Man and Dog on Alley, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

What's in an alley? They are just spaces surrounded by walls. I mean, if the buildings were not that close they would be plain ordinary streets. There's something in the atmosphere of an alley that is determined by its narrowness, an almost tangible sensation triggered by all kinds of stimuli. There's the bad smell of sewers, of damp walls, of mossy surfaces, the good smell of food or clean laundry coming from very close balconies. Your eyes are bombarded with rounds of large wooden doors and whimsical knockers, exuberant plants entangled in forest-like canopies, old lamps with elaborate ironwork, dark impossible staircases, eclectic windows with cat add-on included. And there's the sound, the sound of too friendly neighbors, their laughter, their cries, their TVs and door bells. The sound of the guys delivering butane gas shouting and clacking on the orange flask, the scissor and knife sharpener blowing his peculiar flute to make people come down. The noise of kids playing in the street like in the good old days. Such is the atmosphere of an alley, any Barcelona alley, like the one where this man is walking his dog.

Coming and Going, Carrer Petritxol, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Petritxol street at Barcelona gothic quarter, the hot chocolate and churros street

Resuming Barcelona as a topic, here I leave you with a view of carrer Petritxol at Barri Gotic.

Some people come and some other go for time immemorial. Streets remain but they will also disappear some day and Barcelona will not be the same.

History is caged in this part of town and without it we will be dehydrated, decaffeinated or whatever "de" something you may think of. So let's protect our history and restore the Gothic quarter!

By the way, remember it is traditional to have churros at carrer Petritxol!

Under the Archway, Carrer del Bisbe, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Walking in slow motion under the archway at Casa de los Canónigos in Bisbe Irurita street, if you really concentrate you can manage to stop time for a couple of seconds, while you bathe in the bright light of the sun. You should stay there, spreading your arms in the way only a child can do, stretching your head back up to face the backlit figures, the same sculptures that have witnessed the existence of so many souls. Quiet now, you almost hear them murmuring. They have this melancholic expression and they are whispering: "I am with you my son, please don't worry, people come and people go, you don't need to hurry. Some have left, others will come, but the flame is always burning. The world is cruel, there is pain, the flesh hurts but I am here to save you from your demons, I will sacrifice myself for you. Go and cross this bridge now, you will not remember me, but I will always be with you". And then you'll feel a sudden cold breeze and a little pain on your neck and shoulders of looking up so intensely and you will ask yourself: "What the heck was that?

Please, this is only a fiction, do not block the archway. Wear some protection, looking directly at the sun may hurt your eyes badly. Do not ask passerbyes if they also heard that. They know but they will act normal and pretend nothing happened. 

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Barri Gotic Musicians: A Little Chat

Musician in Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Musicians like Barri Gotic to perform.

The narrow streets of the Gothic Quarter in Barcelona are pleasant to stay in the shade, away from nearby noisy streets. Besides, acoustics is great.

Many times there are small groups playing on the same site as they are supposed to play on spots assigned by local authorities. So you probably meet the very same artist depending on what time of the day or the week you visit a determined street.

This man here was about to start and was having a little chat. There was this sun ray falling directly on his head acting as a natural spotlight. If you want to know more or check a full view of the street don't miss: Barri Gotic: Street Musicians Paradise?

Carrer del Bisbe, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

A snapshot of Carrer del Bisbe in Barri Gotic, Barcelona.

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Tom Waits in Papier Mache, Barcelona

To continue with my series of papier mache celebrities, I'd like to feature today, Mr. Tom Waits. Remember there were other famous characters or actors that appeared in Barcelona Photoblog in the past: John Lennon, Marlon Brandon as Don Corleone, Hugh Laurie as Dr. House and Woody Allen accompanied by Keith Richards.

