Easter came early this year and it was still raining and cold in Toulouse. With a three day weekend and a grim forecast, we looked for an area with reasonable weather and something to see. The tour booklet “Grand Sites of the Midee Pyrenees” list Rocamadour as a must see, so off we went Michelin Green Guide in hand. The legends of Rocamadour described in our Green Guide are as interesting as the pictures and it might just be the perfect location for Easter.
Remember Zacheus the tax collector of Jericho who climbed the tree to see Jesus? His wife was St. Veronica who wiped the face of Jesus with her veil. Together they were forced to escape Palestine not long after the crucifixion of Jesus. The story in the Green Guide relates a tale of a rickety boat on the Lot River guided by an angel bringing them to the area not far from Rocamadour. They supposedly lived out their lives in this region converting the locals to Christianity. Later in the history of Rocamadour, the story continues that St. Amadour wanted to be buried under the existing church in Rocamadour. While digging the grave for St. Amadour, another ancient corpse is uncovered. This body is thought to be Zacheus’. The relics of St. Amadour are still underneath the churches in a subterranean chapel.
St. Amadour is credited with carving the famed statute of Our Lady of Rocamadour. This walnut wooden statue is one of 180 Black Madonna’s in France. In 1172, writings describing the Miracles of Our Lady of Rocamadour were widely distributed. Thousands upon thousands of pilgrims came here, some on their way to Santiago de Compostela and others for the miracles of Rocamadour. One particularly special pilgrim was Roland, one of Charlemagne’s Twelve Peers and possibly his best warrior. The Song of Roland commemorates his mighty deeds and a pilgrimage to Rocamadour. Roland’s sword was called the Durandal, the sharpest sword in existence. The hilt of the Durandal contained the tooth of Saint Peter, the blood of Saint Basil and the hair of Saint Denis. Before Roland was killed, he attempted to break his sword so no one else could use it. The sword would not break, so Roland threw it to the Archangel Michael and it is allegedly embedded in the cliff wall at Rocamadour, far from his enemies.
Other pilgrims were not as famous as Roland. Some pilgrims were sent to Rocamadour as punishment, especially the Albigensians. As part of their punishment, they had to wear special clothes covered with crosses and a very wide hat on their long walk to Rocamadour. Upon reaching the Great Staircase with 223 steps, the penitent would strip to his undershirt. Chains would be fastened to his arms and neck. The penitent would then crawl on his knees to the top, once at the top, he would be brought before the statue of Our Lady of Rocamadour where a priest would pray to absolve his sins and finally remove the chains. The penitent would receive a special medal proving this journey.
Other sites on this terrace level are the Basicila of St. Sauveur, St. Amadour’s crypt, and the Chapel of Notre-Dame. On the chapel of Notre-Dame of Rocamadour is a 9th century miraculous bell, which rings of its own accord to foretell of a miracle. Thirteenth century frescos painted on the outer wall of the chapel picture the dance of death. Continuing up the hill are the Stations of the Cross and at top of the hill is a Cross of Jerusalem which was brought from the Holy Land by pilgrims. The ramparts on top of the hill were built in the 14th century to protect the city.
After all this heavy history, it is time for some local specialties. The area is famous for truffles, walnuts, wine, strawberries and foies gras. Rocamadour is famous for a special small cheese. It is called Rocamadour, and it is a goat’s milk cheese of the Cabecores variety. The cheese has a soft rind and is usually eaten within 12-15 days. If it is aged longer a blue mold grows on its rind and the flavor becomes much stronger. I had my mold free cheese on a pizza with honey and smoked duck breast. This type of pizza holds up well to a local Cahors wine. Bon Appetite!
Saturday, April 6, 2013
Saturday, February 16, 2013
Armagnac Photos February 2013
For medicinal purposes
Greetings from the rooster
An old vintage
Une Piece Armagnacaise
Inside the Estate
Aging barrels
Art Gallery
Ready for Armagnac
Gascon-home of Armagnac
Armagnac, Feburary 2013
Winter has been dismal; grey and rainy every day since mid-December. Not being able to stay in the house another weekend, we pointed the car north east of Toulouse and ended up in Armagnac country. We visited several Les Plus Beau Villages one of them was Montreal Armagnac. Here we were directed to an area called Le Boubee and found the Armagnac Estate. Since it was a cold rainy afternoon, we were the only customers of the day and were treated to a personal tour and tasting of the Armagnac from Tenereze De Ladeveze.
