Update: Sant Miquel del Fai, up to now (2017) a private estate, has been bought by local Barcelona authorities by 1.3 M eur and remains close now. It will be opened to the public in 2018. Entrance will be free.
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August 20, 2014
The Broken Bell of Sant Miquel del Fai
Update: Sant Miquel del Fai, up to now (2017) a private estate, has been bought by local Barcelona authorities by 1.3 M eur and remains close now. It will be opened to the public in 2018. Entrance will be free.
August 06, 2014
Gem Stores in Barcelona: Blue Howlite
Blue howlite has antiinflammatory and detoxifying properties, helps the immune system and it is used to deal with heartburn. It is also good for your memory and it is very soothing in general. It calms your anger, reduces anxiety and tension. It is said to prevent insomnia and help you remember what you dream.
CRISTALLJOIA
Jaume I nº16
08002
Tel: 93 268 44 52
DON MINERAL.
C/ Call, 19
08002
Tel. 933 024 830
VIVES DE LA CORTADA.
C/Call 24-26.
08002
Tel. 933185846
July 28, 2014
Barcelona Buildings Main Entrance: Rambla Catalunya
Barcelona map is studded with numerous emblematic casas modernistas.
Sumptuous Barcelona modernist buildings with exquisite main entrances, built by renowned Catalan Art Nouveau artists along Rambla Catalunya or Passeig de Gracia are a pleasure to the eyes of those who take the time to stop and snoop inside.
This modernist house is a good example. You can find it at Rambla Catalunya near Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes.
That polished floor, the elaborate ironwork and the old elevator so well preserved, make you feel as if you were traveling in time somehow.
Another nice entrance you can admire for example is at the Palau del Baro de Quadras
Here is a list of modernist houses to start your tour or check this previous post: Modernist Building, Rambla Catalunya 61 next to Arago St.
July 19, 2014
Catalan Cuisine Suggestions: Restaurant La Violeta, Castelltersol, Barcelona
Today I want to suggest Restaurant La Violeta in Castelltersol (there should be a letter cedilla after the R but Google spiders don't like foreign letters too much), a Catalan municipality that is part of Barcelona province which historically devoted to the textile industry and took its name after a castle that dates back to the ninth century. Restaurant La Violeta and the hotel with the same name, are located in a house from 1860, restored in the 90s. Apparently is just another normal local restaurant, but I have to say that if you happen to be nearby you shouldn't miss it because its cuisine is certainly worth tasting. When I say nearby, I mean, you could be watching eagles fly in renown Cim d'Aligues natural park or admiring the views at Sant Miquel del Fai.
For starters, I recommend you don't miss their special tapas, like Formatges arrebossats amb melmelada de violetes (breaded cheese dice in violet marmalade) in the picture above, or the Patatas Bravas a la Violeta. In fact, my wife and I fell in love with that violet flavor and that's why we always try to return when we have the chance. They have a nice selection of salads like the season salad with nuts, cheese, quince and apple.
For the main course, you can either have pasta dishes like the Rossejat de fideus mariners (a sort of Paella but with noodles and sauce) or a good shrimp risotto. I would go for the Arros amb llamantol (rice with lobster) but as you can see in the image, pan fried tuna can suit you well for less money. We were fortunate it was summer and they had the Gazpacho, one of the best I have tried, out of Andalusia of course.
For dessert, there was this homemade ice cream with strawberries that was just the cherry on top of the day. As to the price, it is slightly pricey, not much, but you get quality food and they are not minimalist at all, if you know what I mean. More details on their website following the first image.
July 08, 2014
A Day at Cafe Zurich, Barcelona
June 02, 2014
Wrought Iron Door by Manuel Ballarin, Palau del Baro de Quadras, Barcelona
This exquisite modernist wrought iron door was made by artist Manuel Ballarin i Lancuentra.
From his foundry Casa Ballarin, the most important in the city by the end of the XIX century came out most of the iron art works present in the buildings by architect Puig i Cadafalch like Casa Amatller, Casa Macaya, Casa Serra among others.
