Wiesbaden, Germany & Barcelona, Spain – March 2015 August 30, 2015
Posted by freda in Birmingham, Michigan.3 comments
Don had meetings in both cities, so we took advantage to tour, staying 5 nights in Germany and 6 nights in Barcelona. We were so lucky to stay with (GM) friends John and Cindy in Wiesbaden. They were great hosts and tour guides. Cindy showed us around their ‘home’ town our first full day there: (click on any pictures for a full-screen look)..
Wiesbaden Kurhaus (spa house) built in 1907
strange looking ducks in this park :O
you know I would be attracted to *this* statue of readers in the park!
world’s largest cuckoo clock is a store front
a large selection inside the cuckoo clock store
one clock in detail – so beautiful
another interesting store front
Marktkirche, the main Protestant Church
I loved the decor in this restaurant, for Easter
We also went up the hill of Neroberg Mountain, overlooking the city, to see the view and this Russian Orthodox Church of St. Elisabeth, built in 1855, on the occasion of her death in childbirth.
St. Elisabeth Russian Orthodox Church
church detail
the church is in the background
The next day, the four of us drove along the Rhine River, site-seeing along the way. Our first stop was to take a gondola over the still-dormant grape vines, to see the Niederwalddenkmal monument, built in the 1870s-80s, to commemorate the Unification of Germany.
It was *very* cold in the gondola!
still-dormant vines
at the monument
monument
Back down the hill, into the town of Rudesheim, for a warming coffee (there *may* have been alcohol added):
the preparation is a ceremony
divine!
I love the picturesque window!
After our coffee, we drove further along the Rhine, stopping for lunch at a castle overlooking the river:
lunch location
great lunch, great view
After lunch, back towards home, stopping in Mainz to tour the Gutenberg Museum:
Gutenberg Museum
Mainz cathedral
The next day Cindy, Don and I went on a little overnight field trip, stopping first to see the Heidelberg Castle:
Heidelberg Castle (viewed from town) (Don)
coming upon the castle from the car park (Don)
from the castle grounds, looking down onto the Church of the Holy Spirit, and town
the castle was built over different time periods
old and newer
close up of the sun dial
at the castle
Where are we, Cindy?
Right here, Freda!
intact and beautiful window
lovely statues and arches
a fine figure (Don)
the highest statue needs some cleaning
We took the funicular down the hill into the town of Heidelberg for ice-cream and coffee:
gelato shaped like a flower – beautiful and delicious
visitors in the central square
interesting sculpture in town
Time to move on, to Rothenburg ob der Tauber, (“Red fortress above the Tauber”), the best-preserved medieval town in Germany, where we stayed overnight.
our hotel for the night
After checking in, and organizing, we went out for dinner, and then to the “famous” Night watchman Tour of the old walled city.
our Night Watchman tour guide
From the website of the night watchman: In the years before the dawn of the 20th century, the night watchman was one of many citizens of Rothenburg responsible for the safety of the inhabitants of this walled, fortified city. Even though the citizens who slept soundly at night in their beds trusted him to keep the streets inside the high stone walls safe, his status was less than honorable. His pay was low and his job was a dishonorable one. Only the gravedigger and the executioner were lower. His job was dangerous, because he had to guard the city at night like a policeman.
The good citizens went to bed early. The people that he met on the streets were the drunks and the thieves. To protect himself and to show his authority he carried an intimidating weapon called a hellebarde.
The night watchman made his rounds from nine in the evening until three in the morning, relying on the town hall clock to tell him when to sing his “Hour Song,” which reminded the people who slumbered safe in their houses that he was still alive and taking care of them.
The night watchman[+]s horn, carried on a chain around his neck, warned the citizens of fire–the worst possible disaster that could strike a city in the days before fire hydrants. Keeping watch over the streets of the inner city, lighting the lanterns and announcing the hours in the still of the night were the duties of Rothenburg[+]s night watchman. There were six of these men patrolling the city up to the year 1920.
with the Night Watchman, somewhat Monty Python-ish 😉
beautifully lit western town gate
The next morning, after breakfast in the lovely little breakfast room,
through that door arch to breakfast
coffee served in this beautiful set
we set off to tour the town…
old town center, most often photographed or painted, with two of the gates
town center
town hall
love this view through the arch of the town hall
pigeons not welcome here!
