A Wanderful Life

Around The World and Around The Neighbourhood Travel Adventures

Wintery Bareness in Black & White

This is why — this is exactly why when the skies are clear, no matter what the temperature, I carry my camera with me. Two days ago we walked across the footbridge to post a letter and all of this unfolded before my eyes.

Hope you enjoy it!

 

Over the stone bridge in St. Girons on a wintery day in France


 

People enjoying a sunny winter day at a riverside park in the South of France.


 

A man walks beneath the bare branches of a row of trees on a sunny but wintery day in the South of France.


 

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09/01/2013 at 10:39 AM Comments (0)

Architectural Photos of CCCB Museum in Barcelona

This is a mixed bag of both black and white and colour photography today. These photos give you a brief glimpse of the architecture of the lovely CCCB museum in Barcelona.

Some of the more angular shots were better presented in black and white. For visual punch, I love bright blue-sky days. But more and more often lately I seem to be defaulting back to black and white which returns me to my early days in journalism and blissful hours spent in the darkroom.

Enjoy!

 

Entrance sign at CCCB museum in Barcelona, Spain


 

Man passing though courtyard entry arch into the CCCB contemporary art museum in Barcelona, Spain with St. Geoge & the Dragon sculpture overhead on building facade.


 

A St. George & the Dragon sculpture above the archway entry into the CCCB museum in Barcelona, Spain.


 

Entry-exit ramp at the Barcelona, Spain museum CCCB.


 

Old meets new in the two buildings housing the CCCB museum of contemporary art.


 

The crisp geometric angles of the interior lobby in the CCCB museum of contemporary art and culture in Barcelona, Spain.


 

Escalator to upper galleries at the Barcelona, Spain contemporary museum CCCB.


 

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31/12/2012 at 4:48 PM Comments (6)

From Barcelona, Not The Normal Thing To See At A Museum!

Walking down a narrow street in Barcelona, heading for the contemporary art museum called MACBA, we strolled past several sidewalk cafes at the front corner of the large white museum building.
 

Sidewalk cafes are conveniently located outside the front entry of MACBA — the museum of contemporary art in Barcelona, Spain.


 

We certainly weren’t expecting what we saw unfolding in the courtyard in front of us. Dozens of young people were ‘hanging out’ in various places along the courtyard and in clumps at the front of MACBA. And what we were laughing at was the sight of skateboarders doing tricks right in front of that museum!

They were quite considerate and confined their activity to a small area so that they didn’t interfere with the pedestrians who were criss-crossing the plaza or coming in and out of the museum.
 

Young men on skateboards perform in the open plaza outside MACBA — the museum of contemporary art in Barcelona, Spain.


 
Day to day life in Barcelona surprised us again and again. We might be living in Europe now, but our quiet French town is rather sedate compared to the unfolding comedy, drama, and action in this large metropolitan part of Spain.

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21/12/2012 at 12:07 PM Comments (0)

Let The Gnome Hold It In Barcelona

Quick photo of the day today — letting a gnome hold things for me today!
 

Gnome table in a home design shop in Barcelona, Spain


 

This little gnome table was in the window of a home design store in Barcelona. Not only was he rather cute, I also liked the rug behind him made out of small cut-out circles of leather.

Enjoy!

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18/12/2012 at 4:10 PM Comments (0)

Stony & Textural Black & White in Barcelona, Spain

Even in sunny Spain, there are cold, wet, and gloomy days when the colour of the sky is flat and bright shades of clothing or advertising are muted and subdued. What better time to switch to black and white photography which actually enhances the image since you are looking at the bones, the structure, or the texture instead of being wowed by snappy-bright colour.

These are from Barcelona on a wet but wonderful Sunday. The building is the Museu d’Història de la Ciutat, the city museum of Barcelona. This 15th Century palace was moved, stone by stone, from its original location in 1931 due to the upcoming construction of a roadway. When the new site on Placa del Rei was being excavated and prepared for the rebuilding of the palace, there was a stunning archaeological find — a large section of the old Roman city was still lying beneath the city streets of Barcelona!

I will have a slide show from the interior of this museum in the coming days.

Enjoy!

 

Upper exterior of the dramatically gloomy 15th Century building housing the Barcelona History Museum. This historic palace is built atop part of an excavated Roman city.


 

Gargoyles ring the upper part of the history museum in Barcelona


 

Entry to the imposing 15th Century stone palace housing the Barcelona History Museum. An excavated section of the former Roman city is on view in the lower levels.


 

One last picture — a glimpse through a narrow passageway which is down the street from the museum.
 

View down a narrow passage in Barcelona, Spain


 

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15/12/2012 at 3:35 PM Comments (0)

Too Full Of Noise? Perhaps Not!

This photo of the day will not be sent to my stock agencies for one big reason — noise artifacts in spite of using noise removal in my Lightroom 4 software. But at a smaller resolution, it still packs a punch of funny energy! It was taken in quite low light and actually looked almost black before I worked on it. But bringing up the image also meant bringing out the grain and the surface noise. Ah well — at least I can share it with you.

We were in a very dark cafe in the Barri Gotic district of Barcelona a few weeks ago and this man was sleeping soundly in spite of the dishes clattering and the people coming and going through that door right next to him. His wife sat there reading her Spanish daily newspaper — and he slept and slept and slept for the 20 minutes that we were in there having a cup of tea.

Enjoy!

 

Napping man with black beret in a cafe in Barcelona, Spain.


 

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13/12/2012 at 5:34 PM Comments (4)

Inside the Salvadore Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain

You’ve seen my previous articles and photo essays — the goddess atop the Cadillac — followed by the eggs adorning the exterior facade. So now it’s time to have a wee peek inside the museum.

As I mentioned before, the Salvadore Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain is spread out over 6 levels accessed by stairs, stairs, stairs. So do be prepared for that!

Many of the items on display are either framed and behind glass, surrounded by reflective surfaces, encased within glass boxes, or were completely obstructed by other people in the way. All of those factors limited the amount of photos that I could take which would have even been worth trying to post online. But I think that this sprinkling of images will give you a small bit of insight into a very complicated mind. Whether it was drawing, painting, sculpture, film, or jewels — Dali seems to have been inspired to work in a variety of artistic mediums.

The final photograph was taken in a room full of jewelery and small carved objects — and I found it rather poignant that he chose to be there at the end, surrounded by the work that he created with love.

Take your time when you go to this museum — there is quite a lot to see and absorb.
 

Nose of the black Cadillac within the central courtyard


 

Goddess riding atop the Cadillac in Dali’s courtyard


 

Another view of the always busy courtyard


 

Sculpture niches in the courtyard of the Dali Museum in Figueres, Spain


 

Dali’s humour on display in this vast ‘Sistine Chapel’ ceiling


 

The chairs which appear to be so small beneath the painting actually reveal the massive scale of this work of art by Salvadore Dali.


 

A very large and very lovely painting of women comprised of rock shapes


 

Dali’s “Soft Self Portrait’


 

Dali’s tomb within a wall of his museum in Figueres, Spain


 
Come back soon for more articles and photos of Barcelona and Figueres.

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11/12/2012 at 2:06 PM Comments (0)

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