Sydney

The Whitsundays

Viladrau

A couple of weeks ago, Toni and i were invited to Viladrau. A quaint little village in the mountains where some friends have a beautiful big country house. We drove up on saturday and arrived in time for lunch. Its not far from Barcelona,less than 2 hours. The road up there is picturasque and any motorbike fanatics wet dream. The roads are lined with trees changing colours to oranges and yellows and ready to throw away all their leaves at any sign of a breeze. The last 20 minutes of the trip see the road sloping upward and before you know it, there in front of you you have a spectacular view of the Pyrenees already covered in snow! I love roadtrips. We arrived to the small mountain village of Viladrau and met our friends for lunch. The temperature outside was quite tepid with a slight wind rustling through the leaves, but inside the restaurant the fireplace was roaring and crackling away in the corner. Lunch was meat and soup and of superb small village quality. Simplicity is key. And taste is everything.

Australian Textures

Playa de Ocata

Birthday dinner photos..

Moni, Pedro and I watching Mr Brett @ KGB.. early hours of my birthday
Patty! A visitor from faaar away.. heheh
Birthday drinks after dinner at a lovely Japanese in Gracia
Marta, Monica and I after cheeky cocktail shots.
Maria..

Nicoletta Ceccoli

I went to see an Exhibition last month at the Caixa Forum and whilst I was in the gift shop, I found these adorable postcards by an Italian artist called Nicoletta Ceccoli. I have bought them and wanted to share, because I love them so much. She has a fanastic website to check out...

Sant Jordi

My rose and Tonis book, on the morning of Sant Jordi.. I also received a book..

Placa Catalunya setting up for a long day of selling roses..
The traditional red rose with a sprig of wheat.
Pink and cream..
Little plastiline Sant Jordis and dragons...

Aren't these the most amazing roses you've ever seen??
A lovely old man taking a break from the crowds..
The Catalan flag
More roses..
Even the mossos are buying roses..

Catalonia's most famous legend Sant Jordi, is celebrated throughout Catalunya on the 23rd of April. The legend tells how a wicked dragon terrorized a small village, devouring all the far animals until there were none left. The dragon then demanded one of the villagers on condition that he would vacate the town. The villagers agreed, drew straws and the King's daughter was selected as the sacrificial victim. Only minutes before the princess, dressed in white, was about to be eaten by the dragon, a young knight appeared on horseback, speared the dragon with his sword and saved the princess. Where the dragon fell, a rose bush appeared with red roses the colour of the dragon's blood. The knight plucked a rose and gave it to the princess before riding off out of the gates and into the sunset. They later fell in love, got married and lived happily ever after. (Of course.)
To commemorate this legend, on the day of Saint Jordi, men traditionally give women a rose while females give males a book. Although this might seem slightly unfair, the atmosphere throughout Catalunya on the 23rd of April can not help but impress.
Sant Jordi is fast becoming my favourite holiday. Not unlike Valentines Day, the florists and streets are full of people selling long stem roses. Traditionally one red rose would be wrapped in newspaper along with a sprig of wheat and a small red and yellow striped ribbon (the colours of the catalan flag). These days however, it is not uncomman to see pink, yellow, blue! and even multi -colour roses. This morning I walked down into the centre of town, to really feel the atmosphere and be amoungst all the lovers and books and roses. Originally just a day for men to give their beloved a rose, it has since been transformed into national book day. So when a girl gets a rose from her man, in return she gives him a book. (Im still not so pleased with this part, why can't a girl get a good book too??)
So off i went, on my stroll of the city, i saw 80 year old men buying roses for their wives, i saw kids young lovers and old lovers, walking hand in hand. Oh what a romantic i am. But how sweet it was, to see everyone so happy and in love.