Rediscovering Barcelona and Valencia - 14 June 2007  | | Flying over Barcelona |
We had visited Barcelona three times in the last ten years and it had become a great favorite along with Paris and London. Its richness, its elegance, and its liveliness are the reasons why Barcelona is such an exciting city. On my very first visit there, I had marveled at the omnipresence of the arts everywhere: sculptures on the street, passers-by gawking at them, walking around them, photographing them! There was music everywhere as well, on the streets, in the parks, from flamenco to jazz to traditional Catalan music... It was a thrill!
For this fourth visit, as the weather was balmy -- it was the last week in May, we spent all our time walking along the wide avenues, exploring gardens and enjoying the diversity of the urban landscape. Our modest and convenient hotel was one block away from La Rambla, a wide avenue which goes all the way to Plaça de Cataluña, the city’s major square. In the middle of La Rambla, there is a pedestrian area with outdoor café terraces, merchants, and lots of musicians. The major surprise, and delight, was an outdoor exhibit of sculptures by Igor Mitoraj, the Polish born artist.
In the Gothic area of Barcelona, easily reached on foot or by metro, we visited the Picasso Museum then took a guided tour of the completely restored Palau de la Musica Catalana, a UNESCO World Heritage Site. It is so beautiful, words cannot do it justice! We also “discovered” a large indoor market: it was such fun walking around the permanent stalls with the freshest fish, the most tantalizing fruits and vegetables, the mouth-watering bakeries and colorful flower displays. The cuisine of Spain had never struck me as good or even pleasant: I wondered why, considering the remarkable availability of fresh food! By the time we walked away, we were very hungry so we headed for our favorite paella place, the Seven Doors restaurant (7 Puertas) in the Gothic Quarter… But that’s another story!
Of course, we became reacquainted with Gaudi’s buildings, and discovered other Modernist period architects too often neglected because of Gaudi’s fame.
We then drove to Valencia along the Mediterranean coast, stopping for lunch in Tarragona, a lovely medieval town. Before leaving the United States, I had selected a reasonable central hotel on a quiet street near the main railroad station, itself a beautifully restored building of the Modernist period; the hotel was quite a find, smallish, with large rooms and room-size bathrooms, delicious buffet breakfasts, and superb staff.
Valencia was holding the America’s Cup at the time, so when we arrived, the atmosphere was most festive. We were eager to stroll in and around the harbor and to see close up the Arts and Sciences Center designed by the famed Spanish architect Santiago Calatrava: we had seen photographs, even a television documentary, but nothing prepared us for the actual sight; it is spectacular, especially to those who love bold contemporary art! Unfortunately, the music center was closed due to preparations for an important event, but just walking around was awe inspiring.
| 
