El mercat antic del Born
The old covered market in the Born, now a culture center, complete with 2000 years old roman street. A must see!
MEAM Barcelona
A few meters away from the Picasso Museum, there is this, the European Museum of Modern Art. Not been inside yet (well, we have about 99 or 100 museums in town, and this one is quite new…), but we will soon, as it specializes in modern figurative art (photography…). Here is the intriguing and inviting entrance.
Many museums in the same area, the mammoth museum, a motorbike museum, a museum of pre-colombian art, the museum of bizarre things…..
50 years!
The Picasso Museum is celebrating it’s 50th anniversary, so we went there on Saturday. Photos forbidden, but… Here is one of the beautiful ceilings. And also one of the paintings.
Beach time is back!!!
Very soon, instead of looking for a sunny spot to have a coffee, we will be shifting to a cold drink and some shadow. 27 degrees this coming weekend, yeah!!! Beach time, folks!
Catalan vs Spanish: BIG trouble in little Catalunya!
This is what Wiki has to say:
Catalan (English pronunciation: /kætəˈlæn/, /ˈkætəlæn/, /ˈkætələn/; Catalan: català, IPA: [kətəˈɫa] or [kataˈla]) is a Romance language, the national and the only official language of Andorra, and a co-official language in the Spanish autonomous communities of Catalonia, the Balearic Islands and Valencian Community, where it is known as Valencian (valencià, IPA: [valensiˈa]), as well as in the city of Alghero on the Italian island of Sardinia. It is also spoken, with no official recognition, in the autonomous communities of Aragon (in La Franja) and Murcia (in Carche) in Spain, and in the historic Roussillon region of southern France, roughly equivalent to the current département of the Pyrénées-Orientales (Northern Catalonia).
Although recognized as a regional language of the department Pyrénées-Orientales since 2007, Catalan has no official recognition in France, as French is the only official language of that country, according to the French Constitution of 1958.
OK, thank you Wiki. Now… BIG trouble! Since 1982, teaching in catalan schools, kindergardens, universities, is in the Catalan language.
But since there are some Spanish people (…) living in Catalunya as well, some of them protested. They want their kids to be tought in Spanish, the language of Cervantes and Lorca.
So, what happened? This week,the highest tribunal in the country (meaning Catalunya, not the other one, not Spain) decided that, to respect a tiny minority’s wishes, teaching will from now on be done exclusively in Spanish, in schools, universities, kindergardens, etc.
The Catalan majority literally exploded, as you can imagine!
To be continued…
Meanwhile, in Barcelona… I took this photo in February, long before this story started. The owner of this shop, with an originally Spanish sign, tried to ‘ catalanise ‘ it, transforming escritorio into escriptori, papeleria into papereria. He might be a member of one of the few political parties here fighting for independance from Spain.
Many economists say that without Catalunya, Spain would long be bankrupt… As I said earlier, TBC. We’re living interesting times.
Summer in the Born
My World Tuesday
I am a big fan of the very lovely balconies we have here in Barcelona! Here is one more, in the Born, near Santa Maria del Mar.
My World Tuesday. Check what my blogmates did, it’s worth the trip!
Yeah, why not.
A novelty way for tourists to move around town, in herds. Would love to have one to go to work!
Soy de las bicis!
I’m from the bicycles (rental shop) on Plaza Picasso, 44. Here is my phone, should I get a bit too far away.
This is My World on Tuesday.
The shopkeepers
2 proud Barceloneses doing their job very well!
This is for My World Tuesday. Check it out!
My balcony world tuesday!
If you are a regular follower of this blog, you might have noticed that I love balconies, with or without asses! Here is a nice one, spotted in the Born-part of the old town.
Balconies… My world…on Tuesday! Only one click (here) away! Sheer bliss awaits you!
Asses on the balcony
Want to know more? Just google and look for images about… wait for it…KUKUXUMUSU! Some really really good designers!
The potter’s shop, part 2
Some more views from the potter’s shop. Don’t you just love the staircase!
The potter’s shop
Found this beautiful shop 2 weeks ago in the Born area, near Ciutadella park. Beautiful things, beautiful surroundings, just everything to please the senses.
You might notice the little guy looking up, looking at us. Shall we call him Harry? 😉
Gardens in the city
Some have small gardens, some have big gardens.
I found all of them in the old town, the Born area.
Estacion de Francia
Of all train stations in town, this is by far the prettiest.
You might have seen it in the news, but if you haven’t: there have been violent clashes between 700 or so ‘anti system people’, as they call them on TV, and several hundreds riot police yesterday afternoon, less than 100 meters from where we live. Burned car, burned and upturned bins,tear gas, 59 people arrested, 58 injured. A lot of violence.
Palau de la Musica
We passed the Palau de la Musica yesterday, and I just can’t resist showing you the facade.
This is for My world Tuesday. Click here to see more.
I am having a very busy week, barely any time to browse your blogs. Will be back asap.
Sandwich & Friends
I suppose we will reach a kind of benchmark today, the 20.000 visitors benchmark. Well, the stand right now is 19.995 visitors since we started this blog, 342 days ago.
So, how are we doing?
Well, we made a lot of friends, and that’s what counts most, isn’t it? Which is why I chose this particular photo for today, about sandwiches and friends.
342 days, and this is the 342nd post. No holes!
And yes, when we started this, we did not imagine having 20.000 visitors in just over 11 months. And 279 followers. And so many friends!
From us therefore, it is a big
And oh yes, please let us know what you think about our new Blogger in Draft designer template. Thanks!
UPDATE: the 20.000st visitor just arrived from Sundsvall, Sverige/Sweden. Welcome!!!
April’s theme day? Our lips are sealed!
As for every first day of the month, today is theme day again. Yep, you got it right: RED (hot) is the theme!
Ireland in Barcelona
Even though I am French, having lived in Dublin and Cork, Ireland for quite a while, somewhere inside I feel very Irish. I read somewhere that there are over 13000 Irishmen and women living in Barcelona. I can understand this, as the weather here is so much nicer! Everybody has a sunseeking side, somewhere inside.
So anyway, there are many many Irish pubs around. This is one of them, Molly’s Fair City. The fair city in question is Dublin! Incidentally, the name Dublin is viking, Dubh Lynn meaning black pond. Is this the reason why Guinness is dark? Is there a pond full of Guinness somewhere?
Hail to all Vikings!
The green stuff in the windows is the decoration for St Paddy’s day.
Un oranger sur le sol espagnol…
Oranges. Picture taken an hour ago in Ciutadella Park, to which I will come back in the next few posts. Oranges in winter…
The post title refers to an old french song, about the impossibility of having orange trees in Ireland. Was sung by Bourvil. Eons ago.
Barcelona Daily Photo 
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