The Photographer

Why freezing a fragment of reality when we can live that same reality right now? Why do we collect memories if the past is no more? It was not always so. First we painted a hunting scene on the walls of the cave to evoke our deeds and then it all began. We are extremely fond of memories. We perfected the tools till we imprinted reality on a piece of paper not without effort at first and then we made it universal. Now everybody can be the painter of the tribe. Popularity makes it harder to be original though. Reality is just reality and chances are too many people shoot from the same angle and focus on the same subject. But luckily we are more than button pushers. We carry that magic stuff called soul. We like to find beauty around us, create and obtain self satisfaction with the result, just like the first day in that cave. And just as tools didn't create men but certainly helped them grow the same happens with cameras. With the right gear you can express yourself better but always remember that ancient caveman, the photographer in you.

Immigrants: Through the Mirror

Ghosts pass you by, wandering, roaming the streets like penitent souls. You could swear you saw two of them out of the corner of your eye. You try not to stare at those in another dimension, passing through the mirror. They don't seem to be real, so "different" as they are. And there they go, in silence. They do stare at you from time to time, or so it seems, as if they would like to say something but they cannot communicate with you being on the other side. Someone sent them to that uncertain world to pay for sins that never were. But wait a minute, are you really sure which side you are? What if your side of the mirror is not paradise? Please don't judge other people by appearances, get rid of those prejudices, just who do you think you are? You are nothing but another monkey on the more idyllic side of the woods. Homo sapiens are just a bunch of immigrants no matter what. Who told us to leave from Africa anyway? Humans go from place to place at will. So it has been and so it should be forever more. Borders are meant to be trespassed. So think twice, maybe you are the immigrant next time.

Maremagnum Barcelona, Shopping Center and Leisure Resort: A Bird's Eye View

Maremagnum Barcelona due to its privileged location is a sort of magnet that attracts tourists and locals alike. The shopping center does not hold the best stores in town, neither the best restaurants or the most thrilling attractions in the city but the fact is this renown place has a little of it all and it happens to be by the sea, in this sort of detached wharf where you seem to be floating on wooden planks spellbound by the smell of saltpeter, watching seagulls fly and shoals of fish gather around a crumb of bread somebody dropped into the calmed waters.

You are in Barcelona but at the same time you feel you can watch the skyline from the distance and abstract yourself from the context. Certainly Maremagnum is a must see. The Aquarium, the paintings market under the front pergola and the 3D IMAX movie theater are recommended visits.

As previous posts just offered details I thought it would be better to show the whole scene as seen from Montjuic mountain. Don't forget La Barceloneta in the background

Montjuic Cable Car /Teleferic de Montjuic - Take the Barcelona Experience to the Limit

The Montjuic cable car known in Catalan as Telefèric de Montjuïc, is the perfect spot to take the Barcelona experience to the limit. Not in the middle of the winter of course, although now they are protected against inclement weather, but in the spring as shown in this picture. Knowing you need a glimpse of sunny Barcelona sometimes to better digest your dull skies I decided to drop this image into my streamline now that no one is looking. If you happen to see that lady over there during your visit ask her to please step out of the picture next time. You ought to know it is not the first time a cable car appears here so I will skip technicalities except for a wonderful video for you to get an idea of what the ride on the cable car is like: Barcelona Teleferic

The Cascade Fountain, A Jewel of Catalan Art by Josep Fontser

It is an authentic luxury to walk in Parc de la Ciutadella, contemplating the old pavilions, the museums, the statues, the zoo, the lake or the greenhouse. It is a privilege not only for art enthusiasts but to any citizen who enters this magical place, to have such treasures within their reach. We tend to ignore the obvious though. I think we learn to better appreciate our artistic patrimony when we visit one of those monotonous industrialized cities built on glass and steel where art is just a ridicule pastiche in the nearest mall and we remember what we left at home. Of course Barcelona does not have exclusive rights to consider itself as the mecca of art but we do have a thing or two to congratulate upon. Besides the obvious landmarks in the city, and if I had to vote, this fountain, the Cascade by Josep Fontser, would be in my top ten. On previous posts we saw a detail of Aurora's Chariot and of one of the fountain Griffins.

Art Nouveau Flower Motif on Old Modernist Pharmacy Façade

To welcome the new week I would like to share with you this beautiful flower motif found on the façade of the antique modernist Viladot pharmacy and laboratory once featured in this blog and located if I remember well, on the corner of carrer Bruc and Ronda de Sant Pere. One of those small details scattered here and there in the city that you won't find unless you take a walk out of the usual touristic route.

