Colour in Photography - A Study in Yellow

Hephaestus - Catalan Blacksmith, Barcelona

One of the oldest Catalan blacksmiths working in Barcelona, and the only chap with an open forge. This craftsman had learned from his father and practiced all his life. Apparently to master something, it's necessary to do it for 10,000 hours. In our culture, with the peaks of the mountains talent has built available online, do we appreciate true craftsmanship and the effort it takes to acheive?

Colour in Photography - A Study of Red

Caga Tió - Catalan Tio de Nadal custom

 

This is quite possibly the strangest custom I've come across in Barcelona, Catalunya. The Catalan people have a Tió de Nadal in their house at Christmas. It is literally just a log. They feed it , then beat it with sticks on Christmas day until it shits presents, singing;

caga tió,
caga torró,
avellanes i mató,
si no cagues bé
et daré un cop de bastó.
caga tió!"

shit log,
shit nougat,
hazelnuts and cottage cheese,
if you don't shit well,
I'll hit you with a stick,
shit log!

and

caga tió,
tió de Nadal,
no caguis arengades,
que són massa salades
caga torrons
que són més bons!"

shit log,
Christmas log
don't shit herrings,
which are too salty,
shit nougat
which is much better!