233 Gaudi and La Sagrada Familia, Spain from the 1000 places to see before you die bo

La Sagrada Familia

Im a great lover of all things Gaudi...Miro a close second. What was amazing on this roman catholic cathedral is that I first visited it 15 years ago. At that time I can't recall work being done on the unfinished shell...but now, what is probably Gaudi's greatest work, is being finished.

Sadly, probably not for some time. The site has actually been under construction since 1882 until Gaudi died in 1926. That is not a typing error!! Its not expected to be completed any time before 2030...everyone has different views as to actual completion time and this is Spain.

Unfortunately, Gaudi didn't leave clear details as he was constantly changing the building design and plans subsequently got destroyed in the civil war. Consequently we will never know whether the interpretation the architects are now giving to the plans is what Gaudi would have done.

Opened in 2010 to visitors (there is a small museum inside and Gaudi's crypt) the site is still, as you can see from the photos- one big building site. When finished, if it is true to agreed views on how Gaudi planned it, the church will be about 100 by 60m and hold 13,000 people. Four towers in each of the three facades representing the 12 apostles , four others- the evangelists, one tower dedicated to Virgin Mary and the tallest- some 170m- representing Jesus will form the 18 towers in total. 

After that ...a quick visit to the cool and quirky Parc Guell, another Gaudi creation. Ive loved this park ever since i first saw it so many years ago. Its whimsical, crazy, fantastical and reminds me now of that second fabulous but not in the 1000 places to see before you die  book northern Indian garden that sadly has nothing on the web about it...I should sort that out!

entrance to parc guell

the view from parc gull

So, worthwhile inclusion in the 1000 places to see before you die book...a big resounding yes!!

231: The World of Alvar Aalto, Helsinki, Finland

 The Finn Alvar Aalto who died in 1976 is rated as one of the great architects of the 20^th century. Says the 1000 places to see before you die book he did “organic architecture- buildings that suited their environment” and designed the building and at times all its interior furnishings and fittings.

One of Helsinki’s most famous buildings by him is the Finlandia Hall where he designed the interior and the exterior. Apparently it looks striking against a snowy background…on a dark bleak winters day I obviously missed it.

While I like architecture I have to admit preferring a more modern style and hence didn’t quite “get” this. Nonetheless here it is…

Interior of the Savoy

I then went to the Savoy restaurant in the centre of town and on the edge of the fab design district- the latter also rated in the 1000 places to see before you die book.  The waitress told me that nothing had been changed at all since he designed the interior in 1937. That shows! Assuming it is related to the London Savoy group then this was done in a fitting style to suit their tastes. For myself- it was a bit 1970’s…but then I guess if your most famous national architect had designed it all you probably wouldn’t be changing it either!

The view out from the Savoy

Worthwhile inclusion in the 1000 places to see before you die book. Couldn't see it Im afraid so no

230: Finnish Lappland from the 1000 places to see before you die book

Ho Ho Ho. For those that never realised, Lappland in Finland is home to Santa Claus....but like Christmas Ill leave him a little bit longer waiting for his curtain call on this blog.

First of all was a flight to Rovaniemi which is the start of the arctic circle (in fact you cross it in Santa's village). While sadly it was way too early in the season for all those winter things like reindeer sled rides, snowmobiles and floating in the Arctic ocean in survival suits, nonetheless I had a wee glimpse of cold...like zero degrees most days and light snow, which actually was enough to give it that festive look, as one would expect from the permanent home of Santa.

Next up was a trip to a reindeer farm (sorry something wrong with the camera taking photos so no shots of these beasts) but a few facts....both sexes lose their horns every year and grow them back. Picking up a pair of male antlers I was surprised at the weight- a good 5 kilos Id guess...each! 4000 die on the roads each year and about 4000 are killed by predators. Reindeers still travel in herds in the forest but they all belong to someone and are tagged.
After the reindeer farm I kitted up in cold gear and headed out to the clearing to eat Finnish sausages and watch the Northern lights.

It was not a bad display...but you need a very long opening on your shutter to film them and my little hand held job just didn't cut it.

Now....what you are all waiting for...Santa Claus's home. Yes its true...he exists and Ive been inside his living room and seen the elves hard at work.

The first entrance to cross into the arctic circle

The front of Santa's home

The touristy angle wasn't as overly pushed as I was expecting. A rather cool entrance to his grotto full of crackling ice, dripping water, mystical birds flying overleaf, big timber structures, bouncing 6 foot elves in hats, a quick sell afterwards to purchase anything from a video of your meeting with santa, to 5 photos in cards to a big printout and then you were off to visit the other parts of the complex.


