Las Arenas, Barcelona- from bullring to shopping centre

div class=’posterous_autopost’pspan style=”font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;”Only British architectstrong Richard Rogers/strong could turn a Bullring into a shopping centre! He kept the exterior but raised it about 5m and built this amazing steel support structure inside to support the floors with shops and cinemas etc. Around the roof is a circular terrace with cafes and restaurants with some of the best views in strongBarcelona/strong. Forget the shopping, go see the building! Here is what it looked like while under construction from the architects web page:nbsp;/spanbr style=”font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;” /a href=”http://www.rsh-p.com/work/all_projects/las_arenas/construction#Barcelona” class=”ot-anchor” style=”color: #3366cc; cursor: pointer; text-decoration: none; font-family: arial, sans-serif; line-height: 18px;”http://www.rsh-p.com/work/all_projects/las_arenas/construction/a/p pdiv class=’p_embed p_image_embed’ a href=”http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/tgukniEGjkamcDlvoywbreFunyxdcwnlJbbFDhCsuDeCtEtCrwbBmhjabfil/P1050715.jpg.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050715″ height=”667″ src=”http://getfile4.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/tgukniEGjkamcDlvoywbreFunyxdcwnlJbbFDhCsuDeCtEtCrwbBmhjabfil/P1050715.jpg.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/fpgDhdAHoIqqkheigztCjvwcFDyvsFpEvrggynDJinoAwsuiFyrFpbrHsnJC/P1050711.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050711″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/fpgDhdAHoIqqkheigztCjvwcFDyvsFpEvrggynDJinoAwsuiFyrFpbrHsnJC/P1050711.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/AHFEvvhIfuumujeitvrzHxyDkdkgoplAjotkooqFIzumfytvCcapyuIGftfF/P1050688.jpg.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050688″ height=”667″ src=”http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/AHFEvvhIfuumujeitvrzHxyDkdkgoplAjotkooqFIzumfytvCcapyuIGftfF/P1050688.jpg.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/bmyrchhCjwDxhxEiImCBtezknufBqlBIqBshiqhAJzvGetbsApzeJHsjBavz/P1050697.jpg.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050697″ height=”667″ src=”http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/bmyrchhCjwDxhxEiImCBtezknufBqlBIqBshiqhAJzvGetbsApzeJHsjBavz/P1050697.jpg.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/JgmnxEyuAamkgGjICJswbcEwzBlAbkfIIngqjxbyohtqzFczzDapupsBotDx/P1050713.jpg.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050713″ height=”667″ src=”http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/JgmnxEyuAamkgGjICJswbcEwzBlAbkfIIngqjxbyohtqzFczzDapupsBotDx/P1050713.jpg.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/bjjuedzpDCgrcaAmnEeGffGdImbigxjyofCqmFglvfeBdzqxBGwJjIjdjqvD/P1050718.jpg.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050718″ height=”667″ src=”http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/bjjuedzpDCgrcaAmnEeGffGdImbigxjyofCqmFglvfeBdzqxBGwJjIjdjqvD/P1050718.jpg.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/vCdyGEyzGyuwevteaCaJoFbHitGmguoGpvjxnvEgiDydEoDmyazapmJnwElB/P1050727.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050727″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/vCdyGEyzGyuwevteaCaJoFbHitGmguoGpvjxnvEgiDydEoDmyazapmJnwElB/P1050727.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile5.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/sCAgtICfoheBGCiDAfnDDcCJsqroygpAedbtoavybwvsuyEBdBipaeoIoxfp/P1050734.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050734″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/sCAgtICfoheBGCiDAfnDDcCJsqroygpAedbtoavybwvsuyEBdBipaeoIoxfp/P1050734.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/EodykIiEIelquyxlfIejztjDIbwoHDsqfqgCFmgBbyvxigvGgqwaekuviyjb/P1050738.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050738″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile1.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-16/EodykIiEIelquyxlfIejztjDIbwoHDsqfqgCFmgBbyvxigvGgqwaekuviyjb/P1050738.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a div class=’p_see_full_gallery’a href=”http://gironaj.com/las-arenas-barcelona-from-bullring-to-shoppin”See the full gallery on Posterous/a/div /div /p/div

Castanyes everywhere-it must be Fires!

