Dropping the Armor in Cadaqués | Reader Story

Every day, I put on armor to protect myself from the slings and arrows that come my way. Underneath, I’m a more emotional person than I allow most to see. In some places though, I can slip out of this armor and be more integrated, more whole.

I’m a better person, and a better artist, when I can immerse myself in places filled with light, texture, and authenticity. Places with small details that most people won’t notice. Light that changes the scene throughout the day and night. Sights and sounds and smells surrounding me that feed my soul. In these kinds of places, I feel at peace and energized all at the same time.

Cadaqués, Spain is one of these places. Two days was too few, but it was also more than enough to help me feel more alive as a person and as an artist. It was enough to help me drop the armor for just a moment.

A steep cobbled lane in Cadaqués between white houses with dark blue shutters and a door, a flowering vine climbing the wall

Imagine stone streets at improbable angles following the paths of the ancients. White buildings line these streets, their doors, windows, and shutters painted various shades of bright and faded blue.

A pale blue plank door with an iron ring knocker next to a dark wooden double door with lace curtains, on a white-walled corner in Cadaqués

Purple, blue, and red flowers cover vines that snake their way up the sides of these buildings and sway in the breeze.

A cream-coloured corner house in Cadaqués almost buried under a huge purple bougainvillea, with a red door and a small clothes display in the window

In the midst of this, one occasionally finds bored cats wandering. At least, when they want to be found. A deep blue sky stretches overhead. This is the place where the Pyrenees Mountains fall into the Mediterranean.

A calico cat sitting in a shop doorway in Cadaqués with round straw bags hanging behind it

There is art everywhere. Most visitors see Dalí as this was his home. Those with open eyes see more.

A pale blue door framed by wisteria and an olive-green shrub in a terracotta pot, set in a white wall in Cadaqués

Walking the streets, attentive visitors see paintings on the sides of most buildings. Paintings decorate the small metal doors over utility meters and valves on most of the buildings. Scenes of landscapes, cats, and mermaids. Not graffiti, but intentional art made for the people who pass by these buildings every day.

A utility meter cover on a white wall in Cadaqués painted with a cat sitting on a sunny windowsill looking out at the village and bay, red flowers framing the left side

I suspect I’m failing to convey the feelings I have in Cadaqués. This is simply a sign that I have room to improve my craft. Alive is one of the truest words I have. I am calm and excited. Expectant and satisfied. Simultaneously.

The floodlit white church tower of Cadaqués above the old town at night, a couple sitting on a bench under a street lamp in the square below

Today I look forward to my next visit, hoping to capture more with my camera and my words. To read more of my writing, visit my Substack at Notes from the Road Taken.