It is all rather cute- Christmas carols playing, snow gently falling, the large pine trees all decked out with twinkling lights, cinnamon scents wafting through the building from the elves gingerbread factory...and thankfully rather free of children!! It seems adults have just as much of love for Santa Claus, even if I did fess up to not believing in him as I made my way to bounce on his knee.

The post office was perhaps the cutest- they certainly seemed to take the most money off me- as I bought decorations, organised letters to my nieces from Santa Claus, sent postcards to get the rather cool "Santa Claus's Home, Arctic Circle" post stamp, got my passport stamped saying I had been there, paid extra for nicer stamps mentioning they were from his home. You name it....they got you!! 49 euros later I left the post office with a considerably lighter wallet- but a far happier heart.

Even better about this place- you can visit Santa 365 days of the year.....they receive in peak time something like 10,000 letters a day- so those elves are busy writing all the replies. hopefully they won't forget the 7 euros I paid to have Santa write a letter to my nieces.

After that a quick coffee and as I couldn't borrow Rudolph to get back to the bus stop.... I took a toboggan instead...

A worthwhile inclusion in the book 1000 places to see before you die.  Everyone loves Santa Claus so of course...yes!

229: The Design District, Helsinki, Finland

It was a perfect time to see this in light of Helsinki being designated World Design Capital 2012. Not to mention it was the quarter containing Christmas (seems the shops get ready earlier and earlier these days) and so the shops were already full of very cute, artistic jolly Santa Clauses, reindeer, red baubles and shimmering glass.

Framed by cobbled streets and trams, shops with the most inviting window displays and a 4 degree temperature just driving you into warmer places, the Design District was a perfect way to lose a day while I waited for my flight to see Santa Claus in Lappland the following day.

Some of the most creative designers retail in these roughly 10 by 15 street block downtown. With a knowledge of design that is based on wandering around Ikea saying “oooh that’s rather clever”, I was clearly going to be an ignoramus as to which stores I should go in…so I based it largely on window displays.

I spent a lovely hour trying on hats in one store, had reindeer tartare with champagne at a French styled bistro, I decided on tablecloths in another, I picked up Christmas hatted rats in another, I bought a table Finnish xmas doll in another and weighed chandeliers in my hand to see if they could fit in my luggage.

Now…is it deserving in the 1000 places to see before you die  book? Hmmm. Hard one. I think what the problem is here that they might have tried to find one or two things in Helsinki to put it in the book. Ive already given a rip out page view on Alvar Aalto…so I guess on that basis and the fact that I have to find 1000 things to visit that are great…then Id probably on balance keep this one in as Finnish design is pretty cool. 

208: Patrick Guilbaud Restaurant Dublin, Ireland

Definately deserves a ranking- restaurant patrick guilbaud- is all that its website says..........................."combining contemporary elegance with an intimate ambience and unparalleled service."  Patrick Guilbaud’s family is from Cognac but, after a brief stint in England he moved to Ireland to open his own restaurant...in the process...obtaining a few Michelin stars.



The food was exquisite....

The wine list not so....well at least- not from the point of view of its size....all too hard so we asked the sommelier to pair our food up as we went- which was wonderful!!  Extremely generous servings of the plonk with some very unusual choices- in fact we asked for two labels from an unusual white and red wine that we tried as both were lovely.

We were in the mood to relax and chat rather than pore over the exhaustive food and wine menu so we went for a "chef's surprise." After finding out what we liked or disliked the chef went to work serving us up a 5 course little treat....

which amazingly even saw me eating...and loving..fish- cod!

Fantastic. Service was great, food was truly amazing, wine pairing was interesting and a revelation. The bill...well circa 450 euros for 3 of us which given the gluttony at the table I felt was good value

207: The Shelbourne Hotel, Dublin

Built in 1824, the Shelbourne is perhaps the most recognised hotel in Dublin. At least- that is what every Irishman that I met said to me when i decided to do some fact finding as to why my taxi driver drove me 15 minutes out of the city centre before stopping..... lost.... asking another taxi man for help, then promptly turning back, driving for 15 minutes and dropping me back at the other end of the street that he picked me up on.

London Black Cab service this certainly wasnt!! Very odd said everyone else- given that every famous person and famous meeting ever held in Dublin apparently has been through the doors of this hotel.

As you can see from the photo- its all top hats, 5 star luxury, phenomenal afternoon teas and plush carpets. Exactly what you'd expect from a Renaissance hotel.

  We took a wee lap of the bar where we settled in between the suits and the advertising crowd and watched the passing parade on the street outside

and then just in case you wondered if id turned into a glamorous long haired blonde......a photo was taken of me blending into the suits.... 

Should it be in the book??.....sadly like a lot of hotels in the 1000 places to see before you die book, I am getting a strong suspicion that they tried to find say 4 places in each capital city that were worthwhile to go to....rather than only putting in those places that truly were worthy inclusions in the book. 

