leaver, castella, and your house.

levi left on the eighteenth. here he is on his last night, showing off his new hat that twinkle gave him.

this is me back in maybe 2004 or 2005, when louie, van, and myself ventured to the montjuic castle. oh, you're unfamiliar? well...

the next saturday, anna and i mozied up to the castle that overlooks barcelona and the sea.

The imposing Montjuic castle has overlooked Barcelona since 1640 and is one of the places that is most connected to the historical memory of the city. During the period ruled by the fascist dictatorship, Lluís Companys, president of the Generalitat de Catalunya during the onset of civil war in Spain, was executed here in 1940.

Due to events such as these as well as its fortress-like appearance, the castle how houses the Military Museum. On display are weapons and military artifacts from a variety of historical periods and many different countries. However, this isn't the only place to visit within the castle walls. For quite some time now, the interior of the castle has been home to the Museum of Comics and Illustration. It is home to the protagonists of Spanish children's comics over the years such as Pulgarcito, El Guerrero del Antifaz, Zipi y Zape and Mortadelo y Filemón.

The Montjuic castle sits on top of a cliff, at a height of more than 170 metres, which makes it one of the best observation points for views across the city's harbour. In order to reach the castle, visitors can opt for one of the most unique modes of transport available in the city, the Montjuic cable car. The cable car leaves from Avenida de Miramar, has room for four people per car and is one of the best ways to observe the city from a bird's eye view.

here, i tried to take another self portrait, that looked like the first that i shot a few years back.

...and another, as i forgot what the other had looked like.

anna and a wall.

overlooking the sea, while sitting on a bench atop the castle.

i spy

i spy pt.2

the guts of the castle

some ship masses on a lookout tower. maybe it's more threatening to have masses on top of a lookout tower, on top of a hill. shows discipline. someone had to get 'em up there...

my serious guard face was not on point, as some creep was pointing at me and saying something.

zip line!

still zippin!

anna zippin!

i got a place for people to crash, if they keep asking me about rooms...

where the wild things are.

my dad must have been really excited about the last post, and immediately sent these pics over from their cabin in flagstaff. lots of elk!

abbey road.

...and my mom sent another of the bobcats and kits playing on their fountain and in the tree. wild things. comforting knowing that these potentially dangerous animals are living in our yard.

fish n' pics

this bobcat and two of it's kits just happened to be struttin their stuff through the back yard at my parents' house. the youngsters were wrestling. wild life.

speaking of wild life, i found an old email from my brother with some interesting pics from the wild. check 'em out...

here, some nasty bird fishes boogers out of a sheep's nose. sheep were put here for twisted souls to hump, not to feed you, dirty bird.

look at the focus in this bird's eyes. no boogers for him. the fish, on the other hand, has seen better days.

creeps.

mirror in the water, what is love? this eagle is a narcissist.

a wolf, thinking it's a boa constrictor. or just a bad kisser.

hang on. and hope that flower doesn't decide to bloom.

i hate horses.

bartender! one shot of leche!

uh-oh.

this fine specimen is known as "camera-manis-ultra-attractivus" and here he is in his natural habitat, keeping a close eye on his prey, a colorfully striped "walkerus-hurricane-us"

this time around, "camera-manis-ultra-attractivus" has developed some sort of warming coat that is ever so rare in the arizona setting. and what's this?!? there seems to be a "photoga-price-extra-lurker" in there as well! a not-so rare sighting in the arizona land.

mad madars covers all bases

congrats to my buddy, madars, who got cover and a bangin' interview in the new kingpin!

hyped to say i was able to witness and document these gems:

here, on tha cover, the frontside flip over 12 rail that can be seen in "tha mustard connection"

back smithers on the out ledge. this on my second day out in barca, i believe.

front board pop out. insane. there's two small stairs after it ends and a sideways crack that he kept landing on and grinding before he pulled it perf. check out the gnar!

i think i shot this from the same angle about six months before this, if you wanna check the archives. front feebs.

i wanna be sedated - young at heart

please do yourselves a favor and click the link below. young at heart performing "i wanna be sedated" by the ramones. very amusing.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lAHU6kuXFnw

a few songs that everyone should check out

less than "thriller" news

michael jackson died today, at the young age of 50 due to cardiac arrest. rest in peace, king.

...keep on pushin'

(last pic stolen from "keep on pushin'")

you better check yusuf

i miss cat stevens.

yusuf islam is good, but cat stevens is tha cat's pajamas.

peeeeeeeeeeeeeeace, mons!

JOURNALISTIC FRAUD

for errybody's information, i've stolen the following text and pics from google.

let it be known.

thus, any grammatical errors, etc. can be blamed on the illiterate, non-journalist-majors of tha world.

muahahahahahahha...saint john, you are a party MANIMAL!