Armagnac is a type of brandy developed in the southwest of France the region of Gascony, the first region to distill spirits. Armagnac is the oldest type of brandy but it remains less well known around the world than cognac. In the 14th century Prior Vital Du Four, a Cardinal extolled the virtues of Armagnac: “It makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops them from tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober consumption adhering. It cures gout, cankers, and fistula by ingestion; restores the paralyzed member by massage; and heals wounds of the skin by application. It enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility. And when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits.”
More recently in 2007, scientists at Bordeaux University were studying the health effects of Armagnac. People in this region of France live an average of 5 years longer than all other regions of France. In general they smoke quite a bit and eat a fatty diet with plenty of foie gras, confit de canard and sausages. So, this leaves Armagnac as a fountain of youth. Armagnac has anti platelet properties and may also block some of the digestion and absorption of dietary fat. I am going to personally continue this research, eat a diet filled with foie gras and duck fat and have a jigger of Armagnac daily to see what happens. The diet is already in place, the Armagnac started yesterday. I’m feeling better already!
So what is this magic liquid? It is a spirit distilled by a unique process from wine made from several specific varietals of grapes grown in the southwest region of France. There are 10 varieties of grapes that can be used, but the most common are the Baco, the Colombard, the Ugini Blanc and the Folle Blanche. These grapes yield the special aromas, flavors and textures of Armagnac. These grapes are grown in only three districts: Bas-Armagnac-yielding supple youthful spirits, Tenareze-mainly Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes that can age a long time, and Haut-Armagnac-who’s spirits can be flat and hard. The soil types vary between a mixture of sandy soil with a small amount of clay or a mix of clay and limestone. Much of the Armagnac is still produced by small local distillers, although some have gone into a co-op type of production.
Traditional Armagnac is produced with a column still between the months of November through January. The still is portable and moves around the area to each estates wine to distill the wine into Armagnac. One of the differences between Armagnac and cognac is that Armagnac is distilled only once in a small continuous column-typestill called an Alambic . Cognac is distilled twice using a pot style still. With the Alambic still the wine is heated and the resulting steam passes up the main column and through a number of heated plates. As the steam passes through the plates comes into contact with the wine entering the column so the steam picks up additional fruit elements and flavors. The vapor enters the condensing coil and cools to liquid and drips straight into an oak barrel.
The Armagnac barrel is called une piece armagnacaise that holds 400-420 liters. Once in the barrel the taste softens by evaporation of alcohol and water (past des anges- the angles’ share). The oxidation that occurs in the barrel allows more aromatic compounds to form which improves the flavor. Barrels traditionally came from oak from the Gascon forest, but due to a limited supply, some of the wood now comes from the Limousin forest. The Gascon oak gives tannis to the spirit, and the Limousin oak imparts a vanilla flavor. After a year in the new barrel, the Armagnac is moved into older oak barrels to continue its aging process. Once it is taken out of the barrel bottled, the spirit is stable and the taste will not change. The age of the Armagnac (time spent in the oak barrel) determines its labeling.
Labeling of Armagnac:
VS or three star is a blend that has spent at least 2 years in a barrel
VSOP is aged in the barrel for 5 years
XO 6aged 6 years
Hors d’Age at least 10 years in the barrel
Vintage Armagnac must come entirely from the year listed on the bottle
Independent estates will show the domain’s address on the front of the bottle along with the appellation. If not, the Armagnac was bottled by a negociant, and the spirits can come from multiple locations in the region.
When to drink Armagnac:
It is traditionally a digestif and is savored after a satisfying meal. It can be paired with desserts such as almond cakes, apple tarts, and caramelized pears. Locally, prunes, usually from Agen are soaked in Armagnac, or it can be served with coffee and mild cigars.
How to drink Armagnac:
Step One: Pour 1.5 ounces into a brandy snifter
Step Two: Observe the color and the clarity
Step Three: Smell, tilt the snifter so that you get both alcohol and fruit notes
Step Four: Put a few drops onto your tongue, then go for a small sip. Roll this around your palate and enjoy the length and finish. You are looking for a balance between the alcohol, the oak and the fruit: too much oak dries out the palate, too much alcohol masks the fruit and too much fruit makes it taste like a liqueur.