Police Chase, La Ribera Quarter. Is Barcelona Less Safe?

Police chase I witnessed some time ago in the narrow streets of La Ribera quarter near Santa Caterina market in Barcelona. That day we were taking part in a photo walk organized by Barcelona Photobloggers and suddenly we saw this police car coming right towards us at an impossible speed for an alley like the one in the shot. Needless to say we all stuck our butts against the wall and got so scared that didn't even think of taking pictures. We were standing at an intersection, a cop headed down the street in the image and the car followed but some scaffolds got in the way and they stepped on the gas in reverse in the most pure Hollywood style and went up a slightly wider street. At that point, I remembered the camera and captured this blurry silhouette. I knew it was awful and distorted but I was surprised it had the mood of some documentary shooting. The following morning I read a young man had been killed in the subway and attackers had managed to escape in the narrow alleys nearby although they were caught some days later. Maybe not the same events but it could be.

Well, you know, this sort of things may happen in Barcelona too although it is not an everyday scene.  Or maybe it is but you get to see one or two a year. The fact we are not part of the action does not mean we should look the other way and pretend the problem does not exist.

According to last semester's official poll 43% of participants think the city is worse than before against a more positive 34%. The previous poll carried out in June 2009 showed an opposite result.

The number of people that think local authorities do their job correctly or efficiently is lower than in June but it is still favorable to present town hall administration. There is a certain feeling of being on the right track or so they say, as emphasis is being made on security this year. Results cannot adorn the evidence, 19,6% of citizens mention insecurity as their deepest concern, followed by unemployment voted by 17,6% of participants.

Of course I don't mean to scare anybody: Barcelona is not Sin City!

Bike Tours in Barcelona Waterfront

A bike tour along Barcelona waterfront spotted right in front of Hotel Arts at the end of the wharf nearby, the same day I took this other picture of a man and his bicycle. It was also a foggy morning, pretty much like the ones we are having lately. Yet these people seem to be having fun enjoying the view so imagine how great the experience must be in the spring on one of those bright sunny days watching sailboats coming into the marina or taking a swim after the long ride. Possibilities there are many in the city to go on private, tailor-made bike tours sightseeing landmarks or just the narrow streets of the old part of town and stopping for a refreshing beer and some tapas but finding the best route and the best company I leave up to you since that is not the purpose of this post.

Francesc de Paula Rius i Taulet by Manuel Fuxa and Pere Falques

Walking down Passeig Lluis Companys towards Parc de la Ciutadella right at the opposite site of Arc de Triomf we find a monument that honors city mayor Francesc de Paula Rius i Taulet. This obelisk was built between 1897 and 1901 by sculptor Manuel Fuxà with the help of architect Pere Falqués. The universal exhibition of 1888 held in Barcelona had a significant impact on the economic, cultural, demographic and urbanistic development of the city and much of such improvement is owed to Rius i Taulet as president of the event and as promoter of many projects started as a result of the exhibition. Notice the man with hammer on his left that symbolizes Labor and a lady paying homage to the mayor on behalf of the city.

David and Goliath Sculpture by Antoni Llena

I've always wondered how a sculpture that resembles a kite can be called David and Goliath. Well, maybe if we frame a tiny human shape next to the tripod then everything makes sense. This sort of War of the Worlds machine marching ominously along Plaça dels Voluntaris (yes, not as catching a word as the original "Surrey") was made by Antoni Llena for the Olympic Games in 1992. The day was foggy and not picture friendly but that doesn't mean we have to stay at home. I hope you like it come what may.

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Barcelona Trees, Our City Lungs: Green Awareness, Health and Other Musings

Barcelona is a city of trees. Of course not as exuberant as we would like but enough to add a note of color, clean up the smog a bit and make people more environment-aware. Catalans care about green. You could say trees are part of the urban furniture. There are plenty of parks in Barcelona and Parc de la Ciutadella in this picture is one of the most emblematic and visited. I have to confess our respect for nature is not as profound so as to go and stretch our bodies standing around a tree so this particular group called my attention. My first thoughts were that it was some kind of pagan ritual calling the powers of Earth and trees in this case cause the man who was leading the exercise was waving at me not to take the picture. Perhaps I was interfering in their concentration. I guess it was only part of some yoga routine. By the way, I read that in Feng Shui, trees represent strength and are considered a source of protection. Whatever the reason they gathered round the trunk for, you have to admit that it was a healthy thing to do much more attractive to the eye that a drunkard sleeping in a nearby bench. Yes, my friends, trees, our city lungs, can filter the air but they won't do miracles!

