Salvador Dali in Figueres

The next morning after my fantastic hike, I decided to get the first bus out of Cadaques headed for Figueres again in hopes of catching a more reasonable line up at the Dalí museum. The bus ride was equally amazing going out of Cadaqués. There were still clouds down in the valley below and as you can see in the first picture, it was totally amazing.

I reached Figueres and walked into town after stowing my bags and luckily there was no line up at all. The museum was like walking into a crazy dream. When you first walk in, you are met with a large courtyard in which was an old car being pulled by some sort of Hindu goddess. High above the car was a boat with static water drop dangling from the bottom like stalactites. At the extreme top was a small umbrella, which apparently opens when it's raining.

The inner hallways curved around the main courtyard, filled with many sketches, strange mannequins and objects. Behind the courtyard was a huge room covered by an amazing glass dome. Inside this grand hall were some huge tapestries of some of Dalí's most famous work.

Dalí seemed to be fascinated with optical illusion. A lot of his pictures were contained in glass boxes with a v-shaped piece of glass in the centre. If you stood directly in the centre, the paintings would become 3D. With the picture shown here of Dalí painting his wife Gala, her foot totally came out at you.

Other highlights included: a painting on hydraulics which would open up before you when you put in a coin; the Mae West room, which consisted of a sofa which looked like lips, a fireplace which looked like a nose and 2 pictures on the wall. When you went up a small staircase, the pictures turned into eyes and you realize that you are looking at a portrait of Mae West. Even her hair was made by the curtains that hung on the wall; a Sistine cahapel-like room depicting Gala and Salvador ascending to heaven; a metal coil which descended from the ceiling and on the end of it was a grimacing face.

It was a cool place all in all and a great way to end a fantastic long weekend.