Gaudi's Incredible Houses and Market

Day #2 Barcelona

 June 7. 2014

 Gaudi’s Incredible Houses & Market 

Fish at Market

It is Saturday so we head for La Caterina Market, which according to Rick Steve’s tourist guide is the best market. We haven’t used a Rick Steve guidebook in the past and are finding this book very comprehensive in comparison to the Michelin Green guide, which John also brought.  The market is hopping with tourists, John waits impatiently and wants to go elsewhere but we eventually get a table outside on the placa.  A young man is playing New Orleans style music on a piano that he has wheeled here while a much older man is playing the trumpet.

 Several people are dancing including a father with his young son who seems besot with their time together. I love seeing fathers this playful with their children.  I miss the classical Spanish guitar music from the night before and feel this music is too American for this location. I wonder if Spain always has this sunshine and such perfect temperature?  (about 70 degrees) I order giant prawns while John has hake fish. 

We are happy with the Mediterranean diet and feel healthy. We don't realize we are sitting underneath a Gaudi designed roof at this market! 

Market Breakfast Under Gaudi Roof 

La Pedrera (Casa Mila)

Model of La Pedrera House 

Our guidebook says La Pedrera house is one of Gaudi’s trademark works and an icon of Modernism. A wealthy industrialist commissioned it and locals have nicknamed it “The Quarry”.  There appears to be a long line up and John is disappointed he didn’t get a ticket online.  We go across the street to a wonderful bakery that also has Internet. We eat a delicious butter infested pastry, defeating the efforts to have a low cholesterol breakfast. (I think to myself that probably research will eventually prove that butter is good for you.) John tries to buy a ticket on line only to find his visa card is denied.  For the next 45 minutes he tries relentlessly to get in touch with the bank to have them authorize the purchase. 

The bank confirms he is authorized but despite 3 more attempts to purchase the tickets he is denied ~ even with a different visa card. He decides we should go back to the hotel and try to get a ticket by using my computer. I leave him in the bakery staring at his I-pad and run across the street to check out the tourist line up. Within 5 minutes I have purchased the tickets. Hmm I wonder if technology is not all it is cracked up to be?

La Pedrera Rooftop

Roof top Wavy Design 

With the assistance of excellent audio headsets, we view the Gaudi house rooftop, attic and apartment.  The rooftop is incredibly designed (yes that is the only way to define it!)  in wavy lines, broken tile mosaics and 30 chimneys and ventilation towers. 

Carolyn "leaning in" in Barcelona 

It is definitely fanciful with the colorful mosaics sparkling in the sunshine. Moreover it has a fantastic view of the city, other rooftops and the La Sagrada Familia in the distance.  

John being mindful? 

View of Condos ~ I'll take this one!

Sagrada Familial Cathedral View from Rooftop 

Outside House Windows 

Inside Wavy Stairs 

 The Attic 

The attic is truly magical with curved wooden arches everywhere and houses a fantastic video exhibit explaining the history of the Gaudi’s career with old photos and his design models. 

We are told that tenants did their laundry in this attic but I thought this should have been the penthouse. 

Inside the House

The apartment itself is decorated with furniture as it might have been when owned by wealthy urbanites. It is simple and elegant with curvy casing around the doors and windows.

Eixample ~ Casa Batllo

This wealthy segment of the city is known as Eixample. We walk down the Passeig de Gracia Street which has wide, spacious sidewalks covered with shady trees, outdoor cafes and chic shops. The buildings are elegant and I am reminded of Champs Elysees in Paris.  Strolling this street I vacillate between people-watching, taking in the incredible architecture and picture taking. I keep my purse close to the front of my body as my tour guidebook tells me pick pocketing is rampant. I think how fun it would be to be able to shop here with a girlfriend… although likely the prices are outrageous. John is unaware or actively avoids going anywhere near the shops and their elegance.

This street is called the Block of Discord because the mansions were all trying to compete with each other for the most creative facade.  We come across a colorful Modernista façade called Casa Batallo. 

Dragon's Back or Waves or....

It has a huge crowd of people waiting in line on the street to enter. We sit down on a bench to view the façade designed by Gaudi. It has green-blue mosaic tiles, pillars that look like leg bones and knee joints and skull-like balconies.

  

Skull-like Balcony 

The humpback roofline is said to look like a dragon’s back although I still see gentle waves.  Apparently Gaudi sought to leave his designs open to the individual’s imagination. He wants you to see what you are inspired to see. I love that different perceptions are tolerated and encouraged.

Third House 

We continue to walk down the street until the Ramblas begins, which is a main boulevard. Compared with the Block of Discord, the area is somewhat tackified with tourist shops, ice cream parlors, bars, beggars and restaurants but it is still fascinating with all the people from around the world. We take a cab back to the hotel.

Beginning of Ramblas - Park 

Protests against Violence

In the placa near our hotel, we encounter a large group of protesters. John goes back to the hotel and I stay around to try to figure out what this is about.  The protesters have flags all with pictures of men who have been killed or gone missing because of terrorists.   

In particular Venezuela is targeted with 25,000 people having being killed.  Some children and adults are wearing masks and singing ~ all in Spanish of course and I am not sure what they are saying but the message is clear that they are against violence as a solution. I want to join this group. 

I-phone more interesting? 

To tapas or not to tapas?

Dinner this night is at 10 pm in the Old Town where the streets are crowded with people wandering (paseoing), chatting and bar hopping for tapas. Peeking inside these Pintxo bars, there are huge arrays of an amazing selection of tapas and what we would call hors’doevres.  People stand about taking whatever they want and sharing what others have ordered. They don’t eat too much because the plan is to move on to another bar. When they leave one bar they have made a mental note of what they have eaten and pay the restaurant on the bases of a code of honor.  I would like to try this. However, since we don’t speak Spanish we decide we are not courageous enough this evening and instead have a traditional sit down meal in a French restaurant.   With ice cream cones in hand we ramble back to the hotel doing my favorite activity ~ people watching.