Cistercian Architecture: Poblet Monastery, Catalonia

This cloister gallery with its rib vaults and pointed arches can be admired at Poblet Monastery, a wonderful example of Cistercian architecture founded in the XII century that was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1991. Cistercian architecture is a great legacy of medieval architecture. Early Cistercian architecture shows a transition between Romanesque and Gothic architecture and this monastery at Poblet, in the comarca of Conca de Barberà, Catalonia, is a good example although other styles such as Barroque and Renaissance are also present as the institution underwent later transformations. The different buildings integrating the complex are extraordinarily well preserved. Please check my previous post about Monasteri de Poblet for more information.

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.

Carnival 2014 in Barcelona: The Actors

Last Saturday was La Rua's day of Carnival 2014 in Barcelona. La Rua is the Catalan name for the  parade that takes place in some carnivals around the world and as usual in these events people let their imagination fly. As you should know from previous posts here in Barcelona Photoblog about Barcelona's Carnival, there is the main parade and then there are secondary ruas in many districts of the city. Besides the floats and the parades it is very common to see shop clerks or market staff working in their costumes as you can appreciate in this picture taken at one of the stands in La Merce market. This week I am going to show some costumes both from the market and the streets and I would like to thank those who gently accepted to pose for the camera. Please check also: Some days of Pagan Joy, Carnival Costumes, Feather Masks