Two red Chairs

LONDON, UK Somewhere in London I found this shop dedicated mostly on pre-loved chairs. Linked to Xingfumama’s Pull Up a Seat Challenge

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

Tuesday Streetart Trompe l’oeil – 24

BARCELONA, SPAIN Trompe l’oeil is a technique used in art in which objects are painted their normal size in a very realistic way, to make people think that the objects are solid and real. (As defined by Collins dictionary). I saw this building in front of the Mercat de Santa Caterina in which this technique…

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….

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…

Ways to communicate…

In what ways do you communicate online? Migrating to Australia with my husband and one-year-old son left me homesick for a long time. Back then, snail mail was my lifeline to connect with my dad, workmates, and relatives due to the expense of long-distance calls. In today’s digital age, communication is easier but lacks the…

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…

Roadtrip: London to Edinburgh then back

Think back on your most memorable road trip. This is a suggested prompt for #Bloganuary Each road trip I’ve had holds its own charm, but the recent journey from London to Edinburgh last November, where my son Tim took the wheel, stands out as the most memorable and exhilarating experience. First stop was Cotswolds. The…

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…

Tuesday Streetart Gillespie Park – 22

FINSBURY PARK, LONDON This is a passage going to the Gillespie Park. Beside it, I found this pretty Street Art in the entrance to the Gillespie Park & Nature Reserve.

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…

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…

Tuesday Streetart – Banksy Originals- 21

BRISTOL, UK Here are two original murals by Banksy in Bristol. Well-hung Lover is best viewed from the Park Street bridge above Frogmore Street, as the work is approximately five metres above street level. The attention to detail is impressive because the windows are of the same size as those on surrounding buildings. The Girl…

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.

My 2023

My last post for this year is a look-back on the year that was. So many memories made and much to be grateful for. Linked to Cee’s FOTD and to Xingfumama’s Whatsoever is Lovely Challenge ————————- oOo ————————- Wishing all of you a blessed Christmas Season and joyous New beginnings… ————————- oOo ————————- “No matter…

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…

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

Tuesday Streetart – 18

BRISTOL, UK A street art by Irony (@whoamirony) & Boe (@placee_boe) that can be found in Back Road in Bristol.

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…