Barcelona Photoblog

July 03, 2013

Table soccer - Futbolín - FCBarcelona vs Real Madrid

Futbolin or Table Soccer - FCBarcelona vs Real Madrid

Table soccer was first invented by William Terrance Mkrill in 1921 and patented in 1923 or so it is said about the international version of this popular game, but Futbolin or Spanish table soccer was conceived by Alejandro Finisterre, a Galician and there is an important difference with the rest of tables abroad, players have both legs spread as you can appreciate in this image with the ever present rivalry between FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid.

May 28, 2013

The Real Estate Business in Barcelona


The real estate business in Barcelona, has had its ups and downs since these years of crisis started back early this century. Our economy, that seemed to be so prosperous relied solely on the fast money coming from the building sector. Construction companies, protected by the government, went on a high escalate of selling houses and apartments at an incredibly expensive price, three or four times over the real value or at least the standard amount paid during the late 90s. This period was called the 'real estate bubble'. People suddenly got into mortgages that last 30 years in order to pay for a blatantly overpriced product. With time, there came the crash and severe austerity measures had to be taken. Now prices are lower and such trend is expected to keep steady in coming years but people are already indebted and unemployed, and brand new buildings are still waiting to be sold or let as they are controlled by banks and not the government. Wouldn't it be easier that the government stop speculation and take away those buildings from the banks to sell them at a reasonable price to young families? Why are government hands so 'tied up'? Who rules the country, the government or the banks? I don't know how international real estate status is in other countries right now, places like Portugal, Italy or Turkey just to mention some, but it is evident that this is a world crisis and that no one is safe. If only we had not based our economy on bricks maybe we would not be talking about being one of the last economies in Europe.

May 17, 2013

Gin and Tonic at Casa Fuster, Barcelona

Gin and tonic at Cafe Vienes, Hotel Casa Fuster Barcelona

Gin and tonics have been with us since 1858. I have missed millions of them since then but the way things are going I will be catching up soon. Now that you know one of my favorite hobbies...taking pictures of spirited beverages while enjoying them, I think you'll agree with me that a place may be the extra additive that makes all the difference. Casa Fuster, a historical building restored into a five star hotel, is a great place to try your favorite gin while admiring the incredible modernist architecture and the colorful furniture of its Café Vienés.

May 11, 2013

Kids Don't Care, Barri de Gracia, Barcelona

Kids playing at Plaza de la Vila, Gracia, Barcelona

Here is a scene older than history, repeated over and over again in every place on earth. Who hasn't be an actor in this play? 

Look at these children, everybody is having fun in their own crazy way and yet it all seems as if there was some kind of plan. I am sure, there was a first call, a starting idea: hey, wanna play? Yep, it always began just like that, with a simple, unbiased act of human communication later hidden under hundreds of layers of social 'learning'. 

The place: Plaça Rius i Taulet, one of those wonderful squares worth visiting in the bohemian Barri de Gracia, in Barcelona. There is a big tower with a clock in the middle so no way you can miss the square. Those giants (Cat. gegants) out there at the back, have names, they are called, Pau and Llibertat and they are about to give those kids yet another happy day before they grow up.

April 08, 2013

Art Nouveau Mosaics: The Trencadis Technique

Trencadis mosaic detail at Serpentine bench in Park Guell, Barcelona

Parc Güell, that amazing jewel of Art Nouveau, where Gaudi left his unmistakable legacy in spite of being part of a housing project that was bound to fail, is a vast green area where your eyes are immediately seduced by curious shapes, impossible lines, incredible designs and innovative ideas. Such is the case of the mosaic benches around the square facing the entrance to the park. Serpentine benches waving around the central arena, feature spectacular combinations of colorful shards of mosaic that apparently at first sight do not make any sense but that are part of an intelligent meaningful composition, a sort of magic snake showing off her shiny scales on top the 86 Doric columns that hold the square. The scales are really thousands of little shards, fragments of mosaic carefully assembled to create a sort of mural in which chaos generates beauty and such technique is called trencadis.

March 15, 2013

Wax Museum, Barcelona, Spain: Box Office

Museu de Cera or Wax Museum, Ramblas, Barcelona
There are many great wax museums in the world so I think we cannot boast about our own Museu de Cera too much, but the building and the place where it is found in Barcelona, at the end of an alley near the end of Las Ramblas really pays for the visit. There is this box office you can see in the picture at one side of the central promenade in Las Ramblas, and right in front of the entrance to the alley, that has this attractive historical look. Located exactly at Passatge Banca, 7, Barcelona, the Wax Museum is a neoclassical style palace that dates back from 1867 that used to hold a famous bank. It wasn't till 1973 that the building was transformed into a museum by scenographer Enrique Alarcón.