A la tienne!
Armagnac is a type of brandy developed in the southwest of France the region of Gascony, the first region to distill spirits. Armagnac is the oldest type of brandy but it remains less well known around the world than cognac. In the 14th century Prior Vital Du Four, a Cardinal extolled the virtues of Armagnac: “It makes disappear redness and burning of the eyes, and stops them from tearing; it cures hepatitis, sober consumption adhering. It cures gout, cankers, and fistula by ingestion; restores the paralyzed member by massage; and heals wounds of the skin by application. It enlivens the spirit, partaken in moderation, recalls the past to memory, renders men joyous, preserves youth and retards senility. And when retained in the mouth, it loosens the tongue and emboldens the wit, if someone timid from time to time himself permits.”
More recently in 2007, scientists at Bordeaux University were studying the health effects of Armagnac. People in this region of France live an average of 5 years longer than all other regions of France. In general they smoke quite a bit and eat a fatty diet with plenty of foie gras, confit de canard and sausages. So, this leaves Armagnac as a fountain of youth. Armagnac has anti platelet properties and may also block some of the digestion and absorption of dietary fat. I am going to personally continue this research, eat a diet filled with foie gras and duck fat and have a jigger of Armagnac daily to see what happens. The diet is already in place, the Armagnac started yesterday. I’m feeling better already!
So what is this magic liquid? It is a spirit distilled by a unique process from wine made from several specific varietals of grapes grown in the southwest region of France. There are 10 varieties of grapes that can be used, but the most common are the Baco, the Colombard, the Ugini Blanc and the Folle Blanche. These grapes yield the special aromas, flavors and textures of Armagnac. These grapes are grown in only three districts: Bas-Armagnac-yielding supple youthful spirits, Tenareze-mainly Ugni Blanc and Colombard grapes that can age a long time, and Haut-Armagnac-who’s spirits can be flat and hard. The soil types vary between a mixture of sandy soil with a small amount of clay or a mix of clay and limestone. Much of the Armagnac is still produced by small local distillers, although some have gone into a co-op type of production.
Traditional Armagnac is produced with a column still between the months of November through January. The still is portable and moves around the area to each estates wine to distill the wine into Armagnac. One of the differences between Armagnac and cognac is that Armagnac is distilled only once in a small continuous column-typestill called an Alambic . Cognac is distilled twice using a pot style still. With the Alambic still the wine is heated and the resulting steam passes up the main column and through a number of heated plates. As the steam passes through the plates comes into contact with the wine entering the column so the steam picks up additional fruit elements and flavors. The vapor enters the condensing coil and cools to liquid and drips straight into an oak barrel.
The Armagnac barrel is called une piece armagnacaise that holds 400-420 liters. Once in the barrel the taste softens by evaporation of alcohol and water (past des anges- the angles’ share). The oxidation that occurs in the barrel allows more aromatic compounds to form which improves the flavor. Barrels traditionally came from oak from the Gascon forest, but due to a limited supply, some of the wood now comes from the Limousin forest. The Gascon oak gives tannis to the spirit, and the Limousin oak imparts a vanilla flavor. After a year in the new barrel, the Armagnac is moved into older oak barrels to continue its aging process. Once it is taken out of the barrel bottled, the spirit is stable and the taste will not change. The age of the Armagnac (time spent in the oak barrel) determines its labeling.
Labeling of Armagnac:
VS or three star is a blend that has spent at least 2 years in a barrel
VSOP is aged in the barrel for 5 years
XO 6aged 6 years
Hors d’Age at least 10 years in the barrel
Vintage Armagnac must come entirely from the year listed on the bottle
Independent estates will show the domain’s address on the front of the bottle along with the appellation. If not, the Armagnac was bottled by a negociant, and the spirits can come from multiple locations in the region.
When to drink Armagnac:
It is traditionally a digestif and is savored after a satisfying meal. It can be paired with desserts such as almond cakes, apple tarts, and caramelized pears. Locally, prunes, usually from Agen are soaked in Armagnac, or it can be served with coffee and mild cigars.
