Where are Sue and Mike?

Gaudi Casas

2012-05-19T10:19:00.000-07:00

A mosaic half buried in the rooftop,
like the tail of a dragon!

This casa was built with an underwater theme -
this photo was taken through a glass panel near
the central atrium. See how the tile is darker
at the top and lighter at the bottom? So the
rooms on the first floor had enough light, and
the upper floors didn't have too much light.

Inside Casa Batilo, built for a wealthy family.
The windows have a pulley system to traverse
upwards, sliding neatly into place.

The outside of Casa Batilo. See how the colored
glass is so much more muted from the outside?

One of several Gaudi rooftops. He used
sculptures to hide chimneys and water tanks.
These remind me of Imperial Stormtroopers!

Recycling was integral to his style. This is a
closeup of one of the chimneys, covered with
a beautiful array of cracked tiles.

In the summer, they have jazz concerts up on
the roof. Can you imagine the skyline with
a glass of wine and great music in the middle
of all these colorful chimneys?

Price was no object for Guell, the wealthy
industrialist. Gaudi pulled out all the stops,
marblework, ironwork, even a custom painting
that wraps into a corner. You really couldn't
hang it anywhere else!

Gaudi, genius architect

2012-05-19T09:47:00.000-07:00

Brilliant architect (1852-1926) and strong
influencer of Barcelona style. When he graduated
from school, the dean said he was either giving
this diploma to a "genius or a madman". He
shunned classical architecture to date for organic
style inspired by nature.

Gaudi rarely drew blueprints, instead focusing on
3D scale models. In this one, he used hanging
strings, carefully weighted by lead pellets, exactly
the proportional weight of construction materials.
If you turn it upside down, it's the Sagrada Familia!

Catenary arches are a recurring theme in Gaudi's
work - they represent the curve that an idealized
hanging cable would assume under it's own
weight if suspended by two points. Is this not
the most beautiful ATTIC you've ever seen??

Gaudi was a huge fan of hyperbolic shapes,
his architecture could be studied for years
on the basis of the mathematics alone.

Sagrada Familia Cathedral in Barcelona

2012-05-19T04:30:00.000-07:00

We've been to over 35 countries and seen
a LOT of cathedrals, but this one was the
best by far. This is the yet to be completed
model, with 18 spires (12 apostles, 4
evangelicals, one for the Virgin Mary and one
spire rising 175 meters for Jesus, which will
be visible from the sea, like a lighthouse).
Construction started in 1882 and is scheduled
to be completed in 2026, the 100th anniversary
of the death of the architect, Gaudi.

Unlike any other architecture, Sagrada Familia is
Spanish Gothic meets Art Nouveau. It is a
refreshing "new" take on a cathedral.

Each spire contains a bell tower, with tubular
bells designed by Gaudi. The sound is ethereal.
At the apex are beautiful multicolored mosaics -
the tops are wrapped here for construction.

The Passion facade is one of three main
entrances to the cathedral. It details
the crucifixion and ascension of Christ.
The columns are very stark, representing
bone like structure.

The door of the yet to be started Glory facade,
right now just a huge door with "Give us this day
our daily bread" written in 50 languages. The
bold lettering on top is the Lord's Prayer in
the Spanish dialect, Catalan.

The Nativity facade chronicles the birth of Christ.
Rich in detail, as opposed to the stark Passion
facade. Hundreds of plants and animals are
carved into scenes of the birth, wise men, angels.

The interior columns give you the feeling of
being in a forest. No flying buttresses here!
What appears to be random tree limbs is
extremely precise geometry.

The kiss of Judas, along with a magic
square. Add the numbers horizontally,
vertically, or diagonally and they always
total 33, the age of Christ at crucifixion.

Stained glass windows in watercolor
like patterns, graduating from warm
colors near the base to cool at the top.

Barcelona Futbol!!!

