March 9
One of the highlights of our tour was a stop at the Monument to Christopher Columbus and the Monumento al Descubrimiento (Monument to the discovery of America). I was really able to feel the Spanish Love and admiration for Columbus.
In every sculpture we saw he was portrayed as a very heroic, almost super human looking man.
I doubt the Spanish people have such a love for Columbus for his discovery of the new world alone. Not to take away from his bravery and epic journey, but is there more to Columbus then his voyage to America? Also, how did he convince people to go with him, was it money alone? Did they share this death-defying courage or were they poor men with nothing else to live for?
The crew of the first voyage to the new world was not made up of pirates or criminals like some accounts would suggest, but most were 'hometown boys' from Andalusia and were experienced seamen. As for there motivation: It was considered a great honor to sail for Spain and most jumped at the opportunity. It seems to me the Spanish love Columbus for what they see as his bravery. He symbolizes Spanish Nationalism and represents a time when Spain was a great power in the world.
March 10
We saw the Prado and the Reina Sofia Today. I am very surprised at how much I loved the Prado and the works it contains. We saw paintings by Goya, Velasquez, and El Grecco. Velasquez's Christ on the Cross" really impacted me. Perhaps it was the deep blackish green background or the amount of blood, or the realistic manner in general that sets this painting of the crucifixion apart from the many others I've seen. This painting, which sneaks up on you as you walk through the Museum as if it didn't need anything special to set it apart from the rest of the paintings, made me think of Christ as a real man and not just a story you take for granted in Catholic School. This to me makes him even more heroic. I was also very impressed by Goya's "Dark paintings" especially "Saturn devouring his Child".
Goya's paintings really allow us to experience his sorrow and depression. What made this artist who had spent most of his life as a royal painter, and was commissioned on many occasions to paint the king himself turn into himself? Our tour guide told us that Goya painted these works on the walls of his house in France, after he was driven from Spain. Goya was very illness prone in his later years and was losing his hearing as a result. His paintings depict such suffering of people that I must know what the political climate was when Goya was alive. What besides his personal illness drove him to this misery ?
Goya painted his "Black Paintings" on the walls of Quinta del Sordo, a country house he bought in 1819, between 1820 and 1823. On January 1, 1820 Spanish troops stationed at Cabezas de San Juan staged an uprising against King Ferdinand VII's absolutist rule.The following three years saw an attempt to establish a new system, which led to clashes between these liberals and the rest of the country. Unfortunately for Goya, who was still a Royal painter at the time, these attempts failed. Goya who could not stand the lack of personal freedom he endured under the new monarchy asked for leave to visit France. He returned to Spain only once to officially retire as Royal painter.
March 11
We arrived in Barcelona today. The weather is great, it is very warm here. Our hotel room overlooks a disgusting little courtyard with a garbage pile and a sewage duct. Needless to say we left our room as soon as possible. Monica and I wandered the narrow streets of the city for a few hours this evening. It was eleven o' clock when we started so there wasn't too much going on. So far Barcelona seems to be a filthy city. I'm just not as comfortable here as I was in Madrid. Maybe it will seem nicer tomorrow morning.
The language they speak here is different. It sounds like Spanish mixed with French. A lot of the words are different. For example bank or banco is Caix. People don't speak Castillian here, they speak Catalan. I wonder how this came about. Was this a different country at some point?
As early as the sixth century BC, Greek merchants established trading posts along the Catalan coast. In the eight century, Catalan Christians sought help from Charlemagne in repelling Moorish invaders, after which local counts achieved independence. The period following the Reconquest and the reign of Wilfred the Hairy (857 - 902) is recognized as the origin of the Catalan nation, and Barcelona soon became the dominant political and military force in the region. Descendents of Wilfred the Hairy acquired the throne of neighboring Aragon by marriage, and from then on, the fate of Catalonia was linked, however vaguely, to that of Spain. Constant pressure from Castille for money and men for warfare led to the 1640 revolt in which Catalonia pledged its allegiance to Louis XIII of France. This revolt was crushed by the Castillians in 1652. Again, in the Spanish war of succession Catalonia fought for independence but was crushed with the humiliating surrender of Barcelona on September 11, 1714, today "celebrated" as Catalonia's National day. the Catalan's regained their independence briefly during the Second Republic, 1932 - 1939, only to be crushed by Franco and the Nationalists, whose repression of everything Catalan lasted until the new Constitution of 1977 reestablished a measure of self government.