Check this lamp post at Passeig de Gracia by Ballarin or this remarkable gates detail at Casa Marti.
May 08, 2014
Grape Vine Rootstocks of D.O Montsant
The Romans used to cultivate vineyards in these valleys located in a vast area of Tarragona province that was once under the sea and where limestone and clay prevail. In fact, this kind of soil has an incredible drainage capacity, something that is ideal for obtaining good wine. These rootstocks in the picture above, are 80 years old! Their roots grow one meter every ten years in search of subterranean water, so there are 8 meters of root below the surface. Isn't that amazing? Old vines, that is, any of those over 50 years old are more resistant to external factors. Such vines produce less grapes but with a higher quality. The entangled roots of the flowers in the image give the vine the opportunity to retain some water before it inevitably sinks down the natural drain.
Montsant wines due their history of success to Carthusian Monks established on these hills in the Middle Ages although they did not become particularly popular until XIX. These wines are basically an association between Grenache and Carignan grapes although some other varieties are used like Merlot or Syrah for example.
D.O Montsant has gained recognition in the international arena over the last 10 years and has been declared as 'a great discovery' by prestigious magazine 'The Wine Spectator' recently among other outstanding reviews. To conclude, I would like to point out that over 70 % of the total amount of bottled wine in this cooperative of wine makers is sold abroad. According to them, this is due to the fact that their production is relative small and competition is harder in Spain plus a relative lack of trust of Catalans towards local wine. I have to say, that as a local, it is true that many times we choose wine from other D.O's like Ribera de Duero or Rioja. This attitude is clearly changing at the moment as marketing of local wines improve.
May 01, 2014
Ceiling Frescoes by Salvador Dali at Palace of the Wind, Dali Museum
Palacio del Viento
Dalí created this painting in his workshop in Portlligat, but it was eventually placed on a large scaffolding and installed in his Theatre-Museum. On the first floor of the town theater, the Sala Palau del Vent (‘Wind Palace Room’) was the site of Dalí’s first exhibition in 1919. The painting is based on the poem "L'Empordà" by Joan Maragall, which alludes to the Empordà region of Spain and the tramontana, a strong wind that blows through the region.
In the center of the painting, Dalí depicts himself and Gala in a forced perspective, creating an allegorical representation of the different stages of his life. The painting can be seen as a kind of idyllic journey through Dalí's dreamlike memories. At the end of the painting, Dalí again depicts himself and Gala, this time contemplating the ship of destiny that is about to depart.
Some of the key elements of the painting include:
- A rain of gold coins falling on the viewer, which Dalí claimed was one real coin.
- A reference to Lullian wheels, a type of symbol used by the Catalan mystic Ramon Llull.
- Elephants with insect limbs.
- The outlined silhouettes of the princes of Spain, who are the current king and queen of Spain.
- The silhouette of the photographer and friend of Dalí, Melitó Casals, "Meli."
The painting is a complex and allegorical work that offers a unique glimpse into Dalí's life and work. It is a masterpiece of Surrealist art, and it is one of the most important works in the Dalí Theatre-Museum.
Salvador Dalí's painting The Palace of the Wind is a complex and enigmatic work that is full of symbolism. It was created between 1969 and 1973 for the ceiling of the "sala nobile" or rest room of the old municipal theatre in Figueres, Spain. The painting is now on display in the Dalí Theatre-Museum, which is housed in the same building.
The painting consists of five panels, each of which is filled with images that are both familiar and strange. The central panel depicts a large, golden sun that is surrounded by a swirling vortex of clouds. The clouds are populated by a variety of figures, including a woman with a long neck, a giant lobster, and a group of musicians. The other panels depict a variety of other scenes, including a landscape with a castle, a seascape with a boat, and a cityscape with a cathedral.