2012-05-09T10:45:00.000-07:00

FCB: Futbol Club Barcelona. Everyone
was festooned with FCB wear. Any other
fans must have been under cover! FCB is
the dominant team by far in European futbol.

Through our concierge, we bought the equivalent
of someone's "season tickets" for the night. An
odd process, we were given photo IDs of the
buyers, which we had to show to get in and return
at the end of the night. Bizarre. They look just
like us, don't you think?

Team star Messi #10 was recruited to Spain from
Argentina at age 11. He's already surpassed Pele
for goals in one season, and is on pace to break
Pele's lifetime record for goals, and he's only 24!
On the short side for a futbol player, he looks like
Tom Cruise. He makes more $$ than David
Beckham.

Fans broke out in spontaneous songs and claps
during the match with no prompting. There was
no loudspeaker announcing, either. The first
part of the match was exactly 45 minutes,
followed by a 15 minute intermission and another
45 minutes. It was intense!

Messi in the process of scoring an expert
penalty kick. He hooked it over the heads of all
those blue and white guys, and into the net.
Futbol is ALL about the penalties. The final
score was 4-0, with Messi scoring all 4 goals,
3 of which were penalty kicks.

No marching band, no cheerleaders. And most
surprising of all, no beer. This stadium holds
100,000 people, and alcohol is completely
forbidden. The only "beer" they serve is 0%
alcohol. It's called Damm!

Golfing with Sergio Garcia!

2012-05-08T10:21:00.000-07:00

Golf fans know Spanish pro Sergio Garcia
(purple shirt), currently ranked 18th in the world (#3 in 2008).

We booked a round of golf on the fly at a little
course north of Barcelona that we found on
Google. Club de Campo del Mediterraneo was
described as a nice suburban course where Sergio
played when he was growing up. The first hole
is named after him.

And there was Sergio himself!
Out for a round with his dad,
he teed off behind us. Mike
kept hoping Sergio would want
to "play through" but no such luck.

Vibrant Valencia, Spain

2012-05-07T10:08:00.000-07:00

1:40 AM in Valencia on a Monday night, and the
street party is still going strong - the crowd was
50 times this size, dancing flamenco, playing
guitar, singing and having a ball.

Now that's what I call a big paella! Invented in
Valencia, it has rice, garlic, onion, peas, carrots,
sometimes chicken, sausage, rabbit or seafood.
The magic ingredient is saffron, slender orange
threads that come from the crocus family.

Puente de los Flores, or bridge of the flowers.

What a great park! Gulliver surrounded by all
the Lilliputians! (The proportions are about right
- citizens of Lilliput are supposed to be 6 inches
tall.) There are slides and climbing places all
over his full length body. We took a long slide
down his belt.

Valencia, Ciutat de les Arts i les Ciències (Arts and Sciences)

2012-05-06T10:15:00.000-07:00

Multiple buildings make up this architectural
gem in Valencia. Inside is a science museum,
aquarium, IMAX theater and exhibition space.
Huge shallow reflecting pools soften the
modern buildings.

Built from 1996 to 1998, it houses the largest
aquarium in Europe.

Like walking inside the belly of a whale!

A delight from almost any angle. The entire
complex takes up several blocks in the middle
of the city of Valencia.

Old fashioned Valencia, this model is in
period costume, contrasting the ultra modern.

La Mezquita in Cordoba, Spain

2012-05-06T09:55:00.000-07:00

La Mezquita was first a pagan temple in 600 a.d.,
then a Visigoth (nomadic Hebrew) church, then
a Moorish mosque, then a Catholic church. King
Ferdinand built a chapel smack in the middle
of the mosque, likely saving it from demolition
during the Spanish Inquisition. It is now a
UNESCO World Heritage site.

The mihrab, or niche in the wall
that points the direction to Mecca,
was left intact.

Skylights let in abundant natural light. The hall
contains 856 columns built of jasper, onyx,
marble and granite. The colors still glow,
after thousands of years!

