Today was spent on trains and in airplanes for the most part. My flight across the Atlantic sucked (I had a headache and the plane wasn't as nice as the one I was on the first time), but I'm almost home. I miss my bed, I miss my dog, and I miss my students. I can't wait to see them all again (well my bed I'm not so much interested in seeing as feeling).
Person:
In Dallas Fort Worth (where I am now) I got help from one of the information ladies. She was extremely friendly and helpful, and reminded me about how great Americans can be to be around. Not that I didn't enjoy the French, Spanish, English, or Scots, but it's nice to come home and remember that you like living where you do.
Place:
Dallas Fort Worth is a fantastic airport. They have free power terminals all over the place, and free internet (if you have a CAT-5 cable, which I don't; I'm paying for T-Mobile WiFi). It's a huge airport, but has a handy tram to get you between terminals, and seems very efficient (in sharp contrast to Charles De Gaulle this morning, which is actually one of the worst airports in the world; they recommend you arrive 3 hours early, and that's not an exaggeration).
Food:
As soon as I got off the plane I headed for a Mexican restaurant (they do that almost as good in Texas as we do in California) and got myself some guacamole and a margarita. They need to grow some avocado trees in Europe, already! It's good to be (almost) home.
Sunday, April 19, 2009
Day 2 in Paris
Our second day in Paris was as crazy as the first. We slowed down a little in the afternoon though just to recharge our batteries (I'm definitely burning out at this point, and VERY ready to come home). Today we hit the Musee D'Orsay, Sacre Coeur, Montmartre, and capped the whole trip off with a boat ride on the Seine.
Person:
In the Orsay one of the exhibits is a model of the entire Opera district of Paris, sunk below the floor and covered with a grid of transparent panels that you can walk on. This little girl was absolutely loving that, and was playing hopscotch on the tiles. She brightened our moods from the dreary Parisian weather. Outside the Musee.
Place:
It's tough to choose between Orsay and Sacre-Coeur, but I haven't written about many churches on the blog, despite having seen some amazing ones, so Sacre-Coeur takes it. It isn't as big as Notre-Dame, nor as flashy as Sainte-Chapelle, but I really enjoyed this church. It is relatively modern (completed in 1914), and is really quite gorgeous. I loved the domed architecture, which was reflected beautifully on the inside as well. There is a massive mural across one of the domes, and the others have some elegant sculptures that set them off. Most of the other cathedrals and churches I've seen on this trip were gothic or some variation thereof, and this was distinctly not. Unfortunately, they ask that you don't take photos of the inside, but it was equally impressive.
Food:
We stopped for a crepe in Montmartre at a restaurant that was serving them from a window. The guy was actually cooking them right there in the window, you just walked up, told him what kind you wanted, and he made it for you and handed it to you. The cook didn't skimp on the butter and sugar either, which made my American palette happy.
Person:In the Orsay one of the exhibits is a model of the entire Opera district of Paris, sunk below the floor and covered with a grid of transparent panels that you can walk on. This little girl was absolutely loving that, and was playing hopscotch on the tiles. She brightened our moods from the dreary Parisian weather. Outside the Musee.
Place:It's tough to choose between Orsay and Sacre-Coeur, but I haven't written about many churches on the blog, despite having seen some amazing ones, so Sacre-Coeur takes it. It isn't as big as Notre-Dame, nor as flashy as Sainte-Chapelle, but I really enjoyed this church. It is relatively modern (completed in 1914), and is really quite gorgeous. I loved the domed architecture, which was reflected beautifully on the inside as well. There is a massive mural across one of the domes, and the others have some elegant sculptures that set them off. Most of the other cathedrals and churches I've seen on this trip were gothic or some variation thereof, and this was distinctly not. Unfortunately, they ask that you don't take photos of the inside, but it was equally impressive.
Food:
We stopped for a crepe in Montmartre at a restaurant that was serving them from a window. The guy was actually cooking them right there in the window, you just walked up, told him what kind you wanted, and he made it for you and handed it to you. The cook didn't skimp on the butter and sugar either, which made my American palette happy.
Day 1 in Paris
Today we started our whirlwind tour of Paris. I really believe traveling slowly and allowing for unplanned experiences is good, but I'm only in Paris for two days, so we're doing the highlights, tourist-style. Today we hit the Conciergerie, the Archeological Crypt Museum, Notre-Dame, Sainte-Chapelle, the Latin Quarter, the Louvre, Jardin des Tuileries, the Trocadero, and... hmmm... what am I missing... oh yeah, the Eiffel Tower.
Person:
While waiting in line to visit Sainte-Chapelle, we talked to an American couple taking their sixteenth trip to Paris. They were renting an apartment in the same neighborhood has our hotel (Rue Cler) and were there with their kids and grandkids. They were a lot of fun to talk to, and their love of the city was infectious. The wife and I identified as we were both mass photo takers (I'm up to several thousand for this trip), while her husband and Laurie rolled their eyes together. We saw them again later on walking past a cafe we were sitting in. Small city!
Place:
Well, this was a tough one, but I've got to go with the Louvre. I've been to tons of museums on this trip, and this one was truely amazing. It used to be the French royal palace, which housed the personal art collections of the king of France. The French revolutionaries opened its doors to the public in 1793, creating Europe's first public museum. People tell you that it's huge and it's a maze, but you have no idea until you actually get in there. You can walk for hours and never hit the same room twice. I had a map and a great guide book and promptly got completely lost. Luckily, they also have the absolute best audio guide I've ever used (and now I'm a connoisseur), which we bought after about a half hour of trying to do it on our own.
We hit all the biggies. The Mona Lisa was underwhelming as everyone said it would be, but the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory both blew me away.
Throngs of Mona Lisa adorers (you can just pick her out on the far wall).
Venus de Milo from one of her more modest angles.
Winged Victory.
Food:
We ate at a great restaurant next to our hotel called Le Bosquet. For a starter I had poached eggs in a basilic creme sauce. This was decadent French cuisine at its best, and I returned my dish to the kitchen already clean.
Person:
While waiting in line to visit Sainte-Chapelle, we talked to an American couple taking their sixteenth trip to Paris. They were renting an apartment in the same neighborhood has our hotel (Rue Cler) and were there with their kids and grandkids. They were a lot of fun to talk to, and their love of the city was infectious. The wife and I identified as we were both mass photo takers (I'm up to several thousand for this trip), while her husband and Laurie rolled their eyes together. We saw them again later on walking past a cafe we were sitting in. Small city!
Place:
Well, this was a tough one, but I've got to go with the Louvre. I've been to tons of museums on this trip, and this one was truely amazing. It used to be the French royal palace, which housed the personal art collections of the king of France. The French revolutionaries opened its doors to the public in 1793, creating Europe's first public museum. People tell you that it's huge and it's a maze, but you have no idea until you actually get in there. You can walk for hours and never hit the same room twice. I had a map and a great guide book and promptly got completely lost. Luckily, they also have the absolute best audio guide I've ever used (and now I'm a connoisseur), which we bought after about a half hour of trying to do it on our own.
We hit all the biggies. The Mona Lisa was underwhelming as everyone said it would be, but the Venus de Milo and Winged Victory both blew me away.
Throngs of Mona Lisa adorers (you can just pick her out on the far wall).
Venus de Milo from one of her more modest angles.
Winged Victory.Food:
We ate at a great restaurant next to our hotel called Le Bosquet. For a starter I had poached eggs in a basilic creme sauce. This was decadent French cuisine at its best, and I returned my dish to the kitchen already clean.
Trains, Trains, and Trains
Today was a travel day. Laurie and I took a train from Granada to Madrid (5 hours), where we had a 4.5 hour layover. With Manuel’s help, we were able to check our bags at the train station, get some lunch, take a commuter train to the station we needed to leave from, and still have enough time to spend an hour and a half touring the Prado! I’m writing this from our sleeper cabin on the overnight train from Madrid to Paris. There’s no wifi on the train, so I won’t be able to post until tomorrow.