The Palace of the Wind is a visually stunning work that is full of Dalí's signature surrealist imagery. The painting is a testament to Dalí's incredible imagination and his ability to create images that are both beautiful and disturbing.
The Creation of the Painting
Dalí began working on The Palace of the Wind in 1969, shortly after the purchase of the old municipal theatre in Figueres. The theatre was originally built in 1847, but it had fallen into disrepair by the time Dalí acquired it. Dalí planned to transform the theatre into a museum dedicated to his work, and The Palace of the Wind was to be one of the centerpieces of the museum.
Dalí worked on the painting in several different stages. The first panel was completed in 1970, and it was hoisted into place on the ceiling of the sala nobile on November 13, 1970. The painting was taken down the next day, however, so that the restoration of the theatre could continue.
Dalí continued working on the painting in his studio at Portlligat during 1971-72. He completed the central part of the painting during this time, and he also added the side panels. The entire painting was finally put in place on the ceiling of the sala nobile in 1972 but officially declared completed by the author in 1973.
The Symbolism of the Painting
The symbolism of The Palace of the Wind is complex and has been interpreted in many different ways. Some scholars believe that the painting is a representation of the Empordà region of Spain, where Dalí was born and raised. The Empordà is a region that is known for its winds, and the swirling vortex of clouds in the painting could be seen as a representation of the region's strong winds.
Other scholars believe that the painting is a more personal allegory, representing Dalí's own life and work. The central panel of the painting depicts a large, golden sun that is surrounded by a swirling vortex of clouds. The sun could be seen as a representation of Dalí himself, while the clouds could be seen as representing the challenges and obstacles that he faced in his life.
The other panels of the painting depict a variety of other scenes, including a landscape with a castle, a seascape with a boat, and a cityscape with a cathedral. These scenes could be seen as representing different aspects of Dalí's life and work. The castle could be seen as a representation of Dalí's childhood home, while the seascape could be seen as a representation of his travels. The cityscape could be seen as a representation of his life in Barcelona and Figueres.
The Legacy of the Painting
The Palace of the Wind is one of Dalí's most famous paintings, and it is a centerpiece of the Dalí Theatre-Museum in Figueres
April 27, 2014
Meat Grinder for Sausages
April 22, 2014
Pigeon on Street Water Tap
April 17, 2014
Fruits of the Forest Icecream in Barcelona
April 15, 2014
Paella Menus at La Barceloneta: Lover's Choice
April 12, 2014
New Trends: Facial Massage, Carrer Carders, Barcelona
April 07, 2014
Top 3 activities in Barcelona
March 27, 2014
Catalan Modernist Ceiling at Hospital de Sant Pau to Celebrate Barcelona Photoblog's 2.000.000 visits!
This is one of the ceilings inside one of the many pavilions in the modernist complex at Hospital de Sant Pau.
All buildings have been restored and opened to the public inside a complex called Recinte Modernista. Now a small fee is charged to enter and admire these beauties reborn.
This and other pictures I have, were taken with a cellphone and do not make justice to the real thing. The impression I get when I take a look at the result of such magnificent restoration is that everything has turned back to be like brand new, as if the hands of the skillful craftsmen had been working on those mosaics and those stain glasses yesterday.
A whole range of architectural wonder has been unveiled for all the world to see.
(By the way, I am happy to announce that today Barcelona Photoblog has reached 2.000.000 visits since it first saw light back in 2006. It's been years of hard work and of meeting very nice people here at the blog. I hope you have enjoyed it somehow. That really means something to me. Thanks to all those that made this incredible figure come true, thanks for your time and your comments. Happy to share my modest work with you all)
Update: In 2017 Barcelona Photoblog reached almost the 3 M figure but I decided to stop using the website that kept track of my visits.
