Balloon Man, Barcelona, Spain

Selling balloons on the street is an occupation almost inherent to gypsies in Barcelona but this man and two other at Passeig de Lluis Companys, in the Arc de Triomf area, seemed to be Portuguese, maybe gypsies too, who knows. I suppose this activity is regulated but they always look worried and vigilant as if they were hiding from the police. To tell the truth balloons are a good treat for our eyes and if they make our kids happy, no matter how short a helium balloon's life can be, then what the heck, let them speculate a little bit. What is selling balloons compared to the subprime mortgages crisis?!!

Balloon Over Houses, Vic, Catalonia

Everything here is authentic, the houses surrounding a square in Vic, the balloon promoting a travel agency...except for the skies who were in fact quite gray and dull. I had to add some graduated blue effect (nik Color Efex Pro 2.0), some pink near the balloon and still they don't look very convincing. I do like the roofs and the brief appearance of the basket between the walls though.