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Under The Arc de Triomf

Sometimes we cross through gates unknowingly because the door is totally irrelevant but going under the Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomf in Catalan) is an odd experience. It is silly to feel a certain thrill just by walking under a bunch of bricks but there must be some kind of inner chip that senses history when approaching a monument, that makes us pretend we are a Roman soldier entering the city while fellow citizens wear laurel wreaths on their heads and make the victory sign with their fingers. Well, you know what I mean, you don't remain indifferent while approaching a majestic building like this and you get carried away. In the early morning sun silhouettes of passers-by are drawn mysteriously into another dimension, into the gates of history.

XIX Century Summer House, Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona

Romantic Gazebo - Parc de la Ciutadella -Barcelona

19th century romantic summer house or gazebo at Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona.

This is one of those beautiful jewels of park architecture that still remain in the city sometimes used as meeting point by groups of students or for concerts and small performances. A magic place early in the morning to enjoy a good book or contemplate the Cascade fountain nearby.

Owl on Watchtower

Under the warm light of the afternoon an owl scrutinizes the ground for small preys. From the watchtower, her vision controls every move of the animal trainer at the bird show in Cim d'Aligues park. The girl is holding a mouse in the protective glove at a considerable distance, far enough for the human eye not to be able to tell the glove from the pray. If you want to know more about this park check previous posts here.

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2010, Make a Wish

Everybody must have received their gift by now. Almost. At least those on the Magi list. But after looking at this girl's eyes it occurs to me that dreams will flow in the air like confetti till next year cause illusions never die. It's the magic behind the gifts what keeps us alive and not the gifts as such. The beauty lies in the joy around that material thing and not the thing itself. It's true some get the bulky presents and many just a wooden toy but that doesn't make them better cause happiness is not in the expensive stuff but in the peace of the soul. But Alas!, how many times we forget that. Now that celebrations are over and the Kings have gone back East, I think this special moment tells me more about what life really is, tossing some confetti and making a wish.

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Balthazar, The Black Wise Man

The Three Wise Men come from the East every January 5th not to bring gold, frankincense and myrrh to baby Jesus but to perform another sacred task, deliver illusions in the form of toys and candies to the children. In return, they only ask for a letter with requests, some water and perhaps pastries and bread crumbs at will for their exhausted camels. Pageants also do their anonymous chores thus alleviating their masters' titanic duties. In the picture, the most solicited, King Balthazar, the Black Magician and Wise Man, poking inside the sack looking for candy to throw to the anxious and happy crowd along Barcelona streets.

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Las Ramblas Devil? Please, Dial 666

Satan, Beelzebub, Lucifer, Mephistopheles, Prince of Darkness or simply the Devil are some of the terms used to refer to the eternal antagonist, the adversary, the slanderer ('devil' derives from Gr. diabolos), the evil doer or as we call it El Diablo, that malevolent entity most religions define one way or the other according to their own traditions and beliefs. One thing is true, there seems to be a general acceptance about the existence of evil, they can place it in hell, in the world beyond, in a parallel dimension, in ectoplasm, in your soul, in someone else's soul, in a goat, a black cat, a snake, etc. Being more materialistic, let's say it is just a glitch in the neural connections of our brains stimulated by a high dose of byproduct content in our genetic code, a lousy childhood perhaps and the fact we chew up too many plastic toys when we are toddlers. Of course we can think the devil is our boss, our mother-in-law, our bank creditor or Marilyn Manson. Judging by the horns of our Las Ramblas creature and obviating the Orc shoulder protection from the Lord of the Rings, we could say this is a practical example of downtown demon manifestation. So beware who's next in line when you use a public phone in Barcelona!

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Seasonal Lighting on El Corte Ingles

A new year has come, we ate, laughed and cried. It is time for other goals and also for the gym and an extreme diet. In coming days the Three Wise Men will return once again to bring toys for kids. El Corte Ingles is one of those traditional department stores with a seasonal lighting: this was the way it looked some days ago for Christmas and I suppose they will set a different decoration for Los Tres Reyes Magos celebrations if they haven't already. I seldom visit this shopping center but you have to admit that their lights are a sort of traditional symbol in Barcelona and celebrations wouldn't be the same without the famous chain store. They spend a fortune I suppose but the full moon is free of charge.

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Ramblas Cowboy Wishes You a Happy 2010!