We walked a good portion of the town wall, which encircles the city. The wall was built in the 14th century, was partially damaged during WWII, and was restored through gifts from donors around the world, who are commemorated with placques on the wall. The wall is 2.5 km. long, covered, and a great place to view the town.
we climbed steep stairs to the wall
commemorative plaque
a good view over the town (Don)
a view of the wall (Don)
great roof detail (Don)
a lovely window, ready for Easter
After walking the wall, and eating lunch, we made our way to tour the Medieval Crime and Punishment Museum – not for the faint of heart! There were many instruments of torture, and what we found most amusing: masks of shame!
a mask of shame for someone who has acted like a pig
for blabbermouths
description for the blabbermouth shame mask
for quarrelsome women or couples – yikes!
Very educational, and sure made us thankful for the times in which we live! And on that note, we packed up and headed back to John and Cindy’s home for a last dinner altogether. The next morning, Don had his meeting, and then John drove us to the airport for our flight to Barcelona, the second leg of our adventure.
Thanks again to our wonderful hosts, John and Cindy!
In Barcelona, Don had 3 days of meetings, as part of his responsibilities of sitting on the advisory board for a company called MSX International. Spouses had been invited along. (My kind of company!) We were met at the airport and transported to our hotel in a van with other MSX Int’l employees, also in town for the meetings. In the vehicle, I was lucky to meet Maria, one of the other wives, and we chatted while enroute to our hotel. This was especially fortuitous when we discovered a few hours later that the wives were *not* included in the dinner that evening. :O Maria and I arranged to meet downstairs in the hotel restaurant, where we proceded to enjoy a lovely meal and get to know one another. (If there were other wives also at the hotel, we never knew.) During dinner we also planned our outing for the next day, as we were on our own. (There was a dinner planned for the spouses that 2nd evening.) I had brought the Rick Steves tour book for Barcelona, and we let him be our guide.
Our hotel was in the Eixample area of the city, and Rick Steves had a walk in the area: perfect! “Eixample” means expansion, and is where “Barcelona spread when it burst at the seams in the 19th century. Rather than allowing unchecked growth, city leaders funneled Barcelona’s newfound wealth into creating a standardized open grid plan – as if attempting to achieve the opposite of the claustrophobic Gothic lanes. The creation of the Eixample also coincided with a burst of architectural creativity, as great Modernista minds such as Antoni Gaudí, Lluis Domènech i Montaner, and Josep Puig i Cadafalch were given both artistic license and seemingly limitless funds to adorn the new boulevards with fanciful facades. It was a perfect storm of urban planning, unbridled architectural innovation, Industrial Age technology, ample wealth, and Catalan cultural pride. (Rick Steves)
It was a bit of a hike from our hotel to the start of the walk, (which I knew, as Don and I had walked for a couple of hours in the afternoon after we’d checked in), so we took the bus to the starting point of the walk. (This was a bit of an adventure as neither of us speak Spanish (Maria is from Sweden) and the directions our hotel concierge gave us weren’t *quite* correct. The people of Barcelona were friendly and helpful and we were soon on the right bus going the right way.) My first picture was a lemon tree…
lemons tree!
The Church of the Holy Conception has an interesting story: It is a Gothic, 14th century church, with a 15th and 16th century cloister, and it once stood in the Old City. When the wall that once surrounded the Old City came down as part of Barcelona’s expansion, a few historic churches, including this one, were moved, brick by brick, to new locations in the 1870s. The bell tower came from a different Gothic church.
Church of the Holy Conception
bell tower detail
the beautiful cloister
gothic interior
quite elaborate lighting
around the corner, a beautiful flower market
We stopped for a coffee and pastry, and then carried on to the most famous “modernista” section of Barcelona, the “Block of Discord,” where the three architects I mentioned earlier, each have a sample of their work. It’s too bad it was lightly raining (nothing more than drizzle, really), because the colours weren’t as dramatic as they can be.
two of the most famous buildings on the “Block of Discord”
Casa Batlló by Antoni Gaudí – love the dragon roof!