March 17, 2014
Catalan Blood Sausage or Botifarra Negre, Vallverd d'Urgell, Catalonia
March 10, 2014
Cistercian Architecture: Poblet Monastery, Catalonia
March 05, 2014
Barcelona Carnival 2014: From a Child's Perspective
Barcelona's Carnival 2014 is coming to an end, as today is Ash Wednesday. Images from the parade will remain vivid in our memories but who knows how magic they can be in the eyes of a child. The world seems so different through the lens of an innocent soul that even from the distance while sticking her face against this glass, this girl must think the parade is some sort of fairy tale, full of giants, weird creatures and creepy monsters that decided all of a sudden to jump out of her parents' bedtime stories. This girl is my goddaughter.
March 03, 2014
Carnival 2014 in Barcelona: The Actors
February 08, 2014
Frederic Mares Museum, Barcelona: An Act of Faith
January 14, 2014
Love in Barcelona and Beyond
Couple kissing each other - Las Ramblas - Barcelona |
When I take a picture of a couple sometimes I feel I am violating something sacred so I tried to conceal the faces. Who they are, is irrelevant. It should be. Love can happen to you, can happen to me. The way I see it, is that this is something so deep that I could write a book about it. I would only say, that for me, love is like washing away the rest of the scene. I am sure that Las Ramblas, this extremely busy street, disappeared for an instant around this kiss, passersby became but silent blurry ghosts, signs got distorted, and a sudden secret swirl of energy started to form around the lovers, that mysterious matter, that causes numbness inside our brains, that gives you a lump in your throat, pushes your stomach against your bones, right beneath your diaphragm, dilates your pupils, accelerates your pulse, sends shivers down your spine, opens up your pores, boosts up your senses up to the point you fall into a trance and you are no longer there, but somewhere inside the soul, not just your soul, but some other person's soul and that my friends, is the real magic of it all, to walk into somebody's beautiful soul, unexplored, full of treasures, full of light, richer than yours sometimes, because yours you apparently know already, which of course, is not completely true. But you don't want yours, you want to walk along this new path, to enhance your experience, expand your senses to the world beyond and the only tool you've got is something right behind your eyes connected to something in your chest that is capable of seeing without using your vision and transforming reality into whatever whimsical image you could think of. To be more precise, you are not precisely thinking. I am sure this comes from a place inside our hearts.
Lovers' hearts are prepared to catch the weakest universal signals and fine tune them into a perfect symphony without having super powers, without knowing about music or instruments, they are simply connected to the source and the source is not outside, it comes from within.
Let's respect the peace of this moment, this private kiss, let's envy in a way, the ones who are able to know love, real love and wish we can find it some day, in this life or in any other life.
Have you ever felt this way? How would you describe love?
December 25, 2013
Merry Christmas by Carlos Lorenzo - Barcelona Photoblog
December 23, 2013
Ohla Hotel Barcelona Dressed up for the Holidays
Ohla Hotel in Via Laietana, 49 looked this way last Friday night. The picture is taken with my cellphone. I liked the illumination for the holidays. If I were to select a hotel with good access to casc antic (old part of town) this one would be one of them. Ohla Hotel has a Michelin-starred restaurant, a rooftop swimming pool with great views over Barcelona and modern design rooms. Nearby you have Palau de la Musica, Las Ramblas, the Cathedral, Plaza Sant Jaume and Plaza Catalunya among other important main attractions.
December 19, 2013
Palau Baro de Quadras - Ramon Llull Institute's Brand New Headquarters
From across the street you seem to be standing before a Renaissance Italian palazzo rich in lattice work. Worth mentioning are the gargoyles and floral adornments on this side of the palace. On carrer Roselló there is a backdoor entrance. That side, features a Modernista style with some hints of the Wiener Sezession school (Vienna Art Nouveau or Jugendstil).
This emblematic place was known till last October as Casa Asia, which is a public cultural institution devoted to the promotion of projects to strengthen relationships with that continent and that is going to inaugurate its new premises inside Hospital de Sant Pau's modernist complex. For those who don't know, the old Art Nouveau buildings there have been restored and will be used for other services.