On behalf of the Ramblas Cowboy, that famous human statue in the renown Barcelona street, we want to wish you all a Happy 2010. He is not my acquaintance, but I am sure he can back me up in this one cause judging by the warm smile he always wears he must be a great guy. I woke up today thinking on catching up his figure against Christmas lights. It came out different but in the end I am happy I walked down to Las Ramblas and enjoyed the good mood everyone was sharing by the end of 2009. All the best!

L'Auca del Senyor Esteve, Tile Work at Carrer Petritxol, Barcelona

This tile work depicts L'Auca del Senyor Esteve based upon a novel by Santiago Rusiñol i Prats (1861-1931) published in 1907 and set on stage in 1917.

27 drawings by Ramon Casas and 27 rodolins or verses by Gabriel Alomar illustrate the original story narrated by Rusiñol which is about a young heir called Ramonet, a modernist artist born in a traditional petite bourgeois family of La Ribera quarter in Barcelona.

The father, Mr. Esteve was the founder of a small shop called La Puntual in 1830 and his common sense, his pragmatism, his perseverance directly opposes the new ideas, the fresh artistic air of his son. A conflict between the artist that exists thanks to his father's money and strivings or in other words, the historic role of traditional Catalan bourgeoisie as the springboard for new artists of modernisme.

But what is an auca anyway? An auca is a story told by a set of images in one single sheet of paper in numbers evenly divided by 4, generally 24 or 48, and some short text under each illustration (xylography, lithography and later photoengraving techniques were used). It might recall comics in a way but much more rigid in structure. Images are conditioned by the metrics or the rhyme of the text always below and out of the illustration.

Auca is an old variant of oca, meaning goose, an animal quite frequent in this sort of artwork. Everything started with cards depicting animals and natural elements, like the Sun and the Moon that were used to play the game by the same name or for divination in many cases for money. Once this activity was forbidden the animation developed into art. The text also evolved into two-line rhymed rodolins in XIX.

Crucifixion on Decayed Wall, Barcelona

Crucified for defending the poor, the sick, the hungry, his image prevails in the memory of mankind. He was just a man victim of his own ideas, a revolutionary that renounced to the flesh in the name of his faith to become an eternal soul, an immortal message embedded in every heart. You may believe in the miracle or not, you may skip all that was written later on, but the fact is someone was killed that day apparently for nothing but for everyone at the same time and the account of such deeds still endures the pass of time cause that human existence is not what matters anymore but the act as such, his sacrifice for the love of others. 

It is true that there is some sort of flame in you, something that makes you feel right when you defend the poor, the sick, the hungry whether you are a believer or an atheist. You can call it humanity or religiousness. I cannot give you an explanation but I am glad there is something after all, if not, life would be totally meaningless. On this Christmas day I leave you with this graffiti of a crucifix on a decayed wall in hope you remember those who need your help. Nice holidays my friends.

We Cagatios, the Whole Log Family Together Wish you a Merry Christmas!

Hello my friends, we don't have snow, we haven't seen Santa Claus yet but we are all here awake, waiting for the magic moments to arrive. The whole family of Catalan cagatiós (yes, they call us pooping logs cause we also bring gifts when kids hit us with a rod) wish all our friends and their families a Merry Christmas.

Cogwheels: Industrial Reminiscence of Catalonia's Past

Cogwheels that evoke the times of industrial revolution in Europe, times of textile factories in Catalonia, of heavy machinery, of steam and rising unions, of a powerful bourgeoisie interested in new technologies, in productivity, in capitalism and also in the latest artistic trends, as a way to rebel against the heavy yoke of aristocracy and monarchy.

This cogwheel is part of a bigger sculpture placed in Parc de la Ciutadella in 1998 to celebrate the centennial year of the Universal Exhibition in the city. It is a modern sculptoric work by Spanish painter, sculptor, stage and costume designer Antoni Clavé (1913 –2005).

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Bolets or Mushrooms You Can Buy at La Boqueria, Barcelona

I don't have the slightest idea about mushrooms so I am going to dare give names to these three species. According to pictures, the first ones on the left could be some variant of Tricholoma, in the middle and most attractive to the eye, Cantharellus tubaeformis or Cantharellus infundibuliformis aka Rossinyol in Catalonia and finally what seems to be Agaricus bisporus. But then again don't follow my word on this so as to go and collect some in the wild holding my image cause your life might be at risk. The photograph was taken last September at La Boqueria market. If there are boletaires (bolet is Catalan for mushroom and boletaire those who know about bolets) in the audience please help me with this one.

