Sunday, July 31, 2011

The Weekend in Black and White - Barcelona Scenes - July 31, 2011

Barcelona is one of my favorite cities in the world - beautiful scenery,
an area rich in history and culture, activities to fill every minute of your
day and night, wide avenues to stroll, lovely plazas, warm and friendly
people, delicious food and wine, including Mediterranean seafood of
incredible variety.  Very different from the rest of Spain, Catalonia is
a treasure that should not be missed.  Now that I have retired, I don't
know if I will ever be able to return but memories of  past visits are
never far from my mind.


Barcelona has so many beautiful buildings with wrought iron trimmings.



 




Gaudi's famous Sagrada Familia, a work in progress.



One of the many stalls at La Boqueria, the fabulous La Rambla market.



One of the many sights one sees on La Rambla.

I am participating in The Weekend in Black and White - check
out the site and add your own post to join in the fun!



19 comments:

  1. It looks great in black and white, what a fantastic set of photos. I wish I could tell you something about these buildings, but, living so near to Barcelona, I barely go there and don't know it as much as I'd like. I can tell you, though, that the actors who want to play statues in La Rambla have to attend a casting.

    Needless to say, I so like the introduction you wrote!

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  2. I've always wanted to go there. Your black and white shots have a special charm.

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  3. Hi Carmen!

    Now that you are retired, have more time to visit Barcelona! if you want, the next time I will not care to give a tour guide, and teach all over unknown for you ... and of course, eat tons of seafood, accompanied by the best Spanish wines!

    Greetings.

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  4. Anonymous2:58 PM

    Oh thank you very much for these beautiful moments ! You captured indeed the essence of the city.

    Please have a good new month and week as well.

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  5. Josep -
    I got so homesick for Barcelona as I wrote this
    post. In the last ten years, I was there five times and I am really afraid, now, I will not get back. Each visit was only for a few days - I wish I'd been there longer - I should have visited the other parts of Catalonia, each, I'm sure is worthy of at least a week's visit in itself!

    I didn't know that the performers on La Rambla had to go to a casting. That is such interesting information! I've always stayed right on La Rambla or on the corner at Hotel LLeo so I've seen plenty of the action there. It's rowdy and noisy but fun - except for my first visit, which was on a holiday and my girlfriend and I came off a cruise ship without reservations. The cab driver was so kind and really worked hard to find us a hotel...a nice little place in a neighborhood where I discovered a restaurant, El Medulio, that I ate at every time I returned. The owner became a good friend. It lasted 25 years but, so sadly, it was closed when I was there last. Jose Luis Fraga and I are now friends on Facebook. Isn't it funny how one meets people?

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  6. Welshcakes Limoncello -
    You must visit there one day! It is such a fabulous place...only thing is, one must be super vigilant as there is a lot of theft, not from locals, I don't think, but from visiting immigrants. I've known several people who were robbed.

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  7. "J" -
    Time I have but, sadly, no money anymore. With the loss of my job, almost three years ago, I've used all my savings to survive. Believe me, if there were any way, Catalonia would be one place I'd manage to visit. I never mind the long flights, crowded planes, or even a hostel, just to be in a place that I love...and to have someone to show me around who is a local, well, that is, indeed, the best. I would love to see Girona, Lleida, and Tarragona as I have missed those parts of your country but, of course, I'd have to get back to Barcelona as well.

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  8. ρομπερτ -
    I have so many pictures of Barcelona, dozens taken at that beautiful market. I was so amazed at the quality of even the inexpensive wines that I bought at the supermercado - amazing. But the seafood was the most unbelievable, Robert. I'll post a picture tomorrow for Mellow Yellow Monday!

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  9. Love your blog!
    I'm your new follower!
    Barb

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  10. Barbara Rosenzweig -
    It's great to have you here! I'm glad you enjoyed your visit to Barcelona!

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  11. Great collection! I haven't been there - but one day ...

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  12. Very good and nice black and white photos.

    Regards!

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  13. Great shots. I love the 3rd one. What is it exactly?

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  14. Very nice black and white shots! Somehow Europe just looks better in monochrome. :)

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  15. Love your b&w shots here!

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  16. What a beautiful place. These photos help to show why you love it so much.

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  17. Barecelona is another place on my "one day" list. It's such a long list now....

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  18. Carmen, que bonitas las fotos. A mi me gusta mucho Barcelona, también. Nosotros vivimos a 150 km, en un pueblo pequeño. Y cuando podemos, nos "escapamos" allí a pasear. Hace un par de años fuimos a las Fiestas de la Mercè, en octubre y estaba todo precioso, lleno de gente, muchísima gente! Te voy a contar una cosa que te gustará: el hermano de una compañera de trabajo nuestra, trabaja en la Sagrada Familia. Lo curiososo es que su tarea es la de picapedrero de las esculturas y la arquitectura diseñadas por Gaudí! El de picapedrero es un oficio casi extinguido. A él le enseñó el oficio su padre y fueron a buscarlo a su casa para que se fuera a trabajar a la Sagrada familia. Tiene trabajo (muy bien remunerado por cierto) para toda su vida y para la vida de sus hijos, quizás!
    A reveure!

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