Crossing Borders

Yesterday concluded our stay in Barcelona and we went out with a bang! We got a chance to tour the Grand Theatre del Liceu located on the favored La Rambla street. We were able to speak to the artistic director, Joan Matabosch, who shed some light on the management style used at the Grand Theatre as well as type of revenue system the European Opera uses versas the United States Operas. The rich history behind the Grand Theatre and how beautiful the interior looks after suffering two different major fires is amazing.

After the tour, we all headed down La Rambla for lunch before heading to the much anticipated tour of the Hotel Arts Bareclona, a Ritz-Carlton property. We met with Jordi Sala, Human Resources Director,  who gave us a presentation on the Gold Standards of the Ritz.  We even got the warm reputable Ritz Carlton welcome from Hotel Operations Manager, Brunella Zinato. All we can say is WOW! Jaw-dropping design, decor, and rooms. This luxury property gave us strong insight on how a 5- star hotel was run. Hotel Arts Barcelona operates with the passion of serving the ladies and gentlemen making the experience ideal for employees and guest. Thank you Jordi for the wonderful tour!

Today, we began with our tour of the Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain which was extremely interesting. We got to see inside the mind of a surrealist genius.

 Then, we crossed borders today into Saint-Remy de Provence, France to visit the Moulin du Calanquet, an olive oil mill that has been run by 5 generations! Learning about the olive oil making process first hand is a unique experience! We got to try Paris Award Winning Oils along with Calanquet's delicous jellies and jams. The overall important point was although the process is long, great things come to those who wait. 

Thus far the insights into European Hospitality culture have been eye-opening. More on that tomorrow. We say goodnight from Avignon, France!