Person:
Without a doubt this is a repeat. Manuel is the person of the day. He took a half a day off of work, met us at the train station, helped us put our bags in lockers, took us to a great greasy-spoon tapas bar near the train station, explained the complicated train system that would get us to the next station, showed us around a little of Madrid, and took us to the entrance to the Prado. Not only did he make it possible for us to go to the Prado (something I really wanted to try to do), I am quite certain that without his help we wouldn’t have even made it to our next train. Thanks, Manuel!
Place:
Well, by now I’m sure you know today’s place was the Museo del Prado in Madrid. We didn’t do the museum justice, but we did get to see a large portion of the Velázquez and Goya paintings (the two superstars of Spanish art), as well as a fantastic exhibit of Victorian British painters called La Bella Durmiente (Sleeping Beauty), which included the stunning Flaming June. Other highlights of the tour were Goya’s The Third of May, 1808 and Velázquez’s The Drinkers and of course Las Meninas (considered by many to be the best painting ever painted, period). While it would have been great to spend a week in Madrid like we did in Barcelona, getting to see these works even for a short time was totally worth it. No pictures were allowed in the Museo, but here is an internet picture of Las Meninas.
Food:
The food in the dining car on our hotel train was predictably expensive, but was also unpredictably delicious. My favorite was the cream-of-seasonal-wild-mushroom soup.
Person:Without a doubt this is a repeat. Manuel is the person of the day. He took a half a day off of work, met us at the train station, helped us put our bags in lockers, took us to a great greasy-spoon tapas bar near the train station, explained the complicated train system that would get us to the next station, showed us around a little of Madrid, and took us to the entrance to the Prado. Not only did he make it possible for us to go to the Prado (something I really wanted to try to do), I am quite certain that without his help we wouldn’t have even made it to our next train. Thanks, Manuel!
Place:Well, by now I’m sure you know today’s place was the Museo del Prado in Madrid. We didn’t do the museum justice, but we did get to see a large portion of the Velázquez and Goya paintings (the two superstars of Spanish art), as well as a fantastic exhibit of Victorian British painters called La Bella Durmiente (Sleeping Beauty), which included the stunning Flaming June. Other highlights of the tour were Goya’s The Third of May, 1808 and Velázquez’s The Drinkers and of course Las Meninas (considered by many to be the best painting ever painted, period). While it would have been great to spend a week in Madrid like we did in Barcelona, getting to see these works even for a short time was totally worth it. No pictures were allowed in the Museo, but here is an internet picture of Las Meninas.
Food:
The food in the dining car on our hotel train was predictably expensive, but was also unpredictably delicious. My favorite was the cream-of-seasonal-wild-mushroom soup.
Friday, April 17, 2009
Granada
Finally getting caught up! This entry is for Wednesday, April 15, 2009. We spent the day in Granada.
Person:
We took the number 32 bus from the Placa de Isabel la Catolica (with its statue of Isabel giving Christopher Columbus his commission to cross the Atlantic) to the Alhambra. The bus was packed (they have “mini-buses” in Granada due to the crazy streets that don’t amount to much more than vans), and quarters were close. I got to listen to an American family talk while we rode. There was a mother and father and three daughters, aged around 5-8. The father was explaining to his daughters different things that he saw in Spanish (he was fluent), and telling them about the Alhambra, which they were about to see. I talked with them a little, but it was mostly just fun to hear this family on vacation interacting. It made me miss my students.
Place:
The Alhambra was hands down the place for today, though the Granada Cathedral was a close second (one of the most impressive in Europe, which was a big surprise for us). The Alhambra is actually several sights in one. First, there is a fort called the Alcazaba that has been there since the Romans controlled this area (though it has been rebuilt by later occupants). Then there is a magnificent Islamic palace called Palacio Nazaries, ornately decorated with Islamic carvings. When the Spanish regained Granada from the Moors, Charles V built his own palace right on top of the Palacio Nazaries. Finally, there are extensive gardens including the Generalife to wander. We listened to a fantastic audio guide that consisted mostly of the writings of the American Romantic poet Washington Irving, who lived in Granada for a time and is largely responsible for popularizing it as a tourist attraction.
This is a view of Granada from the Alcazaba.
This shows some of the intricate carvings in the Palacio Nazaries.
This is the Patio de los Arrayanes in the Palacio Nazaries.
Laurie in the center of the courtyard of the Palace of Charles V.
Food:
At dinner I ordered the Torre Inferno (Hell’s Tower), which was a hanging skewer of zucchini, red bell peppers, shrimp, and a fish that I think might have been monkfish. It said on the menu to get your camera ready, so just for my loyal blog readers, I ran back to the hotel (only a few blocks away) and got my camera so you could enjoy it with me. The tower was devilishly delicious, as was the sangria.
Person:
We took the number 32 bus from the Placa de Isabel la Catolica (with its statue of Isabel giving Christopher Columbus his commission to cross the Atlantic) to the Alhambra. The bus was packed (they have “mini-buses” in Granada due to the crazy streets that don’t amount to much more than vans), and quarters were close. I got to listen to an American family talk while we rode. There was a mother and father and three daughters, aged around 5-8. The father was explaining to his daughters different things that he saw in Spanish (he was fluent), and telling them about the Alhambra, which they were about to see. I talked with them a little, but it was mostly just fun to hear this family on vacation interacting. It made me miss my students.
Place:
The Alhambra was hands down the place for today, though the Granada Cathedral was a close second (one of the most impressive in Europe, which was a big surprise for us). The Alhambra is actually several sights in one. First, there is a fort called the Alcazaba that has been there since the Romans controlled this area (though it has been rebuilt by later occupants). Then there is a magnificent Islamic palace called Palacio Nazaries, ornately decorated with Islamic carvings. When the Spanish regained Granada from the Moors, Charles V built his own palace right on top of the Palacio Nazaries. Finally, there are extensive gardens including the Generalife to wander. We listened to a fantastic audio guide that consisted mostly of the writings of the American Romantic poet Washington Irving, who lived in Granada for a time and is largely responsible for popularizing it as a tourist attraction.
This is a view of Granada from the Alcazaba.
This shows some of the intricate carvings in the Palacio Nazaries.
This is the Patio de los Arrayanes in the Palacio Nazaries.
Laurie in the center of the courtyard of the Palace of Charles V.Food:
At dinner I ordered the Torre Inferno (Hell’s Tower), which was a hanging skewer of zucchini, red bell peppers, shrimp, and a fish that I think might have been monkfish. It said on the menu to get your camera ready, so just for my loyal blog readers, I ran back to the hotel (only a few blocks away) and got my camera so you could enjoy it with me. The tower was devilishly delicious, as was the sangria.
Wednesday, April 15, 2009
Guadalest and on to Granada
First, I have a response to an email comment I got. When I talked about the arches in the attic in Gaudi's Casa Mila I didn't actually picture any of these arches. They are called catenary arches (forgot that term when I first wrote the post), and here is a picture of several of them in the attic (stolen from someone else; for some reason I didn't take any pictures in the attic).
OK, the rest of this post is about Tuesday, April 14, 2009. We stayed in Benidorm last night, which is a coastal resort town that doesn’t exactly have the best reputation according to many people I talked to in the UK. Think Cancun maybe. Anyway, it afforded gorgeous views of the Mediterranean if nothing else, and we got an early start out of there. We took a small detour to a cool little town called Guadalest, and then drove to Granada in our rented Seat Altea (quite a cool car IMHO).
Person:
When we finally arrived in Granada (in torrential rain and through the impossible-to-navigate streets of the city) we checked in to Hotel Anicapri. The lady at the front desk was an American expatriot of 24 years named Cathy. As much as I am enjoying speaking Spanish, it was nice to talk to another American, and Cathy was great. She told us about some local spots to eat away from the tourist crowds and gave us some advice about seeing the Alhabra tomorrow. Thanks Cathy!
Place:
Before leaving Benidorm, we went to the beach so that Laurie could put her feet in the Mediterranean (I had already done so in Barcelona). Despite the old sunburned British guy with socks up to his knees and not much else on and the startling realization that this was a “European” beach (and not in a good way), this was actually a really fun experience. The weather was gorgeous, as was the scenery (when you faced the ocean, at least).