Casa Amatlier by Josep Puig i Cadafalch
Casa Lleó Morera by Lluís Domènech i Montaner
roof detail
Our last stop was La Pedrera, also known as Casa Milà. This Gaudi building is Barcelona’s quintessential Modernista building and was Gaudí’s last major work (1906-1910) before he dedicated his final years to the Sagrada Família. The building has a steel structural skeleton to support its weight (a new technique at the time).
If Dr. Seuss wasn’t inspired by Antoni Gaudí, I will eat my hat! 😀
La Pedrera
We wanted to tour inside it, but the line up was too long, so later back at our hotel, we had the concierge book us in for the next morning. That evening the (7) spouses enjoyed a lovely dinner and getting to know each other. The only other planned activity, as a group, was the next afternoon, to tour the Basílica de la Sagrada Família.
The next morning was beautiful – sunshine in a blue sky – and a perfect day to tour La Pedrera, especially as the tour includes the unique roof-top.
the lobby and interior of La Pedrera
the lobby
the lobby
looking up from the lobby – all apartments look down
The roof is extraordinary…
like everything Gaudí did, there are no straight lines even on the roof
a few of the chimneys
chimney detail
the side of the building, as viewed from the roof
the view from the roof
another unique chimney
roof top delight
the modern building across the street seems to be inspired by Gaudí
from the roof looking down towards the lobby
After the roof, we could tour one of the apartments…
even the inside hallways are curved
beautiful interior
Time for lunch, before our next tour…
cheers!
The group of spouses met in our hotel lobby and, with a tour guide, tranferred by mini bus to the Sagrada Família, Gaudí’s still unfinished ‘masterpiece.’ It’s already a UNESCO World Heritage Site, even though it’s not finished. The work continues, with a goal to be finished for the 100th anniversary of his death, in 2026. This is my favourite church ever, and I went back a 2nd time with Don, so (warning) I’m posting a LOT of pictures, combined here from both visits. Look up this church online for all the details – too many to relate here. Suffice it to say, every single detail has meaning, and was meticulously planned. It is a stunning creation. So, first, from the outside…
Sagrada Família
from another side (Don)
colourful fruit (Don)
detail
roof top detail (Don)
above the main entrance – the Nativity Facade
The Wise Men – at the main entrance
detail above the entrance
Now we step inside…from Rick Steves again: The floor plan is in the shape of a Latin cross, 300 feet long and 200 feet wide. Ultimately, the church will encompass 48,000 square feet, accommodating 8,000 worshippers. Part of Gaudí’s religious vision was a love for nature. He said, “Nothing is invented; it’s written in nature.” Like the trunks of trees, these columns (56) blossom with life, complete with branchs and leaves. The angled columns form many arches. Gaudí’s starting point was the Gothic pointed arch used in medieval churches, but he tweaked it after meticulous study of which arches are best at bearing weight. The stained glass windows provide different splashes of colour, depending on where the sun is and through which windows it shines. Gaudí envisioned an awe-inspiring canopy with a symphony of coloured light to encourage a contemplative mood. Truly, it felt like being in a forest, and I absolutely loved it.
exquisite forest
detail, with Joseph
stair detail
tree top (column top) detail
Jesus, both on the cross, and rising from the dead
closer detail (Don)
the long view (Don)
Don captures the lighting on the organ pipes
beautifully lit canopy (Don)
I love the stained glass – just beautiful colours, simple and stunning
different colours capture the sunlight at different times of the day
lovely
the afternoon sun shines on the people (Don)
That evening we had a final dinner with the whole group, spouses included. There were about 50 of us, and it was an excellent evening. The next day, we were on our own, though several people extended their stay, as well, and we did see a few of the group occasionally over the next few days.
Don and I started our exploration of the city by following Rick Steves’ suggested “Ramblas Ramble,” along Barcelona’s main boulevard, starting at the Plaça de Catalunya.
our personal tour guide planning our day 😉
Plaça de Catalunya
detail (Don)
chasing pigeons is the life..
..until those pigeons chase you!
