The Mirador on Miramar Road at Montjuic, Barcelona

You could be one of these lucky people. This is no luxury resort, this is just the Mirador on Miramar road in the mountain of Montjuic, Barcelona. You too can enjoy such wonderful view while having a snack before taking a little walk in the nearby gardens or visiting Montjuic castle. You too could be watching the red cable car going towards Jaume I tower in the background or admiring the impressive architecture of Barcelona World Trade Center. Come and share with us this privileged view of the Mediterranean Sea.

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".

Blowing Up The Color Scale: The Seduction of Red Roses in Barcelona

Oversaturating an image is a risky thing in photography but if not abused it can really draw your visitor's attention. I am trying to get deeper in my "theory" that bright, vivid photographs, especially on the thumbnail level are more probable to bring visitors to your blog. Of course not everything is valid here, if after you zoom in you get terribly disappointed. I accept that reds are too strong in these roses I captured at Rambla dels Flors although I tried not to get that sloppy. I guess there is a long way to master the right balance and I try my best since I am just an amateur in this stuff. I am having a lot of fun in the meantime.

Small Colorful Bouquets of Paper Flowers in Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain

In trying to keep the colorful posts cause I think most of all like bright colors, at least that's my impression, I chose a bunch of small paper flower bouquets on sale at the stalls along Rambla dels Flors. I am not happy with the level of detail, that is, upon taking a very close look at the flowers but it was almost dark, I had to fire my flash, ask for permission to shoot, watch not to be shoved onto the flowers by passerbies, hold one cigar in my left hand which the stall owner asked me to keep an eye on and last but not least finish fast so my wife and daughter didn't get too tired of waiting.

Human Statue of Warrior, Las Ramblas, Barcelona

A Greek Warrior on the Ramblas

Mystery solved. While I was scratching my head earlier trying to place this armor, it turns out we are looking at a Greek warrior sporting a classic Corinthian helmet. And honestly, knowing the history just makes the statue even cooler.

The Corinthian Crest at Sunset

I photographed this warrior just in front of the Liceu concert hall in Las Ramblas. I usually catch these artists in the full, harsh daylight, but this shot was taken at sunset, and the atmosphere is completely different.

The fading light catches the massive crest of that helmet perfectly. The paint job is fantastic—that teal and gold combination mimics the look of ancient, oxidized bronze (or copper) that has survived centuries. Standing there against the warm, blurry lights of the theater, he doesn't just look like a street performer; he looks like a sentinel from the ancient world keeping watch over modern Barcelona.

Pink Flowers Fantasy in Rambla dels Flors, Barcelona

And as one is never enough here goes my second post on flower stalls along Rambla dels Flors. Another bouquet, this time a pink bouquet or is it magenta? Well who cares! The thing is it must be nice to see this on the front page along with the previous post. Call me weird but I sometimes like to combine pictures according to colors in my blog, I find it interesting. Sometimes it works sometimes it doesn't. Have a nice day my friends.

Purple Flowers Fantasy in La Rambla de las Flores, Barcelona

A close look on a bouquet of purple flowers in a stall at Rambla dels Flors. As you know Las Ramblas de Barcelona is divided into different sections which I won't recall here not to repeat myself. One of them though is La Rambla de las Flores, a group of flower stalls set along the way which help to create a special mood in this famous part of town.

Save the Earth: Portrait of Human Statue in Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Rescuing Mother Nature from the Archives

I decided to dig into the hard drive today and rescue an old character from the archives in a shot I hadn't published before. It is this incredible "Mother Nature" figure—or at least, that is what I call him. It is definitely a he, but the spirit of the character is pure Earth.

He is dressed as some sort of tree or forest deity, covered in earth-toned body paint with delicate vines tracing up his arms and face. But the real showstopper is that headpiece. It looks like a mass of dried roots exploding backward from his head, defying gravity as if the wind is permanently blowing through them.

The Missing Sphere

In this particular angle, the transparent sphere he usually holds is almost hidden, tucked away near his chest. You can just barely catch the glint of the glass. If you want to see the full setup where the sphere is totally visible, you should definitely check out my original post: Street Artists in Las Ramblas - Human Statue.

There is something about his expression here—solemn, looking off into the distance, hand raised—that feels like a warning or a plea. Maybe "Save the Earth" isn't just a catchy title; maybe it's exactly what he is trying to tell us while we rush past him to buy souvenirs.

Seasoned Human Statue II in Las Ramblas, Barcelona, Spain

The Seasoned Statue Returns

Here is another shot of a street artist—a human statue—that actually appeared in Barcelona Photoblog a long, long time ago. You might remember him from my previous post: Seasoned Human Statue Sitting in Las Ramblas.

I call him "seasoned" not just because he looks like a veteran of the street, but because of that incredible weather-beaten look he cultivates. The metallic silver paint settles into every line and furrow of his face, making him look less like a person and more like a piece of galvanized steel that has withstood decades of storms.

Suiting Up in Silver

His previous photo focused mostly on his face, so it didn't really show off the suit too much. I thought you would like to see this angle because it highlights the costume work. The jacket, the tie, the shirt—everything is stiff with that same textured silver coating.

He looks like a businessman frozen in time (or maybe carbonite), pausing for a moment of reflection amidst the chaos of the boulevard. Even his glasses seem caught in the transformation. It is that commitment to the "heavy" look of the materials that sets the pros apart from the amateurs.

