Boquerones en Vinagre (Anchovies in Vinegar), Mediterranean Delight

Having a tapa of raw fish macerated in vinegar is surely not quite luring for some stomachs. Mediterranean anchovies are not just gutted fish salted in brine, matured and canned or bottled in oil or salt as those you find in the market. They are also served fresh and marinated in vinegar as the ones in the picture. This exquisite tapa is called Boquerones en vinagre. By now you probably have guessed that not all anchovies prepared this way taste the same and that both the freshness of the fish and the quality of the vinegar really make the difference. Yesterday, we enjoyed these superb boquerones en vinagre dressed with garlic, parsley and some olives at Rincon de la Ciudadela, exactly at the corner of carrer Princesa and carrer Comerç in El Born, Barcelona. The restaurant is not modern, chic and trendy like many others in the area, but you know, good food, is not always in the coolest place.

Passeig Picasso, Barcelona: Man Walking Dog

In a quiet morning, under the plane trees, along the archways of Passeig Picasso in Barcelona, there goes a man with a dog. The dog contemplating the entrance to Ciutadella Park at the end of the road longing for that daily walk, the man distracted by some shop window to his right. Probably the same scene could have taken place back in 1888 when the Parc de la Ciutadella and some buildings in the area were built for the World Exhibition. With a little touch of imagination of course.

El Born, Carrer de la Princesa in Barcelona: Where The Past Meets The Present

This is the intersection of Carrer de la Princesa stretching ahead in the distance, Carrer del Rec to the left and Carrer d'en Tantarantana to the right which you can explore here in this Google Map street view link of this side of El Born in La Ribera quarter. I thought it was interesting you could compare the picture with the map and have the chance to move around in this old neighborhood of historic narrow alleys. Remember El Born is not just old stones and rickety buildings with balconies full of exuberant plants and clothes lines, of orange butane gas cylinders or barking dogs. El Born is also one of the most active areas in the city when it comes to nightlife, food, shopping and cultural activities.

Plaça de les Olles, Barri de La Ribera, Barcelona

In the old part of town, Barcelona can boast of several squares with this atmosphere of intimacy only given by the very architecture, by the space in between buildings. I mean, behind the next corner you may find a hidden spot with no sidewalks, few trees...sort of esplanades with terrace chairs and a fountain at most. In those places you certainly travel in time and in that sense you are just another old villager, part of the historical settings, part of the scene. A good example is Plaça de les Olles at Barri de La Ribera in the center of El Born. I am not fond of making gratuitous publicity but a few exceptions when it comes to recommending places to visit or enjoy the local food do help. As it happens to be in the picture here is a link to an interesting place to have tapas and taste some excellent wine: El Celler de La Ribera. At least the terrace well deserves spending a buck or two.

Celler de la Ribera
Plaça de les Olles 6, 08003, Barcelona
93 3107845

Building at Carrer del Triangle and Carrer del Rec, El Born, Barcelona

Here in Barcelona, we could say we have our own Flatiron building in El Born at the intersection of Carrer del Triangle and Carrer del Rec figuratively speaking of course. Here you can appreciate this triangular building in Earth view at Google maps.

El Born: Narrow Alley with Cha Cha Store

A narrow alley in El Born quarter, Barcelona, with a small but trendy store called Cha Chá. The exact address, Sant Antoni Dels Sombrerers 7.

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