In the square, this inverted-staircase monument represents the shape of the Catalunya, honours one of its former presidents who declared independence for the breakaway region in 1931, (though it didn’t stick).
monument by sculptor Josep Maria Subirachs
Rambla means “stream” in Arabic and this now-pedestrian-only boulevard used to be a drainage ditch along the medieval wall of the Gothic quarter.
As we started along the Las Ramblas, one of the first sites to note (according to Rick Steves) was the Royal Academy of Science and Arts building, now home to a theater, important for the clock that marks official Barcelona time…
I guess we were there at 1:00
beautiful building and balconies
Just off the Las Ramblas, a Roman Necropolis… Roman Emperor Augustus spent a lot of time in what we now called Spain.
Roman Necropolis, 10 feet lower than today’s street
Continuing along…
beautiful old tiled fountain, still in use
Betlem Church, dedicated to Bethlehem, 17th-century Baroque
church roof detail
Las Ramblas is divided into sections; this is the Rambla of Flowers
so many beautiful flowers
La Boqueria Market hall, operating since 1200 as a marketplace (Don)
colourful (weird?) candy for sale in the market (Don)
the heart (midpoint) of the Ramblas; mosaic by Barcelona abstract artist Joan Miró
Chinese dragon decorates a former umbrella shop
Chinese umbrellas on the wall of the former umbrella shop (Don)
Through an arcaded lane to a beautiful square called Plaça Reial, a hopping place full of restaurants and bars, and a jazz club we returned to the following night…
Plaça Reial
And just a short distance away, one of Gaudí’s early works, the first of his Modernista designs, called Palau Güell, built 1886-1890, darker and more Neo-Gothic than his later work…
Palau Güell, designed by Gaudí
more beautiful buildings along the way, and the trunk of a plane tree
I do love windows!
The Ramblas walk ends at the waterfront, where a 200-foot column honours Christopher Columbus, who came to Barcelona in 1493 after journeying to America.
Christopher Columbus
I love windows; Don loves boats!
We wandered along the promenade of the port, heading towards the neighbourhood called El Born, stopping to view the Barcelona Head along the way. This sculpture was created for the 1992 Summer Olympics by American pop artist Roy Lichtenstein. It instantly became an icon of the city. It brings together the colours of Miró, the tiles of Gaudí, the Cubism of Picasso, and the comic-newsprint trademark of Lichtenstein.
Barcelona Head, by Roy Lichtenstein
We walked some of the colourful streets of El Born…
picturesque little street
another window
…to the Picasso Museum, which we loved. Picasso spent his formative years, from age 14 to 23, in Barcelona, and this museum is the best collection of his early works. We were amazed by how brilliant he was at such an early age, and even more amazed at how realistic his early paintings were. No pictures allowed, of course.
We stopped for a light meal in the square in front of the Church of Santa Maria del Mar, and then we went into the church, the proud centerpiece of El Born. This is where shipwrights and merchants came to worship. The shippers built this church in less than 60 years, so it has a harmonious style that is considered pure Catalan Gothic. Located outside the city walls, this was a defiantly independent symbol of neighbourhood pride; to this day, it’s fully supported not by the Church or the city, but by the community. The largely unadorned Gothic interior used to be more highly decorated, but during the Spanish Civil War (1936-39), the Catholic Church sided with Franco against leftists supporting the Spanish Republic. In retaliation, the working class took their anger out on this church, burning all its wood furnishings and decor. The tree-like columns inspired Gaudí. 16th-Century sailors left models of their ships at the foot of the altar for Mary’s protection. Even today, a classic old Catalan ship remains at Mary’s feet.
outside side view of Church of Santa Maria del Mar
inside Church of Santa Maria del Mar
beautiful Rose window
old Catalan ship at Mary’s feet
another view
Beside (or maybe behind) the church is the Monument of Catalan Independence, “which honours a 300-year-old massacre that’s still fresh in the Catalan consciousness. On September 11, 1714, the Bourbon King Philip V, ruling from Madrid, completed a successful 14-month siege of Barcelona. In retaliation for the local resistance to Bourbon rule, he massacred Catalan patriots. From that day on, the king outlawed Catalan language, culture and institutions, kicking off more than 2 centuries of cultural suppression.” This square, with the eternal flame, marks the site of a mass grave of the massacred Catalan patriots.
