Barcelona Photoblog

November 01, 2010

Big Brother in Las Ramblas: Crime Ridden Streets or Privacy Breach?

Street cameras at Las Ramblas, Barcelona [enlarge]

Anyone that has visited or lives in Barcelona is perfectly aware of the fact that Las Ramblas is not the safest place in the world. The more crowded it gets the more pickpockets per square meter there are. The situation was getting so bad that extra surveillance was imperative and there came the cameras. As a result of this, you see less suspicious faces (thieves have this peculiar look when they are just about to steal) that undoubtedly are neither tourists nor locals in their daily routine simply because they have been pushed to neighboring narrow alleys away from big brother's perimetral vision. Once again punishment prevails over prevention. The root of petty offenses and misdemeanors lies many times in poverty, precariousness and exclusion and that should be the target point of our authorities before metastasis arrives.

October 31, 2010

Casa Dolors Calm by Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas, Rambla Catalunya 54, Barcelona

Casa Dolors Calm by Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas, Rambla Catalunya 54, Barcelona, Spain [enlarge]

Rambla Catalunya in Barcelona is splattered with architecture jewels of different styles and periods, most of them illustrious samples of Modernisme or Catalan Art Nouveau. In fact, there are more here (over 20) than along neighboring street Passeig de Gracia. One that I specially admire is Casa Dolors Calm by Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas that dates back to 1903. The distinguishing wood and glass gallery and the floral motifs on the façade are worth mentioning. Here is an interesting link to many representative buildings in our city where a small pic shows a front view. As you see the original is rather sober in appearance so I decided to add some infrared color that highlighted the glass panes and the wooden framework of the gallery. Maybe you are interested in other works by this artist like: Casa Bruno Quadros or the Arch of Triumph (Arc de Triomf)

October 28, 2010

Colmado Quilez Barcelona: Vodka Bottles

Colmado Quilez Barcelona: Vodka Bottles [enlarge]

Vodka bottles of different brands beautifully arranged inside one of Colmado Quilez's window displays at Rambla Catalunya, 63, Barcelona. In fact, they have 110 varieties of vodka on sale in an adjacent store. I have chosen this grocery store image, first of all to show you the place described in the link above and second but not least, to make an imaginary toast with you, all those visitors that give Barcelona Photoblog a reason to exist, that compensate for all the last four years of hard work, of late night efforts, of roaming the streets in search of unusual sights, of candid shots, of street photographs, of Catalan art, of traditions and whatever subject that  brightens up your existence for a minute or two. Stats are just relative numbers and have to do with vanity, with competing with our peers in a way but they also have to do with self assurance and recognition. One or two days ago, Barcelona Photoblog reached the magic figure of 1.000.000 visits in four years and what better than sharing some virtual bottles of vodka with you. Here's to your health, cheers!
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