The Venetian Masks

A very typical Venetian Mask.

One thing that I thought was really cool (and was unaware of before) about Venice is how popular Venetian Masks have become.  All over the city, small shops sell amazingly detailed masks in all colors that have been worn for hundreds of years as a part of Carnival.

Carnival is typically a time before the season of Lent when people let loose and party the most.  In the United States, New Orleans is the home of "Fat Tuesday" and Mardi Gras while Brazil may boast the biggest Carnival in the world.  In Europe, Venice has been a very popular place for Carnival for centuries, as people dating back to the time of the Doge's have donned masks as part of this celebration.

Many choices... should i be a bird or a joker?

According to Wikipedia, which may or may not always be accurate, people were allowed to wear the mask between the festival of Santo Stefano (Dec. 26th) and all the way up until 'Fat Tuesday' - or the day before Ash Wednesday.  They could also be worn during "Ascension" and from October 5th until Christmas... SO VENETIANS COULD SPEND UP TO HALF A YEAR BEHIND THE MASK!  (Very similar to modern day baseball catchers).

Authentic masks were originally papier-mache, and were rather simple in design.  Today they have become much more elaborate (as to entice the tourists), but in their day they were both symbolic and practical... the Venetians didn't want others to really know who they were as they danced, ate, drank, and flirted the night away at elaborate balls and parties.

When Venice became under control of the Austrians in 1798, the city fell into decline and the tradition of Carnival in Venice essentially came to an end.  However, just looking at these masks could bring forth the imagination of glorious evenings and dark figures gliding past in the moonlight.

 

~ J. Twice

Venice Pics: Day 2

Another beautiful evening in Venice, at the foot of the Rialto Bridge.

The cities in Europe come in all shapes and sizes... each with their own 'vibe' or charm.  While some cities immediately hit you (such as Rome or London) - others take a little longer to figure out... such is Venice.

Whether you have been there or not, I think everyone has a preconceived notion about Venice and all its 'iconic' images - the canals, the gondolas, the buildings.  But to be there, in the flesh, and to feel your way around it is quite a cool experience.  For unlike the cities mentioned above, Venice doesn't overwhelm you... it quietly seduces.

The closest thing to a traffic jam in Venice.

Our two days in Venice were absolutely amazing.  Unlike all the other cites we have traveled to, we didn't have a set itinerary or list of 'MUST DO' attractions.  We were not rushing off to churches, although St. Mark's is there.  We were not lining up at art galleries, yet the Academia and Peggy Guggenheim Museum are both respected around the world.  Here in Venice, the city itself is the attraction... and its quiet canals are its most interesting exhibits.

Gondolas ready for action on the Grand Canal.

Even the walls in Venice are interesting.  I loved their rich colors and textures.

The iconic Gondolier.

Instead, we spent our time meandering down back alleys without a map.  Sitting lazily at cafes and patios for an entire afternoon... just slowing our pace to match that of the locals.  For where else could you find a city of over 60,000 (in its historic core) functioning smoothly without a single car?  Even Fed-Ex has boats - which is very cool to me.

Some do not succumb to Venice's charm - both Brandon and Matt (who we met up with at the end of our time there) did not feel the same way as Christie and I did.  They had just come from a whirlwind tour of Switzerland and Florence, so they were burnt out of historical sights.  Maybe you need to be there with your 'significant other' - Venice is a city built around romance.  Or maybe perhaps you just need to slow down enough and not expect it to blow you away... instead, like the Gondoliers casually making their way through the canal, just let it be what it is and enjoy it for that... for to have a true picture of Italy, I think you need to see Venice just as much as you need to see Rome, Milan, the Amalfi Coast, and Sicily. 

Using the walls for leverage is a common technique.

Don't let the stripes fool you - these guys are INTENSE!

San Marco (St. Mark's) square at night, refreshingly vacant of tourists.

A quiet canalside trattoria.

The Doge's Palace - home and government building for Venice's rulers for over 800 years (and the inspiration for the Venetian Las Vegas exterior!)

~ J. Twice

Venice Pics - Day 1

Gondola Action!

Today we rode an amazing Gondola... from our front door!!! It was really fun and truly a once-in-a-lifetime experience! Check out the pics and the video at the bottom!!!

View from the Ride.

All smiles afterwards!

The gold statue of "Silvia" - our boat's name.

Gondola!!!

We made it to Venice late last night and are already sucomming to its charms. This morning we awoke to a Gondola going by our room singing... not a bad way to start the day!!!

Full story tonight...

J. Twice

Fabulous Barcelona: Day 2

The beautiful beach in Barcelona... just like L.A. but cleaner!

(Caution: Long Post but Great Cities Deserve it!)

It is only our second day in Barcelona and we are quickly falling in love with it. Every little hour of the day has its own unique joys, unique experiences, that add to this city’s charm.

Breakfast in La Boqueria at Pinotxo Bar... tropical fruit, fresh squeezed juice, and great atmosphere.

We began our morning with a refreshing breakfast at Pinotxo Bar in La Boqueria Market. (Yes, that is an “X” between the T and O… the beautiful thing about the Catalan language is that you just randomly insert the letter “x” at random points, just to make it feel more a part of things*.)

