The rain held off Sunday on our last morning in Bilboa. We enjoyed a lazy morning and wandered over to La Ribera. This is the place we walked right by the day before looking for the market. It's a classy indoor food market - no clothing racks or kitchen doodad distractions. The wares look fresher and more appealing than the pintxos we've seen languishing in the bars up and and down the street of our hotel.
Back to La Ribera market, now that we know this is it
Janice BranhamTo Steve Miller/GrampiesTo be sure. I always enjoy looking over your shoulder virtually at the beauties you're finding at les patisseries. Reply to this comment 6 months ago
We're so glad we made time for our week on the Basque coast. I'm baffled by the Euskara language, can't even fake the pronunciation, but the riding and scenery have been spectacular.
Moving on, we're playing tourists for a few days in Barcelona before ferrying over to Mallorca for a hilly romp around the Tramuntana mountains. I hope whatever strength gains we made lately don't drain away before we get there.
The train to Barcelona was on time and taxis were queued up to take us to our hotel so we didn't have to ride through the city at 11 pm. The room looks very comfortable for our three day stay here, and we're close to several Metro stations and bus stops.
It took seven tries and help from a kind Catalonian to get two 10-ride tickets out of the Metro machine. They're good for all the transit here - subway, tram, buses, probably other things I don't know about.
On Monday morning we headed to the Eixample, a ritzy late 19th century neighborhood that became a hotbed for Modernista architecture in the late 19th century. Listening to a Rick Steves audio tour of Barcelona's architecture made fine entertainment for a rainy-ish day. We passed by examples of the style that favors curves over straight lines, organic shapes, bright colors and lots of ornamentation.
Broad pedestrian boulevards lined with cafes make for pleasant walking around the Eixample
We stopped at Casa Batllo, one of the wackier Modernista homes. It's in the "Block of Discord" on Passeig de Gracia. Designed by Antoni Gaudi in 1904, its wavy lines, columns shaped like human bones and masked balconies would fit right into a Dr. Seuss storybook. The facade is frosted with colorful shards of junk salvaged from broken mosaic tiles and dishes.
The masked balconies on Casa Batllo bare their teeth at us
Next door stands Casa Amattler, designed by Josep Puig Cdafalch for the Amattler chocolate-making family. There's a lot going on with this one too. The stairstep gable on the roof reminds me of houses in Amsterdam. Abstract ceramic tiles on the facade look like something from a Moorish palace. Medieval-looking gargoyles, dogs, cats and bats hang out by the windows.
Further down the street, Casa Lleo Morera is a jumble of classical fluted columns, a big bay window that could have been part of a Greek temple, sculpted griffins and angels, and Moorish looking designs at the top.
Casa Lleo Morera, another good sighting for a gal with a railing fetish
The whole "anything goes" vibe of these Modernista buildings seems wild, especially for the time and the turn of the 20th century.
Leaving the Block of Discord, we had a cleansing of the visual palette with a walk around Concepcio Market, then moved on to the Barri Gotic, the older area of Barcelona.
Going straight for the sweet stuff at Concepcio market
In the Bari Gotic, Els Quatre Gats is known as the place where the young Pablo Picasso hung out with his pals. The name comes from a story about the proprietor who told his friends that he would stay open 24/7. They opined that noone would come and added "It'll just be you and four cats."
Janice BranhamTo Scott AndersonLucky you. We went by on a Monday when they were closed and just peeked through the windows. Reply to this comment 6 months ago
The Cathedral of the Holy Cross and Saint Eulalia, also known as Barcelona Cathedral, was overwhelming. We did part of the official audio tour but found it hard to follow, so we switched to Rick Steves' version, which is clearer and more engaging in my opinion.
In the crypt of the cathedral, sculpted panels under the statue tell the story of Saint Eulalie's torture and martydom at the hands of the Romans for refusing to honor the pagan gods.
Thirteen geese live in the cloister of the Cathedral. They are a remembrance of the 13 tortures endured by Saint Eulalie, who was 13 when she was martyred.
After walking our legs off all day we parked ourselves at Taller de Tapas for rest and sustenance. We had tickets to a 7 pm show and not quite enough time to make it worth taking a round trip to the hotel and back via the Metro.
We haven't been to any live concerts since Krakow almost a month ago. This time we went for Latin Jazz at the Jamboree. The Fernando Ramirez Abella Septet put on a spectacular show in a tiny venue. Highly recommend this club if you come to Barcelona.
Good stuff at Taller & Tapas - asaparagus with walnuts, and tortilla patatas
The Fernando Ramierez Septet could fit seven people on the little stage at one time. Now and then they swapped in other musicians on harmonica, trumpet and bongos.
