About time I captured one of those images of mutilated bikes tied up somewhere for no apparent reason. Now that I finally made it (hooray!) I will try to forget it right away. Let's issue a formal complaint first: please, stop urinating on Las Ramblas! It smells and what's worse, it spoils my pictures. Yes, that blurry thing behind the bicycle fossil is nothing but a conspicuous stain left by humanoids on a booze spree. "Hey dude, enough moaning. Step out of the way. Can't you see that's my bike! And stop takin' pictures of my rack or I will get very pissed off".
Barcelona photos: Daily photographs of Barcelona, Spain. Pictures of a modern city with travel tips in a personal photoblog. A photography and travel site. Art, architecture, people and traditions. Travel to Barcelona through my camera, know more about our city and towns nearby. Welcome!
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September 30, 2008
September 29, 2008
The Barcelonians: Man Leaning on Wall, La Merce Church, Barcelona
This is my new addition to a set I will call The Barcelonians. Not that I am trying to emulate The Americans by Robert Frank , oh no (ironic). No, seriously, I love the idea of grouping people from all countries, statuses, genders, or age that are considered to be Barcelonians. Understand by that, anyone living in the city no matter what creed, race, nationality or money in the bank. I don't want to get too ambitious nor dare to imitate the masters (God forgive me). Ok let's cut the crap. Here is a man coming out of La Merce church, leaning on the wall as he walks, due to some leg impairment. That's it.
If you want to appreciate good photography then do check The Americans page at artsy.net
September 28, 2008
Christopher Columbus' Lion
Standing the battering of time this lion at the base of Christopher Columbus's monument in Las Ramblas, permanently guards the majestic column from where his master watches the horizon pointing towards the new world not too sharply. Gaietà Buigas i Monravà was the artist in charge of building the monument that was completed in time for Barcelona's Universal Exhibition in 1888. In coming posts I will show you more details of the column. These are old pìctures of mine: Columbus on his pedestal and Columbus as seen from Las Ramblas.
Suggested Link of the Day: Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008
Suggested Link of the Day: Top 100 Tools for Learning 2008
September 27, 2008
Street Dancing in Barcelona
Frozen in time. Do you remember the Matrix? You know, the bullet scene and all. I wish I could change the perspective here and show you the street dancer from different angles. If you like street dancing, hip hop, want to see a freeze or are just curious about the image, please visit previous post: Urban Street Dance in Barcelona.
Photographer's corner: Advanced Photography Tips
Photographer's corner: Advanced Photography Tips
September 26, 2008
Hot Suissos at La Granja Pallaresa, Carrer Petritxol, Barri Gotic
Dessert shelf at Granja La Pallaresa - Barcelona |
As I promised the other day in my Churros post, this is a detail of La Granja Pallaresa at Carrer Petritxol in Barri Gotic, one of the best places in the city to have a wonderful hot suisso, that is, chocolate with whipped cream on top.
You may try churros, porras or melindros with a swisso or suizo. Leave your diet at home if you have in mind to visit La Pallaresa.
Please check these recipes of menjar blanc (almond cream) and crema catalana (Catalan custard) which I noticed on the shelves after examining the picture closely.
By the way, Granja Dulcinea on the same street is also great.
In case you wonder what a granja is you should know that it means "farm" from "dairy farm" (originally granjas were shops selling dairy products).
You may try churros, porras or melindros with a swisso or suizo. Leave your diet at home if you have in mind to visit La Pallaresa.
Please check these recipes of menjar blanc (almond cream) and crema catalana (Catalan custard) which I noticed on the shelves after examining the picture closely.
By the way, Granja Dulcinea on the same street is also great.
In case you wonder what a granja is you should know that it means "farm" from "dairy farm" (originally granjas were shops selling dairy products).
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Carrer de Petritxol, 11, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
September 25, 2008
Medieval Craft Trade Fair: Glass Miniatures
During a medieval craft trade fair that was organized in a town called Suria I caught this artisan working the glass to create miniatures by means of a torch. It is hard for me to understand how medieval this craft can be considering the safety glasses he is wearing and the lighter but if they created this fair which is celebrated every year by the way, they should know better. Other trades and crafts were previously posted here: the stonecutter, the basket weaver, the collier, the potter.
September 24, 2008
Immigration in Barcelona, The New Catalans
Immigration is one of Barcelona's major concerns according to polls. Many times this concern grows parallel to the feeling of insecurity that is increasing lately. This leads to consciously or unconsciously blame immigrants who are an easy pray to racists or bigmouths of all sorts and social statuses. I wonder what such people would think if they were in their shoes.
September 23, 2008
Taking a Break in Barri Gotic
This gentleman is as tired as I am when the week comes to an end. Like tourists taking a break in Barri Gotic, shall I rest to think of fresh ideas for new pictures.
