About 1 1/2 hours north of Barcelona lies the not so sleepy coastal village of Cadaques. Made famous by former inhabitants Salvador Dali and his friends Picasso, etc. all, it is easy to see why Cubism was developed in Spain. The tightly packed white washed houses tumble down the hillside on either side of the church in a cubist landscape destined to be immortalized as such.

We entered the town without reservations as it seems we are want to do and after asking around at some hostels, which were full, we are guided to one with a vacancy. We take a room with a marriage bed over looking the gas station and the street below, being assured that the motos quiet down in the night. Realizing that this will not be the case we go out a wandering and keeping an eye out for the perfect place.

a Sardine Dish from La Gritta

Pizza seems to be the meal of choice in Cadaques and we dine at the seemingly most popular one, La Gritta (the shout.) Thin crust delicious pizza we do indulge in and find out later that in deed this is the most popular spot in town and are told that even in February when all the other restaurants are empty that it’s hard to get a table there. There being on the rambla situated next to the bay in the heart of town. During the rest of our stay in Cadaques we end up eating 2 dinners and a lunch at La Gritta and were happy to do so.

After our first meal there and wanting to walk off our pasta, fried fresh sardines and pizza, into the night we stroll. Around the edge of the bay we go into the heart of darkness. I see a small sign pointing up a side street and we come upon Hotel Blaumar, a 2 star establishment with magnificent views of the village, beach, port and the hills beyond. Asking about a room we’re told maybe, depending on if someone checks out. Putting our name in, we beg the gods of tourists to grant us our wish.

Balcony View at Hotel Blaumar

It is granted. Upon our return in the late morning of the next day we are shown a lovely room/suite with a balcony overlooking all and say YES! we will take it.

For 2 nights we have this idyllic dream abode. we take our leisure and rest up for the big city (Barcelona) to come in our near future. Rosemary does another lovely watercolor and I indulge in indolence, that which I do best.

Mending Nets in the Harbor

On the following morning it was up and out and a brisk 20 minuet stroll over the hill to Port Lligat to visit the Casa Dali.

Casa Dali in Port Lligat

Dali first bought a tiny fishing cottage on a small bay here overlooking the Cap de Cruse, the eastern most point of Spain, in the 1930’s and added rooms and reworked the garden until the 80’s when his wife Gala died.

A tumble of interconnected rooms, where the Surrealist master lived and worked, this complex was given to the Spanish state upon Dali’s death in the late 80’s.

All of the artifacts in the house are those of Dali and Gala and it is indeed an eclectic collection of a life of accumulation.

It was wonderful to see all of his brushes, paints and other art paraphernalia in the studio in which he worked. There is also a great (as in large as well as fabulous) easel that lowers by pulleys to the floor below to easily accommodate working on large pieces.

In the garden is a pool which was explained to guests by Dali depending on who they were and their sensibilities as either the shape of a cock and balls, which it does indeed resemble, or an homage to the fountains of the Alhambra in Granada, which it also resembles.

Through every window of the house is either a different view of the still remote fishing port or his garden. Que vida!