Catalan Pubilla and Dancing Partner

There was a very similar image in Barcelona Photoblog of a young maiden or pubilla dancing in Monistrol, a town at the foot of Montserrat mountain. In that old post I explained what a pubilla or an hereu are and I also talked about the dance and garments. As the previous picture had a vintage effect (kind of daguerreotype), in this one I preserved colors for you to compare.

Orange Jelly Candy Detail

Here's a detail of some orange jelly candy in a market stall in Barcelona. You can also check these gominolas in green. Fall is already here so orange is that kind of color that gives us the mood of the season. I wish autumn comes as sweet for you as these candies. Have a nice week!

Clock Tower Detail, Sant Pau Hospital, Barcelona

Sant Pau Hospital is by far one of the most spectacular examples of Catalan Art Nouveau or what is known as Modernisme.

Plenty of posts in Barcelona Photoblog fully cover this historical place from almost every angle.

At the main entrance, you face a graceful spire, rather thin if compared with similar church architectural structures in my opinion and taking into account the considerable dimensions of its clock.

I've seen many images of the entrance and the remarkable spire but I always wondered what it would look like from a very short distance.

This is the result.

In case you want to know more about Sant Pau Hospital by Lluis Domenech i Montaner and other artists please check: Hospital de la Santa Creu i Sant Pau posts or all the images in one set on Flickr.

Candle Holder Wooden Toys

Yet another curious wooden figure I came across in one of those markets outside Barcelona (there are many out there which are only set during local celebrations). Here are three candle holder wooden toys in a row with selective focus on the one in the middle. Hope you like the result.

Black Olive Bread: Yet Another Catalan Delight

It is very common in Catalonia to dress up dishes with the magic touch of some small slices of black olives. They appear on top of salads, fish, pizzas, cocas and so on. These buns look yummy with that tasty garnish so I thought they might be a good teaser for your stomach this weekend. Check this black olive bread recipe and maybe you can try it at home.

Fresh Goat Cheese Rolls

Fresh goat cheese carefully wrapped in straws in a small local market near Barcelona. There is nothing more appealing to my avid cholesterol-ridden organism than cheese in any of its forms. Personally I prefer them cured but wouldn't say no to these little whims. I am sure you agree with me that what's bad for your health tastes great more than often. Why didn't Mother Nature give us lettuces rich in saturated fat, with plenty of LDL (Bad) Cholesterol so we massively fed on zero calorie goat cheese? Here is a good comparative of bad vs good food. They obviously just don't get it! Do they?

Disclaimer: The purpose of this post is merely philosophical. The author does not instigate others in any way to keep soaking their nachos in guacamole. He is just wondering, what if?

Stencil Graffiti: Faces on Door, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Stencil graffiti on some door somewhere in Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Some signature to the left. Two faces. A couple perhaps? Who knows? I like the mood. The mood of simple things that denote bigger concepts like friendship and love.

Birds of Pray: Golden Eagle, Catalonia, Spain

Eastern Imperial Eagle at Cim d'Aligues, Catalonia

For bird enthusiasts and passionate animal lovers here is this Golden Eagle specimen. There was a very similar image in Barcelona Photoblog in the past but I could not resist publishing a second shot. Maybe it has happened to you that you visit some place, take a good series of pictures of the same subject hoping to catch that special moment and just a couple of them out of ten completely satisfy you, perhaps even just one. Then you get home and for some mysterious reason choose the wrong shot to use in your post. Well, sometimes those forgotten images well deserve a second chance. Whatever the final choice is, this is a magnificent animal and you could admire her too if you visit Cim d'Aligues (Eagles' Peak).

Note: Members of Cim d'Àligues' page on Facebook have made this important clarification: 'It's not a golden eagle, it's a young Eastern Imperial Eagle (Aquila heliaca)'. Thanks so much for correcting my mistake!

Sculptural group Folk Song by Miquel Blay, Palau de la Música, Barcelona, Spain

Sculptural group Cançó Popular (Folk Song) by Miquel Blay at one corner of the façade in Palau de la Música Catalana.

The group is dominated by the figure of Sant Jordi, patron of Catalonia holding a senyera (our flag) and a sword.

In the very center there is a young lady singing and surrounded by common people, workers, men, women and children.

