Old dog…
… but still learning new tricks.
I mean on Adobe Lightroom, not the one with the 4 balls and the sardines… Don’t ask.
Photo taken on a Barcelona-bound ferry.
And don’t forget on sunday the City Daily Photo theme day, all about aging.
And for once, here is the original shot:
I know what you did last summer!
Well, maybe I don’t. But I truly wish you were fortunate enough to find yourself a nice place to spend the summer, be it sea or mountain. And for me, AND I REALLY NEED SUMMER RIGHT NOW, RIGHT HERE!
Special message to some good friends of mine in the scorching heat of Western Australia (the hottest day in ages there): winter will be back. In a few months, wont be long now. Lol.
Skywatch Friday
It was a nice Friday afternoon on the Barcelona seafront.
To see more Friday Skywatchers, click here.
Beach season…
The beach season opens officially this coming weekend. This means that the following facilities will be available: toilets, lifeguards, police patrols, Wifi, a public library, bars, parties, and so on. Just add sun. Well, the weather is ok right now, 19 degrees today.
Miniature
This is the first ever time I use the miniature technique of photography, for Water World Wednesday. It is basically fiddling with the depth of field.
One of the ways of enjoying Barcelona by the sea, the fast way. I would suggest you to wait and do this during summer, but not right now.
Water World Wednesday
Yeah, makes you want to be on the boat, doesn’t it?
Water World Wednesday, right here.
Just leaving it all behind…
Wouldn’t you sometimes just want to step on a boat/plane/car, and leave everything behind…
Water World Wednesday, right here.
She’s big!!!
The Liberty of the Seas, the largest passenger ship ever built! That thing is so huge that I could not get her on one photo, even though I was several hundred meters away, with a 24mm lens. You’ll find some more information about her here.
Just one thing… You want one? You’ll need to fork out 800 million dollars, 550 million euros. Crisis, what crisis???
Anyway, big and beautiful, but not our cup of tea, as we prefer something much smaller.
Hanging out
Nothing really to add. Except that it is for the weekly WATER WORLD WEDNESDAY , and also the NF Waters meme.
Skywatch Friday
The Tibidado hill, seen from between the hotels on the sea front, near Diagonal Mar.
Skywatch Friday, right here.
C’est la Catalogne!
Greetings from the lovely french seaside resort of Argeles-sur-Mer, in Catalan Argelers de la Merenda. It is France, but it also still is Catalunya, or Catalogne in French. I like to call the french part of it Northern Catalunya, or Roussillon (in Catalan Rossello) The people here, some of them anyway, speak a very close cousin to our Catalan south of the border.
Confused? Click here!
We’re here to celebrate France’s 14 juillet, or Bastille Day, with fireworks and dancing, yeah!
Barcelona, 8 PM
… and now over to the weather report. It has been a hot day, 35 degrees C. No change for the next few days. It’s summer, folks!
A nude beach
Yes, public nudity is legal in Spain. No, you can’t walk naked through Barcelona anymore. Or cycle.
In Barcelona public nudity used to be regarded as a recognized right, although there have been successful prosecutions for public nudity even there and a local ordinance by the local council in May 2011 empowers the authorities to impose a fine for nudity and even being bare chested.
Basically, you want to be naked, stay on the nude beaches. No worries, there are plenty around!
Our world Tuesday, right here.
Watery Wednesday…
…in Sitges, 30 km south of Barcelona, and not the Caribbean.
I know, it’s been my latest header photo for the last couple of days, but I couldn’t resist posting it for Watery Wednesday!
Watery Wednesday
Some mighty boats around… Not talking about this one, of course! Not even a helicopter pad…
Watery Wednesday, here.
Watery Wednesday
Couple of simple things you can do with your photos. For this, I used a small but nice program called Artizen. It is a HDR program, but you can use it for tonemapping single photos as well.
Watery Wednesday, right here.
Sad Watery Wednesday
An Italian ferry, anchored at Montjuic Hill.
This is dedicated to the victims of the Costa Concordia.
Watery Wednesday.
Watery Wednesday
Close to freezing temperatures in the morning… So here’s a bit of summer!
Watery Wednesday as usual, right here.
Swans
Let’s get out of Barcelona, even Spain, for a bit. Some swans in Dun Laoghaire, Ireland, some time ago.