Parts of the hall were made from
Roman ruins previously on the
site. The double arches were a
new introduction to architecture,
permitting higher ceilings with
shorter columns.

Road signs in Spain

2012-05-06T09:06:00.000-07:00

Beware of nefarious motorcyclists (aka
Spanish mosquitoes!) - they zip in and out
and between lanes with complete abandon.

Two way traffic - 70 refers to the minimum
speed for the left lane. No idea what the max is!

You should no longer go 50 kilometers per hour.
No idea what the NEW speed limit is...

This is not the way to the autovia. OK.

And if you use this cream,
your thighs can look like
couch #2 instead of couch #1!!

Ferdinand and Isabella, Granada Spain

2012-05-04T12:42:00.000-07:00

Queen Isabella giving Christopher
Columbus the approval to sail to
the "New World"

Ferdinand and Isabella, second cousins, were
married for 36 years, uniting the Castille and
Aragon regions of Spain under one crown.
Known as the "Catholic monarchs", they made
it their life's work to expel all non-Christians
from Spain, ordering Jews and Muslims to
convert or leave Spain. The Spanish Inquisition
was a horrific period of religious persecution,
continuing for hundreds of years after their death.

Raging narcissists that they were, Ferdinand and
Isabella are buried in a purpose built Royal
Chapel, designed by Ferdinand. There is no
worship space - no chairs, no benches. The
crypts are positioned so that they have a clear
view of a gaudy and gory altar, but no one
coming to the chapel can actually gaze on the
faces, which lie in a prone position 7 feet up.
They are just a little too high (and mighty).

Alhambra

2012-05-01T10:13:00.003-07:00

Alhambra is a stunning Moorish palace, a well
preserved example of architecture, having
survived intact through wars and natural
disasters. A UNESCO World Heritage site.
Conquered by the Spanish Catholics in 1492,
the last Moorish Sultan wept as he gazed on
Alhambra for the last time. As legend has it,
his mother, the Sultana, said, "You weep like
a woman for what you did not defend like a man."

Inscriptions from the Q'uran
loosely translate to "God
is the only winner".

Water features dominate the
Alhambra. Moors found the sound
of running water soothing.

A small corner of the magnificent gardens.
Alhambra is known as "a pearl set in emeralds",
referring to all the marble surrounded by gardens.

Dutch artist M.C. Escher studied the tile work
at Alhambra in the 1920's as inspiration.

Many sultans added onto the Alhambra over
centuries, always with the same theme:
"Paradise on Earth"

Hopping Segways in Granada

2012-05-01T09:22:00.002-07:00

Look Ma! No hands :)

Touring the Gypsy Quarter.

At Mirador de San Nicolas, the perfect lookout
to the Alhambra behind us (more on that later)!

We're getting a little cocky on these Segways -
we even hopped them down cobblestone stairs.

The old mosque tower, used for the
Muslim call to prayer, was "repurposed"
by Spanish Catholics as a bell tower

during the Spanish Inquisition.

Seville cathedral

2012-04-28T10:31:00.000-07:00

Cathedral of Seville - the third largest church in
the world, behind only St. Peters at the Vatican,
and the Bascilica in Brazil. Taken from the grove
of orange trees in the church courtyard. The
scent of orange blossoms was pure perfume.

Altar de Plato (Silver altar) - note that the crown
is at the top - perhaps a political statement?

Over 150 choir seats, hand carved. Each armrest
had a different daily pursuit - carrying sacks,
picking fruit, playing the horn and reading.

Virgen de los Reyes (Virgin of the
Kings) crown in the treasury of the
cathedral. The world's second largest
pearl is not in top center. It is the
body of the angel holding the crown.

The tomb of Christopher Columbus. Note the
angelic pallbearers - the right one holds a cross,
the left one holds an oar. His body was verified
by DNA sampling in 2006, as he was apparently
successfully buried several other places as well!

