First Day Morning Museo Thyssen Bornemisza

I posted the photos on Facebook already, but they only tell part of the story. The rich stuff happened where photography is not allowed. ei. the show of "Impressionist Gardens" at the

Museo Thyssen Bornemisza   This was only one of several special shows they have in addition to their collection. It consisted of a half dozen rooms of very excellently curated paintings ranging from flower still-lifes to formal and wild gardens by the main impressionists (Pissarro almost steals the show, his cabbage patch painting a true gem among many others) and many of their lesser known contemporaries along with some important figures that came before and after.  Interesting to find some familiar paintings in this context. 

Specially nice to see a Berthe Morisot and a Claude Monet lent by the Santa Barbara Museum of Art. I am becoming a fan of the portable audio guides, as much as I usually detest the comments by museum docents. Here I am finding them very enjoyable, informative and unobtrusive, because you don't have to follow a particular tour order. You can take your time and just listen to ones that interest you. Punch the numbers and listen to a knowledgeable companion. Very civilized. A lot of historical bits also come along which add to the over all experience. Lots to digest, an excellent start.  El Prado would have been a little too much to tackle.

A bad start saved.

Here is where I will start writing about my experiences on this trip. (Monday, December 13, 2010)
A very bad start today.  Airbus supposed to pick me up at IHop, Carpinteria, at 4:10 Bill Mitchell and I sat down to wait for what we thought would be half hour. I ordered a patty melt to split with him. At 4 pm he looks out the door and asks me, Is that your bus? I turn around and an Airbus is pulling away from the parking lot.  I tell Bill, lets chase it. I throw a ten at the waiter and run out after Bill.  We get on the freeway, completely foggy, there is the shape of the bus in front of us, we surely will catch it soon, all is well.  Whoops, it is not the bus, it is some other type of truck.  I call Air bus and tell them what happened, asking them to please alert the bus that we are following.  The dispatcher tells me that the bus has not arrived in Carpinteria yet. I tell him that we will turn around and meet it in Carpinteria, please have the bus wait.  Bummer, we can't turn around and a second call to Air Bus reveals that they can't stop anywhere in or out of the freeway to pick up anybody after they pass Carpinteria.  Billy just sighs and tells me that he will take me to the Los Angeles Airport.  What a friend!  I am mortified all the way but he is super relaxed and just calmly talking as if it no big deal.  When we get there he tells me that it is his meds making him mellow. Thank goodness for pharmaceuticals.  Later I call him to find out if he is back and in good shape. Yes, he is a happy camper.  Go Bill. You made this horrible start a good one after all.