March 11, 2013

Barri Gotic: Narrow Streets of Barcelona

Looking up at Barri Gotic
Alley in Barri Gotic, Barcelona

It is easy to walk down the streets of Barri Gotic and get lost in time.

Discovering narrow alleys along the way and contemplating how the perspective drawn by the lines of buildings lead your eyes into small figures that come and go, is certainly one of the most pleasing experiences for travelers that want to avoid the obvious touristic routes in Casc Antic (old city), Barcelona.

March 06, 2013

The Art of Carving Spanish Ham

Ham carving, ham cutting, Barcelona
Carving Spanish ham is an art more difficult to master than it looks. It's not just about slicing any odd way. It requires skill and the right tools. I cannot teach you to carve it like a specialist but more or less you grab the basics when you've had good instructors and you've carved a ham or two to the bone. It is important to have a very sharp ham knife, which has a long and narrow blade and you should fix the piece in a ham holder, some sort of wooden framework with screws to secure both the wide end and the hoof. You start your cut from hoof to tip, that is from the upper raised part of the ham towards the bottom, first eliminating the thick fat but keeping the first slice of fat that you use to cover the ham meat when you finish. The very fat helps preserving the ham from drying and losing its quality. Beware you don't cut yourself. Keep your fingers off the direction of your knife's cut. It happens sometimes that it slips and you end up hurting the hand that is holding the ham. The slices should be as thin as possible and that is the difficult part. Try not to make a deep curve while you cut. The idea is to keep it flat and to cut thin. It doesn't matter if it takes longer for you and people clean up the dish before you finish serving the slices. That is normal! It happens all the time. Not everyone has the patience to go for the thinner slices and the nice presentation. The final result is definitely better. The shop in the picture is located in Barri Gotic, Barcelona, I think that it was at Plaça Sant Jaume.

February 28, 2013

Caganers and Politicians

Caganers a Barcelona, estelada
Caganers and politicians have one thing in common, they both do the same s***. Caganers do it on the floor and it looks funny, politicians do it everywhere they go to give a speech and pass an antidemocratic law and that is certainly not funny. A caganer can impersonate almost everybody, it depends on the imagination of the artist that designs them. Caganers are used frequently to mock popular personalities although originally these figurines are meant for Nativity scenes. Caganers are from Catalonia and other regions nearby and it is common that they wear Catalan traditional clothes, that is, a white shirt, a barretina (red cap), dark pants and a faixa (a sort of sash or band around the waist). We have seen some interesting examples of caganers in Barcelona Photoblog in the past, as is the case of George Bush next to Fidel Castro and Artur Mas or Rafa Nadal, the famous tennis player. In today's image we see a traditional caganer turning his back on us, surrounded by a bunch of similar fellows and apparently just doing what they do best, dropping their stools, although this time there is a certain difference, he is wearing the Estelada or starred flag that is waved by Catalan independentists that is slightly different from the Senyera, accepted as the official Catalan flag. As you can see, although Caganers still represent the common people and mock almost anything, even politicians, they can be used to send a subtle message to whom it may concern.

February 12, 2013

Barcelona Carnival 2013: Elvis

Guy wearing Elvis costume in Horta Carnival Barcelona


Not than an Elvis impersonation is anything new to see specially without glasses but that tupee certainly caught my attention. This picture I took at Plaza Ibiza, Horta quarter once the local parade had come to an end. Participants and spectators joined at the square and started sharing experiences about the event. It's been yet another great year for Barcelona's Carnival this last weekend although technically it comes to an end tomorrow which is Ash Wednesday.

Worth mentioning is famous Sitges carnival that really lasts till the very end tomorrow and where many people from Barcelona go to if they have the chance.

February 10, 2013

Barcelona Carnival 2013: Some Days of Pagan Joy

Carnival costumes in Barcelona subway

Carnival in Barcelona is enjoyed with passion, all the passion that a European carnival can have. I mean, this is not Rio with all the moving flesh and the stamina the tropic brings. Within Europe, maybe it is not as beautiful as the one in Venice. In that line of thought, Venetians also tend to be a little rigid when it comes to shaking their hips in comparison to a Brazilian girl, probably in fear that masks fell from their face, who knows? In other words, we celebrate it with joy, shake our butt a little and try to make it as colorful as can be in order to forget for a while about economic crisis and corrupted politicians.

In Barcelona, for carnestoltes as it is also known here, there is the big parade or Rua (Catalan) in which each guild shows off their float and group choreography, and then there are small ruas held in parallel celebrations at neighborhood level.