Palau Baro de Quadras has been donated by the City Town Hall to Ramon Llull Institute. As part of their mutual collaboration, the City Council will integrate in the institute's consortium with the intention of participating in the international promotion of Barcelona and Catalonia.
Institut Ramon Llull is a public body created to foster Catalan language studies at international universities and to promote Catalan cultural production in all artistic areas.
But let's return to our palace. Notice in the image above, the stairway to the upper floor. Upon entering through either the main gate or the backdoor, you arrive to this place which has a small fountain to the right over a beautiful mosaic floor. Besides the profuse adornments surrounding the stairs, you really ought to see the stained glass ceiling that is slightly shown in the upper part of the photo. Some other day I will show you the gallery in the second floor and other details of this wonderful building so well preserved.
I hope you enjoyed yet another Barcelona photo here at Barcelona Photoblog. Perhaps you want to check this previous post about Palau Baro de Quadras.
But to know a place you need to see it for yourself and not just an image. Take a look at this very short video with slides that show the whole palace.
December 07, 2013
Cheap Flights from London to Madrid or Barcelona: Pros and Cons
About 400 international destinations are visited on board of flights departing from London airports: Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Southend, Stansted, London City Airport. Altogether, the six airports handled 133,709,327 passengers in 2011 including both domestic and world travelers. Considering only EU flights, there were 122 107 837 passengers moving in and out of London Area Airports that year, a 7 % difference with respect to 2010. Nevertheless, according to an annual passenger survey on passenger numbers at Britain’s airports carried out by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority in the UK) 2012 was completely different due to the Olympic Games. 800,000 passengers passed through London’s airports for Olympic-related journeys during July and September last year.
In the case of Spain, 2,496,921 traveled between London and Madrid and 1,661,301 between London to Barcelona back in 2011. The lure of Barcelona and Madrid attracts people from all over the world via London airports. Taking into account figures from Heathrow airport, 737 571 passengers landed in El Prat airport, Barcelona in 2012 (Easy Jet, Monarch, Vueling and British Airways) and 1.190.486 flew to Barajas airport in Madrid. As you can imagine, the volume is considerably higher if we count the other five airports.
With such figures, it is not surprising that there is a fierce battle between aviation companies and between travel agencies to attract the most clients and catch as many fish as possible in the turbulent waters of an always seasonal and uncertain market. Low cost carriers and regular airlines, offer cheap flights for last minute birds or for methodic passengers that plan ahead. Most of them, try to get the cheapest flight while avoiding the lousier companies. Yes, some of them are really frightening. Just to give you an example, very near one, I am traveling with the family to London, next January. I have already booked the flight with a low cost company, EasyJet after weighing different options. Some of them were really insulting, especially when you have to fly at 6.00 am in the morning and come back almost at midnight, on a plane with a ridiculous narrow corridor, stuffed in a narrow seat, assisted by a horrible and ill-mannered air hostess with your feet over the handbag you couldn't stick into the compartment. I finally got a decent flight, at a decent hour and I hope that with a decent company I know of from other flights. If I were you, I would check twice before buying any odd cheap flight from London to Madrid or to Barcelona. Many times, it looks cheap and then you get a big surprise when they add extra charges for the credit card at the end of the transaction. Beware of that. I would like to suggest a site or two to find your cheap but safe flight although there is a huge list out there to choose from. I almost always use Kayak.com to search for my flight, although I might use, eDreams or Expedia sometimes.
Those that are looking for London-Madrid Flights should definitely try the services of Easyvoyage.com, which I've seen has good reviews from customers and I tried myself sometimes.
December 03, 2013
Casa Comalat Backside at Carrer Corsega 316, Barcelona
Art Nouveau Balconies
November 28, 2013
Artistic Postcards or Reproductions of Dali Paintings Near Dali Museum, Figueres, Girona.
