Classic Marionettes at Tibidabo: Trapezist

These are classic trapeze marionettes you can admire inside Tibidabo Amusement Park.

The trapezists were hanging from the ceiling on our way to the small room where the marionette show was about to start.

I am sorry if the picture appears to be upside down. There are many flaws because the image was snatched in a hurry. It was totally forbidden to take pictures of the marionettes.

Spider-Man 4: The Saga in a Claw Vending Machine

Spidermen in claw vending machine at Tibidabo Amusement Park

Spider-Man is cloning himself for the next episode of the saga, Spider-Man 4 coming to a theater near you in 2009. In the meantime he is living inside a claw vending machine (or toy crane machine) at Tibidabo Amusement Park, Barcelona. What did you say? Yep, it is not funny, you are right. But hey, the moment you open your mouth and say: Spiderman your audience level hits the jackpot. Now that I had a bunch of them why not have fun with an innocent prank. 

Now seriously, these Spidermen toys looked great against the glass like posing for the camera. I don't know who arranged them in such a way but it must be hard to pick them up with the "crane", that small gadget with claws that always seem to be spread with butter. I am sorry about the reflections I couldn't get rid of them. If you like the result I'd be more than pleased.

Amusement Parks: Roller Coaster Panic at Tibidabo, Barcelona

This is a snapshot I took of the roller coaster at Tibidabo Amusement Park in Barcelona. 

I did more or less what those automatic cameras do when you are sliding down the roller coaster: capture the panic expression in your distorted face. The only difference is that this picture was not for sale in the stall  at the end of the ride!

I hope they find Barcelona Photoblog some day and download their photograph for free.

Tibidabo Roller Coaster Thrill, Barcelona, Spain

Not that it is a big roller coaster but watching the whole city of Barcelona while being up there, taking a scary look at the valley at your feet and raising your hands to enhance the thrilling experience is definitely a different way of approaching our city.

Take some time to visit Tibidabo. If you have kids it is really a must-see. Barcelona Photoblog has published many pictures about this park but I will only suggest a very similar shot: Amusement Parks - Roller Coaster Panic.

Birds of the Same Feather Flock Together

Ducks at Tibidabo amusement park

Of course if you intend to deepen into amusement parks you ought to deal with other fair attractions different from thrill rides, as it is the case of sideshows and side stalls.

Freak shows are something of the past now but you still have magic mirrors, fortune telling machines and classic string puppet shows in Tibidabo. As to the side stalls there is not much of a difference with other amusement parks.

This is the case of the rubber ducks. How many can you hook? Apparently easy if they only stopped moving for just one second!

Ferris Wheel at Tibidabo Amusement Park in Barcelona

This is another shot of the ferris wheel at Tibidabo Amusement Park. I like it because you can see Collserola Tower in the background. If you want to know more about ferris wheels check this link. Do you feel like enjoying another panoramic view of the city where you can see Barcelona's Fabra Astronomical Observatory, watch this one. 

PS: I will be on the air till Monday and then will start summer holidays, for more details read previous post. (I have published plenty of images with maps of Tibidabo, so please search site for previous posts).

Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Heart at Tibidabo, Barcelona

The Expiatory Temple of the Sacred Heart at Tibidabo mountain, was designed by architect Enrique Sagnier. First of all, back in 1886, the property of the land was donated by twelve distinguished gentlemen to San Juan Bosco who decided to build a hermitage, gothic in style and 8 meters high. 

The main crypt was not started until 1903 by the same Sagnier and finished partially many years later by his son. On the central tower there is a bronze statue built by José Miret in 1961, it is 7 meters and a half tall and weighs 4.800 kilos. The statue of Christ and the Sacred Heart spreading his open arms has become one of the main symbols of Barcelona. Here you can see a detail from the frieze at the portico.

The Nova Duana or New Customs House in Barcelona Harbor, Spain

Customs house in Barcelona harbor

Here is another photo of the Barcelona Customs House building (in Spanish, Aduana). There were other posts featuring this beautiful façade: Barcelona Harbor_Las Golondrinas Sightseeing Boat and Barcelona Harbour Cruise: A City Teaser.

The Nova Duana (New Customs house), was built by Enric Sagnier (Barcelona, 1858-1931) together with Pere Garcia i Faria. Sagnier was a prolific architect. Other works of his were the Palace of Justice and the Tibidabo Temple. In all, he built about 30 interesting buildings only in Barcelona.

To finish I would like to mention the house El Pinar also known as Casa Arnús, a family house in the middle of a pine woods in Collserola mountain. You can see the lights of this house from Avinguda Tibidabo three times a week (Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays) so I recommend you try to spot it if you are in the area.

Sweet Color Popcorn

Sweet popcorn

To introduce today's picture let me start with these facts via The Popcorn Board: Americans consume 17 billion quarts of popped popcorn each year. The average American eats about 54 quarts. No matter how unidentified you feel with the Hollywood style of watching movies, the fact is that our parents were used to it and we are even more addicted. I remember buying a reasonable amount that I swallowed about half way before the end of the movie, now you see people carrying incredible king size buckets full of popcorn (many times covered in caramel!) that they are unable to eat even if they spilled part of the content just by accident. 

And what do you think of the price? I don't know in the US but here in Europe we are spending almost the same amount of money on popcorn and coke as we pay for the movie. 

Well enough rant for today, let popcorn business grow, at least the entertainment industry will be less boring. Here are some good popcorn nutritional facts given at the above mentioned site. 

In the image, a close look at a stack of color popcorn in Tibidabo Amusement Park, Barcelona. I used a vignette with blur effect to accentuate texture.