Food:
On the way out of Guadalest, we stopped at a restaurant called Casa Paco for lunch. At the end of our meal, Paco served us some locally made raisin liqueur for free. We loved it so much that I bought a bottle (only 4 Euros!). As I write this two days later on the train to Madrid, you can see we’ve enjoyed it a lot. Notice that there is no label at all.
OK, the rest of this post is about Tuesday, April 14, 2009. We stayed in Benidorm last night, which is a coastal resort town that doesn’t exactly have the best reputation according to many people I talked to in the UK. Think Cancun maybe. Anyway, it afforded gorgeous views of the Mediterranean if nothing else, and we got an early start out of there. We took a small detour to a cool little town called Guadalest, and then drove to Granada in our rented Seat Altea (quite a cool car IMHO).Person:
When we finally arrived in Granada (in torrential rain and through the impossible-to-navigate streets of the city) we checked in to Hotel Anicapri. The lady at the front desk was an American expatriot of 24 years named Cathy. As much as I am enjoying speaking Spanish, it was nice to talk to another American, and Cathy was great. She told us about some local spots to eat away from the tourist crowds and gave us some advice about seeing the Alhabra tomorrow. Thanks Cathy!
Place:Before leaving Benidorm, we went to the beach so that Laurie could put her feet in the Mediterranean (I had already done so in Barcelona). Despite the old sunburned British guy with socks up to his knees and not much else on and the startling realization that this was a “European” beach (and not in a good way), this was actually a really fun experience. The weather was gorgeous, as was the scenery (when you faced the ocean, at least).
Food:On the way out of Guadalest, we stopped at a restaurant called Casa Paco for lunch. At the end of our meal, Paco served us some locally made raisin liqueur for free. We loved it so much that I bought a bottle (only 4 Euros!). As I write this two days later on the train to Madrid, you can see we’ve enjoyed it a lot. Notice that there is no label at all.
Road to Benidorm
Today we rented a car and drove to Benidorm, which is a coastal resort town between Barcelona and Granada (our ultimate destination). We stopped in Tarragona on the way.
Person:
The person of the day was my Dad, whose patience has made the road trip possible. The roads can be strange in Spain, especially in small towns like Benidorm and Tarrogona, and driving them has been really dicey. He's been doing a bang up job of getting us through, and it's been a really enjoyable road trip across Spain.
Place:
The town of Tarragona was really fantastic. We arrived in some gorgeous weather (the best I've seen in Spain) and got to see some Roman ruins of a small ampitheatre and the town's cathedral. The town is right on the coast, and walking around in the sun and enjoying the views of the Mediterranean was a welcome break from the road.
Food:
In Tarragona we stopped for tapas and sangria before moving on, and had some delicious tortilla and a few pintxos. I guess this isn't the most exciting food I've talked about on here, but it was really good (as opposed to the blah free buffet at the hotel we stayed at in Benidorm).
Person:
The person of the day was my Dad, whose patience has made the road trip possible. The roads can be strange in Spain, especially in small towns like Benidorm and Tarrogona, and driving them has been really dicey. He's been doing a bang up job of getting us through, and it's been a really enjoyable road trip across Spain.
Place:The town of Tarragona was really fantastic. We arrived in some gorgeous weather (the best I've seen in Spain) and got to see some Roman ruins of a small ampitheatre and the town's cathedral. The town is right on the coast, and walking around in the sun and enjoying the views of the Mediterranean was a welcome break from the road.
Food:In Tarragona we stopped for tapas and sangria before moving on, and had some delicious tortilla and a few pintxos. I guess this isn't the most exciting food I've talked about on here, but it was really good (as opposed to the blah free buffet at the hotel we stayed at in Benidorm).
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Day 6 in Barcelona
Sunday, April 12, 2009
Person:
The person of the day today was my mom. We’ve been traveling together for about a week now, and it’s been great to have her expertise in Spanish language, history, and culture along. Today she’s getting chosen though because she put a smile on my face by getting me an chocolate Easter bunny—er, monkey that is. Thanks, Mom. The pic is of me with said monkey. Yum!
Place:
Today I got to visit another of Gaudi’s greatest works: Casa Mila. This was essentially a luxury apartment building built in the middle of Barcelona that uses some of the most daring and ingenious architectural elements of any building I’ve ever seen. Gaudi designs his arches upside-down by hanging a string between two points, then designing a structural element based on the parabolic curve that results. This creates an arch that doesn’t need to be buttressed, and furthers the natural look that his building have. The attic of Casa Mila is based on the shape of a snake’s skeleton, and flows in a way that is both challenging and comfortable. This picture is of Laurie on the roof of the building, and you can see in the background two of the six stairwells (the large spirals covered with white tiles) and several of the stormtrooper-looking chimneys.
Food:
My food of the day was the vindaloo curry that I got in York. I finally made it tonight with some potatoes, cauliflower, and carrot that I bought at the local market. It was a little spicy for the others, but I absolutely loved it. The flavors were out of this world, and it really hit the spot for a rainy night in. I'm just bummed that I forgot to plan some bread or rice to go with it.
Person:The person of the day today was my mom. We’ve been traveling together for about a week now, and it’s been great to have her expertise in Spanish language, history, and culture along. Today she’s getting chosen though because she put a smile on my face by getting me an chocolate Easter bunny—er, monkey that is. Thanks, Mom. The pic is of me with said monkey. Yum!
Place:Today I got to visit another of Gaudi’s greatest works: Casa Mila. This was essentially a luxury apartment building built in the middle of Barcelona that uses some of the most daring and ingenious architectural elements of any building I’ve ever seen. Gaudi designs his arches upside-down by hanging a string between two points, then designing a structural element based on the parabolic curve that results. This creates an arch that doesn’t need to be buttressed, and furthers the natural look that his building have. The attic of Casa Mila is based on the shape of a snake’s skeleton, and flows in a way that is both challenging and comfortable. This picture is of Laurie on the roof of the building, and you can see in the background two of the six stairwells (the large spirals covered with white tiles) and several of the stormtrooper-looking chimneys.
Food:
My food of the day was the vindaloo curry that I got in York. I finally made it tonight with some potatoes, cauliflower, and carrot that I bought at the local market. It was a little spicy for the others, but I absolutely loved it. The flavors were out of this world, and it really hit the spot for a rainy night in. I'm just bummed that I forgot to plan some bread or rice to go with it.
Monday, April 13, 2009
Day 5 in Barcelona
So the catch up continues. This post is for Saturday, April 11, 2009.
Person:
The person of the day today was my wife, Laurie. She arrived in Barcelona today and I got to pick her up at the airport! It’s been about two weeks since we’ve seen each other, and it was truly joyous to be able to hear her voice and hold her again. I won’t gush too much, but she is wonderful and everything is better when she’s around, so I’m glad that she is again.
Place:
We went to the Catalan Concert Hall this evening to see Miguel Dominguez play classical guitar. The concert hall is designed in the modernist style (like the various Gaudi sites around town), and was created by Lluis Domenech I Muntaner). It was ornate to the point of being gaudy (I especially enjoyed the brightly colored glass pillars supporting all the railings), and truly unique. Dominguez’s Spanish guitar playing was amazing. As we entered there was just a single chair on stage flanked by two amplifiers and a microphone. I loved the audacity of it, and our performer lived up to it. Sorry this isn't a great picture. The dim light made it less than ideal for photographs.
Food:
We went to yet another pintxos place tonight (Basque tapas). They are very common in Barcelona, and we’ve really grown to love them. For one of the dessert tapas they had these truffle looking things that were basically really dark ganache covered with chocolate jimmies. It was ridiculously good; I could have eaten five (though I would probably have gotten sick).
Person:The person of the day today was my wife, Laurie. She arrived in Barcelona today and I got to pick her up at the airport! It’s been about two weeks since we’ve seen each other, and it was truly joyous to be able to hear her voice and hold her again. I won’t gush too much, but she is wonderful and everything is better when she’s around, so I’m glad that she is again.