November 26, 2013
Collections at Frederic Mares Museum, Barcelona: Hispanic Sculpture and Polychrome Carvings
Address
Museu Frederic Marès (MFM)
Plaça de Sant Iu, 5
How to get there
Metro: Line 4 (Jaume I)/ Line 3 (Liceu)
Bus: 17, 19, 40 and 45
Tourist Bus: Red Route. Barri Gòtic stop
Opening hours
Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm
Sunday and Holidays: 11 am to 8 pm
Monday, except Holidays: closed
November 18, 2013
Barcelona Cruises, Port of Barcelona and The Future of Catalan Tourism
Cruiser sector investments be it by external companies or by the port, are contributing not only to the economic bliss of Catalan tourism but also to Spanish economy in general. According to a study from the European Cruise Council the cruise industry provided Spain with 1.190 billion euros in 2010.
To better understand about who runs what and where in the cruise terminals at Barcelona's port, I think you should check this official brochure entitled Barcelona Cruise Facilities 2013.
Regarding Barcelona cruises, I must say that there are many to choose from and it all depends on your budget, the cities you want to visit and of course the quality of the service. I would pick up of course a Barcelona to Barcelona cruise with the best quality-price relationship and a fantastic itinerary. I reckon it is not an easy task. Have you ever been on board of a cruise ship in the Mediterranean? Which cruise would you recommend?
November 01, 2013
Pumpkins or Chestnuts? Halloween or Castanyada?
October 29, 2013
The Mae West Room at Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Catalonia
This work, is indeed based upon one of his paintings: Mae West's Face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment, 1934–35.
Mae West had a clear influence on the Catalan artist, particularly in the movie called: She Done Him Wrong (1933) by Lowell Sherman, where she plays a very seductive saloon owner. An important part of the illusion, in the foreground of the composition, are those lips that reminds of a cozy sensual couch, that slightly resembles a wood-and-satin piece of furniture by Dali known as The Mae West Lips Sofa (1937) although that one was pink, or better said, "shocking pink" as the lipstick shade inspired by the actress, developed by fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.
For those of you who have not visited the Dali Museum yet, let me tell you that to see the face you have to climb a small set of stairs and look through a sort of circular magnifying glass to better appreciate the isolated objects that integrate the composition.
Salvador Dali, was born in this location in 1904 and was even baptized in the church right in front of the museum. Nevertheless, he did not spend all his life in his hometown.
Dali studied at the Academia de San Fernando (School of Fine Arts) in Madrid in 1922 although he was suspended later, but not for academic reasons. He went many times to Paris and was influenced by Picasso, among other artists. All in all, he became world known as a surrealist artist in the period that goes from 1929 to 1937 in which he produced many of those paintings we admire so much today, such as ‘The Persistence of Memory’ (1931). Yes, the one with the melting watch!
The artist also visited the United States where he lived for eight years with his wife Gala. From 1950 to 1970 his works included new themes, on many occasions, of religious nature but also erotic or recalling his childhood as in previous years. Gala was also present in his paintings often. After she died in 1982, he was no longer the same, and his health was affected by a motor disorder until his death in 1989.
October 23, 2013
Casa Comalat: Art Nouveau Balconies
At first sight, nobody could tell the two of them belong to the same building if it were not for the intense use of undulated shapes and exuberant decoration, prominent features in the work of this artist.
Built between 1909 and 1911, the house inevitably reminds you of the strong influence of Gaudi's famous curves upon the artists of his times.
In the image today, there is only a balcony, as both sides of the house have been covered here in Barcelona Photoblog in the past (Avinguda Diagonal - Casa Comalat and Catalan modernisme: Casa Comalat).
Of course, this is not any kind of balcony as you can appreciate in the extremely beautiful and whimsical shapes of this wrought ironwork. I could tell you about the fabulous doorway, the gallery defiantly protruding from the façade crowned by an impressive pinnacle or about the shape of the turret on top of the building, or what is more, we could be talking for hours about the wooden galleries and the delightful ceramics on the other side of Casa Comalat, that are not precisely what you would choose to adorn the back side of anything, in the sense that, on that part, you feel like you are about to enter the Candy house in Hansel and Gretel fairy tale but why not concentrating on the details of this single balcony and let imagination fly. I took more pictures that will eventually appear on this blog, so do not miss them. Thanks for your time.
