Peeling Calçots, Masia Can Palau, Vilanova del Valles

In Catalonia, there is this part of the year when going out to peel calçots for lunch at any of the many masias spread around the country becomes almost a matter of state.

Most well-known places for calçotades are in the southern province of Tarragona, in a region called Valls but around Barcelona it is not strange to find a good spot in an idyllic environment.

The place I will mention today is just an example and of course you are free to choose. It is called Masia Can Palau and it is located in Vilanova del Valles some kilometers away from the city of Barcelona.

The 30 eur menu included Calçots with Romescu sauce, grilled meat (a mixture of chicken, sausage, lamb and rabbit with fries) and dessert. We had two generous rounds of calçots per person. They came wrapped in aluminum foil and were very hot.

But how do you peel Catalan calçots?

You have to grab the calçot by the leaves and with the other hand, press gently on the black roasted skin of the bulb and peel it off. Beware you don't press to hard and pull away the inner part of the calçot. It requires some practice. It should come out clean.

After that you soak the tender and juicy stems of the plant in an exquisite romesco sauce which is made with almond, garlic, red pepper, hazelnut, tomato, olive oil, vinegar, crumbs of fried bread, salt and pepper.

If you want to know how they cook calçots and what they are, check my previous posts: Catalan Traditions - Calçotada: A Close Look and Grilled Leaks...Check the sauce in next post.

Tattoo Shop, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

Becoming an intruder into somebody else's moment, sneaking into that magic instant that is no more and freezing it for posterity is one of the most thrilling experiences at least for me and I guess for anyone that enjoys photography. Walking down the narrow alleys of Barri Gotic, in a street whose name I can't recall, there was this small tattoo shop. The reflection of the man on the mirror and that green pouring out of the blinds really grabbed my attention. I had serious doubts as to whether to use black and white here and I can tell you it looks great but if color made me capture the scene in color it will go.

Estacion de Francia, Barcelona: Lamp and Beer Pump

Upon entering Estació de França in Barcelona and if you turn right and get into the bar you will find out that the place has been restored recently with great taste by the way. Worth mentioning are the big lamps hanging from the ceiling but today I would like to show you the ones on the counter (see image) next to the beer pump. A sweet mixture of tree, anemone and candlestick. I hope you enjoy the design and/or the beer.

Woman Waiting, Estació de França, Barcelona

A woman searches in her bag while her thoughts are somewhere far away. The quietude at the train station hall is the perfect environment to meditate before that long ride to who knows where. The pendulums hanging from the ceiling contribute to the idea of time passing by while the ticking of the clock on the distant wall, almost audible, is only interrupted by the steps of the guard walking his beat. Such is the impressive atmosphere at this famous train station in Barcelona. Find out more about this place in my previous post: Estació de França and Dome Detail.

Boquerones en Vinagre (Anchovies in Vinegar), Mediterranean Delight

Having a tapa of raw fish macerated in vinegar is surely not quite luring for some stomachs. Mediterranean anchovies are not just gutted fish salted in brine, matured and canned or bottled in oil or salt as those you find in the market. They are also served fresh and marinated in vinegar as the ones in the picture. This exquisite tapa is called Boquerones en vinagre. By now you probably have guessed that not all anchovies prepared this way taste the same and that both the freshness of the fish and the quality of the vinegar really make the difference. Yesterday, we enjoyed these superb boquerones en vinagre dressed with garlic, parsley and some olives at Rincon de la Ciudadela, exactly at the corner of carrer Princesa and carrer Comerç in El Born, Barcelona. The restaurant is not modern, chic and trendy like many others in the area, but you know, good food, is not always in the coolest place.

Gallery on Building by Enric Sagnier, Gran Via 654, Barcelona

Eclectic building influenced by Catalan Art Nouveau but rich in baroque ornaments built by Enric Sagnier i Villavecchia back in 1904. Notice the beautiful undulated shapes of the stone gallery and the impressive ironwork of the balconies. You can find this building at Gran Via de les Corts Catalanes, 654 exactly between Carrer Roger de Lluria and Carrer de Pau Claris.

Barcelona Photoblog Celebrates Sixth Anniversary, Cheers!

Yesterday, February 22nd, but six years ago, Barcelona Photoblog started a project that was meant to change this author's life a little bit. I have devoted many sleep hours to write almost 2000 posts and lots of long walks around this beautiful city to portray our reality. In 2005 I was lucky to find a good name but had the blog empty for over a year. I had no idea what to say or do. In 2006, there was this French guy, Eric, who had started a group called City Daily Photo meant to publish a picture a day about each member's city. I owe a lot to them and I am thankful for all the help and the enthusiasm the group gave me back then and through the 6 years of blogging. Barcelona Photoblog was also inspired by Barcelona Photobloggers, a solid community of photographers from Barcelona that have always been a reference to me. Bearing both communities in mind, my goal has been to document, report, narrate, highlight as much as I could and with all my heart about Barcelona. I hope I can keep shooting and writing for another 6 years. If anyone found this useful in anyway then every hour was worth spending. I would like to uncork this bottle of cava to virtually celebrate with you all these years of Barcelona images: cheers!

Roman Temple, Vic, Catalonia

There are numerous good samples of the Roman past of Catalonia throughout our geography. This Roman temple from II a.c in the city of Vic is not precisely the best example since it underwent two important restorations but the fact is that at least part of a column shaft and the Corinthian capitals on the right hand side of the entrance are authentic. What is certainly special about this temple is that it was discovered in 1882 while demolishing the old Montcada's family castle who lived there in XI century. In IX c. Guifré el Pelós decided to integrate the old VIII c. fortress it had been during Saracen times, into a castle.

Gruyere Cheese Wheels, Vic Market, Catalonia

If you are a cheese lover you should not miss the sweet, nutty flavor of this exquisite Le Gruyere named after the valley of Gruyere in Fribourg, Switzerland. Such enormous wheels of cheese I found while visiting the Medieval Market in Vic. There were other posts in the past about such market here in Barcelona Photoblog: Medieval Musicians, Rabbit and Pumpkins, Spinning Yarn on a Drop Spindle

L'Ou Com Balla or The Dancing Egg, Barcelona Cathedral

L'Ou Com Balla tradition at Barcelona Cathedral, Barri Gotic, Barcelona

In the cloister of the Cathedral of Barcelona there is a beautiful fountain decorated with flowers that reminds you of idyllic gardens, of some paradise lost on earth.

It is the Sant Jordi fountain. Surfing over the soft cushion of its water jet once a year you can see a fragile eggshell that seldom falls which is called the L'Ou Com Balla, which translated literally from Catalan means how the egg dances or how dances the egg.

This is not the only place in Barcelona where you can find a dancing egg (there's one a la Casa de l'Arcadia or at Museum Frederic Mares' courtyard for example) but I think this is the one with more tradition, a tradition that goes back to the XIVth century and has to do with Corpus Christi celebrations, the eggshell itself representing the body of Christ.

The exact date to see L'Ou com Balla changes but it takes place at the end of May or in June depending on Corpus Christi Feast.

The New Skyline of Barcelona: Corruption and Hedonism

Near the forum area and Diagonal Mar, new hotels and office buildings see the light of day like flowers in the spring. Once, we were told that the height of new buildings would be controlled in order to respect traditional Catalan architecture in the city. There were times when only Hotel Arts and Mapfre Tower overlooked the sea, as solitary twins down there by the beach. I am not sure if they ever passed the law but it seems that regulations are there to be broken by real estate companies in connivance with prestigious architects and dubious local government representatives and so the story goes, all of a sudden we have a myriad of new tall buildings on the waterfront or along Diagonal Avenue that may be wonderful for touristic revenues and for the city but that have sent the initial good criteria straight down the drain. This modest blogger does like hotels and beautiful skylines but I can't help being astonished at how power tends to corrupt those we vote.

Parc de Joan Miro or Parc de l'Escorxador, Barcelona

Here is a view of Parc de l'Escorxador or Parc de Joan Miro with the famous Dona i Ocell (1982) by the famous Catalan sculptor (Joan Miro Barcelona, 1893 - Palma, 1983). This shot was taken from the roof of Las Arenas shopping center. The colors are enhanced because I thought the whole scene was rather dull. In fact it still is but maybe with a little luck you happen to focus on the beautiful sculpture in the middle and follow the link to my previous post and better appreciate the work of Joan Miro.

Gramophone or Phonograph, Casa Mila aka La Pedrera by Gaudi, Barcelona

A beautiful example of phonograph or Gramophone invented by Edison in 1877. This vintage record player can be admired at Casa Mila aka La Pedrera by Antoni Gaudi in Barcelona.

2012, New Plans: My Family

The new year is around the corner one more time and in these times of crisis, we should invest in more secure markets, some prefer gold, I prefer my family. Here's my daughter impersonating the black swan I think. Watching them grow to become teens, watching their ambitions, their plans for the future does make you wish for a better world, for a happy new year! Come to think of it that is all we've got that really matters, our family, our friends.

Catalan Modernisme: Cal Calixto, 26 Calle de la Diputación, Sant Sadurni D'Anoia

This beautiful balcony partly covered in stained glass can be admired on a house at 26 Calle de la Diputación in Sant Sadurni D'Anoia not far away from Cavas de Freixenet, the renown Catalan cava cellars. This is the exact spot in town to find Cal Calixtus (1885) which is the name of this beautiful sample of Catalan modernisme.

The Three Chimneys of Fecsa's Thermoelectric Plant in Barcelona

The Three Chimneys or Towers of Fecsa's old power plant which are visible from almost every spot in the city of Barcelona have been featured in Barcelona Photoblog in the past: The Three Chimneys in Sant Adria del Besos so I will not repeat the content of that post.

In this case I only want to say that even though they are obsolete and not meant to last for too long now, they have this ominous and mysterious look at dusk.

What Will Cagatio Bring For Christmas?

El Tio de Nadal or Cagatio (Christmas log, pooping log or shit log) a piece of wood that kids hit on Christmas eve or Christmas day with a stick so it poops presents to the beat of a monotonous song (here is a good example of Caga Tio found on Youtube), is deep rooted in Catalan traditions and strangely blends with imported gift couriers like Santa or the Three Wise Men, and being just a log and all, the point is that it surely is time enduring. It has even evolved from just a simple wooden block to a smiling face wearing a Catalan hat (barretina).

But why am I talking about Christmas presents and Tió so early in December? You should know that our pooping log is to be fed and taken care of in advance (starting Advent for many people or by Immaculate Conception Day on December 8 for some) should you want to have good presents by Christmas (usually it delivers just candies, nougat, sweet stuff till it starts pooping odd things like herring, coal, garlic, onion which are a clear sign for kids to stop asking). Hitting a log and getting gifts back in return is kind of a contradiction, a rather violent thing to teach a child you might say. There are opinions about this. It seems that this is due to the fact that at present, in those houses where there is no fireplace, the beating is just an imitation of the act of poking the fire but I am not sure children are aware of that. Tió, really means, any thick log cut into pieces to feed a fire. And it is meant to be burnt a little for the gifts to start showing.

By now, you have figured out what Caga Tió will bring for Christmas if handled with care, if well fed and protected under its comfortable blanket by the fire. However, I wonder, in these times of global crisis, in this period of domestic chaos, of intestine struggle between right and left, rich and poor, banks and indebted citizens, what a log can poo, other than disenchantment.

Gaudi Chimneys: The Amazing Surreal Shapes of Catalan Art Nouveau

Chimneys by Gaudi - Casa Mila aka La Pedrera's Roof

When you step into Casa Mila's rooftop, you enter a surreal realm of uncanny figures begotten in the womb of some eerie creature or conceived in the unfathomable labyrinth of a very insane but wise mind, figures that remind alien chrysalids about to eclose or deceiving chess pieces that seem to move ominously behind your back.

Apparently they are only chimneys but definitely there is something mysterious about them, as if they had been alive and were now under some spell. Some may resemble totems, others look vigilant towards the horizon like soldiers watching from the battlements of some medieval castle. Many interpretations are possible here. Whatever your appreciation is in the end, you certainly will not remain indifferent.

Dry Reeds on Delta de L'Ebre Beach, Tarragona, Catalonia, Spain

Sometimes an abstraction can be created out of the most unusual things. It is all in your head or on many occasions inside mother nature's head which is more complex and experienced. Any odd root, next to the soil where it is supposed to grow is no big deal but what if we put it upside down against a seascape? It is very common to find dry reeds along L'Illa de Buda beach, Deltebre, Tarragona but this sort of Martian scene, is in fact part of a natural park, 320 km² of wetland on the Mediterranean coast which is a paradise for birds and well known for its rice crops, its paellas and the history behind agricultural villages near Ebro river mouth.

Trencadis Detail: Z, La Pedrera, Barcelona

Shards of tile, irregularly distributed creating harmony out of an apparent mess. Somewhere some symbols may be found left behind by the artist on the tile. This a detail of one of those chimneys on La Pedrera or Casa Mila's roof. If you want to see how trencadis looks here is an arch found on the same roof. Soon, more details.