The cathedral is beautifully lit at night, a
popular route for horse drawn carriages.

Bullfighting in Seville

2012-04-25T03:05:00.001-07:00

Before the activity begins, the ring is groomed
and painted. Plaza de Toros is the oldest
bullring in Spain, built in 1749.

Bulls are colorblind, so red doesn't make them
mad. It just hides the blood.

If the bullfighter has fought very bravely, the
crowd can petition the judge to award him a bull's
ear, or in rare cases 2 ears. If he was the best
of the best, he would get 2 ears and a tail.

There is a social distinction between "sol"
and "sombra" or sun and shade. Seville
society was in the shade,
we mere mortals looked into the sun.

Plaza de Espana

2012-04-25T02:10:00.000-07:00

Castanet lessons could be troublesome
if Mike is the one clapping the beat!

Plaza de Espana was a park built for the 1929
international exposition. Unfortunately, the
timing was when the big crash happened in
the stock market, so hardly anyone came.

The tilework and buildings
are exquisite, but threw
Seville into debt for 50
years after the flopped
exposition.

We drove a little 4 wheeler buggy
all over the park. The palm trees
were incredible - this one had
eleven trunks!

Rock of Gibraltar

2012-04-21T10:58:00.001-07:00

Welcome to Gibraltar, on the southern tip of
Spain. The English navy fought Spain and won
control over this important point in 1779-83.
The strategic location affords a 360 degree
view of ships coming for miles. This was
as close as we could get to the top, which is
a restricted military area.

Gibraltar airport is intersected by Winston
Churchill Avenue, so they close the street
when planes are landing. Built in WWII
as an emergency airfield, it was extended
beyond it's original plan using rocks blasted
when military tunnels were constructed. It's rated
one of the world's top 5 scariest runways.

Population is only 28,000 people, who
voted in 2006 by an overwhelming majority to
remain part of the British commonwealth,
instead of rejoining Spain. It is a separate
country, we had to show our passports and
clear customs to get in for the day.

Mike looking out toward Tangier,
on the northern coast of Africa,
only 14 miles away...

Capela Del Ossos - Chapel of the Bones in Faro, Portugal

2012-04-20T12:10:00.000-07:00

Translation: "We, the bones that are here,
await yours."

The chapel was built in the 16th century
by a Franciscan monk who wanted to prod
his brothers into contemplation about the
transitory nature of life.

The skulls and bones used were those of monks
whose graves were moved to build the chapel.

Chilling.

And we golfed… and golfed!

2012-04-19T10:31:00.001-07:00

One of our favorite courses was Quinta da Marinha
in Cascais, Portugal. This view of the 8th hole
is from our balcony - we were so close we could
clap after someone had a good shot!

It was pretty cold and windy the first couple
of days we played the course, but then the
skies cleared, sunny calm weather appeared
and we REALLY loved the golf.

We eventually got the translation from the
Portuguese, which said that after hitting our
tee shots across the huge canyon, we were
supposed to walk over to the green, mark our
balls and let the next group hit their shots.

Fairy Tale Castles and Palaces in Sintra, Portugal

2012-04-19T10:20:00.002-07:00

Check out the castle walls at Castelo Dos Mouros
- Moorish masons from the 9th century built the
bottom. Spanish masons were less artistic
when they built the top in 1375.

The Moorish castle and Pena palace are so close,
it's as if you woke up and were inside a fairy tale.

Pena had to be an inspiration for
Disney - a 19th century romantic castle.
Painstaking restoration suprised the
Portuguese, who thought for years the palace
was grey, until it was cleaned and repainted
in the original colors.

This fearsome newt guards the door,
and represents the start of the world,
with sea life and plant life.

Look at the helmet over the archway!
You could just imagine the pageantry here.

Incredible views from the terrace, looking out
to the Atlantic.

