Gaudi Park and Miro ~ Innovators

Barcelona Day #3

June 8, 2014

Park Guell (designed by Gaudi) and Miro Museum (1893-1983)

We set out for Park Guell early in the morning in order fit in everything we hoped to see before our late afternoon flight to San Sebastian.  However, arriving at the Park we were told that our ticket entrance time would be 2 hours later.  Chagrined by this change in plans and realizing again the value of booking online, we hopped a taxi to the Miro Museum.  

Miro Museum

Miro’s drawings can be found in many places throughout Barcelona such as at the airport and in restaurants and hotels.  In fact, the logo for the Savings Bank is a Miro drawing. This museum has 10,000 items primarily from the last 20 year of Miro’s life. They are set in a beautiful building and include whimsical and colorful sculptures on the landscape and roof.  Seems like Miro could have been a good friend of Gaudi. 

Miro Museum 

Park Guell 

Heading back to the Park for our 11 am entry we hope we have made the right decision to see the Park instead of the National Museum.  But already I know I want to come back to this city.  Esuebi Guell who was Gaudi’s patron and admirer had asked Gaudi to design a park for him in addition to designing houses.  

Entering the Park I feel a bit how a child might feel entering Disneyworld.  We start by climbing a whimsical staircase guarded by a mosaic dragon. 

Entrance to Park 

Ginger Bread House? 

Incredible Roofs ~ wavy of course

We arrive at the top to see a Hall of 100 Columns that looks like a forest of concrete trees, similar in many ways to the forest of columns inside the Familia cathedral.  The columns are made of concrete and rebar and support an undulating, white mosaic roof. I almost expect an elf to emerge at any moment. 

Forest of Concrete Trees

Ceiling of Forest 

Apparently this forest was designed as a market for the wealthy neighborhood mansions.  However, Gaudi was ahead of his time because the wealthy at that time did not go to markets to shop.  Outside this forest is a panoramic terrace surrounded by a rolling mosaic bench. The mosaic on these benches have been made from broken pieces of bottles and dishes. 

Bench Seat

I recall some friends on Vashon who have done something similar in their kitchen as backsplashes around their counter tops (Katherine Kennedy and Susan Hedrick).  Perhaps we should build a bench like this at our place? 


The views of the city are magnificent and there are beautiful gardens and trees framing the terrace which are lush green and relaxing. We are so glad we made the decision to view this park on this gorgeous day.

Down the rabbit hole 

Surrounding Gardens 

Protests ~ Human Wall Builders

Tired but feeling satisfied we return to the hotel to get ready to go the airport. On the Placa nearby the hotel we encounter another protest, which is different from the one we had seen the day before.  Several hundred people wearing red shirts that say “Sergi Fredium” are milling about singing. John heads back to the hotel while I stay to try to find out what this protest is about.  Suddenly I see about 10 arms holding up a man’s body, only to see another body being pushed up to climb on the shoulders of the first man. Turns out these people are “human wall builders” ~ several columns of people are being built until the tower is 8 people high. 

The final person to climb up the human wall is a young child who looks about 6 years old. While she is wearing a bicycle helmet this still looks incredibly dangerous.

 I ask a woman nearby what this protest is about and she tells me that Sergi was a member of this group and was put in jail because he was protesting but he had done nothing wrong. His trial is 8 months away and his friends and family are protesting his incarceration and trying to have a positive influence on getting him released.  They continue to build human walls while another group play music and dance.  There are many young children, toddler ages, sitting on their father’s shoulders and dancing about waving red scarfs.  Clearly these children are in training to be protesters. 

Drama at the airport & Upon Arrival

We pack up and I am feeling reluctant about leaving the Neri hotel and this delightful little community. It has been a sweet place to stay and the hotel has supplied me with as many Nespresso coffees as I wanted. I love sitting on our small balcony and the sounds of people singing and someone playing the guitar in a nearby apartment. Alas, I leave thinking I will come back one day.

It takes us 30 minutes to get to the airport because of the traffic jams and crowds packing the small streets and our nearby Placa.  I am surprised the taxi even dared to drive into this labrynth clogged with tourists.  Eventually we arrive at the airport that is also packed with travelers waiting in long lineups to check in. John will have to learn to be patient.  While we are waiting in line I ask John if we need a passport for this next plane ride because I am having trouble finding mine in my purse.  Suddenly we look at each other and realize we have left our passports in the safe in our hotel room.  Yikes… John leaves me with all the luggage while he takes a taxi back to the hotel. We have 75 minutes before take off time so we think it will be possible to make the flight.  John tells me to go on to San Sebastian if he is not back, because I have a workshop starting the next morning at 8:15 am. Once I get to the front of the line, I am asked for a passport and told that because I am not European and have no identification other than a passport I cannot be checked in. Moreover, I am also informed that if I don’t present a passport 40 minutes before the plane departs I will not be able to take this flight! Suddenly I realize we are unlikely to make the flight and I will not be in San Sebastian for the morning workshop. 

I phone John in the taxi to give him the bad news. He thinks his female taxi driver is too slow but nevertheless asks her to wait for him on the Placa rather than drive to the hotel. He dashes to the hotel and waits counting the minutes as a new room card is made for him only to find out the safe won’t open.  Eventually, it opens and he jaunts back to the taxi getting his quota of exercise. His lady driver senses his urgency and speeds breaking the limit back to the airport. Exactly half a minute before the 40 minute deadline I charge to the front of the line waving the passport—needless to say people in line are not happy with this aggressive American lady.  We can’t believe it but we make it thanks to John’s speed!

Magic at the end 

Upon arrival in San Sebastian we experience similar stress and adrenaline as we cope with renting a car I didn’t think we needed.  First, we can’t start the car and think the battery is dead and need the Budget lady to explain to us that in this car you must press on both pedals to start it.   Once en route an outdated navigational system takes us in the wrong direction and into a maze of blind alleys and unmarked roundabouts.  Moreover, we finally end up in a traffic jam and know we won’t make our 9 pm dinner reservation.  Eventually we make it to a sweet, magical small hotel with only 20 rooms named Villa Soro where John stressed by our driving escapade orders a taxi to take us into the Old Town of San Sebastian for dinner.  Entering a bar entrance with many people sharing tapas we find a small unpretentious room in the back.  Here we relax and John enjoys hake and I eatprawns.  We made it!