A Wanderful Life

You know that the skies are colourless when practically every exterior photo that you take looks as if it’s in black and white — but it isn’t. These three pictures from the exterior of the Basilica of Sacre Couer atop Montmartre in Paris are a perfect example.

It is an extraordinarily ornate building and visually quite interesting.

 

 

 

 

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It has been over two decades since I last visited Montmartre and the Basilica of Sacre Couer — and somehow Mark had never gone there at all. So we made a trip to that elevated part of Paris and I’ll be dividing the coverage into Sacre Couer alone and Montmartre in general.

One historical note — the Basilica was completed in 1914 — a mere 99 years ago. So it is not one of the ancient monuments of Paris.

Mark had found a link online to an alternative way to get there that would be a lot less stressful regarding the amount of stairs to climb. And it also would be keeping us away from the scam artists and pickpockets that cluster outside the Abbesses stop on the Metro. That report online is at this link.

As suggested, we got off at the Lamarck station, followed the signs, and took the much more gentle route up Rue Lamarck.
 

 

 

 

After climbing a few dozen stairs, we arrived on the much quieter (and equally pretty!) back facade of Sacre Couer. The skies were so gray that my pictures looked practically black and white.
 

 

 

 

It was a less than relaxed visit given the number of teenage schoolchildren swarming all over the entry to the massive church and clustered outside on the plaza in front of the main entry. Truly — I enjoyed the architecture (including the gargoyles and crisp domes) more than the ‘vibe’ of the place.

Come back in a day or two to read (and see!) the parts of Montmartre that I did REALLY enjoy!

 

 

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Walking up the streets of Figueres, Spain on a clear and sunny winter’s day, we came around a corner and were only half way down the block when I saw huge eggs atop a the upper edges of a pinkish-orange building. I laughed and said to Mark, “That has to be the Dali Museum!”

The photos below show the striking and crayon-strong colours of the building and sky on that day. This is the side of the museum where you enter the Dali Jewels Museum.
 

 

 

 

 
I couldn’t stop smiling the entire time I was taking these photos. The whole building just gives off an energy of amusement! And how wonderfully flamboyant are those Academy Award style statues which alternate with the eggs? Genius!

Eggs are a favourite repeating motif of Salvadore Dali. “The egg is another common Dalíesque image. He connects the egg to the prenatal and intrauterine, thus using it to symbolize hope and love.”

The courtyard side below is the main entry into the 6 level (yes, you read that correctly) Dali Theatre Museum. And isn’t the soft colour palette of this more classical facade an interesting contrast to the other side of the building.

Inside the museum there are stairs, some quite steep and circular, and no elevators. So this is definitely not a place for anyone with mobility issues. It was a fascinating place to visit, but after hours and hours of trekking up and down flights of stairs, I have to admit that I was quite exhausted.
 

 

This church tower is directly opposite the Dali Museum entry that you see above. It was the Dali family’s church, Salvadore Dali was baptised here, and it has been reconstructed following severe damage during the Spanish Civil War.

 

 

My next post will show you some of the glorious things inside the museum — so come back soon.

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The day was gray and gloomy, but we eagerly took the two fast and efficient Metro trains to reach a site we had been longing to see, the uncompleted Antoni Gaudi masterpiece work, the massive Sagrada Familia in Barcelona, Spain.

We emerged from the Metro onto the sidewalk and Mark laughed as I looked left and right and didn’t see the looming structure. “I did the same thing, Sweetie. Turn around!” I did, and here was what was immediately behind me.
 

 

 
It was quite a shock since neither of us had the excited response to this massive landmark that we had expected to have and we had absolutely no desire to explore further than standing outside and taking exterior shots. The line to gain entry to the interior was wrapped around the entire right-hand block but when I asked Mark if he wanted to go in, he confirmed my ‘neutral’ sensation and said no, he didn’t want to investigate the interior either.

It was an interesting reaction since we had each been looking forward to seeing this place for several months! But my initial sensation as I turned around from the Metro exit was disappointment, not enchantment. There will be many people who read this entry and think that I am daft to say that, but it is a personal opinion. It looked like a vast, blobby mess adorned with cranes and I felt no thrill or curiosity whatsoever as I viewed it.
 

 
We ate lunch at a sidewalk cafe and began walking down the Avinguda de Gaudi. As we walked, I turned around and took the photo above which did please me since it clearly illustrates the size and scale of the Sagrada Famila as it sits in the neighbourhood landscape.

The ornate street lamps pictured below were also amongst the more pleasing photos that I took on that very mixed day.
 

 

 
Come back soon for more sights, suggestions, and truthful reactions from Barcelona!
 

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Resuming the visit to Foix that we began yesterday…

Taking a break from the brilliant sun and heat, we ducked inside the abbey church of St. Volusien. In contrast to the elaborately decorated stone churches with gilded interiors that we have visited in other parts of France, this particular structure was quietly and simply elegant. For this reason, I have chosen to present the photo essay in black and white.
 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 
One tiny note for people who are ‘sensitive’ to spirit movement, there were a few places inside the church that were quite active. I laughingly thought of calling this post “Spot The Ghost” — so that’s a wee hint for you. Whenever my camera is aimed at a stationary target and nothing visible is moving but it struggles to focus in ample light, I have learned to expect surprises when I see the pictures afterward. These things have happened to me all of my life, so no, outside of the sudden plunge in temperature whilst the spirit moves by, it never rattles me.

After a tasty plat-du-jour lunch in an outdoor cafe, we headed back to St. Girons, vowing to return one afternoon for a visit to the Chateau de Foix itself and museum inside.

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A medieval hilltop chateau with ‘fairytale’ towers? Check. Picturesque and twisty cobbled streets? Check. Ancient abbey church? Check.
 

 
Welcome to Foix — a beautiful and historic town in the Midi-Pyrenees of France. It’s a small and truly lovely place for a day out and it is easily traversed on foot.
 

 
Beseiged repeatedly during the 13th Century, the medieval town of Foix was built in part on the earlier foundations of the hilltop Roman fortifications.
 

 

 

 

 

In tomorrow’s post, part 2 of A Frolic Through Foix, we pay a visit to the medieval abbey church of St. Volusien.

Hope you have enjoyed this taste of Foix!

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©Deborah Harmes and ©A Wanderful Life
Please respect the words and images on this page.
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