Our Most Magical Day In Barcelona So Far (Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluna and Maitea Tavern)
We finally had a free day and determined not to waste it, and voila! it was our best day here yet. Many years ago, I watched Freddie Mercury & Montserrat Caballé perform the song Barcelona at the Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluna. As I wept profuse tears of joy, I vowed one day to go there. Today was the day that dream came true. (Note: If you have not watched this masterpiece—click the link and enjoy it before you read the remainder of this post).
The stairs up to the museum on Montjuic high above Barcelona are pretty intimidating. Even though we took the metro there, we ended up with over 15,000 steps and many genuine stairsteps. The museum is a sublime work of art on its own, as you see in the Freddie Mercury video, and the art inside is truly wondrous. Gina and I marveled that most of these exquisite creations came from Barcelona artists. This city has hundreds, if not thousands, of years of artistic legacy. You can feel the muse throughout the property. I was so inspired.
I will let the many photos do most of the talking. I have added captions. It was indeed a magical experience. Gina, who usually is nonchalant about museums, was captivated, as was I. A pleasant surprise was that our admission (usually €12 each) was free because we are over 65. Yes! Another pleasant surprise was that the museum (Tuesday in the offseason) was virtually empty; at times, it seemed we had the entire place to ourselves.
Afterward, we returned home to our virtually empty apartment (we had been waiting on our furniture for two weeks and just got the distressing news that it would not be delivered until the 29th). Ugh. I did the Spanish thing and took an afternoon siesta. Then we went to a highly recommended restaurant for an 8:15 pm dinner.
It is called Maitea Tavern and features pintxos (skewers) and tapas. They base the food on Basque cuisine: taverns, cider houses, steakhouses, and grandmothers’ recipes. The restaurant and staff were understated, but the service and food were extraordinary. It is easy to see why there are so many Michelin-starred restaurants in the Basque Country and why Spain has the most Michelin-starred restaurants in the world. The food here is on another level. It is superb.
It was my favorite culinary experience (out of many) since we lived here. Oh my. We ordered several house specialties, breaded artichoke croquettes with romesco, codfish with garlic mousseline, sweet patata bravas, batter fried Hake cubes with citrus mayonnaise, and Bailey’s tiramisu paired with a Ribera Del Duoro red wine (tinto vino). Oh yum! Also on the menu (when we gather the courage and experience) ox tripes spicy stew, pig ear & fried eggs, pig trotter’s and mushrooms stew, and civet of wild boar, to name only a few of the exotic dishes featured there.
And to think, the adventures have only just begun.
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***Click the photos to enlarge. Some of the thumbnails are only partial renditions.
So romantic here.Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluna Gina is in awe!Lots of stairs, LOTS!A spectacular view of Barcelona from the stairsGina was captivated by this statue’s butt.Artist restoring the ancient fresco. Fascinating. These intricately built wooden containers hold the frescos. Amazing. One of the few interesting altarpieces—so phallic. These frescoes were unbelievable. The largest collection in the world. Beautiful rendering. I would like to paint a nude in this style.This suggestive painting was a warning from the church about the desires of the flesh. Sigh. The church and politics always try to regulate and censor pleasure. A massive room in the middle of the museum. Hard to comprehend the size. My second favorite of the day. Is she asleep or dead? The knife at her feet provides a clue?This mesmerising work is carved from wood. Spectacular. The eyes have lashes!The detail is extraordinary.Amazing.An entire section was devoted to religious blood and death. Traumatic for me. This is one of the many fabulous rooms in the museum. Oh my, the ceiling.Gina’s favorite sculpture. Another viewpoint.This painting captivated me for some time. My favorite painting. It is called “Possession” but who is possessing who?Another one of my favourites.And yet another. What emotion and beauty.Love this one!So beautifully erotic and passionate. Very intriguing. Is that the nun unclothed? Or one of the others? Why?So innocent and so beautiful. Surprise! A Dali painting of his father. I had to contemplate it for a while. How would I paint my father?Beautiful body and exquisitely rendered sculpture.“The Crusader.” Obviously uncircumcised and powerful emotion. A work of sheer beauty.A rare photograph. Powerful and stunning. Another painting that captured my imagination for some time. Fun! Reminds me of the seventies in America. I wish I had captured a nude portrait of me at this age. I regret not doing so. The youth, the muscle tone, the confidence. No shame. Beautiful. Interesting juxtaposition between the sculpture and the painting “behind” it. Surprisingly, there seemed to be more male nudes than female. Something about this painting captured me. So sensual. I can’t remember the name or subject matter. Stunning. “The Artist’s Wife” Now this is a psychological study. “The Playwright” Ah yes, those damn artists…we are a crazy lot. Curious how a painting will at times bring a companion to mind. This one certainly did. Another sculpture that raised all sorts of emotion in this father of two girls. It is called “The First Cold.”Gina’s favorite artwork of the day. The building itself is an exquisite work of art. The spectacular view of Barcelona and an equally stunning human in the foreground. another closeup of this sensual and thought-provoking statue. Gina’s reaction to the delivery of the first tapas of the evening.Fried hake chunks. The best fish I’ve EVER had. Hake is called Merluze in Catalan. Our waiter, Albert, warned us that if we buy it fresh in the market to freeze it for 48 hours and cook it to at least 60 Celsius to kill the little creatures that reside within. Ha!Ah, San Sebastián. Basque Country. I felt as if I was transported there at this dinner. I cannot wait to visit the real thing. Oh my. Dessert or ‘Postres” in Catalan. Oh yum! Bailey’s Tiramisu. One of Gina’s favourites.
4 responses to “Our Most Magical Day In Barcelona So Far (Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluna and Maitea Tavern)”
JimBo
I see a book developing…”An artist’s view of Spain” ;)
Yes indeed! Already have the title and outline. Ha!!
Becky
It is deeply fulfilling to read your thoughts and emotions you are experiencing on this new journey. I can’t find words to describe how thrilled I am for you and Gina. I feel fortunate that you are so open and eager to share your life with us.
4 responses to “Our Most Magical Day In Barcelona So Far (Museu Nacional d’Art de Cataluna and Maitea Tavern)”
I see a book developing…”An artist’s view of Spain” ;)
Yes indeed! Already have the title and outline. Ha!!
It is deeply fulfilling to read your thoughts and emotions you are experiencing on this new journey. I can’t find words to describe how thrilled I am for you and Gina. I feel fortunate that you are so open and eager to share your life with us.
Thank you so much, Becky. I love putting experiences into words-it helps me relive and savor them again and again.