Sitar Player, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

To grow my collection of musical instruments here is a picture of a sitar. The musician was playing in Barri Gotic, a quarter that gathers a good amount of street artists who are attracted by the many tourists and special accoustics of its narrow alleys. Here is a famous video in which George Harrison is taking sitar lessons with Ravi Shankar

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Canon's House, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

At Bisbe Irurita Street in Barri Gotic there's this beautiful house called Casa de los Canónigos (Canon's House). Today I show you a detail of a sort of bas-relief you can admire on its façade while walking down the street towards Sant Jaume square. Read all the details about Casa dels Canonges.

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Plaza de A. Bachs at Barri Gotic Barcelona

Barcelona, Gothic Quarter: Casa de los Canónigos at Bisbe Irurita Street

Casa de los Canónigos o Casa dels Canonges (Canons' House) at Bisbe Irurita street and next to Sant Jaume square is a XIV c. Gothic building restored in the 1920s by Rubió i Bellver and Jeroni Martorell. It was then that neogothic elements were added to the original building like this bridge connecting Palau de la Generalitat premises with the above mentioned religious house that until 1980 used to be the Official Residence of the President of La Generalitat. Jordi Pujol, the first elected Catalan government president after the 1978 Constitution discarded the house as private residence and so have done his successors.

Lennon, John - Killing The Dove of Peace - Papier Mache Figure

How did you feel the day they shot Lennon? How many times have you felt that sad for someone you didn't know personally? That was one of the few moments in my life when I shed a tear for a "total stranger". With this figure of John Lennon in papier mache I want to honor his memory. If you want to remember him for only five minutes read the lyrics of the song below. I leave you with a final question: Why did Mark David Chapman had to kill the dove of peace?

Mind Games

Were playing those mind games together

Pushing the barriers, planting seeds

Playing the mind guerrilla

Chanting the mantra, peace on earth

We all been playing those mind games forever

Some kinda druid dudes lifting the veil

Doing the mind guerrilla

Some call it magic, the search for the grail

Love is the answer and you know that for sure

Love is a flower, you got to let it, you got to let it grow

So keep on playing those mind games together

Faith in the future, outta the now

You just cant beat on those mind guerrillas

Absolute elsewhere in the stones of your mind

Yeah we're playing those mind games forever

Projecting our images in space and in time

Yes is the answer and you know that for sure

Yes is surrender, you got to let it, you got to let it go

So keep on playing those mind games together

Doing the ritual dance in the sun

Millions of mind guerrillas

Putting their soul power to the karmic wheel

Keep on playing those mind games forever

Raising the spirit of peace and love

Love...

(I want you to make love, not war, I know you've heard it before)

Don Corleone, The Godfather in Papier Mache at Barcelona Store

Papier mache figure of Marlon Brando in the Godfather. Another example of how a character may acquire a life of his own and make the audience forget about the actor in a certain way. In this case this is Mr. Marlon Brando and it is impossible to forget the man behind the character but sometimes we tend to think that they are both different people, that Don Corleone was really there, making polite offers you couldn't refuse. Like the figure in my previous post, this one is also on sale at the same Barri Gotic souvenir shop. I have to say that Hugh Laurie's post has been a total success but in a negative sense. Lots of fans have come to see Dr. House in papier mache and most of them say they wouldn't place such a horrible adornment around the house mainly because the star has not been precisely favored in this artwork.

Dr. House or Hugh Laurie in Papier Mache at Barcelona Store

Dr. Gregory House the main character in House M.D television series has been immortalized in this papier mache figure on sale at a popular store in Barcelona's Gothic quarter near Sant Jaume square. There was a previous post with celebrities like Keith Richards and Woody Allen and in the next two there will be more famous people. Hugh Laurie will have difficulties to get rid of Dr. House, something that has happened to too many actors for the good or for the bad. Will Dr. House obliterate a totally different character like this?: Hugh Laurie in "BlackAdder".

Keith Richards and Woody Allen - Paper Mache - Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Is it possible to see Keith Richards and Woody Allen in Barcelona, both in the same room, considering that the only thing in common that they have is they are weird and play an instrument? 

I had the chance to live such mystic experience in front of a souvenir shop in Barri Gotic, but both celebrities were made of paper mache. I had my doubts with Keith though!. Keith cost about 220 euros as I read on the tag hanging from his "cigarrette". 

