A weekend reflection
Wish I was on the beach right now! Where are your favorites beaches?
To see more weekend reflections, click right here!
Skywatch Friday
It is worth taking a Swallow, Golondrina, along the seafront, specially in the evening, the golden hour!
This is for Skywatch Friday, a fantastic meme! Just click here.
Lisboa
Let’s go out for the day… Many fantastic places you can reach easily from BCN, one being Lisbon.
Click here to see some black and white this weekend!
A weekend reflection
This is the mirrored ceiling above the entrance of the Maremagnum shopping mall in the Port Vell.
More weekend reflections right here.
Oh yeah, that’s me in the photo…
A weekend reflection
A weekend reflection… Wishing one of those 60-footer IMOCA class monohulls in the Port Vell was mine… Friends and sponsors, start saving: 70 days left until my birthday!!! I need a bit of south Pacific, it’s good for the soul! And no worries, I can handle this! Oh well, it’s easier for 2 people. Care to join me?
More Weekend Reflections here. You know what to do.
A weekend reflection
Color, or black and white? Why choose, if you can have both!
More weekend reflections right here!
Ouch!
Some funny publicity in a clothes shop on Passeig de Gracia. To see more b&w, click here, and here for more reflections.
A weekend reflection
Sundown in one of the windbreakers at the Maremagnum shopping mall, on Friday night.
Click right here to see more weekend reflections!
Skywatch Friday
It was a nice Friday afternoon on the Barcelona seafront.
To see more Friday Skywatchers, click here.
Can Ricart, a weekend reflection
The Can Ricart sport center in the Raval, as seen through a window.
This is for Weekend Reflections!
La Petite France, or what’s behind a name
Leaving Paris, we are now in the city of Strasbourg, north east of France, at the german border. My hometown.
This is la petite France, the area known as little France, with a gruesome history to its name. There was a hospice in the area, called l’hospice des veroles, built during the 15th century, specially for people suffering of syphilis (most of them prostitutes). Syphilis was better known as the french disease, as it was brought by french soldiers. Therefore the name of the area…
Nowadays, it is the center of the old town, with a lot of very pretty houses, most of them over 500 years old, crossed by the river Ill. No hospice anymore, just lots of good restaurants. And tourists.
Have a look here to see many more weekend reflections.
The faun?
Another busker on Plaza Catalunya, near the fountains? Or an escapee of Greek mythology? Pan means bread in Spanish, by the way… 😉
More watery photos here, if Kim has time enough to activate the meme on her holidays home, in the Philippines.
And happy spring everybody, the astronomical spring starts today in the northern hemisphere, at 12AM Spanish time!
Black and white Skywatch Friday
The Plaza Real in Barcelona is an absolutely beautiful square, in any weather or time of day/night. Here it is in monochrome, for Skywatch Friday and Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White.
The street lamps on the side were designed by Antonio Gaudi himself.
Water World Wednesday
Yeah, makes you want to be on the boat, doesn’t it?
Water World Wednesday, right here.
Leaving on a jet plane, aka post 1368
A nice blue and white sky, for this week’s edition of Skywatch Friday.
About leaving… We will be leaving Barcelona in May, if everything works out well. So, it will be the end of this blog, but… There will be another one! A photo a day from our new place. More about it later, still house hunting in the new place.The last post will probably be on May 10th, on our 4th blogaversary. So enjoy the last 3 months of Barcelona Daily Photo!
Skywatch Friday reflection
OK, maybe a few words of explanation for this one. Deep blue sky, some orange trees, a fountain, water…
Skywatch Friday, right here! And some weekend reflections here.
Weekend Reflections
More from Horta, the park with the amazing maze.
More Weekend Reflections, right here.
Skywatch Friday
Raindrops…
…in the fountain on San Filipo Neri square, 1/20 s, ISO 400, f/5.6, 450mm, aperture priority.
For Water World Wednesday, and Nature Footsteps.
Skywatch Friday
… and now to the weather report: mainly clear blue sky, with few clouds. Some vultures.
Yep, that’s the Festa Major in Gracia for you! And, as it is Friday, it is Skywatch Friday!
 And don’t forget: it’s monthly Theme Day soon! Here‘s the link (not open yet). The theme is: people watching. On your cameras, go! See you all on September 1st!
