Wednesday, April 15, 2015

Arrivederci Sicily and Adios Spain !


   We have had an amazing trip over the past 11 weeks...we've seen wonderful sights and had many, many adventures, but nothing can compare to the genuine hospitality and generosity of the people we've met along the way...

Karen and Diego from The Lemon Tree in Taormina - our old friends


Paola from The Lemon Tree - our new friend

our favorite cheese maker - Salvatore

Salvatore's generous wife
Our favorite waiter in NYC told us to look up his Mom in Giardini-Naxos...she was adorable !


Mario - the best barber in Taormina


Joe's new friend...Mama
Enrico - our fantastic guide to Etna


Enrico, Francesco, and Manuela at Gambino Winery


the local shoemaker...

Artichokes from his garden to his car...
Banana Man in Taormina - he was a riot !

the antique store owner who spent an hour showing us his prized possessions

Naughty papa...!

Our anniversary dinner at Mirko's in Castellammare

Salvatore - our private winery tour guide in Randazzo

very talented Francesco in Agrigento

Our Alfa friend Carmelo in Palermo


dinner at Carmelo's...his lovely wife Rosaria waving

Carmelo, friends, and family...what could be better ?
 
The artist...Antonio Bruno
Sara from the CIA in Castlemola

Luigi and his wife at their wonderful restaurant in Ragusa

Marilu the donkey and her owner
Jose - our fantastic Rioja wine tour guide

Our great butcher in Castelbuono

Joe's hairdresser in Spain
   There are so many other people who we don't have photos of...our generous hosts along the way:  our friends Jackie and Nino, Sofia in Castellammare, Daniele in Ragusa Ibla, Letizia in Castelbuono, Antonio in Cefalu, Giuseppe in Palermo, Stephanie in Figueres, the wonderful family of Can Rosich in Santa Susanna, and Emma the barkeeper at Hotel Indigo in Barcelona (you little devil !).  Also a thanks to the lawyer, the architect, and the psychoanalyst at Pork Restaurant in Barcelona (not a joke...), and those great guys, Graham and Adrian from Andorra who took us to the Greek restaurant in Barcelona (also not a joke !)

   So many memories...such great adventures...we can't wait until the next time !




Monday, April 13, 2015

Barcelona Harbor on Easter Sunday...

   Easter Sunday in Barcelona dawned bright and sunny, so we decided it would be the perfect day to explore the waterfront, old port, marina, beach, and other areas that make up Barcelona's amazing harbor.  We had seen a great deal of it on the HoHo bus the day before, and thought it would be great to explore more fully on foot.  We assumed it would be fairly quiet on Easter Sunday.  Were we wrong.  It was mobbed...

Amazing pedestrian bridge...
                                                 
                                                       
                                                                                
The bridge swivels to allow boats to pass from marina to harbor...

Huge marina...

Great pedestrian walk along the marina...
                      

Harbor, hills, and historic buildings...

Great public spaces...












 

     
       Some scenes from the harbor...
                                                          
One of many food trailers, this one serving Colombian food...

Yummy... !

Live Latin music in the harbor...

The Roy Lichtenstein sculpture...

And a giant lobster... why not... !

Amazing cable car from the harbor to Montjuïc...

This sculpture called miraestels... look at the stars, is a buoy...

Water, water everywhere...

Skater dude practicing tricks while his buddy films...













 

   The Christopher Columbus monument... he is pointing out to sea...
                                                         

   The Barcelona harbor is so vast and interesting, an incredible place.  With dozens of restaurants and entertainment venues of every description, it is the place to be on a sunny Sunday.  We didn't even get to explore the Olympic Port, which is a village and neighborhood unto itself... or the wonderful beaches.  We walked until we couldn't walk any more, then took the Metro back to the hotel, where we rested up for dinner that night.  Of the many choices of restaurants, we chose Buenos Aires, an Argentinian steak house.  It was the perfect distance to walk from our hotel (meaning not too far).  We sat outside next to the heater... it was a perfect meal and evening.
       
An outdoor table with a fireplace...

A skirt steak, a filet, and giant baked potatoes...

Is this car's mirror on fire... or is it a reflection... ?


 












 
    We could not have planned a better Easter Sunday in Barcelona... It was a day we will remember for a long time.  As our time in Spain draws to a close, we think maybe Columbus is pointing toward Buffalo...

   Click on or touch any photo to enlarge...

Saturday, April 11, 2015

Sagrada Familia - Barcelona's gift to the world...








Its multi-colored towers piercing the blue sky, La Sagrada Familia (Sacred Family) is no doubt the most iconic structure in Barcelona. Construction commenced in 1882 and as building continues today, it's fame only grows.  Though still a work in progress, the church is already amazingly intricate.

Antoni Gaudi spent 43 years on this project and, since his death in 1926, the duty to continue has passed to several architects who have all respected Gaudi's vision and have made additions with his design in mind.  The finished cathedral - which may be completed in 2026 - will have 18 towers: 12 for the apostles, 4 for the evangelists, one for the Virgin Mary, and the tallest for Jesus.  Already the tallest structure in the area, La Sagrada Familia will certainly not be hard to find !

the old construction with a new addition


tower cranes everywhere...



 The interior is so dramatic !  Pillars soar to the leaf-like ceiling which gives the effect of being in a forest...the stained glass windows are all colors of the rainbow - and then some !


huge interior space !





what an amazing ceiling !

like being under a canopy of trees



 

reds and yellows...

blues and greens...


On the subject of the extremely long construction period expected, Gaudi said "my client (God) is in no hurry"

a few more towers to go...but, what's the hurry ?