Doors of Girona

One of the most historic sites in Spain is Girona that lies in northeast Catalonia. The doors in Girona are a mixture of extravagant and elegant ones. … simple, wooden and metal doors … and some mural and graffiti doors Linked to Dan‘s Thursday Doors

Day tripping to Medieval Girona

TRAVEL DIARY: GIRONA Left our hotel early for Barcelona Nord. I organised this day trip via Get Your Guide. Met our guide at platform 17/18, left at 8:30 and arrived in Girona, Spain, in about an hour. Explored Girona with a local guide, who shared Game of Thrones Season 6 details which was shot there….

She lost herself in the trees

For this week, Anne-Christine leads us with the challenge of picking a poem or quote and using 1-4 pictures to illustrate this. (Ooops Sorry for having an extra photo) I stumbled upon a brief poem by Christy Ann Martine on Google, and I was intrigued by its mystery. Here goes … She lost herself in…

Stachys Byzantina

Stachys byzantina or Lamb’s Ears, is an evergreen perennial known for its velvety silver leaves resembling lamb’s ear, and its fuzzy flowers. Saw this at the Wilson’s Botanic Gardens. Linked to Cee’s FOTD snd for John’s Cellpic Sunday

Sculptures in Placa de Catalunya

In the heart of Barcelona lies Plaça de Catalunya, a sprawling square graced by an array of public art, making it one of the city’s grandest open spaces. Renowned for its statues and vibrant atmosphere… Its fountains … At the edge of the square is my favourite Font dels Sis Putti, an attractive fountain built…

Laundry day

BARCELONA, SPAIN This is my initial entry for My Vivid Blog and the prompt today is Laundry. I just saw her blog on Brian’s space.

Barceloneta Beach

The Barceloneta Beach is one of the most visited and most famous beach in Barcelona. As we arrived late in the day, we witnessed the staff already in the process of removing chairs from the beachside eatery . Linked to Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge

Streetart Doors in Barcelona

In Barcelona, vibrant murals adorn front safety doors, cleverly doubling as advertisements for shops even when closed. Linked to Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge

Park Guell: a fairytale-like experience

TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 3: Another place not to be missed when visiting Barcelona is Park Güell: it’s a fairytale-like experience featuring whimsical architecture, vibrant mosaics, and lush gardens meticulously crafted by Antoni Gaudí. Took an Uber to the Carretera del Carmel entrance of Park Güell. We chose the earliest available slot, I factored in my…

As the sun sets

“Sunsets are the most peaceful moments that nature offers.” – Unknown The word “dramatic” immediately takes my thoughts to the enchanting canvas painted by sunsets. There’s a certain beauty and emotional intensity in the way the sun bids farewell, with a sense of drama and wonder. “As the sun sets, the world becomes a canvas…

A tiny plaza in El Born Gothic quarter

The Sant Pere de les Puelles Catholic church in the Plaza de San Pedro, or Placa Sant Pere, in the El Born Gothic quarter of Barcelona, Spain. I discover a quaint plaza nestled beside the church, adorned with inviting benches and chairs—an ideal spot for serene moments.

Doors of the La Sagrada Familia

Welcome back, everyone! We’re diving into Dan’s Thursday Doors challenge for 2024. Here’s my initial entry for the year. In 2015, they put the first doors on La Sagrada Familia’s Nativity façade Charity portal. Made by Etsuro Sotoo, the bronze doors with ivy leaves represent lasting love for Mary and Joseph. The doors on the…

Exploring the Wonders Within and Beyond Sagrada Familia

TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 2: It is not unusual to walk down the streets of Barcelona and not see art in whichever way or form. From Casa Batllo we walked about 10 minutes and we reached another of Gaudi’s masterpieces, Casa Mila, more popularly known as La Pedrera (meaning stone quarry in Catalan). We didn’t go…

My Personal Favourites for 2023

A photo becomes a favorite for various reasons. While it might not hold the same significance for everyone, for me, it’s the attached memories that make it special. Linked to Patti’s LAPC Challenge “Travel isn’t always pretty. It isn’t always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that’s okay. The journey changes…

Whimsical: for the child within you

Step into a storybook dessert place, adorned with lollipops, fairy floss and magical trees … a whimsical world of sweets. In Camden market, London, I saw this delightful sweets and ice cream shop called Hans & Gretel. I had this Ube (purple yam) & Honeycombe flavoured ice cream. Linked to Natalie’s Photographing Public Art Challenge…