It’s hot and thirsty weather
So, what can you do, when you’re a dog. You can either lay in the water, or drink it. Or both of course. Happy dogs, wish I could have done the same. I mean lay in the cool water…
Water World Wednesday, right here.
And don’t forget: it’s monthly Theme Day soon! Here‘s the link (not open yet). The theme is: people watching. On your cameras, go! See you all on September 1st!
Skywatch Friday
The La Pepa, replica of a 17th century Spanish galleon. Galleons were the most universal Spanish ships, which played the lead on commercial and cultural relationships during more than 3 centuries, 16th to 18th, between Spain, the Americas and Asia. Or so says the provided information. They brought other stuff as well, far more evil and nasty. Anyway, the galleon is beautiful, and well worth a visit. Will come back to it later.
To see what other participants to the Skywatch Friday meme did, just click here.
Are you looking at me?
Water World Wednesday, of course!
As the CDP portal is still down, here is the CDP Facebook page where you can, amongst other things like publishing your latest posts, also vote for the theme of the next, you guessed it, theme day!
 
Evening
The sun is going down over Catalunya.
Due to an ever increasing amount of work and other obligations, and a low level of energy, I am not able to browse a lot of blogs at the moment. As it is going to get even worse from September onwards, I might actually be reduced to curtail my own posts to 2 or 3 a week. Come as it may, but I promise you quality!
Weekend Reflections
Oh look, that’s me, me, me, me, me, me, me and also me! Having a ball, or several!
More Weekend Reflections here.
Montserrat BW
A good view of the extraordinary settings of the Montserrat Abbey, for Skywatch Friday and the Weekend in Black and White.
Weekend Reflections
Yep, that’s Mandy and Rob, plus some stranger on the side. Feeling a bit sandy.
Weekend Reflections, right here.
Not a nude beach 2
I was in Sitges, 35 km/20 miles south of Barcelona, last Sunday. It was very hot, with a strange mixture of blue sky and very dark clouds. Therefore, this is for Skywatch Friday.
About the title… I posted this other picture with a similar title a few days ago…. and had a (not so) surprisingly high number of visitors. I am not into SEO, search engine optimization, but this is just… fun. We’ll see-)
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.
Our world Tuesday, post 1111
Pudding… A restaurant with a difference. And an internet cafe.
 Our World Tuesday.
Photo courtesy of Mandy
Monochrome
Inside the old hospital in the Raval.
Dragonstar’s Weekend in black and white, right here.
Skywatch Friday
One of the joys of HDR is that it can transform a boring grey sky into something rather dramatic. Did this one of Plaza Catalunya for Skywatch Friday.
Our world tuesday
Seagulls. Plenty of them around. Definitely part of our world!
I have very little time at the moment, can’t browse your blogs as much as I would like to. Will be back soon-ish.
Weekend Reflections
The Zurich building on Avenida Diagonal.
 Check out what other participants to Weekend Reflections did!
Skywatch Friday in the wind
A celebration of wind energy was the main theme of this year’s Earth Festival, 2 weeks ago. So the organizers mounted a big…no idea what this is called… oh yeah: a pinwheel (thanks guys!) underneath the Arc de Triomf. And it was turning and humming in the wind… Here is a closer look, from behind.
This is for Skywatch Friday. Please click here to see other Skywatcher’s photos.
And yes, I missed the supermoon, and I’m extremely unhappy about it. Next time.
Under siege!
The governors of the European Central Bank are meeting in Barcelona. This means that Spain has opted out of Schengen for a week (not a good time to forgetting your passport if you’re heading our way). It also means that the city is very literally under siege, as some people might be after those poor little ‘innocent’ bankers. Heavily armed riot police everywhere, streets closed, traffic jams…I saw about 20 vans from the riot police speeding to… some action, I guess. Well, as it was lunchtime, maybe they were just hungry.
As it is forbidden to take photos of policemen/women, even the group of plain clothed ones next to our house, with their balaclavas (as I was reminded very rudely by some cop), I wont show you the photos I took (hey, I’m living here, folks! Don’t want trouble!). Let’s hope I did not commit a crime by watching what was happening in the skies over our fair city. And taking a photo of it.
Well yes, Skywatch Friday of course!
After the rain
One of many passages in Barcelona’s old town.
Click here to see other participants at James’s Weekend Reflections meme.