This is just a recommendation of course for you to have fun with media. And while you are at it, how about more than 7000 mushroom recipes to browse for fresh ideas and maybe add that final touch to your Christmas table?.

Sailing Boats Coming Out of Moll de Xaloc, Barcelona

A group of sailboats coming out of Moll de Xaloc right in front of Hotel Arts and Torre Mapfre in Barcelona. What seems to be a class or an organized tour of some kind is towed by a zodiac towards open seas. In the distance the beautiful silhouette of Hotel W Barcelona also known as Hotel Vela (sail) by Ricardo Bofill.

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Barcelona Predators: Seagulls - Strange Animal Behavior?

Food, speaking on global terms and not western world standards, is scarce, and this is valid for animals as well that urged by that innate code mother nature gave them tend to change their behavior and even their habitat pushed by this irrational human vicious conduct of throwing stones into our own fragile roof. It is well known that we are happily helping degrade our planet, "nobody lives forever so f*** the future" many think, therefore creatures of the earth find it hard to survive in such a mess. Who has not heard of thinner than ever polar bears coming into towns for food, birds not migrating when or where they are supposed to, insignificant fish captures due to drastic changes in ocean temperatures as a result of global warming of the planet caused by men. I remember those times, when a seagull used to be near the shore feeding on fish or crabs and carrying their prey to their nests in nearby hills. In Barcelona it has become rather common to see these noisy, cunning and robust birds nesting on the roof of our buildings, claiming their territory against pigeons and smaller species and in some cases attacking children in school backyards to steal away a sandwich. Seagulls are carnivores and sometimes scavenge a little so it is not strange that they kill a small sick bird or take profit from their decaying corpse. The ackward thing to me is to find it in the middle of the Ciutadella park surrounded by people, holding an animal so big as an adult pigeon and looking at me so defiantly in the most pure Hitchcock-The Birds style. Times are achanging my friend and for the bad.

Passeig de Lluis Companys - Barcelona: Dragon Face on Cast Iron Planter

Along Passeig de Lluis Companys, called Saló de Sant Joan in times of the Barcelona Universal Exhibition of 1888, there are these fabulous cast iron planters adorned with mythological beasts, menacing dragon faces watching passersby from each side of the urn. In fact, they look like gargoyles draining the water from the plant. Both these wrought iron urns on the balustrades and the fabulous gas lamps with benches by Pere Falques, must have been a wonderful attraction back in XIX. You should know that this promenade, that starts with the Arc de Triomf and ends at the Rius i Taulet monument in honor to the city mayor who was responsible for the embelishment of the "antechamber" to the event venues in the Parc de la Ciutadella, was in a way the red carpet, the vestibule to the first buildings of the famous exhibition. That previous surrounding area was kind of deserted as many of the buildings were about to be built like the Palace of Justice 1888-1910, walking down on the left, about half way of the road. On a picture I will post soon I will abound on the history of Passeig de Lluis Companys and the sculptoric elements that remain. For the moment enjoy the company of this horrendous animal basking in the morning sun or better yet, watch the exact planter on Google street view mode below and don't forget to surround the whole walk to see both the Ciutadella park and the Arc de Triomphe.


View Larger Map

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Casa Enric Laplana or Casa Mundó, Passeig de Sant Joan 6, Barcelona

Last Saturday I went for a walk down Passeig de Sant Joan to test my brand new Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX lens. I stopped before this building attracted by the beauty of the balconies. I did not know the name which I found later when I got home.

After some research online, I learned that it is called three different ways Casa Enric Laplana or Casa Mundó or Casa Estapé and was build by Bernardí Martorell i Puig in 1907.

This Catalan architect born in 1877 belonged to a wealthy family and received a good education. Got his architecture degree in 1902. He worked for some time in the Sagrada Familia and was a friend of Gaudi's.

His work is considered part of late Catalan modernism but some of his buildings have a touch of historicism. Many of his works were religious buildings like the Església de Sant Agustí in Sabadell, Convent de Valldonzella in Barcelona, Església dels Escolapis in Sabadell, Església i Convent del Santíssim Redemptor de les Oblates de Bellesguard in Barcelona or the Col·legi de les Teresianes in Tarragona.

Bernardí was influenced by English neo-gothic and also had a passion for oriental art and architecture. He died in Hospital de Sant Pau in 1937 of acute myocarditis.

But I leave you watching the elaborate ironwork, the orange stucco façade with serigraphed flowers mixed with the bare bricks in the upper floor. In the picture you cannot see the ceramic tile cupola on top or the stone gallery of the first floor but you can follow this link to see the full view of Casa Enric Laplana or check it on the map. The lens worked out fine by the way although I'll save it for street photography.

