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Published: October 14th 2012
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Spainis an instrumental composition by jazz pianist and composer Chick Corea. It is probably Corea's most prominent piece, and some would consider it a modern jazz standard (Wikipedia) It's also, one of my favorite jazz compositions. And, with this in mind, we head South!
Saturday, September 29th, 2012 – Wednesday, 17th September, 2012
It's an early rise and on the road from Lourmarin, France to Girona, Spain. It's pissing down for most of the trip, especially so on the last leg, from Perpignan to Girona. So scary, driving in heavy rain next to the enormous trucks that are all over Europe’s highways. We're booked into a hotel, the Girona Melia, about 25 minute walk from the old town. Our dinner on the first night is at a Mexican Restaurant, we've researched it in Trip Advisor and reviews are positive. While the Mexican owner, is extremely nice and came to talk to us, the food was disappointing! Sunday, after a great sleep we walk to the old town and spend a lot of time exploring the old Jewish Quarter, the Call. The Old Town is on the east bank of the river, with narrow streets surrounded by the old city
walls. The "Rambla", and every Spanish town has a “Rambla” runs alongside the river. We visit the Jewish museum in “the Call” and discover the history of the Girona Jews. While initially welcomed in Girona, they were forced to wear a symbol identifying them as Jews during the Spanish Inquisition. Shades of WWII. The old town is certainly worth a visit, narrow cobbled streets, churches, cafe's, restaurants and a magnificent cathedral that sits on the top of the hill and up a myriad of steps. I have to mention lunch, as I indulge in a bowl of snails in a picante sauce, followed by a seafood paella.
On Monday, October 1, we drive to Barcelona and try to find our apartment in the Sarria District. This is a pedestrian area, and is a labyrinth of one way streets; we only take three circuits to actually arrive at the apartment. Our host shows us around and immediately departs for Grand Canary, where she lives full time. It's in the same general area as the Barcelona football ground and is also an easy walk to the US Consulate. The metro is 2 minutes away and only seven stops from Catalyuna Square
in downtown Barcelona. After settling in, we catch the Metro into the center and walk the Rambla, stopping to have tapas and beer before heading home. The Rambla runs 1.2km from Catalunya Square down to the harbor. It's a wide pedestrian walkway lined with restaurants, tourist shops, stalls, street performers and people, lots of people. You think of Barcelona, and the Rambla comes to mind!
Our five days in Barcelona consists of a daily walk on the Rambla, the Gaudi pilgrimage, and exploring the Gothic Quarter and old town.
We opt for a two day, tourist bus ticket, I did this two years ago and it is a wonderful way to get an overview of this delightful city.
Park Guell, designed by Antoni Gaudi as an upper-class tract housing complex. Only two houses were actually built and neither of them were designed by Gaudi. At Count Guell's (Guell was Gaudi's patron) suggestion, Gaudi purchased one of the houses and moved in with his family in 1906, he lived there until his death in 1926. The house is now a Gaudi museum filled with Gaudi designed furniture. You really have to see the park and the house to
appreciate the genius of Antoni Gaudi.
Sagrada Familia is Goudi's crowning glory and still under construction eighty six years after his death (he died in 1926 after being knocked down by a tram). The cathedral was approximately 25% complete when Gaudi died and is scheduled for completion in 2026, one hundred years after his death. The cathedral has progressed since I saw it two years ago, and in the meantime it has been consecrated by the Pope. There have been numerous architects in charge of the project and I wonder if Gaudi could see it today, would he think that they had been true to his design!
Another of Gaudi's work that can be seen is a dragon on the gates of Guell Pavilions. We walk to this park which is now a part of the University, from our apartment in Sarria, stopping along the way to pickup voting papers from the US Consulate.
Much to Caroline's disgust, we don't visit the Gaudi apartment building, La Pedrera, as by this time, I'm Gaudi'd out!!
Poble Espanyol is a village built for the 1929 World Fair. The village was built to represent Spanish architecture at various periods
through history. Unfortunately the cost of entry is high and the number of artisans at work within the village are minimal.
On Saturday, 6 October, we leave Barcelona and continue our drive south to the Ebro Valley and have four days with old friends, Jane and Mike Alexander. As always, it's a laugh fest, and we spend the four days eating, drinking and just having lots of good fun.
Wednesday, 10
th October – Continue the drive to Calpe, about 25k north of Benidorm. Our hosts are a fun filled German couple who introduce us to the “Menu de Dia”, Calpe style. See Caroline's blog....
Overall we are having a down week, and our daily routine is somewhat diminished and includes happy hour in a beach bar, a stroll along the promenade and the Saturday street market.
Other highlights include:
Benidorm – A Spanish city by the beach frequented by rowdy British football types, old people on mobility scooters and Russians looking for cheap property.
Guadelest – A town in the mountains above Benidorm, that has the remains of a castle built by the Moors in the 11
th century. It's now a pretty little tourist
town that houses a number of eccentric museums such as the pepper and salt shaker museum, the museum for torture devices and a museum of micro miniatures (stuff carved on the head of a pin), to name a few.
Calpe Rock – A Rock that juts out of the water in the town of Calpe to the height of 322 meters. And I know it's this high because I climbed it!!
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Jay Brara
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Barcelona sounds wonderful!
After reading this I've got to get to Barcelona - been thinking about it for years. Glad you're enjoying yourselves!