...more of the genius Gaudi

...more of Park Guell

Picasso and Gaudi today..

I oversleep which I continue to do since arriving in Spain. Instant coffee and away we go. The Picasso Museum in Barcelona has the most extensive collection Of Picasso's early works. It's interesting to see the evolution and development of his style.The most interesting work involves a series of 58 paintings Picasso did in 1957 . He used the painter Velasquez's Las Meninas as a springboard of his own interpretation and distillation of the famous painting.

No pictures allowed.

Picasso and Gaudi

We have had an unbelivable journey through the most fantastic  singular work of art and architecture in the world. It's only my opinion, but I cannot believe it wouldn't be shared by anyone who has seen Gaudi's La Segrada Familia.

He achieved his goal of elevating the viewer to a spiritual place of holy beauty. If the being of god exists, it resides in the  Segrada Familia. 

Gaudi was the most talented, gifted artist I have ever seen.

I have so many beautiful pictures I wish I could share them all, but blogspot will not accomodate.

Today we went, (hiked up, up, up...like Piestewa Peak), to the 

The Park Guell.

It was equally astonishing and overwhelming.

Gaudi devoted his life to his work. I just started reading one of the only books published in english about Gaudi; his life and work. It's an interesting factoid that Spanish artists Picasso and Dali both ridiculed his work. 

Jealousy?

Pollyanna has entered the building...

It's a new, better, sunny day...Pollyanna, (that would be me), has returned and I no long feel like ripping Carlos "a new one".
Sleep was warm, long and deep. I feel great and Cal feels great because her jeans have miraculously dried overnight!!!
Off for a couple of cappuccinos.I love everything!

It's a 3 so far...Barcelona...

We are here, the weather is rainy and cold and our apartment has not lived up to our expectations. We are tired and whiny. I hope things improve tomorrow.
Cal washed her clothes, the washer is sick and the spin cycle is tired. Her clothes are dripping...hopefully dry, on racks in the hall. The oven doesn't work...Carlos we have a problem!
Our beautiful hotel in Sevilla...

Our apartment in Barcelona...

Cal's laundry...

We did go shopping and were planning on cooking while we were here, but unless the oven is fixed tomorrow, that might have been a little fantasizing. This is what we bought when we thought we were still cool travelers...

The grocery store charges extra if you use a cart...ah...that's while you're in the store amigas!

I hope tomorrow is better. We plan on buying transportation passes, so we can (attempt to) use the transit. Our trial run will be to the Picasso Museum.

Valle!

Sevilla Ceramics

Some wonderful ceramic illustrations in Sevilla...inspirational!

Cal poses for me to show the scale of the ceramic platters.

...more Sevilla

As I wait to take a cab to the airport, I thought I'd try to write more about what we did and saw on our very short, but spectacular stay in Sevilla.
We had a wonderful dinner last night. A lot of laughs. The others ordered paella, but because of the shrimp, I ordered Spaghetti
de Sevilla.

This was a small cassoulet of spaghetti, red sauce, slices of sausage (a day without jamon, is not a day in Spain), cheese, topped with two poached eggs. It was delicious!

Kathy, Bob and Cal...look who's sitting under the bull...hmmm?

OMG! A little frenchie...he was a toughie too.

Another ceiling in the Alcazares.

We were lucky enough to "sit in" on a practice session. It was awesome!

I just thought it was cool.

A beautiful courtyard.