Skating and surfing in Southen California.

When I arrived to southern  California, it was a great surprise to look at many gardens, full of flowers, well mantained,  with roses and other kind of plants and trees as very high palms, in the near of the ocean. 

On the beach there were many birds specially seagulls, they were everyehere. I could notice that seagulls don't bother people, and people don't bother seagulls.

In some cities, palms are higher than many buildings. Probably they are the typical plants from south of California, some of them are straight, giant, other are bent due to the strength of the wind, but they are always beautiful and awesome.

On the beach, the big seagulls are very quiet at sunset. All of them are placed in big groups, some of them, in a straight line, on the sand, resting and watching the ocean.
In the near, and on the same beach, young men make skating in a skating rink.

If you look around, you can notice the big waves, which arrive exhausted to the shore, but with a big strenght yet. When the sky is grey due to the fog,  the ocean is also grey, like the seagulls who are grey and white. 
 In sommer the grey fog hides the big and wonderful high mountains during all the morning, and sometimes during all day, but the seagulls are always walking pride on the sand. They are watching over, looking at the brave waves, and the surfers, who jump over the waves, and enjoy the beautiy of the ocean.

I especially remember Venice, CA: "One night the fresh air from the ocean crossed through the window. Four women were sleeping, in the same room.  The  waves were also sleeping. There was a total silent.  The big seagulls controlled the area. They have their own telepathic language. Their own world, they are also the quiet serene of the Pacific ocean, and the quiet serene of the Mediterranean as minimum.

Some hours later,  one of the four women got up in the early morning,  and she went to the nearby beach, she wanted to write, and  be quiet, without any person who disturbed her, just in front of the waves and surrounded by the seagulls. She met other women who wanted to be alone, in order to write, to create something nice, to be quiet, and enjoy the ocean, or to practice surfing with their friends.

Later, but also in the early morning,  the young surfers were  ready to jump  among the waves.

Waves were not enough high at this time in the morning,  before eight O'clock, but the surfers were  impatient to jump and play with the waves. They are higher at midday. But these young men and women wanted to swim and enjoy with their tables,  and to breathe  the fresh wind in the early morning.

Some minutes later, people from Venice and from south California were also ready to take their breakfast, tea and coffees... in gardens,  nice terraces or cafes with libraries.

At this time in the morning, some people also started to work in their offices, companies and stores. Others want to be artists also in the area of Hollywood in order to look for an opportunity in the film industry, and they also work very hard.







 Some visitors in California go to the very beautiful wood harbors to fish, and all walkers enjoy the summer. Some teachers are teaching to the children to respect the ocean, they show them, the different kind of  fishes and seagulls. In this area of the world, the seagulls are flying happy among the fishers, people, children, and boats. Nobody kill them. 
The seagulls are very happy like children.

If you drive along the coast, you'll arrive to Sail Beach,  and you can also find the wonderful area of Belmont, it's a historic neighborhood with different kind of architectural styles including Craftsman bungalows, Victorian, Spanish Revival, Tudor Revival and Mediterranean. This is a pleasant area to walk everywhere, and all the hauses have charm and special personality.
In this community people can enjoy a variety of water sports, many inhabitants own a boat, and practice rowing as well. Many tourists and visitors who travel to this area rent a pleasure boat to sail around the south coast of California.

The long and wide beaches and high waves always invite to the young people to practice some sports. As I mentioned before, they especially like surfing and skating during all day. But just to the sunset, when many joung people are free, and the red and brilliant, orange colours appear on the sky, the pirouettes of the skaters begin. They feel very very happy with their jumps.

The night is coming slowly, and at the end, the silent is total. 
Even the Pacific Ocean is going to sleep early in this area of California.

FESTA MAJOR DE GRACIA (Barcelona), the most creative and exciting parties in the world.

The neighbors from Gracia, a famous and well known district in center of Barcelona,  design their streets, with dedication and happiness year after year. They work very hard during months, in the cold afternoons of winter, They decorate their streets, and enjoy these holidays days of summer with the neighbors, and visitors from the rest of the world in armony and happiness.

Visitors like the very high level of creativity, and the high spirit of collaboration among many of the people who live here. It's important to highlight the kindness of the habitants from Gracia with the toursits, when they ask some questions, when they want to hear some kind of music, or to taste some kind of food.

The habitants from Gracia, will be happy to help you, and to inform you about whatever you like.

There are many activities which are organized during these holidays days in August, for exemple : dance exhibitions from different countries, and of course "La Sardana", the typical dance from Catalunya. which people dance in special events, parties and Sundays in many cities and villages from Catalunya. In Gracia many neighbors dance together this dance. 

 The neighbourhood is also well known because there are may dance schools with great dancers who have got important prizes  around the world in their dance modality.

On the other hand, many kind of concerts take place these days as theater performances, children activities, snacks for children (xocolatades), outdoor cinemas, community dinners with neighbors. However one of the most beautiful activity is the decoration of the streets, before enjoying these holidays days.

The concert will start soon.

Verdi Street with musicians and dancers playing and dancing Sardanas.

Children had a special place to play, and design their decorations...As these parties take place in summer, August, some special swimming pools are built in order to children and mums... can enjoy themselves.  The most important day is August 15, the Assumtion Mary into the Heaven. We have to note that in these days, many villages and cities from Catalunya celebrate their own parties. 

Mothers with children or without children in these kind of decorations and constructions show their claims, for exemple : the fundamental rights of women, and of course, in some streets children can enjoy with books, as Gracia neighborhood has big, modern, sunny and interesting public libraries with many acitivities during all the year.

Children enjoy in the swimming pools, with short tales, and many activities which are organized for them.

Moreover, the different culinary organizations from Gracia will invite everybody to taste traditonal samples, and culinary tests, catalan dishes, tapas from Mallorca... these exhibitions are organized in nice gardens from Gracia, for exemple : Jardi del Silenci, Jardins del Mestre Balcells, or Jardins de Salvador Espriu.

Every street, and garden is decorated according to a "subject", for exemple : Tourists  can also  dive to the deep of the ocean, or to travel to the Roman or Creek era.

The empowement of the women is also present in thsese parties.

Children and also adults can also learn about the most well known comics from Japan. In addition  visitors can find other streets which represent villages with his farm animals, or  they can find a typical square with a very beautiful dress workshop with dresses exhibition, as Gracia had a very important and well known textile industrial fabric, during the 19 and 20 centuries.
Nowadays Gracia neighbourhood  is a center of small and very innovative fashion boutiques.

Dresses made of paper in Rovira Square.

During these holidays days of August, in the morning, in the afternoon and at nights, the streets, squares, and gardens from Gracia are full of people who make pictures, film and enjoy the different activities, or meet old friends. After the parties the inhabitants from Gracia can rest at the "Jardi del Silenci".

Jardi del Silenci.