The New Camp Nou

Posted on May 23, 2008 by admin

the new camp nou
The Best stadium in the World – Camp Nou
By Norman Foster will be the latest in a long list of emblematic buildings that make up Barcelona’s modern skyline, and will be an icon of the city itself and of the modernity and traditions of Catalonia.

Barcelona, the city of progress, design and architecture will soon extend this vision to the district of Les Corts in the form of the British architect’s new design for the football stadium. The new Camp Nou will reflect the past, present and future of Barcelona, Catalonia and modernity’s architectural identity.

Three sources of inspiration

In the words of Norman Foster himself on the day that the model of Barça’s new home was presented, three main elements inspired his restructuring project: the club’s history, the stadium itself and the link between Barcelona, its city and its country. Taken together, this inspiration is manifested in the form a Gaudi-esque mosaic on the façade and roof that will offer dramatic effects at night and pleasant, bright colours by day.

Local influence

Foster’s intention was for the new Camp Nou to be an icon, and at the same time a tribute to Catalan architecture in the form of an allegory to Barcelona and Catalonia. Foster’s inspirations are a synthesis of different traditional and modern influences taken from constructions that already exist in the city, and that help ensure that the Camp Nou will remain an essential part of any sightseeing tour of the city of Barcelona.

In this sense, the international recognition acquired by Barcelona as a result of the Olympic Games in 1992 is particularly worthy of mention. Since the city was announced as the host, Barcelona pulled out all the stops to seduce the world. It has been mainly since then that Barcelona, through such buildings as the Torre de Collserola and the Torre Agbar, among many others, has transformed as it continues to hold major events. The city and its main thoroughfares have been transformed as a result of these events, although its icons are not the cause of this transformation, but rather the consequence.

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Best Barcelona Hotels

Posted on May 22, 2008 by admin

Best Hotels in Barcelona… Travelers have long believed there are only two options for sleeping in Barcelona: backpacker hostels or luxury high rises, and never the twain shall meet.

Challenging that premise, the Chic and Basic company (chicandbasic.com) gives travelers three low-cost options: hotel, hostel and rental apartments sprinkled across downtown from Born (carrer Princesa, 50;, 34-93-295-4652) to Plaza Catalunya (Calle Tallers, 82; 34-93-302-5183) to Gotico (Calle Estruch, 20;34-93-200-2588.). Hostel rates start at 75 euros for a double; 55 euros for a single (about $102 and $75 at $1.36 to the euro); the hotel goes up a notch to between 110 and 210 euros per night. All rooms are very bright, very white — with an eye to sound design (iPod docks and television music channels) and basic needs, which in the jargon of Euro-travelers means bottles of water, plasma televisions and Internet access. In the hotel and hostel, there are small shared kitchenettes. Just down the street from Chic and Basic Born, Ciutat Barcelona (Carrer Princesa, 35; 34-93-269-7475; ciutathotels.com), has minimalist rooms with tall French windows that begin at 95 euros with free high-speed Internet connections and plasma TVs. A roof deck has an itty-bitty pool. A few new apartment rental companies provide Ikea-basic apartments for two to four people in high-end locations. At the newcomer Decimononico (Calle Pescatería, 1; 34-93-319-1661; decimononico.com) apartment rentals in Born begin at 65 euros a person for a double.

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Tinto de verano

Posted on May 22, 2008 by admin

tinto de veranoSummer’s coming and we want to drink something lighter. Admit it, you’ve got a case of 2-Buck Chuck in the closet and you’re wondering if it will cellar well until next fall. The Spanish have that one all figured out.
Tinto de verano: the red wine of summer. The term refers to a mixture of red wine with various carbonated beverages, spiked with lemon. Forget sangria; not only is tinto de verano a no-sweat version of this summer classic, but it’s also refreshingly delicious, and can be varied to suit one’s taste.
Beer gets the same treatment in Spain, mixed half-and-half with sparkling lemon soda – Fanta limon is preferred here – and the resulting mix christened a ‘clara.’ The term refers to the white of a raw egg, precisely the substance that a clara resembles, at least in color.
While you’re sipping a tinto de verano on a hot summer (or spring) day, you can remind yourself that you’re still getting your antioxidant quotient but cutting your alcohol consumption by half. Here are a couple of recipes.