Stepping to a new year

As we step into the new year, may our hopes and our wishes come true. Wishing for abundant joy, success, and cherished moments. Here’s to more family time, thrilling adventures, exciting travels, and moments of self-indulgence in the activities we love. Cheers to a fulfilling 2024! Linked to Johnbo’s Cellpic Sunday

Tuesday Streetart by Otto Schade – 20

LONDON, UK A typically painted interwoven ribbon creation by Otto Schade can be seen in Hawley Street in Camden Town. It is Amy Winehouse plus other examples of his work. This is a scheduled post for this week.

Tuesday Streetart Red Flowers -19

CATALUNYA, BARCELONA, SPAIN It’s such a waste when people vandalise a gorgeous mural. I found this one in Barcelona. It is a mural entitled Red Flowers by Bronik. _______________________________oOo____________________________________________ *Five days before Christmas, amidst the festive preparations, my husband and I find ourselves contending with COVID. Thankfully, our symptoms aren’t severe, marking our first experience…

A walk through Casa Batllo

TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 1: After tiring our legs out in Paris for four days, hubby and I opted for a more leisurely pace in Barcelona. Our plan: two key attractions at the most daily, with the rest of the time dedicated to leisurely strolls around the city. Walked approximately 25 minutes from our hotel to…

Hey Neighbour

A bush of pink flowers separate us from our neighbour. Linked to Cee’s FOTD Challenge And John’s Cellpic Sunday

Last chance bloopers

This is the last post for the Lens Artist Photo Challenge for the year. Led by Tina, we are asked to post photos that didn’t quite make it to the blog for this year of 2023. I will give it a go… Last Chance Here are some photos that were taken during my travels to the…

Moooo where is the train station?

AVEIRO, PORTUGAL Two Urban cows roaming at Aveiro train station in Portugal, their purpose is probably linked to charitable organizations, though I am really not quite sure Linked to Debbie’s 6WS and for Natalie’s PPAC.

Gaudi’s Chairs

BARCELONA, SPAIN Gaudi, famous for buildings like Casa Batlló and Sagrada Familia, also crafted impressive furnitures like these. Let me share with you some chairs inside the Casa Batllo that he designed.

Christmas comes alive in Covent Garden

COVENT GARDEN, UK I immersed myself in the enchanting ambiance of London, where every corner from pubs to alleyways to doorways are adorned with twinkling lights and festive wreaths. This is Covent Garden in the West End area with some of its festive doors. Linked to the last edition of Dan’s Thursday Doors Challenge for…

Azulejos in Portugal

Blue is the theme for the challenge this week for Cee’s Fun Foto Challenge – CFFC. What came to mind are the blue and white Azulejo tiles which are a Portuguese classic. Azulejos are beautiful ceramic tiles from the 14th century that decorate the streets, churches and buildings throughout Portugal. Capela das Almas The Chapel…

Pink Flowers at the Quinta

Dictionary says that in Portugal, a Quinta is a large house in the country or on the outskirts of a town. These are pink flowers with the backdrop of Quinta da Regaleira in Sintra, Portugal. Linked to Cee’s FOTD Challenge Photo taken in October 2023

Parisian Art Exploration

TRAVEL DIARY: PARIS 3 On our final day in Paris, October 11th, we aimed to explore as many Art attractions as we could before leaving. Initially, our plan was to visit Sainte Chapelle, but without a prebooking, the lengthy queue stalled our progress for 30 minutes. We opted to change course and explore another destination…

A magical journey

“Life is a magical journey, so travel endlessly to unfold its profound and heart touching beauty.” – Debasish Mridha I started traveling later in life. Growing up in a third-world country where travel was mostly for the wealthy, my dream of visiting magical places like Disneyland only came true when I went there with my…

Albania through Tim’s Lens

My son, Tim, recently spent several days working in Albania, where he was directing a music video. Despite his hectic schedule, I am delighted that he managed to spare some precious moments to capture stunning photos of vibrant murals for me. Also he captured enchanting Christmas-themed public art on the streets and within the hotel…

McKenzie Gardens

A lovely place to sit, walk, and enjoy the sights, perhaps even catching a glimpse of a playful squirrel. This is McKenzie Gardens in London. Linked to Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge