I spent a day in Barcelona. Far too short, but I got enough of a taste to say next time I'll stay at least five days. My focus was Dali, in particular the Sagrada Familia, but I also went to Park Grüell. I hadn't booked a ticket because I wasn't sure when I'd get there, so I joined the line around the block waiting for tickets. At least I could appreciate the outside of the building while we slowly shuffled along. I chose not to buy a ticket for the towers - they suggested that people who suffer from vertigo and claustrophobia (tick, tick) shouldn't go up. I did get the audio tour though, and it was very worthwhile.
The outside is incredibly detailed, and you get a very sore neck trying to look up at the details. The nativity facade was my favourite, very complex and with some lovely traditional carvings.
As I went inside the first thing I noticed was the rainbow effect of light streaming through the stained glass windows on to the pillars. As the sun shifts the light is a constantly changing feature. The pillars are four different colours made from alabaster, granite, marble and basalt, each a particular size, and the different circumferences are dependent on position and what they are holding up.
There will be stained glass windows around the whole church but at the moment only about 1/4 are done. But they are exquisite and very complex. The colour palettes change according to the theme, and one part at the highest point behind the altar is deliberately clear to allow the natural light to shine through.
The columns spread out as they go up like tree trunks and are twisted and interlinked. Gaudi was very mathematical and developed ideas which had never before been tried. He used a lot of parabolic shapes to provide more light coming from the ceiling. In the museum they have displays explaining the mathematical concepts behind the designs. It would be a great thing for an extended essay or an extension class to explore. I was hoping there was a book specifically on the mathematics behind the design, but there wasn't one in the shop - I'll have to look on the web.
As I left the church I walked though the queue waiting for a ticket, right in front of two guys who had been in the hostel at Riomaggiore. What are the chances?? Then, as I was walking from the station to Park Grüell, I met a couple I had spent several hours chatting to at Cadaqués. Still no PLC meetings though.
Park Grüell was interesting, and very pretty in parts but not nearly as extraordinary. The design of layers of paths and terraces up the hill were interesting, and his use of trees in the designs of his columns was very pronounced. There were beautiful mosaics and lots of places to sit.
That night I went on a tapas tour on the Gothic centre of Barcelona. There were only 8 of us in the group so it was relaxed and friendly. As I was waiting at the meeting spot I heard whistles and bangs, and found that a large demonstration was coming down the street. It was very friendly, not at all confronting and the police presence was small and relaxed also. The tour was great fun. We went to a cheese shop and sampled some cow, goat and sheep cheese, then to a small family cafe which specialised in Vermouth (they had their own version specially made and served it on tap), then a typical Catalonian restaurant, and finally a small cafe for dessert.
The outside is incredibly detailed, and you get a very sore neck trying to look up at the details. The nativity facade was my favourite, very complex and with some lovely traditional carvings.
As I went inside the first thing I noticed was the rainbow effect of light streaming through the stained glass windows on to the pillars. As the sun shifts the light is a constantly changing feature. The pillars are four different colours made from alabaster, granite, marble and basalt, each a particular size, and the different circumferences are dependent on position and what they are holding up.
There will be stained glass windows around the whole church but at the moment only about 1/4 are done. But they are exquisite and very complex. The colour palettes change according to the theme, and one part at the highest point behind the altar is deliberately clear to allow the natural light to shine through.
The columns spread out as they go up like tree trunks and are twisted and interlinked. Gaudi was very mathematical and developed ideas which had never before been tried. He used a lot of parabolic shapes to provide more light coming from the ceiling. In the museum they have displays explaining the mathematical concepts behind the designs. It would be a great thing for an extended essay or an extension class to explore. I was hoping there was a book specifically on the mathematics behind the design, but there wasn't one in the shop - I'll have to look on the web.
As I left the church I walked though the queue waiting for a ticket, right in front of two guys who had been in the hostel at Riomaggiore. What are the chances?? Then, as I was walking from the station to Park Grüell, I met a couple I had spent several hours chatting to at Cadaqués. Still no PLC meetings though.
Park Grüell was interesting, and very pretty in parts but not nearly as extraordinary. The design of layers of paths and terraces up the hill were interesting, and his use of trees in the designs of his columns was very pronounced. There were beautiful mosaics and lots of places to sit.
That night I went on a tapas tour on the Gothic centre of Barcelona. There were only 8 of us in the group so it was relaxed and friendly. As I was waiting at the meeting spot I heard whistles and bangs, and found that a large demonstration was coming down the street. It was very friendly, not at all confronting and the police presence was small and relaxed also. The tour was great fun. We went to a cheese shop and sampled some cow, goat and sheep cheese, then to a small family cafe which specialised in Vermouth (they had their own version specially made and served it on tap), then a typical Catalonian restaurant, and finally a small cafe for dessert.
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