There’s Something Fishy about Barcelona’s Public Market

June 8, 2020June 7, 2020 / Curt Mekemson / 20 Comments

Meet Jaws. I met him at Barcelona’s public market.

Barcelona’s public market, La Boqueria, was on our must-see list when we visited the city in 2015. It’s rightfully famous for its size, variety of food, tapa bars and number of tourists. Not surprisingly, Catalans have become a bit grouchy about the latter. “Buy fish, don’t take photos!” one yelled at me. Little did he know that I was helping him out. If more people featured ugly seafood in their photos of La Boqueria instead of chocolate and oranges and mushrooms, and peppers, and corn, and garlic and strawberries, and cheese, and delightful tapa bars, fewer people would visit. Heck, fewer tourists would likely come to Barcelona. Problem solved.

So think of this as my campaign to help the Catalans who are hoping that the tourist numbers don’t climb into the stratosphere again when the coronavirus ends. The slogan for the campaign is, “Barcelona: Stop and Smell the Fish— but Don’t Let Them Bite You!”

While Jaws won the contest as poster child for the campaign, Ugly was a close second.

I don’t want to discriminate against other forms of seafood. This squid was hardly cute.

It’s hard to qualify shrimp for the campaign, but…

I’ll conclude with this photo, also a serious contender for poster child. I don’t have a clue what it is but I would be hard pressed to identify it as edible! Maybe some of the folks who follow my blog can identify it. Maybe they will even declare it is absolutely delicious!

NEXT POST: It won’t be on ugly seafood. (grin)

Sagrada Familia… Barcelona’s Masterpiece of Art and Faith Soars Toward the Sky

May 29, 2013March 25, 2018 / Curt Mekemson / 20 Comments

An interior photo of Sagrada Familia in Barcelona Spain

Walking into Sagrada Familia and looking up is like entering a totally different world.

Barcelona arrived in the Twentieth Century with its own brand of Art Nouveau, Modernisme. Combining whimsical and practical with a healthy dollop of nature, Barcelona’s Catalan artists and architects did a makeover of their city. Antoni Gaudi (1852-1926), the best known among the Modernistas, added strong religious belief to his work and became the architect of Sagrada Familia, the Church of the Holy Family.

Started in 1883, the church continues to be a work in progress today. Like the great cathedrals of the Gothic and Renaissance periods, it is a work of generations, and like the great cathedrals of Europe, is a masterpiece of art and architecture. Peggy, I, and our traveling companions walked inside and could only stare in awe at the beauty. I’ve selected the photos for this blog to provide a sense of why.

The front of Sagrada Familia reflects Antoni Gaudi’s love of nature and is sometimes described as looking like a melting cake. My thoughts are a melting ice cream cake. The church is a work in progress. The four towers are the first of 14.

Sagrada Familia towers representing Matthew, Mark, Luke and John.

A close up of the towers. The lower right shows doves that Gaudi included on the church.

Subirachs ' Passion sculpture on Sagrada Familia in Barcelona

This sculpture found on the opposite side of the church is one of many included in Joseph Marin Subirachs’ story of Christ’s death. I found the modern sculptures both powerful and moving.

Subirachs sculptures on Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

More sculptures by Subirachs.

Another view looking up inside of Sagrada Familia. The columns inside the church range from 36 to 72 feet tall. The ceiling vault reaches a height of 200 feet. The final tower, which will rest on the beams and ceiling, will soar 560 feet into the air, making it the tallest church steeple in the world.

The columns in Sagrada Familia come in different colors and follow Gaudi’s nature theme. Designed to symbolize tree trunks, they branch at the top. The clear windows will eventually be replaced with stained glass windows.

Stained glass windows in Sagrada Familia

The majority of beautiful stained glass windows are already in place. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

This, and the two photos below, provide more examples of stained glass windows in the church.

Stained glass windows in Sagrada Familia

A rather unique set of stained glass windows.

I thought this interior photo captured the etherial quality of Sagrada Familia.

I love this artistic juxtaposition of the organ pipes and stained glass windows taken by Peggy. (Photo by Peggy Mekemson)

The Crucifix that hangs above the altar.

A final view of Sagrada Familia. Cranes show work in progress. The church is scheduled to be finished in 2026.

NEXT BLOG: We leave the Mediterranean and head for Lisbon.

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La Boqueria: Barcelona’s World Class Market… Seaports of the Mediterranean

May 24, 2013January 24, 2015 / Curt Mekemson / 19 Comments

A front view of the busy La Boqueria. The sign and building were done in Barcelona’s famous Modernista art style.

What a place… a kaleidoscope of colors, smells, noises and textures– an imagination gone wild. I walked into the Boqueria Market just off of Barcelona’s Ramblas (most famous street and pedestrian way in Barcelona) and I was captured; enthralled may be a better word. I could have spent a week alone with the fish. There were fruits and vegetables and breads and nuts and meats and drinks… not to mention some 200 square feet of chocolate delights! Who wouldn’t go crazy? Imagine going here to shop instead of your local Safeway or Wal-Mart.

La Boqueria is first mentioned in Barcelona literature in 1217. It may have started as a goat market. The market arrived at its present location in 1835 when St. Josephs Convent burned down. Today it is one of Europe’s best known fresh produce markets, a favorite of both locals and travelers… especially travelers with cameras. One stall owner even yelled at me, “No, no take pictures. Buy.” I could empathize… but I could no more not take photos than refuse to breathe.

Peggy spent what seemed like hours checking out the 200 square feet of chocolate wonders…

… while I was intrigued by the strange fish. This one had a face only its mother could love.

I promptly named this guy Jaws.

Squid, anyone?

I found these shrimp colorful…

… and these, uh, weird.

I found most photos on the web featured fruit stalls like this at La Boqueria rather than my fish. I wonder why? (Photo by Peggy Mekemson… Peggy does not take photos of weird fish)