The Salvadore Dali Theatre-Museum, Figueres, Catalonia

Salvadore Dali was born in Figueres, Catalonia in 1904. Although his childhood home was in Figueres, he spent much of his childhood at his family’s nearby summer home in the small coastal village of Cadaques on the Costa Brava. Today, the Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres houses a collection of works from this eccentric icon. Our guests will enter the wacky world of Salvadore Dali in Figueres and Cadaques.

Dali lived from 1904-1989. During his lifetime, he became a hero of the Surrealist art movement and remains so today. His passions were painting, drawing, sculpture, writing and film. His once said he attributed his ‘love of everything that is gilded and excessive, his passion for luxury and his love of oriental clothes’ to his Arab lineage. He claimed his ancestors were descended from the Moors who invaded Spain in AD 711. Dali was highly imaginative and enjoyed indulging in eccentric and grandiose behavior throughout his lifetime.

In the 1920‘s, he went to Paris to interact and collaborate with artists such as Picasso, Miro, Matisse and others whose influence can be seen in his work. Few artists have had a greater impact on 20th century art than Salvador Dali. Among Surrealism’s most important contributions was his invention of new artistic techniques that tapped into the unconscious mind.

Not only is the Dali Theatre-Museum building a work of art in its own right, it contains the largest and most diverse collection of works by Salvador Dali, many of which are from the artist’s own collection. He painted the exterior of the building crimson and stuck loaves of bread to the walls (made from plaster). The roof is lined with large eggs and gilded sculptures. Dali lived in the tower of the Theatre-Museum, where he died in 1989. He was laid to rest in the crypt under the museum’s geodesic dome.

We’ll experience some of his well-known paintings, sculptures, collages, jewelry and ‘accessorized’ rooms. Can we get a glimpse into Dali’s ‘genius’?  Maybe…

 

“I don’t do drugs. I am drugs. Take me – I am hallucinogenic.  

~ Salvadore Dali

 

 

The Guggenheim Museum, Bilbao, Basque Country

The Guggenheim Museum is a modern art museum designed by Canadian-American architect Frank Gehry. The museum, built along the Nervion River that runs through the city of Bilbo to the Cantabrian Sea, is one of several museums belonging to the Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation. It features permanent and visiting exhibits of works by Spanish and international artists.

The building itself is one of the most admired works of contemporary 20th century architecture. It represents “a rare moment when critics, academics and the general public are completely united”.  The building has been hailed as one of the most spectacular buildings in the world. Made of titanium, limestone and glass, Gehry designed a spectacular sculpture-like structure integrated with Bilbao’s urban pattern and surrounding areas. The result is a visual impact that has now become an icon of Bilbao throughout the world.

Once inside the hall, visitors access the Atrium, the heart of the museum. With curved designs and large glass walls, the Atrium is a space flooded with light from the glass ‘curtains’ and covered with a great skylight. Three levels of the building are organized around the Atrium and are connected by curved walkways, glass elevators and staircases. The Atrium, a gallery in itself, also serves as an axis for 20 additional art galleries.

This museum is a must-see when in the Basque country. Our guests will have a guided tour of the museum which will include the architecture of the building as well as an introduction to the works on display. We will stay in Bilbao in very close proximity to the museum where views of the museum can be seen from the hotel.  Join us on our Spain tour and experience both of these exceptional art museums!

Who wants to experience pristine beauty in the heart the Pyrenees Mountains? Guests on our Spain tour will have an opportunity to do just that. While traveling from the beach on the Costa Brava across the Pyrenees, we’ll stop at Catalan’s Parque Nacional de Aiguestortes. The park is a landscape of jagged rocky peaks that tower above fir forests,  grassy meadows, mirrored lakes and crystal flowing water. Water cascades down rocks to join over 200 lakes in the park. Wildflowers grace glacial valley floors. The scenery in this park can only be described by one word – breathtaking!

Estany de Maurici is the park’s largest lake and a must-see. Two rivers converge to make this alpine lake giving the park its name – Aiguestortes or “twisted waters”.

 

Large mammal habitat in the area include wild horses, goats, deer and boar. A variety of birds live in the heights of the granite mountain cliffs, clinging to sheer faces and nesting in cracks or cornices. Brown trout swim in lakes and rivers. Grassy glacial valley floors are ripe for exploring as well as the many hiking trails in the park. This is a place to take in nature at its finest and the peace it brings.

