Barcelona Predators: Seagulls - Strange Animal Behavior?

Food, speaking on global terms and not western world standards, is scarce, and this is valid for animals as well that urged by that innate code mother nature gave them tend to change their behavior and even their habitat pushed by this irrational human vicious conduct of throwing stones into our own fragile roof. It is well known that we are happily helping degrade our planet, "nobody lives forever so f*** the future" many think, therefore creatures of the earth find it hard to survive in such a mess. Who has not heard of thinner than ever polar bears coming into towns for food, birds not migrating when or where they are supposed to, insignificant fish captures due to drastic changes in ocean temperatures as a result of global warming of the planet caused by men. I remember those times, when a seagull used to be near the shore feeding on fish or crabs and carrying their prey to their nests in nearby hills. In Barcelona it has become rather common to see these noisy, cunning and robust birds nesting on the roof of our buildings, claiming their territory against pigeons and smaller species and in some cases attacking children in school backyards to steal away a sandwich. Seagulls are carnivores and sometimes scavenge a little so it is not strange that they kill a small sick bird or take profit from their decaying corpse. The ackward thing to me is to find it in the middle of the Ciutadella park surrounded by people, holding an animal so big as an adult pigeon and looking at me so defiantly in the most pure Hitchcock-The Birds style. Times are achanging my friend and for the bad.

Passeig de Lluis Companys - Barcelona: Dragon Face on Cast Iron Planter

Along Passeig de Lluis Companys, called Saló de Sant Joan in times of the Barcelona Universal Exhibition of 1888, there are these fabulous cast iron planters adorned with mythological beasts, menacing dragon faces watching passersby from each side of the urn. In fact, they look like gargoyles draining the water from the plant. Both these wrought iron urns on the balustrades and the fabulous gas lamps with benches by Pere Falques, must have been a wonderful attraction back in XIX. You should know that this promenade, that starts with the Arc de Triomf and ends at the Rius i Taulet monument in honor to the city mayor who was responsible for the embelishment of the "antechamber" to the event venues in the Parc de la Ciutadella, was in a way the red carpet, the vestibule to the first buildings of the famous exhibition. That previous surrounding area was kind of deserted as many of the buildings were about to be built like the Palace of Justice 1888-1910, walking down on the left, about half way of the road. On a picture I will post soon I will abound on the history of Passeig de Lluis Companys and the sculptoric elements that remain. For the moment enjoy the company of this horrendous animal basking in the morning sun or better yet, watch the exact planter on Google street view mode below and don't forget to surround the whole walk to see both the Ciutadella park and the Arc de Triomphe.


View Larger Map

barcelona barcelona+photoblog barcelona+photos barcelona+pictures barcelona+photography barcelona+images

Casa Enric Laplana or Casa Mundó, Passeig de Sant Joan 6, Barcelona

Last Saturday I went for a walk down Passeig de Sant Joan to test my brand new Nikon 35mm f/1.8G AF-S DX lens. I stopped before this building attracted by the beauty of the balconies. I did not know the name which I found later when I got home.

After some research online, I learned that it is called three different ways Casa Enric Laplana or Casa Mundó or Casa Estapé and was build by Bernardí Martorell i Puig in 1907.

This Catalan architect born in 1877 belonged to a wealthy family and received a good education. Got his architecture degree in 1902. He worked for some time in the Sagrada Familia and was a friend of Gaudi's.

His work is considered part of late Catalan modernism but some of his buildings have a touch of historicism. Many of his works were religious buildings like the Església de Sant Agustí in Sabadell, Convent de Valldonzella in Barcelona, Església dels Escolapis in Sabadell, Església i Convent del Santíssim Redemptor de les Oblates de Bellesguard in Barcelona or the Col·legi de les Teresianes in Tarragona.

Bernardí was influenced by English neo-gothic and also had a passion for oriental art and architecture. He died in Hospital de Sant Pau in 1937 of acute myocarditis.

But I leave you watching the elaborate ironwork, the orange stucco façade with serigraphed flowers mixed with the bare bricks in the upper floor. In the picture you cannot see the ceramic tile cupola on top or the stone gallery of the first floor but you can follow this link to see the full view of Casa Enric Laplana or check it on the map. The lens worked out fine by the way although I'll save it for street photography.