The Heart of la Sagrada Familia

Although I never intended this blog to be a tourist guide of Barcelona, I believe that a post about La Sagrada Familia had to happen some day or another.

I was raised and still live literally 1 minute away from the famous temple, which means dealing with hordes of tourists taking pictures at it every day. (People sometimes ask me if I’m not tired of it, but  actually it’s not that bad if you walk a few blocks away, and I get great views while walking around my neighborhood).

I’m pretty sure you’ve seen images of the most famous Gaudi construction from the outside, so let’s take a look at the heart of it:

If you’ve bought your tickets in advance (highly advisable), you’ll enter by the Nativity’s Façade designed by Gaudi to serve as an example of style for the rest of the temple. I find it quite peculiar, at least different from other catholic temples.

Once on the inside, the style is completely different. A high and spacious nave surrounded by columns. I must admit I was impressed by its beauty when I first entered the building after its renovation in 2010 (and understood the ticket price). The light shines through the stained-glass windows coloring the walls. It gives an overall feeling of peace and admiration, certainly what a religious temple aims to produce.

Now let’s see some other pictures from the interior, hope they make you wanna visit the building if you still haven’t done so!

The main nave and the stained-glass windows

The altar

The 45 metres tall ceiling

Colored stained-glass windows

The impressive organ

What do you think? Worth paying a visit?

Barcelona from the magic mountain: Tibidabo Views

There’s no excuse. It’s been almost 4 months since my last update, the longest period of time I have remained inactive since I started this project back in 2011.

However, I’ve always believed that quality beats quantity, and that means some times I rather wait until something worth it comes up.

For example going up to the Tibidabo Amusement Park, one of my favorite spots when I was a kid. Don’t get me wrong I didn’t actually go into the park and ride the attractions. I just went up the mountain and enjoyed the breathtaking views of Barcelona, completely worth it!

My relationship with Tibidabo started as far back as I can remember. My grandfather used to drive the tramway that connects Barcelona to the funicular that goes on top of the mountain and for that reason we got free entrances. I don’t know how many birthdays I celebrated (or attented to) in Tibidabo, but I never got tired of it!

If you plan to go up the mountain, and you don’t have a car, I recommend to take the bus in Plaça Catalunya, otherwise the price of the combination of metro + tramway + funicular will go higher.

Tibidabo allows you to enter the top floor of the park without a ticket and wander around the most classical attractions: the merry-go-round, the wheel and the watchtower.

From there you can also have a closer look at the  Expiatory Church of the Sacred Heart of Jesus (Sagrat Cor), with a combination of different styles ranging from Romanesque to Modernist. But as I said before, the main point of going up the mountain are the excellent views of the city. Don’t miss it out!

A wander in Parc Ciutadella

I don’t remember any other november with 25ºC in Barcelona. I have no idea if this is due to global warmining but, as a warm weather lover I took the chance the other day of taking a walk around Parc Ciutadella bringing along my camera.

I wasn’t the only one who had this idea and soon I found the park crowded with families, groups of friends, couples, street performers and even business men looking for a break.

These are some of the pics I took, hope you enjoy them!

Narco Cultura- Barcelona In-Edit Festival

I’ve lost count of how many festivals are based in Barcelona, almost every week there’s a chance of discovering a new artist or movement you hadn’t heard about.

Beefeater In – Edit is one of my favourites. Celebrating 11 years showing a selection of muisc documentaries, from the most internationally acclaimed to some portraying the local scene, this year it’s brought an especially sensitive film “Narco Cultura“.

From Israeli photo-reporter Schaul Schwarz and Spanish sound technician Juan Bertrán, who spent three years filming in Mexico and United States, Narco Cultura shows two opposite realities surrounding narco-trafficking in Mexico.

On one side we follow Richi Soto, working for the CSI of Juárez, dealing with violent murders every single day in one of the most dangerous cities of the world. The film spares no images when showing the victims and circumstances of the murders, so sensitive viewers should be alert. It is heart breaking to see desperate mothers crying for their lost children in what seems a never-ending absurd massacre. Richi confesses how he’s been tempted to quit, especially after some of his colleagues are murdered, but that he feels he’s gotta do his job.

On the other side of the border we follow Édgar Quintero lead singer of the BuKnas de Culiacán performing narcorridos, songs glorifying the deeds of Mexican drug lords. Getting more and more popular in Mexico and United States, Édgar sees no harm in singing about violence and murder. It’s his job and it’s better than what he was doing in his younger years when he ended in prison. Narco Cultura, portrays how multitudes chant together Quintero’s songs and teenagers confess they wouldn’t mind dating a narco as they’re successful and rich.

In cities where there are no jobs, being a drug lord seems to promise a better life a new form of American dream.

Make sure you don’t miss Narco Cultura, although harsh it’s an unmissable documentary to understand the reality of Mexico, will it ever change?

Follow the red balloon path in Barcelona

On my way home yesterday I decided to go through la plaça Sant Jaume challenging the tourists crowds that often take on Barcelona’s Gothic quarter. Fortunately, the square was not crowded, however something caught my attention immediately: a series of red balloons randomly scattered around.

Everybody seemed to wonder what they represented and who had placed them there, (even the police, who after checking one of them decided they were no harm to anybody).

The image was beautiful and soon I discovered that there was a red balloon path going up Sant Honorat street and followed it.

I didn’t have to wait long to find out about the responsible of the installation as at the crossroad with Sant Domènech del Call I noticed two girls dropping some balloons. They told me they were from BCNLandscape a platform uniting several architects and environmentalists working on different types of projects all related to landscape.

I kept following the path that ended up at Plaça Sant Felip Neri. There I couldn’t help but smile at the views of school kids on their lunchbreak holding a red balloon and running around the square. There was some kind of magic in it, something so simple as a balloon can still catch the attention of kids and make them happy. A little victory over our technology dominated world.

In the end I didn’t find out what was exactly the purpose of this action, but like many pieces of art, it’s better not to ask why and just enjoy the beauty in it.

What do you think?