Dali

Figueres and Port Ligat, Thursday 19 May

Salvador Dali is of course the famous Spanish surrealist artist. We invested a day to visit the Dali museum in Figueres about 100km north of Barcelona and Dali's cottage (now also a museum) a little further north at Port Ligat. 

It was a guided tour and we learnt a lot about Dali from the commentary. He was quite "flamboyant" and somewhat eccentric. Many of his personailty traits and antics seemed unsuitable for inclusion in a "G" rated blog.

Dali lived for 30 years or so at the Port Ligat cottage which is in a lovely setting on the Costa Brava. He lived with his Russian wife, Gala, except of course when she was staying at the castle he bought her further up the coast at Pobul. Dali could visit her at the castle whenever he wished, but only after she had accepted a written application from him several days in advance. I can only assume she wanted time to tidy up.

To give an idea of his personality, Dali is reported to have said:

• "Each morning when I awake, I experience again a supreme pleasure: that of being Salvador Dali."
• "When I paint, the sea roars. The others splash about in the bath."

The Dali museum is especially wacky. As an example, Dali's car is there. But not just the car - in the back seat are Dali and a naked woman, in the front seat Dali's driver (Frank), some live plants, and a lot of snails.It's interactive, and if you feed a euro coin into the slot it starts to rain inside the car.

What does it all mean? Well, as Dali said when asked that question about his art: "There are two types of people - those that need no explanation, and those on whom an explanation is wasted."

Maybe he wasn't entirely sure what it all meant either.

Dali museum, Figueres.

Dali showing off  his moustaches.

Dali's car.

The back seat.

Swarm of Spanish school kids watching it rain inside the car courtesy of my euro.

Very well known painting. Obvious message.

Dali's cottage at Port Ligat.

Dali's view from his olive grove. Not bad.