Barcelona Day 2

The morning started off with a breakfast in the hostel and then we were off to the Picasso museum. It was early and we took a walk down La Rambla. La Rambla is a popular thoroughfare with many shops, restaurants, and pickpockets. It used to be popular for selling birds and flowers, but now we only noticed the flower stands. It was early, so there were not many people.

After about a half hour, we got to the museum. I don't have any pictures since they are not allowed inside, thank God. This museum has a ton of Picasso's early works and is set up to outline his progression from a precocious youth to the artist we all know. I am no art expert, but I found this museum more interesting than some of the other museums that we have visited. What intrigued me was that the museum was focused on one guy, and showed how his style changed over the years. You walk through the halls and rooms in chronological order and can see this first hand.

One thing in particular stuck with me and really captured my mind. The final part of the exhibit started with an explanation that Picasso became enthralled by the works of the Classical masters in his later life. He was particularly interested in a piece that Velazques painted in 1656 called Las Maninas. For the original painting info go here: 1656 Velazquez.

 

Yes, that painting is super cool, but I am partial to Picasso's interpretation and variations on it. Below are two of them, but in the museum there were many more. In 1957 Picasso became obsessed with copying this painting. Many artists copy the work of great masters to perfect technique, but Picasso's "copies" are crazy!

After the museum we headed to the waterfront for a stroll. I saw the high masts of the sailboats from far away and really had to check them out.

A little Christopher Columbus action.

Coming back up La Rambla, we walked through the large market called del Mercat de Sant Josep de la Boqueria. Somehow, we always end up in these markets. This one was high up on my entertaining list. The weirder the market, the cooler!

Meat. Yummy.

Sheep's heads anyone, complete with eyeballs?

Mmmmmm... Fruit cup for a Euro.

When we got back to the hostel, we needed a rest. We did laundary, cooked dinner made with ingredients purchased in the big market and relaxed on the rooftop terrace. My parents come in from the Washington, DC area tomorrow. Here we go!

 

 

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