Place:We went to the Catalan Concert Hall this evening to see Miguel Dominguez play classical guitar. The concert hall is designed in the modernist style (like the various Gaudi sites around town), and was created by Lluis Domenech I Muntaner). It was ornate to the point of being gaudy (I especially enjoyed the brightly colored glass pillars supporting all the railings), and truly unique. Dominguez’s Spanish guitar playing was amazing. As we entered there was just a single chair on stage flanked by two amplifiers and a microphone. I loved the audacity of it, and our performer lived up to it. Sorry this isn't a great picture. The dim light made it less than ideal for photographs.
Food:
We went to yet another pintxos place tonight (Basque tapas). They are very common in Barcelona, and we’ve really grown to love them. For one of the dessert tapas they had these truffle looking things that were basically really dark ganache covered with chocolate jimmies. It was ridiculously good; I could have eaten five (though I would probably have gotten sick).
Saturday, April 11, 2009
Day 4 in Barcelona
It was rainy again today. I took it slowly and hit some museums.
Person:
Our family friends Manuel, Carmen, and Bea are a joy to hang out with. They each speak some English (Manuel especially), and I've been practicing my Spanish (which is extremely bad), so we all get to improve our second languages. They are very patient with me, and I'm learning a lot. It's been great being able to practice my Spanish while here. It makes a huge difference being in a country where it's the primary language. I've even started to think in Spanish!
Place:
I toured the Fundacio Joan Miro, which was a museum begun by and displaying the art of Joan Miro. Miro was sometimes called a surrealist, though he rejected some of their notions. His art was not abstract, but did stray greatly from any kind of realistic portrayals. His most recognizable paintings show simple forms painted in black (for example a crescent moon or an eight-pointed star) accented by splotches of bright color (red, yellow, blue, green, orange, and purple) on a white background. I really enjoyed seeing his work. Photographs weren’t allowed in the museum, but here is a photo of the front of it at least.
Food:
Today I ate the best tortilla espanola that I have found since coming here. Tortilla is a word used here to describe an omelet that is usually made with potatoes and onions but can come in many different varieties. I have made and eaten tortillas espanolas at home and enjoyed them a lot. I’ve found here that the quality varies widely though. I found a small bar for breakfast (the word “bar” here usually means a tapas bar, though they also serve alcohol) and they served a great slice of tortilla (and taught me the Spanish word for “slice”).
Person:Our family friends Manuel, Carmen, and Bea are a joy to hang out with. They each speak some English (Manuel especially), and I've been practicing my Spanish (which is extremely bad), so we all get to improve our second languages. They are very patient with me, and I'm learning a lot. It's been great being able to practice my Spanish while here. It makes a huge difference being in a country where it's the primary language. I've even started to think in Spanish!
Place:I toured the Fundacio Joan Miro, which was a museum begun by and displaying the art of Joan Miro. Miro was sometimes called a surrealist, though he rejected some of their notions. His art was not abstract, but did stray greatly from any kind of realistic portrayals. His most recognizable paintings show simple forms painted in black (for example a crescent moon or an eight-pointed star) accented by splotches of bright color (red, yellow, blue, green, orange, and purple) on a white background. I really enjoyed seeing his work. Photographs weren’t allowed in the museum, but here is a photo of the front of it at least.
Food:
Today I ate the best tortilla espanola that I have found since coming here. Tortilla is a word used here to describe an omelet that is usually made with potatoes and onions but can come in many different varieties. I have made and eaten tortillas espanolas at home and enjoyed them a lot. I’ve found here that the quality varies widely though. I found a small bar for breakfast (the word “bar” here usually means a tapas bar, though they also serve alcohol) and they served a great slice of tortilla (and taught me the Spanish word for “slice”).
Day 3 in Barcelona
I've been lagging on posts lately, so now it's time for some catch-up. I'll start with Thursday.
Today I was back in Barcelona, and did some wandering on my own. I went to the Catalan Art Museum in Montjuic, which is a large park area that has remnants of a World Expo in 1924, as well as the Olympic Stadium and Village from 1992. The museum was great, and had one of the largest collections of Romanesque art (religious paintings and sculptures from western Europe from about 1000 A.D. - 1300 A.D.) in the world.
Person:
Today's person was a guy I saw playing guitar outside the Catalan Art Museum. The museum is perched on a tall hill with long staircases going down it to a promenade leading to two large columns and the "Magic Fountain." There are great views of northeast Barcelona from in front of the museum, and next to one of the greatest views this man sat finger-picking acoustic renditions of rock standards (Piano Man, Hotel California, etc). He was actually really good, and I sipped an Orxata (similar to Horchata but made with chufa nuts instead of rice) on the museum steps while I watched.
Place:
After my visit to Montjuic I met up with my parents and some family friends from Spain (Manuel, Carmen, and their daughter Bea). We went to Parc Guell, a Park designed by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona's visionary modernist architect from the turn of the century time period. The park was mind-blowing, and a joy to discover. This picture is of a group of doric columns that support the lower terrace of the multi-level park. Notice the amazing tile mandalas that pop out from the undulating roof.
Food:
We went to another pintxos pace tonight called Bilbao Berrio, and it was even better than the first. It had the best chorizo I've tried (I'm cheating a little on the vegetarianism to try new things over here) and dessert tapas! We had Creme Catalan (the same as creme brulee; the Catalans claim it was their dish first) and rice pudding.
Today I was back in Barcelona, and did some wandering on my own. I went to the Catalan Art Museum in Montjuic, which is a large park area that has remnants of a World Expo in 1924, as well as the Olympic Stadium and Village from 1992. The museum was great, and had one of the largest collections of Romanesque art (religious paintings and sculptures from western Europe from about 1000 A.D. - 1300 A.D.) in the world.
Person:Today's person was a guy I saw playing guitar outside the Catalan Art Museum. The museum is perched on a tall hill with long staircases going down it to a promenade leading to two large columns and the "Magic Fountain." There are great views of northeast Barcelona from in front of the museum, and next to one of the greatest views this man sat finger-picking acoustic renditions of rock standards (Piano Man, Hotel California, etc). He was actually really good, and I sipped an Orxata (similar to Horchata but made with chufa nuts instead of rice) on the museum steps while I watched.
Place:After my visit to Montjuic I met up with my parents and some family friends from Spain (Manuel, Carmen, and their daughter Bea). We went to Parc Guell, a Park designed by Antoni Gaudi, Barcelona's visionary modernist architect from the turn of the century time period. The park was mind-blowing, and a joy to discover. This picture is of a group of doric columns that support the lower terrace of the multi-level park. Notice the amazing tile mandalas that pop out from the undulating roof.
Food:We went to another pintxos pace tonight called Bilbao Berrio, and it was even better than the first. It had the best chorizo I've tried (I'm cheating a little on the vegetarianism to try new things over here) and dessert tapas! We had Creme Catalan (the same as creme brulee; the Catalans claim it was their dish first) and rice pudding.
Wednesday, April 8, 2009
Day Trip to Montserrat
Today we took a train to the town of Montserrat, home of a famous and very old monastery, a relic known as La Moreneta, and spectacular views of interesting geology. We got back to Barcelona in time to buy tickets at the Palau de la Música Catalana and take a funicular (we need to bring that word back) up to the Montjuic Castle.
Person:
On the train ride to and from Montserrat, I talked to an interesting guy. He was 19 years old, an Australian native that now lives in Israel with his family. He took Spanish in high school (not common in Israel), and has Asperger's Syndrome. He was very knowledgeable and curious, and proved a great travel companion to talk to about cultural differences, language, and of course Barcelona.
Place:
My place of the day was definitely the Montjuic Castle. We traveled to it on hanging funiculars that introduced us to the amazing views that can be had from the mountain. The castle itself was kind of underwhelming. It did have a great sculpture given to the city of Barcelona by none other than Gaspar De Portola, first governor of California (also the namesake of my old middle school), and some interesting old cannons of various types. The real highlights though were the spectacular views it afforded of the city and of the Mediterranean Sea (I've been here for 3 days and that was the first time I saw it!).
