A Dali-ance in Figueres

It was hard to leave Cadaques, but all good things must come to an end I guess. Yesterday we got on the bus at ten am and took the short ride over the mountains to Figueres, arriving at the same somewhat seedy section of town we left on Monday. We decided to try and walk to our next apartment and followed the signs to the tourist information office. Every block we traveled the place looked better and better, with lots of nice stores and plenty of people patronizing them. The guidebooks say this town is a regional shopping center and that lots of French folks come down here bargain hunting. I can believe it.

Of course the other main reason to be here is to visit the Salvador Dali Museum and Theater, which we will do today. The place is apparently as surrealistic as the artist himself, a huge strange complex topped with eggs and likely filled with paintings of melting clocks. We also found out there is an art show in the center of town along their little mini-Ramblas. (Unlike the the one in Barcelona, this pedestrian area is only a couple of blocks long, but just as pretty with giant trees sheltering inviting park benches).

This apartment is the nicest place we have ever found through the airbnb website. Our hosts are artists and have filled the place with coffee table art books and painting supplies. The hardwood floors are spotless, the furniture comfortable, and the whole place thoroughly modern. It is on the second floor of an apartment high rise that cannot be more than twenty years old, and only a block away from a supermarket and a McDonalds. (We have patronized both, to the horror of many seasoned travelers, but we had plenty of company among the locals lining up for Big Macs, I can assure you.) The only problem with this place is a lack of internet access, and I am typing this on a notepad of our laptop with the hope of uploading it at an internet cafe or coffee shop somewhere. I don't really want to lug it around all day even though it is quite light, but there may be no other way.

Sunday we leave here for our last apartment stay in Girona and the big meeting of the International Council on Archives that I have come here to attend. I have to give a ten minute "poster talk" about the crazy blog I have been keeping that promotes the archival assumption of library functions. If you haven't read any of my rantings there you should tune in at TrueArchives.blogspot.com and get a laugh or two.