As you may know, Carnival starts with Dijous Gras (Fat Thursday) and finishes with Ash Wednesday right when Lent begins. It is based in old pagan winter festivities normally drenched with wine and open to other liberties which Greeks and Romans were so prone to and such habits were later adopted by Christians in their own let's say penitent way, interpreting this brief period as a time for a relaxation break before dealing with the fasting hardships of Lent. Only for a hearty meal and a little wine, of course.

Around here, on Ash Wednesday, we make a funeral and bury a sardine, yes, we like to be different. Who wants to have sardines after having so much food and drinks. We have even created the figure of a guy, Carnestoltes, the appointed King of the Carnival, that dies every year, in some towns of a sudden death and in some others including Barcelona, after a public trial in which he is sentenced to death. The king, always ends up burnt to ashes, and as you may have guessed already, sometimes alive and sometimes being already a corpse. Whatever the way, he is given a non religious burial in accordance with his dubious nature and as a way to purify our repentant community from these days of sinful behavior. Obviously there is still a lot of pagan in our Christian souls somehow.

February 08, 2013

Barcelona's Twin Towers

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Barcelona's Twin Towers, called 'Las Torres Gemelas' in Spanish, are tied for the tallest buildings in the city. At 154 metres tall, the Torre Mapfre (on the right) and the Hotel Arts (on the left) look over the Catalan capital from their location by the beach at Port Olímpic. The Torre Mapfre is owned by insurance company Mapfre and is home to their offices, as well as those of several other companies. Its sister, the Hotel Arts, is quite different as it is one of the city's most luxurious hotels. Many a celebrity has been known to stay in one of the Hotel Arts' 483 rooms that overlook Barcelona's beaches.

Photo is courtesy of Oh-Barcelona

February 07, 2013

Offer of the Day, Barri Gotic Shop, Barcelona

Weird starwars shop manequin at Old Town, Barcelona


Now that the Carnival is starting in Barcelona, is not strange to see someone wearing costumes, in particular people disguised as Star Wars characters so if you come across this mannequin at the entrance of a shop in Carrer Arai, Barri Gotic (Gothic quarter) don't talk to it by mistake as it is probably just the offer of the day. In this case, the dress. I'd like to say that I find this kind of daring welcome more attractive than the classic stuff. Arai street is a very narrow street turning right at Carrer Avinyo.

February 05, 2013

The Artist and its Work, Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Drawing at Las Ramblas, Barcelona


Here is a real artist contemplating his drawing at one of those spots specially assigned to painters and caricaturists along Las Ramblas, Barcelona. Nothing like the pleasure of staring at your work with the satisfaction of having created something you feel proud of. It happens with almost everything in life, and certainly, we are here because we like to create stuff and have goals that make us find a place as individuals in society. Of course you create for yourself but you need some recognition for your creation to be valuable. Being an artist many times depends on just that, good reviews. Although, then, there's the real artist, the one with the gift, like, Mozart for example, people that are great simply because they are, and the only thing you can do about it is bow and worship in awe. In other words, there are gifted souls and the rest of mortals. Within the latter, you've got, individuals that try real hard, and come out with a remarkable result and then there is the mediocre kind, divided into those who accept they are and those who regard themselves as artists. Do what you do, your work is of course respectable because is yours but don't expect everybody to like it. But beware of critics that may be part of that mediocre bunch and their snobbish ways, because sometimes genuine art is judged by shortsighted minds and they are really harmful.

February 04, 2013

Smurf icecream, Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Smurf icecream at Las Ramblas, Barcelona


It's winter around here, not too cold but certainly not the best time to have an icecream, but you know, Las Ramblas never sleeps, tourists are always storming the place, going up and down, along the mall and probably more than one person will fall for this luscious sight, the sight of beautiful creamy icecreams like that blue one with the Smurfs on top that in Spanish are known as pitufos

January 21, 2013

Astrolabe sculpture, Plaça del Sol, Barri de Grácia, Barcelona

Astrolabe - Sculptural group by Joaquim Camps at Plaça del Sol, Gracia quarter, Barcelona

One of the most beautiful squares in the bohemian Barri de Gràcia in Barcelona is Plaça del Sol

This square was built in 1840 and has a surface area of ​​2,502 m2. There used to be a bomb shelter in this place during the Civil War but it was demolished during the latest urban renewal in the area back in 1986 led by architects Jaume Bach and Gabriel Mora Gramunt who placed this nice sculpture called Astrolabe by Joaquim Camps on one side of the square.

Plaça del Sol (Sun square) is surrounded by streets such as Lluna (Moon) and Planeta (planet) in accordance with the astronomy related theme used by the architects.