Food:
We went to a restaurant for dinner called Flash Flash that was super chic with nearly all-white decor (complete with waitors in white tuxes) and over 70 varieties of tortilla (Spanish omelette) on the menu. Not everything we had was good, but I did have a tortilla unlike any I had had before, made with cheese, chunks of rustic bread, and tomatoes. I washed it down with some excessively sweet (my parents griped but I loved it) Sangria.
Person:
On the train ride to and from Montserrat, I talked to an interesting guy. He was 19 years old, an Australian native that now lives in Israel with his family. He took Spanish in high school (not common in Israel), and has Asperger's Syndrome. He was very knowledgeable and curious, and proved a great travel companion to talk to about cultural differences, language, and of course Barcelona.
Place:My place of the day was definitely the Montjuic Castle. We traveled to it on hanging funiculars that introduced us to the amazing views that can be had from the mountain. The castle itself was kind of underwhelming. It did have a great sculpture given to the city of Barcelona by none other than Gaspar De Portola, first governor of California (also the namesake of my old middle school), and some interesting old cannons of various types. The real highlights though were the spectacular views it afforded of the city and of the Mediterranean Sea (I've been here for 3 days and that was the first time I saw it!).
Food:We went to a restaurant for dinner called Flash Flash that was super chic with nearly all-white decor (complete with waitors in white tuxes) and over 70 varieties of tortilla (Spanish omelette) on the menu. Not everything we had was good, but I did have a tortilla unlike any I had had before, made with cheese, chunks of rustic bread, and tomatoes. I washed it down with some excessively sweet (my parents griped but I loved it) Sangria.
Tuesday, April 7, 2009
Day 2 in Barcelona
Well, today my weather good luck charm status was officially revoked. We had dreary, rainy weather all day. Still, I got to see some of the top sites in Barcelona, and all in all it was a very good day.
Person:
Today's person was actually five people. At dinner (more on that to come) the restaurant we went to sat family-style, so we shared a long bench with another party. It was five women out for a night of wine and conversation with one another. We talked to them a bit, and they were very friendly. They called them selves "chicas de oro," or "golden girls."
Place:
There were two really fantastic places I visited today. The first was Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia. The church was really mind-boggling. Gaudi was a modernist, and designed very unorthodox buildings. This one incorporates biblical symbolism extensively in hundreds and hundreds of sculptures built into the walls. Gaudi also identifies with nature in his architecture, from the turtle and tortoise supporting columns in the Nativity Facade (the only one Gaudi actually got to build himself) to the soaring tree-like arches that support the interior spaces. The cathedral is still being built (construction began in 1882 and will continue until at least 2026).
I also went to the Picasso Museum here in Barcelona. Picasso was born in Malaga, but raised in Barcelona, and spent much of his early career here. The museum included many of his early pre-cubist works, as well as a few specimens from later in life. I was amazed by the genius with which he approached various styles (there are realistic portraits similar to Rembrandt's, impressionist landscapes, bold and bright Fauvist people that smack of Matisse, and even a selection of ceramics). The art was fantastic, but the museum itself was cramped and crouded, and I got yelled at for leaning on a wall (not a painting, just an ordinary wall).
Food:
We ate dinner at a place called Cuines de Santa Caterina last night. It was a mixed bag of food, divided into vegetarian, Mediterranean, Oriental, and Italian. Despite this strange combination, the execution was fantastic, and most things were Spanish-influenced as well. We had a few tapas at the bar while waiting for our table (including a delicious patatas bravas, which is fried potatoes with a red sauce), and had a three-course dinner. I had a selection of tomatoes with tuna belly for an appetizer (this was alright, but nothing to write home about). My entree, however, was spectacular. I got a monkfish Bouillabaisse with Romesco sauce. We were going to have Crema Catalan for dessert (which is basically creme brulee; they claim to have invented it), but they were out, so we got mascarpone maki, which was a chocolate crepe filled with mascarpone cheese. Yummy.
Person:
Today's person was actually five people. At dinner (more on that to come) the restaurant we went to sat family-style, so we shared a long bench with another party. It was five women out for a night of wine and conversation with one another. We talked to them a bit, and they were very friendly. They called them selves "chicas de oro," or "golden girls."
Place:
There were two really fantastic places I visited today. The first was Antoni Gaudi's unfinished masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia. The church was really mind-boggling. Gaudi was a modernist, and designed very unorthodox buildings. This one incorporates biblical symbolism extensively in hundreds and hundreds of sculptures built into the walls. Gaudi also identifies with nature in his architecture, from the turtle and tortoise supporting columns in the Nativity Facade (the only one Gaudi actually got to build himself) to the soaring tree-like arches that support the interior spaces. The cathedral is still being built (construction began in 1882 and will continue until at least 2026).
I also went to the Picasso Museum here in Barcelona. Picasso was born in Malaga, but raised in Barcelona, and spent much of his early career here. The museum included many of his early pre-cubist works, as well as a few specimens from later in life. I was amazed by the genius with which he approached various styles (there are realistic portraits similar to Rembrandt's, impressionist landscapes, bold and bright Fauvist people that smack of Matisse, and even a selection of ceramics). The art was fantastic, but the museum itself was cramped and crouded, and I got yelled at for leaning on a wall (not a painting, just an ordinary wall).
Food:We ate dinner at a place called Cuines de Santa Caterina last night. It was a mixed bag of food, divided into vegetarian, Mediterranean, Oriental, and Italian. Despite this strange combination, the execution was fantastic, and most things were Spanish-influenced as well. We had a few tapas at the bar while waiting for our table (including a delicious patatas bravas, which is fried potatoes with a red sauce), and had a three-course dinner. I had a selection of tomatoes with tuna belly for an appetizer (this was alright, but nothing to write home about). My entree, however, was spectacular. I got a monkfish Bouillabaisse with Romesco sauce. We were going to have Crema Catalan for dessert (which is basically creme brulee; they claim to have invented it), but they were out, so we got mascarpone maki, which was a chocolate crepe filled with mascarpone cheese. Yummy.
Day 1 in Barcelona
I almost missed the plane in London, and got very little sleep last night, but I got to Barcelona safely and met my mom and dad at the airport. We took our time getting settled in at our apartment, which is really awesome. It is in the Eixample, which is the newer part of the city, and has a rooftop terrace with a view of the Sagrada Familia (one of the big sites in the city).
Person:
I actually managed to find myself in an English pub in the middle of Barcelona late in the evening. This was kind of silly, but the bartender was great. She was mixing mojitos when we got there, and I loved the care she was putting into it, muddling the mint and lime slowly, and shaving ice by hand. She also somehow knew to greet us in English (she greeted others in Spanish and German, just as fluently) and poured a pretty decent Belgian Tripel for me and a Guiness for my dad.
Place:
We caught the Boqueria Mercado just before it closed at 8:00pm, and got to see just a little of it. This is a giant open air market on Las Ramblas that has booths jammed with chocolates, cured meats, candies, fruits, cheeses, seafood, flowers, and vegetables. They even had dragonfruit, which is what my Aunt and Uncle grow in Hawaii (it's also grown in Israel; I wonder if that's where the ones here came from) I can't wait to go back here with a grocery bag and wander around picking things up. You can't tell from the picture, but those avocados were the size of small cantelopes.
Food:
After the English pub we headed to the Taverna Basca Irati, a Basque tapas (which are actually called pintxos) place in the Barri Gotic. They had a huge selection of pintxos (peen-choz), most of which were a piece of toast with a topping. One example was cold tortilla espanola stuffed with crab mix and topped with cheese. These each cost €1,80, and they had glasses of cava (Spanish champagne) for €2,50. You stood at a bar (no seating) and just grabbed what you wanted. Every pintxo had a toothpick, and at the end they just counted your toothpicks to determine your bill. We gorged ourselves, naturally.
Person:
I actually managed to find myself in an English pub in the middle of Barcelona late in the evening. This was kind of silly, but the bartender was great. She was mixing mojitos when we got there, and I loved the care she was putting into it, muddling the mint and lime slowly, and shaving ice by hand. She also somehow knew to greet us in English (she greeted others in Spanish and German, just as fluently) and poured a pretty decent Belgian Tripel for me and a Guiness for my dad.