Carpe Diem
We came across them a few weeks ago. Happy people. And here is their website. See for yourselves.
A lady
She came prepared. Slippers, gloves, jacket, folding chair. And of course the umbrella to ward of the very hot sun.
She came to see the airplanes, the airshow.
And to be really sure to stay fresh on this very hot day, she sat next to the… shower.
Watery Wednesday 158
We got this extremely nice panorama-making program the other day. Here is one we did last sunday. 11 photos stitched together… Very happy about the result!!!
Watery Wednesday, have a look!
Watery Wednesday
One of the great things to do here…
This is for the weekly Watery Wednesday meme. Click here!
Watery Wednesday
Leaving Barcelona…. for about 90 minutes.
This is for the Watery Wednesday meme. Click here to see more fabulous watery photos!
Lolita y Encarnacion…
… are 2 of the Golondrinas (swallows) taking tourists around the port and along the coast. It is a very nice thing to do when you’re visiting Barcelona… and the sea is not too choppy!
Encounter of the third type: the Barcelosaurus
Coming out of his nest now and then: the oldest inhabitant of Barcelona. By far. Kids love him! There is a mammoth in Ciutadella Park as well, but he is obviously at least 70 Mio years younger, duh!
Wasting time…
Sittin’ in the mornin’ sun
I’ll be sittin’ when the evenin’ come
Watching the ships roll in
And then I watch ’em roll away again, yeah
I’m sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Watching the tide roll away
Ooo, I’m just sittin’ on the dock of the bay
Wastin’ time
Thanks, Otis, you’re still the best!
Watery Wednesday, the place to be!
Strategy
That’s the way it’s done, boys!
Incidentally, I learned yesterday that in what once was one of the biggest fishing port in the Med, there are only 45 working fishing boats left in Barcelona, barely making a living, and often coming back empty. Shame.Â
Our World Tuesday,right now, right here!
Black and white Port Vell
The Port Vell, or Old Port of Barcelona, with the ferry terminal and the World Trade Center.
The Weekend in Black and White. Check here to see more!
Watery Wednesday: looking at the Big Blue
Watery Wednesday… Looking at the Big Blue Med from the Forum area, with a few lamps in the foreground for the happy yachtsmen and women.
Black and white weekend reflection
This is not an easy picture. It was taken at the Forum building, which is a paradise and a nightmare for photographers, all at the same time, with it’s unlikely shapes, and with so many reflective materials.
Well, have fun trying to make sense of it! It probably helps if you make it bigger.
This is for Dragonstar’s Black and White Weekend in Ireland, and James’s (formerly from Newtown) Weekend Reflection meme.
After reflection (…), here is a color version of the same shot. Might help.
Watery Wednesday
The lifeguard, keeping the Sitges coast line safe, in his red pants.
Please check out what other participants posted for this week’s Watery Wednesday meme!
Watery Wednesday
Had a nice afternoon at the beach. It was extremely windy! Perfect for sailing, surfing, windsurfing and fishes. Not so for swimming, as the yellow flag was raised first, then the red one.
Anyway, Watery Wednesday again. Lots of water on this photo!
My World on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday…….
 Watery Wednesday 145
I went to France twice in the last 10 days. On my first trip, I somehow managed to forget my camera in Alsace, 1300 km from here. Well, good news: we were reunited today! Yeah!!!
So anyway, this photo was taken through a train window, the sundown over one of the inland seas in southern France, the ‘etangs”.
Many more to come! This one is for one of our favorite memes, Watery Wednesday. Just click here, you know you want it.
Skywatch Friday
A little composition, playing with Photoshop. All this for Skywatch Friday, of course!
Skywatch Friday
I posted this photo on another blog a few days ago, but I love it so much that I just have to show it here!
The shoreline, almost all of it. This photo works best if seen as big as possible. Enjoy all the other photos on Skywatch Friday as well!
PS… I think this is the second ever B&W photo on this blog, as we usually go for something rather more colorful (see the last 730 or so posts). I am learning the art of B&W (and I love it!), so tell me what you think of it.
Levitating…
Next photo on my little (cable-car induced) levitation, the swimming pool. It is quite popular for a very simple reason: beaches here are man made. There might be some nice sand on the beach, but underwater, it’s gravel. And as the ground drops immediately, you’re in the depths in 2 steps, the water is cold, very cold. So, a swimming-pool can be quite nice!
