With a soft speckled throat
and with a cure in it’s heart
arriving in June
Tag: Photography
Wordless Wednesday
Barcelona, Sant Jordi and the Bus Turistic!
We had a light breakfast in our gorgeous apartment and set off rather later than intended the next morning. Retracing our steps from our walk home the night before, along the Gran via de les Corts Catalanes, I had to reassure my two friends that yes, I did know where we were going. It was then that I remembered that on a trip to Paris, ten years ago, I was the only one with any sense of direction. We got a little distracted by the parade of stalls selling single stemmed roses, for Sant Jordi’s day, and by the striking buildings in the university area.
In five minutes we reached the Placa Catalunya, a lovely open area from where it’s easy to navigate the city’s main tourist destinations. Sant Jordi is not only a festival of roses but also of literature that coincides with world book day.
I would have loved to linger and choose some books. As well as Spanish and Catalan authors, Ken Follett was among some of the British writers, signing books.The Placa was really buzzing with atmosphere, Sant Jordi’s dragon was there, Iarge as life.
This statue is by Frederic Mares , Barcelona represented as a woman on horse back holding a ship as a symbol of exploration and trade.
A wider view of the Placa.
A hint of the architecture to come.
We bought tickets for the hop on hop off Bus Turistic, for 27 euros for the day. We chose the blue route , as it covered most of the places we wanted to see.
And we’re off, complete with blue head phones to listen to the commentary about the key points around the city. Although I’ll get shot, I have to tell you that Jackie was lulled to sleep by the music between each bit of information, and woke suddenly. She was so shocked by the voice in her ear that she woke with a scream, alarming some of the other tourists and reducing Sonja and I to tummy aching laughter!
I’ll be back soon with views from the bus, including the exterior of Sagrada Familia.
The Intricacies of nature and man
The Bear Hut at National Trust Killerton was reputedly created to house a real live bear in the grounds of the property. I’m really not convinced, I think it was more likely a great playhouse for the children of the family. Either way it’s a cute little place with some interesting decorative features, including this pretty ceiling studded with natural pine cones arranged by man in a pattern on something like hessian.
This well nibbled leaf has been made into an intricate design by one of nature’s creatures.
Some human has used delicate silk to create an intricate design on these hats.
When I got my current mobile phone a couple of year ago I was experimenting with photographing a fast running stream. What I didn’t realise at the time was that I had it on a setting called Harris Shutter that does weird things to images, I nearly deleted it, but kept it because I like the intricate mix of colours!
This carved and painted arch is inside Exeter Cathedral, it’s one of many intricate and ornate features there.
When I started thinking about this challenge and looking at some photos, I concluded that and awful lot of my photos fit the bill, because I like to focus on little details. How about you?
You know how to join in!
Rambla-ing in Barcelona
We arrived in Barcelona on Wednesday afternoon, and finding our Air BnB apartment was simple, just 100 metres from the Aerobus stop. Carmen, the owner met us, gave us some info and answered our questions and then we were off, three old crones let loose in the city. We had been up since 5am and only had a small bowl of porridge at Bristol airport at 9.30 so as it was now 4pm our tummies were howling! We found café to sit outside, where I had Greek salad and we shared a big jug of Sangria in the sunshine. Now we had arrived. Sated, we headed in the direction that I knew would take us to the Ramblas, criss-crossing through the Raval,
an area full of old high-walled buildings, strange cooking smells and a million mobile phone accessory shops, piled high with cheap imports from China. The girls were a bit uneasy, not only do they lack my sense of direction, but some of the characters were a bit suspect and it seemed the Ladies of the Night were starting early. They breathed a sigh of relief when we walked into the light.
The Rambla was bustling with preparations for Sant Jordi, the next day, and flower stalls were everywhere.
and then unexpectedly we stumbled on a place I’d hoped to visit but didn’t realise was so close. I’m a real market fan, I must have been a trader in another life, so St Josep, Mercat de La Boqueria was paradise.
Delicious fruit, fresh and dried was piled high, with each stall holder trying to out do the next.
Seafood in abundance,
I really don’t know how I managed it, but convinced that we would return, I didn’t spend a penny. I regretted that when I went home empty handed!
Then it was time to enjoy some of the wonderful old buildings in the Rambla.
Often very elegant and ornate.
The next building has a little extra elegance, try clicking to get a bigger view.
Yes, it’s Marilyn Monroe, complete with wind- blown, white frock up on the balcony. ‘She’ was attempting to entice you into what I can only guess is entertaining, the museum of erotica.
We strolled on, eyes open for just the right place for dinner, but our energy had abandoned us totally. Being too excited to sleep the night before and the early start made the tiredness set in. We were five minutes from home and there was a local supermarket on the corner. Crisps and croissants called, as far as real food was concerned, we’d gone beyond hunger. Even the litre bottle of vodka and cola to mix remained unopened and we went to our rooms. My first impressions of Barcelona were great, it was an exciting city and despite being shattered I didn’t sleep for a couple of hours. Instead, I made plans for the next day.
LAZY POETS THURSDAY HAIKU
Elemental scene
humans, estuary, sky
perfect blue fusion
Wordless Wednesday
Another bench with a view
Late April and there is still a little time for another bench for Jude. This one was taken in April but several years ago. It’s Forde Abbey in Somerset, a lovely garden worth visiting in any season, and there are several benches with pretty good views. 
Now, everyone has photos of benches so why not join in over at Jude’s place. There is a different them every month, May is ‘At the Beach’, in case you can’t make this month.
Motion and light
You probably haven’t noticed my absence, but I’ve been missing for a few days. When I learnt last night that this weeks photo challenge was motion, I was quite pleased because I was on my way out to see the Font màgica de Montjuïc. Yes, I was in Barcelona!
I haven’t had time to sort out my photos yet, but here are some that I hope you like. The fountain was magical indeed, an atmosphere of happiness and joy as its colours played along to the music.
To see how other people have interpreted the challenge, visit Jen and you might like to join in.
Lazy Poet’s Thursday Haiku
Lingering long enough
In Pooh’s Hundred Acre Wood
for Gypsy’s capture
This is a scheduled post, be back soon!
Lucid Gypsy 