As we are into the 4th day of the Rooster New Year, lets reflect on all that is past the last Monkey year ; as a person born in the year of the Tiger, the Rooster Year is supposed to be lucky in terms of Money Luck, Love (family) and Career. This is welcome news for me, as a very small business owner, I am hoping and praying that the new steps I and my colleagues have taken will lead us in the right direction.
We hope to build a global brand name, and I have only a short window of opportunity to 'seize the day' to make this happen. May the Rooster Year bring me such luck (and fortune!)
This video will bring joy and pride to all Singaporeans, our very first ever Gold in the Brazil Olympics 2016 ; he broke the Olympic record in such an awesome fashion beating the legendary Michael Phelps (21 golds), Chad le Clos, Lazlo Chech amongst all the other top swimmers in the world. I do not own the rights to this video. This will give me the motivation to run my best in Paris !!
This is a link to my Youtube Channel where we had the last Christmas in 2009 with my parents still in relatively good health. My dad Geoffrey, passed away on 20th Sept 2010 and my Mum on 8th Jan 2011. The occasion was Christmas 2009 at my house and as the video pans around, there are the Lau family, Uncle Lau is standing with the striped shirt talking to his grandson, their children May (my first cousin,wearing black) standing by the table, 2nd sister Aunty Dona (seated at the head of the table, wearing black with white jacket) to her right is 3rd sister Aunty Mina 9wearing black with white motifs,Lau's wife), Aunty Dona's daugher Wynne Leong (taking a video with her phone), on Aunty Mina's left is Aunty Mona wearing bright yellow blouse, (4th sister) and her husband Uncle Phoon. My mother is wearing yellow and my father is facing opposite her in the wheelchair. The door opens and sis -in - law Ken Wee enters with Hannah (my niece) comes in with a present. Hannah was 5 years old and her booming voice could be heard in the video. My Mum was rather bemused about some present from Hannah and after taking the present (in a plastic bag) put it beside her on the chair. My wife, May is cutting the chocolate cake while the then maid Mary Jane lays some plastic plates (obviously for serving the cake which for celebrating Christmas Day AND my son Noel's 15th birthday). In the back on the other side white table are John with my Mum's good friends, Dr. Teo Hoon Cheow, John's friend Dr. Dale Heng, and my friend Patrick Chua. In the near foreground, there is my godbrother, Ramani Muniyandi speaking to David Mitchell, his wife Soo Hoo (in pink) and their daughter Priya.
In the living area there is Noel (with white T- shirt standing), and Andrew (back facing camera in red T-shirt). The young adults standing by the table are Alex Phoon (Aunt Dona's grandson) pouring some wine, as well as Abigail (wearing the all black ensemble) coming up to Aunty Mona. My cousin May is to the left of Aunty Mina facing the camera at.
It all seems so trivial and this video is very precious to me and my brother John. Chinese New Year Traditions and Customs ----------------------------------------------------------- One of the hallmarks of any Chinese family during Chinese New Year is that the house is noisy and boisterous to 'chase away any evil spirits' as well as bring in the 'new luck'. The house of a Chinese family is normally spruced up, painted, all repairs finished, floors are varnished, good luck posters (like in our house) are put up and there is 'abundance' in the form of overflowing plants (I bought 4 new pots this year !), fresh sprigs of pussy willow, a traditional chinese new year plant and overlfowing oranges symbolising gold ingots (ie. money of course! ) Well Happy New Year of the Rooster !!!!
I have a Big Hairy Ambitious Goal (BHAG) like what the Creative boss (Mr. Sim Wong Hoo) once said, target it, spell it out in public and then go ahead and do it. The Schneider Paris marathon is a dream goal for me, having run 10 marathons since today, I want to shoot for No. 11. My training so far has been shambolic, and can effectively do 10 km. I have 2 months and 2 weeks. Its time to get going !!
Its time to lace on those shoes, train 4 to 5 times a week, regardless of the aches and pains and shoot for the best time of my life. There is no tomorrow, and no what ifs.
I do not seek anybody's approval, except my body and my willpower to make it happen.