Marble Living Statue With Lady In Las Ramblas, Barcelona

A Touch of Marble and a Lot of Friendship

Since today's post is going to deal with awards and friendship, I couldn't think of a better image to start with than this one. What better symbol of connection is there than a handshake? Here we have one of those anonymous Barcelona street artists—a "marble" statue completely draped in white cloth—breaking his frozen character to share a warm moment with a tourist.

I love the contrast in this shot. You have the cold, rigid appearance of the statue, mimicking stone right down to the draped fabric and the face covering. And then you have this lovely lady in a bright turquoise dress, wearing a smile that is as sunny as the street itself. She looks proud and happy, like a child meeting a hero. It’s a funny, sweet reminder that behind the "stone," there is a person smiling back.

You Made My Day Award

Speaking of making people smile, I was absolutely thrilled to be granted the "You Make My Day" award by Beautiful Places blog (Update: 2025 link not available anymore). It is a wonderful site that you should visit often, and I want to say thanks so much to them. It really means a lot to me that you chose my blog.

As part of the tradition, I want to pass the torch to 5 blogs that always manage to make my day a little better. A big thank you to these creators for always being so supportive and friendly. It is a real pleasure to know you, and I highly recommend everyone check out their creative work:

• Secrets by Quintarantino
• Com Imagens by Daniel and Carol
• Nashville Daily Photo by Chris
• Wailea Daily Photo by Kuanyin
• Momentos by Dsole

The Rules (and a Note)

Please don't worry if you break the chain; I won't consider it rude at all since I am not a huge enthusiast of strict rules myself. But mostly, I just like that someone thought of me, which is really flattering. So, I took my time to think of people I care about, like you guys.

For the record, here are the rules I was given:

1. Write a post with links to 5 blogs that you like (update: as 2025 first two are not working anymore).
2. Acknowledge the post of the award giver.
3. Display the "You Make My Day" logo (I put it on my sidebar).
4. Tell the award winners that they have won by commenting on their blogs or emailing them.

Colored Flowers Bouquet Detail in La Rambla dels Flors, Barcelona

Due the success the larger picture of flower bouquets in La Rambla dels Flors had, I have decided to perform a little cropping to show you a small detail of the image in my old post. I was wondering how the saturated colors of these artificial flowers would look against the black and white picture I posted yesterday. I want to thank Strangetastes from St. Louis Daily Photoblog for the kind suggestions about other members of the City Daily Photo group who are really good at taking black and white pictures.

Flute Player in BW, Tres Tombs Parade, Barcelona

Black and white pictures are scarce in Barcelona Photoblog as many of you know. There are a few exceptions though. Take the case of this flute player, this flutist girl I captured during last Tres Tombs parade at Sant Andreu quarter. I loved the original image but sometimes I get so carried away by the light that I end up choosing the bw option. I know I am not good at black and white photography but you never know if you don't explore other fields. Not that there's anything special in the action or the subject but I do like the way she spots the camera as she walks and gives me this wary look.

Barcelona City of Angels

Not that I ever counted all the angels in Barcelona! I just wanted to use a poetic license to honor my city and what better than this angel you can admire right after you leave Sant Jaume square on your way down Carrer de la Ciutat. You will find a small set of stairs to your right and voilà.

Contrabass Player at Barcelona Cathedral

This contrabass or double bass player was part of a small band performing in front of a group of sardana dancers. The place is the square facing Barcelona Cathedral or Santa Eulalia Cathedral (video). If you check blogger labels below you'll find other musicians or instruments featured in Barcelona Photoblog in the past.

Pirena Dog Show: Boxer

A photograph of a boxer during a dog show taken from my archives. To be precise the animal was participating in a race along with other dog breeds and the show was part of Pirena 2007. To get a better idea about when this happened and what Pirena is please check my previous post: Pirena 2007

Blue Princess Costume With Crescent Moon

A lovely princess in blue looking the other way as if to look into the future with sorceress intuition. I love it when kids stop to think this way. Is it that their innocence just gives them a detached rose-colored vision of the world or do they really see beyond? Do you remember what we used to think when we were staring like this? No, you can't, but they do look as if being somewhere faraway beyond the yellow brick road.

Costumes from Around the World: Barcelona Carnival 2008

More colorful costumes. Participants went by fast so I couldn't take notes or grab the names of the countries. I vaguely remember the name was shouted over a distant loudspeaker but I must work harder with my brain trainer nintendo game to recover the original status my numbed mind once had. Please help me find out what country was this woman in blue from. Yes, I know, you don't have the pleasure to know her but any idea about her traditional dress?

Carnival in Barcelona: Football Lady

Today I want to show you another carnival image, yes, yet another. This time we leave folklore for a while and set eyes on the weird football costume the lady in my picture is pompously wearing. I don't have the slightest idea about the meaning of the dress but she did let her imagination go. I realize I am being a real pain in the a.. with so many carnival photos. As you can guess I need to go out and take some fresh shots but believe me I don't have much time lately. I am aware of that and I do know the kind of images you prefer, me too! Today I added some extra memory to my PC and everything is working faster so maybe I squeeze more minutes for the posts. I never was too serious about buying memory cards and today I realized how wrong I was. It feels like being younger or getting your sight back, if you know what I mean.