Art Invokes the Diety.

It doesn't matter what language they speak, watching someone encounter the Sagrada Familia for the first time, they get it. From that first moment, whether turning the corner on the street or stepping out of the ground from the Metro station, they get it.

Antoni Gaudí probably never got to see the effects of what he had created. I'm sure he got a taste of it when people saw the residences he designed, but that was no where near this.

I can't explain it to you. I can only show you pictures and tell you what I overheard as I stood near another pilgrim, for that is what we all become in this space. As I passed this young man staring up at the vaulted ceiling high above he said in a hushed awestruck whisper, "There is a God."

What more could Gaudí have wanted?

Like a Virgin, with apologies to Gaudí and Madonna both

I treasure the feeling of first spotting a Gaudí creation. It was the Palau Güell. Wandering down La Rambla towards the sea, I took a left onto a narrow little one way street much like all the other narrow little streets in the area known as Raval. Souvenir shops and sandwich shops line the tiny sidewalks. The street was none too clean. It was early morning with the city just waking. I had no idea what was coming.

And then, there it was, these two incredible arched wrought iron gates set into the stone wall. There are no words to fully describe it. Wrought iron taken to its limits and made to move and flow like a pile of ribbon. Between the two gates there is a great wrought iron sculpture topped by a barbed sphere on which perches a fearsome bird. I have no idea how long I stood and tried to take it all in.

The street is so narrow, even backing up across the street, risking being hit by racing motorcycles and taxis, I couldn't take it all in completely. I craned my neck to see the top of this amazing place and up there in the far distance I could see just a bit of the most exquisitely turned mosaic finials glistening in the morning light.

There was nothing I could do, but stand gape mouthed before this tremendous place so out of time and place on this previously normal little street. I got my camera out only to realize there was no way that I could capture an image of it. I could never do it justice. I was reduced to taking shots of details, the gate, the sculpture, the windows covered in wrought iron lace.

I love to go walking past it over and over. I can't recapture the full feeling of first seeing the Palau Güell, but I can watch the crowds that gather to gawk at it. I can experience, if only vicariously, that wondrous feeling once more.

Wandering and wondering

As usual, I seem to be having a difficult time keeping you up to date on here, but that may have changed. Suddenly for some unknown reason I'm able to pick up a strong wifi signal in my hotel room. Prior to this I had to go to the first floor (That's the second floor back in the states.) to be able to email or post or tweet or otherwise play around on the world wide web. This is wonderful so far. I hope it lasts.

I've been all over the place since I got here. I've walked the Ruta de Modernisme, rambled all up and down La Rambla, and nibbled my way through the Boquería all the while taking photographs like a fiend. I've been looking at mosaics and ceramic tile work anywhere I can find them, which seems to be just about everywhere, from the obvious places like Gaudí's Casa Batllo and Park Güell, or Domènech i Muntaner's overwhelming Palau de la Música Catalana, to the odd bits and pieces hiding over doorways or decorating pharmacies all around the Old City. It's been a safari of sorts. Each corner I turn reveals some new jewel like vista.

Barcelona is old, old in a way that is hard for me to even conceive. It was founded by the Romans and bits and pieces of its Roman past pop out when least expected. A little over a block from my hotel is a portion of a Roman necropolis that has been excavated. Sticking off the Cathedral is a bit of Roman wall. Here there's a bit of Roman wall jutting out or it may be just as likely hiding in the back of a restaurant.

I ate lunch in a restaurant, Set Portes, that was opened the same year, 1836, that my hometown of Houston was founded.

I've been to all the major Gaudí sites, La Sagrada Familia, La Pedrera, Casa Batllo, Palau Güell, and Park Güell. I still have a few of his creations to tour. I've also learned a little about other Modernist architects. Turns out Gaudí didn't build Barcelona all by himself! Imagine that! I have to admit that he is pretty outstanding.