Books, dragons and roses: la diada de Sant Jordi
La Diada de Sant Jordi (Catalan pronunciation: [É«É™ ðiˈaðə ðə ˈsaɲ ˈʒɔrði], Saint George’s Day), also known as El dia de la Rosa (The Day of the Rose) or El dia del Llibre (The Day of the Book) is a Catalan holiday held on 23 April, with similarities to Valentine’s Day and some unique twists that reflect the antiquity of the celebrations. The main event is the exchange of gifts between sweethearts, loved ones and colleagues. Historically, men gave women roses, and women gave men a book to celebrate the occasion—”a rose for love and a book forever.” In modern times, the mutual exchange of books is also customary. Roses have been associated with this day since medieval times, but the giving of books is a more recent tradition originating in 1923, when a bookseller started to promote the holiday as a way to commemorate the nearly simultaneous deaths of Miguel Cervantes and William Shakespeare on 23 April 1616. Barcelona is the publishing capital of both Catalan and Spanish languages and the combination of love and literacy was quickly adopted.
In Barcelona’s most visited street, La Rambla, and all over Catalonia, thousands of stands of roses and makeshift bookstalls are hastily set up for the occasion. By the end of the day, some four million roses and 800,000 books will have been purchased. Most women will carry a rose in hand, and half of the total yearly book sales in Catalonia take place on this occasion.
The sardana, the national dance of Catalonia, is performed throughout the day in the Plaça Sant Jaume in Barcelona. Many book stores and cafes host readings by authors (including 24-hour marathon readings of Cervantes’ “Don Quixote”). Street performers and musicians in public squares add to the day’s atmosphere.
23 April is also the only day of the year when the Palau de la Generalitat, Barcelona’s principal government building, is open to the public. The interior is decorated with roses to honour Saint George.
Catalonia exported its tradition of the book and the rose to the rest of the world. In 1995, the UNESCO adopted 23 April as World Book and Copyright Day.
 And yes, Mandy had her magnificent rose, and I got a sumptuous (cook)book.
Evening
Regular followers of this blog will already know that we spent a few days in Montpellier, south of France. This was one evening on the place de la Comedie.
Holidays, the end
I’ve been on holidays (a very busy time!) for the last week and a half. Today, back to the grind. And I will have to use this again: the metro. Oh well, it will be a short week. My world, on Tuesday.
Weekend reflections
Not much time at the moment, so here is one I made before, as they say in cooking shows… Plaza de Catalunya, one sad and grey spring day.
James’s Weekend Reflections, right here.
Chance meeting in Montpellier
Carrying on this little series about Montpellier. We not only met our fellow blogger Marie, but the real Snow White as well! Blanche Neige, in France. She left the 7 dwarfs at home, and came to Montpellier to give out some scratch cards, together with several super heroes. Nice way to spend one’s weekend!
This is of course for Our World Tuesday!
Photo courtesy of Mandy, and Rob was playing around with Picasa’s new features.
Weekend Reflections in France
Just a pond with some lilies, and a bit of sky…
This is for James’s Weekend Reflections.
Skywatch Friday
Watching the sky from the top of the cathedral…
We’re off and away for a few days. Will try to post anyway. Happy Easter and Happy Passover to everybody!
Skywatch Friday, right here.
Watery Wednesday
Not sure if Watery Wednesday will be on this week, but, hey, gotta nice watery photo, from northern Catalunya. So here we go! Have a look anyway, here. Or here, at Kim’s Water World Wednesday.
Ice cream times
Yes, ice cream times are back, although we have a few rainy days coming up. But it’s finally nice and warm!!!
Skywatch Friday in Ciutadella Park
Beautiful skies this day. Not so blue right now, spring started with the first rain in months.
Skywatch Friday, right here.
Paella with a twist!
You don’t see this everyday… Well, in Barcelona, you do, right outside the cathedral! The guy is having a head-start with his paella…
Anyway, here is one of the many many real paella recipes.