March 12
We took a panoramic tour of Gaudi's architecture today. His buildings in Barcelona are like none I've ever seen. Parque Güell, located in the Northwestern section of Barcelona was originally a town planning project. The park was meant to contain sixty plots, all with houses designed by Gaudi himself. Only two of the plots were sold and the idea was abandoned. However, the park was brimming with Gaudi's designs and was definitely not your average park. Even more captivating was Gaudi's Church of the Sagrada Familia , Gaudi's neo-gothic cathedral which is still being completed even after his death in 1926. Consistent with his style Gaudi's cathedral is very unusual. For example, atop four of the eight conical towers (if completed there will be twelve, one for each apostle) are sculptures of fruit such as oranges and raspberries. We really got an appresiation for the size of the cathedral after we decided to climb to the top of the tallest tower. Of course only wimps would use the elevator. The view from the top was worth the beating our knees took on the way up, and through my Vertigo I could see all of Barcelona - Magnificent.
There seems to be an artistic dilemma surrounding the Church of the Sagrada Familia. Should they work to complete the cathedral even though Gaudi is not alive, and no plans exist for the Cathedral. Gaudi made sketches for the general form of the cathedral but intended to work out the details as the construction went on. My intention is not to argue for any side of this dilemma, my question is much simpler: Is there much opposition to the completion of the Sagrada Familia, or is it just a few "Die-hards"?
It was hard to find information on this. From browsing the internet I was able to gather the following: Just about the only people openly against the completion of the cathedral are art scholars from the United States. Perhaps this is because Europeans, being generally more religious, see it as religion meeting art rather than strictly architecture.
March 13
We went to France today. I wasn't impressed. However, the main point of our excursion out of Barcelona today was to visit the Salvador Dali museum in Figueres. It was like an art museum and a fun house all rolled into one. I don't think Dali liked to be taken too seriously and I admire that. While I don't really understand his work I think that his talent as a painter is unsurpassed. Also, his attention to detail is amazing and was evident in everything we saw.
One of the paintings at the museum made me wonder what Dali's intention was (actually they all made me wonder about this). As you first walk into the museum there is a huge portrait hanging high on the wall. From one angle it is a portrait of Gala, Dalis wife and common subject of his works. If you walk to the other side of the room it is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Dr. Gionatti told us not to try to figure Dali out, just enjoy it. However, I've never been a fan of unanswered questions. So, why Abraham Lincoln?
The name of the painting is actually "Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea
which at Twenty Metres Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln,". In November 1973
Leon Harmon of Bell Labs wrote an article in Scientific American entitled, "The Recognition of Faces."
The article contained a portrait of Mr. Lincoln, which was blurred but
recognizable, similar to the one Dali painted in 1976. Dali then took that portrait and made it his own. It seems Dali appreciated the
"MagnaDott" process by which Harmon's portrait was made rather than the subject matter. This seems to explain Dali's choice
of Abraham Lincoln.
March 14
We went to the Picasso museum today - It was extremely boring. I found it to be the only museum we've seen so far that I haven't enjoyed. Most of the works in the museum were sketches and small paintings Picasso did as a child. While impressive they were not fun to look at. Monica and I made up for this dissapointment by visiting the Mila house, a house designed by Gaudi turned into a museum. In Casa Mila we were able to appreciate this wonderful design and many others displayed on video screens throughout the house and on blueprints and sketches hanging on the walls. We were able to see every building Gaudi ever designed.
We also visited a cathedral today. On the way in we saw an elderly woman sitting on the front steps begging for money. In any city in the United States this is an everyday occurence. However, this filthy looking woman was the first beggar I had seen since we arrived in Spain. Is this only because we stayed in isolated tourist areas -in a little bubble or is there a lot less poverty in Spain? If so is it due to a more socialized society? If not then why?
