The Rain in Spain!
⬅ previous ⬆intro next ➡Day 12 (May 19) ~ Figueres
So it's going to be D-Day (Dalí, that is), and the sights of Figueres generally. We may take the bikes out later, but then again we may not.
Opposite the breakfast room is this tiny indoor garden courtyard.
With turtles or terrapins! But which? Well, that seems to be a bit of a problem...
As I find at what may or may not be an authoritative site...
Terrapins and turtles are both aquatic reptiles, but much disagreement exists about the differences between these two chelonians.
Indeed, the difference really depends on where you live; within the USA the word terrapin is rarely, if ever used. Instead all aquatic members of the tortoise family are known as “turtles”.
Within the UK, and much of Europe, however, the matter is rather more complicated. Broadly speaking the word terrapin is used to describe those chelonians living in freshwater, while the word turtle is reserved for those in marine environments.
On balance, then, I think that these are probably terrapins.
So anyway, on to culture and Dalí and stuff...
I think we'd better hope she doesn't sing.
I almost remember what the caption said this piece means. I'm pretty certain it wasn't "Snake admires his distorted reflection in mirror egg".
It's a brilliantly good green colour. Yeah, I'm sure that there's something deeper there. I used to have a T-shirt which said, "I wish I was deep instead of just macho". Shut up!
There's a fair bit of a queue to see the Mae West sofa in context. We are not in a position to say how much has really changed in twenty years and how much is just random fluctuation, but we didn't have anything like this crowding back in 2003.
Ok, yeah, we have to do it.
That's a bit different! It's a hologram, so its 3D nature gets lost in a straight photo, but the ghostly green laser light stlll makes it look extraordinary.
There's an exhibition of his jewelry that's not strictly part of the theatre-museum itself, just as you leave.
What now then? Ok, seems there's a castle within walking distance, so let's check it out.
And here we are at the Castell de Sant Ferran. The "largest 18th century bastioned fortress in Europe" we are told. There's no denying it's pretty big.
The former stables. The full length has now been blocked, but at its operational height, a thousand horses and their riders and attendants would be stationed here.
A few slight settlement cracks...?
We're walking the perimeter path now, outside the castle itself.
A lot of wind, a bit of rain (sounds familiar?). And the castle covers quite an area, so it's a surprisingly long walk around it. In fact, it would probably make a decent one-lap parkrun except for the fact that the path is so narrow that people would fall off the edge and die.
Back in town, we think we'll visit the interesting-sounding Electrical Museum.
Ah, maybe not...
Never mind, it's been an interesting and culturally fulfilling day on the whole.
This wasn't actually my first choice of t-shirt, but they were a bit limited in availabilty at the shop. I do like it, though it's probably not suitable for the office, even if it is Art. The work is called "Dream Caused by the Flight of a Bee around a Pomegranate a Second Before Awakening", which I fear does little to explain it. Try here or here if you want to learn more.
We have dinner at the hotel again, and very fine it is again.
I think on balance I'll give the award to Roy at La Rectoria, but mainly because he's a one-man-band creating food that wouldn't disgrace a kitchenful of chefs. I'm pretty sure they have a kitchenful of chefs here!
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