Barcelona Photoblog

December 19, 2013

Palau Baro de Quadras - Ramon Llull Institute's Brand New Headquarters



Built between 1904 and 1906, Palau Baro de Quadras, is a beautiful sample of Catalan modernisme. This palace was designed by architect Josep Puig i Cadafalch for Baro de Quadras (baron of Quadras). The building's main entrance is at Avinguda Diagonal 373, where you can appreciate a very elaborate façade of European Gothic influence blended with Neo-Plateresque style.

From across the street you seem to be standing before a Renaissance Italian palazzo rich in lattice work. Worth mentioning are the gargoyles and floral adornments on this side of the palace. On carrer Roselló there is a backdoor entrance. That side, features a Modernista style with some hints of the Wiener Sezession school (Vienna Art Nouveau or Jugendstil).

This emblematic place was known till last October as Casa Asia, which is a public cultural institution devoted to the promotion of projects to strengthen relationships with that continent and that is going to inaugurate its new premises inside Hospital de Sant Pau's modernist complex. For those who don't know, the old Art Nouveau buildings there have been restored and will be used for other services.

Palau Baro de Quadras has been donated by the City Town Hall to Ramon Llull Institute. As part of their mutual collaboration, the City Council will integrate in the institute's consortium with the intention of participating in the international promotion of Barcelona and Catalonia.

Institut Ramon Llull is a public body created to foster Catalan language studies at international universities and to promote Catalan cultural production in all artistic areas.

But let's return to our palace. Notice in the image above, the stairway to the upper floor. Upon entering through either the main gate or the backdoor, you arrive to this place which has a small fountain to the right over a beautiful mosaic floor. Besides the profuse adornments surrounding the stairs, you really ought to see the stained glass ceiling that is slightly shown in the upper part of the photo. Some other day I will show you the gallery in the second floor and other details of this wonderful building so well preserved.

I hope you enjoyed yet another Barcelona photo here at Barcelona Photoblog. Perhaps you want to check this previous post about Palau Baro de Quadras.

But to know a place you need to see it for yourself and not just an image. Take a look at this very short video with slides that show the whole palace.



December 07, 2013

Cheap Flights from London to Madrid or Barcelona: Pros and Cons

Aerial View of Mountain Range [enlarge]

Before talking about cheap flights from London to Madrid or Barcelona and giving my personal opinion, let’s check some stats and facts first:

About 400 international destinations are visited on board of flights departing from London airports: Gatwick, Heathrow, Luton, Southend, Stansted, London City Airport. Altogether, the six airports handled 133,709,327 passengers in 2011 including both domestic and world travelers. Considering only EU flights, there were 122 107 837 passengers moving in and out of London Area Airports that year, a 7 % difference with respect to 2010. Nevertheless, according to an annual passenger survey on passenger numbers at Britain’s airports carried out by the CAA (Civil Aviation Authority in the UK) 2012 was completely different due to the Olympic Games. 800,000 passengers passed through London’s airports for Olympic-related journeys during July and September last year.

In the case of Spain, 2,496,921 traveled between London and Madrid and 1,661,301 between London to Barcelona back in 2011. The lure of Barcelona and Madrid attracts people from all over the world via London airports. Taking into account figures from Heathrow airport, 737 571 passengers landed in El Prat airport, Barcelona in 2012 (Easy Jet, Monarch, Vueling and British Airways) and 1.190.486 flew to Barajas airport in Madrid. As you can imagine, the volume is considerably higher if we count the other five airports.

With such figures, it is not surprising that there is a fierce battle between aviation companies and between travel agencies to attract the most clients and catch as many fish as possible in the turbulent waters of an always seasonal and uncertain market. Low cost carriers and regular airlines, offer cheap flights for last minute birds or for methodic passengers that plan ahead. Most of them, try to get the cheapest flight while avoiding the lousier companies. Yes, some of them are really frightening. Just to give you an example, very near one, I am traveling with the family to London, next January. I have already booked the flight with a low cost company, EasyJet after weighing different options. Some of them were really insulting, especially when you have to fly at 6.00 am in the morning and come back almost at midnight, on a plane with a ridiculous narrow corridor, stuffed in a narrow seat, assisted by a horrible and ill-mannered air hostess with your feet over the handbag you couldn't stick into the compartment. I finally got a decent flight, at a decent hour and I hope that with a decent company I know of from other flights. If I were you, I would check twice before buying any odd cheap flight from London to Madrid or to Barcelona. Many times, it looks cheap and then you get a big surprise when they add extra charges for the credit card at the end of the transaction. Beware of that. I would like to suggest a site or two to find your cheap but safe flight although there is a huge list out there to choose from. I almost always use Kayak.com to search for my flight, although I might use, eDreams or Expedia sometimes.

Those that are looking for London-Madrid Flights should definitely try the services of Easyvoyage.com, which I've seen has good reviews from customers and I tried myself sometimes.

December 03, 2013

Casa Comalat Backside at Carrer Corsega 316, Barcelona

Casa Comalat: Balcony and Windows

Casa Comalat is one of those secret places of Barcelona everyone would like to discover but sadly it is closed to the public. This Modernista house has two completely different sides which have been featured in Barcelona Photoblog in the past. There is the front side, magnificent, full of adornments, but sober in comparison with the backside façade, at carrer Corsega 316, which I find much more interesting and attractive.

But before we start, you should know some facts: The building is named after the its proprietor, Sr. Comalat, a moneylender that commissioned it to architect Salvador Valeri i Pupurull (1873-1954). Salvador Valeri built a house that is slightly different to other Modernista houses of the times, very rich in ornaments, very decorative, it became a perfect sample of Late Modernisme. Maybe you need a video to fully comprehend what Late Modernisme looked like and to discover what only a local Barcelona TV has unveiled, the inner secrets of Casa Comalat. The video is not in English but you really ought to watch it.

With regards to the Barcelona photo of the day, Casa Comalat Backside, you can appreciate the elaborate  ceramics on balconies and windows by artist Lluís Bru i Salelles and the over-undulating shapes framing wood blinds for the first time in Modernisme. Rigalt i Granell, a renown company at that time, was in charge of the stained glass works. Certainly, never backsides were so much better than front doors.

Previous posts:
Art Nouveau Balconies

November 28, 2013

Artistic Postcards or Reproductions of Dali Paintings Near Dali Museum, Figueres, Girona.

Artistic Postcards Dali Museum [enlarge]

It is not strange to find stands outside museums with people selling their 'artwork', on many occasions, artwork, directly related to what is displayed inside the museum. In this case, we are talking about the Dali Museum in Figueres, Girona. Just next to the main entrance, there was this nice fellow selling these small postcards or painting reproductions featuring Salvador Dali and his works. I am not sure about some of them, I am not a Dali expert but you can see Portrait of Picasso, the Meditative Rose and Young Virgin Autosodomized by Her Own Chastity. Yes, strange name indeed. I like the way the reproductions compose a single collage. Do you find any other work of Dali here that you know of?