Place:We caught the Boqueria Mercado just before it closed at 8:00pm, and got to see just a little of it. This is a giant open air market on Las Ramblas that has booths jammed with chocolates, cured meats, candies, fruits, cheeses, seafood, flowers, and vegetables. They even had dragonfruit, which is what my Aunt and Uncle grow in Hawaii (it's also grown in Israel; I wonder if that's where the ones here came from) I can't wait to go back here with a grocery bag and wander around picking things up. You can't tell from the picture, but those avocados were the size of small cantelopes.
Food:
After the English pub we headed to the Taverna Basca Irati, a Basque tapas (which are actually called pintxos) place in the Barri Gotic. They had a huge selection of pintxos (peen-choz), most of which were a piece of toast with a topping. One example was cold tortilla espanola stuffed with crab mix and topped with cheese. These each cost €1,80, and they had glasses of cava (Spanish champagne) for €2,50. You stood at a bar (no seating) and just grabbed what you wanted. Every pintxo had a toothpick, and at the end they just counted your toothpicks to determine your bill. We gorged ourselves, naturally.
Sunday, April 5, 2009
Last Day in the UK
Today was a big day! I did a lot of catch-up since this was my last day in the UK. The only disappointment was that I didn't get to see a London play (put it off, and as it turns out hardly anything plays on Sunday nights). I did however get to see Buckingham Palace, go to a Palm Sunday service at Westminster Abbey, and tour both the National Gallery and the Tate Modern.
Person:
My person for the day was Vincent Van Gogh. Today I got to stand in the presence of a painting that is worth in excess of 40,000,000 dollars, and after the artistic journey I'd gone through (see below), I was absolutely wowed in a new way by Van Gogh's technique and passion. Van Gogh was mentally disturbed, spent part of his life in a mental hospital, and eventually shot himself. He never enjoyed success during his life, having only sold 1 painting. They don't allow photos to be taken within the National Gallery, but here's an internet image of one of the paintings I got to see.
Place:
As indicated above, my favorite places today were art museums. I got to do an amazing tour through the annals of art history, all in a few hours. I started with Medieval paintings at the National Gallery, then moved from two dimmensions to three with the Rennaisance. I traveled through lofty Italian biblical scenes and worldly Dutch portraits, both teeming with symbolism. From the Rennaisance I moved into Baroque and Rococo, and finally ended at the National Gallery with some supurb examples of Impressionism. As I moved from The National Gallery across the Thames to the Tate Modern, the camera was invented, along with the motion picture and other technologies, and as I arrived, I saw artists turn away from realism in favor of increasingly creative an abstract techniques. The Tate Modern showed me how Impressionism gave way to Fauvism, which in turn gave way to Cubism. Finally, I saw art in some of its most extreme and challenging forms with the advent of Surrealism and all the other -isms that have made up the last half century of contemporary art. That all sounds pretty brainy, but I honestly had a lot of fun seeing all of this today. The picture is of the National Gallery when viewed across Trafalgar Square from the base of Nelson's Column.
Food:
I didn't do any fancy dining today, but I did repeat an experience from earlier in the trip that is one of the great gastronomic delights to be had in London: the soft-serve ice cream cone. The ice cream is excessively rich (Pat tells me this is because it's mostly vegetable oil, but I'm trying not to think about that), and they put a chocolate stick in it that is the same high-quality chocolate that everything seems to be made from in England (even things like Kit-Kats and Snickers). Here you see my frozen treat against the backdrop of my ill-fated visit to the half-price "TKTS" booth in Leicester Square.
Person:
My person for the day was Vincent Van Gogh. Today I got to stand in the presence of a painting that is worth in excess of 40,000,000 dollars, and after the artistic journey I'd gone through (see below), I was absolutely wowed in a new way by Van Gogh's technique and passion. Van Gogh was mentally disturbed, spent part of his life in a mental hospital, and eventually shot himself. He never enjoyed success during his life, having only sold 1 painting. They don't allow photos to be taken within the National Gallery, but here's an internet image of one of the paintings I got to see.
Place:As indicated above, my favorite places today were art museums. I got to do an amazing tour through the annals of art history, all in a few hours. I started with Medieval paintings at the National Gallery, then moved from two dimmensions to three with the Rennaisance. I traveled through lofty Italian biblical scenes and worldly Dutch portraits, both teeming with symbolism. From the Rennaisance I moved into Baroque and Rococo, and finally ended at the National Gallery with some supurb examples of Impressionism. As I moved from The National Gallery across the Thames to the Tate Modern, the camera was invented, along with the motion picture and other technologies, and as I arrived, I saw artists turn away from realism in favor of increasingly creative an abstract techniques. The Tate Modern showed me how Impressionism gave way to Fauvism, which in turn gave way to Cubism. Finally, I saw art in some of its most extreme and challenging forms with the advent of Surrealism and all the other -isms that have made up the last half century of contemporary art. That all sounds pretty brainy, but I honestly had a lot of fun seeing all of this today. The picture is of the National Gallery when viewed across Trafalgar Square from the base of Nelson's Column.
Food:I didn't do any fancy dining today, but I did repeat an experience from earlier in the trip that is one of the great gastronomic delights to be had in London: the soft-serve ice cream cone. The ice cream is excessively rich (Pat tells me this is because it's mostly vegetable oil, but I'm trying not to think about that), and they put a chocolate stick in it that is the same high-quality chocolate that everything seems to be made from in England (even things like Kit-Kats and Snickers). Here you see my frozen treat against the backdrop of my ill-fated visit to the half-price "TKTS" booth in Leicester Square.
Greenwich
Today Pat and I went to Greenwich. We took the Tube (subway) there and walked under the Thames through the pedestrian tunnel, and we took a ferry back (seeing London from the river was fantastic). Once back in London we walked around Covent Garden, Neal's Yard, and Soho, which was a lot of fun. We got great treats from specialty shops: a banana-toffee cupcake, a huge double-chocolate cookie, and amazing cheddar cheese that we used to top our chili later in the evening (I cooked for a small dinner party).
Person:
I met a friend of Pat's named CJ at the dinner party. CJ was a really nice guy, and had some great experiences to share. I think he may have traveled more than just about anyone I've met. He is originally from near Houston, now lives in Oslo, Norway, and travels between there, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, and several other places I can't remember for work. He's in London now on holiday (what they call vacation here), but had stories from every continent and it seemed like just about every country we brought up.
Place:
As most of you probably know, Greenwich is the reference point for calculating Coordinated Universal Time (in other words, what time it is anywhere in the world). The spot where the transit instrument used to calculate Greenwich's mean solar time was originally located is marked in the Royal Observatory as the Prime Meridian of the world. I got to straddle it today.
Food:
Today I finally got some fish and chips! We stopped at a pub in Greenwich before riding the ferry back, and I got this massive piece of fish. It was served with chips (fries) of course, tartar sauce, malt vinegar, and mashed peas. It was all delicious. I got a sampler deal where I tried 3 different bitters (a common beer style here) in 1/3 pint glasses.
Person:
I met a friend of Pat's named CJ at the dinner party. CJ was a really nice guy, and had some great experiences to share. I think he may have traveled more than just about anyone I've met. He is originally from near Houston, now lives in Oslo, Norway, and travels between there, Kuala Lumpur, Houston, and several other places I can't remember for work. He's in London now on holiday (what they call vacation here), but had stories from every continent and it seemed like just about every country we brought up.
Place:
As most of you probably know, Greenwich is the reference point for calculating Coordinated Universal Time (in other words, what time it is anywhere in the world). The spot where the transit instrument used to calculate Greenwich's mean solar time was originally located is marked in the Royal Observatory as the Prime Meridian of the world. I got to straddle it today.
Food:Today I finally got some fish and chips! We stopped at a pub in Greenwich before riding the ferry back, and I got this massive piece of fish. It was served with chips (fries) of course, tartar sauce, malt vinegar, and mashed peas. It was all delicious. I got a sampler deal where I tried 3 different bitters (a common beer style here) in 1/3 pint glasses.
Saturday, April 4, 2009
Back in London
Today I went off on my own for a bit, saw St. Paul's Cathedral (it was a bit pricey to enter, and they didn't allow photography, so I passed, but the outside was impressive) and toured the British Museum.