Spains economy is very similar to ours as of late. Spain also felt the ping of the recession of the early nineties and enjoyed Economic growth starting in 1994. However, Spain, still feeling the results of political turmoil caused by the Franco dictatorship has suffered a 25% unemployment rate. This, despite Spain's growing labor movement, has held Spain back economically. Welfare, in the form of "Social Wage" is provided for underprivelaged people in spain. These including the handicapped, elderly and those suffering from long-term unemployment. Yet still, many people in Spain live below what is considerd the poverty level. Just for comparison however, the number of people below poverty in Spain, as a percentage, is much less than in the United States.
March 15
We arrived in Bilboa today. The security in the airport for flights to and from Basque country is very tight. This was no surprise since I know well of the troubles between the Basque people and the rest of Spain. Our hotel is great. There is a Piano bar and an Internet cafe in the lobby and Sony Playstation in our room so I decided to stay in tonight.
I see the Basque language written everywhere. It is very different from Spanish and Catalan, it looks like a combination of French and a Slavic language like Czech or Polish. What are the roots of this narrowly-spoken language? Why is it so different from the romance languges spoken in surrounding southern Europe?
I did a lot of research on this one: As far as Basque descending from a certain language, It’s not that simple. Basque is extremely important to linguists because it is one of the few non-Indo-European languages Spoken in Europe. Basques grammar is its own. The core vocabulary is also not similar to any other. However, over the years many words were borrowed from Romance languages such as Latin and Roman. Some scholars have tried to translate ancient dead languages using Basque, but were unsuccessful. Some linguists have been able to tie Basque vocabulary with that of Celtic languages (i.e. Gaelic or Irish). Some say these were also just borrowed words. From what I can see, nothing is certain.
March 16
The Architecture of the Guggenheim is stunning. I wish I could say the same for the modern sculpture inside. A lot of the sculpture was intended to bend perception and fool the eye. Being a Computer science and Math major this appealed to my more logical side rather than evoking emotion or allowing me to see through someone elses eyes like the paintings in the Prado. I appreciated it, just not in the way I expected to.
After the museum we walked around downtown Bilbao. I found it to be a relaxed small city with fairly friendly inhabitants and clean streets. It is definetely a city undergoing some sort of economic rebirth or growth period. There skyline is scattered with cranes emerging from half- built sky-scrapers.
Walking through the streets we looked for a place to eat. We found everything to be much more expensive than Madrid or Barcelona. I also saw a lot of Luxury cars out on the streets. This was surprising since the Basque people always seem to be portrayed as somewhat downtrodden. We hear so much of the plight of the Basque people - So why this extreme of wealth in Basque country?
Bilbao has been undergoing a cultural and Economic transformation over the past fifteen years. It has gone from a post-industrial economically depressed symbol of urban decay to a cultural and scholastic center. The rebuilding of the waterfront along the Nervion River and the addition of the Guggenheim have rejuvenated this city and brought much investment. The downtown area of bilbao is a prime example of the city’s desire to change from an industrial to a service-based economy. The addition of higher priced restaurants and museums have attracted the upper class of Basque country to the center of this city which already holds more than half of the Basque population (According to the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno).
MAR 17
We're back in Madrid. I miss the hotel in Bilbao. We went to a few bars tonight around our hotel. We also walked around Plaza Mayor this evening. There is always so much excitement around there. We've gone there several times but I just realized I don't know the
historical signifigance of it. Also, when was it built?
The Plaza Mayor stands where Arab merchants once set up an extensive marketplace of stalls on the bed of a dry lake outside the city walls of Madrid. In the sixteenth century, Philip II ordered his favorite architect to clear out the old haphazard market and design a proper arcaded plaza that could serve as marketplace, showplace, and gathering place, something grand and appropriate for the city he had made the capital of Castile.
In 1790 the original buildings sorrounding Plaza Mayor burned to the ground and were reconstructed in stone. In 1992 The buildings were restored and the stone was recast into the reddish color it is today.
