Have I reallly been here only 2 days?

It's a week since I left the creature comforts of Orchard St and commenced this journey, theorteically 'out of the comfort zone' - but only 2 days in Barcelona and not only do I feel at home - I have even surprised myself with memory of place and language! well it may be all the Sangria being consumed ... loosens up the cobwebs.

Sorry to say - the Conference is a fizzer - very disappointing and even more boring than I had imagined possible - most people are keen to present and escape. I am not on till Saturday - perhaps everyone will have succumbed to the Catalan sunshine and left by then. However, the network thing has worked and I have met a couple of inetersting people.



As you can see - beautiful venue - bad conference.

My patience ran out and once again I found muself compelled to explore the finer things of life.

First up on the agenda was the Palau Guell. This was Gaudi's first commissioned work for Eusebi Guell (his patron) At this stage Gaudi even though an inexperienced architect had a limitless budget for the project. From the street there is little evidence of what awaits one inside. The brick work is astounding - the fecund and sensous layering of bricks - how could any one get off on bricklaying .. well you should see this to believe it - you msy then join in my over enthusiasm.

These parabolic archways were the first hint of Gaudi's love of curves which as we know he used to excess in later architectural projects.

The rooftop shows his playful use of colour anf form in his mosaic chimneys. Unfortunately much of the rest of this house is under renovation till 2010 - guess I'll have to come back again.

The wrought iron work is pretty amazing too - and if anyone was able to capture the spirit and art of the modernista - Gaudi did in his metal work - take a look at this -

Just outside the university I stumbled into this amazing courtyard /cloister of Moorish influence - this is the sort of thing that is so mind boggling - not even on my list - but managed to spend an hour there - mind you I got moved on by the gardener - and told not to photograph by the security guard - but I love a challenge - and here are a couple of the results:

The sun was getting very hot again - so a Taxi to the Ramblas to introduce Adele to the delights of St Josep La Boquiera Mercat - to all you market and food afficianados - you haven't lived till you see this one - hard to explain really - it is a total assault on the senses - purple curvaceous figs - sweet and dripping, the most diverse range of melons of every shape and hue, red pomegranites, plums, peaches, apricots the size of tennis balls, cherries that defy description - mangoes, avacadoes, pear, .....and so it goes

AND GUESS WHAT - no sign of waxing and cool storage - they actually taste like sun ripened REAL fruit!



Then of course there were the meat, fish, cheese, bread sections - each one of them proudly displaying their wares in the most artistic form and colour - Now and then one would stop - buy a snack of cod fish cakes - a fresh fruit juice - say black cherry and mango - or lime and pineapple, or some churros (spanish donuts) to keep me going !



Before you know it we had walked for four hours .... needing respite of a siesta - all the shops close then anyway - what a sensible way to behave .. I made my way back to the hotel for a kip.

The evenings are long - the light soft, the cool breezes now blow across the harbour and push away the hot air of the day from the old town Time to settle in for a long evening of Tapas and Sangria in the small Placa outside the hotel - Quite well known - The Taller de Tapas prides itself in regional cuisine - it uses the fresh produce of the Boquiera known as cuina de mercat - it has a spectacular array of choices and the hardest thing is making just that - a choice -

Tonight we had some delectable ham croquettes, grilled green asparagus, bread with fresh tomato spread on it, Malagan baby squid (my favourite) and a simple salad of quince paste, rocket and shaved goats cheese - washed down by 2 half litre vats of Sangria - I,m starting to sound like an alcoholic - but it's just the done thing. The meal was finished off with the best Creme Catalan imaginable ... ther's going to have to be a lot of walking to beat this lot of calories - especially as the breakfasts at Hotel Banys are rather extravagant.

A sample of the culinary fare tonight ....






I'm almost getting indigestion looking at the photos - rather sated ... I feel like the two hour walk after dinner has not quite worked off this lot!


The summer night was just right for a stroll down a few new streets in the Barri Gottic - many people outside - and as the lights go on inside the nbuildings the atmosphere becomes more intersting - there are shutters but no one ever closes them - unkike our obsession in Oz with privacy ! the Catalans love to sit out late into the night talking and sharing food and wine. I have certainly done my share immersion into the culture today!

Exhausted again - and really appreciating being in a country where no one asks how to spell my surname AND they pronounce it right!




Love Lxx