Cinque Fotografies-Barcelona Day 3

Our third day in this beautiful city can only be summed up as a multitude of artistic sensations. Although the weather was uncharacteristically dismal for this time of year, the majesty of creation in visual, natural and musical artistry championed the day.

We took the bus to see the Fundación de Miro to witness the work of artist Joan Miro. Miro was a contemporary impressionist who lived around the same time as Picasso. The evolution of his creations was fascinating to trace. We also loved the setting high on a hill overlooking the city.

Despite the rain, we decided that it was important not to miss the adjacent Jardines de Laribal. The fountains, waterfalls and plantings were spectacular as we wandered the meandering pathways. It was interesting to get a different perspective of La Sagrada Familia and its imposing height compared to the other buildings.

We closed the day by attending a performance of the Barcelona Philharmonia Orchestra at the bejeweled Palau de Música. The orchestra was led by Finnish conductor Santtu-Matias Rouvali and featured Nicola Benedetti,an award winning violinist from the UK. When she was only 16, she won the BBC Young Musician of the Year Award. Her performance of the Beethoven selections was brilliant, and we were enthralled at her ability to connect to the orchestra players, the Conductor and the audience.

The second half of the concert featured Tchaikovsky pieces and we noticed the energy and interpersonal play of the orchestra members. They would smile and catch each other's eyes. The nuances of Conductor Rouvali were also notable.

A friend who recommended this venue to us remarked, "It must be quite a challenge to compete with a hall that has so many intricate features that resemble being insidea Faberge Egg." We can report that this Orchestra was up to the task.Les mer