January 05, 2013

The Three Wise Men 2013, Crèches and Domenec Talarn

Biblical Magi sculpture by Domenech Talarn
Three Wise Men or Biblical Magi by artist Domenec Talarn

The Three Wise Men, The Magi or the Three Kings came to Barcelona today loaded with presents for kids as they do every year riding from the East on their camels. Well, you know the story. They carried gold, frankincense and myrrh to baby Jesus. They do more or less what Santa does but bring more presents, change the deer for camels and give kids coal in case they misbehave. Barcelona Photoblog has published about Biblical Magi in the past:
To celebrate the arrival of the Magi I have used an image taken in Barcelona's town hall during an exhibition of sculptor Domenec Talarn i Ribot's works. Talarn, born in Barcelona at carrer Jerusalem (Raval quarter) in 1812, was famous because of his representations of nativity (crèches) at the entrance of his workshop and the beauty of the figures he sculpted.

January 01, 2013

New Year Plans and Wishes from Barcelona Photoblog

New year plans at Barcelona


Celebrations came to an end, we dreamed of changing our lives, we went through a period of fantasies and illusions which is Christmas and New Year's Eve. Something that when we were young made us think was going to change the world or something right when you woke up in the morning. It's strange, it still happens sometimes. The point is that we want to believe in something and still have that sense of what family values are, what is good and what is bad, we have wishes, we seek friendship and love. Every January 1st we make a wish and we make our plans. No matter what that plan is, almost always it is to be a better person, to get rid of your past sins, and start again with what you think is right for you and your people. Whatever your religion, your creed, you feel there is something worth changing or improving cause that makes you feel good in your heart and soul. Thanks God for that or whoever or whatever you believe in! Bye bye 2012!

Sagrada familia Sanctus

Welcome 2013! I wish I am a better person this year, not only for me but with the people around me. I don't want anything for me. I wish you all, family, friends, friends of your friends, all of you a wonderful year, a wonderful life, a life you feel proud about and make your soul be happy. Best wishes from Barcelona Photoblog!

December 27, 2012

Mosaic Souvenirs in Barcelona Shops

Mosaic souvenirs in Barcelona


The art of covering different surfaces with tile shards to compose a mosaic is called trencadis and it was widely used by Gaudi and his followers. So far so good. What is it with souvenir shops and 'artists' in Barcelona that tend to evoke such technique by using elements so irrelevant to Catalan culture as flamenco dancers or bulls. This is as ambiguous as pretending that Catalans go around wearing Mexican hats.

December 12, 2012

Barri de Gracia: Bohemian Lights

Bohemian afternoon lights at Gracia quarter in Barcelona


There are streets that wouldn't say anything to you, streets without a soul, that never leave the slightest trace of memory inside your mind. There are neighborhoods that are so boring, so barren, so sterile, so aseptic that a ghost town looks like Las Vegas next to them. Not so many like those in Barcelona, truth be said. Certainly, the Gracia quarter is not by any chance one of those, not only because of the charming architecture, the cultural activities, the intense night life, the markets, the local stores, the people but also because of the very streets that seem to have a soul of their own. If there is a neighborhood, an ideal kind of neighborhood to get lost into, without a plan, just to wander through the alleys, the squares and fill up your lungs with plenty of vital energy to make yourself feel alive and in tune with your surroundings, that is La Vila de Gracia. As with everything in this world, the sun, its light, the way it comes through the trees, or over the roofs really makes the difference. Of course you can have light elsewhere and it certainly may be as beautiful as any other because we all are under the same star but it is not probable that you have the light, the tiny streets, , the backstreet cafes, the Bohemian atmosphere, the multicultural nature concentrated in such a tiny spot in the middle of a big city. Not that I want you to feel envious about it. I just want you to get to know el Barri de Gràcia in Barcelona cause it's worth every penny and every single minute you spend on it. In the picture,