Influential Bloggers' Tips: Nine Lessons in Search Engine Optimization by Michael Martinez via SEO Theory
Influential Bloggers' Tips: Nine Lessons in Search Engine Optimization by Michael Martinez via SEO Theory
September 22, 2008
Woman and Child Detail, Folk Song Sculptural Group, Palau de la Musica, Barcelona
September 21, 2008
Girl with Beautiful Legs in Plaça del Rei, Barcelona
I was trying to think of a better title for today's post. We were standing on Plaza del Rey waiting for the steps to empty and sit for a group photo during Europe Photobloggers Meetup 2008. A man, obviously her partner, was taking pictures. We were camera in hand, more than 30 considering how many we were and some of us started shooting over the man's shoulder.
To keep her identity unknown I decided to include this one with her head turned up. So I reckon all the attention deviates to her beautiful dress and legs. I have to say that this subject made me recall some interesting comments under another photo including legs at Chromasia. We were having an argument on whether a picture of just women's legs is somewhat degrading. Of course I haven't changed my mind. Legs are just legs and if beautiful they are to be admired.
Labels:
legs,
people,
plaza del rey,
steps,
woman
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Plaça del Rei, 7, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
September 20, 2008
The Gargoyles of Death, Plaza del Rey, Barcelona
Half-bred uncanny creatures, stalking from above and ominously spitting rivers of water as if announcing the downfall of man and the arrival of an ignote, unfathomed gloomy world.
Sunday morning on your way to church. A long, long time ago. You have a sudden urge to pray. Things are not going too well lately. Mysterious deaths scamper through the city. Hundreds, perhaps thousands of people are doomed by now and nobody knows why. Is it God's wrath? Is it one of the seven plagues?
Some say it comes in the air or that it dwells in the pestilent waters of the outskirts. Almighty God! What is that! A filthy rat!. Get out of my way, you abominable evil creature. I wonder why there are so many. Stop looking at me, you hideous gargoyles...
In 1589 1/4 of the population in Barcelona, 12.000 to 13.000 approximately, succumbed to bubonic plague. Here is Plaça del Rei, the place where the gargoyles are.
September 19, 2008
The Art Nouveau Lamp in Barcelona, Europe
Decorative arts, architecture and other forms of artistic expression lived an authentic ecclosion by the end of XIX and the first years of XX c. in Catalonia as part of a cultural and political movement known as Renaixença which was spurred by the new spirit of the wealthy local bourgeoisie and their quest for industrial expansion, the influence of Paris and other industrialized European countries as the new model to follow in opposition to the retrograde, stale Castilian yoke. The cultural side of this renaissance, this art nouveau and the way it manifested in Catalonia is called Modernisme. A lamp was just a lamp but all of sudden there was an urge for innovation and new trends, an outburst of creativity that said hey this is our art, it is Catalan, we borrowed some elements from the most modern and fashion countries in Europe and Asia, we improved it and lifted it to the category of divine, we are educated, passionate for art, powerful and basically we don't need your Royal Majesties anymore, in fact we never did. Of course this is history in a very personal and simplified way. Here is another modernist lamp.
September 18, 2008
Opera Singer in Barri Gotic, Barcelona
September 17, 2008
The Best Churros in Barcelona - A Short List
A close look at some good Barcelona churros |
A now for something completely different: Churros!!!
I have been browsing in search for good recipes or the history of churros. According to Wikipedia: 'A churro (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtʃuro]) is a fried-dough pastry—predominantly choux—based snack' and there are many recipes out there for some exotic and appealing churros.
No, I just wanted to show you this picture to evoke those good memories every citizen in Spain has involving churros or porras which is a bigger, thicker variety made in Madrid.
The experience of waking up early to go and buy churros for a good weekend breakfast is unforgettable. There are street stalls or caravans in Barcelona neighborhoods where they cook homemade churros which you can smell from some blocks away but they are fewer than in the good old times.
And what about those who on their way to bed after a long crazy night grab a bag full of churros to soak them in hot chocolate. That is one of the best remedies in the world for a bad hangover.
Needless to say that there are small traditional places called granjas selling good churros in Barcelona. The best according to many is on carrer Petritxol, near Plaza del Pi in Barri Gotic and is called La Pallaresa.
Here is the short list of best places to have churros in Barcelona recommended by Barcelona Photoblog
Learn more about historic carrer Petritxol or watch for churros at La Pallaresa in the next post.
I have been browsing in search for good recipes or the history of churros. According to Wikipedia: 'A churro (Spanish pronunciation: [ˈtʃuro]) is a fried-dough pastry—predominantly choux—based snack' and there are many recipes out there for some exotic and appealing churros.
