Return to Barcelona 2017! Festival La Merce.

This festival had events going on all over the city! In the morning, after a cafe on my little terrace, I took a bus to Estacio de Franca train station for "Estacio Disseny" an arts and crafts fair. I had fun looking at all the goodies for sale and sketching the little car that is a sort of mascot for the beer "Moritz" and sampled their wares. They were also giving out free bottles of Perrier. 

Taking another bus back to the center of town, I found parades of those "Giants" and Dance performances, finally finding a quiet square to sketch the L'Iglesia de Santa Maria del Mar. A family sat by me as sketched and were so sweet! They were delighted to watch me bring a drawing to life on what was a blank page! The children, who spoke very good English had many questions for me and I asked them to sign my journal, as a memory of this time we spent together. For more information about La Merce, click here.

My terrace in the Eixample neighborhood

Where the Arts and Crafts Fair took place

These trains are super modern and very fast!

Tasting and toasting with Moritz beer and a Perrier!

Santa Maria del Mar

A tapas lunch

The poster for La Merce Festival

Folk Dancers

Close up of a costumed dancer

Posing in front of the church I sketched

Some very old structures in Barcelona

Tacky souvenir shops!

Juice bar and fresh fruit and veggies

Political signs and Independence flags were everywhere

Placa S. Jaume was a site for performances

My dinner, steak, a grilled onion and salad topped with parmesan

Back on the Rambla the lights were coming on

Interesting juxtaposition of old and new reflected in shop windows