December 04, 2012

Stick Dancers or Bastoners: Anklet with Bells Detail

Bastoners or Stick dancers shoes detail


Catalan folklore feeds on ancient traditions lost in the common past of Mediterranean countries. Stick dance (Cat. Ball de Bastons) was documented for the first time in Catalonia in XII a.d. and then more frequently after XVIII but it has always been part of this region's history besides the fact that it came either from the Greeks, some parts of Asia or even other regions in Europe. The exact origin is uncertain. In the Basque country this dance is very extended as well for example and each region has their own peculiarities when it comes to dresses, sticks or ways of dancing. I am not going to enter into that. Maybe talking about Bastoners or stick dancers as they are today, organized in groups or colles as they have been for the last three centuries according to historical records is easier. To begin with, let me say that there are more than 100 colles all over Catalonia perhaps and about fifty are grouped under the direction of Coordinadora de Ball de Bastons de Catalunya. They all have their own history that is normally linked to the town or neighborhood in which they live. The feet you see in the image, adorned with bells (Cat. picarols) sewn into this piece of cloth called camal or turmellera belong to a stick dancer from a group called Bastoners de Gràcia. I have more pictures of this colla to be posted here. I just want to add for the moment that these colles may be made up of 8,10,12 or 16 dancers. One of them carries a flag with their symbols and the name of the group and usually they also have that name or badge embroidered in their clothes. They carry handkerchiefs around their necks and a colorful waistband over white pants and shirts. Besides they wear espadrilles (Cat. espardenyes). More to know soon.

November 26, 2012

Portraits and Children's Spontaneous Poses

Chinese girl in wooden playground framework
Chinese girl in Playground

Sometimes a nice spontaneous pose really makes the difference.

This beautiful girl, the daughter of the Chinese family running the bar at the corner, was not looking at my camera as I caught this with a telephoto. I should have come closer with shorter lens but that day I was taking pictures of a show at the local square and I needed more powerful lens. I thought the wooden framework of the slide was great to isolate her while she was in the middle of such fantastic and improvised performance. The light and kids in the background did the rest.

Sometimes kids are sort of funny actors rehearsing for the stark reality that lies ahead in the path of life.

November 13, 2012

Caramel Flan in blue

Caramel flan detail in a window case at Barcelona restaurant

A flan is a flan here in Barcelona and any other place on earth, so if this custard were an animal or something, this picture would be called, common caramel flan. There is nothing new to it. I could be telling you that "this old English word "flan" and the earlier forms "flaune" and "flawn" come from Old French flaon (modern French flan), in turn from early Medieval Latin fladōn-em, derived from Old High German flado, a sort of flat cake, probably from an Indo-European root for 'flat' or 'broad'" and I would be quoting wikipedia, as in fact I am doing right now. I could even give you a link to some nice flan recipes, like Spanish flan and I would dare to recommend you try to use condensed milk for that (my favorite choice) but, nah, that would be too boring a post much more related with Spanish cuisine than with Barcelona. But it happens that I shot this bluish picture in some Spanish restaurant in Barcelona and I enjoyed the display and the light and the perspective so here we are talking about nice looking custard for a change. Enjoy it!


November 01, 2012

Barcelona Photoblog's Portraits




Ari kindly posed for Barcelona Photoblog adding some freshness and beauty to my blog as well as a nice portrait. As you know I prefer street photos but if you visit me frequently you might have noticed that topics and subjects are rather eclectic. She works at a bar nearby and she is not a model but I think she's got the looks. Thanks!

October 20, 2012

Portrait: Flamenco Dancer with Headpiece and Earrings, Barcelona

Flamenco dancers in Barcelona


This portrait picture of a dancer wearing colorful earrings and flamenco headpiece is yet another sample of how Spanish culture is preserved by local authorities in neighborhoods around Barcelona in their attempt to reflect our reality, a concoction of different regions, different people living in the same peninsula under a flag some share and others do not, with their peculiarities, their traditions and their folklore. Some inhabitants feel identified with flamenco, some others remain indifferent and the rest rejects everything that has to do with it, basically because of that cliche that relates Spain with just bullfighters and flamenco dancers or in many other cases because they are not Spaniards at all but Catalans. But in spite of all these contradictions that you do not see when you are a tourist and come here for the first time, Catalan traditions coexist with these cultural manifestations of other regions and once the show starts, politics and legitimate or not feelings of belonging to one nation or another, to one region or another on both sides are left aside. When I look at this image I just see a beautiful girl wearing a colorful headpiece, having a wonderful day at the party showing people what she does best, dancing flamenco.

October 09, 2012

Goat Cheese Salad, Terra Mia Italian Restaurant, Barcelona



Sometimes the best places to eat are not necessarily along those well trodden touristic routes nor are tips suggested by travel guides comprehensive enough as to include them. When we think of Italian restaurants pizza and pasta come to mind instantly leaving short room for other kind of dishes. But even though you go beyond that point and you are a true enthusiast of Italian cuisine and you accept the fact that it is richer than that sold in Italian fast food restaurants, you may be surprised at some troves you can find out there. Terra Mia is a very small restaurant very near Parc Güell, but difficult to see if you get to the park by bus. It happens that tourists go straight from the parking lot to Parc Güell and back to the bus again without noticing that some blocks down the street, exactly at carrer Ramiro de Maetzu, 31 there is this hidden gem. I am just a very happy client and they are responsible for that because the service is impeccable and food is exquisite.This goat cheese salad in the picture above is just a sample but you ought to try their every dish as not only the ingredients are genuinely Italian but also the way they are cooked and served. In spite of being a small place they have a very nice terrace. Don't forget to try a bottle Il carpino wine. Find here Terra Mia Facebook page.

September 25, 2012

Girl at the Bar, Estacion de Francia, Barcelona



I liked the looks of this girl at the bar in Estació de Françia, Barcelona, with the blue and yellow lights falling on her, in front of the art nouveau lamp. Perhaps you would like to have a closer look of the lamp and see the beer pump as shown in previous post: Beer Pump and Lamp or want to check the entrance to the railway station: Woman waiting at Estación de Francia or Estació de França or Barcelona's most charming railway station. I think one of the best things about Barcelona is that you can enjoy art for a reasonable price, you can take a drink in a beautiful place like this for an affordable amount and of course I don't mean just the bar but the architecture of the building and the whole design of the place.

September 17, 2012

Barri Gotic, Barcelona: Carrer Avinyo near El Call



Two nuns, carrer Avinyo, Gothic quarter, Barcelona

Here's Carrer d'Avinyó between Carrer Ferran and Carrer de la Lleona in Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Wandering down the streets of El Gotic, blindly meandering through the alleys, while being permeated by the mood, the charm of this historical part of the city, you get so detached that it is not really difficult to imagine how Barcelona used to be inside walls, and particular in this part of casc antic (old town) near the Jewish quarter. In fact, in XIII century the king allowed to open doors and windows in the Roman wall and the old perimeter of El Call (the Jewish quarter) expanded to include Carrers Avinyó and Banys Nous. In El Call de Barcelona lived about 4.000 people, approximately 15 per cent of the city population. Of course, there are the shops and many other anachronisms now but you get the idea. These two nuns in front of the Rent Shop at Avinyó 12 may be of help to reminisce.

September 05, 2012

Vintage Tube Radio



Vintage tube radio

There are plenty of things that not necessarily match the scope of this blog but that attract me and can be found in Barcelona anyway as well as in any other place in the world. Vintage products have that charm that makes them so irresistible and well deserve a post or two, such is the case of this tube radio with its wooden case that I suppose was made in the 30s of last century. I wish I knew the date and the brand but I am no expert. The brand is Rigom and happens to be from Spain (check this book fragment with images in google book results about Spanish radios). If you want to see my vintage camera check this old post: Voigtlander Brillant which was made by that time too. Do you like vintage or retro objects? Have you published any articles or posts on such topic? It would be nice you shared your links here in the comments.

August 02, 2012

Apple Retail Store Plaza Catalunya, Barcelona: View from the Upper Floor

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A brand new Apple retail store opened to the public last Saturday, July 28th right in front of Plaça Catalunya, the most central spot in downtown Barcelona next to Passeig de Gracia. With the intention of getting my wife's Ipod shuffle battery problems fixed we visited the venue two days ago. The first thing you notice is the big wide open space feeling and the materials prevailing in the design, basically glass and wood. Worth mentioning is the translucent glass staircase to the upper floor. If anybody at Apple is interested in my wife's opinion as a consumer, a middle age consumer with no special inclination for the Mac world, the shop is weird. But anyway, it is clear that it is conceived with a certain purpose, facilitate easy access, visibility, movement and a certain state of mind I think. Everything is already planned here. All in all I liked the store but I was overwhelmed by the amount of people and the fact that many were not buying anything. It was hot in there. It is quite hard to give good reviews in such scenario, chaotic as it was due to high temperatures, hordes of locals and tourists alike storming the place and a little bit of the normal craziness during the first week after the opening. Maybe you get a better picture of Apple's new flagship store in this gallery at Cult of Mac or in a previous announcement at Mac Rumors

Note: The picture was taken with a Samsung Galaxy S2

July 22, 2012

Papier Mache Art: Famous Artists Display, Barcelona

Papier Mache figures of famous musicians in Barcelona shop

The art of creating papier mache figures or sculptures can be simple if we consider the materials used but the final work can be as difficult as your imagination and skills permit.

Many of us at a given moment of our childhood have had the opportunity to shape small figures by pasting glued strips of paper on a balloon, a cardboard model or an armature of some sort. The final result was not always artistically worthy but it surely proved to be fun.

For those of you who always wished to make a wonderful artwork in paper mache and never could, here is another good sample of exquisite papier-mâché reproductions of famous artists like John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury...(the other guy looks like the Edge from U2 but I am not sure).

There is this store near Plaza Sant Jaume in Barcelona where it is possible to buy such art among other articles. It is not cheap but you would impress your friends at home for sure and of course it is the heck of a present if you can afford it.