This is the perfect start for the new Chinese New Year of the Rooster for me. My boyhood team, no hopers in the Premier League for the last 30 years, now have a team which is on the ascendancy. See them beat Liverpool convincingly 2 : 1 at away ground, Anfield. 2 fantastic goals from Stearman and Wiemann give the Wolves an unassailable 2 - 0 lead before the 'Pool pulled 1 goal back. To beat the current 4th places BPL team in the standings at their home grond, Anfield, is really something to crow about in this Year of the Rooster ! Oh my friends and family who are die hard Liverpool supporters are smarting over their Bak Kwa (Barbecued Pork) in front of their HDTV screens ! Bring it on Year of the Rooster !
My Dad on left with the late Prof Chau Shih Ching senior pathologist at SGH
Here are some old photos of my Mum and Dad over the years. This batch of photos shows them at the Medico-Legal dinner held by SGH every year. Our family was good friends with Prof. Chau Shih Ching and family. Every year they would come to our parent's place for lunch and there would be lots of laughter and merriment. Prof. Chau was a real joker and his jokes knew no boundaries. Being the Chief Pathologist at the S'pore General Hospital was a very taxing job and of course, once he was off work he would crack all kinds of jokes to his closest friends and family. The days of togetherness are gone, but I sincerely hope to have this same kind of crackling laughter and joy each and every Chinese New Year in the days and years to come.
Anna with Dr Tan Ser Kiat formerly CEO at SGH
My mother was a fabulous host, she was warm hearted,and so was my father. They were a gregarious couple who hosted great and joyous parties at our family home for more than 2 decades. The dishes she used to 'make' (actually the maid at that time) were the potato cutlet and fish curry. Then she would buy things like roast duck, 'fa chai' and mushroom. The rest of the food would be brought over by family friends. Mrs. Chau would make a very good Carrot Cake which she would painstakingly deliver to our houses every year without fail. Thank you Mrs. Chau !
Mum with her Jazz Ballet Classmates
Mum and Dad circa 1986
In the later years (when my Dad was weak in the legs), we would more often than not, go out to dine for the Chinese New Year get together, our favourite restaurant of choice would be the Li Bai Chinese Restaurant at Sheraton Towers. Till today, I still go and purchase their Radish Cake from the very affable Head Maitre'D Ms. Michelle who remembers me each year with a cheery "Happy New Year Mr. Mark !". The other restaurant where my Dad loved to dine was the Imperial Treasures at Takashimaya.
Mum and Dad dirca 2005
We must never forget our families and where we came from ; as the family is the bedrock of all societies. As an Asian society, we have a duty to keep family ties and bonds strong, so that going forward, our children may take reference to continue to uphold the family name and keep alive the tradition of filial piety and family bonding.
This song has been playing non-stop in my car's CD ; the Stones are a class act. Anti-establishment from the word go without offending or insulting the ordinary listener. They have always been inspired by the Rhythm and Blues and infusing their 'in-your-face' attitudes and lyrics, have been at the top of the Rock and Roll charts for 4 decades. The secret of their staying power ? "Its only Rock and Roll but I like it." Easy going bad boys who are perfectionist in their music craft, hard working individuals, slave driving task masters and all round rambunctuous party animals who epitomised the 60s and early 70s Woodstock anti-establishment mood. Individually they are great musicians, Mick Jagger, the ugly frontman oozes charm and sex appeal is a great singer. Keith Richards, the lead guitarist is the epitome of coolness with a cigarette in his mouth even while sleeping. Ronnie Wood the bass guitar is Muppet like in looks but very talented string man, Charlie Watts is the drum maestro, Bill Wyman the shy looking bass guitar and Brian Jones. Now, they're are best remembered for their tuneful R and B sounds and great lyrics. My all time best Band in the World. Long live the Rolling Stones !!
