Dali (Part Un)

Over the weekend, I traveled along the beautiful Costa Brava and enjoyed the small town of Cadaques.  This is where the famous Salvador Dali spent his childhood summers and eventually built his home here.  After my first look of this stunning coastal village, I understood his choice.  The water is a mix of blue to green with many large rock formations.  All the buildings are stark white with red tiled roofs making it picturesque. 

Sunday morning we set off to his home.  This adventure of course was met with a blinding hot sun and a hilly 30 minute trek from where we ate. Yet when I first gazed at the sprawling white building and felt the breeze from the Mediterranean my hike felt more like a pleasant walk especially after my dolce de leche ice cream.  A quick walk along the dock, I could see the desire to have such a beautiful view and secluded area. 

Soon it was time to see the Casa de Dali.  Unlike some muesums, it is a bit more guided in part because of chaotic nature of the house and likely in part to move more people through.  Many of the rooms feel quite small (especially for U.S. standards) and everything feels a bit jumbled together.  Later I learned that the house was built and added to over 30 years as Dali bought more fisherman shacks and surrounding land.  In the beginning he started with small one-room house for him and Gala which slowly evolved into a labrinth of white walled rooms and strange decor. 

Here are a few of oddities I discovered...

Apparrently Dali kept a cricket in a little "house" on his bedroom wall.  I'm not sure why anyone would want to hear a cricket chirp all the time, but then again he is a bit odd.

It's the tiny box on the wall past the bird cage.

One thing he often bragged about was being the first person in Spain to see the sun rise since his home is on the easternmost tip of the Spanish penisula.  He even had a mirror positioned in front a window so that he could see the sunrise from his bed. 

I found it interesting that he and Gala had separate beds.  Maybe they weren't big cuddlers?

Two paintings are unfinished which he left in the house when Gala died.  I find this quite romantic especially since the gesture is now show-cased to every visitor. 

Dali made a circular room for his wife which in the center has interesting acoustics.  I wonder if she was into music or if it just helped make conversation easier to hear...Either way it was fun to play around with the volume changed.  When you stood in the center and spoke, it seemed to amplify your voice.  Here is a link so you can completely see the oval room: http://www.salvador-dali.org/museus/portlligat/en_visita-virtual_6.html

I'm not sure if could enjoy my dinner when eating under a Rhino's head with bird wings.  How about you?

No matter any claim to the pool being the floor plan of Alhambra, it is a phallic symbol.  Trust me.
Here's a virtual link so you can see although the angle doesn't quite show the pool's shape in all its glory:
http://www.salvador-dali.org/museus/portlligat/en_visita-virtual_8.html

Upon my return to Barcelona, I immediately began researching Dali and Gala.  If you have a spare few minutes, just read the Wikipedia entry for either.  If you thought their home is a bit strange just read about their lives.  Wow.

Oh and here is Chirst of the Rubbish: