A pretty lady sits on a bench

Many people sit where she's sitting, to grab the warmth of the sun or to look in awe at the Barcelona Cathedral.

I try to be at the basilica an average of once a week. Each time I go it's a new discovery, especially when natural light changes, the ambiance of the church transforms and you can feel and see the same occurring in the public.

I strongly urge you to come and see this magnificent architectural structure.

Oh, yes! Don't bother bringing your selfie sticks ... they're cheap at the cathedral.

Two pearls in an oyster

These two are the most precious things imaginable; like the 2 finest pearls selected out of a mountain of them.

And better yet, they are a photographer's dream.

Kids are the best for grown-ups like me to shoot.

They have a natural smile. I don't have to wait for them to fix their hair or put on their lipstick.

I could tell how much these two young girls like each other. Can you tell?

They were laughing, smiling and just having a gay old time. Their good feeling towards one another caught my attention.

I'm happy to have taken their photo for the picture still puts a big smile on my face.

Wherever they are, I hope they're still smiling.

Ah! Remember when you were younger and couldn't find your clothes because somewhere, sometime your siblings wanted to be "cool" like you?

Well, now you have to be careful of those precocious statues, especially the one found at the Palau de la Musica Catalana like the one shown in the photo. The statue's name is "Carmela" by sculptor Jaume Plensa.

Little did the human know SHE would play an important role in Carmela's fashion.

All out (Sin Cuartel)

Yesterday, I already knew that Hillary Clinton had conceded the United States presidential election to Trump but El Periodico's early edition was published before the news reached Barcelona.

It's not the mission for barçalunacy photoblog to be used as a political voice. The blog began almost a decade ago to inform my family of Barcelona's people, culture and visual landscapes of the neighborhoods, and along the way, thousands and thousands of people have discovered my blog, some to look, others to look and comment.

For the past 18 months, we watched every debate of all candidates on both sides and every debate between Hillary and Donald. Not easy when I'm 6 hours ahead of New York. So, I've invested a lot of time.

However, I, (luna), from my youth have always been interested in politics and government, world wide. I will not share my preference for either United States candidate but I do say that I'm proud of the numbers that voted ... an unprecedented number in American history, so I've read.

For the past many years, I've seen the Catalonian stand on lines, wrapped around the block waiting a long time to cast their votes for whether they should stay in Spain or secede.

They've demonstrated, handed flyers from corner to corner and have shown passion for their causes. I am not from Catalonia, but I have bursted with pride witnessing these scenes and seeing their dignity.

Democracy does have some good points and when it works it's MAGIC.

Today, Barcelona is not friendly

I'm sitting at my pc. It's sunny, a whopping 59 degrees fahrenheit, 15 celsius and the wind is traveling at a record speed of 6.7 miles per second, The wind is so strong, I heard a branch snap. I thought my back broke.

There's also a mysterious cold that seems not to be factored in the weather report (according to my meteorological inexperience) and causing me and everyone I saw outside tremendous anguish.

Oh, how I wish my tuckus was sitting in that empty chair you see at my neighbor's pool, and on the chair is a "RESERVED for luna" sign.

Aerial views of la Plaça de Catalunya and surrounding landscape

Hey! Aerial shots of any city can be spectacular and Barcelona's la Plaça de Catalunya is without any doubt spectacular.

The city offers tours of the sky for some fee ... of which I have no clue nor any interest because, if you've been following my stories, I am TOTALLY afraid, no INSANELY afraid of heights.

So, how do I take photos of aerial views of the city .... I CHEAT!!

I head over to Cortes Ingles (a department store), go up 8 escalator flights, sit and have coffee at the bar you see.

After I finish the coffee and mini croissant I can be seen at one of the 2 windows (2 of many many windows) taking pictures.

And that is how I've conquered heights.

Yes, I've cheated but I got my "aerial" view and to me my photos are maybe a tad better than buying a postcard and I avoid anxiety.

What you don't see is the aroma of coffee and and the warmth of baked goods.

La Boqueria Market

La Boqueria Market has its origins from year 1200, as an open market, and enclosed today as shown in the photo taken at 1:30 pm.

Today, many pesky tourists and local inhabitants buy and eat the luscious vegetables, sweet (and I mean SWEET) fruits, familiar and strange looking fish that lurk at you and *bocadillos with jamon and queso. (Yum Yum).