How to drink Armagnac:
Step One: Pour 1.5 ounces into a brandy snifter
Step Two: Observe the color and the clarity
Step Three: Smell, tilt the snifter so that you get both alcohol and fruit notes
Step Four: Put a few drops onto your tongue, then go for a small sip. Roll this around your palate and enjoy the length and finish. You are looking for a balance between the alcohol, the oak and the fruit: too much oak dries out the palate, too much alcohol masks the fruit and too much fruit makes it taste like a liqueur.
A la tienne!
Monday, February 4, 2013
Photos for Chamonix and Les Houches
Les Houches
Les Houches
Mont Blanc
Les Houches
Brevant Ski Area
Brevant Ski Area
Lift at Brevant 
Chamonix below
Hotel Slalom
Chamonix-Mont Blanc and Les Houches France January 2013
Chamonix’s formal name for the town is Chamonix-Mont Blanc. It is one of the oldest ski resorts in France and the site of the first winter Olympics in 1924. To this day there is some dispute between France and Italy as to whether the dividing line is over the top of the mountain or around the back side of the base of the mountain. Chamonix dates back to 1091 when land was given to the Benedictines to build a priory. No one really visited this area except a few religious officials to check up on the monks until the mid-18th century. Until that time only about 1800 people lived in the valley. The first successful ascent of Mont Blanc was in 1786 by Micheal-Gabriel Paceard and Jaques Balmat. Since then many more people have come through and the population has swelled to 9000 permanent residents due to tourism.
Les Houches is a smaller town about 6 km away from Chamonix. Its ski area is used every year for the Men’s Downhill World Cup Ski Championships. The French National Ski Team uses these runs as their training grounds as well as the Ski Club of Great Britain. Currently Les Houches is a favorite ski area of many from Great Britian and Ireland. We stayed in a wonderful Bed and Breakfast “Hotel Slalom” which is run by a British ex-pat. She serves the best breakfast anywhere and really understands the subtleties’ of her guests. She says she keeps ketchup for Americans who want it with their eggs, has some baked bean for the Brits, knows that the French usually take croissants and confiture, and still politely asks the Spanish if they would like anything to eat, knowing full well that they usually only take coffee before noon. We were made to feel welcome, given some of the best advice for local dining and encouraged us to meet some of the local characters.
Serge Cachat-Rosset is a local who is an extreme skiing legend. Extreme skiing is defined as skiing that can only take place on a 50 degree slope and the opportunity to fall off the side of the mountain must be ever present. On the front of his ski shop are several black and white poster sized shots of him making the first descent down the face of Aiguille Verte on August 1, 1973. Wearing a sweater, ski knickers and a pair of sunglasses, he was dropped out of a helicopter and made the descent in five hours. He’s an unassuming man and he greets everyone who comes into his shop with a guess of your boot size. He was spot on with ours. He will also select your skis and point you to the right gear you need, and nothing else. His advice for me when I told him I was falling a bit was to ski near some trees and use the branches to pull up! I will take that under advisement.
Les Houches has two other claims to fame; the first is for a famous physics summer school program “l’Ecole de Physique des Houches” which was started by Cecli DeWitt-Morette. Two dozen Nobel Prize winners have been either students or instructors at this summer school.
The second claim to fame for Les Houches is that it is the traditional starting and ending point for the Tour du Mont Blanc. This summer event is a seven plus day walk around the base of Mont Blanc covering areas of France, Italy and Switzerland. At 170 km long, it is considered to be one of the classic long distance walks in the world. More recently, the annual Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is a mountain marathon which the participants cover the same ground usually in under 24 hours. The winning time is generally ~20 hours long. At that pace one would have a hard time enjoying the scenery or get a chance to have fondue!
Fondre is the French verb to melt. The original fondue is described in a cookbook published in Zurich in 1699 under the name “Kass mit Wein zu Kochen” meaning to cook cheese with wine and serve bread for dipping. That about describes it! Fondue is claimed by the Swiss, French and Italians in the region, but it has been the Swiss who have done the most to promote it as their national dish. The Swiss Cheese Union took up the cause in the 1930’s and continued by organizing kits to be sent to all military units so that they could always eat fondue. In 1950 a Swiss restaurateur, Konrad Egli introduced fondue bourguignonne (meat cooked in hot oil) at his Chalet Suisse restaurant in New York City. Konrad Egli did not stop there, in the mid-1960’s he invented chocolate fondue as part of a promotion for Toblerone chocolate.