No, I just wanted to show you this picture to evoke those good memories every citizen in Spain has involving churros or porras which is a bigger, thicker variety made in Madrid.
The experience of waking up early to go and buy churros for a good weekend breakfast is unforgettable. There are street stalls or caravans in Barcelona neighborhoods where they cook homemade churros which you can smell from some blocks away but they are fewer than in the good old times.
And what about those who on their way to bed after a long crazy night grab a bag full of churros to soak them in hot chocolate. That is one of the best remedies in the world for a bad hangover.
Needless to say that there are small traditional places called granjas selling good churros in Barcelona. The best according to many is on carrer Petritxol, near Plaza del Pi in Barri Gotic and is called La Pallaresa.
Here is the short list of best places to have churros in Barcelona recommended by Barcelona Photoblog
Learn more about historic carrer Petritxol or watch for churros at La Pallaresa in the next post.
September 16, 2008
Savings Allegory Sculpture, Caixa de Pensions Building, Via Laietana, Barcelona
On April 1st of the year 1917 Caixa de Pensions i d’Estalvis de Barcelona building at Via Laietana, 56-58 was completed by famous Catalan architect and artist Enric Sagnier. Nowadays it is one of the venues of the Supreme Court of Catalonia. On one of the corners you will appreciate this sculptoric group which is an allegory to savings. Remember La Caixa is an important savings bank in Spain. The sculpture was made by Manuel Fuxà. Perhaps you want to see the whole facade of this neomedieval building in Via Laietana or want to investigate further on La Caixa and its founder.
September 15, 2008
The Kiss
Love is a topic I don't deal much in my posting because I think adding too much sweet may be noxious. Now that I slipped, I am going to suggest this photo essay called Famous Couples, a gallery with some of the twentieth's century great romances. Of course we would not have chosen many of those but there is one that helped me make up my mind about selecting the link: Paul Newman and Joanne Woodward.
September 14, 2008
Urban Street Dance in Barcelona
September 13, 2008
Profile Portrait: Barcelona Street Dancer
Walking along Portal de L'Angel some members of Barcelona Photobloggers found a group of street dancers. We were pretty tired after a long day's photo walk but still gathered some strength to take some snaps. Here is a profile portrait I could catch of one of the hip hop dancers. He was crouching, arms resting on his knees as the rest of the members improvised. Soon his turn would come. Tomorrow I will show you what he was looking at.
September 12, 2008
The Feminine Touch
Routine is something that I really hate. Posting always the same kind of topic is really boring not only for you but for me as a blogger. Let's leave art aside for a while and refresh ourselves with an innocent image, that of a baby girl photographed from a different angle. Some friends came by and left the girl toddling on the wooden floor. I noticed she was wearing this tiny hair clip that barely succeeded in its task but clearly gave her the feminine touch.
September 11, 2008
La Merce or Our Lady of Mercy in Barcelona: A Brief History
What better to commemorate the festivities of Our Lady of Mercy or Mare de Déu de la Mercè or Virgen de la Merced than showing the Virgin itself.
This is the way she appears on top of the church that goes by the same name. As you know every September 24th Barcelona honors La Merce with numerous activities all over the city.
I just wanted to say that La Mercè is of course one of the many ways to refer to the Virgin Mary. According to religious scriptures she appeared to Pedro Nolasco in the form of Our Lady of Mercy and commanded him to found the Mercedarian Order. She carried two bags of coins to pay the ransom of Christians caught by the Moors. That's why she is also known as the Lady of Ransom. The order was officially constituted by King James of Aragon in Barcelona on August 10, 1218 and approved by Pope Gregory IX on 17 January 1325. Although the Virgin manifested on August 1st, the date was later changed (1696) to September 24th.
Find an image of Mare de Deu de la Merce in another post.
This is the way she appears on top of the church that goes by the same name. As you know every September 24th Barcelona honors La Merce with numerous activities all over the city.
I just wanted to say that La Mercè is of course one of the many ways to refer to the Virgin Mary. According to religious scriptures she appeared to Pedro Nolasco in the form of Our Lady of Mercy and commanded him to found the Mercedarian Order. She carried two bags of coins to pay the ransom of Christians caught by the Moors. That's why she is also known as the Lady of Ransom. The order was officially constituted by King James of Aragon in Barcelona on August 10, 1218 and approved by Pope Gregory IX on 17 January 1325. Although the Virgin manifested on August 1st, the date was later changed (1696) to September 24th.
Find an image of Mare de Deu de la Merce in another post.
Labels:
barcelona sculptures,
la merce
Location: Barcelona, Spain
Carrer de la Mercè, 1, 08002 Barcelona, Spain
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