Dali Musee, hot, hot, hot!

We heard that the Dali Museum was a "must see", so we made a quick dash into Figueres and were thrilled to see this gorgeous art museum! Only Dali could do this and it was very thought provoking, enticing, and entertaining to all three of us. DaVinci particularly liked his etchings as he felt they showed his mastery of the human figure which is common for all great masters. Mozart has decided that Dali is her favorite artist of all that we have seen, pushing Monet and Michaelangelo out of that spot. So we are very glad that we went a little out of our way and took the time to see it .

“Quick dash” is probably not the best description of any overloaded motor home going into an old city and indeed we had a few problems. As luck would have it, after we turned a corner to escape a tiny road where we were millimeters away from scraping another vehicle, we found the perfect spot to park. We never did find the public parking we were looking for, but this big hunk of dirt worked just fine for the time we needed it. We grabbed our stuff and walked about 5 minutes to the museum. We always carry all our valuables with us when we are out of the camper as they are more at risk for theft when they are empty and especially parked outside a campsite.

It is wonderful to be able to ask for what we want (like directions). We may not be able to understand detailed instructions given lickety-split or hold long conversations, but enough basics to make things much easier. Actually DaVinci is doing all the talking, but we all understand more and this is the first country where we have had that advantage and it is indeed an advantage. It can be done without knowing much language of a country, but it is easier when you know it. The difference is significant.I have been to Mexico with and without DaVinci,so knew this would be an advantage altho I must admit it has been easier not speaking much in other countries, including France, than I ever imagined.

The day was very hot, muy caliente! I am not sure what the normal is here, but it was so hot that we had to dig out our coolest summer clothes as soon as we got back to the camper. It was a very hot summer day in almost November at the very top of Spain, making us wonder how things would be 1200/1300 kilometers south of here.

We had a lovely Catalon lunch just down the street from the museum in a little outdoor cafe. We thought we ordered a cheese omelet with potatoes and onions, but we got this most interesting dish that did contain those things, just not how we pictured them or would normally receive that order in a restaurant in the States. We got a little fork and a little square dish and little slices of egg/potato mixture with a little dish of salsa to dip it into. Mozart has a passion for balsamic, so she got a salad that also  came on a little square dish with little clumps of lettuce and a few tomatoes with her small fork and balsamic to dip into. We shared a little of our egg mix triangles with her. Not what we expected, but a delightful lunch in a sweet spot.

Mozart picked a book about Dali at the Museum for kids and she loved it. I think its a great book and really adds to the museum experience, so I am glad we happened upon it. They had it in several languages and it was the only English book they had there for kids. It highlights some of the best things in the museum in a fun way for kids, so it is a great way to keep the experience fresh for many years to come. It is called “Discovering Dali” and would be a helpful book to buy before seeing the museum for preparation as well.

She read it through a few times while we drove south and it gave lots of information about the Museum and Dali. I only wish we could have had it before seeing the museum. They probably have it on Amazon or whatever, I just did not know about it. Mozart already has a better arts education than I had at thirty and I am thrilled with the kind of art exposure we are getting on this trip. The art and artists are just part of her life like playgrounds and toys and she even dreams about them or uses them in her pretend play because they are part of her experience. It is just one of many ways we see this trip enriching her.

Soon after we headed out  and were back on the highway going south, Mozart shouted out “ I pulled it out myself !” and we got the exciting news that she lost her second tooth, right next to the first one on the bottom. “It did not hurt  even one little bit” she continued. She was pleased as can be with herself. We were hoping it would come out soon as the second tooth was already coming in behind it.

The lady from Australia that we met in Paris, said the teeth come out just as the baby teeth come in. I
have never heard this before nor do I know if it is a fact, but interestingly, these are the first two teeth that Mozart got in. I do not remember exactly when, but I have pictures of her at 5 and 6 months where she has the first 4 teeth in and I probably have the dates of exactly when in her baby book which is packed away at home I think.

So now she has a bigger gap,but already the two permanent  teeth are coming in.I never noticed that kids look so cute with that gap and I am surprised to find myself grinning inside with joy every time I catch a fleeting glimpse of it when she talks because it is too adorable. (Must be a mom thing ;). So I suppose the tooth fairy will now have to find us in Spain. We are giving her a run for her money! One out in France, one in Spain, who wants to guess where the next one will come out?