This one Im afraid gets a thumbs down. I think its not a 1000 places to see before you die entrant.

206: The Book of Kells, Dublin, Ireland

When asking the lovely taxi man- what are the best things to see in Dublin...Im afraid the Book of Kells didnt feature. After seeing it now myself...I think a tour of the Guinness factory was perhaps a wise suggestion by my driver.

The book, which since 1953 is actually now 4 bound volumes of which two are on display at any times, is an elaborately decorated manuscript of the four New Testament Gospels produced by monks around 800AD.

Wikipedia says "The illustrations and ornamentation of the Book of Kells surpass that of other Insular Gospel books in extravagance and complexity. The decoration combines traditional Christian iconography with the ornate swirling motifs typical of Insular art. Figures of humans, animals and mythical beasts, together with Celtic knots and interlacing patterns in vibrant colours, enliven the manuscript's pages. Many of these minor decorative elements are imbued with Christian symbolism and so further emphasise the themes of the major illustrations."

There you have it!!  The display is housed in the fabulous Trinity College but in reality consists of little more than about 10 pages blown up as exhibits with some minor text about the meaning behind some of the elaborate drawings...and the two books- both open to a page each under glass. Still as you can see from below- it was very popular with tourists- and at 9Euro entry- must be a good money spinner for the College as well.

More "wow" was the Long Hall of Trinity College which one walks through on the way out as part of the exhibit of The Book. The air was redolent of old leather, dusty covers and creaky bindings- from floor to vaulted ceilings ancient books covered every shelf with busts of various famous people and excellently preserved medical tools as well as books lay on displays in the center.  To be able to peer back in history down this hall and read about the ways in which a surgeon in the 1400's recommended the removal of one's appendix was worth the entire 9 Euro entry fee courtesy of the Book of Kells.

Should the Book of Kells be in the 1000 places to see before you die book??  Well.......no from my point of view. Id say the Vatican probably houses a vast number of historical treasures in their bookshelves so on the basis that if they were all counted as being as important as this the book of Kells then there would not be any more slots for a historical monument to take..Id say no, the Book of Kells you can live without seeing before you die.

205: St Tropez, France

Loved it, loved it , loved it!!  Definately has to be included in the 1000 places to see before you die book. Bridgitte Bardot arrived in 1956 to film And God created woman...and never left. Easy to see why.  Its a lovely town but the gawking factor is extremely high. Bronzed bodies, bra-less silicone everywhere, totties teetering off multi million pound boats on 6 inch stilettos, champagne bottles flowing, glamour clothes. Ah yes- this was surreal heaven sitting for hours watching the passerbys.

The book recommended going to Senequier cafe on the portside to watch the parade of "various aesthetic stages of beach and resort chic that they could never get away with at home." And so duly we waited for an outside table and watched the show. Lost hours here admiring the boats, the women and the dogs!





The cafe on the port

The boats (and the disgorging of their passengers) was the highlights.  Incredible boats from speedy ones to old sailing yachts. All werent less than 60feet each- we peered in a few to admire their gyms, their toys, their flowers, their paintings in their dining rooms. It was a whole different life 



Only drawback of St Tropez...................dont drive in!!  We were fortunate and was stuck in traffic for about 30 mins. However its one road in and one road out....on our way out after lunch.....the line of cars waiting to come in stretched for over 1 hour of driving. Unbelievable. And there was no accident!!  Biggest problem is parking in the tiny little fishing village.  Far better to park in the bay around the corner and come in by boat!

203: Vence from the 1000 places to see before you die book

Vence: hard to know what to say on this town.

Its little sister town, St Paul-de-Vence was far cuter. The book 1000 places to see before you die describes Vence as a "provencal magnet for artists and writers which is nestled in the hills covered with pines, cypresses and olive groves."  All that is true!

But the town itself isnt I dont think worthy of inclusion.....so I hazard a guess the only reason why its in here is as Vence has the Matisse Chapel...."a 20th century tour de force!!" Matisse recovered from a long illness and promised a Dominican sister, who was his muse, that he would redecorate the Dominician Oratory. He began this at 77 years old, it took 5 years and died 3 years after its completion.

Jury is out on this one as to whether this makes the place something to see before you die. I wasnt bowled over- but my mother enjoyed it!! Sadly no photos so can only show you the outside. Essentially he decorated the building, and then went on to design everything in it- from garments to bowls.



outside of matisse chapel



The book then sent us to lunch- Chateau du Domaine St-Martin, a "handsome inn tucked away on a wooded hillside above the town." Inn it was not- being a Relais hotel and extremely formal but the views were spectacular.

Im afraid that Id rather look at a large collection of Matisse paintings...than see some decorations in a chapel.. so im sticking with my view that this doesnt belong in The 1000 places to see before you die book.