Lyon Beaux-Arts

The Beaux-Arts Museum of Lyon is located in a former 17th century Benedictine abbey on the presque ‘ile. On the plaza facing the museum is a formidable sculpture by Botholdi, he of the Statue of Liberty. Four horses pulling a chariot rise up out of a fountain in an allegory to the Garonne & it’s tributaries. The core of the museum is a sculpture garden surrounded by a cloister.

The chapel of the museum holds the majority of the sculpture collection. It was this exhibition that had the most lasting impression on me with beautifully executed and powerfully emotive pieces by Rodin, Etex, Pradier & Maillol. There was also an excellen holding of Egyptian mummies and canopic jars, which seemed untouched by time. Of all the paintings, I most enjoyed Gericault’s The Monomaniac of Envy. Wayne liked Picasso’s Woman Seated on the Beach and Zubaran’s St. Francis. We spent about 4 hours there, had lunch & then took the funicular back up to Fourviere to see the Gallo-Roman ruins. The Romans settled Lyon in 43 AD and were present for about 350 years. Lugdunum was the Roman name of the city. Evidence of the Romans is everywhere and discoveries are still made. The amphitheater is not as beautiful as Taormina’s but certainly as impressive. The accompanying museum held complete floor mosaics as large as 25′ x 50’ which one could walk on. Many of these were discovered in Lyon homes as late as the 1900’s.

We intended to go to the Museum of contemporaey art after dinner. But there was an event (the type of which eluded us) in the lobby with a speaker.

Les Beaux-Arts

Bordeaux to Lyon

Not much to report today. The majority of it was spent on the train. The trip from Bordeaux to Lyon was 7.5 hours. There were about 7 stops, which added to the time. Unfortunately, France’s first class car does not offer the service our Espana travels led us to expect. There were no warm towelettes, no tv, but most important, no food. The stops were too short to jump off. Alas, The fasting made up for last night’s gorging on duck & fois gras.

The Lyon station, Part Dieu surprised us with the hundreds of people milling around. It was twilight so we decided to catch a taxi rather than the bus. Our hotel is a Hilton, an American style fat hotel. We met a nice young man in the lounge where free scotch was available. He wanted to practice English and spent a lot of time giving us advice on sights, restaurants and transportation. My first goal in Lyon will be to find A Beautiful Launderette.

Bordeaux

I’m in love again. Yes, I am a fickle traveler. I love the one I’m with. Bordeaux is Versailles of the southwest; huge structures straddle places while narrow streets wind and offer glimpses of cathedral spires. It’s a city of glimmering ochre. After our arrival yesterday we went for an early dinner (late lunch?) at Karl’s where we were offered “clean air and green atmosphere”. The place was packed with 20 somethings chattering away. We did some strolling to the Place de Bourse and then found a little wine store where the owner was a Brit who has lived here for 34 years. He sent us back to the hotel with some local Merlot and Cabernet.

This morning we began with coffee on the Royal Hotel patio across from the Grande Theatre. We walked down Rue Carherine to find our way toward the Cathedral St Andre. Rue Catherine was originally the Roman Gallo way into Bordeaux. It is one L O N G road packed with shops and ending at the Place de la Victoire where we found a delightful sculpture of a mother turtle and baby. A few blocks away was the Cathedral. It is a UNESCO site, built in the late 11th
century. Only the front wall of the original structure remains. The latest formation is in the Southern Gothic style. The bell tower is separate from the cathedral. It was here that Eleanor of Aquitaine married Louis VII.
We made two other stops today. The first at the Grosse Cloche, the only remaining part of the gateway to St Eloise, a part of the medieval town hall. The second stop was the Basilique Saint-Seurin. This is a UNESCO site. Probably the birthplace of Christianity on Bordeaux, part of the church includes an 11th century Romanesque porch, apse, and crypt. At dinner this evening we ate next to an American who had just come from Egypt where he had been living. 