The night of 23 June is the eve of Sant Joan, or, as it is appropriately nick-named: "La noche de fuego" – the night of fire. This fiesta celebrates the Summer Solstice, the shortest night of the year. Centuries ago it was forbidden for the Christian world to celebrate such a night of magic, superstition, witches and devils. But the Catalans cleverly got around the prohibition by celebrating the Solstice on Sant Joan which is a Christian Saint´s day and falls conveniently close to the longest day /shortest night – any excuse for a party!

On 23 June "Verbenas" or all night summer parties will be taking place on the beaches, in the parks, in gardens, and just about everywhere. At these parties "petardos" or very loud fireworks that bang and spark and sound like someone has just been shot are let off – especially by the older children. Firework displays play a prominent role and bonfires are lit to party around. The wide eyed younger children twirl sparklers (hand held sparkling sticks). Everyone eats "Coca de Sant Joan" which is a large rectangular shaped sponge cake with sliced glacé fruits on the top (cherries, orange and bright green melon slices) and drinks lots of cava. The noise is loud – even by Spanish standards! The dress code is "skimpy casual" – due to the heat!

Many Catalans believe that if you paddle in the sea at midnight on the night of Sant Joan then you will surely find true love within the year! Whatever they believe many a Sant Joan party goer ends up taking a dip whether it be in the sea or in the piscina (swimming pool) so it may be a good idea to pack the bikini - or whatever- in the handbag just in case!

The bakeries will be full of Coca and you will see stalls selling "Focs Artificials" (fireworks) and the famous "petardos" (fire crackers) along the road side and in various strategic points around Barcelona and the surrounding areas.

Around Barcelona there will numerous "correfocs o diables". People dressed as devils run through the city streets with flaming torches and banging loud drums, while the crowds cheer and try to avoid the sparks burning their clothes and hair.

...fire it up.

be it as the "shortest night of the year", i have a strong feeling that i shall sleep like a baby tonight. good looks to cheap whisk. and the ever-so-relaxing flamenco band playing beneath me on this night.

it sounds like a war-zone out there.

...and i hate mosquitos.

god save the queen.

ladies and the ramp

i found this in one of nicole's picture albums.  looks as if i'm trying to skip out on this pic.  anyway, it's me, nicole, and sober in spain.

ronnie sent me this pic of his new ramp contraption in his back yard.  quarter to manny to quarter.  seems hard as can be to skate.

ships ahoy!

i found this lil gem today while nerding off to the internet.  nice pic.

tha goose is loose!

...someone's been reeeeeeal busy making jewelry as of late.  here she is trying to fill an order going to finland.  everyone that was here from az went home with at least one piece, if not two or three, that they'll all soon be showing off to the masses.

siiiiiiike!  levi opts for the side attack n' bail on the ol' besos bump over bar.

the goose sizes up this beast that's at one of the most skated spots in spain, but to my knowledge, has never been kissed.

warm up ollies

and then he got his trick.  uphill, brick runway, people walking by on the path, helicopters all couldn't stop this goose from nailing two tricks on his last day.  the other may or not have been down macba's big 4...

in case it's not, you can enjoy watching haslam battle it out with this gem that made it to youtube.  that's when you know you've made it.

rufus + levi sitting in a tree

element shot levi an email on friday to inform him that they'd booked a signing at this shop here in barcelona, a mere hundred feet from my front door.  so of course, i had to go and heckle him.

"now, pretend like you're fans, not girlfriend and hemi"

"...again, my camera was on the fritz."

goose, testing the fritz-factor

levi and the shop owner.

free beers!!!  that oughta get some more people to show...

giovanni, looking suspect

madars was supposed to do the signing as well, but opted to drink the beers instead

mustard.

levi watching levi's part

madars is happy because he's on tha screen

yves with his dirty bug

free boards for anyone who came to get tha autographs

madars was hyped he got to see his idol and copped a signature

madars, mustafa, and levi

kids in the street

beerskis

madars...so hot right now

...i had to get the autograph, as well.  we ran out of toilet paper at the house.

lucky ducks with some grub.  the free beers caught me off guard and sent me home early.

alma thought levi was a lolly pop, not her boyfriend

ahhh, look at who showed when he heard word of the free beers...tuukka-ston!

hey, buddy, nice hat

BOOYAAAH!

his shirt was a little more intimidating than was mine, so i had to do it.

looking a lil bit teary-eyed, i'm sorry, tuuka, it was the beers.  now, if i can only find my way home...

...in bed by eight o'clock on a saturday night.  the sun was still high and shining, and i was assed out inside, slumbering for a good 13 hours.  thanks for the beers, boys!