The last few months have been as eventful as ever
and with the warm spring weather, we had an influx of
guests of family and friends. Some of La Famiglia (the
family) from Sicily visited and also friends from the
U.K. popped across to see the sights. I started March
2007 off with a trip to the Nou Camp stadium, the home
of the football club F.C. Barcelona, to see what is
one of the matches of every season in the Spanish league,
Barcelona v Real Madrid. The image below left shows
the magnificent stadium (although it has no roof so
if it rains you are 'left out to dry' - excuse the pun).
Football in Barcelona is more than a sport, with football
a part of their regional pride as it was the only way
they had to express their culture under Franco’s
dictatorship.
On the right a picture we took during the flamenco
festival, in Barcelona. This festival takes place in
Barcelona every year at the end of April, it is called
Feria de Abril and it is dedicated to the Andalusians
who emigrated to Barcelona, this is why flamenco (that
originated in Andalusia) is such an important part of
it.
...and May 2007 also saw the arrival in Barcelona
of Chris 'The Blackthorn' McCormack. Chris and
his girlfriend Catherine arrived for a week's
holiday and on the first evening we held a Poker
night. Below left a picture of Chris, Catherine
and Maria (a Spanish friend who we originally
met in Bristol, UK). In the other picture, below
right some more friends (and Valeria).
All
photos by Valeria Lo Iacono & Paul Symonds - 2007
If you have never attended a Formula 1 grand prix
then we would highly recommend it! In between the
cars driving around in circles, there is a great
day to be had. Below pictures from our visit to
the Barcelona Grand prix, May 2007. On the left,
one of the Ferraris as it thunders past us, and
in the right side photos, a picture of myself and
our good friend Richard Doleman.
Valeria and I took the following pictures in Sitges,
a fishing village south of Barcelona. Sitges used
to be a quiet fishing village but nowadays, because
of its beautiful beaches and proximity to Barcelona,
it has become the most expense town in Spain. In
the photo below left, Valeria on Sitges promenade
and on the right a back street in Sitges, where
there are a lot of nice expensive villas.
Sitges is also famous for its Carnival and as the
unofficial gay capital of Spain. The carnival in February/March,
results in the streets being full of people in fancy
dress and with a large street parade. Sitges is the
gayest Carnival of all, in every sense, with a lot of
men dressed as drag queens. There is also though a children's
parade and a large family atmosphere during carnival.
The pictures below were taken on a brief trip we
did across the pond to London, England. London is
a city that always has something interesting to
offer and on this trip on this nice spring day,
we walked around Hyde Park. The images below show
Valeria (with the Millennium wheel in the background)
and also a picture of a proud pigeon, who keeps
watch over the park.
Below myself with the mythical Big Ben, in London, and
poker face Valeria, very concentrated, as she is about
to win.
And she always says she does not like playing cards…
Last but not least, one of my favourite monuments
in London.
The great British statesman Winston Churchill.
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