October 20, 2013
Porras with Hot Chocolate
Porras with chocolate in Barcelona |
For those of you that don't know what a churro is, let me tell you that it is just dough made right in front of you by mixing flour, hot water and salt inside a blending machine made for such purpose. Once the dough is ready, some portions are placed inside another machine called churrera that pipes everything through a star-shaped nozzle that gives it that characteristic prism-like shape. The dough comes out of it as if it were tooth paste slowly making a spiral that is then fried and served hot. You usually sprinkle sugar on top.
So Porras, which are very popular in Madrid (and other regions of Spain, check this post from Valencia about the difference between churros and porras), are not just thicker as you can see in this image but carry that extra ingredient. In Madrid, porras are a staple of the local cuisine and are often consumed for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack. The result is a heavenly treat that pairs perfectly with a cup of thick, rich hot chocolate. Madrid boasts numerous traditional cafés and pastry shops where locals and visitors alike can indulge in the pleasure of porras. One of the most renowned establishments is San Ginés, a charming café located near Puerta del Sol. San Ginés has been serving porras since 1894 and is often crowded with clients eager to experience the iconic combination of porras and their famous hot chocolate. The porras in Madrid tend to be thick, dense, and slightly chewy, providing a satisfyingly substantial bite.
Moving to Barcelona, although you can find porras as such, more than often you will end up having our churros or xurros with different form and texture. The dough used for churros is typically made with a higher proportion of water, resulting in a lighter and crispier end product. In other words, although you can find porras or what looks like porras but carrying a filling (which is not a porra), churro or a xurro in Catalan, is the usual thing to have. Anyway, porras you can find.
Xurrerias, specialty shops that specialize in churros and sometimes offer porras, can be found throughout Barcelona. These establishments attract locals and tourists with the enticing aroma of freshly fried dough. One popular xurreria is the iconic Xurreria Trebol, located in carrer Corsega 341.
Do you have porras in your city? Spanish porra also refers to the sticks or batons carried by the police so I am sure you have some porras and they don't serve it with chocolate!
October 02, 2013
My Own Barcelona Sunset
This picture was taken from my mobile phone the other day. It was one of those strange afternoons when the skies seem to be soaked in the blood shed by some imaginary Gods after engaging in some cruel and gruesome battle.
It was funny to spot a neighbor on the roof nearby, cellphone in hand, bearing witness to the same wondrous moment of nature. How many times in a day, month or year can the scene out of your window change? That is a mystery to me, constantly surprising you with better results, on and on.
Just like watching a damn kaleidoscope, always different, always magical. I have trapped one of those many possible frames of your city skies, in this case a sunset in Barcelona, do you have yours?
September 13, 2013
Top 10 Things to Consider Before Buying a Camera - Searching for our Vintage-to-be
Who doesn't remember that old camera we regarded as a weird obsolete dust-covered contrivance our parents had from grandpa or grandma? Well, this is exactly my case. And musing on this matter, I wonder what may become of modern cameras when time passes by, will my Nikon D7000 be an object of cult in say, fifty years?
The digital cameras world has evolved so fast and access to decent cameras to shoot with has grown so much that it is difficult to predict what is to turn into a vintage article or at least a retro one up to the point it makes you feel proud of it and urges you to preserving it instead of letting it die. Of course, I reckon that things that are rather unique now, will be more appreciated in the future. Maybe a strange model of Holga, although made in plastic could be more sought for than the standard DSLR. There's a certain factor of uncertainty as to what is going to be cherished by next-generation collectors or fans. And all this leads me to conclude that it is that uniqueness, that weirdness, that peculiarity in certain items which gives them the category of vintage and not everything will prevail.