Check many other examples of such figures in my previous posts: Papier Mache Barcelona. I've been asked so many times for the address of this shop that I will reluctantly post it here and make them free publicity in spite of the fact they always come out and stop me from taking pictures:

Shop name: 2 Bis
Adress: Carrer Bisbe, 2 - 08002 Barcelona

June 27, 2012

Inner Courtyard Swimming Pool in Barcelona



Inner courtyard swimming pool

This beautiful swimming pool in some inner courtyard somewhere in carrer Berlin is just one of the many secrets hidden around the city where modern architecture coexists with Catalan Art Nouveau.

June 14, 2012

Cherry Tomatoes in Barcelona




Some beautiful ripe cherry tomatoes as seen at a shop across the street. Their succulent, juicy appearance was worth shooting. I like the contrast with the green beans or the asparagus nearby.

June 01, 2012

Old Farmhouse (Masia) Door: 1817


Old farmhouse wooden door


The texture of rotten wood, the pass of time reflected on this 1817 door inside the premises of an old farmhouse or masia in Granollers near Barcelona

May 08, 2012

Flowers on the Window

Flowers on Window [enlarge] 
On the same line as yesterday's post, let's continue with the spring flower topic on Barcelona Photoblog. While I find time to resume my photowalks around Barcelona what better than sharing some colors or some views that delighted my eyes in Spring.

Flowerbed

Flowerbed [enlarge] 
Some flowerbed somewhere in some garden in the afternoon. Seasonal flowers to enjoy the colors of Spring. I thought they looked better from ground level. Very common flowers. I don't even know the name. Who cares? Just some beautiful flowers. Maybe you can classify them for me.

April 24, 2012

Sant Jordi Rose, A Catalan Tradition

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Yesterday like every April 23rd La Diada de Sant Jordi (St. George) celebrations took place in Barcelona. On a day like this, women are given a flower, a red rose while men are supposed to receive books. In the end everybody ends up buying books as this happened to be the Day of the Book as well.

April 17, 2012

Rusty Keyhole in Farmhouse Door

Rusty keyhole [enlarge]

Time is an acid that eats up on all things. It does not matter whether it's a stone, a wooden plank or a metal surface, it keeps gnawing on textures until damage is visible and eventually stuff disappears, disintegrates into some other matter. This keyhole on an old masia (Catalan for farmhouse) door was no exception, nor were the boards that painstakingly try to hold the lock.

April 12, 2012

Climbing Plant on Old Catalan Farmhouse

Climbing plant wall [enlarge]

Spring decorates every year the walls of Catalan farmhouses (cat. masias) with incredible strokes of color as if mother nature was immersed in some kind of restoration process to embellish what only seems to be held by the knots and entanglements of climbing plants like this. Watching the afternoon sun fall on these bright leaves is really a pleasure to the eye.

April 02, 2012

Romesco Sauce: The Perfect Companion to Calçots

How to Prepare Romesco Sauce [enlarge]

As mentioned in yesterday's post, Calçots are supposed to be soaked in Romesco sauce. I mentioned the ingredients too. I guess this video might do to get the idea considering I wanted it in English for everyone to understand. I wish it was some Catalan chef but the guy knows what he's doing anyway.

March 31, 2012

Peeling Calçots, Masia Can Palau, Vilanova del Valles

Peeling calçots at Masia Can Palau

In Catalonia, there is this part of the year when going out to peel calçots for lunch at any of the many masias spread around the country becomes almost a matter of state.

Most well-known places for calçotades are in the southern province of Tarragona, in a region called Valls but around Barcelona it is not strange to find a good spot in an idyllic environment.

The place I will mention today is just an example and of course you are free to choose. It is called Masia Can Palau and it is located in Vilanova del Valles some kilometers away from the city of Barcelona.

The 30 eur menu included Calçots with Romescu sauce, grilled meat (a mixture of chicken, sausage, lamb and rabbit with fries) and dessert. We had two generous rounds of calçots per person. They came wrapped in aluminum foil and were very hot.

But how do you peel Catalan calçots?

You have to grab the calçot by the leaves and with the other hand, press gently on the black roasted skin of the bulb and peel it off. Beware you don't press to hard and pull away the inner part of the calçot. It requires some practice. It should come out clean.

After that you soak the tender and juicy stems of the plant in an exquisite romesco sauce which is made with almond, garlic, red pepper, hazelnut, tomato, olive oil, vinegar, crumbs of fried bread, salt and pepper.

If you want to know how they cook calçots and what they are, check my previous posts: Catalan Traditions - Calçotada: A Close Look and Grilled Leaks...Check the sauce in next post.

