Day 4

[poliphilo]

This is where the holiday proper starts. Up early and off to Figueres- Salvador Dali's home town.

The little theatre at Figueres got smashed in the Civil War. Dali rebuilt it and turned it into a shrine to himself which is part art gallery, part House of Fun and part mausoleum (he's buried in the cellar.)

I took pictures, but they're not very good. For a virtual tour click here

Dali was a very shy and inhibited man who disappeared into his performance of himself. I don't think he's a great artist, but he was always interesting and entertaining.

Most of his work looks better in reproduction.

Figueres itself is very attractive and very smart.

We had lunch in a cafe next to the church of Sant Pere.

When we got back to the hotel Ailz went for a swim while I explored the hotel grounds and- looking over the garden wall found we had a Roman villa next door.

To be continued...

Comments

[ibid.livejournal.com]

Those are wonderful.

I love Dali, but I think to some extent like Wilde he used his genius in living.

[poliphilo.livejournal.com]

Thanks.

That's true about Dali. One could argue he was his own most potent work of art.

At the same time, I think his celebrity has led to him being under-rated as an artist. He was always experimenting, always eager to play about with new ideas and technologies.

[kaysho.livejournal.com]

It says good things about your hotel's spot if people have been relaxing there for at least 2,000 years, doesn't it? :)

Thanks for posting the photos ... I'm enjoying the vicarious trip.