Pura Luhur Uluwatu: Kecak Fire Dance at Sunset

On our second night in Jimbaran, our driver Pande, whom I met on my previous trip, drove us down to Pura Uluwatu to check out the temple views and watch the daily Kecak fire dance at sunset. The temple is situated high on the cliffs in the very southwest corner of Bali. We weren't actually allowed in the temples, but there were plenty of beautiful views around the temple. The monkeys at Pura Uluwatu are evil; we actually watched them snatch waterbottles out of people's backpacks and flip flops right off of people's feet. The bottled water they would actually drink, but they would just hold the flip flops hostage until the victim traded them some bananas. I'm convinced that the monkeys are trained by the people selling bananas. I really like the Kecak Fire Dance. We saw a couple of dances on our first trip including the Legong and Barong, but I think the Kecak is my favorite, lots of action and fun. The "music" is entirely provided by an all male chorus, who is sometimes involved in the action as well. Definitely worth checking out (iPhone video below).

Don't let their innocent faces fool you

Only bottled water for the monkeys. They were pros, easily twisting off the tops and chugging the water

Don't sit too close to the stage!

Video:

Day 7: Gaudi, Gaudi, Gaudi and Shopping in Barcelona

We spent my last full day in Barcelona visiting Antoni Gaudi's most famous works in the heart of Barcelona: Casa Battlo, Casa Mila (La Pedrera) and the fantastic Sagrada Familia, one of my all-time favorite buildings.  In between Gaudi stops, we shopped around Barcelona, along Las Ramblas, Portal L'Angel and Passeig de Gracia. That's what I love about traveling with another girl; ample time for shopping in addition to the more cultural endeavors.  Unfortunately it was an overcast day, plus I didn't have the right camera lenses nor the right skills, so it was hard to capture the true magnificence of Gaudi's work.

Casa Battlo; the balconies always remind me of skulls.  Tickets were expensive so we didn't go in.

Casa Mila "La Pedrera"

My favorite part of Casa Mila: the swoopy rooftop and stormtrooper chimney heads and mosaic covered stairwells

Love the mosaic covered stairwells

Sagrada Familia in the distance

Basílica y Templo Expiatorio de la Sagrada Familia - the Passion facade

Sagrada Familia, the Nativity Facade.  Amazing how two sides of the same building can be utterly different

They've made a lot of progress since my trip four years ago; particularly inside. Only 15-30 more years to go.

Passion facade details. All these statues are so starkly evocative

Nativity Facade: the intricate detailing of this side is unbelievable. I love the creepy melting candle wax feel

I only recently noticed all the writing throughout

We rode the elevator up one of the spirals and were able to capture some details near the top

Reminscent of fruit baskets or rainbow coco puffs

Shopping breaks

Las Ramblas

Calle Tallers. I love the rambling narrow streets of Barcelona in the Cuitat Vella

Day 6: Arrival in Barcelona, La Boqueria and Bar Pinotxo, and Montjuic and the Fundacio Joan Miro

We sadly had to say goodbye to San Sebastian on Tuesday and took the early Renfe train from San Sebastian to Barcelona (66 euros).  After the lengthy 6 hour train ride, we arrived just in time for lunch.  We checked into the Market Hotel and walked over to the Boqueria for a late lunch at Bar Pinotxo.  S. and I visited Bar Pinotxo on our last trip to Barcelona and fortunately, it hasn't changed a bit.  The food is simple and tasty: the freshest seafood prepared simply with little more than good olive oil and sea salt.  We finished around 4pm as the bar and most of the market was shutting down for the day (note for future: go in the morning).

These chickpeas really hit the spot

I love these little guys; I've never seen them in the states.

Some of the Boqueria's food stalls.  Unfortunately many were already closed for the day.

For me, the bounty of seafood is the most impressive thing about the Boqueria

I'm disappointed that I didn't get the chance to try percebes this trip

Look at those crazy razor clams!

After the Boqueria, we wandered around Las Ramblas a bit, making our first Gaudi stop at Palau Guell, and then headed up to Montjuic via the funicular to visit the Fundacio Joan Miro, a museum dedicated to Joan Miro. Z is a huge Miro fan, and it was really cool to see a bunch of his work chronologically and in the context of contemporaneous political events. I definitely see his work through a different perspective now.

Colorful Gaudi chimneys! I love the whimsy and use of color and shapes in Gaudi's work.

Joan Miro's "Lune, Soleil et Une Etoile" sculpture (1968) overlooking Barcelona

We stayed at the Market Hotel near the Mercat San Antoni while in Barcelona. It was quite reasonable at 69 euros a night. It had a funky modern charm to it, with Asian inspired red and black decor and giant Mao paintings, with a cool red bar and classic Parisian bistro looking restaurant downstairs. The rooms were a little small and quite loud, although every place that we stayed in Spain was loud, and we couldn't get a room with two beds. Otherwise, location was perfect; walking distance to Las Ramblas, Passeig de Gracia and the Paral.lel.

 Market Hotel
Pasatge de Sant Antoni Abad, 10
08015 Barcelona, Spain
933 251 205