Bicing.

I’ve got a bike, well not one; I’ve got 1.500 bikes!!!!
Since I got back in town I’ve been desperate looking for a bike, but in Barcelona, having a second hand bike has become a cool thing to do.
So, after reading through all the ads and check the second hand market, I’ve decided to get my “bicing” card.
“Bicing” is a new way of transport around Barcelona, it’s cost is 24€ per year, the cheapest transport ever!
The thing is that there’s only stations in the city centre, so people like me, which lives in Poble Nou, Horta or Sants, has to walk around 15 min. to get to the closest station, but once you are on the bike…. Barcelona is YOURS!!!!
I’ve got my card yesterday and I’ve used just 2 times, we’ll see if it’s worth its 24€!!!
For more info: www.bicing.com

TIPS for Sagrada Familia!

I'm back in Barcelona. It's hot really hot, and it doesn't rain at all!
I'm working in Sagrada Familia, the most popular tourist attraction in town. Last year 1'5 million people visited Sagrada Familia, and let me tell you, I'm sure more than half of these people didn’t spend more than 30 mins. In it!!!! Well maybe 2 hours, just cueing to take the lift....
If you ever come to visit Sagrada Familia, here are some tips...
1- Be aware that Sagrada Familia is under construction, it's an unfinished building, so if you are not really interested don't even bother to pay 8€ to get in plus 2€ to get the lift. What you see from outside it's almost the same that what you see inside, the inside is full of scaffolding and rude builders, and people cueing two hours to take a lift.
2- if you go in! At least spend 3,5€ in a guided tour or in an audio guide or you won't get a thing of all the meanings of the sculptures and different techniques. And don't you bother cue for 2 hours and then pay 2€ to take a lift, it's just a lift. There’s nothing up there, just the view of Barcelona, and there's better views of Barcelona from Monjuic and Tibidabo... and they are free of cues and free of charge!!!

The image is from Leopold Kessler an artist which has some work exhibited in Sta. Monica Art Centre.

Last week we had a power cut in Barcelona, half of the city spent 4 days without light! Sagrada Familia was part of that half and… well they kept on charging 8€ to everybody even though they couldn’t see anything!!!

Nice and busy week!!!

Uaahhh!! I’ve been really busy this week. It’s my last one in Rotterdam and I believe I gone crazy, I’m not going to university anymore and I’m just enjoying the city and it’s surroundings and it’s great.
Last week I went to NAI (museum of architecture), I went to TENT and Witte de Witt ( two art galleries), I went to a presentation in Foundation BAD and I’ve been cycling around the city and to other villages. Of course I’ve been going out as well and drinking a bit! Ips!
Tomorrow we’ll go to the beach by bike, it’s about 30 km away.. Let’s see how my legs respond to that!
The photo… well the photo is from an artist I’ve been looking lately, her name id Margaret Salmon, she is my age and she creates amazing films about anonymous people and their everyday life.
More info…
http://www.wdw.nl/project.php?id=151

Useful Photography.

Well, as you might know, I'm in Rotterdam, but not for long. In two weeks we are flaying back to Barcelona and well, I'd like to share some images of this amazing city with you.
I really enjoyed my stay here, even though at the beginning snowed, rain and I was poor. But after a while things got better and better and now, I must say, I've been really happy in this city.
Anyway, hope you enjoy this image.

There's an exhibition of the useful photography team in the Photographers Gallery in London.
Check it out!

http://www.photonet.org.uk/

Cows and emigrants.

"A standard method is used worldwide to photograph cows and bulls."

Hello again. You can write any comments you want, I've changed the settings!

Anyway, you'll wonder why I have a photo of a cow... well, today I've been in the photo museum in Rotterdam. The collection wasn't amazing as I suspected but there were some interesting images from the 70's of Bas Jan Ader and all the other Dutch performers.
But in the bookshop I found this magazine called Useful Photography, and well, the images are really powerful and useful, here are some of their main ideas:

" Cut out a photograph from a wholesale butcher's brochure, hang it over your bed, and a year later you still won't be bored of it"
"The pictures in Useful Photography 002 show the surprising creativity of the amateur photographer in the world of virtual selling"

Hahaha… have fun with it.
If you want to visit the photo museum try to get in for free the 6€ aren’t worth it. The building seems unfinished, with the posters and sings hanged with tape folded to create a double sided tape… and well… the distribution is a mess, you get lost all the time, and sometimes you get in a room and you don’t know if it’s part of the exhibition, the library or the toilets…
Maybe the photo museum in Amsterdam is better.
Anyway the place is very interesting; it’s close to the NY hotel, the place where the emigrants meet to set off to America.
You could feel all the spilled tears over years and years of European emigration to America during the WWII.

Hello ....

Hello Bristolians, Rotterdamers... Barcelonins... since I keep on travelling and meeting marvellous people from around the world, I thought it would be nice to let you know what do I do and my day by day life.

Today for example I've been experimenting the 'solitude'. It's a scary word and a scary feeling, at least for me.
But today I've been enjoying my solitude.
Nim left early in the morning around 7 to catch a flight to Helsinki. I accompanied him to the train and after leaving the station I realised I was by my self in Rotterdam and it was the first time I was awake that early, so happily I went for a stroll. I had my lomo so I stopped every now and then to take some photos until I got back home.
I had a strange feeling, I was feeling sad because Nim wasn't there, but at the same time I was enjoying the feeling of being by myself, so I slept for 2 hours and woke up to go to the market and buy some food. At the beginning I panicked and run to txt some people, but when I graved my phone I realised I wanted to be by myself, and enjoy my solo day in Rotterdam, in my flat...
I took my bike and I cycle around the lake, I picked my blanket and a book and sat for hours on the beach, it was great, I felt fresh and relaxed, with no pressure, with plenty of time to enjoy without spending money, buying things or chatting away ... it was me and my time and I'm really glad about it.

I'll post some images when I have them back.