One of the highlights of our tour was a stop at the Monument to Christopher Columbus and the Monumento al Descubrimiento (Monument to the discovery of America). I was really able to feel the Spanish Love and admiration for Columbus.
In every sculpture we saw he was portrayed as a very heroic, almost super human looking man.
I doubt the Spanish people have such a love for Columbus for his discovery of the new world alone. Not to take away from his bravery and epic journey, but is there more to Columbus then his voyage to America? Also, how did he convince people to go with him, was it money alone? Did they share this death-defying courage or were they poor men with nothing else to live for?
The crew of the first voyage to the new world was not made up of pirates or criminals like some accounts would suggest, but most were 'hometown boys' from Andalusia and were experienced seamen. As for there motivation: It was considered a great honor to sail for Spain and most jumped at the opportunity. It seems to me the Spanish love Columbus for what they see as his bravery. He symbolizes Spanish Nationalism and represents a time when Spain was a great power in the world.
March 10
We saw the Prado and the Reina Sofia Today. I am very surprised at how much I loved the Prado and the works it contains. We saw paintings by Goya, Velasquez, and El Grecco. Velasquez's Christ on the Cross" really impacted me. Perhaps it was the deep blackish green background or the amount of blood, or the realistic manner in general that sets this painting of the crucifixion apart from the many others I've seen. This painting, which sneaks up on you as you walk through the Museum as if it didn't need anything special to set it apart from the rest of the paintings, made me think of Christ as a real man and not just a story you take for granted in Catholic School. This to me makes him even more heroic. I was also very impressed by Goya's "Dark paintings" especially "Saturn devouring his Child".
Goya's paintings really allow us to experience his sorrow and depression. What made this artist who had spent most of his life as a royal painter, and was commissioned on many occasions to paint the king himself turn into himself? Our tour guide told us that Goya painted these works on the walls of his house in France, after he was driven from Spain. Goya was very illness prone in his later years and was losing his hearing as a result. His paintings depict such suffering of people that I must know what the political climate was when Goya was alive. What besides his personal illness drove him to this misery ?
Goya painted his "Black Paintings" on the walls of Quinta del Sordo, a country house he bought in 1819, between 1820 and 1823. On January 1, 1820 Spanish troops stationed at Cabezas de San Juan staged an uprising against King Ferdinand VII's absolutist rule.The following three years saw an attempt to establish a new system, which led to clashes between these liberals and the rest of the country. Unfortunately for Goya, who was still a Royal painter at the time, these attempts failed. Goya who could not stand the lack of personal freedom he endured under the new monarchy asked for leave to visit France. He returned to Spain only once to officially retire as Royal painter.
March 11
We arrived in Barcelona today. The weather is great, it is very warm here. Our hotel room overlooks a disgusting little courtyard with a garbage pile and a sewage duct. Needless to say we left our room as soon as possible. Monica and I wandered the narrow streets of the city for a few hours this evening. It was eleven o' clock when we started so there wasn't too much going on. So far Barcelona seems to be a filthy city. I'm just not as comfortable here as I was in Madrid. Maybe it will seem nicer tomorrow morning.
The language they speak here is different. It sounds like Spanish mixed with French. A lot of the words are different. For example bank or banco is Caix. People don't speak Castillian here, they speak Catalan. I wonder how this came about. Was this a different country at some point?
As early as the sixth century BC, Greek merchants established trading posts along the Catalan coast. In the eight century, Catalan Christians sought help from Charlemagne in repelling Moorish invaders, after which local counts achieved independence. The period following the Reconquest and the reign of Wilfred the Hairy (857 - 902) is recognized as the origin of the Catalan nation, and Barcelona soon became the dominant political and military force in the region. Descendents of Wilfred the Hairy acquired the throne of neighboring Aragon by marriage, and from then on, the fate of Catalonia was linked, however vaguely, to that of Spain. Constant pressure from Castille for money and men for warfare led to the 1640 revolt in which Catalonia pledged its allegiance to Louis XIII of France. This revolt was crushed by the Castillians in 1652. Again, in the Spanish war of succession Catalonia fought for independence but was crushed with the humiliating surrender of Barcelona on September 11, 1714, today "celebrated" as Catalonia's National day. the Catalan's regained their independence briefly during the Second Republic, 1932 - 1939, only to be crushed by Franco and the Nationalists, whose repression of everything Catalan lasted until the new Constitution of 1977 reestablished a measure of self government.