A Big Thumbs Up from our man Juan.

The owner of the bar is named Juan, and when asked how long he has worked there, he just laughs and says, “Mucho…mucho… por todo la vida!” (My whole life!) He wears a pink and baby-blue striped vest and matching bowtie over a white collared shirt, and has a million dollar smile that reminds me of Bob Barker. He serves us two Spanish “Churro-like” pastries covered in sugar, which we pair with the fresh squeezed Banana-Strawberry juice and fruit salad we purchased for a couple Euros a few rows over. The whole atmosphere just screams “life-experience” – which we soak up while listening to the various vendors pedal their goods. Before we leave, we snap a picture with Juan – who of course gives us a big thumbs up and pat on the back. Amazing what a smile and a little Spanish can do.

Whacky, Wild Park Guell... like Disneyland minus the Rides.

From there we headed to Park Guell, the scenic park overlooking the whole city and home to more whimsical architecture from Barcelona’s favorite son, Antoni Gaudi. (I devoted a whole post to him yesterday, check it out.) While I had never even heard of him before this trip, I am now fascinated with the innovative & non-traditional designs of this genius. He definitely ‘thought outside the box’ – and just having his buildings dotting the city add to the whole ambience of this Spanish playground.

When we’d had our fill of sightseeing, we caught the sleek Metro system to the beach, and we instantly wondered why we hadn’t done this any sooner. Barcelona is already a sweet place – but when you drop the whole town on one of Europe’s best beaches, things just got a whole lot more interesting. White sand stretches out for miles, turquoise water begs for swimmers, and hundreds of beachside patios play laid-back tunes and serve fresh Paella. Christie and I are both ‘beach people’ and have seen many a beach, but Barcelona’s is unique.

Not a bad place to grab lunch...

Catching waves in Barceloneta... a great beach that's only a 10 minute walk from downtown.

Christie in Heaven to the 3rd power! These little Yorkies were enjoying lunch right next to us... and you knew that Christie couldn't resist this trio!

We went with Burgers, Fries, and Corona at the nearest patio, then lazily walked for miles down the coast while watching surfers, beach volleyball games, and of course, countless dogs. (Each getting their mandatory ooh, ahhs, and three minutes of petting.) The whole beach scene here is, in a word, CLEAN… with elaborate concrete boardwalks, marinas, and restaurants forming a long chain of continuous entertainment. (I’m guessing much of which was done in preparation for the 1992 Olympics.) No grimy street vendors were seen or run-down Venice Beach (California) shacks, instead just the refreshing breeze, palm trees, and miles of Spanish sand. (OK, I admit I am getting a little sappy, but the only person who might love it more than me is Jimmy Buffett.)

After napping for an hour and letting this whole ‘vacation’ thing actually hit us, we meandered back up Las Ramblas and finished the day with some shopping and a dinner of traditional Tapas... however, like all things I do, there is a story:

A sample of the many Tapas available in Barcelona.

First of all, for those of you who aren’t familiar with the concept of “Tapa” – Tapas are small appetizer like finger foods, which feature all-sorts of interesting flavor combinations and are typically eaten in Spain to form an entire meal. My definition, however, I think is a little better:

TAPA is a Catalan Word (or some kind of machine) that makes everything “Smaller” and “More-Expensive.”

Our plan for dinner was to go to a great little Tapas place we had spotted the day before, on a little side-street in the Gothic Quarter. I couldn’t remember the name of it or where it was exactly, but I knew I could get us close. However, while flipping through the trusty guidebook of our constant companion Rick Steves, I had found an intriguing place that sounded very similar… where open-faced sandwiches are served at the bar like Sushi for $1.60 each, and you pay for your meal using the honor system based on the number of toothpicks left on your plate. Christie agreed that this sounded fun and we headed out using a small map to find “Taverna Basca Irati.”

However, like is customary in a strange city with mediaval streets, you tend to get a little turned around… and after a half hour of looking we were nowhere nearer to Sushi-Sandwiches. Frustrated and hungry, we were about to just give up and go to our "Original" place... when we finally found it - AND IT WAS OUR ORIGINAL PLACE THAT WE WANTED TO GO TO!!! Laughing, we enjoyed little sandwiches until our stomachs hurt. (Final count: 17 toothpics!) Ironically, the guy next to us at the bar was an American from Chicago... who had also followed Rick's advice to this spot... gotta love our boy Steves!

Glad to be on the same wavelength as our tour guide... holding up toothpicks number 8 and 9!

At First Taste, I can say that we truly are loving Barcelona and all it offers – even if, just like Tapas, it needs to be explored one bite at a time.

~ J. Twice

* I find myself constantly digressing, which may make you laugh but actually hinders the flow of some of my stories. Therefore, I might start ‘footnoting’ my blogs or using asterisks to add in these other thoughts. Therefore, my ‘thought’ on the letter X and its usage in Catalan directly reminds me of my favorite Mitch Hedberg joke, which I quoted on my 3rd blog post a couple months ago (click HERE to read it!).

GAUDI!

Gaudi's Gecko at Park Guell, one of his most interesting designs. 

Barcelona has an exponential number of cool things about it: laid back locals, white sand beaches, tree lined 'Ramblas,' interesting cuisine, Picasso, 350+ days of sun per year, an amazing soccer team -- heck, this is where that guy shot the flaming arrow over the torch to light the Olympic Flame (back in '92!)  However, if there is one thing that really sets this town apart, its a single man: GAUDI.

Antoni Gaudi was one of the world's most unique and individual architects and Barcelona's own native son.  He lived in the late 19th century and early 20th century, before sadly being ran over by a tram in 1926.  Much like Bob Marley and Kurt Cobain, Gaudi's work became much more famous after his death and is now celebrated as one of the most original voices in architecture in the last 200 years.  You will see below some of his work, but let me tell you one thing: it is not hard to tell a "Gaudy" building from the one next to it!  Today, the entire city is dotted with Gaudi buildings, giving the whole city a "don't take yourself too seriously" vibe... very cool.

Guess which is Gaudi's?

This Wikipedia excerpt sheds some light on his personality and the budding genius during his early years:

Gaudi was awarded the title of architect in 1878. As he signed the title, Elies Rogent declared, "Qui sap si hem donat el diploma a un boig o a un geni: el temps ens ho dirà" ("Who knows if we have given this diploma to a nut or to a genius. Time will tell.")

Gaudi's style can be described as "A Cake in the Rain," with whimsical designs looking like a cross between Walt Disney and Dr. Seuss.

Over the course of his widely controversial career (for some unknown reason, people didn't always immediately appreciate his advances in design and break from the Norm...), he designed a number of buildings, both public and private.  He was a devout Catholic and towards the end of his career moved completely away from secular designs, instead focusing his attention on his masterpiece, the Sagrada Familia Church.  Listed below are some of his most famous works:

CASA MILA:

Better known as "La Pedrera" (Catalan for 'The Quarry'), Casa Mila was started in 1906 and officially completed in 1912.  It sits in the Eixample District, an upscale district north of Barcelona's downtown, and was built for a wealthy couple in their day.  It is 6 stories tall, and has a crazy whimsical roof along with two huge holes in the top of the building.  I took the tour of this building, which is now cool museum. 

The roof of Casa Mila... does Dr. Seuss live here?

Casa Mila from across the street.

Maybe Gaudi had seen Star Wars before George Lucas even thought of it... and Darth Vadar.

Casa Batlló:

Casa Batllo is a not so ordinary house on a not so ordinary street.  It was originally built in 1877, but completely remodeled by Gaudi in 1905-1907 and is part of the "Block of Discord" - a street that has three different buildings designed by Barcelona's three most influential architects, all in drastically clashing styles.  It's like putting Disneyland, the Empire State Building, and a McDonald's all in a row and pretending like they all go together.

Bottom line is that Gaudi's is the craziest... as the whole has was built with the crazy goal of not having a single straight line in the place.  I think he succeeded.  They charge $16 to go in, so I chose to just shoot pictures from across the street, while managing not to get ran over, the fate of Gaudi himself.

By Night...

... and by Day.

Park Guell:

This 35 acre park overlooks the entire city of Barcelona, and was originally the (failed) idea for an unsuccessful housing development.  Put it this way: in the late 1800s, a "gated community" was way ahead of its time... because that's exactly what this was.  At the time, Gaudi was hired by rich businessman Count Eusebi Guell to turn this sprawling area (at the time bare) into a new garden city of sixty luxury lots.  While the plan never came to fruition, it did leave behind one of Gaudi's most original and creative works.  Me, I like the Gecko.

The two buildings at the entrance to the park look like the home of the 3 Little Pigs and Hansel & Gretyl.

The corners of the "Gingerbread House" - SO GOOD it makes me want to eat it!

Sagrada Familia:

Gaudi's most famous - and Barcelona's most famous - landmark.  This Roman Catholic church was his Masterpiece... and was so complicated and ran into so much trouble that it is still not finished today (current projected date of completion: 2026!)  Gaudi worked on it for 40 years, and exclusively the last 15 years of his life.

A total of 18 Spindle-Towers will adorn the finished church, representing (in reverse order of importance) the 12 apostles, the 4 Evangelists, the Virgin Mary, Soccer Star Ronaldinho, and finally Jesus Christ.  The whole church itself is filled with symbolism down to the very inch, and Gaudi designed 3 intricate facades to adorn the outsides -- the nativity facade, the glory facade, and the passion facade.

For the record, this church is not funded by the Church (if that makes sense) - instead it is relying on ticket sales (support the cause!) and private donations for its completion.  So I am encouraging everyone (especially you, George) to visit this church and help make 2026 a reality! 

The amazing Sagrada Familia... for more pics search Google - it will blow your mind!

~ J. Twice

PS  This blog took me a long time to write - like a freakin' report - SO... I hope at least one of you uses the information here to have a better trip to Barcelona (which will make it all worthwhile to me), OR that some college somewhere gives me at least partial credit on my first quiz.