eternal flame on the Monument of Catalan Independence
engraved detail
From here we walked back to the hotel. That night we ate dinner at a Rick Steves recommended restaurant that was great: http://www.lapalmera.cat
The next day, we started off along Avinguda Diagonal, the main road in the (hotel neighbourhood) Eixample. Every day we saw and heard these parakeets, and Don managed to photograph them with his great zoom lens…
parakeet in hiding (Don)
so pretty, but very noisy (Don)
We were on our way, first, to Sagrada Familia, to get tickets so Don could see it. The next day was Palm Sunday, and preparations were well underway…
beautiful palms for sale (Don)
After securing tickets for later in the day, we went to Park Güell, another Gaudí design. We walked part way and then took a bus the rest of the way up a steep hill to the park overlooking the city. Along the way, another Modernista-style building, the Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, designed by Lluís Domènech i Montaner.
Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau, designed by Montaner
detail (Don)
Park Güell is amazing. From Rick Steves, an overview:
Funded by his frequent benefactor Eusebi Güell, Gaudí intended this 30-acre garden to be a 60-residence housing project. Work began in 1900, but progress stalled in 1914 with the outbreak of WWI and the project never resumed. Only two houses were built, neither designed by Gaudí. It failed as a housing development, but as a park it’s a delight, offering another peek into Gaudí’s eccentric genius in a setting that’s more natural than man-made – appropriate considering the naturalism that pervades Gaudí’s work. Many sculptures and surfaces in the park are covered with colourful ‘trencadís’ mosaics – broken ceramic bits rearranged into new patterns. This Modernista invention, made of discarded tile, dishes, and even china dolls from local factories, was an easy, cheap, and aesthetically pleasing way to cover curvy surfaces like benches and columns. Although Gaudí promoted the technique, most of what is in the park was executed by his collaborator, Josep Maria Jujol.
welcome to Park Güell
The first part we saw was the Terrace – a huge open space, ringed by curvy mosaic benches, with a great view overlooking the city, and a photographer’s delight.
the Terrace
curvy benches
so many cranes for the Sagrada Familia (with the sea behind) (Don)
another view over the city
a lovely place to relax
colourful and comfortable
bench detail from behind (Don)
colourful both front and back
and the birds like it too! (Don)
As lovely as it was on the terrace, there was lots more to see…
The pink house, where Gaudí lived for 20 years
the terrance is on top of those columns, and up the stairs are three fountains – in front, a natural one
the second fountain: red-and-gold striped Catalan shield with head of serpent poking out (Don)
The third fountain is a very famous dragon – an icon of the park and of Barcelona. The dragon, slain by Barcelona’s patron saint, George (Jordi), is a symbol of Catalan pride.
the third fountain: the famous dragon
scouting a good photo
The Hall of 100 Columns, (though there are only 86), was planned to be a marketplace for the neighbourhood’s 60 mansions. The Doric columns are each lined at the base with white ceramic shards.
Hall of 100 columns
ceiling detail in the hall of columns
leaving the hall
another intriguing building in the park
exit past the ‘gift shop’ (Don)
at the entrance/exit
We went back to Sagrada Familia afterwards – pictures already posted. Then walked back to the hotel..
such lovely detail *underneath* the balcony
another window
love these unique windows
beautiful balcony
I love giraffes; this is a very unique sculpture
Enjoyed wine and tapas at the hotel lounge, and then out again, heading to a jazz concert (the Al Foster quartet) we’d booked, at Jamboree Jazz Club in the Plaça Reial. On the way, I managed to score a great pair of boots:
love my new boots!
waiting for our concert, enjoying a beer, in the small, cave-like Jamboree
great musicians
American jazz drummer Al Foster
After the concert, we enjoyed a bottle of wine at one of the many outdoor spots on the Plaça Reial, while people watching: a great end to the evening.
night life in Plaça Reial
Sunday was our last day in the city. We planned to wander in the Gothic and El Born neighbourhoods, but our first stop was at the Cathedral. According to Rick Steves, “A memorable Barcelona experience is watching the patriotic sardana dances, held in the square in front of the Cathedral on Sundays. Locals of all ages seem to spontaneously appear. For some it’s a highly symbolic, politcally charged action representing Catalan unity. Participants gather in circles after putting their things in the center – symbolic of community and sharing. All are welcome, even tourists. Holding hands, dancers raise their arms, slow-motion, Zorba-the-Greek-style, as they hop and sway gracefully to the music. The band consists of a long flute, tenor and soprano oboes, strange-looking brass instruments, and a tiny bongo-like drum. The rest of Spain mocks this lazy circle dance, but considering what it takes for a culture to survive within another culture’s country, it is a stirring display of local pride and patriotism. During 36 years of Franco dictatorship, the sardana was forbidden.
