A Well Kept Man

This is part two in a series of getting my wife off of my back...she seems to think this blog is some sort of diary (do I look like a fourteen year-old girl writing my personal thoughts about the cute boy in science class? Don't answer that...). Anyway, after leaving Barcelona I boarded the high speed train which was much more exciting than it should have been (I am a train dork...I love 'em, always have). The train reached a top speed of 300 km/hr (that's faster than I can run, honest!) which only caused me to get more geeky. I must admit though the weirdest part was watching the Spanish thriller movie about some weird mom who thinks she is being haunted by a ghost (thank goodness I know Spanish, otherwise the movie probably would have been lame, oh wait...it was anyway).

On to Madrid...I arrived in Spain's capital city and immediately set off to find my hotel which proved to be quite easy as it was near the train station (and even nearer the Scientology building in Madrid! I thought about going in to look for Tom Cruise, but decided I wouldn't be able to keep a straight face while listening to their spiel so I continued on to my hotel). I spent much of the next two days exploring all of the wonderful churches and museums of Madrid, while realizing how much colder it was than I expected. Thankfully there was enough sun during the day to keep my bird legs warm, and plenty of Spanish café con leche (that's coffee with milk for the Español challenged). I even managed to get caught up in a protest of sorts as marchers walked down the Gran Via (Main Street) with signs calling for some politician's arrest. It was quite fun!

The Prado was definitely one of the most moving experiences as I was able to see many of El Greco's works (a personal favorite) as well as many of the other Spanish masters. A stop at the Musem Reina Sofia allowed me to see the massive Guernica, one of Picasso's most poignant and thought provoking pieces (the painting itself is about 11 feet tall and 25 feet wide...you feel quite small while absorbing its many messages and motifs). Madrid is home to the Royal Palace, which I decided to leave for another visit as I was trying to avoid going inside on such a beautiful Spanish day (albeit a cold one).

As the strain of living in Europe was weighing on me, I opted for comfort food while in Madrid. While my lunches were more typical of a Spaniard (tapas or light sandwiches), my dinners were very much in line with what I would eat in America (although not North American in origin). The first dinner I had in Madrid was at a Mexican restaurant (guacamole, tacos, Mexican beer...just like home!), and for my second dinner (different night, promise) I ate at an Argentinian restaurant (steak, baked potato, empanadas, Argentine beer...I miss grilled food!). I decided these were acceptable "Spanish" meals as both cultures (Mexico & Argentina) speak Spanish, and have major influences as a result of the Spanish (even if the influences were a little forced)...so don't judge me. :)

Another highlight was the fountain/memorial to Miguel Cervantes, author of the famous Don Quixote (and his pal Sancho Panza). This story is a classic and I strongly encourage you to read it if you haven't...it will change the way you view the world (hehehe). That's me next to the man himself Don Quixote! As you can see from these pictures, I may or may not have decided to grow facial hair that week as I was without my wife, and thus without someone complaining about the way I looked. Unfortunately the facial hair saw its demise soon after Alli's arrival back in Switzerland, but it was nice to have as the weather in Spain was brutal and I forgot my scarf. Regardless, I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Spain as it was a place I always wanted to visit. I can't wait to get back and see more of Southern Spain, as well as maybe go back and see a few of the things I missed...

In going through photos on my computer, I realized I didn't really blog much about my trip to Spain aside from some Christmas Market stories. I plan to write about both Barcelona and Madrid, so this post will focus on Barcelona. The highlight of my trip to Spain hands down is all of the architecture contributed by Antoni Gaudí, a Catalan who belonged to the Art Nouveau movement and whose many buildings and structures provide a glimpse into one of the most unique and surreal masters of this movement. Throughout the streets of Barcelona there are countless examples of his work, including the Casa Milà and Casa Batlló pictured at left and right (respectively). These two buildings are magnificent examples of his talent, as well as a testament to his crazy mind. They are so unlike any building I have ever seen in my life...very cool!

The other major contribution Gaudí made to Barcelona is the still unfinished La Sagrada Família temple which has been under construction since 1882 (it should be done sometime in the next twenty years, so make your travel arrangements accordingly). It is truly a unique structure of which I have never seen an equal. The church retains many aspects of Gothic architecture but with a twist that makes you wonder just what kind of sauce this guy put on his paella. The colors he used in the stain glass are bright and vibrant, which is very much at odds with many of the European churches I have seen in the last several months. The statues on the outside facades as well are so unique to what you would expect in a church. They are much more modern and powerful in terms of the images they convey. This megalithic church definitely stands out against all of the others...

His final work I saw was the Park Güell, a garden of sorts with little fairy tale houses and mosaic tile benches. The park has different areas; one is the two houses near the entrance which make you feel like you are entering some sort of magical land, another is a wide open area which looks and feels like it should contain a market or performance stage depending on the day. There are also unique walkways and bird nests, a dragon sculpture, and tiled mosaics on the ceilings. It was a great place to just sit and rest my legs from all of the walking and sightseeing.

Speaking of walking, every day I easily walked three to four miles exploring the various parts of the city. I managed to trek all the way up to the top of the hill where the 1992 Summer Olympics were held to check out the facilities and Olympic torch. From this vantage point I was able to see the entire city laid out before me which was quite the view. I also walked along the boardwalk to the beach which has since eroded due to storms this winter. Barcelona built this beach for the Olympics, but unfortunately it no longer exists (or so I am told). There are many lovely places to eat along the coastline, many with three or four course meals for a decent price (15-25 euros).

My final exciting adventure was the weekly market just off La Rambla which I was fortunate enough to experience before getting on a train to Madrid. Each vendor was packed with every food stuff you could possibly imagine...fish, meats, fruits, vegetables, drinks, offal, nuts, candy, breads, the list could go on and on if I was more specific but I wouldn't want to bore you. I bought some fresh fruit and a fruit drink to enjoy as I meandered among the various stalls. My favorites were the fishmongers, where the crabs, lobsters, and other crustaceans were still moving...as well as the piles of fish I have never seen before. The air was ripe with the smell of seawater and the smell of fresh fish in this area, while the other parts of the market smelled of dried hams and fresh fruits. If you would like to see all of the pictures, click here to go and see them on Flickr! (I seem to be running out of room to put pictures on this page...)

I apologize for the lack of posting...I was in Spain and then Germany for the last week without access to the computer.  I will promptly get my act together and blog at least every day this week until Saturday, when we travel back to the U.S.  At that point I hope to blog sporadically while in Minnesota and Michigan.

Alli and I are out of town for the next five days.  America gets Alli, Spain gets Mark.  I will be in Barcelona Sunday through Tuesday afternoon, then Madrid from Tuesday evening through Thursday evening.  If needed, Alli will be at her mom's in Minnesota. (sorry, no website link for her mom...)