I've been to Montjuic and gone to the Fundacio Joan Miró. I've photographed Miró's large mosaic in the middle of La Rambla and tracked down his family home where he was born and where he lived and worked after World War II.

I've walked the neighborhood where the young Picasso lived and painted, and visited the Picasso Museum. I had lunch at Els Quatre Gats, the hangout for anybody who was anybody in the Barcelona avant garde art scene of the early twentieth century. Picasso designed a menu cover for Els Quatre Gats when he was 19 years old.

So, you can see I haven't been sitting still. I still need to make it north to the Costa Brava to see the place where Salvador Dalí started out and ended up and south to see the birthplace and childhood home of Antoni Gaudí. Then, if there's time, I hope to make it over to Palma de Mallorca to visit the Pilar and Joan Miró Foundation and the Cathedral. Gaudí worked on the Cathedral in Palma for ten years, but he didn't finish the job. He walked away from it with little or no explanation.

I've taken literally thousands of pictures, even though some local thief picked my pocket and stole my camera. I replaced the camera the next day and was right back at it! I won't subject you to all my pictures, but I'm posting the best of them via Flickr and Instagram. Try www.flickr.com/photos/jean999/ You can also find them posted on my FaceBook page and on Twitter. I'm on Twitter as @jean999.

Moving, looking, learning, and posting

It's almost midnight in Barcelona. For the past several days I've found myself up until 2:00 and 3:00 in the morning attempting to keep up with loading in photos, reading and writing emails, writing postcards, tweeting, posting on FaceBook, and journaling. I thought all this electronic stuff was supposed to make life easier!

I've been going all day, every day. I've made it to Palau Güell, Casa Batllo, La Pedrera, Palau de la Musica Catalana, Park Güell, the Gaudí Museum, La Sagrada Familia, Fundacio Miró, Montjuic and Montjuic Castle, the Picasso Museum, had lunch at Els Quatre Gats, and attended a classicsl Spanish guitar concert. I've ridden the Metro, a funicula, and two different teleferics and walked until I've blistered both of my feet. I've had my pocket picked and I'm still going, shooting pictures and posting all over the place. I'll catch up on posting here tomorrow. For tonight I have to catch some Zzz's!

Hasta mañana, muchachos!

My first full day in Barcelona

I'm having some problems posting pictures to my blog, but you can find my photos on my Flickr account or on Instagrid.

There have been a few additional photo problems, but more about that later.

Since I arrived in Barcelona I've been in hot pursuit of mosaics, Modernisme, Miró, Gaudí, Picasso, and Dalí. It's been easy in some ways and difficult in others. There are numerous sites for each item and many of them overlap. The public transportation system here is excellent. I've been able to get around easily via bus, metro, and on foot.

On day one I set out to explore on foot. It's a bit of a walk down La Rambla to Palau Güell. One Of Gaudi's masterpieces, it's located less than a block down Carrer de Nou Rambla. The house, or perhaps palace is more appropriate, is extraordinary. The attention to detail is exquisite. Everything is handcrafted exactly for this space. I can't begin to describe it, but the thing I was seeking was on the roof terrace. There I could get up close and personal with the mosaic chimney pots. I've seen photos, but this was right there in front of my eyes and in reach of my hands.

The chimneys have been restored to their original splendor. The documentation on the restoration of the entire building is on view in the attic. I was able to see what went into the creation of these incredible sculptures. The work was done both by and under the supervision of Josep Gardy Artigas, the son of the original mosaicist, Josep Llorens Artigas.

Back down at street level I turned back to study the wrought iron work on the front of the building. I was reminded of Albert Paley's work. It is easy to see how Modernisme influenced this contemporary American sculptor's work.

Back closer to my hotel, as in across the street closer, I wandered over to the little Eglesia de Santa Anna. I haven't explored there yet. I did peek through the gates at the shaded and colonnaded courtyard. I'll go back there later.

Research, reading and more

My Fund for Teachers' work station, research center and day dream central!