Barcelona in Black and White

A few unpublished pics from our time in Barcelona that lend themselves to black and white.

A Sweet Surprise on La Rambla

Peter inside Gaudi's Casa Batilo

Me, pausing to navigate the narrow streets of Barcelona

Me, Happy to be Surrounded by Picasso at the Picasso Museum

Taking it Easy in Barcelona

Me Again, at Placa Del Rei

Peter in the tower at Sagrada Familia--Overlooking Barcelona.

Salvador Dali and Gala's Castle

Pubol Castle--The Gala Dali Castle House Museum:

Salvador Dali fell in love with the Russian wife of poet Paul Eluard while they all resided on the Costa Brava at Cadaques as guests of Dali. Dali and Gala ran off to Paris together and eventually married in the 30's (civil) and again (Catholic) 1958.

 Gala had one daughter with Paul.
 Dali had always promised Gala that one day he would buy a castle for her. His promise came true in the 1970's he bought the medieval Publo Castle in Pubol, Spain near Girona. 

Gala lived in this castle the rest of her life while Dali lived on the coast at Cadaques (he was raised there in his boyhood).  They kept in contact daily through phone calls. However, it was agreed upon, by the painter and Gala, that Dali could not visit the castle without prior written request and permission from Gala.  Gala was well known for having a strong sexual appetite and it is said that even up until her final years of life (88) she would arrange for young village men to come up to her castle regularly. 

There is no doubt though, that Dali adored her. Gala was the subject of many of his paintings, and after her death he drove her for one last time around the Pubol area in her Cadillac. 

He built her a throne in her castle and after Gala's death, Dali moved into the castle himself and would sit in the throne to greet guests. The area around Pubol castle is beautiful Northern Spain--sunshine and dry fields. It is rural and very quiet. 

Gala died in 1982 and Dali in 1989. She is entombed in the basement of the castle and Dali in Figueres in the basement of his own creation: The Dali Theatre-Museum.


My impression of the castle was that it would be great to live in such a place if one were a child with lots of siblings to hang out with. But as Gala lived in the castle (for the most part) as a single woman, I can understand why she only spent summers there. It is super quiet and civilization is quite far away. The winters might be rather boring---hence the young village men ;)

Peter and the Dali Castle church.

A farm across the field from Dali Castle.

Gala's throne--built by Dali. After her death, Dali would sit on it to greet guests.

Gala's kitchen.

The dining room with the egg shaped fire place. Dali loved the egg shape.

The living room. The coffee table, by Dali, is glassed topped and reveals the floor below and a taxidermic horse standing in the room.

Gala's bath. Note the lovely patterns on the tiles--Catalan is famous for their ceramics.

A view of the teeny-tiny little township surrounding the castle.

Gala's tomb in the basement of the castle. Picture quality is poor as there was almost no light and no flash allowed.

Peter in Gala's garden--the sculpture is by Dali.

Peter outside of Dali Castle.

The sunflower field below the castle.

The castle terrace overlooking the sunflowers.

The castle front entrance.

The tile house sign on the Gala's castle. All homes in Spain have a tile sign announcing the residents.

In the church yard beside the castle.

Ancient Greek City: Empuries, Spain

Empuries, Spain

A short trip up the Costa Brava from Begur, lies an ancient city. A city so ancient, it has housed humans since the 10th C BC. It has the most beautiful view of the Mediterranean and one can completely understand why so many early human civilizations chose this spot to live.

In the 7^th C BC Greeks from the Phocaea area built a city called Emporion on this spot. The city’s remains are being currently excavated. Behind the Greek city, the Roman’s built their own city in the 1^st C AD. This city has not yet been excavated.

However, the remains of both cities exist today within one large ancient city on the Costa Brava.

The city is a major world archeological site and I must say, the most amazing one I have ever visited. I have been to Rome, not Greece though…but visiting this site, yesterday, I have indeed visited both ancient Rome and Greece in one stop.

The pics are all from the Greek city and date from 5 C BC to the 1 C AD.

A few of the pics are from pieces in the onsite museum that have already been excavated from the cities.

Empuries, as it is called in Catalan, was first discovered by archeologists in 1908 AD and had been busily excavated ever since.

I cannot explain just how beautiful and amazing it was to walk amongst the ruins of a city over 2000 years old—to see the tiled floors of homes and the a gentleman’s club (where young single Greek men met to drink wine and socialize).

I feel so blessed to have visited such a place and encourage those who visit the Mediterranean coast to pay Empuries a visit.

Me, sitting on 3rd C BC Greek steps, with god of medicine watching over me.

Empuries lies right on the Mediterranean Sea.

Remains of a Greek column.

Peter inside the courtyard of the Greek cities' largest home--surrounded by remains of columns (2nd C BC).

Remains of what I guessed was a Greek bench?

Roman graves found on the far North side of the Greek city from I believe, 4th C AD

Floor pattern

Peter exploring the Greek city remains.

Floor from what was once a single gentleman's club in ancient Emporion-- 2nd C BC.

5th C BC, Greek water filter system.

  Statue of the sacred god of medicine, Asklepios found in the therapeutic and religious center--2nd C, BC (copy remains in the city as the original is now in the museum).

Me, exploring the Greek city.

The stone wall I am sitting on is from 5th C, BC

The museum, positioned between the Roman and Greek cities.

Tile picture found in one of the Roman homes.

Dolls found in a child's tomb in the Greek city--5th C BC

The original marble statue found in the Greek city, Asklepios-- the god of medicine, 2nd C, BC

Note: the straps on his sandals are really cool.

Greek jetty--it was a busy Mediterranean trading port.

The outside wall that borders the Greek city.

Sa Riera, Costa Brava

Sa Riera--the Mediterranean water was quite warm today. Sa Riera is another beach very close to the town of Begur. We like to try out a new beach each day.

Rocky islands in the distance, off of the coast of Sa Riera

Me on the rocks over looking the secret cove we found

Peter at Sa Riera--he burnt the bottom of his tender tootsies walking across the hot sand ;)

We found a secret cove beside Sa Riera

Me, swimming in the cove

Peter, refreshed after his swim

Peter, swimming in the cove

Peter about to swim in the cove

Me, after a swim in the cove's refreshing water

A Sail boat on the Mediterranean

Happy Anniversary to us

Lovely Sa Riera