Stockholm 2010
Barcelona 2012
Sunday, 20 May 2012
Tuesday, 15 May 2012
Barcelona's Olympic Stadium
Barcelona built this stadium in 1929 to host the Olympics but lost the bid. In 1992 they got their chance to host. Mordu says that's the first Olympics he remembers. It's not clear how much use it's getting now, but they did tell us it is occasionally used for rock concerts in addition to sporting events.
One of my more dignified poses.
55,000 seats!
I should have taken a better close-up of the horses leaping off the roof here.
Plaza is very space-age.
Complete with this obviously alien structure.
Olympic torch.
Close-up of torch.
Sunday, 13 May 2012
Castell de Montjuïc
I like to call Montjuïc "Mount Juice" though it translates to something like "Mount of Jews" because it was home to a Jewish cemetery in the Medieval period. Castell de Montjuïc, the 17th century fortress that overlooks Barcelona, is situated at the highest point and has an amazing view. You wouldn't know from the beautiful plantings, lively street vendors, and perpetual parade of street musicians, that its sad and bloody history came to an end only in the second half of the 20th century; it was a place that prisoners were held and executed under the Franco regime. There's a cable-car to reach the top, but the line for it was very long so we walked up. Yeah, we're tough like that.
The cable car.
What fortress is complete without a flag?
Beautiful plantings in the moat.
Another view of the moat plantings.
Incredible view of the city and Mediterranean.
This moat is used for target practice - locals come to hone their archery skills.
Enjoying the sights.
Mordu pointing out an innovation of early modern fortress construction.
Another view of the archery range.
The view from the other side of the fortress is industrial.
Requisite towers.
Old engraving of the fortress (date unknown).
Sunday, 6 May 2012
Gothic Quarter of Barcelona
The Gothic Quarter is one of the older parts of the city with ancient, medieval, and modern construction. The Quarter is full of winding, twisting alleys that are too narrow for vehicular traffic and always dim because the buildings are very tall. It's easy to get lost, but Mordu actually had the whole maze figured out pretty quickly. Which was a good thing because, as many readers know, I have NO sense of direction. We enjoyed lots of artsy shops and little food and drink places, and we also took a tour to be sure we saw some of the more historic parts. Pictures below.
Typical windy street in the Gothic Quarter.
Street performer on La Rambla. The main commercial/tourist drag of the Gothic Quarter, La Rambla, is the exception to the narrow, windy rule. It is straight as a ruler and has a very wide boulevard full of peddlers, street performers, and outdoor dining space for the surrounding restaurants.
Another street performer on La Rambla.
In one of the many alleys, a shrine to Eulalia, the patron saints of Barcelona. Since nothing about her life or death is G-rated, I leave it to folks with strong stomachs to Google it.
Restored medieval (pre-Inquisition) synagogue. It's so old that the doorway is at this point quite short. This may be because street level has risen, or because the building has sunk, or because Jews are short. Feel free to comment with your best theory.
What knockers!
Roman aqueduct hanging out (literally) in one of the main squares.
After the Jews were expelled from Spain, the Jewish graveyard was pilfered and the stones used to construct buildings. This stone, clearly once a Jewish headstone, is part of the palace of Barcelona - home to the monarchs of Catalonia for centuries.
Courtyard outside the palace of Barcelona where, apparently, Christopher Columbus met with Ferdinand and Isabella on his triumphant return from India the New World.
Christopher Columbus on a pillar at sunset.
Funky rain spout.
Elephant gargoyle designed by a guy who never saw an elephant.
One of many random plaques dedicated to St. George - patron saint of Catalonia.
One of many squares.
Typical Barcelona colors and window terraces.
Parc Guëll
Another round of pics from Barcelona. Mordu's friend Veronica described
this park as a "Gaudi Wonderland." It is up on a hillside, overlooking
the entire city, so despite the overcast and nearly foggy weather, we
had some great views of the city - the pictures did not come out quite as well, but you can get a sense.
Shaking hands with the plant?
Originally, I had Mordu take a picture of me doing this. But then Mordu insisted I was doing it wrong and he could do it better. When we downloaded the pics, I could see that he was right. But maybe he regrets it now since I'm posting it without a whit of remorse?
Close-up of some of the tile-work in the park. Gaudi's surfaces were never flat, so the tiles are always broken into odd shapes.
Nearly at the top...
View from the top (sorry it's not a clearer day). At the horizon is the Mediterranean.
Weird rocker dude who dropped by to entertain. This was a bizarre electric guitar and choral version of Fur Elise...
He's got quite a crowd. By the way, that crowd is at the summit of the park.
This lizard at the entrance to the park is iconic in Barcelona - on the cover of most tour books, etc.
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