Elinor Nauen

Because of my visit not long ago, & because of my dear friend & native barcelonina Mercè, I have been following the Catalan independence saga closely. Nonetheless, I don't know the ins & outs enough to have a firm opinion, but it seems part & parcel of what's going on in so many places: people rocking their pretty comfortable boat for an idea, & seem sure to be worse off no matter how things play out.

One instinct is to rush to visit before it becomes impossible (war?!?!), the other is to stay far, far away & not risk getting trapped in any trouble. I mostly don't think anything will happen but....  Read More 

Alisa bought eyedrops here, a very old shop, on the Ramblas in Barcelona. I like the pictures I took of people, businesses, unremarkable buildings better than those of La Familia Sagrada, Gaudí's masterpiece cathedral, which look like postcards, except out of focus.

I like churches, don't get me wrong, but I'm interested in people, what they do, what they say, what they want.  Read More