Font de Canaletes in Las Ramblas: FC Barcelona's Totem

I don't know in your city, but some Spanish soccer teams have this special place to celebrate victories, or better said, a meeting point for their fans, usually in open spaces around a fountain or a roundabout. In our collective memories that special object or place becomes some sort of ancestral totem, an emblem to tell adversaries that we have won and everybody should show respect. Of course, this sounds pretty boastful, but you know what I am talking about, in 2010 we still use the language of the tribe, we have an area for our rituals and we dance around our totem, chanting menacingly to scare away evil spirits and daunt our foes. FC Barcelona enthusiasts concentrate around Font de Canaletes a small modest all-in-one water fountain and lamp post with a lot of history in Las Ramblas, maybe not as opulent as their main rival's favorite place, you know who I am talking about, but a totem that talks of brave people that deserve a lot of respect. Long live FC Barcelona!

Casa Juncosa, by Salvador Viñals i Sabater, Rbla. Catalunya, 78, Barcelona

Casa Juncosa at Rambla Catalunya, 78 built by Catalan architect Salvador Viñals i Sabater in 1909 is one of those many buildings that locals tend to ignore (why do humans take things for granted immerse in their monotonous existence as they are? why do we lose that feeling of surprise?) but visitors evidently admire.

Although Salvador Viñals (1847-1926) was considered a Classicist architect his work evolved towards Noucentisme and in certain cases you see slight touches of Modernisme here and there in his prolific catalog of buildings. Worth mentioning are Torre del Marques (1911) or Casa Oller (1891)

Check this gallery with incredible pictures of Casa Juncosa interior.

Marilyn Monroe Human Statue: The Backstage

Marilyn's Real Stage: The Curb

If human statues in Barcelona could pick their spots at will, I am pretty sure this guy impersonating Marilyn Monroe would have chosen the famous air vents up on the Passeig de Gràcia sidewalk. It would be the perfect fit. But instead of that iconic scene, he has to compete down here with a bunch of other statues in the thick of Las Ramblas.

The competition lately is fierce. You have the impressive rivals that are really hard to beat, and then you have many others that are, frankly, a bit ridiculous. There are way too many of them recently. But as I always say, my friends, crisis sharpens your survival skills, and the boat is already full of survivors.

Order in the Chaos: New Rules Coming

It sounds like the free-for-all is about to end. Local authorities have plans to limit the number of statues starting January next year. We are talking about a cap of just 30 performers, selected by the quality of their act. They will be working in two shifts—15 in the morning and 15 in the afternoon—and they will be confined to a restricted area exactly between the Pla de la Boqueria and the Arc del Teatre square.

Artists will actually have to send in a CV to get a spot! Also, imitations of animals or characters carrying weapons will be banned. Let's see how it all ends, as some attempts at regulation were made in the past with zero success.

The Intimacy of the Backstage

Hey, I almost forgot about Marilyn here. You know what? I actually prefer capturing these moments over the performance itself. This is the "backstage" session, right out in the open. It is when living statues are in the intimacy of their preparation, or taking a breather.

In this shot, you don't see the glamour; you see the grind. He is crouching down by his equipment box, maybe fixing his lipstick or grabbing a quick bite, completely lost in his own thoughts. He might be wondering what the heck he is doing standing on a pedestal all day without twitching a muscle.

It is a reminder of the human element. As I always say, please help the artist behind the statue. Don't pretend they are just part of the street furniture or Las Ramblas decoration. They are working hard.