Maybe the last

I still have to return some items, but Saturday's visit to a new library was probably my last.

I had been wanting to visit the Joan Miró library for a while but the timing never seemed right.

The visit had a rough when I walked in and set off the alarm. Even though it was obvious that I did nothing wrong it was still awkward. I thought I would use the self-return kiosk, but I pressed the escollir idioma (choose language, in Catalan) button nothing happened. I attempted to figure out it despite the Catalan, but someone was waiting so I tried to tell him I couldn't read the Catalan. The library employee came hurrying over to rescue me, taking the books to the desk. "These are in English," he announced. I told him that I read English very well. "These are from another library," he announced. I told him that each month I visit a different library. He is not impressed and tells me to speak more quietly. Here less than five minutes and I was ready to disappear!

But no! I had to at least get the movie I came for and take some pictures for my loyal readers!!

The library is long and skinny and covered in solar panels.

One entrance faces the park and

The other entrance faces the street. No water in the moat right now.

Upstairs was filled with people doing work 

and browsing books.

I didn't see the English section and I don't know how I missed the children's area. Sorry for the limited description!

Crossing things off my list

Originally there was only one thing on my list, but the day got filled.

It started with a long run in preparation for a half-marathon in July.
The heat and humidity wiped me out even though I started at 6:30 a.m.
Truth - this is tomorrow's forecast, but it is virtually the same.

Next up was another new library (more about that later) where I checked out Frankenstein Junior, known as Young Frankenstein in English. We'll watch it to celebrate Father's Day.

I was lucky that the library that had the movie was
within walking distance of the Maker Faire, my first.

The building is made with two different types of filaments so it looks great in person. The geographical piece changed colors as it went. So many cool things that people made

One of may favorite uses for a laser cutter was to make a dollhouse!

I walked to the bus stop and waited across from an
old fire station that is now a training center and museum

Last August we bought special art passport that would get us into six museums at almost half price and would let us skip the line. Three were big ones (Miro, National Art Museum of Catalonia, and Picasso), but the others were all contemporary art museums. One was close to where I wanted to catch the train so I decided to visit.

I liked the building and all the skateboarders outside, but some of the exhibits were disturbing. The forensic architecture exhibit, which I found fascinating, focused on all sorts of crimes and the Martha Rosler: God Bless America! exhibit had a lot of social commentary. I found the combination overwhelming. You can take virtual tour of some of the museum here.

After making an imaginary wish list in the gift shop I headed to the train station along Carrer d'Elisabets and found this cool store that takes street banners and turns them into pencil cases, wallets, messenger bags, etc. I wanted one of everything.

I also want this banner advertising our town's festival.
It is free to look and takes up no room in the suitcase.

Another excursion

The language school, which includes all levels of classes for Castilian, Catalan, and English, organized a trip to Tarragona (Tarraco in Latin). The English students and beginning Castilian students were put in a group with a guide who sometimes described things in Castilian, sometimes in English, and sometimes both. I sometimes understood her!

The town is a port city but is most famous for its Roman ruins.

We spent our time at 1, 2, and 3, which were the remains of grand plaza, the circus ("(in ancient Rome a rounded or oval arena lined with tiers of seats, used for equestrian and other sports and games"), and the amphitheater. 

Beginning our tour along the outer walls. I love the river rock patterns.

Minerva Tower

The lower part is about 2200 years old the relief on the left and the inscription below are believed to be the oldest outside the Italian peninsula. There are also remains of gargoyles and loopholes (slits for shooting arrows). The picture does not quite capture it, but it good to see in person.

It was sweltering hot at midday, but I could imagine what it might have been like many years ago.

Old and new. As building crumbled and new ones were built, people took stone from anywhere to put into their houses. As you walk around town you can sometimes see houses with stones that were originally used in other structures.

I like the Tarragona flag, the one with wavy lines on the far left, a lot.

I did not see as many independence flags, maybe because it is on the edge of the region?
Maybe because people from outside of the region have moved to the area?

I got to see a bit of street art, including this mural that depicts different members of the town, including a captain, soldier, and doctor, but also the artist and his family. The open cage on a top terrace represents freedom.

I also got to see some guerrilla art! From what I have
read no one knows who painted these bollards.

 We finished the day with a three-hour lunch to complete the true local experience! I did not have coffee or a cigarette afterward, though!

So lucky!

Barcelona has many fantastic events, museums, and beaches, but I love living in a smaller town that hosts events that I can walk to and don't have to fight the crowds to enjoy.

This weekend was the 42nd Meeting of the National Bastoners of Catalonia. I tried to capture the variety among the 55 groups,

There was definitely an independence theme among the groups.

Some groups have several musicians, one had an amplified
violin player, but this group had a single musician.

An unusual title for a piece!

The range of ages among the performers was large.

but you can find a lot more amazing pictures of the 1000 bastoners here.

You might also enjoy this video.

Lucky to be able to live here!

Quick trip, part two

Because we were on foot we saw only a small part of Valencia, but it was a nice part!

Plaça de l'Ajuntament

Also on Plaça de l'Ajuntament.

Torres de Quart
We saw a lot more Spanish flags when were in the autonomous region of Valencia, one of seventeen regions. It has its own language, Valencian, but I am not clear how much it is used.

Plaza de la Virgen
with a statue of Neptune

We did not see the Holy Grail when we were in Valencia,
but we read about it and watched the Monty Python movie!

Guarding a bridge

Poseidon near the skatepark

The most visited site in Valencia is the City of Arts and Sciences, a twenty-year-old complex of stunning buildings housing the science museum, aquarium, and theater.

If we hadn't narrowly missed being caught in a thunderstorm I would have taken even more than twenty pictures. Here is a small sample.

We chose to visit only the science museum, which was a good choice since it filled all our time.

I was surprised that this entire exhibit was entirely in Castilian and Valencian, although the translator asks if I want to translate from Catalan, so the languages are similar. I just looked at the pictures.

It was a quick trip, but really felt like a vacation. Maybe we
should do the same thing when we return to California.

Quick trip, part one

A. had a long weekend because of Whit Monday so we decided to take a quick trip.
The destination was listed in Castilian and Catalan.

We took an express train, but not this kind of AVE train.

We did not arrive at this beautiful station,

but this more modern one.

There is also a street named after Sorolla, a painter born in Valencia.

I used a lot of self control and did not photograph every tiled street sign.

From the train we could see groves of Valencia oranges.

This restaurant used one as a weight to hold napkins.

The oranges are definitely part of the identity of the town.

I wonder if people pick the ones growing along the sidewalks.

I am not sure why there were so many Moreton Bay Fig/
Australian bayon trees in town, but they looked great!

Great tree mural!

Jacaranda trees made us feel at home.

The first day we spent a lot of time in the Garden of the Turia, a former river bed converted to an enormous park after the river was diverted to prevent another enormous flood.

The entire green area is one park without any road crossings because the cars use the bridges built before the flood of 1957. Within the park are futbol, football, and baseball fields,

walking paths, running paths, cycling paths,

and several playgrounds including one based on Gulliver and the Lilliputians.

Nice to be on vacation!