When you’re travelling in the summer, an early start to take a photo walk in an empty city usually means out and about for 5-6 AM. An autumn break – in Barcelona – means getting out in the light about 8am, but as this is Spain, there’s generally no-one about for another hour or two. The trip was also a chance to travel with digital kit again after mainly using film. A lazy shutter curtain on a favourite old OM20 on a trip to Belgium wasted about 3 rolls of film so it was back to SD cards, chimping and battery charging.

La Ramba and Plaça Reial is usually hiving with people so it was nice to get some walking time without the crowds. Plaça Reial is a square off La Rambla full of bars and restaurants and in the evening under lights is crowded – even in covid times.

Empty Plaça Reial

The vital job of delivering the beer
Early light and shade
More Plaça Reial emptiness

At this hour some cafes are open, some are getting ready and others are closed for a good few hours.

Not open until 8:30
Catching the eye of a potential customer who unfortunately only wants a photo
A rare closed Irish pub
getting in the shot

Elsewhere around La Rambla and the Gothic quarter, there are empty streets, lone walkers and a very pleasant quietness. Later it does get awfully loud.

One man and his dog at Basílica de Santa Maria del Pi
Waiting for independence. Plaça del Pi
La Rambla. Reasonably empty.
cleaning in front of Palau Guell
catching the eye of tapas server having an early smoke. Guell tapas.
early shadow. Carrer Nou de la Rambla

The trip was the first proper outing of some recently acquired 2nd hand micro four thirds kit – very cheaply from MPB – namely the Olympus OMD EM5 (mark 1) using the 14-45mm kit lens. I’ll maybe do a review on it – sure it’s only been around for 9 years or so.