set up his stage nearby. The first 'statue' unfroze, walked over to the second 'statue' and proceeded to berate and insult him in rapid Spanish, with appropriate sign language - the guy was on his turf.

I wandered all over the Gothic Quarter, a mish-mosh of grand squares, schoolyard plazas filled with noisy Spanish children, art nouveau storefronts, random flea markets, musty and classy antique shops, and balconies behind wrought-iron bars. The centerpiece of the Gothic Quarter is its colossal cathedral, a fine example of Catalan Gothic, started in about 1300 and completed 600 years later. It is simply massive.

Gaudi is big here. An artistic genius, left his mark on Barcelona's architecture. The city is filled with his galloping gables, organic curves and beautiful mosaics. A devoted Catalan and Catholic, he completely immersed himself in each project. He was an eccentric - when he was run over and killed by a cable car, it took the authorities 3 days to identify his body. He was wearing clothing held together by pins and nobody recognized him.

Gaudi's most famous and enduring work is the unfinished Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) church. From 1891 to 1925, Gaudi worked on this monumental church of eight 100-meter spires that will someday surround a 160-meter spire. Cranes, plaster, workmen, elevators and scaffolding mask any sense of spirituality that might exist there. I think this is really a Barcelona public-works project in disguise. There is no 'there' there. It will take at least another 100 years to finish it. I think it is really more a huge piece of modern art, than a church.

I walked up the 350 steps to the top of a tower for a view of the city. My legs have grown strong from carrying my 45-pound pack all over Europe, so it was a lot easier than climbing the York Minster tower, way back in July.

Gaudi also made some really cool apartment buildings with wild, melting-ice cream architecture, mosaics, and amazing construction. I liked these much better than the church.

After Barcelona I went to Madrid. Visited the Prado and saw Bosch's 'Garden of Earthly Delights,' Bruegel's 'The Triumph of Death,' and Goya's Devil eating his child. At the Sophia Reina I saw Picasso's 'Guernica,' and a lot of stuff by Joan Miro.

In Bilbao I toured the new Guggenheim. Unfortunately part of it was closed so I didn't get to see everything.

Took the bus over to Hendaye, France, then the overnight train all the way to Italy.