Ruins in Luxor It is clear President Trump wants to 'clean house' and make good on his promises. He has antagonised and angered so many segments of society with his banal rhetoric to MAGA that given the short term boost in Dow Jones stock markets and the protectionist trade stance he is planning to take, it is a matter of time the US will be the most inward looking, racially prejudiced, militarist country in the world. In the US, the millions of old and new immigrants, citizens and melting pot of new cultures have never felt so marginalized by this soft skinned, insulting and name calling despot. He will bring the US only one way - down. I feel sad for the divided nation it has become. He goes against any form literal or symbolic of the word 'inclusiveness'. The US had chosen a schmuck ; this shows how desperate they have become.
Coronation of Ramses II
To refute numbers of people attending his inaugaration and asking his spokesperson to refute the obviously smaller numbers of attendees as compared to Barack Obama reminds me of a little kid who would not want to face facts even when it is staring at him in the face. What a crassless bully.
Horas feeding Ramses II
The ruins of Egypt remind everyone that powers rise and fall, some gently, some sharply and no power ever manages to remain the greatest forever. Even the Greatest of them all Mohammad Ali succumed to Parkinson's disease and passed away at 70.
To reinvigorate the US economy, firstly the US needs to be engaged with the world at large in trade, foreign relations and tourism. This is Politics 101 or common sense. Its going one way, down.
The symbolic meanings of the Chinese New Year, firstly the giving of oranges which look or symbolise gold. So it is the sharing of the fortune from family to family, or between friends.
The red packet or 'hong bao' means literally to give out wealth. Normally married people give the 'hong bao' to the unmarried people as a means of spreading the wealth. The young in return have to say good wishes to the elder people such as 'nian nian you yu' which means 'each year will have more', 'shen ti jian kang' which means good health, 'wan shi ru yi' meaning the business will be 1000 times better and 'bu bu gao shen' which means step by step improvement in the studies and whatever endeavours.
The tempting spread of the food
As mentioned in an earlier post, the Reunion dinner is a very important one in every Chinese family and all the family members make special effort to come back, at least once every year for this most important and auspicious event. Everyone will then update each other on the events of their own lives, and there will be obligatory questions such as 'when are you going to get married ?' to the singletons and 'when is the baby due ?' to the already married. During the early years when I was single, my Aunties Mina and Mona (especially) would pinch our cheeks mercilessly and ask us "where is your girlfriend ?" and other probing emmbarrasing questions which my brother and I would stutter and stammer before they would produce the much sought after 'hong bao'.
The obligatory photo before the 'makan' (eating)
Nowadays as the 'giver' of 'hong baos', we are more forgiving with the 'strawberry generation' of youngsters and let them off after they recite the good tidings to us elders. The keeping of traditions and the Chinese culture is very strong in our family, and I would like this values, respect for elderly, giving of the wealth and good wishes to everyone to be replicated as we move on in life. Times in the globalised world are more uncertain and there is the rise of populist leaders such as Trump and Duerte (Philippines) who are seeking to be 'dirsuptive' in their spheres of influence. It is unnerving to say the least, but as long as there are the constants of family, friends and our beliefs, we will be alright.
Uncle Jimmy,Andrew,Aunty Shirley and Noel
Gambling is another common activity especially amongst the Chinese community. Fortunately for us, it is not very popular amongst our friends, as this activity can lead to compulsion. Gambling is and can be very addictive. Of course, occasional and social gambling amongst friends and family just adds spice and 're nao' to the occasion, so it is a once a year duration for many of us. 'Ban Lak' or blackjack is normally the game of choice amongst the revellers.
Our family with Por Por
At Clifford Pier Hotel
As the new year draws to an end, may I wish all visitors to this blogspot, a Happy New Year of the Rooster ! May this be a tremendous year for you personally and professionally.
Typically held on the eve of the Reunion Dinner is a must-do for all Chinese families. The eldest of the family, sister, brother, mother, father who is the eldest traditionally opens his house or apartment to all his relatives and friends to come a visiting. There will be a Reunion dinner where all the younger siblings and their families would gather. People have known to fly back cross continents to attend this once a year must do activity. Of course all the generations will be present, so it is common to have grandparents, greatgrandparents, granduncles, grandaunts, parents,1st, 2nd 3rd, 4th, uncles and aunts present for this dinner.