Dragonfly: I am Watching You!

The chopper silently watched from atop, sensing every single movement of the stealthy squad approaching from the bush. They say they can only see from orange to UV but detect movements separated by 1/300th of a second and have almost 360º vision from their rack of 30000 telescopes on each side of their cabin. Darn, I've got to be invisible! Loading weapons, fire! That's it! Tango reporting to headquarters, the chopper is down, I repeat, the enemy is down. We've got the Dragonfly!!!

This war fiction on dragonflies and their resemblance with helicopters has been possible thanks to this wonderful article: Sight and Flight.

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Still Life: Wild Partridge Showcase, La Boqueria Market, Barcelona

Like a painting depicting hunting trophies or a still life portraying dead animals, specially those of hares and birds, appeared before my eyes, imbued with a ghostly bluish-yellowish light, the wild game stand in La Boqueria market. From the mixture of species on display, I cropped this rack of wild partridges so you could take a good peek at the strange artistic beauty that inspired painters in the past, at that mysterious blend of nature, food, life and death evoked with traditional austerity in many Spanish bodegones where dead animals hung from a hook waiting to be skinned and free of any banquet luxury or adornment so often present in similar paintings from other countries in Baroque times. I know this is just a picture of dead wild partridges and you may not find it artistic at all but I wanted you to think about this aspect of painting and the peculiar relationship between art, men and dead animals regarded as something aesthetic.

Mammoth At Large - Park de la Ciutadella, Barcelona

Beware of the mammoth! Yes, a mammoth is at large somewhere amidst the fountains, the promenades, the pavilions in Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona. Don't say I didn't warn you when you step on the glade and there's no one but you and the beast. Luckily I had time to fire the flash of my camera and sneaked away in the bush. You may not be that fortunate. Now being a little more serious, let me tell you that this stone mammoth was built based upon a model by sculptor Miquel Dalmau and as part of an initiative of Norbert Font i Sagué (1874-1910), writer, geologist and renown speleologist. Thanks to Norbert Font speleology was first introduced in Catalonia.

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Water Jug with Children, Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona

Sometimes a work of art is so aesthetically breathtaking that it would be a sacrilege to step away without going round to take a peek from the opposite side. This image is dedicated to all those who bother looking from another perspective for the sake of knowledge, for the sake of art. Check my first post about the Water Jug with Children for details.

Peeling Fava Beans - Some Like it Raw

One of the secret pleasures and most amusing of activities in life, at least for some Mediterranean peoples is to shell and then peel fava beans, broad beans or habas as we know them in Spanish and eat the fresh content, the seed or kernel raw, accompanied with some bread and sometimes other ingredients like cod, cheese, ham, etc. My wife loves them and refers to them as an authentic delicatessen. Bear in mind though that you may catch a disease called favism which causes anemia but only if you are genetically predisposed. Try to tell that to locals in Murcia, Andalusia and other regions of Spain! In my opinion, you need some skill to peel habas or at least I see experts pile up a good amount of shells in the time I need to utterly destroy one pod. In the image, notice the beans inside the cardboard box and a bunch of pods right in front in the plastic container. This was taken early in the morning at one of those open air veggie stalls set outside La Boqueria market. The picture is almost ruined cause there was too much light and I didn't have much time to set the camera properly and still get away with my candid. I brought it here so you could see what peeling favas looks like and learn about the tradition behind it, a tradition as old as humanity itself and only second to good old lentils but that is part of another story. To illustrate the culinary aspect of fava beans here is a list of videos either about the plant or recipes that might give you new ideas for today's meal.

• How to Grow Fava Beans


• How to Prepare Fava Beans


• Fava Beans with Ham (Habas con Jamón not a video but a favorite!)


• Tortilla de Habas Tiernas


• Egyptian Recipe


• Fava Beans and Chianti by Hannibal Lecter (not that good)

Stretching at Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona

The man was really doing some light push ups as part of his stretching routine possibly before starting jogging.

Parc de la Ciutadella is the perfect place to practice outdoor sports early in the morning but bear in mind that on certain days this hot spot in flooded with people engaged in some cultural activity. Have a nice weekend my friends.