November 26, 2013

Collections at Frederic Mares Museum, Barcelona: Hispanic Sculpture and Polychrome Carvings

Sculptures at Frederic Mares Museum, Barcelona [enlarge]

There is an important collection of religious art at Frederic Mares museum in Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Impressive sculptures such as the ones in the picture can be admired in the premises as part of a rich sample of Hispanic sculpture in which polychrome carvings deserve special emphasis. Frederic Marès (1893-1991), sculptor and founder donated his private collection in 1944 to the city of Barcelona. Worth mentioning too are the courtyard, a very idyllic and peaceful garden with a beautiful fountain, and what is known as the Collectors Cabinet, a vast collection of antiques that go from all sorts of pipes, to match boxes, cameras, fans, jewelery, watches, scissors, reliquary bottles and much more, each of them a reminiscence of 19th century scenes, people, fashion and brands. There is also the library that specialises in Hispanic sculpture, the world of collecting and decorative arts.

Address

Museu Frederic Marès (MFM)
Plaça de Sant Iu, 5

How to get there

Metro: Line 4 (Jaume I)/ Line 3 (Liceu)
Bus: 17, 19, 40 and 45
Tourist Bus: Red Route. Barri Gòtic stop

Opening hours

Tuesday to Saturday: 10 am to 7 pm
Sunday and Holidays: 11 am to 8 pm
Monday, except Holidays: closed

November 18, 2013

Barcelona Cruises, Port of Barcelona and The Future of Catalan Tourism

Port of Barcelona [enlarge]

Barcelona is consolidating as the first port for Mediterranean cruises and this position has been strengthened after Carnival Corporation & plc reached an agreement last September with the Port of Barcelona to build and operate a new terminal known as Terminal E. Over 20 million EUR will be invested in what is going to be the eighth International Cruise terminal in the port (see image below). Everything is supposed to be finished by 2016. Also check this info graph about the evolution of the Port of Barcelona from 1956 to 2011 to have an idea of how big the transformations have been.



Almost 2.6 million cruise-goers are expected in 2013 according to Barcelona's Tourist Office. They estimate that last year's figures had an economic impact of nearly 300 million EUR on the city's economy. The increase in the number of passengers adds up to the growth of tourism in Barcelona. Seven million tourists come each year and spend more than 20 million EUR a day in the city.

Cruiser sector investments be it by external companies or by the port, are contributing not only to the economic bliss of Catalan tourism but also to Spanish economy in general. According to a study from the European Cruise Council the cruise industry provided Spain with 1.190 billion euros in 2010.
To better understand about who runs what and where in the cruise terminals at Barcelona's port, I think you should check this official brochure entitled Barcelona Cruise Facilities 2013.

Regarding Barcelona cruises, I must say that there are many to choose from and it all depends on your budget, the cities you want to visit and of course the quality of the service. I would pick up of course a Barcelona to Barcelona cruise with the best quality-price relationship and a fantastic itinerary. I reckon it is not an easy task. Have you ever been on board of a cruise ship in the Mediterranean? Which cruise would you recommend?

November 01, 2013

Pumpkins or Chestnuts? Halloween or Castanyada?

Pumpkin Detail [enlarge]

Although Halloween celebrations permeate Catalan reality each year and it is not strange to see carved pumpkins and people wearing fearsome costumes here and there, the eve of All Hallows' Day or All Saints is definitely about chestnuts, baked sweet potatoes with Moscatell (Muscat wine) and panellets in what is known as the Castanyada (Chesnut day). In general terms it is a supper, a very heavy one, considering the ingredients mentioned and that they are an extra on top of whatever you chose to have for supper that day. It is more probable that you see little girls dressing as castanyeras (ladies selling chestnuts), wearing peasant's clothing and a headscarf than kids knocking on doors playing Trick or Treat. I leave you with this detail of a pumpkin that helped me bring the topic up.

October 29, 2013

The Mae West Room at Dali Theatre-Museum in Figueres, Catalonia

Mae West Room by Dali

Today's image was taken at the Museu Dali and it is not a painting but an illusion created by Salvador Dali expressly for the Theater Museum in Figueres (province of Girona, Catalonia).

This work, is indeed based upon one of his paintings: Mae West's Face which May be Used as a Surrealist Apartment, 1934–35.

Mae West had a clear influence on the Catalan artist, particularly in the movie called: She Done Him Wrong (1933) by Lowell Sherman, where she plays a very seductive saloon owner. An important part of the illusion, in the foreground of the composition, are those lips that reminds of a cozy sensual couch, that slightly resembles a wood-and-satin piece of furniture by Dali known as The Mae West Lips Sofa (1937) although that one was pink, or better said, "shocking pink" as the lipstick shade inspired by the actress, developed by fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli.

For those of you who have not visited the Dali Museum yet, let me tell you that to see the face you have to climb a small set of stairs and look through a sort of circular magnifying glass to better appreciate the isolated objects that integrate the composition.

Salvador Dali, was born in this location in 1904 and was even baptized in the church right in front of the museum. Nevertheless, he did not spend all his life in his hometown.

Dali studied at the Academia de San Fernando (School of Fine Arts) in Madrid in 1922 although he was suspended later, but not for academic reasons. He went many times to Paris and was influenced by Picasso, among other artists. All in all, he became world known as a surrealist artist in the period that goes from 1929 to 1937 in which he produced many of those paintings we admire so much today, such as ‘The Persistence of Memory’ (1931). Yes, the one with the melting watch!

The artist also visited the United States where he lived for eight years with his wife Gala. From 1950 to 1970 his works included new themes, on many occasions, of religious nature but also erotic or recalling his childhood as in previous years. Gala was also present in his paintings often. After she died in 1982, he was no longer the same, and his health was affected by a motor disorder until his death in 1989. 

October 23, 2013

Casa Comalat: Art Nouveau Balconies

Casa Comalat Barcelona: Balcony

Casa Comalat is the most emblematic modernist house by Catalan architect, Salvador Valeri. This jewel of Catalan Art Nouveau, has two façades, the main entrance facing Av. Diagonal and the rear at carrer Roselló.

At first sight, nobody could tell the two of them belong to the same building if it were not for the intense use of undulated shapes and exuberant decoration, prominent features in the work of this artist.

Built between 1909 and 1911, the house inevitably reminds you of the strong influence of Gaudi's famous curves upon the artists of his times.

In the image today, there is only a balcony, as both sides of the house have been covered here in Barcelona Photoblog in the past (Avinguda Diagonal - Casa Comalat and Catalan modernisme: Casa Comalat).

Of course, this is not any kind of balcony as you can appreciate in the extremely beautiful and whimsical shapes of this wrought ironwork. I could tell you about the fabulous doorway, the gallery defiantly protruding from the façade crowned by an impressive pinnacle or about the shape of the turret on top of the building, or what is more, we could be talking for hours about the wooden galleries and the delightful ceramics on the other side of Casa Comalat, that are not precisely what you would choose to adorn the back side of anything, in the sense that, on that part, you feel like you are about to enter the Candy house in Hansel and Gretel fairy tale but why not concentrating on the details of this single balcony and let imagination fly. I took more pictures that will eventually appear on this blog, so do not miss them. Thanks for your time.

October 20, 2013

Porras with Hot Chocolate

Famous porras with chocolate
Porras with chocolate in Barcelona

If you fancy secret places out of the touristic routes, places not so charming but equally exquisite because of the quality of the product you get and if you cannot leave Barcelona without tasting those porras or churros with chocolate somebody was bragging about just before you came visit us, then you should know that there is this small cafe, frequented by locals, very near Metro stop Fabra i Puig (Red Line) called Churreria Laia (carrer Malgrat 82)(Passeig de Fabra i Puig, 146) where you can satisfy your most guilty pleasures.

For those of you that don't know what a churro is, let me tell you that it is just dough made right in front of you by mixing flour, hot water and salt inside a blending machine made for such purpose. Once the dough is ready, some portions are placed inside another machine called churrera that pipes everything through a star-shaped nozzle that gives it that characteristic prism-like shape. The dough comes out of it as if it were tooth paste slowly making a spiral that is then fried and served hot. You usually sprinkle sugar on top.

Update 07/2023:

'Porras differ from churros because they contain an extra ingredient: baking soda or, in some cases, yeast. The dough for the porras contains flour, salt, water and baking soda and we must leave it to rest for a period of several minutes before putting it in the fryer in order to release carbon dioxide and result in a much softer dough. . There is also a difference in the proportion of flour in relation to the amount of water: the amount of water is higher in the mass of the porras. Churros are loop-shaped, thin in thickness, and have a dense dough. Instead, the porras are fried in the form of large spirals and then cut into pieces; they are thicker and spongier because they have air inside.' - according to Churreria Desi 

So Porras, which are very popular in Madrid (and other regions of Spain, check this post from Valencia about the difference between churros and porras), are not just thicker as you can see in this image but carry that extra ingredient. In Madrid, porras are a staple of the local cuisine and are often consumed for breakfast or as a mid-morning snack. The result is a heavenly treat that pairs perfectly with a cup of thick, rich hot chocolate. Madrid boasts numerous traditional cafés and pastry shops where locals and visitors alike can indulge in the pleasure of porras. One of the most renowned establishments is San Ginés, a charming café located near Puerta del Sol. San Ginés has been serving porras since 1894 and is often crowded with clients eager to experience the iconic combination of porras and their famous hot chocolate. The porras in Madrid tend to be thick, dense, and slightly chewy, providing a satisfyingly substantial bite.
 
Moving to Barcelona, although you can find porras as such, more than often you will end up having our churros or xurros with different form and texture. The dough used for churros is typically made with a higher proportion of water, resulting in a lighter and crispier end product.  In other words, although you can find porras or what looks like porras but carrying a filling (which is not a porra), churro or a xurro in Catalan, is the usual thing to have. Anyway, porras you can find.
 
Xurrerias, specialty shops that specialize in churros and sometimes offer porras, can be found throughout Barcelona. These establishments attract locals and tourists with the enticing aroma of freshly fried dough. One popular xurreria is the iconic Xurreria Trebol, located in carrer Corsega 341. 

Do you have porras in your city? Spanish porra also refers to the sticks or batons carried by the police so I am sure you have some porras and they don't serve it with chocolate!

October 02, 2013

My Own Barcelona Sunset

Barcelona Sunset [enlarge]

This picture was taken from my mobile phone the other day. It was one of those strange afternoons when the skies seem to be soaked in the blood shed by some imaginary Gods after engaging in some cruel and gruesome battle.

It was funny to spot a neighbor on the roof nearby, cellphone in hand, bearing witness to the same wondrous moment of nature. How many times in a day, month or year can the scene out of your window change? That is a mystery to me, constantly surprising you with better results, on and on.

Just like watching a damn kaleidoscope, always different, always magical. I have trapped one of those many possible frames of your city skies, in this case a sunset in Barcelona, do you have yours?

September 13, 2013

Top 10 Things to Consider Before Buying a Camera - Searching for our Vintage-to-be



This is a vintage camera I spotted at the Francesc Mares museum. It is easy to grow a passion for vintage cameras when you see one. I have a wonderful Voigtlander for example which I feel proud of and which I own just by chance.

Who doesn't remember that old camera we regarded as a weird obsolete dust-covered contrivance our parents had from grandpa or grandma? Well, this is exactly my case. And musing on this matter, I wonder what may become of modern cameras when time passes by, will my Nikon D7000 be an object of cult in say, fifty years?

The digital cameras world has evolved so fast and access to decent cameras to shoot with has grown so much that it is difficult to predict what is to turn into a vintage article or at least a retro one up to the point it makes you feel proud of it and urges you to preserving it instead of letting it die. Of course, I reckon that things that are rather unique now, will be more appreciated in the future. Maybe a strange model of Holga, although made in plastic could be more sought for than the standard DSLR. There's a certain factor of uncertainty as to what is going to be cherished by next-generation collectors or fans. And all this leads me to conclude that it is that uniqueness, that weirdness, that peculiarity in certain items which gives them the category of vintage and not everything will prevail.

 Of course when you buy yourself a camera you do not foresee what value this is going to have later on and in fact I wouldn't recommend buying exclusiveness for two reasons, one, it is going to be more expensive and two, not even a medium can tell now whether you are going to be the happy owner of a collector's piece or not. So you'd better go for the gear that suits you according to your pocket and your goals as a photographer. Maybe you just want to take pictures of your kids and your smartphone does what you want pretty well or maybe you take it more seriously and prefer better images. If you are at that step, perhaps you wonder what to buy and you do not know what things you should take into account first.


These are the Top 10 Things to Consider Before Buying a Camera in my opinion although there are more of course:


- Which use am I going to make of the camera? What kind of photographs do I want?


This point might seem too obvious and simple but affects whatever tip you may need or follow afterwards. Perhaps you have enough with not so high quality pictures taken with a point and shoot digicam in which the camera controls you and not the other way, perhaps weight and ease of use suit you better. Maybe you want to go deeper in the learning curve and want to try a DSLR and tame your camera and your photographs, first in an amateur way and why not, in a professional way. Nobody wants to run with a bag full of heavy gear just to take casual images. Well, there are some exceptions. But you get it, I want this camera to take a decent picture and that's all or I want this to make me an artist and win the next World Press Photo Contest or somewhere in between, which I think is better. At which point are you in the range?

 - How much is it going to be? Can I afford it?


You have to adapt your expectations to your budget. With the same amount of money you can buy a point and shoot and a lot of extras or just a DSLR body. It all depends on your needs. There are people that prefer a simple underwater camera for the holidays and others that cannot live without their full frame DSLR. Once you know your limit, the limit in your pocket, then you should know that the photography market is full of offers and opportunities that not necessarily are found in that well known megastore. I would recommend starting with a good DSLR, body only and then buying lens and stuff later on. 

- How many megapixels?


 There is this general myth that the more megapixels the better quality you get in your pictures. Wrong! Pixels are just the dots in your image and having them more concentrated so to say, only matters if you enlarge for printing purposes. Of course pixels count for quality but I'd say that with 6 megapixels you have more than enough in the case of normal prints. That's the amount I had in my good old Nikon D70s. Now with 16 I am no longer interested in winning the megapixel battle with fellow photographers. It's pretty silly but there's this childish impulse to brag about megapixels.

- Read reviews!


It is of extreme importance that you visit sites where you get reviews about cameras, especially those where the author compares brands and models. I will suggest a couple of sites for you: Digital Photography Review or my favorite, www.kenrockwell.com

 - Go for the light!


 Photography is made with light so it makes sense that you think of it when buying a camera. You have to ask you yourself, how am I going to get more light to have better pictures? Of course you don't stop to ask the question but searching for the light is at the bottom of everything. Nikon D70s starts with an ISO of 200 and D7000 starts with 100. There is a debate about the difference between both. I don't think we can appreciate the difference in noise between the two (ISO is the level of sensitivity of the camera to available light), so the lower parameters are not that significant, but then after 400 or in other words with higher sensitivity you not only gain more light but also more noise, or more grain in your picture. Nowadays there are cameras that eliminate a lot of noise for you at incredibly high ISO, for example Canon EOS 1DX reaches 51.200 ISO and there's low noise up to 2786 ISO which is great. As you see is not the upper limit that really counts but the limit up to which you are in a relative low noise situation and then there is software of course to get rid of some more noise. But it is not only the ISO limit you should look. There is also aperture and shutter speed to take into account. The larger aperture you have the more light you get. Remember that larger in fact means lower numbers in your F scale. Obviously, a prime lens like Nikkor 50mm 1.4 lets in much more light than Nikon 18-70mm f/3.5-4.5 kit lens in D70s. A wide range of shutter speed settings is recommended too to have more control of the exposure. Shutter speed is exposure time, it is how long the camera's shutter is open to the light that reaches the sensor. Shutter speed, aperture (f-number), and luminance together determine the amount of light that reaches the sensor (the exposure) and this is something somehow more restricted in point-and-shoots. 

-Be sure you can reuse old parts


Many camera systems offer the possibility of reusing old parts even from film cameras but some of them get discontinued depending on the brand. Nikon and Canon are for me the most complete in this respect.

- Image stabilization (IS)


There are three types of image stabilization, optical, digital and a mixture of both. It would be a good idea to check that your camera has a good optical image stabilization system which consists of moving the parts of the camera to compensate for camera shake. Digital stabilization is only about software and has to do with increasing ISO sensitivity in your camera to allow for more shutter speed and thus less blur in the image. 

- Zoom


Digital zooms modify images by software in the camera so this will never be as good as zooming in or out with the actual lens and its optical mechanism. 

- Usability


 If you want to have a good camera you need to make sure it comes with all the useful controls you may get for a reasonable price in a way that it makes you save time, it does what you want it to do, it gives you high quality pictures (as long as you know how to use it properly and you have the artist in you too) and it does not stand in your way making the act of photography something uncomfortable for you. Menus should be helpful and not confusing, LCDs should be big and well illuminated, the body should be made of good materials and have a good ergonomic grip. 

-Opportunities


Last but no less, find offers, bargain, negotiate and get your stuff for a reasonable price. Don't go crazy about buying that latest model in the official store when you can get it on ebay or similar. Sometimes simply the fact that you shop online helps squeezing a few bucks from the original price. 

I hope you find the tips helpful. Ten tips aren't enough though. If only they could brighten your ideas a little bit then the post was worth writing. 

In the line of recent posts I would like to suggest a website to find coupons to save up money in your purchase: Flipart coupon codes
category: cameras

August 14, 2013

Poblet Monastery, Tarragona

Poblet Monastery altar


The Abbey of Santa Maria de Poblet is a Cistercian monastery that dates back to 1151, in the comarca of Conca de Barberà, in Catalonia (Spain). By that time Ramon Berenguer IV had banished the Moors from these lands and Cistercian monks from France commissioned architect Arnau Bargués with the project. In fact, it was Ramon Berenguer himself who founded and endowed the royal monastery. Together with Vallbona de les Monges and Santes Creus, Poblet monastery was part of what is known as the Cistercian triangle, an ecclesiastic stronghold that gave a lot of power to Catalonia during the XII century. 

Almost all the kings of the Crown of Aragon are buried in this royal pantheon. 

The monastery was plundered in the XIX century. The tombs of the rulers were desecrated but the remains could be transferred to the Cathedral of Tarragona for some time until they finally were returned to their original place but all mixed up.

The present UNESCO World Heritage Site was refounded in 1940 by Italian monks of the same order. This is the altar (1527) sculpted by Damián Forment.

And now, in a totally different line of thought, I would like to talk about my recent lack of posts in the blog:

As fellow bloggers know so well, posting often and including relevant content takes time and effort. I used to have some sponsors that helped paying for my gear but it seems that Google does not like bloggers with content to survive and if it were for them we could be rotting in hell, sitting so comfortably as they are in their opulence. So from now on, I will be doing now and then, what I didn't in the past, which is, including sponsors in my posting because this blogger wants to keep taking pictures of Barcelona and writing posts with content or so I think.

As I mentioned, it is basically about buying gear and I will mention one of my favorite websites to get my stuff, I am talking about Pixmania. It is easy, it is fast and many times cheaper to buy there, especially using  voucher codes and waiting for special offers . Most of the products that get to the online shop here in Spain come from France and maybe that makes the price lower. Beware, it is not every product that you may find reasonably cheap and you may want to compare with other sites first, but all in all, you find good opportunities. Pixmania claims to be active in 26 countries, the UK being one of them. I have the opportunity to recommend a good place to get pixmania discount codes so do check it up if you want to save yourselves some good money, with special emphasis on photography products.

July 03, 2013

Table soccer - Futbolín - FCBarcelona vs Real Madrid

Futbolin or Table Soccer - FCBarcelona vs Real Madrid

Table soccer was first invented by William Terrance Mkrill in 1921 and patented in 1923 or so it is said about the international version of this popular game, but Futbolin or Spanish table soccer was conceived by Alejandro Finisterre, a Galician and there is an important difference with the rest of tables abroad, players have both legs spread as you can appreciate in this image with the ever present rivalry between FC Barcelona vs Real Madrid.

May 28, 2013

The Real Estate Business in Barcelona


The real estate business in Barcelona, has had its ups and downs since these years of crisis started back early this century. Our economy, that seemed to be so prosperous relied solely on the fast money coming from the building sector. Construction companies, protected by the government, went on a high escalate of selling houses and apartments at an incredibly expensive price, three or four times over the real value or at least the standard amount paid during the late 90s. This period was called the 'real estate bubble'. People suddenly got into mortgages that last 30 years in order to pay for a blatantly overpriced product. With time, there came the crash and severe austerity measures had to be taken. Now prices are lower and such trend is expected to keep steady in coming years but people are already indebted and unemployed, and brand new buildings are still waiting to be sold or let as they are controlled by banks and not the government. Wouldn't it be easier that the government stop speculation and take away those buildings from the banks to sell them at a reasonable price to young families? Why are government hands so 'tied up'? Who rules the country, the government or the banks? I don't know how international real estate status is in other countries right now, places like Portugal, Italy or Turkey just to mention some, but it is evident that this is a world crisis and that no one is safe. If only we had not based our economy on bricks maybe we would not be talking about being one of the last economies in Europe.

May 17, 2013

Gin and Tonic at Casa Fuster, Barcelona

Gin and tonic at Cafe Vienes, Hotel Casa Fuster Barcelona

Gin and tonics have been with us since 1858. I have missed millions of them since then but the way things are going I will be catching up soon. Now that you know one of my favorite hobbies...taking pictures of spirited beverages while enjoying them, I think you'll agree with me that a place may be the extra additive that makes all the difference. Casa Fuster, a historical building restored into a five star hotel, is a great place to try your favorite gin while admiring the incredible modernist architecture and the colorful furniture of its Café Vienés.

May 11, 2013

Kids Don't Care, Barri de Gracia, Barcelona

Kids playing at Plaza de la Vila, Gracia, Barcelona

Here is a scene older than history, repeated over and over again in every place on earth. Who hasn't be an actor in this play? 

Look at these children, everybody is having fun in their own crazy way and yet it all seems as if there was some kind of plan. I am sure, there was a first call, a starting idea: hey, wanna play? Yep, it always began just like that, with a simple, unbiased act of human communication later hidden under hundreds of layers of social 'learning'. 

The place: Plaça Rius i Taulet, one of those wonderful squares worth visiting in the bohemian Barri de Gracia, in Barcelona. There is a big tower with a clock in the middle so no way you can miss the square. Those giants (Cat. gegants) out there at the back, have names, they are called, Pau and Llibertat and they are about to give those kids yet another happy day before they grow up.

April 08, 2013

Art Nouveau Mosaics: The Trencadis Technique

Trencadis mosaic detail at Serpentine bench in Park Guell, Barcelona

Parc Güell, that amazing jewel of Art Nouveau, where Gaudi left his unmistakable legacy in spite of being part of a housing project that was bound to fail, is a vast green area where your eyes are immediately seduced by curious shapes, impossible lines, incredible designs and innovative ideas. Such is the case of the mosaic benches around the square facing the entrance to the park. Serpentine benches waving around the central arena, feature spectacular combinations of colorful shards of mosaic that apparently at first sight do not make any sense but that are part of an intelligent meaningful composition, a sort of magic snake showing off her shiny scales on top the 86 Doric columns that hold the square. The scales are really thousands of little shards, fragments of mosaic carefully assembled to create a sort of mural in which chaos generates beauty and such technique is called trencadis.

March 15, 2013

Wax Museum, Barcelona, Spain: Box Office

Museu de Cera or Wax Museum, Ramblas, Barcelona
There are many great wax museums in the world so I think we cannot boast about our own Museu de Cera too much, but the building and the place where it is found in Barcelona, at the end of an alley near the end of Las Ramblas really pays for the visit. There is this box office you can see in the picture at one side of the central promenade in Las Ramblas, and right in front of the entrance to the alley, that has this attractive historical look. Located exactly at Passatge Banca, 7, Barcelona, the Wax Museum is a neoclassical style palace that dates back from 1867 that used to hold a famous bank. It wasn't till 1973 that the building was transformed into a museum by scenographer Enrique Alarcón.

March 11, 2013

Barri Gotic: Narrow Streets of Barcelona

Looking up at Barri Gotic
Alley in Barri Gotic, Barcelona

It is easy to walk down the streets of Barri Gotic and get lost in time.

Discovering narrow alleys along the way and contemplating how the perspective drawn by the lines of buildings lead your eyes into small figures that come and go, is certainly one of the most pleasing experiences for travelers that want to avoid the obvious touristic routes in Casc Antic (old city), Barcelona.

March 06, 2013

The Art of Carving Spanish Ham

Ham carving, ham cutting, Barcelona
Carving Spanish ham is an art more difficult to master than it looks. It's not just about slicing any odd way. It requires skill and the right tools. I cannot teach you to carve it like a specialist but more or less you grab the basics when you've had good instructors and you've carved a ham or two to the bone. It is important to have a very sharp ham knife, which has a long and narrow blade and you should fix the piece in a ham holder, some sort of wooden framework with screws to secure both the wide end and the hoof. You start your cut from hoof to tip, that is from the upper raised part of the ham towards the bottom, first eliminating the thick fat but keeping the first slice of fat that you use to cover the ham meat when you finish. The very fat helps preserving the ham from drying and losing its quality. Beware you don't cut yourself. Keep your fingers off the direction of your knife's cut. It happens sometimes that it slips and you end up hurting the hand that is holding the ham. The slices should be as thin as possible and that is the difficult part. Try not to make a deep curve while you cut. The idea is to keep it flat and to cut thin. It doesn't matter if it takes longer for you and people clean up the dish before you finish serving the slices. That is normal! It happens all the time. Not everyone has the patience to go for the thinner slices and the nice presentation. The final result is definitely better. The shop in the picture is located in Barri Gotic, Barcelona, I think that it was at Plaça Sant Jaume.

February 28, 2013

Caganers and Politicians

Caganers a Barcelona, estelada
Caganers and politicians have one thing in common, they both do the same s***. Caganers do it on the floor and it looks funny, politicians do it everywhere they go to give a speech and pass an antidemocratic law and that is certainly not funny. A caganer can impersonate almost everybody, it depends on the imagination of the artist that designs them. Caganers are used frequently to mock popular personalities although originally these figurines are meant for Nativity scenes. Caganers are from Catalonia and other regions nearby and it is common that they wear Catalan traditional clothes, that is, a white shirt, a barretina (red cap), dark pants and a faixa (a sort of sash or band around the waist). We have seen some interesting examples of caganers in Barcelona Photoblog in the past, as is the case of George Bush next to Fidel Castro and Artur Mas or Rafa Nadal, the famous tennis player. In today's image we see a traditional caganer turning his back on us, surrounded by a bunch of similar fellows and apparently just doing what they do best, dropping their stools, although this time there is a certain difference, he is wearing the Estelada or starred flag that is waved by Catalan independentists that is slightly different from the Senyera, accepted as the official Catalan flag. As you can see, although Caganers still represent the common people and mock almost anything, even politicians, they can be used to send a subtle message to whom it may concern.

February 12, 2013

Barcelona Carnival 2013: Elvis

Guy wearing Elvis costume in Horta Carnival Barcelona


Not than an Elvis impersonation is anything new to see specially without glasses but that tupee certainly caught my attention. This picture I took at Plaza Ibiza, Horta quarter once the local parade had come to an end. Participants and spectators joined at the square and started sharing experiences about the event. It's been yet another great year for Barcelona's Carnival this last weekend although technically it comes to an end tomorrow which is Ash Wednesday.

Worth mentioning is famous Sitges carnival that really lasts till the very end tomorrow and where many people from Barcelona go to if they have the chance.

February 10, 2013

Barcelona Carnival 2013: Some Days of Pagan Joy

Carnival costumes in Barcelona subway

Carnival in Barcelona is enjoyed with passion, all the passion that a European carnival can have. I mean, this is not Rio with all the moving flesh and the stamina the tropic brings. Within Europe, maybe it is not as beautiful as the one in Venice. In that line of thought, Venetians also tend to be a little rigid when it comes to shaking their hips in comparison to a Brazilian girl, probably in fear that masks fell from their face, who knows? In other words, we celebrate it with joy, shake our butt a little and try to make it as colorful as can be in order to forget for a while about economic crisis and corrupted politicians.

In Barcelona, for carnestoltes as it is also known here, there is the big parade or Rua (Catalan) in which each guild shows off their float and group choreography, and then there are small ruas held in parallel celebrations at neighborhood level.

As you may know, Carnival starts with Dijous Gras (Fat Thursday) and finishes with Ash Wednesday right when Lent begins. It is based in old pagan winter festivities normally drenched with wine and open to other liberties which Greeks and Romans were so prone to and such habits were later adopted by Christians in their own let's say penitent way, interpreting this brief period as a time for a relaxation break before dealing with the fasting hardships of Lent. Only for a hearty meal and a little wine, of course.

Around here, on Ash Wednesday, we make a funeral and bury a sardine, yes, we like to be different. Who wants to have sardines after having so much food and drinks. We have even created the figure of a guy, Carnestoltes, the appointed King of the Carnival, that dies every year, in some towns of a sudden death and in some others including Barcelona, after a public trial in which he is sentenced to death. The king, always ends up burnt to ashes, and as you may have guessed already, sometimes alive and sometimes being already a corpse. Whatever the way, he is given a non religious burial in accordance with his dubious nature and as a way to purify our repentant community from these days of sinful behavior. Obviously there is still a lot of pagan in our Christian souls somehow.

February 08, 2013

Barcelona's Twin Towers

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Barcelona's Twin Towers, called 'Las Torres Gemelas' in Spanish, are tied for the tallest buildings in the city. At 154 metres tall, the Torre Mapfre (on the right) and the Hotel Arts (on the left) look over the Catalan capital from their location by the beach at Port Olímpic. The Torre Mapfre is owned by insurance company Mapfre and is home to their offices, as well as those of several other companies. Its sister, the Hotel Arts, is quite different as it is one of the city's most luxurious hotels. Many a celebrity has been known to stay in one of the Hotel Arts' 483 rooms that overlook Barcelona's beaches.

Photo is courtesy of Oh-Barcelona

February 07, 2013

Offer of the Day, Barri Gotic Shop, Barcelona

Weird starwars shop manequin at Old Town, Barcelona


Now that the Carnival is starting in Barcelona, is not strange to see someone wearing costumes, in particular people disguised as Star Wars characters so if you come across this mannequin at the entrance of a shop in Carrer Arai, Barri Gotic (Gothic quarter) don't talk to it by mistake as it is probably just the offer of the day. In this case, the dress. I'd like to say that I find this kind of daring welcome more attractive than the classic stuff. Arai street is a very narrow street turning right at Carrer Avinyo.

February 05, 2013

The Artist and its Work, Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Drawing at Las Ramblas, Barcelona


Here is a real artist contemplating his drawing at one of those spots specially assigned to painters and caricaturists along Las Ramblas, Barcelona. Nothing like the pleasure of staring at your work with the satisfaction of having created something you feel proud of. It happens with almost everything in life, and certainly, we are here because we like to create stuff and have goals that make us find a place as individuals in society. Of course you create for yourself but you need some recognition for your creation to be valuable. Being an artist many times depends on just that, good reviews. Although, then, there's the real artist, the one with the gift, like, Mozart for example, people that are great simply because they are, and the only thing you can do about it is bow and worship in awe. In other words, there are gifted souls and the rest of mortals. Within the latter, you've got, individuals that try real hard, and come out with a remarkable result and then there is the mediocre kind, divided into those who accept they are and those who regard themselves as artists. Do what you do, your work is of course respectable because is yours but don't expect everybody to like it. But beware of critics that may be part of that mediocre bunch and their snobbish ways, because sometimes genuine art is judged by shortsighted minds and they are really harmful.

February 04, 2013

Smurf icecream, Las Ramblas, Barcelona

Smurf icecream at Las Ramblas, Barcelona


It's winter around here, not too cold but certainly not the best time to have an icecream, but you know, Las Ramblas never sleeps, tourists are always storming the place, going up and down, along the mall and probably more than one person will fall for this luscious sight, the sight of beautiful creamy icecreams like that blue one with the Smurfs on top that in Spanish are known as pitufos

January 21, 2013

Astrolabe sculpture, Plaça del Sol, Barri de Grácia, Barcelona

Astrolabe - Sculptural group by Joaquim Camps at Plaça del Sol, Gracia quarter, Barcelona

One of the most beautiful squares in the bohemian Barri de Gràcia in Barcelona is Plaça del Sol

This square was built in 1840 and has a surface area of ​​2,502 m2. There used to be a bomb shelter in this place during the Civil War but it was demolished during the latest urban renewal in the area back in 1986 led by architects Jaume Bach and Gabriel Mora Gramunt who placed this nice sculpture called Astrolabe by Joaquim Camps on one side of the square.

Plaça del Sol (Sun square) is surrounded by streets such as Lluna (Moon) and Planeta (planet) in accordance with the astronomy related theme used by the architects.

January 05, 2013

The Three Wise Men 2013, Crèches and Domenec Talarn

Biblical Magi sculpture by Domenech Talarn
Three Wise Men or Biblical Magi by artist Domenec Talarn

The Three Wise Men, The Magi or the Three Kings came to Barcelona today loaded with presents for kids as they do every year riding from the East on their camels. Well, you know the story. They carried gold, frankincense and myrrh to baby Jesus. They do more or less what Santa does but bring more presents, change the deer for camels and give kids coal in case they misbehave. Barcelona Photoblog has published about Biblical Magi in the past:
To celebrate the arrival of the Magi I have used an image taken in Barcelona's town hall during an exhibition of sculptor Domenec Talarn i Ribot's works. Talarn, born in Barcelona at carrer Jerusalem (Raval quarter) in 1812, was famous because of his representations of nativity (crèches) at the entrance of his workshop and the beauty of the figures he sculpted.

January 01, 2013

New Year Plans and Wishes from Barcelona Photoblog

New year plans at Barcelona


Celebrations came to an end, we dreamed of changing our lives, we went through a period of fantasies and illusions which is Christmas and New Year's Eve. Something that when we were young made us think was going to change the world or something right when you woke up in the morning. It's strange, it still happens sometimes. The point is that we want to believe in something and still have that sense of what family values are, what is good and what is bad, we have wishes, we seek friendship and love. Every January 1st we make a wish and we make our plans. No matter what that plan is, almost always it is to be a better person, to get rid of your past sins, and start again with what you think is right for you and your people. Whatever your religion, your creed, you feel there is something worth changing or improving cause that makes you feel good in your heart and soul. Thanks God for that or whoever or whatever you believe in! Bye bye 2012!

Sagrada familia Sanctus

Welcome 2013! I wish I am a better person this year, not only for me but with the people around me. I don't want anything for me. I wish you all, family, friends, friends of your friends, all of you a wonderful year, a wonderful life, a life you feel proud about and make your soul be happy. Best wishes from Barcelona Photoblog!

December 27, 2012

Mosaic Souvenirs in Barcelona Shops

Mosaic souvenirs in Barcelona


The art of covering different surfaces with tile shards to compose a mosaic is called trencadis and it was widely used by Gaudi and his followers. So far so good. What is it with souvenir shops and 'artists' in Barcelona that tend to evoke such technique by using elements so irrelevant to Catalan culture as flamenco dancers or bulls. This is as ambiguous as pretending that Catalans go around wearing Mexican hats.

December 12, 2012

Barri de Gracia: Bohemian Lights

Bohemian afternoon lights at Gracia quarter in Barcelona


There are streets that wouldn't say anything to you, streets without a soul, that never leave the slightest trace of memory inside your mind. There are neighborhoods that are so boring, so barren, so sterile, so aseptic that a ghost town looks like Las Vegas next to them. Not so many like those in Barcelona, truth be said. Certainly, the Gracia quarter is not by any chance one of those, not only because of the charming architecture, the cultural activities, the intense night life, the markets, the local stores, the people but also because of the very streets that seem to have a soul of their own. If there is a neighborhood, an ideal kind of neighborhood to get lost into, without a plan, just to wander through the alleys, the squares and fill up your lungs with plenty of vital energy to make yourself feel alive and in tune with your surroundings, that is La Vila de Gracia. As with everything in this world, the sun, its light, the way it comes through the trees, or over the roofs really makes the difference. Of course you can have light elsewhere and it certainly may be as beautiful as any other because we all are under the same star but it is not probable that you have the light, the tiny streets, , the backstreet cafes, the Bohemian atmosphere, the multicultural nature concentrated in such a tiny spot in the middle of a big city. Not that I want you to feel envious about it. I just want you to get to know el Barri de Gràcia in Barcelona cause it's worth every penny and every single minute you spend on it. In the picture,

December 04, 2012

Stick Dancers or Bastoners: Anklet with Bells Detail

Bastoners or Stick dancers shoes detail


Catalan folklore feeds on ancient traditions lost in the common past of Mediterranean countries. Stick dance (Cat. Ball de Bastons) was documented for the first time in Catalonia in XII a.d. and then more frequently after XVIII but it has always been part of this region's history besides the fact that it came either from the Greeks, some parts of Asia or even other regions in Europe. The exact origin is uncertain. In the Basque country this dance is very extended as well for example and each region has their own peculiarities when it comes to dresses, sticks or ways of dancing. I am not going to enter into that. Maybe talking about Bastoners or stick dancers as they are today, organized in groups or colles as they have been for the last three centuries according to historical records is easier. To begin with, let me say that there are more than 100 colles all over Catalonia perhaps and about fifty are grouped under the direction of Coordinadora de Ball de Bastons de Catalunya. They all have their own history that is normally linked to the town or neighborhood in which they live. The feet you see in the image, adorned with bells (Cat. picarols) sewn into this piece of cloth called camal or turmellera belong to a stick dancer from a group called Bastoners de Gràcia. I have more pictures of this colla to be posted here. I just want to add for the moment that these colles may be made up of 8,10,12 or 16 dancers. One of them carries a flag with their symbols and the name of the group and usually they also have that name or badge embroidered in their clothes. They carry handkerchiefs around their necks and a colorful waistband over white pants and shirts. Besides they wear espadrilles (Cat. espardenyes). More to know soon.

November 26, 2012

Portraits and Children's Spontaneous Poses

Chinese girl in wooden playground framework
Chinese girl in Playground

Sometimes a nice spontaneous pose really makes the difference.

This beautiful girl, the daughter of the Chinese family running the bar at the corner, was not looking at my camera as I caught this with a telephoto. I should have come closer with shorter lens but that day I was taking pictures of a show at the local square and I needed more powerful lens. I thought the wooden framework of the slide was great to isolate her while she was in the middle of such fantastic and improvised performance. The light and kids in the background did the rest.

Sometimes kids are sort of funny actors rehearsing for the stark reality that lies ahead in the path of life.

November 13, 2012

Caramel Flan in blue

Caramel flan detail in a window case at Barcelona restaurant

A flan is a flan here in Barcelona and any other place on earth, so if this custard were an animal or something, this picture would be called, common caramel flan. There is nothing new to it. I could be telling you that "this old English word "flan" and the earlier forms "flaune" and "flawn" come from Old French flaon (modern French flan), in turn from early Medieval Latin fladōn-em, derived from Old High German flado, a sort of flat cake, probably from an Indo-European root for 'flat' or 'broad'" and I would be quoting wikipedia, as in fact I am doing right now. I could even give you a link to some nice flan recipes, like Spanish flan and I would dare to recommend you try to use condensed milk for that (my favorite choice) but, nah, that would be too boring a post much more related with Spanish cuisine than with Barcelona. But it happens that I shot this bluish picture in some Spanish restaurant in Barcelona and I enjoyed the display and the light and the perspective so here we are talking about nice looking custard for a change. Enjoy it!


November 01, 2012

Barcelona Photoblog's Portraits




Ari kindly posed for Barcelona Photoblog adding some freshness and beauty to my blog as well as a nice portrait. As you know I prefer street photos but if you visit me frequently you might have noticed that topics and subjects are rather eclectic. She works at a bar nearby and she is not a model but I think she's got the looks. Thanks!