Place Bourse, Bordeaux

Bilbao to Bordeaux

Boarding the train ahead of us this morning were 3 elderly couples with enough luggage and totes to clothe 10 families. They were all under 5′ and looked as if they would fall through the gap at any moment while they pulled and lugged bags onto the train. They were yelling and bossing each other, paying no mind to the dozen people patiently waiting behind them. I was grabbing bags and lifting them onto the train. Wayne was steadying the women as they mounted the steps. We felt empathy and sympathy until we were onboard & they continued to block the aisle stowing their multitude of bags and arguing about where to sit. Then one of the old men twice pushed me aside in the aisle, and one let the door slam in Wayne’s face. It’s already decided. We’re exiting the opposite end of the car 

Now a word about how the USA could take a lesson on Spanish conservation. Every hotel uses the room key to maintain the electrical current in the room. It slides into a slot by the door. They give you only one key so that when you leave you must take it out of the slot thus automatically shutting off everything. Most escalators begin running as one steps onto the area in front. The hairdryer in one hotel only operated as long as the on switch was held down. And all toilets have the dual flush options.
Other different things
1. Bread is always served. There is always an extra charge for it. There is never butter. We couldn’t decide if we should say, “no pan”, not eat it, or what. So we just paid w/o complaint.
2. An entre is only the protein. And there is no option for sides. I guess it’s a good thing the bread is there.
3. There is very little tipping. The gov’t mandates inclusion within the costs. We do tip.
4. Streets and public places are clean and constantly being cleaned.
5. Cherry trees and magnolias are in bloom.
The ride is beautiful. There are a few pictures on flickr. Try to look beyond the window glare and imagine the valley much greener. Our first change was in Miranda de Ebros a small little station where there are only 4 platforms and a very helpful porter. The country changed dramatically on the ride to our next change, Hendaya, France. We think we were passing the Pyrennes. At any rate they were quite large snow capped mountains.
Arrived on Bordeaux at 4:30. Took a cab to our very charming hotel in the old city. Immediately went to eat something. Can’t tell you how beautiful and full of old world charm this place is. No one appears to be under 22 years of age. And they are everywhere. Tomorrow I will show you through photos the beauty of Bordeaux. 

3 Comments

1. kathrynlima | February 17, 2011 at 7:34 pm | Reply

   Did you see the windmills? Spain and Portugal generate a higher proportion of their electrical power from the wind than anyone else.

2. Christy | February 17, 2011 at 7:56 pm | Reply

   We did when flying into Madrid. Nothing from the train though.

3. carolynberlin | February 28, 2011 at 9:39 pm | Reply

   What a fantastic photo, what a beautiful landscape!

Posted in Travel

Guggenheim Bilbao

Malcolm McLaren said, “The medium is the message.” When it comes to Frank Geary’s Guggenheim, no truer statement could be said. The interior undulates in the same manner as the exterior. Here, several noted contemporary artists have site specific permanent pieces in dedicated galleries. I’m not sure if Geary invited them. But they all pay homage to his design. Jenny Holzer, Jim Dine and Richard Serra each hallmark their medium with works that complement the space. The most effective is Serra’s. I’ll let the photos on flickr tell the story. Julia, thought of you when we walked through Louise Borgeoise’ Maman. And, Carolyn, there is a group exhibit titled Haunted that addresses memory through photography and video. It speaks to your interest.

All the galleries are huge and serve well 20th century abstract art. Really, really, really nice museum.

Richard Serra's The Matter of Time, Guggenheim Balbao

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Posted in Travel

Madrid to Bilbao

 

Bilbao Estacion Abando

Early morning found us on the 8am train out of Madrid’s Chamartin Station to Bilbao. The ride was about 6 hours through countryside that was both agricultural and dotted with heavily industrial towns. There were no train changes so we relaxed, read and enjoyed the view. This was our first reserved ride and came with delightful revelations. We discovered that in first class stewards continuosly pass through the car offering warm, wet towelettes, choice of hot or cold breakfast & coffee, tv w/earbuds, newspapers. Our seats were larger and roomier than air travel 1st class. About an hour out of Bilbao the landscape switched to beautiful rolling hills and very green valleys. It was a gray and cloudy day. With El Greco in my head and that sky before me, I could understand his skies and atmospheric depictions.
Upon arrival we decided to walk the 30 minutes to our hotel just to
stretch and get a feel for the city. All the guide books had described
Bilbao as gritty, industrial with nothing to offer except the
Guggenheim. Well, apparently those writers have never been to New Bedford. The have no idea what gritty truly is. This place is cosmopolitan with great restaurants, clean & bustling streets. Our hotel is directly across from the Guggenheim. We can see Jeff Koons’ Puppy from the doorway. We walked the museum grounds and headed to dinner at Mariko’s where our waiter was the most charming. He and we had a lot of fun trying to cross the language barrier. We talked about the Basque being the first people to cod-fish in massachusetts. So, in conclusion, I am totally charmed by Spain and anticipating the Guggenheim.