Of course when you buy yourself a camera you do not foresee what value this is going to have later on and in fact I wouldn't recommend buying exclusiveness for two reasons, one, it is going to be more expensive and two, not even a medium can tell now whether you are going to be the happy owner of a collector's piece or not. So you'd better go for the gear that suits you according to your pocket and your goals as a photographer. Maybe you just want to take pictures of your kids and your smartphone does what you want pretty well or maybe you take it more seriously and prefer better images. If you are at that step, perhaps you wonder what to buy and you do not know what things you should take into account first.
These are the Top 10 Things to Consider Before Buying a Camera in my opinion although there are more of course:
- Which use am I going to make of the camera? What kind of photographs do I want?
- How much is it going to be? Can I afford it?
- How many megapixels?
There is this general myth that the more megapixels the better quality you get in your pictures. Wrong! Pixels are just the dots in your image and having them more concentrated so to say, only matters if you enlarge for printing purposes. Of course pixels count for quality but I'd say that with 6 megapixels you have more than enough in the case of normal prints. That's the amount I had in my good old Nikon D70s. Now with 16 I am no longer interested in winning the megapixel battle with fellow photographers. It's pretty silly but there's this childish impulse to brag about megapixels.
- Read reviews!
- Go for the light!
Photography is made with light so it makes sense that you think of it when buying a camera. You have to ask you yourself, how am I going to get more light to have better pictures? Of course you don't stop to ask the question but searching for the light is at the bottom of everything. Nikon D70s starts with an ISO of 200 and D7000 starts with 100. There is a debate about the difference between both. I don't think we can appreciate the difference in noise between the two (ISO is the level of sensitivity of the camera to available light), so the lower parameters are not that significant, but then after 400 or in other words with higher sensitivity you not only gain more light but also more noise, or more grain in your picture. Nowadays there are cameras that eliminate a lot of noise for you at incredibly high ISO, for example Canon EOS 1DX reaches 51.200 ISO and there's low noise up to 2786 ISO which is great. As you see is not the upper limit that really counts but the limit up to which you are in a relative low noise situation and then there is software of course to get rid of some more noise. But it is not only the ISO limit you should look. There is also aperture and shutter speed to take into account. The larger aperture you have the more light you get. Remember that larger in fact means lower numbers in your F scale. Obviously, a prime lens like Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lets in much more light than Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 kit lens in D70s. A wide range of shutter speed settings is recommended too to have more control of the exposure. Shutter speed is exposure time, it is how long the camera's shutter is open to the light that reaches the sensor. Shutter speed, aperture (f-number), and luminance together determine the amount of light that reaches the sensor (the exposure) and this is something somehow more restricted in point-and-shoots.
-Be sure you can reuse old parts
- Image stabilization (IS)
- Zoom
- Usability
-Opportunities
August 14, 2013
Poblet Monastery, Tarragona
The Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet is a Cistercian monastery that dates back to 1151, in the comarca of Conca de Barberà, in Catalonia (Spain). By that time Ramon Berenguer IV had banished the Moors from these lands and Cistercian monks from France commissioned architect Arnau Bargués with the project. In fact, it was Ramon Berenguer himself who founded and endowed the royal monastery. Together with Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus, Poblet monastery was part of what is known as the Cistercian triangle, an ecclesiastic stronghold that gave a lot of power to Catalonia during the XII century.
July 03, 2013
Table soccer - Futbolín - FCBarcelona vs Real Madrid
May 28, 2013
The Real Estate Business in Barcelona
May 17, 2013
Gin and Tonic at Casa Fuster, Barcelona
May 11, 2013
Kids Don't Care, Barri de Gracia, Barcelona
April 08, 2013
Art Nouveau Mosaics: The Trencadis Technique
March 15, 2013
Wax Museum, Barcelona, Spain: Box Office
March 11, 2013
Barri Gotic: Narrow Streets of Barcelona
Alley in Barri Gotic, Barcelona |
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.