Off we went to went to witness this dance. But, oops, we forgot it was Palm Sunday. The city was very busy, and the bus had a hard time getting through the traffic. After we got off close to where we wanted to be, and started walking, we came upon huge crowds, and soon discovered they were gathered for a Palm Sunday procession.
the float for the procession
waiting, with their palms
waiting to lead the procession
on the move (Don)
solemn in their place (Don)
We detoured away from the procession in order to make it to the Cathedral in time for the dancing. We were blown away by the crowds, the music, and the dancing – it was all very moving.
the Cathedral of Barcelona
detail (Don)
the band
a large crowd
a small group of dancers with the Catalan flag in the centre
I’ve included a short video of the dancing (45 seconds) – with apologies that some of it is sideways. I didn’t realize when I turned my camera that it wouldn’t download the same way… 😛
I’m so glad we didn’t miss this wonderful experience! We stopped for lunch, and then followed Rick Steves’ walk through the Barri Gòtic….
this fountain is much older than the circa-1918 tiles; in 17th-century it was the last watering stop for horses before leaving town
love this balcony display
El Quatre Gats – The 4 Cats – is a historic monument, nightspot and restaurant, that I would have loved to eat at: http://www.4gats.com/en/ It’s famous for being the circa-1900 bohemian-artist hangout where Picasso drank and had his first one-man show in 1900. The building was designed by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch, and represents Neo-Gothic Modernisme.
Els Quartre Gats
El Quatre Gats signpost (Don)
The Carrer del Bisbe Bridge, reminds of Venice’s Bridge of Sighs. It connects the Catalan government building with what was the Catalan president’s ceremonial residence. It was constructed in the 1920s by Catalan architect Joan Rubió, a follower of Gaudí.
Carrer del Bisbe Bridge
gargoyles on the government building
lovely narrow streets in the Gothic quarter
In the Plaça Sant Felip Neri, the church, which Gaudí attended, is still pocked with bomb damage from the Spanish Civil War.
Church of Sant Felip Neri – with pock marks
a marionette resting between shows in the square
Palau de la Generalitat, offices of the autonomous government of Catalunya, with Catalunya’s patron saint – St. George slaying the dragon
The next stop was what’s left of the Roman Temple of Augustus. Apparently the hightest spot of the Barri Gòtic (55 feet), it was here that the ancient Romans founded the town of Barcino around 15 B.C. They built a fort on the hilltop, protecting the harbour. All that’s left now are four columns and some fragments of the transept. The huge columns, dating from the late first century B.C., are as old as Barcelona itself. They were part of the ancient town’s biggest structure, a temple dedicated to the Emperor Augustus.
Roman temple columns
the buildings in this square, Plaça dei Rei, exemplify Barcelona’s medieval past, built between 13th and 15th centuries
typical way of marking one-way streets in the tight lanes of Barri Gotic
Entrada – entrance – and Salida – exit
Romanesque chapel, Capella d’en Marcùs, from 1100s, probably oldest church in town
this is a very full balcony!
another unique sculpture
“happy pills”?? It’s a candy store! 😀
One last walk along the “Block of Discord”…
Casa Amatiler (Don)
with its beautiful balconies
the colourful Casa Batiló by Gaudí (Don)…
…where even the underside of the balconies are colourful (Don)
…and the windows are oh-so-unique
Back to the hotel to pack up before a last dinner with a few of the remaining group…passing unique fountains (not yet in use) along the way..
unique fountain sculpture
fountain sculpture
Good-bye Barcelona! I hope we will be back. You were friendly and fun!
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