It came into my mind to give you a little gift. A brief escape from this February 2010 Cold Wave.
Last week was my birthday and I am so fortunate. Next week is St.Valentine's Day and I am so romantic ♥ ♥ ♥
Yes, a gift for you of a warm sunny day in Spain. This gift is for Leslie and other friends like you who may be snowed in or freezing your buns off somewhere around the world...
Here we go. Come with me.
We are walking, walking, walking in Barcelona. Up La Rambla away from the warm Mediterranean Sea where the nude beaches are crowded with both visitors and locals. The end of May finds the day balmy and the sun feels good on our tan legs.
We turn right on Place de Catlunya where the lovers kiss and red tourist buses wait. We saunter up Passeig de Gracia.
We are walking, walking, walking and there it is the dreamy building on the right. An ocean wave of a building, too, with windows tucked in out of the sun's glare.
Here I give you---> Casa Mila!
Wait here as I get the tickets which are a treat from me so worry about nothing.
Look at the amazing glass door as I work my way through the crowd.
Ponder my architectural hero Gaudi. I love him so and you will, too, if you stick with me from down here on the ground to the tippy~top of the most amazing roof you have ever seen in your short life~time.
Immediately we are inside a courtyard. Look up and see the colors swirling.
This building designed and built by Gaudi in the 1900s is called La Pedrera--the Quarry--as it does resemble a cliff eroded by years of sea and saltwater wind.
Do not miss a single detail. That Gaudi! He was a master of design. He works with cement, iron and glass.
No space is too small to be left undecorated. Every square inch is his canvas.
Please do notice how the hanging garden color is repeated in the painted wall. When no plants are in bloom, the wall is.
Look up and up and further still.
Each window has a little eyebrow to shade the light. The towers on the roof scoop the air and bring it down into every room. Fresh air for all.
I am greatly impressed by such thoughts of engineering for comfort contained in artistic fashion.
We will walk to the top but do not be impatient. Take your time. If you want to stop, we will wait for you right here.
This is your gift after all.
Inside there is a museum to honor the time of Gaudi. You know how I do not like to miss a thing. Well, do not miss a thing yourself!
Here you may use your camera and no one will try to stop you. You can snap away until your heart's content.
Everything in this room stole my heart.
That is a Singer sewing machine with foot pedal. Look at the sweet overhead light~fixture.
Look at the tile floor which is timeless and cool underneath our sandals on this warm day.
I drool in this room over the embroidery but, NO, I would not want to use that iron for very long, would you?
Here I am capturing the moment for all time.
I have such green envy for this coat rack. In my greediness I cannot understand why it cannot be mine!
Do not forget we are in the city. I think that is Carrer de Provenca down below.
Here is a bedroom with the loveliest painted head and foot board on a rather non-king-sized bed.
The wee baby's bed breaks my heart in its detail.
Ahhhh...
Look how the drapery pools on the floor. I want to wrap myself up in its softness. The large tassel makes me swoon.
Hand carving around each window sill. All the wood is rich and pleasing.
The dishes are drying near the sink.
Up we climb stairs to the nursery. The shape of each window is like a doll's house. The pattern on the floor demands its own attention. {{ For some reason I find dolls resting just so to be a bit unnerving. Too many spooky shows on the TV, maybe? }}
Still, imagine living in such a fantastic place as a child!
Here we go out onto the roof.
Do not worry about falling. Wire fences have been added since Gaudi's day.
You can run your hands over the smooth cement of the walls. You can plop down on any level and look out over the city.
Sit down and rest, rest. Take it all in. No snow for miles and miles. Warm, sunny Spain!
Take your time. Look out but look near~by, too.
Gaudi may have been the first recycler. I do not know but look at the broken glass in his decorated tower top.
I know he had a work~team but I like to think Gaudi placed each glass piece just so.
Remember the towers serve a purpose. The holes capture sea breezes, sending it down air shafts to freshen up the apartments.
I long to yell down one shaft. Wha-hoo......
But I do not.
I run my hand over every smooth surface I can reach.
I drink in the blue sky and the cool tiled. What do you think?
Little soldier towers standing guard, looking like Darth Vader heads. Eyes peeking.
Wha-hoo...... I long to shout, again, but you are keeping me polite.
I want to climb up here every day. I want to bring a picnic and have my lunch on this roof..
I want to lie here like a lizard in the sun.
Faces scooping sea breeze air.
I wonder if a cloud ever floats into a tower, slides down the shaft and sits near the baby's wee bed to sing a lullaby. I wonder.
See. This is what we saw when first we entered the courtyard and looked up.
Do you remember the little windows with the eyebrow shades built in?
That Gaudi and his towers! All the other local roof~tops look silly in their plainness. I would only want to live in this building, wouldn't you?
See how I am captured by it all?
Soft, fluffy clouds dancing around smooth, hard tile towers.
OK. OK. OK.
I will stop now and leave you here for your own play on the roof~top of La Pedrera.
I only wanted to give you a small gift of warmth in May in Spain. I only wanted to take you away from snow and cold and ice and naked tree branches in February.
It came into my mind to give you a little gift. A brief escape from this February 2010 Cold Wave.
I hope you have enjoyed this small reprieve from an overly~long, harsh winter. You may stay here and enjoy the warm sun on your skin as long as you feel the need.
After this maybe I should take you down to the nude beach.
We will see.
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