Person:
I finally got to spend some time with Pat's roommate Rebecca today (she's been working all week, and Pat and I have been out in the evenings). She is a teacher, and just went on Spring Break, so she's doing great. :-) She's an ex patriot from Bermuda, having lived in the UK for around four years. It's technically her flat that I'm staying in, and Pat is subletting.
Place:
For a few hundred years the British built one of the biggest empires the world has ever seen. During this time, they stole artifacts from all over the world and assembled them in London at the British Museum. World War II brought about the end of the British Empire, but the artifacts remain, and now constitute what many consider the greatest collection of ancient art in the world. It was absolutely stunning to be able to walk through three of the world's greatest civilizations inside of an hour (I spent most of my time in the collections from Egypt, Assyria, and Greece).
The Rosetta Stone is the crown jewel of the museum. This stone was found in 1799, and has the same inscription in three languages: Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, Demotic (a newer Egyptian writing system), and (most importantly) Ancient Greek. Because the same thing was written in each language, the stone allowed Archeologists to decode hieroglyphics for the first time. Without this stone, we would know hardly anything of what we currently know about Ancient Egypt.
The Assyrians were known for being particularly vicious, and when not torturing and enslaving their enemies they slaked their blood thirst by sport hunting captive lions (Dick Cheney, eat your heart out). This wall carving depicts a defeated lioness, her face twisted in pain and rage, still trying to walk and defend herself despite having been impaled by an arrow. She rages against her fading strength, much like the dying Assyrian Empire.
My favorite thing in the museum were the statues that had been chipped from the Parthenon in Greece. The East Pediment (where the pictured statues came from) originally depicted the birth of Athena. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, and was born fully grown directly from Zeus's head. In this statue, we see Dionysus holding a cup of wine, drunkenly oblivious to the amazing event, while the goddesses Hebe and Demeter freak out next to him. The older gods' reactions to the birth of Athena represent the baser parts of human nature (vanity, fear, drunkenness) and how inadequate they are in the presence of wisdom. The Greeks prided themselves on the wisdom and civility they brought to the world.
Food:
We ate dinner at a place called Wagamama (that's right, I've eaten at both Wannaburger and Wagamama so far). It had all kinds of asian food, served in a cafeteria atmosphere (long, shared tables). The food was fantastic though; I had a tiger prawn and vegetable curry with sticky rice. The highlight was the yasai gyoza (vegetable pot stickers) we had as a starter.
Person:
I finally got to spend some time with Pat's roommate Rebecca today (she's been working all week, and Pat and I have been out in the evenings). She is a teacher, and just went on Spring Break, so she's doing great. :-) She's an ex patriot from Bermuda, having lived in the UK for around four years. It's technically her flat that I'm staying in, and Pat is subletting.
Place:
For a few hundred years the British built one of the biggest empires the world has ever seen. During this time, they stole artifacts from all over the world and assembled them in London at the British Museum. World War II brought about the end of the British Empire, but the artifacts remain, and now constitute what many consider the greatest collection of ancient art in the world. It was absolutely stunning to be able to walk through three of the world's greatest civilizations inside of an hour (I spent most of my time in the collections from Egypt, Assyria, and Greece).
The Rosetta Stone is the crown jewel of the museum. This stone was found in 1799, and has the same inscription in three languages: Ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, Demotic (a newer Egyptian writing system), and (most importantly) Ancient Greek. Because the same thing was written in each language, the stone allowed Archeologists to decode hieroglyphics for the first time. Without this stone, we would know hardly anything of what we currently know about Ancient Egypt.
The Assyrians were known for being particularly vicious, and when not torturing and enslaving their enemies they slaked their blood thirst by sport hunting captive lions (Dick Cheney, eat your heart out). This wall carving depicts a defeated lioness, her face twisted in pain and rage, still trying to walk and defend herself despite having been impaled by an arrow. She rages against her fading strength, much like the dying Assyrian Empire.
My favorite thing in the museum were the statues that had been chipped from the Parthenon in Greece. The East Pediment (where the pictured statues came from) originally depicted the birth of Athena. Athena was the goddess of wisdom, and was born fully grown directly from Zeus's head. In this statue, we see Dionysus holding a cup of wine, drunkenly oblivious to the amazing event, while the goddesses Hebe and Demeter freak out next to him. The older gods' reactions to the birth of Athena represent the baser parts of human nature (vanity, fear, drunkenness) and how inadequate they are in the presence of wisdom. The Greeks prided themselves on the wisdom and civility they brought to the world.Food:
We ate dinner at a place called Wagamama (that's right, I've eaten at both Wannaburger and Wagamama so far). It had all kinds of asian food, served in a cafeteria atmosphere (long, shared tables). The food was fantastic though; I had a tiger prawn and vegetable curry with sticky rice. The highlight was the yasai gyoza (vegetable pot stickers) we had as a starter.
Thursday, April 2, 2009
10 Hours in York
I'm currently on the train from York back to London (I am loving wifi on the trains) after spending a 10 hour layover in York. The University of York is where Pat went to get his PhD in developmental genetics 2 years ago. I got to see some of the campus, along with the beautiful Ouse and Foss Rivers and the pub-filled, cobble-stoned, ancient town of York.
Person:
I've been having camera issues so I couldn't get a good shot, but we went into a shop called Raffi's Spice Box where a guy put together curry spices for me into a ready-made package of authentic vindaloo curry spices. I plan on making some curry with it in our apartment in Spain. The guy was really friendly, and took the time to talk to me about what makes a good curry, and some of the differences between all the different varieties they had at the shop. They offer mail-order spice mixes, and I think I might give that a try if I like the one I got.
Place:
We spent some time walking through the York Museum Gardens today, which are a large public space on the River Ouse with beautiful lawn, trees, flowers, and historic buildings. The most impressive of the latter was the ruined St. Mary's Abbey. I really enjoyed walking around as the clouds covered the sky. Pat says it's even better in the summer, when you can buy an ice cream and sit on the lawn beside the river.
Food:
I seem to be indecisive on this lately, but I'm trying some fantastic foods. There are two for today. The first is the bread made at a signless bread shop called Via Vecchio on the Shambles in York. Pat and I shared a small loaf of pesto bread and thyme-green olive bread. They were fresh, doughy, and full of flavor. My other favorite food for today was a warm stem ginger sponge cake that I had as part of afternoon tea at Betty's. It was served with a toffee sauce and creme fraîche. The British have a reputation for bland food, but one area that they love to pack in the flavor is the use of ginger. This cake was powerful and oh so yummy. High tea is of course tea, but it is served with small sandwiches and pastries. Even though they are small, they are extremely rich, and I was stuffed by the end. It's an evil, evil meal.
Here's a bonus picture of me obliging Pat and raising my pinky finger while drinking my tea. Adults that are reading this should email me for another version of this picture.
Person:
I've been having camera issues so I couldn't get a good shot, but we went into a shop called Raffi's Spice Box where a guy put together curry spices for me into a ready-made package of authentic vindaloo curry spices. I plan on making some curry with it in our apartment in Spain. The guy was really friendly, and took the time to talk to me about what makes a good curry, and some of the differences between all the different varieties they had at the shop. They offer mail-order spice mixes, and I think I might give that a try if I like the one I got.
Place:We spent some time walking through the York Museum Gardens today, which are a large public space on the River Ouse with beautiful lawn, trees, flowers, and historic buildings. The most impressive of the latter was the ruined St. Mary's Abbey. I really enjoyed walking around as the clouds covered the sky. Pat says it's even better in the summer, when you can buy an ice cream and sit on the lawn beside the river.
Food:I seem to be indecisive on this lately, but I'm trying some fantastic foods. There are two for today. The first is the bread made at a signless bread shop called Via Vecchio on the Shambles in York. Pat and I shared a small loaf of pesto bread and thyme-green olive bread. They were fresh, doughy, and full of flavor. My other favorite food for today was a warm stem ginger sponge cake that I had as part of afternoon tea at Betty's. It was served with a toffee sauce and creme fraîche. The British have a reputation for bland food, but one area that they love to pack in the flavor is the use of ginger. This cake was powerful and oh so yummy. High tea is of course tea, but it is served with small sandwiches and pastries. Even though they are small, they are extremely rich, and I was stuffed by the end. It's an evil, evil meal.