March 12
We took a panoramic tour of Gaudi's architecture today. His buildings in Barcelona are like none I've ever seen. Parque Güell, located in the Northwestern section of Barcelona was originally a town planning project. The park was meant to contain sixty plots, all with houses designed by Gaudi himself. Only two of the plots were sold and the idea was abandoned. However, the park was brimming with Gaudi's designs and was definitely not your average park. Even more captivating was Gaudi's Church of the Sagrada Familia , Gaudi's neo-gothic cathedral which is still being completed even after his death in 1926. Consistent with his style Gaudi's cathedral is very unusual. For example, atop four of the eight conical towers (if completed there will be twelve, one for each apostle) are sculptures of fruit such as oranges and raspberries. We really got an appresiation for the size of the cathedral after we decided to climb to the top of the tallest tower. Of course only wimps would use the elevator. The view from the top was worth the beating our knees took on the way up, and through my Vertigo I could see all of Barcelona - Magnificent.
There seems to be an artistic dilemma surrounding the Church of the Sagrada Familia. Should they work to complete the cathedral even though Gaudi is not alive, and no plans exist for the Cathedral. Gaudi made sketches for the general form of the cathedral but intended to work out the details as the construction went on. My intention is not to argue for any side of this dilemma, my question is much simpler: Is there much opposition to the completion of the Sagrada Familia, or is it just a few "Die-hards"?
It was hard to find information on this. From browsing the internet I was able to gather the following: Just about the only people openly against the completion of the cathedral are art scholars from the United States. Perhaps this is because Europeans, being generally more religious, see it as religion meeting art rather than strictly architecture.
March 13
We went to France today. I wasn't impressed. However, the main point of our excursion out of Barcelona today was to visit the Salvador Dali museum in Figueres. It was like an art museum and a fun house all rolled into one. I don't think Dali liked to be taken too seriously and I admire that. While I don't really understand his work I think that his talent as a painter is unsurpassed. Also, his attention to detail is amazing and was evident in everything we saw.
One of the paintings at the museum made me wonder what Dali's intention was (actually they all made me wonder about this). As you first walk into the museum there is a huge portrait hanging high on the wall. From one angle it is a portrait of Gala, Dalis wife and common subject of his works. If you walk to the other side of the room it is a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. Dr. Gionatti told us not to try to figure Dali out, just enjoy it. However, I've never been a fan of unanswered questions. So, why Abraham Lincoln?
The name of the painting is actually "Gala Contemplating the Mediterranean Sea
which at Twenty Metres Becomes the Portrait of Abraham Lincoln,". In November 1973
Leon Harmon of Bell Labs wrote an article in Scientific American entitled, "The Recognition of Faces."
The article contained a portrait of Mr. Lincoln, which was blurred but
recognizable, similar to the one Dali painted in 1976. Dali then took that portrait and made it his own. It seems Dali appreciated the
"MagnaDott" process by which Harmon's portrait was made rather than the subject matter. This seems to explain Dali's choice
of Abraham Lincoln.
March 14
We went to the Picasso museum today - It was extremely boring. I found it to be the only museum we've seen so far that I haven't enjoyed. Most of the works in the museum were sketches and small paintings Picasso did as a child. While impressive they were not fun to look at. Monica and I made up for this dissapointment by visiting the Mila house, a house designed by Gaudi turned into a museum. In Casa Mila we were able to appreciate this wonderful design and many others displayed on video screens throughout the house and on blueprints and sketches hanging on the walls. We were able to see every building Gaudi ever designed.
We also visited a cathedral today. On the way in we saw an elderly woman sitting on the front steps begging for money. In any city in the United States this is an everyday occurence. However, this filthy looking woman was the first beggar I had seen since we arrived in Spain. Is this only because we stayed in isolated tourist areas -in a little bubble or is there a lot less poverty in Spain? If so is it due to a more socialized society? If not then why?