10 Fun Things to Do in Barcelona

Barcelona is among the most popular choices in the world, when it comes to holiday destinations. This is because there are so many great things to do there – like these ten.

1. Taking a stroll

Barcelona offers great weather for wandering and attractions unique to the city. Montjuic Castle, Parc de Joan Miro and Parc de la Ciutadella are among the stunning parks and buildings that you can enjoy at any time of the year.

2. Take in a concert

While Barcelona is home to many concert venues, perhaps the best is Gran Teatre del Liceu. From the luxurious red carpeting and gold leaf, to performances of Beethoven, Wagner and the annual Christmas concert, this is a pleasure to visit.

3. Take the Picasso tour

Picasso spent his youth in Barcelona and you can grab the chance to visit haunts like the site of his former home on C/Merce, hit Els 4 Gats, where he spent time with the likes of Salvador Dali and finish at the Museu Picasso.

4. Attend a Barcelona match

Barcelona is a city passionate about football and for anyone with an interest in sport, a visit to Camp Nou will be essential. Obviously this is best outside of summer, so you can take in a La Liga fixture.

5. Tibidabo

This enormous mountain overlooks the city and yet many visitors neglect it. During the summer months it will provide superb views of the entire city.

6. Las Ramblas

This area of the city is very tourist-heavy, but still well worth a visit – especially off-season. Then you will best be able to enjoy the shops, street performances and colour of this vibrant locale.

7. Steel Donkey Ride

This means a bicycle, but the rides take in less touristy spots – such as El Borne’s back streets, the Gracia village district and the Poblenou ruins. This is perfect for anyone who wants a more individual experience of Barcelona.

8. Skateboarding

Perhaps surprisingly, Barcelona is a European skateboarding centre, and a visit to the Plaza del Angels will be the ideal activity for any teenagers you have with you.

9. Visit the Casino Barcelona

The city has several casinos, but the Casino Barcelona is the best. Poker is the popular game here, with the numerous tournaments having built the reputation of this casino. If you don’t fancy the hassle of going to actual casino try some online mobilepokies with sites such as mobilecasinoaustralia in the comfort of your own room. However you will also find slots and other table games in the actual casino.

10. Try the cuisine

One of the best restaurants for sampling local Basque cuisine like Pinxtos is Euskal Etxea, making this a great stop for those who want the authentic culinary experience.

There is so much to sample in Barcelona, if you research and explore a little.

The Bright Lights of Barcelona at Night

Barcelona is a beautiful city deep within the heart of Catalonia, and is steeped in cultural heritage, endless amounts of stunning architecture and sandy beaches that soak up the beaming sun. Moreover, the exquisite food destinations dotted around the area, the globally renowned Gran Teatre del Liceu opera house and FC Barcelona’s Camp Nou football stadium are all things you should experience. Now, the vast majority of those who visit Barcelona take in all of its breath-taking features during the day when the city is bustling and vivacious; very few are actually aware of what the region has to offer when the sun goes down and the bright lights start to appear.

All of these aspects can really rack up some travel time and waste valuable time throughout your day, so look into some cheap car hire so you can get around Barcelona quickly and easily. However, if you want to get around in style, you could also utilize a luxury car rental. Anyway, within this article we’re going to look at the top 3 things to do when it gets dark so that you can enjoy your stay both in the day and at night…

Take in some amazing views

There are many ways to experience the wonderful sunset views that Barcelona has to offer; from finding a high vantage point to travelling a little further afield, the views will never let you down. So, one of the ways is to schedule a night cruise, which will allow you to view the brilliant sunset views on the Mediterranean Sea whilst sitting back and relaxing. Alternatively, you could take advantage of a luxury car hire and travel out from downtown Barcelona to the Tibidabo Mountain; here you can have a cocktail at one of the premium bars or have dinner at a top class restaurant, alongside receiving incredible panoramic views across the glistening Barcelona skyline.

Stand in awe at the prestigious fountain

Built in 1929 by Catalonian architect Carles Buigas, the Magic Fountain of Montjuic is really something you must witness during your stay in Barcelona…it truly is a masterpiece. Every night the attraction puts on a magnificent performance including lights, music, motion and colour every half an hour, so wait till the sun goes down, and take in the display of the fountain for free. It is worth bearing in mind that as it is so special and it doesn’t cost a thing, crowds may be a bit on the large side, so aim to get there early in the night or get a great vantage point on the bridge.

Take a visit to a centuries old church

If you’re looking for an educated thrill, the Basilica of Santa Maria del Pi is a medieval gothic church in the middle of the Barcelona Old Town. Here, you will learn all about Gothicism in the region throughout the years, its intriguing history and you’ll see, smell and feel things that would never be possible in the day time. In addition, you’ll be granted the spectacular opportunity to climb up to the church’s bell tower, and as it is one of the tallest pieces of architecture in the Old Town, you’ll be able to get a terrific view of the thriving city beneath you.

Barcelona Architecture: Collserola Tower

445 metres above sea level and 288 meters high, Collserola Tower in the natural park of the same name is an emblematic symbol of Barcelona since 1992 Olympic Games. The telecommunications antenna by Sir Norman Foster & Partners is located near Tibidabo Amusement Park, and I suggest you arrive early and visit both (although they are near the city it is not probable that you climb up twice). From the tenth floor of the structure you can have even higher panoramic views of Barcelona City and neighbouring towns but you need fair skies for good visibility behind the surrounding glass walls. For technical details visit the official site. Maybe you would like to see a full size image

See Collserola Tower Picture on a Google Earth Map