R.I.P. Canon SD600

In one of my recent posts I described the fun and intensity that defined my spring break adventure in Barcelona. The city is truly amazing with a vibrancy and energy that was at once appealing and intriguing. There was, however, one incident that left a bad taste in my mouth...and unfortunately left me without a camera for the duration of my travels. The element in question, which is now referred to by those present at the time simply as "the hooker incident," was the sole experience to put a tarnish on an otherwise fantastic holiday.

Now, I know what you're thinking. It wasn't like that, I swear! What actually happened is Marcus, Stephanie and I were out enjoying a night out on the town at what became our favorite bar. On our way back to the hostel in the darkest hours of the morning we suddenly came across a hoard of hookers. The hookers, surely sensing our vulnerability (we'd had a few), came at us like a school of sharks to fresh blood. I never would have imagined hookers to be so aggressive! There were hands everywhere as they swarmed us in a feeding frenzy of pickpocketing madness. It was all over so quickly. Unfortunately, although my personal assets were still intact, not all of my personal affects were. That dirty, marauding gang of thieving hookers got my digital camera. And while the camera itself was beginning to show its age, the real loss were the 200 or so irreplaceable photos I'd snapped thus far.

Despite that little stain on the city's reputation in my eyes, Barcelona remains a place of wonder and excitement. Like my grandfather used to say, "live and learn, die and know it all." I can't wait until I get to experience it again...but next time I'll be prepared for the unexpected. (photo by Marcus Koosmann)

A "Page-Turner" for the Design Inclined

Today I came across a fascinating and informative article about the all-too-covert relationship between form, surfacing, and meaning in design. I found "A Periodic Table of Form", expertly written by Gray Holland of San Francisco's Alchemy Labs, on Core 77 as one of this month's permanent links. Structured in a way that seems derived of a slide show presentation but with the verbal element transcripted, Holland walks readers through the evolution of surface sophistication and makes insightful comparison/contrasts between form languages found in nature and those created created for man-made objects.

Please, if design is an interest or if it even merely intrigues you, take a few minutes to read and absorb the content. If it sounds dry, its my own failure in not properly describing it. Remember, the day we stop learning is the day we stop caring.

P is for PORTO

Feb 28-March 3

Portugal. It always seemed so exotic, truly foreign among other countries which were merely not my own. Now that i've been there I know my perception was more accurate that I could have guessed. Tucked into the far corner of Spain, furthest from anywhere, Portugal is beautiful and distinct. Arriving at the Porto Airport, far larger and nicer than a city of a quarter million should have, we hopped the metro and were in downtown minutes later. It was late, we had no map, and the narrow cobblestoned streets seemed labyrinthine. And then, from the doorway of a tiny corner market came a little old woman. In a gesture symbolic of our whole Portuguese experience, she closed her shop and guided us down darkened narrow streets very nearly to the door of our hostel. We were taken aback at her kindness and courtesy, especially after being immersed in the French culture for the past several months. It really set the mood for the next several days.

Porto, Portugal's second largest city, hangs on hills overlooking the Rio Douro in the north of the country, just in from the coast. There we wandered old streets twisting steeply up the banks of the river and ate amazing grilled local delicacies in restaurants recommended by locals. We crossed the river and took tours of a few of the more than 40 port wineries, including Sandeman, tasting their products and truly enjoying life. We had drinks 17 stories above the city in Porto's tallest building, and wandered the pedestrian streets filled with galleries and boutiques. On the last day we took a port-fueled stroll through an lush old park where I was nearly assaulted by a peacock, then later rode the bus along the river out to the beach and watched the sun set over the Atlantic while the choppy surf crashed against an ancient stone pier. Porto was completely different than our previous destination, and a total surprise in general. We had picked it on sort of a whim without knowing a thing about it, but it proved to be a idyllic place to let both the mind and feet wander. It was absolutely beautiful; I hope to have the chance to visit again.

B is for BARCELONA

Feb 25-28

Barcelona was the first leg of my spring break travels this year. I had never been to Spain before and, despite a journey that became long and arduous, it was well worth the effort. Arriving in the city we settled at the hostel, heard our stomaches growling, and headed out for our first night. We walked up Las Ramblas, the huge pedestrian boulevard that divides the city, running inland from the towering tribute to Colombus at the harbor. The other expats I was traveling with, Arthur, Marcus, and Stephanie, had never been there either and we were quickly absorbed into the chaos and fun the city had to offer. Over the course of the next three days we did it all...or damn near. We ate amazing tapas, drank more than our fill of sangria, and stayed out most of the night. We got lost in the Gothic District, had drinks at a hill-top restaurant perched above the harbor with a 270 view of the city and ocean, and wandered into outdoor markets the likes of which i'd never seen. We bought beer from shady dudes on the beach and waded in the Mediterranean.

And then there was the Gaudi work. The Sagrada Familia, Gaudi's masterpiece cathedral, is without a doubt one of the most stunning, striking, mind-boggling structures ever created. I wandered its concrete forest floors, hiked its dizzying spires, and studied the baffling interplay of complexity and simplicity present in every detail.

When it was time to depart for the next leg of the journey it was hard to go. Barcelona really wasn't what i expected...it was better.