TINTO DE VERANO

One-half liter of cheap red wine
One-half liter of sparkling lemon or lemon-lime soda, or tonic water, or sparkling mineral water
Dash of red Vermouth (to taste; optional)
One lemon, sliced

Mix ingredients and serve over ice.

CALIMOCHO

Pour half a glass of cheap red wine; top with Coca-Cola. Add lemon slices and ice and serve cold.

Thanks barcelonajane.blogspot.com

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La Nova Icaria Beach

Posted on May 22, 2008 by admin

La Nova Icaria Beach presents a high grade of occupation and is located close to the Olympian Port of Barcelona and separated from the adjacent beaches for small breakwaters, they connecting with the seafront of the Barceloneta.

The local police, Red Cross and a station of rescue and evacuation only give service during the summer period, as the lifeguards.

La Nova Icaria has the Blue Flag. There is also a seafront promenade with chiringuitos and restaurants.

Equipment and services: this beach has special handicapped persons facilities, renting from water crafts, red cross, walloways, restaurants, chiringuitos, beach umbrellas and hammocks, rest rooms, camping, lifeguards, parking, public phones, bus stop, cleaning service and waste bins.

You can practice here windsurfing, jet skiing and sailing.
 

     
Type: Urbanized
Size: Small (400 m)
Abarcelonage width: 40 m
Type surface: Fine golden sand
Surge: Calm

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When to Go to Barcelona

Posted on May 20, 2008 by admin

Climate

Barcelona is blessed with a benign, Mediterranean climate. Spring and fall are ideal times to visit, especially May to June and September to October. Even in the winter, days are crisp to cold (due to its proximity to the mountains) but often sunny. Snow is rare and never lasts more than a day or two. Most of the rainfall occurs in April but some quite spectacular storms, as is typical of the Mediterranean, can occur year-round. July and August are hot and humid, even at night, as the temperature often only drops minimally. The surrounding sea is warm enough to swim in from the end of June to early October. Inland the temperatures drop slightly, as does the humidity. North on the Costa Brava, a strong wind known as the tramontana often blows.

barcelona

August is the major vacation month in Europe. The traffic from France, the Netherlands, and Germany to Spain becomes a veritable migration, and low-cost hotels along the coastal areas are virtually impossible to find unless booked well in advance. To compound the problem, many restaurants and shops also decide it’s time for a vacation, thereby limiting the visitors’ selections for both dining and shopping. That said, Barcelonese also head out of town for cooler climes, leaving tourists to enjoy the city for themselves. Barcelona is also a major international trade fair and conference destination. These happen throughout the year so if you plan to stay in a mid- to high-range hotel it should be booked well in advance. Barcelona is officially Spain’s most popular destination, and tourism is now year-round. The only time you may not be rubbing shoulders with fellow travelers is Christmas!

Catalan and National Holidays

Holidays observed are January 1 (New Year’s Day), January 6 (Feast of the Epiphany), March/April (Good Friday and Easter Monday), May 11 (May Day), May/June (Whit Monday) June 24 (Feast of St. John), August 15 (Feast of the Assumption), September 11 (National Day of Catalonia), September 24 (Feast of Our Lady of Mercy), October 12 (Spain’s National Day), November 1 (All Saints’ Day), December 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), and December 25 (Christmas) and December 26 (Feast of St. Stephen).

If a holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, many people also take off the weekday in between creating an extra-long weekend. While this only really affects those doing business in the city, you should book hotels well ahead of time on these popular puentes (bridges).

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