Toledo Redux

 Our 2nd day in Toledo began with a nice breakfast in the hotel. My first fruit in a week. Yea! We had the entire day to explore before taking the 5pm train back for an overnight in Madrid. We began at Santa Tome, a chapel built specifically to house Greco’s The Burial of Count Orgaz. The chapel is modest, small and dates from the 14th century. I found the last museum we visited to be the best. The Museo de la Santa Cruz was once a Catholic hospital complete with beautiful Mudejar ceilings and a cloister. The first floor showed tapestries depicting Alfonso IV’s conquering of African areas. The detail, craftsmanship, and quality were amazing. These are unique in that they depict events of their time rather than myths or history.

The 2nd floor had additional artifacts and El Greco’s Assumption. The special exhibit was of the Spanish Renaissance and Mannerist artist Carrera. The works were very strong in color and form.
We ended the day with a ride on the Zocotrain, a Disney-like contraption that took us around the outside of the town for views of the ramparts and city. We left on the 5pm train to spend a night in Madrid so we can catch a very early train to Bilbao.

Toledo

 The train to Toledo from Madrid takes only 35 minutes. It was a good trial run for 2 Americans accustomed to the big handy car in the driveway. We had checked out the Atocha train station the day before. It is quite large and confusing. There is a large indoor garden complete with turtle pond.

The approach to Toledo reveals the battlements rising up off a massive granite hill. It is completely walled. Toledo has a long history beginning with an Iberian settlement conquered by the Romans in 192 BC, followed by the Visigoths in the 6th century and the Moors in the 8th. It was the Moors who left a lasting legacy of architecture religion and learning. The mazelike streets and predominance of brick are their influence. Interiors have Mudejar designed ceilings. Toledo for me has best been known for the artist El Greco. When he lived and worked in Toledo, the town was in decline. I think due to this, El Greco was neglected until the 19th century thus preserving most of his major works in Toledo.
Our first day here we walked for hours through the streets which were narrow, cobbled and hilly. We visited the Cathedral. I thought maybe Gaudi had time traveled and left
his mark. It was much too grandiose and lacking in aesthetics for me. The choir is
unusually located in the center of the nave. Every inch of its dark wood is carved; the
seats depict the fall of Granada. In the treasury is El Greco’s Espolito, which offended
the Inquisition because Christ was on a lower level than some of the other
figures, landing EG in jail. Another church, San Roman, which was far more beautiful in its simplicity, was covered in 13th century Mudejar frescos and ceiling. That night we took another walk. It was very quiet and romantic. All the tourists had left (except us lol).

Toledo

El Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza

Posted on February 12, 2011 | Leave a comment

The Thyssen Museum was once a private collection gathered over 2 generations. It was recently sold to the Spanish government for 350 million. And let me say that was some bargain. This is one of the most amazing collections I have ever seen. It was the largest private collection 2nd to the British royal family (according to the Internet). The collection is arranged chronologically beginning with Medieval pieces and continuing through 20th century. To truly appreciate the works go to the website. I’ll mention what I recall as astounding to me.
1. Van der Weyden’s Madonna
2. Holbein’s Henry IV and adjacent to it a little Catherine of Aragon as young girl portrait
3. Durer’s self portrait
4. Albert Bierstadt, Heade, Church
5. every Impressionist
I just can’t go on. There is too much to mention. I’m speechless.

The Delight of Place

 Today, all day, we walked through the heart of Madrid and spent the day appreciating the architecture and joie de vivre of the city. Two of the most prominent squares of Madrid are in this area. They are Puerto del Sol and Plaza Mayor. Puerto del Sol is sort of the hub for busses, metro, political demonstrations, etc. It’s very lively, active and filled with tourists as well as locals. It was once the entrance to Madrid through a gate with a carved sun (long gone). The pictures on Flickr will show a statue of the city symbol, Bear with Berry Bush, and the patron, Charles III. There is a pastry shop here that defies description. Mounds of delicious delights tempted us and we gave in to delicious Neapolitans. From here we walked to Plaza Mayor, a vast, cobbled stoned square, described as a grand palace turned inside out. It’s been the stage since 1619 for bullfights, pageantry, and the Inquisition’s horrors, and the spot upon which the war against Napoleon began in 1808. We had lunch outside here in the glorious Spanish sun drinking beer and watching all the peddlers. Next, we visited the Royal Palace, avowed to be the best preserved palace in all the world as well as the 3rd largest. The royals no longer live in the palace (they have a little mansion nearby), but it is still used for royal affairs. The decor was really over the top for my taste. Too much Rococo combined with Chinoiserie left me wishing for some Shaker relief. But, amazingly there were 4 Stradivari instruments. A shame they are under glass and not played. Tonight’s dinner left us both craving something green. I don’t think the Madridians (?) recognize the vegetable family. There is fish and ham enough to feed the world, but nary a steamed broccoli in sight. 

