A Picture of Contrasts

It is said that a pet is a reflection of its master. Here, the woman appears so peaceful and so does the pooch. As people pass, she and the dog move their heads in unison in the same direction … as if they’ve been sitting and watching a lifetime.

Francesc Macia, 2006

However, something caught my eye when I was taking the photo. I thought about the irony of life. One day that model might be that old woman and that old woman was maybe once like that model.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

Placa de Francesc Macia

Placa de Francesc Macia
Barcelona, 2006

This photo was taken with my new wide angle lens that I've been experimenting with, so there are some flaws in this picture but no matter. I have been trying to get a continous sweep of the buildings in previous photos but to no avail.

I love this corner. These are separate buildings flowing and curving along the Avenida de Diagonal as if the buildings were one.

In this area, there are fancy boutiques, beautiful gardens, a few outdoor cafes and of course STARBUCKS and KFC.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

Tranquility

Here’s Barcelona at its finest.

What better way then to spend a day in bed at the park.

Or eat a meal in peace.

Or to hide behind the flowers, away from ME?

Wondering what the day will bring.

The envy of all women, to be adorned by a sea of beauty.


Even the city revels in its own reflection.


But as for me, I walk in the shadows of light, looking for YOU!

The entire series of pictures with the exception of the last one were photographed in the barrio of Gracia in Barcelona, Spain.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.

Santa Caterina Market

Barcelona is loaded and I mean loaded with markets in just about each of the neighborhoods. We happen to stumble quite by accident on Santa Caterina Market which would delight you in every way.

Santa Caterina Market

Below is a picture of the billboard in the market's entry way. I have made a translation but, Catalan is not one of my strong languages. Come to think of it, neither is my native English.

If there are any mistakes, please feel free to let me know.

Santa Caterina Market,

Barcelona, 2006

Santa Caterina Market: traditional and modern

In 1268, on the location where Santa Caterina market stands now there was a convent and school run by the Order of Dominicana dels Predicadors. In 1835, the convent and the church were totally destroyed by fire.

In 1844 construction of the market began and completed in 1848. Santa Caterina was the first enclosed market in the city.

In 1997 there began the process of modernizing and remodeling the market but keeping as much as the integrity of the old market as possible. The market was completed in 2005.

The market was designed by Enric Miralles/Benedetta Tagliabue and opened to the public on May 10, 2005.

The market has incorporated new and modern services: an underground loading dock, cameras through out the commercial establishment, controlled climate and new commercial mixtures of avant-garde boutiques around the perimeter of the mall.

.

View barcalunacy's Santa Caterina Market photoset.

JUVE DESIGNS

Hecho en Espana

Click HERE to watch in Quicktime.
Click HERE to watch in the Real Media.

Ever try to buy a gift made in the country you are visiting and the label says MADE IN CHINA and you are not even in CHINA?!

Let me share with you a store called JUVE Designs in the barrio of San Gervasi, in Barcelona.

JUVE Designs has unique merchandise. Here are some samples:













Many gifts are Hecho in Espana, that is, MADE IN ESPANA. What a hoot!

Look at the video and meet Helena, Judith, Adela, mother, daughter and grandmother, respectively. They go out of their way to help you.

So, you will leave with a gift and an extra bonus: A smile!

Give them a try.

Disclaimer: JUVE Designs is not promoting their store.

I am!

Barcelona Critter of the Month

Barcelona Critter of the Month, 2006
Click HERE for the slideshow!

Barcelona is famous for its dogs. Everywhere and I mean everywhere there is a dog for just about each person.

Anyway, this pooch has a wonderful character. He sat, as if posed in one position, looking at me with the camera and following a conversation between two people.

I felt one photo would not capture his essence.

Hope you enjoy!

I did!

American Idol, Not!

American Idol, Not!

Watch the video

Puerto del Angel, Barcelona, 2006

Well, some entertainers are lousy, some are bad and some aren't all that good. And yes, the focus of today's video/movie is no American Idol.

Does his strength lie somewhere else?

You be the judge!

Click HERE for Real Player.

Ruis y Taulet Castellers

DID YOU KNOW that once you play a movie in Quicktime, the first download is a little slow but then the rest of the Quicktime barcalunacy movies played from the web page will run much faster. Try it !













Rius y Taulet Castellers,
Barcelona, 2006

Try building a tower with humans and you get the famous Castellers. See how each person climbs to reach heights unimagined. In this video movie I happened to luckily stumble upon the Castellers doing what they do best.

CLIMB!!

They are truly awesome!

Click HERE for Quicktime.

Click HERE for Real Player.

ENJOY!

REMINDER: You can enlarge the PICTURE/PHOTO by clicking it.

Awesome ... He is not.

Barcelona, 2006

"Bon Dia! Como esta tu familia?", each day he asks. His name is Stanciu Ilie Nelu, from Romania and he's been in Barcelona 4 1/2 years.

I came to "know" Stanciu a little over 2 1/2 years ago. He sat where you see him sitting now, in front of a mercado playing either the guitar or piano and entertaining the masses.

Today, because of some regulations, Stanciu is unable to play his instruments and now just sits all day greeting anyone who gives him a smile.