Watery Wednesday
W…ell, another Wednesday, a Watery one as usual. Still ‘levitating’, I came towards the high rise Westin hotel. Quite a new place, it opened a year ago, or so. Last time I was there, Shakira was filming one of her clips there, you might have seen it (forgot the title, not being a fan of the lady’s music). Right there, on this very beach.
I posted another picture of the Barcelona seafront, all of it, here, if you are curious (and it’s healthy, being curious!).
Watery Wednesday of course!!!
Dramatic Skywatch Friday
Nice dramatic sky off Sitges.
Check out Skywatch Friday, it is worth the visit!
Down the creek… and into the sea
Monday afternoon in Sitges.
This is My World Tuesday. Please click here to see more.
Surf’s up!
We’re having a bit of wind lately, and the surf was magnificent on Saturday evening! Nobody in the water though
Watery Wednesday
An afternoon at the beach, 2 days ago.
This is for Watery Wednesday, the ultimate weekly meme you just have to check out, right here!
Watery Wednesday
Silver and gold, one evening, with a very long lens, and some post processing.
Watery Wednesday, just click here!
Post 475: going somewhere?
We are going to Lourdes next week (not by boat, as it is a mountain town). Are you going somewhere nice in the near future?
And welcome, bemvindo to Rui FT Santos, a very excellent portuguese photographer, our 335th follower.
Watery Wednesday
Barcelona seafront on a warm summer evening. Must be 8.30 PM, probably the best moment of the day for a swim. Going there tonight.
As every wednesday, this is for Watery Wednesday, episode 102. Please click right here to see more participating pictures.
Skywatch Friday
Can’t think of a more romantic place to sit with your boy or girlfriend, and to watch…
Collioure, north Catalunya, France.
This is for Skywatch Friday, season 4, episode 52. Please click here to see more photos!
Weekend reflections
Some of the surrounding urban and industrial landscape reflecting on the W Hotel.
This is for James’s Weekend Reflections. To see more of it, please click here.
Summer in Sitges
Summer, you say? It really looks like it today! A balmy 25 degrees (high 70es in the US), the suncream days a back!
Not wanting to waste such a nice day, we went to Sitges, one of our favorite places in Catalunya, 30 minutes from central Barcelona. It was hot, it was nice, the water was cold enough to turn you blue in 30 seconds.
This photo was taken less than 2 hours ago!!!
And should you be in Sitges tonight, not knowing what to do, here is a suggestion:
The band ‘ The Damp Knickers’, live at Paddy’s Bar, tonight a 20.30! Not the very best taste in band’s names, but the music might be good, you never know
Rock the boat
Seen this on some rocks in northern Catalunya.
 I will be away for a couple of days, taking my wife to one of the most romantic and beautiful places on earth. Therefore, automatic postings for the next few days .
The Santa Eulà lia
The Santa Eulalia. This gorgeous schooner was built in Torrevieja, near Alicante in 1918, and launched one year later. Under different names, it was active for almost 80 years, until it was auctioned off, and bought by Barcelona’s Maritime Museum.
That purchase saw the museum posed with one of the most significant and difficult challenges it had ever faced, namely the recovery and restoration of a historical vessel, adhering to the strictest criteria in terms of the protection of cultural heritage.
You can now visit it on it’s mooring, in the Port Vell.
Here is some technical data:
| Previous names: | Carmen Flores (1919-1931) Puerto de Palma (1931-1936) Cala San Vicenç (1936-1975) Sayremar Uno (1975-2000) Santa Eulà lia (2001) |
| Year of construction: | 1918 Probably launched on 14 January 1919 |
| Shipyard: | Astilleros MarÃ, in Torrevieja (Alicante) |
| Dead weight (maximum load): | 190 tons |
| Displacement in service: | 215 tons |
| Gross / net tonnage: | 156 tons / 116 tons |
| Material of hull: | Wood |
| Overall length: | 34.6 m (47 m including the bowsprit and the boom) |
| Length between perpendiculars: | 29.3 m |
| Maximum breadth: | 8.5 m |
| Depth: | 3,8 m |
| Maximum draught: | 4.05 m |
| Surface area of sails: | 526,4 m2 |
| Number of sails: | 12 |
| Height of masts above deck: | 27 m |
| Engine: | Volvo Penta 367 CV (291.9 kW) |
| Current crew: | 7 (captain plus 6 sailors) |
| Maximum no. of passengers: | 30 people |
Smaller boats
Well, after the big boats I showed you lately, I have to say that this is much more my style!
