The unquestioned highlight of week 27, accounting for 15 of the 16 pictures, was an international meeting of the Leica Users Group held in Barcelona. “Meeting” may sound too formal; what really happened is that Ted Grant was visiting Barcelona for the first time since covering the Olympics there 20 years ago, and Geoff Hopkinson from Australia was doing the Grand European Tour with his family. So with these two visitors from other continents in town (and our good friend Lluis already living there of course), some of us European LUGgers decided to come to Barcelona as well. The evening I was there, Thursday, I also had the pleasure of meeting Daniel Ridings from Sweden, whom I have met before on several occasions, but it has been a while. So all in all a very worthwhile excuse for a quick flight to Barcelona Thursday afternoon. Sadly, I had to fly back early Friday morning, since my daughter’s high school graduation was on Friday afternoon (no pictures from that, it was a horrible, boring, long ceremony).
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I arrived at Barcelona airport, took a taxi to the centre, checked into my cheap hotel on La Rambla, and immediately set out on my walk to the meeting place. On the way, I passed this banner, with a slogan one sees all over Spain these days, referring to the guilt of the bankers and “the system”:
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This is the Spanish headquarters of the Leica Users Group, Café Zurich located on Plaza de Catalunya at the northern end of La Rambla:
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It was very hot and sticky, even at 8 p.m., and people tried to get a rest wherever they could sit down:
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At the bar in Café Zurich:
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Finally, at our table in Café Zurich, Ted Grant, the greatest Canadian photo journalist, in action with his Noctilux (of course!):
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After a drink at Café Zurich, we moved on a traditional Catalan restaurant, El Julivert Meu, selected by our host Lluis. I meant to take a picture of Daniel Ridings, but somehow my focus slipped…:
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Ted poses with Geoff’s lovely daughter Nicole. She is very sweet and patient–what 18-year old would actually enjoy spending the evening with a bunch of old farts like us?:
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Ted explains the finer points of the “keep it simple, stupid” principle to Nicole:
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Nicole has decided that she likes her Dad’s M9. Daniel looks on to make sure the settings are correct:
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“Just one more!”:
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After the dinner, a traditional bottle of Catalan sweet wine was passed around. Geoff demonstrates the correct technique. You are supposed to drink without allowing your lips to touch the vessel:
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The bottle passes to Daniel, who takes his precautions:
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Lluis signs his recent Paris book for me:
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Ted and Lluis chat while we are walking to the apartment-hotel where Ted and the Hoppies were staying:
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Ted in his temporary office, picking a print to give me. It was Ted’s famous image of Prime Minister Pierre Trudeau sliding down the banister:
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Friday morning I got up very early to catch my flight back to Alicante. Before starting the preparations for the graduation ordeal, I took my dog for a walk. One the way we passed “our” cats. The orange one in the foreground is not scared at all (the picture was taken with the equivalent of a 35mm lens and is uncropped):
I enjoyed every one!
Comment by Herb — 15 July 2012 @ 19:22
Nathan, me encantan, la primera es genial, será que esta de moda??
gracias por subirlas
Mariela
Comment by mariela — 15 July 2012 @ 20:14
Excellent images, a tribute to your keen eye and steady hand.
I am glad Ted was able to go to Spain and meet with all of you. He has been keenly missing his dear late wife Irene.
Best,
Mervin Stewart
Comment by Mervin S. Stewart — 16 July 2012 @ 02:07
Brilliant! Not only that you captured images of LUG celebrities, but the great situations. Thanks for sharing.
Comment by Brian Swale — 16 July 2012 @ 15:48