In China, traditionally everyone would head home, which may be thousands of kilometres away in a different province and take hours even several days just to reach home. Hence, the Chinese New Year is the period traditionallt where all factories and Government offices shut for 2 - 3 weeks. It is a once a year event and the rest of the year the factories hum and churn out everything from IPhones to cars to military equipment.
The host in the old days would 'whip up a storm' to cook for this once in a year event. When China was poor, the peasants would put all their catch into a pot called 'pun choy' and steam it. So in it would be some Chinese sausage, some meat,vegetables, eggs thats all. Now with 20 - 25 odd years of rapid GDP growth, there are easily 500 million middle class Chinese. So the 'pun choy' is very filled with the best abalone, prawns, scallops and all the Chinese delicacies.
Friends come a visiting from far
One special dish created for the 'Loh Hei' or 'tossing for prosperity' is called Yu Sheng. Created in Singapore, the base is raw salmon slices, and the rest is shredded fresh vegetables like lettuce, carrots, beetroot and assortment of Chinese sweets. The significance of tossing for prosperity and getting all your friends and colleagues to join in is one of the 'traditions' of Singapore's Chinese New Year 'dos'. There is also a recital of all the good wishes for everyone ranging from good health "shen ti jian kang", happy family, "nian nian you yu" (every year there is abundance), "bu bu gao shen" (step by step improvement), "wan shi ru yi" and "sheng yi xing rong"(business success) and the like. See the video from one Reunion dinner at our house in 2013.
Yu Sheng dish, the traditional tossing of the ingredients for luck
While it is customary to wish everyone well and say nice things, do not bring the oranges and expect red packets (prosperity money) on the Reunion dinner or eve of Chinese New Year just yet. This is only given out on the 1st day of the New Year onwards. As far as the goodies and eats, here are the list of items which you and I would sample on the new year period (typically lasting for up to 15 days).
and near
Bak Kwa (Barbecued Pork)
Spring Rolls (fried)
Pineapple Tarts
Love letters
Chinese sweets
Kweh Chi (water melon seeds)
Kum or small mandarin oranges
Old friends from Sydney James and Shirley Goh.
Much as I love Chinese New Year, I am fortunately not a big fan of the sweets and snacks. Finally, on the First Day of the new year, one should not clean the house (all this is done in the days before - I did it once and was admonished for my ignorance), cut your hair in advance and wear new clothes to symbolise the rejuvenation process and new luck and money flowing in.
Also, in our household, we eat the Nian Gao or the new year cake without fail every New Year's Day.
Situated at the coffee shop at Block 75 Eng Hoon Street (opposite Tiong Bahru Bakery) is a fabulous Cantonese style porridge stall serving the best porridge I have tasted in a long time. The porridge is painstakingly cooked and stirred in pots for several hours before it is ready to serve. Run by a pair of sisters, they operate only in the mornings 6 days a week (closed on Monday) - however they have a big fan in me.
Opening hours are only 3 each day ; from 7am until the porridge runs out of stock most days by 10 am ! Such is the demand for this great tasting porridge that most days if you come by 9am, they are into their final few bowls !!
Xian Ji Pork Porridge
The porridge is very smooth, I cannot feel any grain or uneveness in the porridge, Neither is it watery or too thick. That determines the quality of the porridge. The pot used to prepare the porridge is hidden from view, only the ones to stir and serve. The porridge is neither too salty not is the condiments too overpowering. It is served just the way I like it, with the pork meat very fresh and add a bit of sesame and pepper and I am like Goldilocks in the Aesops fable ; not too hot, not too cold but just nicely satisfied.
I have tried the firsh porridge and again the fish slices they use are porperly interspersed into the porridge just before serving. I never was a porridge fan till recently. They in my opinion serve the BEST Cantonese porridge I have ever tasted.
Fish Porridge
Price per bowl is approx. $ 5 ; not cheap and $ 6.00 for one with egg. It is a simple luxury I can have every time I crave for porridge.
