Where You Going? Barcelona. Oh. - Day8

On the bridge that splits Girona from the old city (right) from the new one (left). (enlarge)

It turns out that Girona isn’t a coastal town like it was described… it’s more of a town on a hill kinda place surrounded by a wall that’s as old as 100 B.C. It’s more of a representation of the Catalonian country than Barcelona is, natch, due to it’s un-metropolitan-ness. That’s not to day it wasn’t full of views and architecture to be taken in. Once we got off our tour bus, we were taken on a walking tour of the old city (much to Roz’s chagrin) that included visiting the Arabian Baths (not in use for 600 years) that’s been in pretty amazing shape due to nuns taking over the property centuries ago. Check out the great fountain in the changing room.

After stopping for lunch, we made it to the museum of Cinema, which had a vast archive of moving picture techniques going back to the 18th century. I sort of forgot that no pictures were allowed and inadvertently recorded some early animation/silent film techniques (see here, here, and here). After that, I had to book it (Roz & Al already had a head start) to our bus for our trip to Figueres and a visit to the Theatre-Museu Dali.


And I thought that he was just a surrealist! His breadth and mastery, IMO, almost rivals the sampling of Picasso’s oeuvre from his museum. Not only that, but he also designed the entire building to his quirky specifications, like the eggs, bread and female Oscars(enlarge). Many installations were here as well as lots of the jewelry he designed and kinetic artwork, too (like a rolls Royce that rains on the inside when you put change in a meter). I put change into a crucifix-mirror thing and a choir of voices began chanting and the whole piece started swaying, much like those dancing cacti of the late 80s. Pretty fun stuff!

After that, we boarded the bus and came back. I don’t know what it is when I’m not driving, but I pretty much pass out on trips like that, so it was almost all a blur. I can’t believe that this is already coming to a close… one more day of activities before our long trip back. ^*le sigh^*.