And, when you've finished eating paellas at the many cafes that surround the perimeter of the market, at the entrance is a Dunkin Donut shop, to satisfy your craving for sugar.

Truly, it's a great place to see history, taste great food and I ask you to be nice, if you're a visitor. Like I said, many locals inhabit the market and on days when you're there shooting pictures, they can't get to the counters to buy their food and the vendors can't make a living.

*bocadillos --- sandwiches of crusty bread, made with various hams of your choice and cheese with an optional tomato

Maremagnum at its finest!

In Barcelona's district of Port Vell, there's a magnificent shopping center called Maremagnum.

As you cross its bridge, you will find fantastic landscapes of Barcelona, outdoor cafes, anchored boats of all sizes , many many seagulls and much much more.

On the other side of the bridge and to the left there's a restaurant called Tapa Tapa (yum yum), and at the very end of the boardwalk is a small nook ... the very one you see and want to be at --- a place you can sit in solitude or with a loved one and a fine bottle of wine.

Maremagnum at its finest!

Hey! Be sure to use Google Chrome, like me. I was an avid Firefox user but I certainly like Chrome for 2 reasons, mainly, the its low usage of memory and its translator.

plaça de Narcís Oller

In the barrio of Gràcia, between Via Augusta and the Travessera de Gràcia, there's a quaint park called the plaça de Narcís Oller.

Visually, it doesn't compare to other plaças in the barrio in terms of size and crowds and that's okay with me. I like the small plaça for it has a fun seating arrangement, a running water fountain, 5 restaurants or cafes, a small grocery store, a wellness spa called the the Flotarium, a computer repair shop and wonderful architectural structures.

The plaça is small, like I said, but on special days when the weather is great you hear children playing, and you see dogs running into the fountain to cool off.

Speaking of dogs, I believe it's been about 3 years since el barrio de Gràcia has placed dog leash restrictions. I can understand why without arguing a pro or con stance. In the day when the dogs roamed it was fun to see them play with one another and enjoy frolicking in the fountain like children.

Time surely flies as the days of today quickly become the days of yesterday, more than I want.

50% off on most stuff you don't need.

I can't believe November is here and for many in the world , fulfilling wish lists and giving presents in this time period will be the norm.

For some of us, the work to match a gift with your loved one, will be strenuous but satisfying.

For many others, the time spent searching and lurking for the CORRECT beanie boo, or Ernie Banks autographed baseball card, will not only be strenuous but a harrowing and unforgiving experience.

But, for heaven's sake, how can I even write about any forthcoming holiday when the United States presidential elections are coming upon the world in less than 7 days!

For those swinging to the left or to the right of political opinion, either candidate will be catastrophic and rather than gift giving an exit to Canada might be on their list.

"Whither Thou Goest", "You Got Me Singing"

Why Don't You Try to Take This Longing I have, to meet you.

Here It Is, If It Be Your Will to wear the Famous Blue Raincoat that Everybody Knows Ain't No Cure For Love.

Hallelujah. It's Closing Time.

Ok. Ok. Before you think me so clever and talented, admittingly, I cheated and used the titles of Leonard Cohen's songs to jumpstart a story for this photograph.

I wish you could've seen the man in the picture in real life. Yes ... while he looks like the "mature" Cohen of today, it is not only the way he holds his jacket over the shoulder with ONE finger --- how cool is that ---but the slow, deliberate strut of a confident man ... a Cohen strut.

And, by the way, I believe he knew his photo is being taken. No one could walk any slower than he … each step seemed to hum, I’m Your Man, but he really Really isn't. No. It’s true.

But … It Just Feels that way.

Hair of many colors

I never saw her face and that's okay with me.

She is the reason why I like the streets and the reason I love photography.

Her hair, dress are different from the average folk and her walk is sassy and confident.

I like those attributes.

How about YOU?

The Belle is Wringing is being revisited

I've been going through my photos I've posted and I came across one of my favorite shots.

She was at my favorite plaça, a plaça I sadly don't seem to frequent anymore.

But, the few times I'm there, I think of her.

She should be in her early twenties now. She could be in college, married with a child, or running for government office.

Many of the children are no longer children.

But come to think of it, I, who was then, am not the same now.

Are you?

Do YOU have any favorite photos of yours? Let me know I'd love to share them on my blog.
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Original POST:

... I could drink ice-cold gazpacho and have sugary lemonade.

I could delight in water balloon fights and be a victim of modern warfare.

This is what happened to the little girl in the green dress. Some lads sprayed not only her but also any child that passed by with the Banzai ....