Here's a bonus picture of me obliging Pat and raising my pinky finger while drinking my tea. Adults that are reading this should email me for another version of this picture.
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
Day 2 in Edinburgh
I slept in today (I haven't been getting much sleep) and spent the first part of today alone exploring Edinburgh. I took my time enjoying Edinburgh Castle and tried lots of new food. I'm in the cafe at my hotel right now, and listening to the Pussycat Dolls version of "Jai Ho" from Slumdog Millionaire that everyone's been talking about over here.
Person:
I offered to take a picture for this guy and his friend while on the Argyle Battery in the castle. He wanted to take a picture with me, too. I had many interactions like these with other tourists as I explored the castle, often without having the benefit of a shared language.
Place:
The hotel I'm staying in is called Malmaison and is part of a chain of high-end hotels around the UK (Pat was able to get us a great rate since his company uses the hotel regularly). The building that houses it is very close to a river that leads inland from the Firth of Forth, and was built in 1883 as a Sailors' house (kind of a hotel for sailors from what I can gather). It's right on the river in the part of Edinburgh known as Leith, and used to be a major part of the port before ships got too big to come into water this shallow.
Food:
I can't choose just one food today, as I tried many new things. I had an Irn-Bru, which is a Scottish soda and one of the few sodas worldwide that outsells Coca-Cola in a particular country. I also had vegetarian haggis, which was really delicious (vegetarian food in general is much easier to find in the UK). I also had a flapjack, which is kind of like a dessert bar made from oats and sugar. The one I had was covered in caramel fudge (yummm). For dinner I had a nut loaf, which is a common vegetarian dish here. It's basically a vegetarian meat loaf that's been covered in puff pastry (as I mentioned before, the British have a penchant for this). This one was served with a savory blueberry sauce. I capped off the night with a recent and unlikely Scottish classic: deep-fried Mars Bar! Amazing.
Person:I offered to take a picture for this guy and his friend while on the Argyle Battery in the castle. He wanted to take a picture with me, too. I had many interactions like these with other tourists as I explored the castle, often without having the benefit of a shared language.
Place:The hotel I'm staying in is called Malmaison and is part of a chain of high-end hotels around the UK (Pat was able to get us a great rate since his company uses the hotel regularly). The building that houses it is very close to a river that leads inland from the Firth of Forth, and was built in 1883 as a Sailors' house (kind of a hotel for sailors from what I can gather). It's right on the river in the part of Edinburgh known as Leith, and used to be a major part of the port before ships got too big to come into water this shallow.
Food:
I can't choose just one food today, as I tried many new things. I had an Irn-Bru, which is a Scottish soda and one of the few sodas worldwide that outsells Coca-Cola in a particular country. I also had vegetarian haggis, which was really delicious (vegetarian food in general is much easier to find in the UK). I also had a flapjack, which is kind of like a dessert bar made from oats and sugar. The one I had was covered in caramel fudge (yummm). For dinner I had a nut loaf, which is a common vegetarian dish here. It's basically a vegetarian meat loaf that's been covered in puff pastry (as I mentioned before, the British have a penchant for this). This one was served with a savory blueberry sauce. I capped off the night with a recent and unlikely Scottish classic: deep-fried Mars Bar! Amazing.
Day 1 in Edinburgh
We spent about 4.5 hours on the train this morning, which unfortunately I slept for most of (what I saw of the ride showed me a lot of beautiful British countryside, though, and some great views of the North Sea).
Person:
Pat's friend Dave met us in Edinburgh for dinner. Dave was a great guy, and it was very fun getting to hang out with a local. He took us to several diverse local pubs, and to a fantastic Indian restaurant for dinner (this was probably the most delicious food today, but for the food of the day I had to choose a different one; more to come).
Place:
We took the wrong bus to get into City Centre from our hotel and ended up on the southeastern edge of Edinburgh at a long dormant volcanic site called Holyrood Park. We climbed up a very steep road to a point called Arthur's Seat. It affords the best views of Edinburgh, and we got to enjoy the unusually clear day and get some great photos (I seem to be a weather good-luck charm so far this trip).
Food:
Around 3:00pm I found myself sitting in the middle of Edinburgh on the Royal Mall, which leads from the Scottish Parlaiment to Edinburgh Castle. I could see several medieval churches and could hear someone playing the bagpipes. All this, and yet I was eating in an AMERICAN restaurant! Luckily, it was a Europeanized version of American food called Wannaburger, and I still managed to try something new: a burger of grilled Halloumi, which is a Greek cheese. It was served with mediterranean vegetables, and we got fries (which they called fries instead of chips, as most British restaurants do) with a delicious garlic mayonaise. The photo is of Pat eating his bean burger (which was also very good). Note the French's mustard on the table. They gave us peanut M&Ms with our check.
Person:
Pat's friend Dave met us in Edinburgh for dinner. Dave was a great guy, and it was very fun getting to hang out with a local. He took us to several diverse local pubs, and to a fantastic Indian restaurant for dinner (this was probably the most delicious food today, but for the food of the day I had to choose a different one; more to come).
Place:
We took the wrong bus to get into City Centre from our hotel and ended up on the southeastern edge of Edinburgh at a long dormant volcanic site called Holyrood Park. We climbed up a very steep road to a point called Arthur's Seat. It affords the best views of Edinburgh, and we got to enjoy the unusually clear day and get some great photos (I seem to be a weather good-luck charm so far this trip).
Food:
Around 3:00pm I found myself sitting in the middle of Edinburgh on the Royal Mall, which leads from the Scottish Parlaiment to Edinburgh Castle. I could see several medieval churches and could hear someone playing the bagpipes. All this, and yet I was eating in an AMERICAN restaurant! Luckily, it was a Europeanized version of American food called Wannaburger, and I still managed to try something new: a burger of grilled Halloumi, which is a Greek cheese. It was served with mediterranean vegetables, and we got fries (which they called fries instead of chips, as most British restaurants do) with a delicious garlic mayonaise. The photo is of Pat eating his bean burger (which was also very good). Note the French's mustard on the table. They gave us peanut M&Ms with our check.
Tuesday, March 31, 2009
Day 2 in London
Today was a big day! Pat and I explored Westminster, rode the London Eye, went to the Tate Modern, and enjoyed a night on the town. I'm currently riding a train to Edinburgh, Scotland, and racing my laptop's battery to get this blog posted (I don't have the right adapter to plug it in. Here are today's highlights.Person:
This is my stellar friend Pat. Not only is he letting me crash on his couch, he's taken the week off of work to be a tourist with me, and arranged the first class train tickets I'm currently enjoying. It's been fantastic to get to spend some time with him. This is a goofy picture we took while riding the London Eye, which is a huge observation wheel that provides some of the best views in the city.
Place:Today's place was the Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms, two museums combined into one in Westminster. Westminster is where the head of British government is located, and a common tourist destination. These two museums documented the life of Britain's most famous prime minister, Winston Churchill, and the time he spent underground during World War II when there was a threat of Germany bombing London. It was amazing to see the very well-preserved offices of the orchestrators of the British war strategy, but the highlight was Churchill's own bedroom, whose walls were plastered in maps. I imagined him during his few moments of rest, still devoting most of his thought to how he would lead his country out of the dark times it faced. Also, apparently he was a map nerd like me. :-) Sorry the image quality isn't too great; I was dealing with very difficult lighting.
Food:
Pat and I ate a fantastic dinner at a fine dining restaurant with a casual atmosphere called Fifteen. It was begun by celebrity chef Jamie Oliver as part of a charity effort to help disadvantaged youth get involved in the culinary professions. We got a four-course prix fixe menu. I had a crab salad with rocket and a top-notch lemon vinaigrette, a very good risotto with truffle oil, charred trout with broccoli and delicious creamy parsnip puree, and two cheeses with dates, chutney, and walnut bread for dessert (well, cheese course really). Well worth the expense.
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