Happy Hours

Sunday, January 17, 2010

Boqueria, Barcelona

Market of Sensory Overload

Mercat De Boqueria, the biggest, the most varied, the most interesting food market I have seen anywhere in the world. And of course nowhere - Tokyo's Tsukiji, Rome's Testaccio and London's Smithfield included - do you get such an incredible breakfast right in the middle of the market.

Sarah Palin may have put lipstick on a pig, but here they go further

Some of those wildly luscious Serrano hams are now in my chiller

The possibilities

Who sang " strawberry fields forever"

And then the breakfasts. That of course is another story

Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Gaudi in Barcelona

The building is running away ! Call the Police

I would really like to have some of whatever Gaudi was on, when he designed these buildings.

Somehow, looking at those tangled, jangled curves and those impossible windows and the anything-but-linear thinking behind every angled facade, every kaleidoscopic tile, I felt right at home. And I felt that I could do anything, anything. Funny ? Maybe, but that's what I felt

My favourite: Casa Battlo, also known as " Skull and Bones"

First glimpse of Casa Battlo at night. I knew I had to go back there the next morning

The window of a Barcelonian

So you think you can tell, heaven from hell ...

I wasn't drunk. Inspired by Gaudi, I took these shots from behind a kaleidoscopic glass tile.

I somehow think the effect is appropriate

That crazy terrace

Look at this and tell me if you don't think this building has life

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La Segrada Familia was a bit of a disappointment because of all the construction going on. This is the only part that was without cranes and scaffolds
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La Pedrera

When I first saw La Pedrera, admittedly after a lot of Vino, I could swear it was moving. The building was running away ! I was ready to call the police.

But I did not have the police phone number. I did not even have a phone

Tapas Tapas Tapas
Torres and Tapas, with Jiminez and Jerez
Point and Ye Shall Eat
I am searching, in the rain
Chocolate Balls with Olive Oil ?
Food Porn
Market of Sensory Overload
The Building is running away ! Call the Police
Catalan Christmas
Feliz Navidad
Fountain For Footballers
This is not Japan

Catalan Christmas , Barcelona

Came out of Mass to find senior citizens doing the two-step in front of the cathedral, while a band jazzed it up under the sun. My first Catalan Christmas.