In an earlier post I had the song "Take it to the Limit" sung by Randy Meisner, lead bassist of the Eagles in 1977. He looked so youthful then, he must have been 30 or 31 then. In March 2016 there was this shocking news that his wife had accidently shot and killed herself . Then I had another shock, Randy looks so old in the photo. Time and tide waits for no man. Aging gracefully is God's gift, looking younger than your years is a tremendous blessing and staying healthy is the best gift you can give to yourself.
Here are more pictures of our visit to Parc Guell. The part of the park which is free leads us up the hilltop and one gets a panoramic view of Barcelona to the south.To get there take the Metro to either Vallcacra (no disabled ramps, so its impossible for people requiring assistance) or Lesseps. Once there follow the signs which are in both Spanish and English. A funny anecdote I can relate, when we reached near the top of the hill, we saw signs directing us to either the hilltop or Parc Guell. There was a cartoon picture of the Donald Trump with the words "idioto" (idiot) below it ! His name has spread far and wide and creating all kinds of new emotions and outlooks, possibly aspirations. Love him or hate him, he is now the new POTUS (President Of The US).
The steep road leading up to Parc Guell
The view from the top of Parc Guell is simply stunning, the city is well laid out and you can view Mount Montjuic in the distance. To the south there is Barcelona beach and the Mediterranean sea. I would say that Barcelona is fascinating for many reasons. The famous architectural works of Gaudi and Miro, plus works from Picasso (there is the Picasso Museum) and the fabulous tapas. (Wacth your waistlines folks ! I ran 2 times in the early morning just to burn off all the added kilo). The latin spirit and culture is very strong as reflected by their Flamenco dance as well as their football (tika tika ; Barcelona football club is amongst the world's best).
View from the top of the hill at Parc Guell
Spain is still recovering from the 2008 world financial crisis while there are homeless people and plenty of petty thieves, the ordinary folk still have a strong resolve to carry on with life. Catalonians are famous for their business industry mainly in F and B. The leather goods industry is still humming for Spain and some of their boutique designs have become global brands (Camper, Zara and Desigual to name a few). The typical Catalonian is very proud of his heritage, and the welcome is very hospitable.
Regarding the petty thefts, I was the victim of a phone pickpocket, and tourists like us stand out like beacons so visitors are well advised to a) separate their money and credit cards to several places, perhaps keeping threequarters in the hotel safe and carry only a little and 1 card like I did b) bring along your old phone (if it is still working). Youtube is full of videos and stories of 25 to 30% of all tourists having their phones and wallets lifted by professional thieves. c) Wear a waist pouch and keep it hidden under your vest at all times.
d) where possible, stay clear of Al Fresco (open air) dining where my phone was swiped from under my nose after I placed it on the table for only 2 minutes ! e) Never put your wallet at the back pocket or carry a handbag ; these are open invitations to thieves to come and take it ! f) Keep your passport, most cash and most credit cards in the hotel. g) Always be vigilant ; if you drink, drink in moderation as they can spot a tipsy tourist a mile off and then you are targetted. The thieves work in teams of 2 to 5 so be warned.
Washerwoman motif in Parc Guell
I personally saw 2 incidents where the victim was chasing after the thief, 1 pair ran right next to me just one feet away. And the next night I became the victim.
So, in a nutshell, Barcelona is beautiful and charming. But watch your valuables 110%.
The 'Bubble Man' at Hotel de Ville. The 'bubble' pops in no time
4 days ago, the 45th US President, Donald Trump was sworn in at Capitol Hill. There have been numerous articles and posts on the disruptive President who capitalised on the US citizen's anger at the effects that globalization has on US workers and how standards of living has dropped over the last few decades for the American citizen. The so-called American dream has become a nightmare for many, and Mr. Trump has promised to "Make America Great Again MAGA" Such talk has alarmed the world's political leaders. References of Trump's administration to the Nazi Germany National Socialist party are uncalled for. One great switch in outlook in my humble opinion, is that the US President appears to be inward looking and talking trade protectionism whilst President Xi Jing Ping has now started championing globalization (at the Davos World Economic Forum ; tagline : to make the world a better place) and its good effects in alleviating poverty worldwide. We truly live in uncertain times. Populist Governments pursuing populist policies for short term benefits will be detrimental in the long run. I am just a small fry but the New World Order or whatever it is evolving into is not comforting to me and many hundreds of millions of people in US and all over the world. May 2017 be a watershed year. Sacred cows will be slaughtered, the international press may not be independent after all.
