Wednesday, August 7, 2013

Vacation Recovery Mode


Dave and I are back in London, settling into our routines. The flat is just as we left it, the plants are all miraculously still alive, and Olga will be joining us this afternoon. (She had an extra day in the kennel because we arrived back home last night.)

Our flight home was uneventful. It seemed really short, actually. I took my computer out and spent my time editing photos, and before I knew it we were landing.


We spent our last morning in Barcelona at the Palau de la Música Catalana, or Palace of Catalan Music, a beautiful concert hall designed by Lluís Domenech i Montaner, another famous architect (like Gaudi) of the Catalan Art Nouveau movement. The best part was undoubtedly the stained glass skylight, which allows natural light into the main concert hall. The space was likened to both a "box of light," with all its windows, and a garden, with its many floral motifs. The ceiling represents the sun.

When we finished our tour -- and yes, we had to take a guided tour, which normally is not my thing but at least we had a pleasant, interesting guide -- Dave zipped over to the market to buy some olive oil and saffron, and I took a last walk through the neighborhood, looking for interesting street art. (Oh yeah, remember that thing I said about how I'm less interested in photographing graffiti these days? Well, that went out the window in Barcelona. Talk about a street art town!)


I found some art, and I also found this mysteriously fenced and locked courtyard, where a lonely blue ball was waiting for some Olga-like dog to come along and tear it to pieces.

And now, I am off to do a mountain of laundry, and to begin loading my roughly 350 Barcelona photos onto Flickr. (Gotta do more editing!)

10 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hi, I started reading your blogs through reading E,s blogs and I have been so enjoying your vacation. Todays stained glass skylight had me stop and say WOW!! Thank you for allowing me to visit.

Reya Mellicker said...

Glad you're home safe and sound. Your pictures are spectacular - of course.

And you're completely healed from Gaudi fever? Hope so.

e said...

You have your next Blurb book in the making then, with 350 photos. BTW, I ordered the rest of your books finally!

Are you feeling any better?

ain't for city gals said...

Glad you had a nice time I enjoyed it also! Olga is going to be a happy pup today!

Ms. Moon said...

That stained glass is unbelievably stunning.

Sharon said...

That beautiful skylight is simply stunning.

The Bug said...

I think I'd have to just lie down on the floor & look up & get lost in that ceiling! (If you know, you can tell me again whether it's lie or lay & I won't remember later. Again.)

Linda Sue said...

Loving your Barcelona trip! Amazing shots of remarkable place- it is almost too much! Glad you took the photo of the blue ball for Olga, she will appreciate that I am sure!
The grandeur of Barcelona nearly makes me yearn for minimalism... a sort of wind swept landscape of clean dirt. Guess I am overwhelmed but can not wait to see your photos , all 350 of them!

Elizabeth said...

That photo of the skylight is truly extraordinary, Steve.

Steve Reed said...

Cheri: Thanks for stopping by! Isn't that skylight incredible? It's huge, too.

Reya: My Gaudi fever appears to have been a 24-hour bug, thank goodness. :)

E: Oh, thanks for getting my books! That's awesome! :)

Ain't: Glad you enjoyed the virtual trip!

Ms Moon & Sharon: It really is mind-blowing. I have shots of it from several angles which I'll put on Flickr.

Bug: It's "lie." You got it right! It does seem that ceiling would be almost distracting during a concert, doesn't it?!

Linda Sue: I know what you mean -- the ornamentation can seem a bit much after a while.

Elizabeth: Thanks! (And thanks to whoever put together that stained glass!)