Benodust: JP visits barcelona jan 19, 2014

Jerome P. Hoban turned 40 years old December 21, 2014. His wife Lisa’s birthday present was a trip to visit the Barcelona Hobans. A fab gift for JP and even more fab for CB, corri and myself. Thank you Lisa. It was nice to have someone from home and a good time was had by all. It was pre-arranged that after meeting us in Barcelona for a few days he would travel with me to Rome. Main reason for visiting Rome was to take a pizza course given by a famous roman pizza maker, Gabriele Bonci. Relax, I am well aware that there are a few other reasons to visit Rome. we will get to them too.

Corrinne fixed up her room for him with all the hotel conveniences, soaps, shampoo, and a paper electronic key that needed to be swiped across a paper reader to gain access to his room. If you did not make beeping noises as you swiped, it did not work.

When traveling east to Spain from California you get a bit jetlagged. Add to that, a multi hour flight delay = one tired JP. He slept pretty late the first few days. Pretty easy guest as far as we were concerned. When he was up and around we showed him some of Barcelona. We walked around the oldest area of barcelona and ran into a bubble artist at catalunya square.

JP contemplating bubble formation

Corrinne in the middle of it all

Catalunya square

Jerome is a do-it-yourselfer, fixer, builder. Like many of my sibs, he can build just about anything. So interesting/unusual architecture would be of interest to him.

ENTER, Barcelona’s own: Atoni Gaudi. Famous, early 20^th century, naturalist architect who put his stamp and personality all over Barcelona. Gaudi designed structures using the natural forms he found in nature. Many of his homes looked like something you would find in a Dr. Seuss children’s book. Seriously, Horton the elephant would not be out of place in Güell park.

A quick park Güell history: Señor Güell was a wealthy industrialist that hired Gaudi to design and build many structures in Barcelona. In 1910 the two of them set out to build a new home development in the suburbs of Barcelona. Gaudi completed several homes and outdoor spaces before the development lost steam. Gaudi lived out the rest of his life (1927) in one of these homes. After his death the development was abandoned and went into dis-repair. In the 1970’s the buildings and market were renovated and the development was made a historical site/park named Güell park. Barcelona has grown and Güell Park is no longer in the suburbs, but part of Barcelona proper.

One of the completed houses @ park Guëll

entry to the outdoor market Gaudi built in Guëll park

famous salamander

house

another house

under the canopy of the market. each ceramic designs on the ceiling are unique

We have seen many Gaudi buildings around Barcelona, but have not gone inside. We were waiting to go with out-of-town guests who might be interested in touring them.

I was a fan of Gaudi’s work for its art value, but did not think I would enjoy living in one of his creations. I thought it might get tiring, living in a comic book. Not so. Not so.
With Jerome we toured the Batlló family home on Gracia ave. Gaudì’s inspiration for this home was the “ocean.” And everything in it took on a nautical theme. it was awesome. Everything he builds took on a naturalist form without sacrificing function. He thought about every detail of the residence, windows were facing a strategic direction, they opened in strange ways (but easily), even the window latches were custom carved to fit a persons fingers. He designed unique arches to support the building, custom woodwork to fit each room, custom tiles, and paint through-out. He even designed the furniture for each room. I stood corrected. I could live in this house, but it looked looked like a carnival from the outside

Casa Batlló, behind my head is the window that corrinne is looking out in the next photo.

I wish I could find the daddy, i'm a little afraid of being alone in this Dr. Seuss house!

fire place sitting area in living room

back patio

CB calling her friend to come check out this cool door.

one of severel chimneys on the roof

attic

we also visited the Gaudi designed, Sagrada Famìlia Basilica (Holy Family ). Close to 100 years of construction and still not completed. This cathedral with its garish, busy exterior is Gaudi’s interior masterpiece of light. Here he reaches his goal of lifting the human spirit to the heavens. A conversation with this man would have been interesting.