What more can I write that has not been written about this young man. He is class personified. True genius. I hope he stays true to his musical gifts which he is so blessed with and continues to enthrall us mere mortals with songs such as these.
The rather unassuming entrance to Bodega la Puntual
Carrer de Montcada 22,
08003 El Born
Barcelona
Tucked away in the El Born district lies the gem of a tapas bar and restaurant, the Bodega La Puntual. I can wax lyrical about this all day, but the food there is simply, excellent. For the price of about EU 40 for 2 persons, you can dine very comfortably with 5 tapas and a couple of vermouths.
We tried the following 'house specials' which were in a word fantastic. We came back for a 2nd round the following night, it was that good !. Spain is famous for its Iberico 'black pig' (they take about 2 years to rear, and then they are slaughtered and the meat is cured for up to 5 years! ) and the ham is really exceptional. Do try the following specials :
* Bellota cured ham hand cut EU 16.70 for about a dozen slices
* Iberian cured ham croquette EU 2.00 (for 2)
* Rice with Iberian pork
* Vermouth
* Bodega Salad
* Coca bread with tomato
Coca Bread with tomato and the Croquette
Dinner is anytime from 7pm onwards although the Catalans like to dine later. I would rate this 4.5 stars out of 5 for the taste, 4 stars for the service, 4.5 stars for the ambience and overall satisfaction 4.5 stars out of 5.
Fried potatoes with spicy sauce
Will we go there if we are ever next in Barcelona, definately ! The vermouth while very dry is sweet and the Rice with Iberian Pork dish is something to remind us of home. Salt content is definately on the high side, so it is best to treat ourselves to gems like these only once every few years.
The '80s for me was in 2 words, independence and freedom. I had turned 21 in the early '80s and while the Singapore economy was booming from the late '60s till the early '80s, I played no part in it, as I was still a 'dependent' and living off my parents' goodwill. To be honest, I lived a very fortunate life, having had additional exposure to music at a young age (I was taught the piano for 8 years), was disciplined through swimming training at the Singapore Swimming Club (for 6 years), as well as taking part in rigorous martial arts of karate (at the Palmer Road YMCA) for at least 5 years. The funny thing is that, I have revisited my 'hobbies' of my early days and now am playing tunes on my Yamaha piano, practice karate at least once a week and occasionally swim. I am grateful to my parents for imbibing in me, through these hobbies, a sense of truthfulness, perseverance, and a love for music which is another whole sphere of language - which is universal - and a never say die attitude. Seize the Day.
There are times when I question my mortality and the collective conciousness which shaped my growing up years all of the people, the activities and music of the 70s and the 80s. It seems like so many of them are gone in a flash. A real wake up call to all of us Baby Boomers. Life has been good, but let us reflect and see what we have truly contributed to this world, it could be children, some good you have passed on to the next generation, some art works, music, the list goes on. I rarely remember the many good acts, small and large by people and the nasty behaviors of people stick out. My 2017 goal is to be more magnaminous and look beyond the petty. Money is nothing more than a commodity for us to live and exist. More of it may improve our happiness and the lack of it will surely impinge on our so called 'quality of life'. Stop and look around you. Are you alive ?
The La Perdrera is the centerpiece architectural work from Antoni Gaudi at the turn of the 20th century. He was a brilliant architect who eschewed (see I learned how to use this word !) the clean lines of the minimalists such as Frank Lloyd Wright and many others and worked his brilliance by fusing nature and the wavy lines all in one building. Built at the turn of the 20th century, La Perdrera was supposed to house one family, that of his benefactor, but in the end, because of cost overruns, it housed several families.