Don't say it wouldn't be great to have one of these somewhere around the house just for the fun of it, if affordable of course.

Girl on Fountain, Barri Gotic

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Heads of State Caught in Barcelona Shop During Solemn Act

Heads of state are human after all. They have to look elegant, sound clever, have good manners and an impeccable resumé perhaps, all of that creates a sort of idyllic aura that makes us forget about who they really are. We say, hey look, the president, it's the president himself, oh my God. But then come to think of it they are made of flesh and bones like you and me, and though they represent us nothing can stop them from being common mortals with disgusting needs. It is at that very moment that politics becomes just that...shit and men remain equal.

These small figures are called caganers which means someone that is in the act of, you know. It is traditional in Catalan popular culture where it is common to mock local personalities in a funny and naive way. This shop is located at carrer LLibreteria in Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter). I almost forget to mention the characters: from left to right, Fidel Castro Ruz, commander in chief; the honorable, Mr. Artur Mas i Gavarró, Catalan politician and Mr. George Walker Bush, the 43rd and current President of the United States of America.

Barri Gotic, Barcelona: Street Musicians Paradise?

There is a story behind every anonymous artist performing in the narrow streets of Barri Gotic, the ideal place with all the ingredients to earn a decent sum to survive: solitude to perform, great acoustics, and lots of tourists with pockets full of money.

Many of these artists have a solid musical education and make the tour more pleasant, but according to local authorities some others don't. Recently, the Ajuntament (City Council) started a project to regulate their activities. Artists have been assigned 6 permanent spots in the Gothic Quarter where only Classical or Melodic music can be played.

The rest of genres are to be performed out of this area on 13 other spots. No percussion, no noise over the decibel map in the district. No space exclusivity for any of the artists either. Law breakers can be fined and backsliders' instruments shall be confiscated. Each of the artists can play 4 hours a day divided in sessions of 2.

These measures made neighbors happier and really have pissed musicians off!. Especially when you see illegal performers sneaking away from the police in the light of day in spite of cameras like the one in the picture. By this I don't mean anything against this man working perhaps according to regulations, I really enjoyed his performance anyway!

Modernist Letterbox at Casa de L'Ardiaca, Barri Gotic

Letterbox, Casa de L'Arcadia, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Off we go in an imaginary trip along the streets of Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter).

You are facing Barcelona Cathedral, climb the stairs and turn right on a narrow street called Santa Llúcia.

Suddenly you are right in front of Casa de l’Ardiaca, the Archdeacon's house. The building where the Municipal History Archives are since 1921, is made of two houses, being the other the Deacon's house or Casa Degá.

The first buildings date back from the XII century and were remodeled into a palace by Lluis Desplà, the Archdeacon, in 1520.

As a curiosity we should say that it was built against the Roman wall which you can see from the ground floor and that the interior patio lodges the famous fountain (used for Eucharist) with the floating egg known as l'Ou com balla in Catalan. On the façade of the Flamboyant Gothic palace we can admire this marble letterbox created by the Modernista architect Lluis Domenech i Montaner commissioned to decorate the building in 1902.

Frederic Marès Museum Garden at Barri Gotic in Barcelona

Gardens of  the Royal Palace of Counts of Barcelona (Frederic Mares Museum)

This is an image of the garden in the old Royal Palace of Counts of Barcelona, at present Frederic Marès Museum.

Going along the narrow streets of Barri Gotic (Gothic Quarter), Comtes de Barcelona street in particular, you find the stairs down this patio adorned with a beautiful fountain in the middle of exuberant orange trees.

At the opposite end you find the entrance to the museum. Of course it is a recommended place to stretch your legs in the shade after a long walk in the old part of the city.

Frederic Marès Museum holds the most important collection of Hispanic sculpture from XII to XIX in Spain.

There's a fine collection of Romanesque and Gothic religious art.

Last but not less, you shouldn't miss the fantastic exhibition of antique children's toys.