Reina Sofia

The Reina Sofia holds Picasso’s Guernica and the studies for it. The painting occupies its own gallery. I had never seen the painting before and found nothing surprising in the viewing. Maybe the starkness and graphic nature make the reproductions work well. What was most interesting were all the studies; to see which images were discarded and which chosen was so insightful. Also, it was fun to see the transformation of the piece through a series of photographs by Dora Maar. Picasso certainly could portray anguish.

There was room after room of surrealism (not my favorite). But there was a Juan Munoz, a definite favorite.
That night we ate at a Fodors recommended tapas restaurant, el Bocaito. The atmosphere was nice, very Spanish, with ceramic plates all over the walls. But we still think Los Gatos’ food is better. We took a taxi over, but walked the mile or so back. The buildings were nicely lit. 

Walk from Bocaito to our hotel

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Museo Prado

 We got a wake up knock from housekeeping this morning at 11:00 am. What a shocker. We thought going to bed at 10:00am would solve the jet lag. Guess we were wrong about that. Alternatively, we have adjusted quite well to siestas.

We spent the entire afternoon at the Prado, a museum which lives up to its world class reputation. I saw works I’ve never before seen except in reproductions. Some of them surprised me with unexpected color and details. Among those we were most delighted by were Velazquez’ Las Meninas, Goya’s 3rd of May, Durer’s Self Portrait, and for those of you who got the visual joke in yesterday’s post, the real Naked Maja. Kathy, we saw Bosch’s The Garden of Earthly Delights and were reminded of our lovely time with you and John in the Lisbon Museum of Antiquity. There was a room entirely dedicated to murals removed from Goya’s home. His personal works are so much more expressive than the court pieces. Perhaps the piece that impressed upon both of us the most was Van Der Weyden’s Decent from the Cross, a work of near perfect composition, technique, color and emotional impact.
After, we enjoyed some small tapas at the bar* next to our hotel. I thought my Spanish was working really well until Wayne pointed out that our waiter spoke English.
We returned to the hotel where Wayne worked out while I ate chocolate and listened to Leonard Cohen. Then we returned to the area behind our hotel of muchos tapas bars for dinner. I ordered what I thought was grilled mushrooms but was in fact steak. All was good, but I obviously continue to work on my comprehension skills. Hasta mañana. *

kathrynlima | February 10, 2011 at 6:27 pm | Reply

Sounds like when we met you in Lisbon and all overslept because of the darkening shutters in the room! And I’m with you on the siestas. Javier Falcon, the Inspector Jefe in Seville in Robert Wilson’s series, has lunch at 1:00 and sleeps until about 4:00 or 5:00, after which he resumes his day. Dinner at 11:00 p.m., of course. Muy bien!

Hola Madrid

 We arrived in Madrid some 13 hours after leaving Boston. The weather was a spectacular surprise. It was downright balmy at @50. Our driver, a charming (and gorgeous) chap, drove us down the main boulevard past huge and flowing fountains and around green parks and massive city gates. We are in a very nice area. The Prado is steps away. Small pedestrian streets filled with tapas bars back up to our hotel. Trying to stave off jet lag and at the suggestion of our hotel clerk, we went to one of those bars, Los Gatos. It was a small place. No one spoke a word of English. Our seats were beer kegs. The most amusing thing was the mural, after Goya’s Maja, which I’ve pictured here. Look closely…very closely. We absolutely love this city. Kathy & John. You would, too. The boulevards remind us of Lisbon. I’m so excited about the Prado. Time to treat the jet lag. Hasta luego.

1 Comment

Juliaeinstein | February 9, 2011 at 5:28 am | Reply

Lol en espanol!