Cheese fondue is made by blending several grated cheeses, wine and seasonings. The emulsion is stabilized by adding a little bit of cornstarch. The temperature is held such that the cheese stays melted, but does not burn. If this is done correctly, at the bottom of the pot, there will remain a crispy layer called “la religieuse” the nun in French. This is lifted from the pot, broken into pieces and eaten. Certain etiquette applies when one eats fondue: if a man loses his bread into the pot, he buys a round of drinks for his table. If a woman loses her bread, then she has to kiss the person next to her. Of course there is no double dipping, and you are supposed to use your fondue fork only to dip the bread and bring it to your plate, not bring the dipped bread directly to your mouth. Your dinner fork should transfer the dipped bread to your mouth! Next time I will know!
Les Houches is a smaller town about 6 km away from Chamonix. Its ski area is used every year for the Men’s Downhill World Cup Ski Championships. The French National Ski Team uses these runs as their training grounds as well as the Ski Club of Great Britain. Currently Les Houches is a favorite ski area of many from Great Britian and Ireland. We stayed in a wonderful Bed and Breakfast “Hotel Slalom” which is run by a British ex-pat. She serves the best breakfast anywhere and really understands the subtleties’ of her guests. She says she keeps ketchup for Americans who want it with their eggs, has some baked bean for the Brits, knows that the French usually take croissants and confiture, and still politely asks the Spanish if they would like anything to eat, knowing full well that they usually only take coffee before noon. We were made to feel welcome, given some of the best advice for local dining and encouraged us to meet some of the local characters.
Serge Cachat-Rosset is a local who is an extreme skiing legend. Extreme skiing is defined as skiing that can only take place on a 50 degree slope and the opportunity to fall off the side of the mountain must be ever present. On the front of his ski shop are several black and white poster sized shots of him making the first descent down the face of Aiguille Verte on August 1, 1973. Wearing a sweater, ski knickers and a pair of sunglasses, he was dropped out of a helicopter and made the descent in five hours. He’s an unassuming man and he greets everyone who comes into his shop with a guess of your boot size. He was spot on with ours. He will also select your skis and point you to the right gear you need, and nothing else. His advice for me when I told him I was falling a bit was to ski near some trees and use the branches to pull up! I will take that under advisement.
Les Houches has two other claims to fame; the first is for a famous physics summer school program “l’Ecole de Physique des Houches” which was started by Cecli DeWitt-Morette. Two dozen Nobel Prize winners have been either students or instructors at this summer school.
The second claim to fame for Les Houches is that it is the traditional starting and ending point for the Tour du Mont Blanc. This summer event is a seven plus day walk around the base of Mont Blanc covering areas of France, Italy and Switzerland. At 170 km long, it is considered to be one of the classic long distance walks in the world. More recently, the annual Ultra Trail du Mont Blanc is a mountain marathon which the participants cover the same ground usually in under 24 hours. The winning time is generally ~20 hours long. At that pace one would have a hard time enjoying the scenery or get a chance to have fondue!
Fondre is the French verb to melt. The original fondue is described in a cookbook published in Zurich in 1699 under the name “Kass mit Wein zu Kochen” meaning to cook cheese with wine and serve bread for dipping. That about describes it! Fondue is claimed by the Swiss, French and Italians in the region, but it has been the Swiss who have done the most to promote it as their national dish. The Swiss Cheese Union took up the cause in the 1930’s and continued by organizing kits to be sent to all military units so that they could always eat fondue. In 1950 a Swiss restaurateur, Konrad Egli introduced fondue bourguignonne (meat cooked in hot oil) at his Chalet Suisse restaurant in New York City. Konrad Egli did not stop there, in the mid-1960’s he invented chocolate fondue as part of a promotion for Toblerone chocolate.
Cheese fondue is made by blending several grated cheeses, wine and seasonings. The emulsion is stabilized by adding a little bit of cornstarch. The temperature is held such that the cheese stays melted, but does not burn. If this is done correctly, at the bottom of the pot, there will remain a crispy layer called “la religieuse” the nun in French. This is lifted from the pot, broken into pieces and eaten. Certain etiquette applies when one eats fondue: if a man loses his bread into the pot, he buys a round of drinks for his table. If a woman loses her bread, then she has to kiss the person next to her. Of course there is no double dipping, and you are supposed to use your fondue fork only to dip the bread and bring it to your plate, not bring the dipped bread directly to your mouth. Your dinner fork should transfer the dipped bread to your mouth! Next time I will know!
