First Port of Call #Roses #Spain and visit to #Dali Museum #Figueres

,With the first day being at sea it did give us a chance to find out more about the ports we were visiting. One way we did this was to look at the organised trips available in a brochure and by attending a presentation in the theatre. One thing we have noticed is that these trips have slowly risen in price so we decided to prioritise the ones we wanted and in other ports find our own way around. 

The first port being Roses offered a chance to visit the Salvador Dali museum.
Inaugurated in 1974, the Dalí Theatre-Museum rises on the remains of the former Municipal Theatre of Figueres and is considered to be the last great work of Salvador Dalí. Everything in it was conceived and designed by the artist so as to offer visitors a real experience and draw them into his unique and captivating world.
The Dalí Theatre-Museum's collection allows the visitors to capture the artistic journey of Salvador Dalí (1904-1989) through a broad spectrum of works. The route around the rooms allows visitors to capture his first artistic experiences, surrealism, nuclear mysticism and his passion for science, guiding them to the works of the last part of his life.

As an artist this seemed too good an opportunity to miss and being in the morning we would have chance to look around Roses on our return. Unfortunately, we were late arriving at the port, possibly because of the strong headwinds on the way there. This meant we were late arriving and had to go straight back to the ship.

On arriving at the museum you are immediately struck by the huge geodesic dome, the large eggs on the roof and the loaf decorations on the walls. We were informed, by our excellent guide, that these two icons were symbols for life; the egg representing birth and the bread being the staple of life.

As you enter the square you again see his sense of fun with figures wearing diving costumes on the balcony.

On entering the building, the first impressive sight is the centre courtyard where a car in stands the middle of the entrance with a statue on the bonnet and large boat on a plinth above  it. All around are weird sculptures in the windows. As   you look up onto the stage on the far side you see a picture, made of thousands of pixels, that changes when viewed through a camera from a nude to a portrait of Abraham Lincoln. 

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As you go from room to room there are various surprises. When I hear someone talk about of Dali, I usually think of his iconic melting clocks so it  was interesting to see his more traditional paintings along side his more surrealistic work and to see another side to this artist.

​One of the most interesting finds was  a three-dimensional anamorphic living-room installation with custom furniture that looks like the face of Mae West, when viewed from a small staircase and looking through a lens. Dali's original and famous work of the 'red lips' couch was part of this installation!

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Another fascinating room had a ceiling painted by the artist where the bottom of the feet gave the impression of two giants standing above you. He based this particular painting on Michelangelo's Sistine Chapel painting.

A fascinating insight into Dali's work and fascinating talk by the guide. It was interesting how his career had progressed and how he was fortunate to arrive in America just as they were ready for an eccentric character such as him. It was interesting to see such a wide range of his work, and not just the well known pieces. 

The Museum was developed from a theatre that he had known as a child which he rebuilt and left to his home town as a memorial. When he died he was buried here and many visitors paid their respects at his crypt.