Lisbon, Portugal

2012-04-18T15:15:00.001-07:00

The Discover's Monument in Lisbon, showcasing
monarchs, explorers, navigators, cartographers,
scientists and missionaries. This is only one side!
33 statues in total including Vasco de Gama, who
sailed from Portugal to India. In the background
is the "25 de Abril" bridge, built by the same
company that built the Oakland Bay Bridge.

An homage to Fernando Pessoa - it is said that
the top 4 poets of all time in Portugal are
Fernando Pessoa, because he had 3 pen names
in addition to publishing his own work.

"Pasteis de Belem" or Pastries of Bethlehem,
are made by a local family near the cathedral,
from an old top secret recipe. Fans literally
line up around the block to eat these. Warm and
custardy, with powdered sugar on top. To die for!

Castle St. George in Lisbon.

Mike determining the odds of the enemy
scaling the walls.

Following the faithful in Fatima, Portugal

2012-04-18T07:04:00.003-07:00

People crawled on their knees, praying. Some for
over a mile. Carmel colored candles are the only
thing sold on the premises, in all shapes and
sizes, including the long ones on the right.

Palm Sunday's blessing at the end of Mass -
the courtyard could easily hold over a million
worshipers, at times like Easter Sunday.

The end of the kneeling path is the place where
the first apparition occurred, in 1917. Three
shepherd children reported seeing the Virgin Mary
once a month for 6 months.

Our Lady of Fatima, sculpted in 1946, is based
on the description from the children. The crown
was added by a Russian archbishop who crowned
her "Queen of the World". This statue has
traveled to over 100 countries to spread the word.

Joao Paulo II, or John Paul II is beloved.

Travelers worldwide come to Fatima.

Drinking Port in Porto, Portugal

2012-04-10T11:15:00.000-07:00

Port is wine made with grapes only from the
Douro region in Portugal. Ruby, Tawny or
White (!) it can be sweet or dry. We tasted
some 40 year old Tawny port - nutty,

smooth and delicious.

Porto is the heart of the port region, like the
Napa Valley of Portugal. It was protected as
an appelation region in 1756, making it the
oldest defined and protected wine region
in the world. Sorry, France.

Beautiful old boats used to transport port in
wooden barrels. Framing them is Dom Luis
Bridge, created by a partner of Eiffel.

The iron bridge designed into the ever
present blue and white tiles. It does remind
you of the Eiffel tower, doesn't it?

Putting in Portugal

2012-04-09T12:18:00.000-07:00

That's the mighty Atlantic behind us - it's so
cool to watch the sunset over the Atlantic,
and think of America waaaay over there.

Motorized golf carts are rare here, and have to be
reserved ahead of time. We've been walking
about 5 miles a day.

Prado Museum

2012-04-08T16:21:00.002-07:00

Spanish artist Goya painted the naked and the
clothed "Maja" around 1800. The model is
unknown, as women were so well clothed then
it's hard to tell.

This painting was seized during the Spanish
Inquisition, when it was rendered "obscene",
and was nearly destroyed.

Floors like glass reflect the paintings.

Although still a massive museum, the Prado
is about 1/3 the size of the Louvre in Paris.

"Las Meninas" (1656 Velazquez) is the most
famous painting in the museum. It depicts
the Spanish royal family, with the young
Infanta Margarita surrounded by servants,
a dwarf and Velazquez himself, who is
calmly painting the scene from the left.

Ruben's "Three Graces" - the model
on the left was purported to be Ruben's
16 year old wife. He was 60 at the time.

Eating at the oldest restaurant in the world

2012-04-08T15:47:00.001-07:00

Restaurante Sobrino de Botin doesn't just claim to
be the oldest restaurant in the world - it has the
Guinness Book of World Records Certificate in
the window to the right to prove it!

Since 1725, the ovens have been cooking up
roast suckling pig.

Ernest Hemingway, a regular patron, and set the
final scene in "The Sun Also Rises" (1926) here.