To read the entire post click on the link below:

barcalunacy.blogspot.com/2008/08/belle-is-wringing.html

Do YOU pine for the good old days?

I can't believe my eyes. The young girl with the pink pig-tails passes me.

She makes me feel forlorn and nostalgic for all those stockings I threw out that didn't fit or had a 'run'.

Actually, upon musing, I was one of the first on line, in the old old days, to throw the garter belt out the window. And I felt FREE!!

Why hasn't anyone taken notice and shown interest in her?

I like what I see. She's funky but in a quiet and unobtrusive way.

Has the quirky become the new norm?

The Art of Negotiation

For anyone and everyone, finding peace and quiet in this tumultuous world can be difficult.

And, for the cute little girl who was sitting on the ledge, content and happy, her time of peace and quiet was invaded by the loud demand of a little boy wanting to take her space.

She stood her ground, but after much hand waving, cajoling and whining, the little boy won but not before he gave her some candy.

Out of the box

She's red ... that's what I notice.

The day is after 5 pm and the sky is slightly overcast. We're walking down Passeig de Gràcia and I'm thinking that for shooting photos, this is going to be a dull day.

As I cross the street, my eyes perceive some bits of outstanding color. And, there she is.

I like the way she is sitting, I like the way the skirt drapes over her legs.

She has a complete unawareness of anyone or anything around her, (I wonder why)

And the color RED on her clothing KNOCKS my eyes out of their sockets. She's so RED!!!!

I did hardly any processing ... just a bit of cropping and I increased the exposure just a tad,

And the rest of the photo was out of the box (the camera).

Their hero

While I was walking towards my favorite mercado, I heard a commotion of adult and children voices in front of the Restaurant Corea Gayagum, well known in la vila de Gràcia neighborhood.

There was this fellow trying to hoist a balloon to the kids on the balcony but the balloon kept slipping from the children's grasp.

I saw this scene unfolding for 20 minutes or so. I have no idea the length of time the actors in this play were involved before I came.

As I clicked, I kept wondering why the man didn't bring the balloon upstairs, or why they didn't come downstairs.

No matter - they were all having fun.

Little magenta riding hood

Her shimmering hair ... you call it magenta , i call it little 160 23 21 (pantone) riding hood.

Can YOU think of a better title?

If you've read this, HONK!!

The magic of a setting sun

It's 17:56:44 on a weekday (thank goodness for EXIF data) and I am at plaça Sant Miquel for one thing and one thing only ... the SUN!

The plaça is tucked in the middle of a barrio with trees surrounding its perimeter.

The tree's branches have separated allowing the sun to filter through in that romantic way ... like a man first experiencing the separation of his hair fleeting through his fingers.

The ambiance of the plaça and its light tricks you. For a brief while, you are a professional photographer. Every shot you take is magic.

Teen with tattered jeans

I'm no Johannes Vermeer but when I first saw this girl I was blown away by the color of her hair and her porcelain skin -- a striking contrast to the tattered jeans.

She also stood out in a town (not unlike any other big city) where just about everyone has some shade of tan, plasticized boobs, big lips, and botoxed brows (not that any of the aforementioned adjectives are BAD.)

Unknowingly, she became my "Girl with a Pearl Earring".

For some reason, I can picture a demand for her by the artists of Vermeer's time.

I can't know for sure, but I would be surprised if Vermeer himself would disagree with me.

What are your thoughts?

I TOTALLY love depth of field!

The photo above is about as perfect as I can get.

Why? Well, look at the colors, the saturation, the exposure, white balance, highlights and my favorite, depth of field.

I tweaked very little, added a gradient fill and no sharpening.

Yes! It was a very good day indeed.

Cuteness munching on La Rambla

La Rambla is a tree lined pedestrian sidewalk with streets on its sides.

There are all sorts of kiosks selling flowers, ice cream, souvenirs and many many restaurants for your gastronomical pleasure.

So, it's not unusual to see (ALL THE TIME) and hear, (NOT SERIOUS) people crunching and munching, but what makes her interesting to me and,

Why she caught my eye, is that she never veered her attention from the plate.

What ever she was eating must be surely good and she is certainly cute!

The candidate

He's tall, towering over just about everybody with a style of dress and that look stands out.

I literally follow him for about a half a block as he walks with a composed air, towering those around him.

Doesn't he look self-assured, confident, and positive?