At times, we provide him with a "beverage" and a sandwich. And more recently he seems to be in his own world.

Stanciu is generous. As we were walking down the street this past winter, he called us over and gave US food. What a twist!

Stanciu is loving. He has a black dog that gave birth to three pups early part of this year. Oh how cute they were! I heard that he was hoping to sell them after they had been weaned and house trained.

But life can be cruel. One pup was eventually sold to a German tourist, the second pup STOLEN and the third pup has yet to find a home.

So, each day Stanciu comes to the market, sets up the bed for his dogs, his chair and money box, not playing his beloved instruments, and reads the newspaper, smiling at the passer-bys and exchanging greetings.

Oh, he is not someone important like Osama Bin Laden, President George Bush, or awesome like Tom Cruise and Brittany Spears, but he has created his own little world.

And I am part of it.

Freedom of Expression

Calle Tuset Demonstrators, Barcelona, 2006

What I love most about Barcelona is its people, their passion for demonstration and the time they take out to protest. Here we see a video of workers manifesting their dissent against something or other.

By the time I got to Calle Tuset, the protestors were already there for about 2 hours and were, as I was told, to continue another 2 1/2 hours.

I can't imagine being near or around Tuset for very long before going a little bonkers. (Torture by music).

You'll see what I mean.

Click HERE to watch the Quicktime Video.

Click HERE to watch the Real Player Movie.

I took a picture of the flyer and below it you will see a loose interpretation. If I have not translated the flyer to show the posters message as written, please feel free to let me know.

YVES ROCHER AND Stanhome

THE WORKERS OF COSMHOGAR HAVE BEEN:

Your faithful suppliers, your development team for new products, your technical support, your factory.

We have adapted to all your needs and whims

AND NOW AFTER ALMOST 40 YEARS WORKING FOR YOU ...

You leave us stuck without orders or a future for 100 families.

You leave us on the street.

Thanks for not recognizing our effort and loyalty.

ONE HUNDRED FAMILIES RUINED!!

DISCLAIMER: I know no one who works for this organization nor am I personally interested in their cause.

Feast of Sant Jordi, Day 4

A Flower and a Book, Sant Jordi, 2006

Whew!! Never thought I would make it, did YOU?

Anyway, you will finally see some activity. Today, there are many people on Rambla Catalunya buying their flowers, books and balloons.

Sit back and enjoy the festivity.

Click HERE to watch the video in the Real Player.

Click HERE to watch the video in Quicktime.

Feast of Sant Jordi, Day 3

Feast of Sant Jordi, Day 3

One day before the BIG event. Click HERE to view the video in the REAL PLAYER!


The Diagonal and the Rambla Catalunya, 2006

So far, there is STILL only one stall setup. GRRRR! This is the starting point of our adventure.


Flowers Calling Your Name, 2006


Sant Jordi, 2006


Future Entrepreneur, Sant Jordi, 2006

But for me, the best part of this day was finding (a few yards down from the larger tent) a small flower stall operated by 3 young girls.

REMINDER: You can enlarge the PICTURE/PHOTO by clicking it.

Feast of Sant Jordi, Day 2

Sant Jordi Flower Lady, 2006

Friday, April 22, 2006: The music/video will show how I wildly overestimated how many people would go to the trouble of coming a full 2 days before the Sant Jordi festival actually began - reducing to the absolute minimum their chance to miss a boredom-packed 2 day wait to see the action.

Click HERE to view the video.

Feast of Sant Jordi, Day 1

Feast of Sant Jordi, 2006

Day 1

Each time about this year, comes the feast of Sant Jordi. I kind of got ahead of myself in the movie/video. I made the video a day earlier where I had hoped to show you the preparations for this important event.

However, that will be shown in the next movie/video. Sant Jordi runs the entire weekend and traditionally the man is given a book by the lady and she in turn receives a flower from him.

Kind of reminds me of Valentine's Day in the United States.

Sidebar: I notice that I am panning just a tad to fast in this movie/video and the previous one. But take a look anyway.

Oh, and here is a link that kind of summarizes what the Feast of Sant Jordi is all about.

Click HERE for a brief explanation of the holiday and click HERE for the movie/video.

La Placa de Sol

La Placa de Sol Percussion Players, 2006

Click HERE to view Quicktime Video.

Sunday, April 4, 2006 ... a beautiful and wondrous day after what has been a long, cold winter in the Iberian peninsula.

The streets are filled with people of all kinds. Even the dogs are enjoying their very own dog day afternoon within the sea of possessive pigeons.

So many plazas, so many cafes, so many park benches and some surprises. There's music in the air, not the light hearted sounds of string and wind instruments but the gyrating pulsating sounds of not one but almost 30 percussion drums.

The beat of the drums could be felt throughout my entire body, so much so, that I wondered how the camera remained still in my hands.

The percussion players that you will see in the movie video are an exchange group from the Basque area ... so I have been told. However, my understanding of those explaining the event in castellano would not probably hold up in a court of law.

But no matter. Watch the movie video and enjoy a slice of Barcelona's Placa de Sol, at its best.

Please be patient. Sometimes the hosting site for the video is slow.

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike 2.5 License.