Check other posts about Ciutadella park that give you an idea of the superb scenario to practice open sports: Cascade Ciutadella Fountain or Barcelona Trees: Our City Lungs

Barcelona Tram: Route T4 Start Point, Ciutadella - Villa Olimpica

This is the start point of T4, one of the Barcelona Tram routes, going from Ciutadella (Olympic Villa) to Sant Adria. To be more specific it is at the end of Wellington street just next to the zoo entrance. To digress a little, I would like to remark how difficult it is for me to choose a proper, original title for a post. Difficult in the sense that I am always conditioned by SEO to make my site noted on the web. To tell you the truth, the sole fact of being so tied to niches, keyword phrases and so on is really a nuisance aka a pain in the a**. Maybe now you'd say, well go ahead and choose whatever title you want. Well, perhaps you wouldn't be reading this cause the post would be lost at the bottom of Google's obscure twilight zone. Yep, I am clearly digressing now. I should have called this something in the way from A Street Car Name T4 to Wheelchair Adapted Transportation. Does anybody know how to give artistic titles to a post and make it hit first pages of Google search results? I would like to give details about our modern tram system but there are sites offering great information on this and this blog is not associated in any way with Tram BCN. Where was I?...

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Colored Stone Wall

What can I say. This is a wall. Originally a very dull one. The place, somewhere in Barcelona. Another play with colors and textures. Hope you like my stone wall.

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Man, Bike and Wool Knit Hat

First of all, I have to say it was the woolen hat that struck my attention. This was another lucky shot (see also last post). I was right in front of Hotel Arts and Torre Mapfre by the end of this concrete pier facing the entrance to the marina. There's a privileged spot right after you descend the small set of stairs by the end of the road. You can comfortably lay your camera upon a chest-high wall and capture the sailboats on their way towards open water. As I was saying, I couldn't believe my luck since I realized that right from ground level I could see people enjoying the seascape, lost in their own thoughts. So here was my favorite from that day, a man, a bike and a Catalan wool knit hat.

Jogging, Burning Calories Before Christmas Holidays

The other day I was talking about how I was following an extreme pre-holiday diet. So far I've been able to lose about 5 kilos but in a very passive way. Of course a good option would be jogging or a combination of both.

Although I play soccer on Sundays, I don't feel like jogging anymore as I used to. I still remember how euphoric I felt after my long sessions in a park near home. So I envy this girl's splendid shape.

To tell you the truth I was shooting the benches from a low level angle when this athlete suddenly appeared in my picture. Thanks for that!

Bicolor Flower Fantasy

It's Friday. I am tired and felt like watching some movie. Got home from work and thought I might as well play with an old picture to see what came out. After some time and not without changing looks on many occasions I went for a more surreal touch. Have a nice weekend everyone!

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Looking for the Perfect Chocolate Display, La Boqueria Market, Barcelona

Whether you are on a strict pre-winter-holiday diet like me or you are prone to go on an unleashed dessert-swallowing spree more than often convinced as you are that gluttony is no sin, you have to admit that an attractive display is 90 percent responsible for our brains to start sending green light signals to our less rational stomach. Take the case of this impeccable chocolate stand display so well kept by this young employee at renown Barcelonian market, La Boqueria.

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Boatman Rowing - Parc de la Ciutadella Lake, Barcelona

Rowing is not as easy as it seems. Everyone getting on board of a boat for the first time stranded in the middle of one of those beautiful park lakes will probably agree with me that coordinating both arms to make the ship move in the right direction is not a piece of cake, so guess what it should be like towing almost a dozen boats the way this dexterous boatman does in the Parc de la Ciutadella. Should you want to row a boat on the lake, check the price:

30 Minutes:

2 Persons 6 EUR
3 Persons 9 EUR
4/5 Persons 10 EUR

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Graffiti from Barcelona, Spain

Just another sample of good Barcelonian graffiti. Street art is everywhere in our city. Maybe too much sometimes but when nice it is really refreshing and stimulating.

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Aurora and Chariot: Golden Horses Detail

I had promised to continue with the full story on the Cascade fountain in Ciutadella park but I was busy and chose another detail of one of the many elements in the sculptural group and monument: the horses drawing Aurora's Chariot. Aurora obviously is not on sight due to this low angle. The fact is that the lady is only visible from the square in front of the cascade. I was not carrying the proper lens to zoom in so I had to come closer. By the way, Aurora is the name Romans gave to Eos the dawn goddess according to Greek mythology. Notice: there is also a renown art deco wall relief by the name The Chariot of Aurora and also just to make a bad joke, Eos has nothing to do with Canon.