Wednesday, December 5, 2012
Photos, Salvador Dali, November 2012
Museum in Figueres, Spain
Sculpture in Figueres, Spain
Dali in Cadaques, Spain
Portlligat, Spain
Museum in Portlligat, Spain
Museum entrance
Studio in Portlligat
Studio in Portlligat
Moving easel in Portlligat
Living area in Portlligat
Yard at Portlligat
Poolside Chair, Portlligat
Pool at Portlligat
View from Pool area, Portlligat
Salvador Dali, November 2012
Salvador Dali was born in Figueres, Spain 108 years ago. He left quite an impact on his home town and areas along the Costa Brava. We visited the coastal area of Spain this past November and were able to see the areas where he spent much of his time. Dali credits the landscape and light of Catalonia Spain for influencing his works. The small villages of the Costa Brava and city of Figueres embraced their most famous artistic son and seem to have dealt with his rather strange and frequently absurd antics. Dali seems to be omnipresent.
Dali was born on May 11, 1904 in the small city of Figueres. He had an older brother also named Salvador who died 9 months before he was born. Salvador Dali’s parents told him when he was 5 years old that he was the reincarnation of his brother. It is said that he believed this concept. At an early age he took up drawing and attended drawing school. Dali’s father held exhibits of his works in their home in Figueres when he was a young teenager. On a family vacation in Cadaques, Dali was exposed to modern painting styles due to the artists that came to the area every summer. He went to the Fine Art School in Madrid where he had a reputation as a “dandy” for his behavior and style of dress. He was expelled from the school right before his graduation because he was supposed to have caused unrest. In 1929 Dali meets his life-long muse Gala. Dali’s father does not approve and bans him from the family homes. Undaunted, Dali moves to the next village over, Portlligat, rents a fishing house. Over the years, Dali purchases several of these fishing houses and makes them his primary residence. Eventually Dali and his father reconcile their differences.
Salvador Dali’s reputation throughout his life remains one of controversy. He was not one to clearly state his political views, and leaves Europe during WWII. He comes to the United States, settles in New York City and is welcomed by the arts scene there. After WWII and when things settle after the Spanish Civil War, Dali moves back to Spain. His career is managed financially by Gala, who is wise with the money and they are able to have quite the elaborate jet set life.
Dali is not only a painter, but a sculptor, a jeweler, a furniture designer, a fashion design consultant and dabbled in film. He also fancied himself as a scientist and mathematician. His was said to have been intrigued by the great minds of his day: Einstein, Freud and others. His art was influenced by celebrities like Mae West and also scientific events like the atomic bombs and discoveries of DNA structure. He also did early work in holographics. His studio in Portlligat shows many ingenious modifications. Many of the mirrors in the house help to build optical illusions and a mirror on a wall was placed such that he was able to catch the first morning light from his bed. The walls of his studio were built so that the canvass was able to move along the easel so that the area he was working on was easily reached from his favorite chair.
Dali was one of the ultimate self-promoters. He designed three museums for himself to display his works. The main museum is in Figueres. It is a theatre and museum of paintings, sculpture and jewelry. His mausoleum is there. Dali set the visiting schedule such that only certain numbers of people would be in the museum at a given time. Hence the very long line the day we were there. We did not get into the museum, but enjoyed the building and sculptures all around town. The second museum is nearby, and is dedicated to Gala. The Castell Gala Dali holds many of their belongings and much of Gala’s haute couture clothing.
And third is his home in Portlligat. Originally several fishing houses, Dali purchased them over time and connected them in a bizarre labyrinth. Tickets are ordered online, however we did not have a ticket. Since it was November, we thought that maybe we could get in anyway. We were told to wait to see if everyone showed up, and if not could go in with the next group. Luck was with us and we were able to tour the museum. It was a strange mixture of everyday rooms and insights into some of the wildest imagination. We saw living quarters and studios, works that were never completed and many things that were. Most interesting was that every location both inside and outside had wonderful views of the sea and surrounding mountains. The day we visited, the weather was windy with scattered showers. We were able to see a bit of the wild landscape that the Costa Brava is famous for.
