4/16 (miercoles)

I went to see the ocean yesterday, but I ended up at the port by mistake. It was an entirely different ocean then what I had envisioned. It was all industrial and had no atmosphere. I figured that I could walk along the coast and find a place that felt a little bit like nature, but that turned out to not be the case. In the end, I found myself on a beach where the mass of bikini-clad people was so confusing that it required an extraordinary amount of imagination to use it to evoke the idea of Gaudi.

I lingered for a bit, having a bocadillo (sandwich) and a beer as a late lunch, but eventually gave up. I was able to order with my beginner Spanish, and I struck a hidden little victory pose under the table.

Well.

I wake up at 7:10 this morning.

The round moon is still hanging around along side the Sagrada Famia.

I just had a thought. Why don’t I head towards Reus? I might be able to find a quiet bit of coastline. Isn’t there a train that goes there? I’ll look it up.

Reus lies a little inland, so I decide to head towards Tarragona which is by the ocean and apparently has some ruins from Roman times.

I buy a ticket at Sants station (after standing in line for 20 minutes. I would have given up in Japan) and head to Tarragona aboard a Reus-bound express train covered in grafitti. By the way, Reus is Gaudi’s hometown and is 2 stations after Tarragona. Although the outside is covered in graffiti, the inside is pristine and comfortable. It even has electrical outlets.

I get to Tarragona in what feels like a little under an hour. Looking at a map in front of the station, it looks like Roman ruins are just a 100m walk away, so I decide to take a look. As I walk up a slope along the coast, I can already see the stunning scenery. I can see the ocean and the Roman ruins in the vast landscape.

The green is fresh and vibrant.

After experiencing it myself, I now understand why humans since ancient times have looked upon vegetationa as a blessing from god. Oil, scents, food, tools, medicine… We received this blessing, and in addition, we can grow and nurture it with our hands. We can see the real value of life in this cycle. I’m certain that those who experience it would feel deeply thankful.

I think that I can come back at another time to see the Roman ruins in closer detail, so I don’t buy an entrance ticket and instead head towards the ocean. There aren’t as many people here as in Barcelona. I experience what I wanted to see at the ocean — the wind and waves, the color of the light and the color of the shadows.

There is no form to what my heart is saying.

The form is not what should be communicated. The form is what is used to communicate. That’s why they are put into forms.

I bet that Gaudi designed the Casa Mil・to evoke the calm wind, the sounds of the ocean waves and the bright yet soft color of the light of the Mediterranean Sea to those who live here.

The rooms in the Casa Mil・have waves along the ceilings, ribbons that wave in the wind and shine with the light of the sun. Shellfish and octopii tentacles creep around the doors.

Walking along a sandy beach, sitting among the rocks, bathing in the sunlight while breathing in the salty scent and listening to the unending sound of the waves. I bet that Gaudi designed the Casa Mila to provide a place among the bustle of the Passeig de Gracia to experience the joy and the fortune that has graced the earth of the Mediterranean.

To be thankful for every instant of good fortune that happens every day.

The Casa Mila is a building for people’s happiness.

I take a break and order a beer at a cafe in front of the station. The olives that were served alongside it were delicious. Tarragona is known for olives. I think I was able to test the truth of that. I can say that I have confirmed it, at least for me.

140 push-ups. 30 sit-ups (ugh).

Takehiko Inoue