div class=’posterous_autopost’pThe strongFires or Festival of Girona/strong continues apace with the holiday for strongAll Souls (Tot Sants/strong) on nov 1st being the busiest day. All around town but especially near the fairgrounds are stalls selling chestnuts (castanyes) and sweet potatoes which are a Fires tradition in itself. The monopoly on these stalls seems to belong to the gipsy community of strongGirona/strong and make for colourful characters as all family members are involved from children to grandparents./p pFires ends this sunday 6th of november with a spectacular firework display so if can make it, do so, strongGirona/strong is on fire!/p pdiv class=’p_embed p_image_embed’ a href=”http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/vleBAthgCgcazkJwdCfbfvxiszDnialGCxzoDwGfvhowxbybtjqDIfquCfii/P1050025.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050025″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/vleBAthgCgcazkJwdCfbfvxiszDnialGCxzoDwGfvhowxbybtjqDIfquCfii/P1050025.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/HakDrqrnidFusGegmqhvyeepvwkcxmsJksAicnnDwCqEdbkDbdGAlfzJkqhh/P1050019.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050019″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/HakDrqrnidFusGegmqhvyeepvwkcxmsJksAicnnDwCqEdbkDbdGAlfzJkqhh/P1050019.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/HhDpiiwmmHhnpJIJBiiduuBlvedyDoIEhIklrmkwpmbeEpFifsygmnarudvf/P1050044.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050044″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile6.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/HhDpiiwmmHhnpJIJBiiduuBlvedyDoIEhIklrmkwpmbeEpFifsygmnarudvf/P1050044.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/zqrsuanbJnAdhiaexuzuukhhHDfmAGHBFxHujAnIyGsgCEysEHkeatoAFAcz/P1050023.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050023″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/zqrsuanbJnAdhiaexuzuukhhHDfmAGHBFxHujAnIyGsgCEysEHkeatoAFAcz/P1050023.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/lkqfFsaGIaCdtudwDjtwhzgIhyiGnAoAiwxcCjirvIrHqBjfomvIEsqmHEbG/P1050018.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050018″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile3.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/lkqfFsaGIaCdtudwDjtwhzgIhyiGnAoAiwxcCjirvIrHqBjfomvIEsqmHEbG/P1050018.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/FbenwricsayrepehwopwhgDFpbmchwfexqyuwtBoyBqhgcdrwehFowigyaju/P1050031.JPG”img alt=”P1050031″ height=”375.0″ src=”http://getfile2.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/FbenwricsayrepehwopwhgDFpbmchwfexqyuwtBoyBqhgcdrwehFowigyaju/P1050031.JPG” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/anhndmvGzAhkzxeGajenxDgwngtDbfHiivoIesrrIswDzuzlwsfHCgdkmpEr/P1050035.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050035″ height=”375″ src=”http://getfile9.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/anhndmvGzAhkzxeGajenxDgwngtDbfHiivoIesrrIswDzuzlwsfHCgdkmpEr/P1050035.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile0.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/dCdbwvHpscowtyHkCIoBBfJxvAgHaAcEEeJpAjxcFvxowzvovnAihgdpCjIB/P1050047.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050047″ height=”667″ src=”http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/dCdbwvHpscowtyHkCIoBBfJxvAgHaAcEEeJpAjxcFvxowzvovnAihgdpCjIB/P1050047.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/djabHkedlCCctfqAwbuEertqxjAlkkbyFeycjhCCtkkfjjiimsxHBtbrojdC/P1050049.JPG”img alt=”P1050049″ height=”375.0″ src=”http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/djabHkedlCCctfqAwbuEertqxjAlkkbyFeycjhCCtkkfjjiimsxHBtbrojdC/P1050049.JPG” width=”500″ //a a href=”http://getfile7.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/dBuDnxkrAJznzaBbnxrqtqxqdywxyBjxmDbvfkteIyadyHfezAxywIfHhAJI/P1050053.JPG.scaled1000.jpg”img alt=”P1050053″ height=”667″ src=”http://getfile8.posterous.com/getfile/files.posterous.com/temp-2011-11-02/dBuDnxkrAJznzaBbnxrqtqxqdywxyBjxmDbvfkteIyadyHfezAxywIfHhAJI/P1050053.JPG.scaled500.jpg” width=”500″ //a div class=’p_see_full_gallery’a href=”http://gironaj.com/castanyes-everywhere-it-must-be-fires”See the full gallery on Posterous/a/div /div /p/div

When I went down to the market today….

Girona has a covered market with all types of fresh food and then outside the building various stall holders set up as well. Here you can find all the seasonal fruit and vegetables as well as exotic items like black figs, quince, snails, chestnuts, pomegranates and mushrooms of all types even though this year they are expensive because of a lack of rain and therefore supply is limited.

We always have a great selection of fruit and veggies but autumn seems to have some especially yummy things on offer so take a look!

La carbonera de Forallac- the ancient art of making charcoal

The municipality of Forallac near La Bisbal decided in 1993 to bring back some of the country traditions which had been used in the hills of Les Gavarres by local residents before the skills dissapeared forever.

To this end every year they hold a 2 week re-creation of how charcoal was traditionally made in the area. It involves stacking in a circular form the hard oak which is found in these hills called thealsina, with layers of heather covering them and then earth on top until all the wood has been stacked into a mound with only the earth visible and smoke coming out of the top. This circular form is built up in a mound around a hole in the middle where the smoke exits and the fire sucks in oxygen to provide the slow burn needed to carbonize the wood without destroying it.

The whole procees of transforming wood into charcoal takes 10 days to 2 weeks and meanwhile hundreds of school children come to visit as well as people to enjoy a picnic in the forest. On the last weekend when the mound is torn down the charcoal is distrubuted to the picnickers to make their barbecues and grilltheir favourite meat dishes which adds a traditional taste, yum, yum!

Riots in Girona? No just the annual “correfocs” festival

“Correfocs” literally translated means running with fire and that’s exactly what happens through the Old Town of Girona on the night of the 31st of october every year. The organisers are dressed in costumes and some are on stilts supported by some heavy drum beats while they set off multiple fireworks and explosions all around while joined by hundreds of mostly young people all dancing in the shower of sparks. They wear old clothes and cover their heads and faces to avoid being burned but the danger is of course the best part!

The whole procession weaves up past the cathedral through the narrow streets making for spectacular images with the noise, smell of cordite and clouds of smoke adding to the experience of hell as we follow the devil into his lair…