Griffin Reflection - Cascade Fountain, Parc de la Ciutadella, Barcelona

It is strange but before describing the stage which is the Cascade fountain at Parc de la Ciutadella and its history, I would like to show you one of the actors, a griffin (griffon or gryphon). Remember Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban? That beast they are trying to feed? Well, that was a hippogriff, the mixture of a horse and a griffin. A griffin has the body of a lion instead plus the common eagle traits. In the Cascade, there are four of them. The combination of the mythological being and its reflection really captivated me. I hope Aurora on the chariot back there (you will see tomorrow) is not jealous. It is evident that she has the leading part in this elaborate fountain. By the way, the four water-sprouting griffins were sculpted by the same artist that created the famous 7.2 m high statue of Columbus at Las Ramblas, his name, Rafael Atché (1854 - 1923). Once said that, check next post for the whole story.

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Ciutadella Parc: Tricycle Ride

Who said Barcelona is just museums! Our city is great to enjoy a good ride or a nice walk along one of its many green promenades. Notice these girls having fun in Ciutadella Parc on board of this curious tricycle with front load.

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Ciutadella Park: Water-Jug With Children by Josep Reynes

Ciutadella Park, a part of the city I had not covered much in my blog in the past, is a vast green area, a sort of Central Park that holds some museums and the zoo and is sprinkled with numerous sculptures. This fountain designed by Josep Reynés dates back to 1882. The Font Gerro amb Nens (water-jug with children fountain) is one of the finest in the park.

Josep Reynés (1850-1926) was a Catalan sculptor that was trained in Barcelona and at Carpeaux’s studio in Paris. He was greatly influenced by the French school. We saw one of his works when we featured the reliefs at Arc de Triomf.

Egg Stall, La Boqueria Market, Barcelona

Illuminated by both the warm incandescent light of the bulbs and the pristine rays of the early morning Sun these eggs, so carefully laid out as they are, seem to draw the most attention in La Boqueria market. In my opinion, the egg stall is only second best to the fruit stand at the entrance. By the way, today it is starting to be slightly cold in Barcelona although for tourists coming from up North this must be a joke. Sooner or later we will be like little chicks looking for a warm shelter under Mommy Hen's feathers. I hate winter.

Placeta de Sant Francesc, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

This is a tiny square, in fact it does not have width enough to be called so, along Carrer d'Aglà in Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Check the map below. There are some interesting bars on the area like Pilé 43 near Carrer dels Escudellers where you can have some mojitos and enjoy the retro decoration which is on sale by the way. But I digress. Most of all I wanted to include another front door street art sample in the neighborhood and perhaps highlight the beauty of the upper part of the image.

Placeta de Sant Francesc on Google Maps

Opuntia ficus indica: Cactus Figs - Higos Chumbos

Here are some Cactus Figs, Indian Figs, Tunas or as we know them in Spanish, Higos Chumbos. A lot of names to designate a delicious fruit that oddly enough comes out of Opuntia ficus-indica, a cactus. This is one good example of specialization, of survival in extreme conditions, one of those wonders of mother nature.

Would you expect to get food out a cactus!? I mean, imagine you are a primitive man, you are starving and you get lost in the Sonoran desert. You know that you should not try any odd beautiful fruit or plant cause previous experience tells you that it could be dangerous. You probably get to smell it, lick it but finally the spines make you change your mind. I have always wondered who was the first to try so and so, say, eating an octopus or a snail or a swallow's nest or a shark's fin!? They say cattle have a knack for this plant once farmers burn it to get rid of the sharp points.

I suppose no one got rid of the spines for us in the past, or was it a lightning perhaps, maybe a suicidal cow who dared to chew on it or why not, the blasting jet of a mysterious alien mothership? I have read that in Mexico you do not only eat the fruit but also the young pads called nopales before they grow the spines of course and have them with eggs and jalapeños for example.

In southern Spain higos chumbos grow in the wild as they have this incredible ability to multiply out of any small fragment but there are also extensive crops. Take for example the case of Murcia where almost 200 tons of tunas are harvested every year. The plant has some medicinal properties too as it contains a mucilaginous substance good to treat nausea, headaches, fever, arthritis, constipation, asthma, burns, stomach-ache and a long etc, it even served as a remedy to fight scurvy during long sea journeys. Besides, there are lots of recipes for both sweet and savory dishes.

I just wanted to show you how they looked at La Boqueria market and to let you know that it is quite common to find them when you travel around Spain. Care for a bite?

Hospital de Sant Pau: Modernista Turret

To welcome the new week enjoy this beautiful modernista turret inside Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau many times featured in this blog.

If you want to know more check previous posts by using Sant Pau label below