Thursday 24 February 2011

getting some culture

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This was one of those days where I wasn't expecting much. We biked into Barcelona downtown in the morning to buy my super-sexy Valentine's Day costume (hehe, not exactly, I'll show you next time). After struggling through the crowds of shoppers--what recession?--we were distracted by the old roman cemetery in one of the squares in the Gothic Quarter. The cemetery used to be behind a gate, closed off, and full of garbage and resident cats, but it's been cleaned up and opened to the public. Pictures are above. Quite cool to stand by the grave of a midwife from 2000 years ago!

From an extremely I'm-not-paid-to-be-friendly girl behind a desk, we learned that it was the day of the patron Saint, or Saintess if you like, of Barcelona, Santa Eulàlia, and accordingly there were all sorts of culturally significant sites open and events going on. We detoured to explore the Barcelona Town Hall, which was pretty impressive.

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This room was done up in red and yellow stripes, like the Catalan flag.

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The had some statues of giants chilling in the courtyard. These giants are very typical and are always taken out for cultural street festivals.

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(I was so happy to get this shot) ; )

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Sant Jordi (Saint George) is the patron saint of Catalonia

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Photos (except the giants) by Albert
Some photos were taken with the digital camera and some with the 1970s Pentax, which is a really nice camera. Those are the ones with impressive levels of bokeh (pretentious camera-geek speak for blurred background)

playsuit: Zara
cardigan: Current
tights: Boots
shoes: Steve Madden

36 comments:

Closet Fashionista said...

Oooh that looks so fun!! Love the photos :D And your outfit too!! :)
http://www.closet-fashionista.com/

NRIGirl said...

Wow! The paved steets, giants & cemetry and of course you :) ... Love it!!

NRIGirl said...

Glad to be the first! It is 7:52 PM on Wednesday... What time is it in Barcelona?!

Emily, Ruby Slipper Journeys said...

Well, it's 12:55 here in London... high time I was in bed!

SOJOURNED IN STYLE said...

the shot with the little boy looking up to mary is just precious! the architecture and statues are wow! while getting culture you loooked very lovely. your brogues are amazing and this may be oversaid but they are.

Libby said...

I love your playsuit! It looks stylish AND comfy...the perfect combo! :)

Lesley said...

your little romper is adorable! how i wish it was warm enough to wear such flirty little items.

Annalise said...

Cute outfit! I really love the shoes you're wearing.
XOXO

Monique said...

What a sweet adventure you guys went on. You look cute love that play suit. Looking forward to checking out your Valentine's Day costume! Great shot of the little boy looking up!

Sewon said...

I love the dreamy film photos of you in Barcelona! :]

Ashley/ MILK TEETHS said...

Ohh hayyy girl! Glad to see that you're posting up some of the photos from your holiday in Spain, the place you went to looks awesome ESPECIALLY the giant statue people (and the little kid looking up is icing on the cake!). Also, I'm digging the quasi monochrome look with your playsuit and tights, i'd like to do a monochromatic look sometime :)

xx
MILK TEETHS

Marta G. (A Bilingual Baby) said...

Barcelona looks good on you, you look really relaxed. Hey, the last picture is right where the famous knife is?
Marta
http://www.englishinbarna.blogspot.com/

Rebeccak said...

These photos are amazing - Barcelona looks incredible!

augustalolita said...

wonderful photos :)

Raquel said...

I really like the Pentax shots, again reminds me so much of my childhood. The giants picture with the kid staring up is simply amazing! Looks like something out of a photography exhibition :)
Also, LOVE that you're wearing Zara :P

Diana said...

i LOVE the picture with the little kid!!! what a perfectly adorable scene :) this looks like such a fun place xo

http://dressedupallligators.blogspot.com/

Unknown said...

Thanks for commenting on/following my blog! Nice pictures, I love the one with the child in front of the statue, those things are huge! :)

Principessa Gabriella

Lauren said...

These pictures are all so beautiful. I would love to see all that sometime in my life. Just Gorgeous!

Lauren
Sparrow & Urchin

Laura said...

these pictures are amazing! your outfit is super cute! i love it. Sounds like such a good adventure!

-laura
http://thesemanyyears.blogspot.com

Emily, Resplendent Tranquility said...

Ooh, I like how you interspersed the Pentax photos throughout. The blue of your cardigan developed so beautifully on film.

Finding yourself in awe next to something so old is such a wonderful & captivating experience. I need some more of that in my life. Old places around here give me that feeling, but they've got nothin' on the antiquity in & around Europe. One of the best awe-inspiring experiences that I've had was among the ruins of the Temple of Poseidon on Cape Sounion in Greece. In fact, I loved it so much I did a stained glass homage to it.

Okay, I've babbled on enough for today. Before I go, the shot of the giant statues and the child is all kinds of greatness. I'd have been eager to capture it as well.

Deppa said...

Very interesting! :)
I love your shoes!

See you :)

C.G. Koens said...

The shot of the kid and the giants is PERFECT!! What a great capture with wonderful timing - I'm sure his folks would have liked to have gotten that photo! :-)

Anonymous said...

The photo of the little boy looking up at the giant is just grand! And the jumpsuit/gymsuit is cute with the tights.

laure_grace said...

HI,

I love your outfit.. :)
Im following your blog..

http://lauregrace.blogspot.com/

WendyB said...

The giant shot is AWESOME.

Leia said...

This seems like such a fun day! What an adventure.

Leia

yiqin; said...

Love the color of your cardi :D

the other emily said...

Oh man, now you have me missing Spain like woah. We ran into a few giants in Sevilla during an unknown-to-us feast day parade, and had absolutely no idea what was going on! These photos are absolutely great.
the other emily

Anthea said...

Absolutely beautiful pictures! Wow! Both the ones taken with the Pentax and digital are beautiful. Love this post, very inspirational to me on this Friday.

Have a great weekend,
Anthea

Closet Fashionista said...

Haha...yea....you just have to know where to go to find the cheap stuff here, which I do (sometimes)!! And I usually avoid the more expensive stuff because it makes me sad XD There was a See by Chloe dress on clearance at TJ Maxx and it was still $130 AND had a rip in it *rolls eyes*

Stevia said...

oh. it's bokeh!
I always want to have bokeh pictures
it just look super cool..

anyway, i love your whole ensemble!
you look cute but also super comfy

<3
http://escapesweetest.blogspot.com/

Lenne said...

How have you been? You look really pretty in these photos! ♥

Ashley said...

That picture with the kid and the giant statue...ADORABLE.

Anonymous said...

Giants and little boy is just perfect :D
Happy weekend!

That is one sweet playsuit btw

Victoria / Justice Pirate said...

I don't know if I even have my jelly bracelets anymore. I got rid of most of what I owned in 2006/2007.
I love this outfit you're wearing. All the things in this post are so cool and really beautiful!!!

Unknown said...

Ahh, how beautiful, the photos taken with the pentax look fab! xxxxxx

alwaysxbeing.blogspot.com