I took me over 20 years to finally make it to Spain. When I first stepped into Europe I thought about visiting Spain – because it was part of Schengen. But it did not happen then. And when it did happen in 2018 – I wondered I took this long. Thankfully, I was able to take two back to back trips to Spain in 2018. First for work to Madrid for a couple of days and then one with the family to Madrid, Barcelona and a quaint resort town nearby called El Vendrell. These places no doubt were one of the most vibrant, friendly, and captivating of all the places I have visited in Europe. People are laid back but full of life and the food football are great. Ancient, medieval and modern history are rich and tradition exudes color, music, and a variety that combines many layers from the world – from the Visigoths to the Moors. It is very modern but deeply rooted in a past that reminds us of the days when Spain ruled the world, including America.
From outside, Spain may appear as one country – but it is quite decentralized with very strong sentiments on local culture, language and the spirit of governance. While my visit was limited to Madrid and Catalonia, the differences were on my face. The recent drive toward independent Catalonia was pervasive in Barcelona and so absent in Madrid just showed the disparity and localization of such matters. “Free the Prisoners” banners in Barcelona were everywhere.
My urge to visit Spain was quite influenced as I read more about the Spanish civil war. It was a watershed moment for photojournalism. It was the first war that was covered by so many reporters. It could be said that the publicity and awareness brought many luminaries of the day from outside the country to fight for the cause against fascism, perhaps setting the “artist as the activist” trend that has been quite common through the 20th century and well into the 21st. Over 600,000 people died. My admiration for Guernica and Picasso stemmed from that, so did my interest in photography as a medium to communicate the facts on the ground. Robert Capa’s fallen Spanish soldier is the iconic reportage. And then of course Orwell’s Homage to Catalonia. In fact the first thing about Barcelona was to find out what it might have been for Orwell – the scenes in which he describes his ordeals, hiding his writings, trying to get out unhurt. I was indeed able to trace back some of the steps as it mostly all happened around the busy central and historical street – Las Ramblas. Much of the street today is no way close to what it might have been during the revolution. In fact Orwell – mentioned that when he returned – things became quite normal. But it is a sobering reminder of a place which resisted and stood for beliefs and ideals. It is also an exposition on the layering of history. Around that area in the alleys there were places were the Jews resided before they were expelled in the 16th century, the sites of Spanish inquisition and Barcelona’s long standing prominence as a trading port matched only by Venice until it all faded away. It also is the home to Picasso and Joan Miro and more recently Antonio Gaudi – leaving me with wonder how a place has played the foundational role for so many artists.
My recollection of watching the 1992 Barcelona Olympics in TV was quite vivid. So it was a nice coincidence that we stayed at Hotel Arts which is in the Port Olympic area – an area developed for the Olympics, where Frank Gehry’s giant fish sculpture covers the view. The place is bustling with people, food, and frolic. The main square – Plaza Catalunya marked by Cafe Zurich on one corner was a fun place for people watching, eating a slice of cake with Aadit and play with with him chasing the pigeons. Very close to that, stands or stood Hotel Continental where Orwell stayed – the entire place in now a giant shopping and touristy area. I stepped into the Boqueria market which is an old style market with picture perfect assembly of fruits, vegetables and fish and meat. We had a lunch of gambas (prawns) and empanadas and croquettes with some orange and kiwi juice. The ladies who were in the fish market showed skill in how they fillet the fish in a jiffy something that drew my memory from the fish markets in Bandel and Calcutta. Such skill is rare to see as the sectors are getting industrialized and filled with minimum wage labor.
Madrid and Barcelona are interesting in their own ways. Madrid is grand, majestic with large boulevards, magnificent palatial architecture and museums. Museo Prado and Reina are spectacular – with Bosch, Graco, Goya, Velaquez and Picasso. The food scene which is rarely to be ignored in the travels of 21st century life has really picked up. We tasted the Paella at Cafe Reina but then the restaurant next door – Yakitoro – a Spanish/Japanese fusion made a dent in our palate that we went back several times. When it comes to cafes and food – Tapas into the late night and the Spanish ham (Jamon) is everywhere. The Spanish eat a lot of ham. In fact, some of the most expensive ham is cultivated in the country. The pigs are specially fed on acorn and bred with a lot of care.
Another signature of Spain especially in Madrid was steel making or more precisely sword making. Historical crafts fascinate me so it drew me to do some research and also drag my family to Toledo – for a tour. It was a let down to witness steel making in a hurry but a day well spent in a bus tour. Toledo swords are mentioned all through history from facts to fiction from Hannibal to Tintin. It had the unique property of strength and flexibility that came from its alloy composition and smelting process. Back in the day without the knowledge of underlying chemistry or metallurgy – it was by tradition and skill the quality was maintained. Toledo steel competed with Damascus steel or even German (solingen) and Japanese which had other properties derived from the ore, special additives and manufacturing processes. Steel is still very important even though people have moved on from swords and armor. Even kitchen knives and nail clippers (cutters) brag about the source of steel if you look carefully. Finally, one cannot talk about Spain without Flamenco and bull fighting. While I have to wait for another trip to go and watch a bull fighting contest, we were delighted to an evening of Flamenco. Passion, longing, pathos were all present that transported us to another world with some help from a bottle of Rioja.
Spain is such an interesting country. There were 6 constitutions, 7 bloodless military coups, 4 royal abdications, 2 dictatorships, and 4 civil wars. Arts, culture, food, and most importantly very friendly people everywhere. All I wished, I had come here 10 years earlier.
I look forward to my next visit to Spain. Either to relax along the coast in Barcelona or pay a visit to southern spain in Seville or Granada. Until then I shall rejoice and cherish on the good times spent and glean through the pictures made.