Bob's Sabbatical: Power to the People

"Don't touch the Salamander! Por Favor!!"
How many times a day have you heard that? That is exactly what the park-guard kept saying to the visitors...and yet the salamder was out in the rain, cold and nighttime for years.

I read somewhere that Barcelona is a relatively flat city and built in blocks and squares and that certainly seems to be the case. In Rome, with all its hills, every street is an adventure in navigation. I mentioned that at every street intersection in Rome you would find at least a half dozen tourists checking their maps to see if their street angles left, right or disappears altogether in some piazza. But not so with Barcelona.

Yes, indeed, the Mediterranean is right here and so the land gracefully and slowly goes up as you go inland. And, much further back there are hills and mountains. But, for the most part, for the areas which we have been walking, the streets are wonderfully symmetrical and square with intersections and pretty flat. Great for walking. Great for looking at a map and confidently thinking of walking for say, 4 more blocks and being assured of ones destination.

Until yesterday afternoon.

And it is all because of Gaudi and his architecture.

I blogged yesterday about the great Spaniard, Gaudi and his great cathedral, La Sagrada Familia. Check it out if you have not done so. He died in 1926 as he was building the cathedral (which is still far from being finished) but in his life and work prior to the all-consuming work of La Sagrada Familia, he had other projects. We walked through the city to see a couple of his buildings which are so unique. But then we read about a park designed by him. We looked it up and it was a mile or two inland....meaning to the north of the city center where the land starts to get steep and the streets narrow and curvy. And we were determined to go. So we walked and walked.

The streets, though still crowded and very attractive began to take on the feel of San Francisco. Finally the streets just about disappeared, and the houses and appartment buildings were up against the hills of Barcelona. The street we took ended....and in front of us was.....an escalator. Just like the kind you would see in the airport. A stainless steel three story escalator, the kind you see in subways...and yet, and yet, this was right out in the open on the street. We were so glad to see it. At the top was a school and religious order and....the Park Guell...our destination.

I would advise you to Google Park Guell. It is amazing. The architect Gaudi had a patron, Guell.....and the idea was to create this fantastic gated community for the wealthy in the Gaudi style. This was around the early 1900's. The plan called for 60 palatial homes in the graceful hills overlooking Barcelona and (about 4 miles away) the Mediterranean. Alas, only four homes were built in the hills. The project fizzled, but not before Gaudi designed a park with his signature style of architecture and art. The park survives, it belongs to the people of Barcelona (and the tourists and trinket sellers).

On first glance you might think you had overdone your cold medicine because of the playfulness of the design. On second glance you might expect the Oompah Loompahs from Willy Wonka to come marching out with some sugar covered treats. Maybe I should use the idea of Star Wars design or Disney design in order to convey the lack of "common" park ideas and ideals. Gaudi messes with your mind in both colors and shapes.