Barca Behind the Scenes

With one week left on my journey, I'm slowly getting back to westernized living, by spending my last days in Barcelona, Spain.
That's the Mediterranean Sea in the distance, in the middle, dominating the skyline is the never ending Antonio Gaudi project that is the Catedral de Sagrada Familia, and up front is Mr. Happy and the Three Pumpkins.
Looking the other way from the top of the hill was a photo shoot going on. Looks like a blonde based hybrid of surfing meets tai chi.
It's a nice transition between the third world mayhem that I've grown accustomed to, and the Americanized American-ness that I'll be thrown back into next week. I've also reunited with some old amigos of mine from San Francisco now living here in Barca - Ricky y Paola y Pek. I knew them from our little dog walking posse at Buena Vista Park back home in San Francisco, and they've been living out here for about a year now (Ricky has duel citizenship, Mexico and Spain. The Spanish citizenship grants him the platinum card of passports, an EU passport. I'm so jealous).
By the way, Pek's the dog in the middle. Pek means dog in Mayan.
They've been kind enough to let me crash at their apartment, and I promised to cook for them in exchange. So far, they're still alive, so I haven't been booted out for food poisoning. It's nice to have hosts here and be able to get off the tourist trail and not be just another tourist. Tourists are something I've grown to detest on this trip, but in an undeniable masochistic way, something I will forever be. Oh the irony.
Avoiding the call of the Dark Side. Tourist lines and open roof double-decker busses.
This was one of my favorite off the beaten path things to see - Casa Okupa, or in Inglés, squatter houses.
Occupy and Resist, painted on the roof of a squatter house in Barca. I love they're subtlety in remaining underground by not calling attention to themselves.
The squatter rights here are a lot more favorable than in the states, and they have a whole network of them throughout Barcelona. They are composed mostly of artists, activists, socialists and freeloading building occupants. All traits of my favorite type of people, and a prerequisite for Global Transmission membership. They are notorious for throwing great parties and art exhibits, which we sampled a bit of this past weekend. The funny thing, is they've got an entire schedule printed out on display in front of the squatter houses. It lists the times of parties, art openings, social gatherings, etc., that are happening at different Casa Okupa locations. With this type of organizational skill, don't you think they'd be able to apply this talent to a real world function, such as, say, a job or something?
Upon closer inspection, read the black sign about tourists that they have hanging. If you think about it, they make a valid point here.
But then again, who am I to talk about work, when I've been on the road for a year and a half avoiding reality. Oh the irony.
They've got great graffiti and stenciling out here. Of course, this is all based on personal opinion. Here's a graffiti sample.
and a stencil one.
For those of you who don't know, the 'BCN' stands for 'Barcelona'. And the 'is' stands for 'is', and finally the 'Dead means 'Dead'.
Thus completing the sentence, Barcelona is Dead.
That reminds me, is Che dead?
If not, then Dónde está Ché Pelotas?