Dali’s health deteriorated in the 1980’s. It is thought that Gala, who by this time was senile, may have been giving him his medicine. She may have given him dosages of medicines and other things that caused tremors and a Parkinson’s like condition. After Gala died in 1982, Dali lost much of his will to live. He has several suspicious incidents that could have been suicide attempts. His friends take him to Figueres to care for him until his death in 1989. Rumor has it that during his final years some people had him sign a number of blank canvases; so much of his later work may be forgeries. Dali is an interesting figure and still dominates much of the local area where we visited.
Dali was born on May 11, 1904 in the small city of Figueres. He had an older brother also named Salvador who died 9 months before he was born. Salvador Dali’s parents told him when he was 5 years old that he was the reincarnation of his brother. It is said that he believed this concept. At an early age he took up drawing and attended drawing school. Dali’s father held exhibits of his works in their home in Figueres when he was a young teenager. On a family vacation in Cadaques, Dali was exposed to modern painting styles due to the artists that came to the area every summer. He went to the Fine Art School in Madrid where he had a reputation as a “dandy” for his behavior and style of dress. He was expelled from the school right before his graduation because he was supposed to have caused unrest. In 1929 Dali meets his life-long muse Gala. Dali’s father does not approve and bans him from the family homes. Undaunted, Dali moves to the next village over, Portlligat, rents a fishing house. Over the years, Dali purchases several of these fishing houses and makes them his primary residence. Eventually Dali and his father reconcile their differences.
Salvador Dali’s reputation throughout his life remains one of controversy. He was not one to clearly state his political views, and leaves Europe during WWII. He comes to the United States, settles in New York City and is welcomed by the arts scene there. After WWII and when things settle after the Spanish Civil War, Dali moves back to Spain. His career is managed financially by Gala, who is wise with the money and they are able to have quite the elaborate jet set life.
Dali is not only a painter, but a sculptor, a jeweler, a furniture designer, a fashion design consultant and dabbled in film. He also fancied himself as a scientist and mathematician. His was said to have been intrigued by the great minds of his day: Einstein, Freud and others. His art was influenced by celebrities like Mae West and also scientific events like the atomic bombs and discoveries of DNA structure. He also did early work in holographics. His studio in Portlligat shows many ingenious modifications. Many of the mirrors in the house help to build optical illusions and a mirror on a wall was placed such that he was able to catch the first morning light from his bed. The walls of his studio were built so that the canvass was able to move along the easel so that the area he was working on was easily reached from his favorite chair.
Dali was one of the ultimate self-promoters. He designed three museums for himself to display his works. The main museum is in Figueres. It is a theatre and museum of paintings, sculpture and jewelry. His mausoleum is there. Dali set the visiting schedule such that only certain numbers of people would be in the museum at a given time. Hence the very long line the day we were there. We did not get into the museum, but enjoyed the building and sculptures all around town. The second museum is nearby, and is dedicated to Gala. The Castell Gala Dali holds many of their belongings and much of Gala’s haute couture clothing.
And third is his home in Portlligat. Originally several fishing houses, Dali purchased them over time and connected them in a bizarre labyrinth. Tickets are ordered online, however we did not have a ticket. Since it was November, we thought that maybe we could get in anyway. We were told to wait to see if everyone showed up, and if not could go in with the next group. Luck was with us and we were able to tour the museum. It was a strange mixture of everyday rooms and insights into some of the wildest imagination. We saw living quarters and studios, works that were never completed and many things that were. Most interesting was that every location both inside and outside had wonderful views of the sea and surrounding mountains. The day we visited, the weather was windy with scattered showers. We were able to see a bit of the wild landscape that the Costa Brava is famous for.
Dali’s health deteriorated in the 1980’s. It is thought that Gala, who by this time was senile, may have been giving him his medicine. She may have given him dosages of medicines and other things that caused tremors and a Parkinson’s like condition. After Gala died in 1982, Dali lost much of his will to live. He has several suspicious incidents that could have been suicide attempts. His friends take him to Figueres to care for him until his death in 1989. Rumor has it that during his final years some people had him sign a number of blank canvases; so much of his later work may be forgeries. Dali is an interesting figure and still dominates much of the local area where we visited.
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