I snap the photo, he turns and gives me the biggest smile (not caught on camera) and I,

I was bowled over like a little school girl.

Hmm ... I cast my vote for him for president of the United States as a write-in candidate.

Orange with a twist of confidence

La Rambla de Catalunya is a rambling street full of tourists, locals and the rest.

I try to find persons of interest to me that exude a unique style in dress, and behavior, just to name a few attributes.

But what I'm finding is that just about everyone is strange and that strange is the new normal ... and that is boring to me.

And, that the old normal is now the new strange ... and that I like.

For example, I see many women with redefined noses, breasts, and perfect WHITE teeth ... and that's okay by me ... but boring.

I seem to gravitate to the person who speaks with a whimsical lisp, crooked teeth, hair mussed, wears glasses, dresses casually and just down right earthy.

I feel the person in the photo is one of those people and I choose her!

Polka Dot Shoes

Okay ... I'm going to make a big BIG admission.

This photo was photoshopped. Yes. Truly.

It was taken outdoors. She jumped, I shot it.

I then extracted the image from the background and used a gradient, lens flare and lighting effects.

I'm learning to feather better but overall I'm pleased.

Once in awhile my inner child surfaces and I get a burst of creativity.

Believe me, if I can do it, YOU can too!

Not a selfie!

Parts of me wishes this photo had ME in it ... but my time has come and gone.

So many things I would have done in my youth and probably dressing like them would not have been on my top ten list ... I was and still am (in my advanced years) having fun without the fuss.

Actually, I am rarely a window dresser photographer ... but the mannequins, the way they were dressed and posed reminded me of my one of my top ten photographers .... Joan Colom and the subjects he photographed.

Google Joan Colom and see if you agree with me ... one of the best "shoot from the hip photographers" there ever was ... in my opinion.

Still, as I sit here and write, I wouldn't have minded then and briefly, for a very short moment, to be one of them.

Oh my, do I dare ... but if Joan Colom ever reads this post, I would be honored to meet you!

In another world, this photo might be considered funny!

Nothing like a good yoga workout to make waves and and unwanted curves on your body. Don't you think?

Actually, the distortion is real. I thought it rather odd that the gym chose to advertise this way.

Seems better to have invested on a GREAT mirror that gives you a slimmer appearance.

After all, yoga is supposed to make you feel and look better, not odd.

Meet me at the apple store!!

I took this photo from the top of the Cortes Ingles (department store) restaurant.

There's a reflection of a young woman to the right of the photo ... whom I don't know, because, ah ... you guessed it, there's a window between me and the city.

And, for your information, I and height don't mix, so, I'm very proud of this picture.

A man and his shoe

His concentration so great, and so TOTALLY absorbed with his shoe, that the man doesn't notice me or anyone around him.

Wink, wink, not Nod!

Who says coffee is a stimulant?

Not this guy.

I had seen this fella 3 weekends in a row, in the position you seen him now and I never saw his face.

Nine months later since this photo was taken, and he's still an enigma.

Thinking, scouting, working

She's been in Barcelona for almost a decade, that I'm aware.

She walks with a stoop, has worn similar clothing in the 10+ years and exuded an aura of mystery.

I like this photo a whole lot.

The picture above is the first photo I took of her.

This day, the sun light was at its best.

She was walking and pacing in that way when one is "asking" for money from the tourists.

I looked around the Cathedral to observe any persons of interest, (meaning YOU!).

I turned and I saw her sitting with the light enveloping her.

I clicked, wouldn't you?

May be the last photo I take of her but I've learned never to say never.

His name is Hussein

For the past 2 years, I've seen this street vendor showing his goods.

We greet one another ... he with his big wide grin and me, a wave of my hand.

His name is Hussein.

If you see him, maybe you'd like to take home a memory of Barcelona that he's crafted with his own hands?

And, see if you get that big wide grin.

Man Killer

She's part of a group of ladies who prey on special days in various parts of Barcelona wearing vintage clothing.

She looks sophisticated, proper and terribly hot as I sit typing in a room where the thermometer reads 90 degrees.

Mesmerized

The little girl kept moving slowly and then, closer and closer .... she stopped.

She swayed to the music and she swayed me.

To her, the band was perfect.

And, they played on.

Rolling a smoke!

A man, at El Portal de l'Angel, happily anticipating release from anxiety, stress and life, and he's a  step closer to the angels.

Disclaimer: The photo is not promoting anyone to smoke.