 

Visitors can only get into the park by 4-wheel Land Rover taxi. We will have local drivers/guides who will drive us to scenic points. For those who want to hike, there will be option to take an easy group hike along the way or back to town on our return. During the day, we’ll enjoy a picnic lunch prepared by our own tour guides. It will be a day filled with magnificent scenery and unforgettable moments! 

 

Note: For those who do not want to take the excursion into the park, the option will be to relax at the hotel or wander the scenic town where we will stay.  

Tapas originated in Spain, where according to legend, King Alfonso X had been stricken with a serious illness which only allowed him to take in small portions of food with small amounts of wine. After recovering from his illness, the good king issued a decree that no wine should be served at inns unless it was served with food. Whatever the reason, today, tapas are the perfect way to experience the flavors and rich culture of Spain.

Tapas are not so much a kind of food as a Spanish way of eating. They are small plates of food accompanied by alcohol – usually wine, beer or sherry. Tapas are not to be confused with appetizers before a meal. Tapas can be any type of food – from nuts, olives, assorted cheeses to roasted meats and stews – so long as the dish is served on a small plate accompanied by alcohol. The most important thing about tapeo, or the art of eating tapas, is the socializing of the people around them. In Spain, small groups of people wander or ‘tapa crawl’ from bar to bar searching out the best locations which are lively, filled with animated conversation and laughter. Spainards go to tapa bars before lunch and supper to meet friends, to converse and to observe. Conversation can be animated and ranges from the mundane to the political to the philosophical – and anything in between.

On our ‘tapas crawl’ we will search out the best tapas bars in Barcelona. You will be able to hear snippets of conversations by the locals. Don’t be surprised if you are approached by patrons wanting to practice their English. Be assured, you will taste the best tapas and experience this traditional Spanish custom. Close your eyes and pretend you are a local for a night!

 

They say, “Pintxos = life at its finest”. Pintxos are tapas prepared the Basque way and are an expression of ‘miniature cuisine’. The Basques call their tapas pintxos, (pronounced peench-os) from the Spanish word pinchar, meaning ‘to prick’. In San Sebastian, the same cultural and culinary tradition is called a ‘pintxos hunt’. On our pintxo hunt, we will see pintxos with banderillas, or long toothpicks, which get their name from the darts in a bullfight. Banderillas are helpful in holding together and picking up pintxos. Pintxos are small portions of food, generally taken from a bigger part or bread topped with an array of ingredients. A ‘pintxos hunt’ is an exciting culinary experience for foodies.

In San Sebastian, the pintxos often reflect the gastronomy of this area. We will likely see more seafood pintxos due to the location of San Sebastian on the ocean. That’s not to say there will not be other kinds of pintxos make from meats, vegetables and fruits as well as dessert pintxos.

Taken from a local source, here are some basic guidelines on how to ‘behave’ in a pintxos bar:

• The best way to discover the real ambiance of San Sebastian is to ‘pintxos crawl’ and get in to the spirit of discovery, camaradie and fun!
• Find some room in a crowded bar so you can stand with your friends. Try to locate a place where you can leave your drink just in case you need both hands. Take a look at the pintxos in the menu (usually served hot) and the cold pintxos displayed on the bar counter to make your best choices.
• If you order hot pintxos, you can take the cold ones from the bar with your hands. If you feel more comfortable, ask for a small dish. If you want the bar pintxos to be heated, you can ask the barman to do so.

• Eat, drink, observe, listen and learn!
• After eating one or two pintxos and having a drink, most locals change to a different bar. If we decide to do that, we will ask for the bill, tell the barman how many we’ve eaten and what we’ve drunk (this process is a bit more complicated with a group, but we’ll make it happen). The system is based on honesty. We need to make those numbers accurate because the barman is usually memorizing what customers are taking, all the while!
• You can say, ‘Eskerrik asko, “Mila esker” or ‘Gracias” to thank them. “Agur” or “Adios” are the Basque and Spanish words to say good-bye.
• Next pintxos bar… repeat previous steps.

Something you shouldn’t do in a pintxos bar…or risk looking like a tourist:

• Some bars might offer you a big dish so you can fill it with a dozen pintxos from the bar counter (that’s for unwary tourists). Ask for pintxos one by one.. repeat previous steps.

Basque pintxos are usually:

• An original slice of bread piled with food of any kind – speared with a banderilla
• Tiny miniature haute cuisine creations
• Flavored, elaborated bites of ‘heaven’

Are you ready to tapa crawl and pintxo hunt?  Join us on this culinary adventure to Spain~ !