The inner courtyard of the building which let in natural lighting
The layout of La Pedrera is that of a building complex and every corner does not end in an apex. So, it is rectangular but not rectangular owing to the wavy curves with no start and end. On top of that he infused alot of plants and plant like sculptures together into the building facade to create some kind of cave outlook. I cannot adequately describe it owing to my architectural illiteracy but the end result is something out of this world from the outside yet homey on the inside.
Capped at the rooftop are these foreign looking structures from Star Wars (I am sure George Lucas took inspiration from this to form his storm trooper helmets !) but are no more than the traditional chimney with an out of space chimney top ! Inside the building there are rooms fitted out in the 19th and turn of the century 20th century furniture, cups, saucers, pictures, place mats giving the person a walk-through time machine. There is a museum showing Gaudi's works and life as well as his influences and end days. He was an eccentric man who died while attempting to cross a busy street. He was hit by a passing tram and was brought to the local hospital where he stayed for 3 days in the poorest ward because nobody recognised this great architect from the ordinary peasant farmer. He was recognised by Barcelona mayor who immediately transferred him to the best ward and best doctors but it was too late. He died soon after, and the whole city, and Spain mourned for the great man who was just left to die on the street and he did not complain or protest for his mistreatment. What a tragic irony
My rather stoned looking face after almost 14 hours of flight and our first day in Barcelona
The rooftop of the building (at the 6th storey) housed these strange Star Wars looking chimneys which are one of Gaudi's signature pieces of work. Again, he eschewed the straight lines of the typical chimney and created these fluid rather alien looking chimneys.The building has many curves and there is never a straight line where one can take any reference from. The view from here to the Sagrada Familia is also one of the main talking points for all tourists.
Situated in the neighbourhood of Vallcarca, lies the iconic Parc Guell, this was another of Gaudi's massive projects which unfortunately for the funder, went bankrupt before it was officially opened. We took the Metro to Vallcarca and walked uphill (it was a massive steep walk by the way). Fortunately there were escalators assisting us up the hill.
Barcelona Metro Lines
At the top of the hill, there was a blues guitarist doing some busking work. That memory of him doing his thing and singing in the winter sun is something really special. His name was Robert (no last name) and he had cut a CD taken from his gig at the Harlem Jazz Club in Barelona. I have it in my car's CD and it is exceptional.
The steep road up to Parc Guell
The panoramic view at the top of Parc Guell
Antoni Gaudi, the most famous architecht in Spain lived most of his life in Barcelona, and his 3 most iconic works are the Sagrada Familia, Parc Guell and La Pedrera. Parc Guell is by far the largest and most ambitious work of his. Below are some of his eclectic and eccentric houses, and courtyards which try to fuse the natural beauty of nature and modern design. As belligerant tourists, we were captivated by the fact that such a renowned and forward looking architech had died a pauper, and an unknown knocked down on a main street by a tram. Great vision and design is seldom appreciated during most geniuses lifetime.
Uniquely designed house
We were fortunate to arrive in Barcelona when the weather was generally fine (out of the 5 days we stayed there, 4 days were sunny). Parc Guell is well worth a visit, firstly to see the entire city from the hilltop (I will post a picture in another post) and secondly to see the curves on his buildings which he was so famously renowned for.
Would we go back to parc Guell ? I think 1 visit is sufficient.
If you have 4 to 5 days in Barcelona, do check out the following in order of importance (according to this belligerant tourist ! )
1. La Pedrera
2. Sagrada Familia Church
3. Montjuic (we went to see Joan Miro Musuesm which was absolutely fantastic)
4. Parc Guell
5. Barcelonetta Beach
6. La Ramblas
The chic distric of El Born was another of my favourite walking tours (plenty of small boutique shops selling all kinds of things from arts and craft, clothing and of course tapas).
I had the misfortune of having my phone stolen from right under my nose, that unfortunate incident aside, the city is beautiful, with its residents warm and inviting.
Service in the tapas restaurants was excellent, again highlighting the distinct lousy service provided by Singaore F and B joints generally.