Vamos a la playa!
Well, another day with sweltering heat. What can you do? Too hot to move around a lot, too nice a day for a museum or an exhibition. Nothing really nice in the cinemas… What to do???
Oh yes, I got it: vamos a la playa!
Picture taken about an hour ago, in Sitges. The water, my friends, was pure bliss.
Port Vell Marina
Amongst the many urban regeneration plans the municipality here had to welcome the 1992 Olympics was the transformation of the Port Vell, or Old Port. Once an industrial waste site, full of rusting machines, ruined warehouses, chemicals all over the place, it is now one of the places you go on a weekend. Several cinemas, restaurant, the Maremagnum shopping mall, one of the biggest aquariums in Europe. All this on an purpose built artificial island. And, of course, the Marina. More about it here.
The Forum @22
A good bit further north on our boat trip along the Barcelona coastline. This is the area called the Forum. Until the Olympic Games in 1992, this area was a dilapidated industrial zone, empty factories, lots of bad chemicals in the ground. It was totally revamped in time for the Games. The area is also composed of the old village which used to be here, Poblenou, and @22, a kind of gigantic techno hub. It is partly a huge building site.
What you see are several of the best hotels in Barcelona (the most expensive, anyway), literally 3 minutes from the nearest beach. Hilton, Princess, and so on. Just behind is one of the biggest shopping malls in town, Diagonal Mar, and the Barcelona Convention Center. And the blue wall on sea level is the beginning of the Port Forum, the other marina in Barcelona. Some of the huge yachts in there even have helicopters on deck.
Barceloneta by the sea
Lat Sunday, I took a swallow. Yes. Spanish: una golondrina, which is one of those little boats you can take along the coast. Barcelona, seen from the sea.
This is Barceloneta beach, one of the most popular ones. We have here a long string of beaches, 7 or 8 of them, all along the town. You can’t really be far away from the next beach, which is very enjoyable! The beach was obviously very crowded, although the sky was kind of greyish-white, and the sea pretty choppy. I’ll show you a bit more in the next few days.
What you see in the back is the church in Tibidado. Will come back to this as well, some time soon. Stay tuned!
Le grand bleu or la grande bleue
Another picture taken from Montjuic Hill… Italy, this way.
Collioure, Catalunya, France
Well, this is Collioure, one of the prettiest towns in France. The village (2750 inhabitants) had quite a strong impact on 20th century European paintings. People like Derain, Braque, Matisse, Picasso, Charles Rennie Mackintosh, to quote only the most famous, lived and painted here. Just google around, you’ll find their Collioure paintings quite easily.
The church in the foreground is called Sainte Marie des Anges, Saint Mary of the Angels, and the square building just behind is the Royal Castle, with quite a long story. More about the castle here.
Collioure is basically an extremely pretty holiday spot, laid back, with many many restaurants, bars, 1 disco at least, many hotels, several beaches (gravel, no sand), a short distance from Spain and from Perpignan (Perpinya, the other capital of Catalunya). I didn’t know the place, and I loved it!
Amis d’outre-Pyrenées, une fois de plus, toutes mes excuses pour avoir empieté sur votre territoire!
The Med in Collioure
Well, back from too short holidays north of the border, in what is not Spain anymore, but still in Catalunya. Collioure, a very lovely small port between mountains and sea, absolutely packed full with northern European and French tourists.
It was not really going abroad… Here in Barcelona, the 2 official languages are Spanish and Catalan. And in the northern part of Catalunya, they speak French and Catalan. Catalan will never be an official language in France, as the French government would never allow any language other than French. History of other languages and dialects, or even cultures in France is a long and very sad story. The big bad word is : assimilation.
But still, same culture, same food, same dances than in the Spanish part of Catalunya. I will tell you more about it during the next few days.
Amis d’outre-Pyrenées, désolé d’avoir empieté sur votre territoire!
Barcelona Daily Photo 
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