 

An Invitation

Posted on January 25, 2011 | 2 Comments

Presented here is an exclusive railing tour for the privileged few. A very special trip blog prepared for those whom we love to bore with vacation pictures. This twice in a lifetime opportunity with insider access will begin production on or about February 8, 2011. Stay tuned for Tales from the Rails.

So, admit it. This is just plain beautiful. And the Wynn is filled with beautiful mosaics. One little coffee shop has mosaics inspired by Matisse paintings. We had a leisurely morning. Took in our last warm day with a walk and a big buffet breakfast. The flight home was shorter and the jet lag less taxing.
Cause I've got friends in low places
Where the whiskey drowns
And the beer chases my blues away
And I'll be okay
I'm not big on social graces
Think I'll slip on down to the oasis
Oh, I've got friends in low places

Wayne generously spent the day shopping with me while I looked for boots. Did find the perfect boot....but not my size. Our search took us to The Venetian. It is an incredible space. This evening we saw The Jersey Boys, a play of the story of Frankie Valle and the Four Seasons. It was nice to remember the songs. But the show was mediocre. We had forgotten the Patriots were playing. Had we thought of it, we would have watched them in one of the bars rather than the Jersey Boys. We saw the first quarter, though, by choosing a restaurant with a TV and requesting a table with a view. What a game to miss!

And Trisha Yearwood, Too.

During the day we walked through both hotels and over to the Palazzo. The day was very warm and sunny. We had a nice lunch at La Cav, a tapas bar. But, without question, the best of the day was the concert. I laughed, I cried, I sang along. It is not hype that Garth Brooks is one of the best entertainers around. There is no backing band. It is Garth and his guitar. He played verses and snippets of the songs that influenced and formed him. The best were American Pie and some Cat Stevens. His wife Trisha Yearwood came out ant sang 2 duets with him. His clear, almost pained, but strong voice was as good as any recording we have So glad we went!!!

Well It's Bulls and Blood

Even though they say "what happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", I'm going out on a limb here and tell all. Odds are I will bore before I shock. The flight was a long 5.5 hours. But Wayne has a new toy, the iPad, which entertained him, and I had a good book to finish. We had a great cabby who told us that the National Rodeo World Finals were in town. So after checking in we headed straight for the concierge and secured tickets. We have wanted to go to a rodeo for some time, especially to see the bull riding. And it seemed such a serendipity since the purpose of this trip is to see Garth Brooks, he of Ropin' the Wind. And what fun it turned out to be. And LOUD, Wow. There was calf roping and steer wrestling, barrel racing and bronc riding, but best of all, there was bull riding. We're primed for the week end.

A few words about The Encore, which is part of The Wynn. Our room was the size of a small NYC apartment. The place is filled with beautiful mosaics on the walls and in the floors. There are several spectacular waterfalls and gardens so well tended. Shopping galore complements restaurants aplenty. The Encore Entry

A Little Help From My Friends

We spent last week in Pennsylvania celebrating Thanksgiving and the overall enjoyment of dining and drinking for days with friends. Ken and Vicki hosted Thanksgiving dinner. John and Kathy treated us to a wine paring dinner at their club. And we went to Pittsburgh for dinner at Majorca.

Rally for Sanity

We did our best. Drove for 10 hours through NYC stop and go traffic that seemed to stretch from the Cross Bronx Expressway to the Baltimore Beltway. Stood for 5 hours shoulder to shoulder with thousands on the DC Mall. Cheered. Laughed. Sang. Danced. Made friends with all our fellow ralliers. In other words, remained sane and hopeful. But, alas, the country as a whole remains completely insane. I'm just happy to say that I reside in MA, where civil rights, education, science, and the freedom to be an atheist still rule. I had nightmares last night that Sarah Palin was President.

We spent a fun few days in Chicago. What a fabulous city. The weather was absolutely perfect. And the people are all gracious, polite, helpful, and generous. We either walked or took public transportation everywhere. A breeze of a city to peruse. Our agenda:
1) 2 trips to the Art Institute. The new wing is open. I still like the Japanese collection.
2) The Symphony. Ricardo Muti is the new conductor. He chose Berlioz Symphony Fantastique
3) All the Frank Lloyd Wright designs we could find, both in Hyde Park and Oak Park. While in Hyde Park we saw what we could of President Obama's home.
4) Got "high up" everywhere. The Navy Pier Ferris Wheel, top of the Sear's Tower, top of the Hancock building
5) Ricky Gervais, funny man, show for HBO.