Spains economy is very similar to ours as of late. Spain also felt the ping of the recession of the early nineties and enjoyed Economic growth starting in 1994. However, Spain, still feeling the results of political turmoil caused by the Franco dictatorship has suffered a 25% unemployment rate. This, despite Spain's growing labor movement, has held Spain back economically. Welfare, in the form of "Social Wage" is provided for underprivelaged people in spain. These including the handicapped, elderly and those suffering from long-term unemployment. Yet still, many people in Spain live below what is considerd the poverty level. Just for comparison however, the number of people below poverty in Spain, as a percentage, is much less than in the United States.
March 15
We arrived in Bilboa today. The security in the airport for flights to and from Basque country is very tight. This was no surprise since I know well of the troubles between the Basque people and the rest of Spain. Our hotel is great. There is a Piano bar and an Internet cafe in the lobby and Sony Playstation in our room so I decided to stay in tonight.
I see the Basque language written everywhere. It is very different from Spanish and Catalan, it looks like a combination of French and a Slavic language like Czech or Polish. What are the roots of this narrowly-spoken language? Why is it so different from the romance languges spoken in surrounding southern Europe?
I did a lot of research on this one: As far as Basque descending from a certain language, It’s not that simple. Basque is extremely important to linguists because it is one of the few non-Indo-European languages Spoken in Europe. Basques grammar is its own. The core vocabulary is also not similar to any other. However, over the years many words were borrowed from Romance languages such as Latin and Roman. Some scholars have tried to translate ancient dead languages using Basque, but were unsuccessful. Some linguists have been able to tie Basque vocabulary with that of Celtic languages (i.e. Gaelic or Irish). Some say these were also just borrowed words. From what I can see, nothing is certain.
March 16
The Architecture of the Guggenheim is stunning. I wish I could say the same for the modern sculpture inside. A lot of the sculpture was intended to bend perception and fool the eye. Being a Computer science and Math major this appealed to my more logical side rather than evoking emotion or allowing me to see through someone elses eyes like the paintings in the Prado. I appreciated it, just not in the way I expected to.
After the museum we walked around downtown Bilbao. I found it to be a relaxed small city with fairly friendly inhabitants and clean streets. It is definetely a city undergoing some sort of economic rebirth or growth period. There skyline is scattered with cranes emerging from half- built sky-scrapers.
Walking through the streets we looked for a place to eat. We found everything to be much more expensive than Madrid or Barcelona. I also saw a lot of Luxury cars out on the streets. This was surprising since the Basque people always seem to be portrayed as somewhat downtrodden. We hear so much of the plight of the Basque people - So why this extreme of wealth in Basque country?
Bilbao has been undergoing a cultural and Economic transformation over the past fifteen years. It has gone from a post-industrial economically depressed symbol of urban decay to a cultural and scholastic center. The rebuilding of the waterfront along the Nervion River and the addition of the Guggenheim have rejuvenated this city and brought much investment. The downtown area of bilbao is a prime example of the city’s desire to change from an industrial to a service-based economy. The addition of higher priced restaurants and museums have attracted the upper class of Basque country to the center of this city which already holds more than half of the Basque population (According to the Center for Basque Studies at the University of Nevada, Reno).
MAR 17
We're back in Madrid. I miss the hotel in Bilbao. We went to a few bars tonight around our hotel. We also walked around Plaza Mayor this evening. There is always so much excitement around there. We've gone there several times but I just realized I don't know the
historical signifigance of it. Also, when was it built?
The Plaza Mayor stands where Arab merchants once set up an extensive marketplace of stalls on the bed of a dry lake outside the city walls of Madrid. In the sixteenth century, Philip II ordered his favorite architect to clear out the old haphazard market and design a proper arcaded plaza that could serve as marketplace, showplace, and gathering place, something grand and appropriate for the city he had made the capital of Castile.
In 1790 the original buildings sorrounding Plaza Mayor burned to the ground and were reconstructed in stone. In 1992 The buildings were restored and the stone was recast into the reddish color it is today.
posted by Dennis at 7:40 AM
