Barcelona Psychedelic Garden

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This jazzy yellow flower deserved some tweaking in Photoshop so why not give it a psychedelic mood to make it more artistic. As usual I need help to know the name of this specimen but the most important thing is its intrinsic beauty. I must confess that my fascination for photography is growing rapidly and every picture is taking me more and more time but I enjoy the process of creation like a child with a new box of color pencils and a white wall. Of course some people would have preferred the flower as such but then it would be just a static report of reality.
Recommended: An essay called Just say 'Yes' by Alain Briot, the famous landscape photographer whose tutorials I recommended here before. The author analyzes typical questions photographers have to hear often, such as “Do you manipulate your photographs?” or “Do you change the colors?” "Is this real?". For French readers I recommend his excellent site about high res photography Gallerie-Photo.

Latest News: Last Tuesday night, famous lizard fountain by Antoni Gaudi at the entrance of Parc Güell was destroyed by three vandals according to reports published today in El Periódico de Catalunya.

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Carnival 2007 is Around the Corner

Carnestoltes is almost here! Carnival 2007 (February 17th thru 21st) will start in a few days in Barcelona. Carnival comes from Latin carnem+levare (raise meat)in allusion to Lent, a period of sorrowful reflection to identify with Jesus' redemptive death. As you know these celebrations are deeply rooted in paganic rituals dating back to Roman times. Of course these two kids are unaware of that but traditions endure the past of time and there is a sort of wild call inside telling us that spring is coming soon so we have to celebrate, with flesh or without!. Now that Ash Wednesday is coming and we are talking about flesh, let's watch and listen to a wonderful song called Ashes to Ashes.

PS: Don't forget there are two Holga 120 CFN Color Flash Cameras for free in the ABSOLUTLOMO CONTEST! and anyone can participate.

Estrella Damm, Damm Good Catalan Beer

One hundred and thirty forty years  is enough time for a beer to be prestigious and renown.

Founded in 1876, the Damm Beer Group has consolidated as one of the most solid beer brewers in Spain. The Catalan beer reinvents itself every year with aggressive and successful campaigns like the Monoblock 2006 and 2008 with Custo Barcelona among others or their sponsorship in many sports events especially soccer games.

Aside from other products sold by the group likeVoll-Damm, Inedit, Daura, Xibeca, Free Damm, Damm Lemon, Bock-Damm, AK Damm, Saar or Redeberger, it is Estrella Damm, by far, the most popular beer in Catalan bars. 

Such is the popularity that instead of saying 'a beer please', you say 'give me a Estrella'. Moritz, an old competitor, has regained position in the market in the last years. But there is an enormous list of crafted beers made in Catalonia that are knocking at the door of consumers and that are by far, much more pleasant if you are into finding new flavors. We old buddies from the block gathering around the counter are still fond of classic stuff, be it because of quality, tradition or commercials.

Here is a full view of the Damm brewery  and a link to the Damm Group Site and the Estrella Damm web site where you can learn about its history or watch their gallery.