Ingredients
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170g/6oz chorizo, cut into thin slices
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110g/4oz pancetta, cut into small dice
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2 cloves garlic finely chopped
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1 large Spanish onion, finely diced
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1 red pepper, diced
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1 tsp soft thyme leaves
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¼ tsp dried red chilli flakes
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570ml/1pint calasparra (Spanish short-grain) rice
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1 tsp paprika
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125ml/4fl oz dry white wine
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1.2 litres/2 pints chicken stock, heated with ¼ tsp saffron strands
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8 chicken thighs, each chopped in half and browned
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18 small clams, cleaned
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110g/4oz fresh or frozen peas
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4 large tomatoes, de-seeded and diced
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125ml/4fl oz good olive oil
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1 head garlic, cloves separated and peeled
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12 jumbo raw prawns, in shells
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450g/1lb squid, cleaned and chopped into bite-sized pieces
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5 tbsp chopped flatleaf parsley
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Salt and freshly ground black pepper
Preparation method
- Heat half the olive oil in a paella dish or heavy-based saucepan. Add the chorizo and pancetta and fry until crisp. Add the garlic, onion and pepper and heat until softened. Add the thyme, chilli flakes and calasparra rice, and stir until all the grains of rice are nicely coated and glossy. Now add the paprika and dry white wine and when it is bubbling, pour in the hot chicken stock, add the chicken thighs and cook for 5-10 minutes.
- Now place the clams into the dish with the join facing down so that the edges open outwards. Sprinkle in the peas and chopped tomatoes and continue to cook gently for another 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil with the garlic cloves in a separate pan and add the prawns. Fry quickly for a minute or two then add them to the paella. Now do the same with the squid and add them to the paella too.
- Scatter the chopped parsley over the paella and serve immediately.
Monochrome 2
The statue in front of the Catalan Parliament in Ciutadella Park, for Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White and for James’s Weekend Reflections.
Watery Wednesday at the Cosmocaixa science museum
HA!Boys just love this!!!
What about you, girls?
Watery Wednesday, as every Wednesday.
Watery Wednesday in the sunken forest
Inside the Science Museum, there is a sunken forest, populated with fishes, birds, snakes, a capibara, etc…
 Watery Wednesday, right here.
Walking the curve
Nice effect found in one of my programs. This is for Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White.
Weekend reflections in Horta
Yet another view of the gardens in Horta.
Good shot for Weekend Reflections! And for Skywatch Friday as well.
Watery Wednesday in Horta
One of the many many beautiful features in the park, the reflecting pond behind the Duke’s neo-classical pavilion seen yesterday.
Watery Wednesday, 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!
The circus
A black and white rendition of the circus we went to a few weeks ago, for Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White.
A big light in the sky…
Well, this is it, the big 1000. 1000 posts, in exactly 33 months. Thanks to all of you, the 491 followers, the 150.002 visitors (as I write this), and a special thanks to all of you who left a comment or 2. Or 200.
Oh yeah, don’t forget to visit Skywatch Friday!!!
Watery Wednesday
Some mighty boats around… Not talking about this one, of course! Not even a helicopter pad…
Watery Wednesday, here.
Chinese new year part 2
Lots of kids singing and dancing on a big stages. We do to believe in flower power!
As there are so many Chinese citizens in Barcelona, this is dedicated to them!
Our World Tuesday, 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.
No cheating!
What could be better than spending your Sunday afternoon on the beach playing dominoes? Or so these gentlemen think. Saw them before,last summer, and they’re still here. We really had a wonderful Sunday afternoon, sun, 18 degrees C (mid-sixties, Fahrenheit). Spring!
Our World on Tuesday indeed.
Skywatch Friday, season 5, episode 28
The things you can see in the sky…. As seen by Mandy.
Skywatch Friday, right here.
Sad Watery Wednesday
An Italian ferry, anchored at Montjuic Hill.
This is dedicated to the victims of the Costa Concordia.
Watery Wednesday.
Santa Eulalia’s geese
Barcelona’s holy patron is Saint Eulalia, also called Laia. She was a geese shepherdess in the village of Sarria, now a part of Barcelona. She was a martyr, was killed for her faith by the Romans, says her hagiography.
Nowadays, the cathedral in the old town is named after her. And in the cloister are living 13 geese. Why 13? Eulalia was 13 when she became a martyr.
Our World Tuesday. Please click here.
Due to some spam comments lately, I had to change the settings a bit. No anonymous comments allowed for the time being, just as a protective measure. And because it’s really annoying.
Black and White Weekend Reflections
Some university buildings in the Raval. James’s weekly Weekend Reflections meme is right here! And Dragonstar’s Weekend in Black and White, here.
Skywatch Friday, aka post 972
And one more early December sunrise, for Skywatch Friday. It kind of gladdens my mind to see this just before starting my working day at 8 AM.
Barcelona Daily Photo 
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