Links lately

Spring in full bloom-College Green, Bristol, May 2014.

-My friend's music. We were college mates in MBI and it's super cool because he's the only Egyptian friend I know of. His guitar and composing skills are really good.
-Kyuhyun's farewell album "Goodbye For Now". He just enlisted in the army so it will be a sad two years without new music from my favourite Korean singer. :( Watch the song's mv on youtube here.
-I've been really into creating planning excel/spreadsheets after watching this video tutorial. ;)
-This Chicago photographer/storyteller (her genuine sharing about faith and life is quite inspiring)
-Kdrama: Fight For My Way is quite cute and fun to watch
-Just finished reading Howard Gardner's "Changing Minds" and it's cool to think about multiple intelligences and read the stories/examples of leaders who have changed people's minds with their rhetoric etc.
-Just getting into this Goblin ost "Beautiful": Crush's original version & Kyu's cover of it
-more lifestyle/real people instagrammers: erin & kristyu

Chicago Memories--summer 2009

Downtown Chicago

I've been gathering/organising things out of the old boxes that we haven't opened since moving and I come across many Chicago memories. Opening up boxes of souvenirs and keepsakes is like opening up forgotten memories; opening up archived photos folders opens up forgotten feelings and moments. Here are some photos from a summer almost forgotten.

Back to Barcelona Day 2

By now, I have figured out that the favourite cities that I have visited are places that thrive with art, history, and good food. I loved Melbourne for all the creative sculptures around the city, the free art galleries and good brunches/coffee. Lately, I have been missing this Barcelona trip, for the same good reasons. It was such an enjoyable trip, a saturated sensory experience--filled with sunshine, tapas, Gaudi/Picasso/Dali, fresh smells of pastries and coffee, guitar music in the squares, the Catalan language (which I realised was really different from Spanish), the stirring dynamic moves of the flamenco dancers, and the vibrant colours at Park Guell/the Sagrada Familia.
I had blogged about Day 1 of my trip and some phone edits, so now I will continue on the long overdue Day 2 in Barcelona.
We started day 2 with Park Guell, a private estate turned public garden designed by Gaudi.

 After strolling around the beautiful park, we headed back into town.

I love walking through the streets and seeing all the pretty shopfronts.

 Next, we came across the Palau de la Música Catalana, which is a concert hall that is found next to a cramped street. We wanted to see if we could go in to see a concert, but there were no suitable offerings for the time we were there. 

Another Gaudi offering is next on our list, the Guell Palace, a mansion Gaudi designed for a tycoon Mr. Guell back in 1888. This is the entrance, fit for a horse carriage to enter and exit.

 We went to the basement of the house first, which has the stable and courtyard.

 Every detail is a work of art worth admiring, and really something unique.

Underneath the central dome

Overlooking the balcony of a neighbour

 The attic:

 The rooftop has a 15-metre high sphire and 20 chimneys that double as sculptures:

Views from the rooftop:

The Columbus Monument peeking through the roofs and cable cars

After we left the Guell Palace, we turned a corner off the main street and found the Placa Reial, a square that is quite happening, surrounded by restaurants and shops. There is a fountain in the middle and I absolutely love the palm trees there. 

Then, we walked towards the other end of La Rambla street and reached the Columbus Monument without knowing that it is there, and eventually found the waterfront area that has been designed as a leisure area.

Standing at the foot of the monument that commemorates Columbus' voyage to America. He came back to report to the Spanish king and queen.

 Little snack from the supermarket.