To learn more about the building, the artists and the historic background, please check these previous posts in Barcelona Photoblog:

• The Pillars of Catalan Art Nouveau
• Woman and Child Detail - Folk Song Sculpture
• Stained Glass Ceiling at Palau de la Musica
• Muses at Palau de la Musica Concert Hall

Small Tower, Cardona Castle, Catalonia

Maybe you remember my post about the Cardona castle where we talked about this jewel of Catalan history, maybe the most emblematic medieval castle in Catalonia. An inexpugnable stronghold under siege on many occasions but never conquered by force and devoted to protect not only its illustrious lords, the Cardona family, but the salt mines in the valley nearby. A very good sample of the evolution of defensive techniques from medieval to modern times in our country. It is precisely the last fortress to surrender to Philip V troops, the last redoubt of the Catalonian supporters of Charles VI of Austria in the War of the Spanish Succession, in 1714. The remains of a small tower outside the castle talk of its privileged location on top of a promontory and make us think of a thousand battles.

Dancing Jota in Barcelona

Before resuming my photography walks in Barcelona and to fill the inevitable void of August holidays I bring back another sample of jotas from Aragon. Please check previous posts to learn more.

PS: Today I started a new set at Flickr about our trip to Scotland. It just has one picture but it will grow in the next days. From here, congratulations to Scots, in spite of the rain, you have the heck of a great landscape which my family and I really enjoyed and certainly recommend.

Old Warehouses vs Barcelona Urban Planning

Back in late 80s of last century Barcelona started the transformation of its waterfront by demolishing the intricate artificial barrier of warehouses and industries in the area near La Barceloneta and part of Poblenou with an eye in the 1992 Olympic Games. It was said that for the first time the city had stopped turning its back on the sea. Here is an interesting post in Spanish with some old pictures of Barcelona coastline that will certainly give you an idea of what it was like. What started as a modest makeup ended up in a drastic change which is still alive and has permeated other areas of Barcelona not so close to the sea. After 20 years we have a radically new skyline "thanks" to the greediness for urban soil of foreign investors and local travel and real state companies in connivance with our politicians. Indirectly we have won a modern and attractive city although some are surely happier than we are after speculating on bricks. As you can see in the picture above, the last warehouses compete with new architecture and are bound to disappear soon to quench the thirst of our urban planners' dictates. Old warehouses have been used in the past as part of art activism in Barcelona although such initiatives are sabotaged by speculators that eventually succeed in their schemes (in fact I've just found out there was an art group established in this very place that disappeared in 2009 after two other previous forced evictions). To our leaders: thanks for the sea (we already had it although we did not see it), thanks for the new look and for making Barcelona more attractive and prosperous. Now, can you please stop building for money and consider more social and cultural investment?

La Monumental Bullring in Barcelona, Opera House or Roman Amphitheater?

This is Plaza de Toros La Monumental, a building that after 2012 will not witness anymore bull fights by decree. I have to admit I always found odd that such beautiful architecture gave shelter to so wild an activity. As I said here in the past, I have nothing against traditions but animals don't deserve human cruelty no matter how justifiable it seems. Of course killing bulls is associated to Spanish spirit, it has become a sort of symbol and it is deeply rooted in the history of part of this country, a lot of families make a living thanks to this business, many others admire bullfighters' courage and enjoy their braveness, their art and approach the whole performance as a play or an opera divided into different acts leading to a climax and a grand finale. It is that final act that I find useless, sad and allow me to say, savage. At that point, the theater becomes a Roman amphitheater and the stage turns into a bloody sand pit. And you may say, we kill cows everyday to feed on them, don't we? If you come to think of it, we are no different than beasts, although they do not hunt just for the sake of hunting I'm afraid. Again another case of absurdity in this world of ours. Whenever I come across La Monumental I will always prefer to contemplate the architecture and forget about human follies.

Portrait: Youth

As I said in yesterday's post I would show you the same model when she's not impersonating terror characters. It is her in real life. Why do I call this portrait Youth? Well, she makes me think of innocence, of expectations, of life plans, of future. It is that face we used to have once that is now covered in multiple protective layers against external "perils" after so much "disappointment" with the rest of world. In fact she is spontaneously impersonating the joy of life, a mysterious asset we forget so often and ever present in our young ones. Let them all enjoy so much happiness before it's too late!

Portrait: Improvised Terror Makeup

Portraits are not my specialty, if I can be considered good at anything, so I try to practice now and then. It is strange that I decide to post portraits but my model decided to improvise a little and I could not resist.

She prefers to stay anonymous so let's pretend this is just a professional session and I've never seen her before.

As I think I wasn't favoring her too much I will show you the same model in the next post just to compensate.

On Goldfish Pond

My recent posting has been as chaotic as this image. I apologize for that. I've been taking the camera with me less often than I would like to and on top of that I will be on holidays next August. We are visiting beautiful Scotland for two weeks and then part of Spain so please don't count me out cause I'll be back full of energy for new Barcelona pictures. Why so few pictures lately? We've been taking care of elder members in the family and there is not much time to go for a stroll on weekends. Nevertheless, I will find the time to keep posting for you, because you deserve it and why not, because I love taking photographs.

Horta's Labyrinth from a Child's Perspective

Absorbed in his own thoughts, subdued by the beauty of the cypress hedges tracing up the illusive path of the 18th century Neoclassical labyrinth at his feet, stands a boy, a sort of watchman that seems to be part of the decoration in the famous romantic garden. The guard at Parc del Laberint d'Horta had warned him that standing on the balustrade was not allowed but the view of the intricate design of the maze from above and the laughter of people getting lost in the wrong alley were so compelling that it is worth taking the risk of a second reprimand. In a way, I can understand the boy but this is surely a place to protect, a unique park in Barcelona with some history behind. A long, long time ago, works on the old estate of Joan Antoni Desvalls i d'Ardena Marquis of Llupià, Poal and Alfarràs, Catalan scientific and prosperous landowner, had been commissioned to Italian architect Domenico Bagutti. It was 1791. The marquis, who was a cultivated person and an artist himself, conceived the design of this romantic garden influenced by Greek mythology in close cooperation with the architect. Desvalls was vice president of the Barcelona Royal Academy of Arts and Natural Sciences for a long period of time and even wrote specialized scientific articles in the quiet of his well provided library. But turning back to the picture, the kid is looking at one of the three levels or terraces of the park, the first and lower level includes the labyrinth, behind his back the middle level features the temples with cupolas and Tuscan columns, and the upper level was meant to collect water for the garden (there's a superb pond with goldfish up there). Besides those levels which are covered with statues, busts, flower jars and fountains there are separate gardens with their own particular ambience. There's the Boxwood garden with topiary art, the Romantic with a faked cemetery, the Petit Laberint, the Domestic which is full of camellias and another devoted to moss plants called Jardi de les Molses. To complete the atmosphere of the place nothing like a small cascade away from the main path and a romantic channel leading to the Island of Love. Parc del Laberint d'Horta was opened to the public by the Town Hall in 1971 and later restored in 1994. If you want to visit the place, please check for more info here.

Goal Keepers: The Next Generation

Everybody is aware by now that Spanish soccer is marking the way, is taking the lead in merging the old school with modern efficiency, without rejecting the beautiful plays and the fresh inspiration of its stars, the magic touch. All together working for the team, by heart, with the heart and also with good tactics. There is no special trick to make the most out of the machinery, to obtain the best results. The secret of good soccer lies in investing time and money in teaching young generations from an early age, putting all necessary resources at their disposal. Maybe one day this young goal keeper becomes another Casillas, Reina or Valdes, who knows. Perhaps he makes it to FC Barcelona! Best of luck to you my friend.

Estacion de Francia Dome

This is how one of the three domes in Barcelona's Estació de França looks like as seen if you stand underneath the hanging metal sphere which is really some meters away from the concave ceiling. To have a better idea and learn about the railway station please visit this previous post: Estació de França - Barcelona's Most Charming Railway Station

The Olive Tree, a Charismatic Mediterranean Storyteller

We can say that there are anonymous trees and then there are trees with charisma. There are trees that would be the pawns in a chessboard and then there is the queen or the king. I mean, you can walk past a whole line of identical spruces and remain indifferent while stumbling upon an oak, a sequoia or a baobab makes you experience that certain something certifying that the thing is alive, that it has some history, a story to tell. Here in Europe, in the Mediterranean basin, one of the most emblematic story tellers and history witnesses is the olive tree. Olives from Greek Elaia give this healthy and tasty oil that has been present in the collective memory of Mediterranean peoples for ages. There are so many dishes, so many recipes, so many products associated with olive oil, so many victories associated with olive branches, so many years of fallowing, of harvesting, of successful crops, of prosperous trade with other countries...olive trees do have a lot to tell if only we knew how to understand them. I had a little conversation with this one at Parc del Laberint.