Hola amigos!
Well, the last week has been a remarkable journey through the mountanous villages in the South of France and then down to Barcelona; the architectual and Art Nouveau capital of Spain. Now into the North of Africa where, from the expatriate American and European hub of 'Rick's Cafè' in Casablanca, (made famous by Humphrey Bogart and Ingrid Bergman in the movie of the same name) my composition begins....
The backdrop of vibrant live jazz music and haze of wafting cigar smoke sets a mood reminiscent of the Hollywood Golden Age. But, unfortuntely any perceived old world charm of the true Casablanca is really a feature of days gone by and perhaps only in the movies- Nonetheless a fitting atmosphere to remember the romantic ambience of my last few days in France...
This started in Grenoble, a former host of the Winter Olympics and with the rich skiing history of the nearby Pyrenees and French Alps. It was here i continued my exploration of art and architecture taking a self-guided walking tour of the town admiring the pastel uniform terrace houses with strings of fairy lights adjoining the window boxes and wrought iron balconies. To the local Musee de Grenoblè for yet more Impressionist and Post Impressionist works that progressed decidedly (as my travels would too) into the Avant Garde movements of the Twentieth Century- starting with blank canvasses and rows of wood sticks by artists i can't remember. This short visit culminated in a big hike up a small mountain and then we continued further south into Montpellier.
This leg included a day trip to Nimes for a crash course in Roman History and the colonisation of this part of France by the Romans dating back to 120BC and the reign of Emperor Augustus. I was to learn that after Julius Caesar conquered Gaul, he sought to transform Nimes into a city worthy of Rome erecting public monuments, towers and city walls towards 25BC that symbolised an outward display of the absolute strength of the Romans- the new rulers of the land. It was around the time of the Colloseum in Rome that a huge amphitheatre was built that now boasts a better state of preservation than its more well known counterpart. A longwinded audiotour sought to recreate the history of gladiatorial combat as well as bullfighting and Toreros. The brutality was further emphasised through a 3D IMAX production of the 'Le Retiare' gladiator (recognisable with his unusual armour of pronged fork-like spear and a fishing? net) lunging through the screen into my eye and ultimately victorious over the less agile 'Le Scissor'; weighed down by heavy helmet and full body armour (but no scissors). But enough Roman history for one email!
Arriving in Barcelona was an immediate and overwhelming Spanish introduction to the art and architecture of the New Modernisme including Picasso, Gargallo: (contemporary sculpturist and volumetric innovator) and of course the architectural genius of Antoni Gaudi. The journey was an experience in itself- A chaotic chain of events including a lost mobile phone, misplaced clothes and possessions, blanket train strikes and an ending like something out of 'Nacho Libre' with an eventual rickety bus ride over the border into Spain (miraculously managing to reach our destination). This experience put an abrupt halt to the pastel coloured dream-like sequence of my journey so far and served as a stark introduction to some of the harsher realities of O/S travel. If my clothes were an outward display of inner turmoil, 'grey' was certainly reflective of the mood and turn of weather. Perhaps alikened to Picasso's Blue Period of 1901-1904. A strongly symbolic period where the colour blue monopolised most of his compositions bringing an atmosphere of mystery, sadness and melancholy. This was followed by his Pink Period of 1905 -1906 where the predominance of black, ochre and green tonalities meant that the pink period 'was much less pink than the blue period was blue' and hopefully just as temporary as my own 'grey' - already adapting to the colourful mosaics of Spain and now Morocco.
It was fascinating to Follow Picasso's life and loves and various controversies through Barcelona's Musee de Picasso. The last period of his work was one where he acted with total freedom of expression and brushstroke- typified by more daring iconography and satirical burlesqua tonalities. In his 20s, Picasso's progression away from academic restraints and towards 'Cubism' no doubt was inspired by the Catalan architectural Modernisme movement lead by Gaudi at the end of the Nineteenth Century. Set amongst remnants of the old Roman town, we visited Gaudi's various architectural accomplishments, including the La Sacrada Familia- his unfinished masterpiece. This holy and enormous church was commenced in 1882 and still has more than 25 years of work left to go! It's innovative geometric shapes and naturalistic style is symbolic worldwide of Barcelona as a city dedicated to building it's future. La Pedrera and Park Guell, named in honour of his great patron Eusebi Guell (another far removed relative perhaps?!) were other sights on the Gaudi list including an obligatory photograph in front of the famous ceramic mosaic crocodile water fountain.
While indulging in Paella, chocolates and pastries along the way, our spanish experience finished with a gourmet walking tour of the old city. Our guide, Gonzales, educated us on the 'gastronomical' and 'historical' origins of spanish cuisine and everything was 'specifical' and 'energetical'. Most memorable, however, the final flight of a pigoen plunging to its death from the top of a gothic church spire, becoming decapitated at my feet and splattering me with blood; any ominous symbology of which i don't even want to think about at the moment!
In closing, I now start a new journey in the arabic/french speaking muslim community of Morocco and prepare to dress modestly and respectfully for visiting the Mosques and temples second only to Mecca!. Without the mobile phone technology (current internet access aside) and my lost material posessions and clothes along the way, i face an internal struggle to redefine my identity without the consumerist excesses and creature comforts to which i have become acustomed. This transition is made even harder when your travelling companions include the 'Runway' Accessory designer for Ralph Lauren in New York, using this trip as an exposè for next season's Bohemian Couture! At the moment, the long linen kaftan robes of the Westerners smoking on street corners still look more like a fire hazard than a picture of spiritual enlightenment, but i guess i've still got 8 days to find out =)
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