Streetart shutters

BARCELONA, SPAIN As we expected, after leaving the Banksy Museum, we encountered a number of street art murals adorning the shutter doors along our route. I can’t get enough of them. The artworks may not be that outstanding, but when you see so many of them in one place … that’s pretty cool. I am…

Wordless Wednesday

Give love whenever you can. The world needs more of that. BRISTOL, UK

Embracing Barcelona’s Charm: on Our Last Day

TRAVEL DIARY BARCELONA 4: We had no precise plan for our last day in Barcelona except for the Banksy Museum. We headed off from our hotel and went on the direction of the Arc de Triomf which is a memorial arch in Barcelona, Catalonia, Spain. It was built by architect Josep Vilaseca i Casanovas as…

Round Windows

BARCELONA, SPAIN Modern architecture of residential building with big round windows by architect Mario Catalan Nebot. Linked to Ludwig’s Monday Windows

Barcelona and Banksy

So, who is BANKSY? Not much is known about him, not even his real name, his date and place of birth. His works are mainly satirical takes on politics, pop culture and morality but he hides his real identity from the general public. Last October 2023, Jack and I decided to visit the Banksy Museum…

Warm colours of nature

This week, Egidio leads us for the Lens Artist Photo Challenge with the topic of Warm Colours. “Traveling is not just about reaching a destination; it’s about embracing the warmth of new experiences along the journey.” Autumn is my favorite time of the year, so twice already, I have opted to travel in the months…

Go and See It Now

I’m a part of the Melbourne Urban Sketchers group, though I don’t regularly attend as their sessions are usually on Sundays, and Jack prefers to rest on that day. Additionally, I’m an active member of Urban Sketchers Casey, a more intimate group that meets every second Friday of the month, and I make an effort…

A walk through Dali’s Mind in Figueres

TRAVEL DIARY: FIGUERES About a 40 minute bus ride from Girona took us to Figueres, the home town of Salvador Dali. “I want my museum to be a single block, a labyrinth, a great surrealist object. It will be [a] totally theatrical museum. The people who come to see it will leave with the sensation…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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…

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