Mont Juic

Overlooking Barcelona is a high ridge called Mont Juic. Built into the side of the hill are some beautiful gardens, a public swimming pool, some left over buildings from the Barcelona Olympics and at its very top, the Castel de Mont Juic. It can be reached by a torturous climb from the city, or by half a torturous climb to the cable car station about half way up and a thankful ride from there. 

The castle played no small part in the Civil War as a defensive position for the beleaguered republicans and at other times served as a military prison. Indeed, after its fall to Franco's troops the execution of the former President Louis Company was conducted here. He fled to France just before the civil war ended, but that was in 1940 and unfortunately France had been occupied. Willingly or not, the French police at the insistence of the Gestapo caught him and handed him back to their fascist brethren in Spain. His show trial was a farce, of course. He was sentenced to death in a Court Martial that lasted less than a day and summarily executed the following morning. France has since apologised for their collaboration in his death, but Spain has yet to acknowledge their culpability and the illegality of his trial. As usual, the victors write the history I suppose.

Also on the mount and close to the cable car station is the Joan Miro Fundacion, a gallery to the contemporary artworks of Joan Miro. Now don't get me wrong. I like art, and even think I practice art on occasions, but rubbish like this just leaves me cold. Imagine if you will (and it ain't hard) a vast empty canvas with a small blue dot. And it's called Landscape? And has some nonsensical explanation as to its motives  and execution and symbology? As an artist, if you then have to explain what you've done you've probably done something wrong.

We looked around the rest of the gallery but it didn't improve much, so we left.

We were girding ourselves up for the torturous climb back down when we noticed the funicular train right behind the cable car station. DOH !!! We could have saved ourselves bulk amounts of puffing and wheezing had we ridden up instead. 

And double DOH !!! It dropped us off right at Paral-Lel, the station we began our climb from. Why didn't someone tells us?

Great day though.

 The castle atop Mont Juic.

The moat is now filled with flower beds.

Interesting juxta-position of sentiments.

The statue is of Peace, a gift from the people of California.

The gun says something quite different.

Great views all over Barcelona from the castle.

Here is the cruise liner terminal.

This is near the marina and looking down Avenida de Colom.

That's Columbus on the tall column.

A view over Barcelona.

You can make out the unmistakeable Segrada Familia.

Casements within the castle.

It served as a military prison during the Civil War. Executions did occur here.

Another look over Barcelona.

Some modern art examples from the collection and gallery of Joan Miro.

This one looks like he tried to burn it, and failed to do that right either.

 A vast white canvas with a small blue dot.

It's called Landscape and comes with some mumbo-jumbo explanation to it.

 Here is a large white canvas with a diagonal scribble on it.

Seriously, how do you call this art?

Now this I did like. The artist's name was Calder.

It is a fountain sculpture, but look more closely.

The "water" does not seem to be behaving properly.

That's because it is not water at all. It is liquid mercury.

 A very novel piece of kinetic sculpture.

Next door from the "Gallery" was a rather pleasant park.

There was also a fantastic busker singing rock songs and playing a very good guitar.

We listened to him for quite some time, then I bought him a beer.

 Another view of the park on Mont Juic.

If only we'd known beforehand, it would have saved us a torturous climb.

This funicular rail car is part of the Metro and runs up to the cable car station directly.

DOH !!!