HOLIDAY IN BARCELONA - OCTOBER 2005
We started off by going up to Tibidabo, on the northern edge of the city, for The Views, and to see the 1928 aircraft ride (in the foreground). The "Thing With Arms On" looked distinctly alarming............. ............... but the views WERE good! A deserted Olympic Stadium on a wet day was a little depressing........ .................... but there was more atmosphere in 1992. The one thing we didn't see were The Fountains, which at this time of the year only play on Friday and Saturday nights. Guess which two nights we weren't there?? The Camp Nou was rather busier............... The team gets to train in full view of the fans (and TV) .............. and the fans get to take lots of photos! ......... ............ ................... ............ ............ ........ It was a bit damper outside, now.............. .................... so we went on The Tour. The first thing you see is the "AWAY" Dressing room - big plunge bath and showers............ .......... and a chapel to call into on the way to the pitch. Being pitch-side must be fairly intimidating with a full crowd (and you NEVER get less than a full crowd here..............) ................... particularly if you're sitting in the Management seats, and things are going badly! The view up is quite something, with the Press boxes at the top. There's a TV suite on the way back to the dressing rooms, for those all-important post-match interviews. From a little higher up............ . . Then inside again for a look at the trophy cabinets and museum. They've won a LOT of trophies! Finally, up to the Press boxes - I do hope broadcasters don't suffer from vertigo! "This is Susan Dominic, reporting for BBC Radio Nottingham..................." I don't quite know why they need the netting............ ........ nobody could kick a ball THAT high! More trophies......... THIS one got a case on its own............ "We won the Cup, we won the Cup, eeee iiii addy-o ............" Now, off to Park Guell, one of the larger projects taken on by Antoni Gaudi (click HERE for location (the oval stone-coloured area). This is the house Gaudi lived in: it's now a museum of his work. This is the area on top of the market.................. ............. and this is a small portion of the seat which runs around the edge. These are the supports for the upper path.............. .................... which runs all around the "uphill" edge of the area. The area overlooks the two pavilions at the park entrance: this is one of them............ ................. and this is the other. .. On the underside of the area are these medallions set into the roof. Leading down from here are some steps............. ......... with a fountain in the form of a lizard........ ....... and this pool at the bottom. The whole, taken from the bottom. .. A detail of one of the pavilions .. There are many other modernista (Art Nouveau) buildings to be seen: the biggest concentration is at the (so-called) "Mansada de la Discorda" (block of discord), built by 4 different architects in 4 differing styles. This is Casa Batllo............. ....... as is this......... .......... and this: a roof detail. This is Casa Amatller.. This is Caso Lleo Morera.......... ..... which has bay windows on a corner. Nobody should miss the Ramblas................. ......... the first section of which is home to flower sellers. There are some buildings decorated in the "modernista" style............. ............ and there are lots of human statues - here are pictures of a few of them. .. .. .. The Restaurant "Economic" was the eating find of the holiday. It's a old, tiled, worker's dining room......... .................... with some locally-done oil paintings on the wall, an excellent menu............... ..... and the sink in the wall for the workers to wash their hands. On, finally, to Sagrada Familia - Gaudi's last, still unfinished, project. Work has been carried on spasmodically over the years - much of this work is concrete, cast in situ. This is one of the two main "fronts"........... ...... and you can easily see where the newer work joins the much older work. This is the "other" front........... ............ which has been completed comparatively recently. Finally, Casa Mila, another modernista apartment building........ .... with typical doors (glazed)........ ................... through which you can see the "well" in the middle of the block. Even the street lights join in (and have been retained in this short section of the street. |
Page Created on 16th October 2005