Las doce uvas de la suerte

In Spain the twelve bongs of New Year are counted down with grapes. One must consume one grape completely per bong, in order to achieve prosperity and maintain a healthy immune system during the coming year. This tradition was popularised in the early 1900s by grape framers in Alicante, who wanted to buy extensions for their houses.

Unfortunately I had inadvertently selected thirteen grapes, as you can see. This means I will have another 13 months of despondency and financial terror.

Dinner in Catalonia

The roof of La Tieta de Manuel Focus.

My eyes etc.

The woman I was having dinner with was thrown out of the restaurant, because she wasn't wearing enough chequered red clothing.

Irritation is the sincerest form of flattery part two.

This image is made up of 500 separate pictures, all of which were deleted except for the first one.

I'm halfway to Heaven.

Melon District roof

The queue for my sweet chilli mango cups

The Melon District

I am staying in the Melon District, so known because it was THE place to get melons in Barcelona until well into the 80s. Now sadly they're everywhere.

Selfie at The Arc De Triompf

Everyone at the Arc De Triompf was taking selfies of each other in front of the arch, which looked like a really great thing to do, so I did one too. I forgot my new phone has a front-facing camera though, so it didn't really work. But you can imagine.

Montjuic

French tourists

The man asked me, in English, if I spoke English. I replied that I did. Emboldened, he then enquired - in French - if I spoked French. Once again I replied that I did. Having thus got to know one another a little bit, he asked me to take a picture of him and his companion, with the venetian towers at Placa Catalunya in the background (he said his camera was broken).

In my halting French, I tried to explain that the extreme wide-angle perspective correction lens I had on my camera wouldn't be appropriate for such an image, and that in any case I am a poor photographer of people. It was problematic that I couldn't remember the French for 'extreme wide-angle perspective correction lens'. However I did point out to him that the picture would be on my camera, and that I was not going to spend the rest of my life with him. He laughed and started whistling La Marseillaise, so I just got on with it.

I told you I don't do people pictures.

Back in Barcelona

A day out in the country

I went out for a walk in the countryside. It was fruitless. But it was nice to see some animals in their natural habitat.

Fainting with damn praise

the act of a scoundrel

I recently saw a huge print of Gursky's epic urban panorama of an apartment block in Montparnasse, Paris, made up of several images stitched together. It reminded me that he stole this idea off me. Like this one I did today in Carrefour. I am a genius. You can't even see the join.

I said there would be less bullshit this trip but it's not working out that way so far.

old film pictures

Before we begin, here are some film scans from the last couple of trips. These usually get left out as I can't scan them till I get home. So in response to all the requests, here are some random scans. A few more to come if I can be bothered. 

Colour is terrible as I'm working on an uncalibrated laptop from the 50s.

2013

2014

Victor

Here is is, by popular demand! Now please stop emailing me! 

Yes! Sue Pandasandwich is on holiday again... again!

Surprise! Dear readers, the rumours are true, you won't have to wait until summer for your favourite holiday photography blog to return! I'm back on the road, Xmas 2014 style!

This trip will feature: Victor! France! Barcelona! 2015! And less bullshit and more photographs!