Postcard from Barcelona

Barcelona!

Casa Batllo

Casa Batllo

Electric, eccentric, effusive and ever moving:  that's my impression of this Spanish port  city.  Famous for the fantastical houses and structures designed by Antoni Gaudi and others inspired by his psychedelic creations, it is also a showcase of stunning classical architecture everywhere you turn - elaborate turrets and rooftop gazebos, exquisite carved ornamentation, wrought iron balconies and delicate mosaics set into store facades.

Plaza Cataluna

On the ramblas, pedestrians stroll en masse.  Late at night, the effect is carnivalesque: during our visit the crowds were huge until close to midnight.  The city is all lit up for the holiday season, with lights strung across the many narrow streets (carrers) in a surprising variety of colors and shapes.  Fountains spew and cascade in an everchanging colorful light show.

Then, the food.  The tapas lifestyle basically means you just keep eating until you can't continue, even though you never want to stop.  Iberian acorn-fed ham, anchovies and squid and mussels, fried Padron peppers, stuffed piquillo peppers, albondigas (meatballs), empanadas filled with eggplant and smoked mozzarella or sausage and chimichurri, cheeses delightful enough to convert a vegan.  And the party never stops - Emily and I got the last table in a popular restaurant at 10:30 p.m., a loud and colorful spot with delicious tapas - and when we left at 11:30, the party was still going strong.

Tapas!

Did I mention that it was close to 60 degrees and sunny the entire time we were in Barcelona, in late December?  It's no wonder that people love this city.

Postcard from Madrid

Christmas eve, Madrid

A magical day wandering from Emily's flat through Arguelles and past the sparkling displays of Christmas in every shop window.  Blue sky and sun, almost 60 degrees on this day so close to the turn of the year.  Madrilenos and visitors are out in droves, pushing strollers with their children bundled into footed bags like bugs, their dogs all wearing cozy vests and their own necks wrapped in elaborate scarves, despite the heat that has me taking off my coat.  Linked arms, kisses left cheek then right, a streetside parade of human warmth.

Everyone seems to be out and celebrating the sun today.  We head towards Puerto del Sol, where a tacky Christmas market sends us careening away towards tapas and rioja at Fatigas del Querer.  The boisterous conversation, free flowing wine and food and the crowded space says: This is Madrid.  The elf and santa hats with glittery sequins on grown women and men are a seasonal touch, but I get the feeling that this is a gathering place, every night.  And why wouldn't it be, with its gorgeous painted tiles inside and out, the leg of jamon on the bar being carved to order, the camaraderie and celebration and the great wine and food to make it a party.

As the eve of Christmas cascaded towards sunset, Emily and I headed to her neighborhood park, where sunsets have been known to be spectacular.  A crowd had gathered near the Templo de Debod, serenaded by a street musician playing jazz classics and pop songs interspersed with Christmas tunes on his melodic clarinet.  Beyond him, the exotic Palacio Real glowed in the fading light of the day.

Although the sunset was nothing special, the day and the moment, the laughs and the walk home by the glowing Temple made it a most marvelous day of the year.

Palacio Real, Madrid

Templo de Debod, Arguelles neighborhood, Madrid

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European Yearning

I'm about to embark on a journey to some of the most wonderful places on the planet, but more importantly, I'll be sharing them with my much-missed, much loved daughter Emily.

This plan began percolating when Emily accepted a job as a teacher's aide in Madrid for 9 months.  In September, we shared a last tearful hug at PDX before she boarded a plane and took off on her adventure.

The last time Emily and I were in Spain together was in 2010, with my mom (Nana), at the end of Emily's time as an exchange student in Seville.  The trip was a welcome, wonderful multi-generational adventure that included fabulous food, a camel ride on the volcanic island of Lanzarote in the Canary Islands, coastal Malaga, and a crazy street party on New Year's Eve in Puerta del Sol, Madrid.

Lanzarote, Canary Islands, Home/Museum of Cesar Manrique ~ three generations

This trip begins in Madrid.  On Christmas day we'll board a fast train to Barcelona, known for its astonishingly eccentric architecture, Zarzuela de Mariscos (seafood stew), and the street dance known as the Sardana.  From there it's on to the City of Lights, Paris, for five days of delightful food, glittering boulevards, a wealth of museums and monuments and palaces, and a dazzling New Year's Eve.

Next stop on our grand tour is Siena, Italy, a nice break from the huge cities we'll have come from.  Then - at last - the Cinque Terre, the string of five picturesque towns along the Italian Riviera, linked by ancient hiking trails.  Emily and I have dreamed of hiking the trails together for many years. Now it's within sight!

We'll return, finally, to Madrid for a final week of Spanish exploration and delight.

I'm excited to document these travels and share my experiences, observations and photos with those who'd enjoy hearing about them.  Ciao, for now.