March 26, 2012

Tattoo Shop, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Tattoo Shop, Barri Gotic, Barcelona [enlarge]

Becoming an intruder into somebody else's moment, sneaking into that magic instant that is no more and freezing it for posterity is one of the most thrilling experiences at least for me and I guess for anyone that enjoys photography. Walking down the narrow alleys of Barri Gotic, in a street whose name I can't recall, there was this small tattoo shop. The reflection of the man on the mirror and that green pouring out of the blinds really grabbed my attention. I had serious doubts as to whether to use black and white here and I can tell you it looks great but if color made me capture the scene in color it will go.

March 20, 2012

Estacion de Francia, Barcelona: Lamp and Beer Pump

Beer Pump and Lamp, Estacion de Francia, Barcelona, Spain

Upon entering Estació de França in Barcelona and if you turn right and get into the bar you will find out that the place has been restored recently with great taste by the way. Worth mentioning are the big lamps hanging from the ceiling but today I would like to show you the ones on the counter (see image) next to the beer pump. A sweet mixture of tree, anemone and candlestick. I hope you enjoy the design and/or the beer.

March 17, 2012

Woman Waiting, Estació de França, Barcelona

Estacion de Francia, Barcelona, Spain [enlarge]

A woman searches in her bag while her thoughts are somewhere far away. The quietude at the train station hall is the perfect environment to meditate before that long ride to who knows where. The pendulums hanging from the ceiling contribute to the idea of time passing by while the ticking of the clock on the distant wall, almost audible, is only interrupted by the steps of the guard walking his beat. Such is the impressive atmosphere at this famous train station in Barcelona. Find out more about this place in my previous post: Estació de França and Dome Detail.

March 11, 2012

Boquerones en Vinagre (Anchovies in Vinegar), Mediterranean Delight

Anchovies in Vinegar [enlarge]

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.

March 05, 2012

Gallery on Building by Enric Sagnier, Gran Via 654, Barcelona

Gallery, Enric Sagnier, Gran Via 654, Barcelona, Spain [enlarge]

Eclectic building influenced by Catalan Art Nouveau but rich in baroque ornaments built by Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia back in 1904. Notice the beautiful undulated shapes of the stone gallery and the impressive ironwork of the balconies. You can find this building at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 654 exactly between Carrer Roger de Lluria and Carrer de Pau Claris.

February 23, 2012

Barcelona Photoblog Celebrates Sixth Anniversary, Cheers!

Freixenet bottle [enlarge]

Yesterday, February 22nd, but six years ago, Barcelona Photoblog started a project that was meant to change this author's life a little bit. I have devoted many sleep hours to write almost 2000 posts and lots of long walks around this beautiful city to portray our reality. In 2005 I was lucky to find a good name but had the blog empty for over a year. I had no idea what to say or do. In 2006, there was this French guy, Eric, who had started a group called City Daily Photo meant to publish a picture a day about each member's city. I owe a lot to them and I am thankful for all the help and the enthusiasm the group gave me back then and through the 6 years of blogging. Barcelona Photoblog was also inspired by Barcelona Photobloggers, a solid community of photographers from Barcelona that have always been a reference to me. Bearing both communities in mind, my goal has been to document, report, narrate, highlight as much as I could and with all my heart about Barcelona. I hope I can keep shooting and writing for another 6 years. If anyone found this useful in anyway then every hour was worth spending. I would like to uncork this bottle of cava to virtually celebrate with you all these years of Barcelona images: cheers!

February 19, 2012

Roman Temple, Vic, Catalonia

Roman Temple, Vic, Catalonia, Spain [enlarge]

There are numerous good samples of the Roman past of Catalonia throughout our geography. This Roman temple from II a.c in the city of Vic is not precisely the best example since it underwent two important restorations but the fact is that at least part of a column shaft and the Corinthian capitals on the right hand side of the entrance are authentic. What is certainly special about this temple is that it was discovered in 1882 while demolishing the old Montcada's family castle who lived there in XI century. In IX c. Guifré el Pelós decided to integrate the old VIII c. fortress it had been during Saracen times, into a castle.

February 15, 2012

Gruyere Cheese Wheels, Vic Market, Catalonia

Le Gruyere [enlarge]

If you are a cheese lover you should not miss the sweet, nutty flavor of this exquisite Le Gruyere named after the valley of Gruyere in Fribourg, Switzerland. Such enormous wheels of cheese I found while visiting the Medieval Market in Vic. There were other posts in the past about such market here in Barcelona Photoblog: Medieval Musicians, Rabbit and Pumpkins, Spinning Yarn on a Drop Spindle
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