The world is my playground is more than a phrase...it's a mindset. This past year has taught me that the world can be anyone's playground - if you want it to be.
Jose made this one of a kind poster for me and gave it to me yesterday. It incorporates the phrase, along with many of the predominant landmarks from my personal travels this past year. Thanks again, Jose...it's amazing.
AMSTERDAM --> PRAGUE --> BARCELONA --> LONDON --> ROME --> MILAN --> LONDON --> LEUVEN--> BRUSSELS --> ANTWERP --> COLOGNE --> AMSTERDAM --> ROTTERDAM --> PARIS --> LISBON --> MADRID --> ZURICH --> BERLIN --> SITGES --> LONDON --> SITGES --> GIRONA --> MADRID --> SEVILLE --> IBIZA --> MALAGA --> GRANADA --> ROME --> MILWAUKEE --> NYC --> ???
A few hours before I left for Rome, I noticed some fun new street art very close to my house in Poble Nou. I made a mental note to take some photos when I returned from Rome. Yesterday I went back when it was starting to get a bit dark. The lighting made for good photos, which you'll see below. Even better, a group of vagabonds were chatting in front of some older graffiti. I immediately saw an opportunity for a good photo. I didn't want to disturb them and wanted something more candid, so I took the third photo below while I was on a bicycle riding past them. For some odd reason, one of the guys shouted, "que tal, guapo" (how are you, sexy) as I rode past the group. The framing turned out very well considering that I captured it while moving on a bike.
I'm back and feeling a bit overwhelmed. All of the travel from this past month (Madrid, Seville, Ibiza, Granada, Malaga and Rome) has been a sensory overload, causing my head to feel like it is spinning. Now that I have a free calendar for the next 5 days, I must prepare for my return to the U.S. next week Tuesday (july 31st). I have mixed feelings, but overall I feel renewed and ready for something challenging.Time will tell what lies ahead for me.
I have lots of photos to review, organize and post after I get caught up. Watch for them within the next few days.
Both Granada and Malaga were remarkable. Unlike Barcelona, the culture in southern Spain is unmistakable Spanish.
I arrived in Barcelona on Saturday morning and Jose and I left for Rome earlier today, leaving less than 24 hours to prepare. It is my second time visiting Rome and his first. It is also my last trip before my departure to the U.S on July 31st. We're having lots of fun and eating extremely well.
Watch for some exciting posts before I leave for the U.S. Until then.
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I depart for Malaga and Granada in 3 hours. I arrive back to BCN late Friday night, but leave once again on early Sunday morning for Rome. I don't expect to post anything until I return from Rome on July 25th. P.S. Yes, Ibiza was amazing. I'll post photos when I return from Rome.
If you are bored and have time to burn, feel free to view my photos on Flick or browse old posts under the "journal topics" section on the lower right side of this page.
I'm not exactly sure why it's been so long since I posted mullet photos. They were some of my most popular posts. Go figure. Anyway, the Monday mullet madness continues with some Madridian mullets. Enjoy! 
Simply amazing. The photos show the beauty much better than I could ever explain it. View all of the photos here.
This guy owned what I think is the best tapas bar in Seville.
The Cathedral in Seville. Remarkable
Plaza España, Seville
Cathedral in SevilleIf this isn't the world's cutest old man then I don't know who is. He was enjoying a nice stroll along the beaches of Barcelona earlier today. His over sized clothes, socks pulled up, vest, hat that, gangster style, was slightly shifted to the side...too much. I love it!
Typical Spanish breakfast. Cafe con Leche (espresso w/ whole mike), pan (bread) w/ Jamon (ham).
Argentinian sausage - amazing
Cuban spiced chicken and beef with killer sauce.
Salmorejo, a very typical dish of Seville.
French crepe. "The Exotic": Chicken, nata, cheese and pineapple. Loved the mix of flavors.
The street art in Seville was very impressive. It was mostly concentrated around the Guadalquivir river area. Below are a few of the many photos that can be found on my Flickr page. Other Seville photos to follow.
More photo on my Flickr page.Top stencil artists from all over Europe gathered in Barcelona for the premier Difusor stencil summit. The results are remarkable. Below are some photos with a lot more on my Flickr page.
More information, along with some videos are on the Difusor site.
I arrived just a few hours ago and I'm leave for Ibiza in 4 hours. Just two quick days of craziness. I'll be back in Barcelona on Friday afternoon. See ya'll then.
**UPDATE**: I changed my flight to leave tonight at 22:30 and I now return late Saturday night. 4 days, 3 nights allows for more time to relax, party and maybe get in some trouble.
...and really enjoying it. Unlike Barcelona, Seville exudes everything Spanish. At the same time, I´m instantly transported back to Lisbon as I wander the narrow streets lined with mouth watering tapa bars and fun shops. The architecture is similar and the same colors are used. It´s absolutely stunning.
My initial impressions...
Photos and more info later.
Barcelona hosts A LOT of trade shows. The biggest and most well known is Bread & Butter, the premier European fashion trade show held in Barcelona biannually. Jose seems to know a lot of people in Barcelona and he was lucky enough to get two tickets for one of the parties during the night. It was held in a castle on the hills of Montjuic. Oh, the beautiful people. What an amazing time.
Below are a few photos. You'll find a lot more photos here. Enjoy!
More photos hereIguapop has quickly become my favorite art galleries in Barcelona. You may recall my scandalous photos from the Sergio Mora exhibition. The current exhibition is entitled "Bestial" and is curated by one of my favorite artists in Europe, Miss Van. You may recognize her other works in my numerous street art photos.
Below are a few of the pieces on display. View all of the Bestial exhibition photos here. Wow...
More photos here
Penelope Trunk of Brazen Careerist fame nailed it in a recent article where she discusses the shift in the American dream, as it pertains to work and life success. The following paragraph summarizes the article very well:
"The new American dream is about time. It's not a race to earn the most to buy the biggest. It's a dream of personal growth and quality relationships. And, despite the declarations coming from Pew about unreachable dreams, our dream is not about accumulating money to do what we love at the end. We are hell-bent on doing what we love the whole way."
Now, I have no issues with working 60 hours or more per week if it's for something you are passionate about. Sadly, that is not the case for most people. In most cases, it is a direct exchange of time for money. Even worse, this exchange occurs during what could be the very best years of your life. It's pretty sad. I've discussed this topic with many of my college friends and far too many have fell into this trap. It's a cycle that becomes increasingly difficult to break. It's far to easy to get used to the power, money...to the lifestyle.
Part of my reason for taking this time off was to explore. It's amazing what you discover when you take a detour in the game of life. Some may think I'm lost (the ones that typically think that have never experienced a "gap year" themselves...go figure). But I'm not lost. Their are still many questions that need to be answers, but I've never felt so focused.
Read more at her blog.
Back in Barcelona after an amazing weekend in Madrid for Orgullo. Watch for a post with photos and more details sometime before I leave for Seville on Sunday afternoon.
Side thought: Are the 80s and early 90s clothing style very popular in the United States this summer? The casual sport/street look is huge in many parts of Europe. Blocks of bold color, checkered patterns, huge prints on t-shirts and all shades of neon are just a few examples of styles that dominate a lot of clothes this summer.