October 20, 2012

Portrait: Flamenco Dancer with Headpiece and Earrings, Barcelona

Flamenco dancers in Barcelona


This portrait picture of a dancer wearing colorful earrings and flamenco headpiece is yet another sample of how Spanish culture is preserved by local authorities in neighborhoods around Barcelona in their attempt to reflect our reality, a concoction of different regions, different people living in the same peninsula under a flag some share and others do not, with their peculiarities, their traditions and their folklore. Some inhabitants feel identified with flamenco, some others remain indifferent and the rest rejects everything that has to do with it, basically because of that cliche that relates Spain with just bullfighters and flamenco dancers or in many other cases because they are not Spaniards at all but Catalans. But in spite of all these contradictions that you do not see when you are a tourist and come here for the first time, Catalan traditions coexist with these cultural manifestations of other regions and once the show starts, politics and legitimate or not feelings of belonging to one nation or another, to one region or another on both sides are left aside. When I look at this image I just see a beautiful girl wearing a colorful headpiece, having a wonderful day at the party showing people what she does best, dancing flamenco.

October 09, 2012

Goat Cheese Salad, Terra Mia Italian Restaurant, Barcelona



Sometimes the best places to eat are not necessarily along those well trodden touristic routes nor are tips suggested by travel guides comprehensive enough as to include them. When we think of Italian restaurants pizza and pasta come to mind instantly leaving short room for other kind of dishes. But even though you go beyond that point and you are a true enthusiast of Italian cuisine and you accept the fact that it is richer than that sold in Italian fast food restaurants, you may be surprised at some troves you can find out there. Terra Mia is a very small restaurant very near Parc Güell, but difficult to see if you get to the park by bus. It happens that tourists go straight from the parking lot to Parc Güell and back to the bus again without noticing that some blocks down the street, exactly at carrer Ramiro de Maetzu, 31 there is this hidden gem. I am just a very happy client and they are responsible for that because the service is impeccable and food is exquisite.This goat cheese salad in the picture above is just a sample but you ought to try their every dish as not only the ingredients are genuinely Italian but also the way they are cooked and served. In spite of being a small place they have a very nice terrace. Don't forget to try a bottle Il carpino wine. Find here Terra Mia Facebook page.

September 25, 2012

Girl at the Bar, Estacion de Francia, Barcelona



I liked the looks of this girl at the bar in Estació de Françia, Barcelona, with the blue and yellow lights falling on her, in front of the art nouveau lamp. Perhaps you would like to have a closer look of the lamp and see the beer pump as shown in previous post: Beer Pump and Lamp or want to check the entrance to the railway station: Woman waiting at Estación de Francia or Estació de França or Barcelona's most charming railway station. I think one of the best things about Barcelona is that you can enjoy art for a reasonable price, you can take a drink in a beautiful place like this for an affordable amount and of course I don't mean just the bar but the architecture of the building and the whole design of the place.

September 17, 2012

Barri Gotic, Barcelona: Carrer Avinyo near El Call



Two nuns, carrer Avinyo, Gothic quarter, Barcelona

Here's Carrer d'Avinyó between Carrer Ferran and Carrer de la Lleona in Barri Gotic, Barcelona. Wandering down the streets of El Gotic, blindly meandering through the alleys, while being permeated by the mood, the charm of this historical part of the city, you get so detached that it is not really difficult to imagine how Barcelona used to be inside walls, and particular in this part of casc antic (old town) near the Jewish quarter. In fact, in XIII century the king allowed to open doors and windows in the Roman wall and the old perimeter of El Call (the Jewish quarter) expanded to include Carrers Avinyó and Banys Nous. In El Call de Barcelona lived about 4.000 people, approximately 15 per cent of the city population. Of course, there are the shops and many other anachronisms now but you get the idea. These two nuns in front of the Rent Shop at Avinyó 12 may be of help to reminisce.

September 05, 2012

Vintage Tube Radio



Vintage tube radio

There are plenty of things that not necessarily match the scope of this blog but that attract me and can be found in Barcelona anyway as well as in any other place in the world. Vintage products have that charm that makes them so irresistible and well deserve a post or two, such is the case of this tube radio with its wooden case that I suppose was made in the 30s of last century. I wish I knew the date and the brand but I am no expert. The brand is Rigom and happens to be from Spain (check this book fragment with images in google book results about Spanish radios). If you want to see my vintage camera check this old post: Voigtlander Brillant which was made by that time too. Do you like vintage or retro objects? Have you published any articles or posts on such topic? It would be nice you shared your links here in the comments.

August 02, 2012

Apple Retail Store Plaza Catalunya, Barcelona: View from the Upper Floor

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A brand new Apple retail store opened to the public last Saturday, July 28th right in front of Plaça Catalunya, the most central spot in downtown Barcelona next to Passeig de Gracia. With the intention of getting my wife's Ipod shuffle battery problems fixed we visited the venue two days ago. The first thing you notice is the big wide open space feeling and the materials prevailing in the design, basically glass and wood. Worth mentioning is the translucent glass staircase to the upper floor. If anybody at Apple is interested in my wife's opinion as a consumer, a middle age consumer with no special inclination for the Mac world, the shop is weird. But anyway, it is clear that it is conceived with a certain purpose, facilitate easy access, visibility, movement and a certain state of mind I think. Everything is already planned here. All in all I liked the store but I was overwhelmed by the amount of people and the fact that many were not buying anything. It was hot in there. It is quite hard to give good reviews in such scenario, chaotic as it was due to high temperatures, hordes of locals and tourists alike storming the place and a little bit of the normal craziness during the first week after the opening. Maybe you get a better picture of Apple's new flagship store in this gallery at Cult of Mac or in a previous announcement at Mac Rumors

Note: The picture was taken with a Samsung Galaxy S2

July 22, 2012

Papier Mache Art: Famous Artists Display, Barcelona

Papier Mache figures of famous musicians in Barcelona shop

The art of creating papier mache figures or sculptures can be simple if we consider the materials used but the final work can be as difficult as your imagination and skills permit.

Many of us at a given moment of our childhood have had the opportunity to shape small figures by pasting glued strips of paper on a balloon, a cardboard model or an armature of some sort. The final result was not always artistically worthy but it surely proved to be fun.

For those of you who always wished to make a wonderful artwork in paper mache and never could, here is another good sample of exquisite papier-mâché reproductions of famous artists like John Lennon, Mick Jagger, Freddy Mercury...(the other guy looks like the Edge from U2 but I am not sure).

There is this store near Plaza Sant Jaume in Barcelona where it is possible to buy such art among other articles. It is not cheap but you would impress your friends at home for sure and of course it is the heck of a present if you can afford it.

Check many other examples of such figures in my previous posts: Papier Mache Barcelona. I've been asked so many times for the address of this shop that I will reluctantly post it here and make them free publicity in spite of the fact they always come out and stop me from taking pictures:

Shop name: 2 Bis
Adress: Carrer Bisbe, 2 - 08002 Barcelona
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