Incredible London weather.

It rained when I got here, and it’s been rather grey all subsequent days. I saw a touch of blue skies on Sunday, unfortunately, the wind was gusting.

According to the Weather Channel though (!):

Amsterdam, den Haag, Delft.

Thalys, Gare du Nord.

Spuistraat, Amsterdam.

Sad. Rijksmuseum renovation until 2012.

Prinsengracht.

Sleeping cat.

Prinsenegracht.

Crooked House and Narrow House.

Sad Part II. Former Town Hall / Royal Palace, renovation.

Sisi!

Creepy.

Waterloopleinmarkt.

Graveyard for globes.

Raw herring sandwich.

Houseboat museum.

Westerkerk.

Asperges! Delft.

Delft.

Cygne, Delft.

Delft.

Children's festival, Delft.

Delft.

Tulip museum, Amsterdam.

Button store, Amsterdam.

Amsterdam canal.

Hortus Botanicus.

Carnivorous plant, Sarracenia oreophila.

Desert-climate plant.

Hortus Botanicus.

Hortus Botanicus, greenhouse.

Paris en mai.

One of my favorite little corners of Paris.

l'Académie française.

Pique-nique dans le parc des Buttes Chaumonts_19th arr_built on quarry that provided stone for Paris buildings, developed by Baron Haussmann.

Parc des Buttes-Chaumont.

Personal favorite. Sacre Coeur off in the distance.

Église Saint-Jean de Montmartre.

Montmartre.

Montmartre.

Montmartre.

Sacre Coeur.

View of Paris from Montmartre.

Barcelona.

Few comments on Barcelona:

• The Gaudí sites definitely have to be visited, inside and out. Pictures don’t do it justice, in fact, a lot of his stuff looks awful in pictures (in my opinion), but are stunning to experience.
• Barri Gotic was really interesting to wander through (alone, because my sister was sleeping…). It made me wonder what Paris pre-Haussmann might have been like.
• I have no pictures of it (stupid!), but one of the best dishes I had was at a little bar/brasserie called Elisabets. The appetizer was a plate of broad beans cooked with sausage and it was incredibly flavorful. Havas à la Catalana? Something like that. I barely touched my entrée and dessert in order to finish that appetizer. So good.
• Another meal I have no pictures of (my sister might): our tapas meal. They had patates bravas with a delicious mayo-like dip. But most importantly, the sangria was unmatched. I’m craving it as I type.

View from room.

Sign during my stroll (Vivian was sleeping).

Sagrada Familia_Passion façade.

Sagrada Familia_Judas betraying the Christ.

Sagrada Familia_Passion façade_Lolling lurking lizard.

Sagrada Familia_interior.

Sagrada Familia_interior.

Sagrada Familia_Nativity façade.

Sagrada Familia_view over Barcelona.

Sagrada Familia_the sister.

Sagrada Familia_spiral staircase.

Park Güell.

Park Güell_view towards city.

Mies van der Rohe Pavilion. According to Viraj, a BIG DEAL. 😛

Barcelona docks.

Les hérissons à la Boqueria! Ils étaient délicieux.

Stall at La Boqueria.

Casa Batlló looking out towards Passeig de Gràcia.

Casa Batlló, light fixture.

Casa Batlló.

Attic.

Casa Battló, rooftop.

Casa Battlo, attic.

La Pedrera.

Casa Mila, La Pedrera, rooftop.

Casa Mila, La Pedrera, rooftop.

More pictures on my Picasa page, link’s to the right.

Few favorites from l’Orangerie.

Visited musée de l’Orangerie today! It was fabulous, both in terms of the artists displayed, and the size and feel of the museum. It was quite small, therefore actually manageable. Found myself introduced to artists I’d never previously encountered, and was pleasantly surprised to see paintings by familiar artists painted in unfamilar styles (think: Matisse). I don’t have pictures of it, but l’Orangerie also had two large rooms displaying Monet’s Waterlilies. There was also a fascinating little exhibition on Paul Klee. Here are a few of the favorites:

Marie Laurencin (1883-1956)_Portrait of Mademoiselle Chanel (1923). That dive-bombing bird aimed at her neck strikes me as awfully threatening. But who knows.

l'Orangerie_Paul Cézanne_La Barque et Les Baigneuse (vers 1890). Lots of pyramids.

Cézanne_Fruits, serviette et boîte à lait (1880 - 1881). I really liked this one. It's funny because the wallpaper seems a bit like a grid which on the whole composition is laid out.

Amedeo Modigliani_Paul Guillaume, Novo Pilota (1915).

Maurice Utrillo_La Mairie au drapeau (1924). Triangle/inverted triangle.

Chaïm Soutine_Arbre couché (1923-24). See the two tiny people dwarfed by the tree?

Henri Matisse_Femmes au canapé ou Le Divan (1921). Not one of my favorites, but works with the one that follows. Viewer pulled straight back to the open window and the sea beyond.

Henri Matisse_Le Boudoir (1921). This and the Marie Laurencin 'Portrait of Mlle Chanel' were probably my two favorites. Like previous, floor pattern plus angle of furniture draws one to window, but this time, window is closed and blocked by the plant. Found it rather amusing because it's like one's bounced back into the room. I feel like an intruder.

Visit by non-Curious miniMonkey.

Uninvited non-Curious miniMonkey visits Very Curious Georgy not Porgy.

Placeholder: Barcelone