Graffiti: Playa del Carmen Street Art Part 2

Street art photos courtesy of India Lee

India Lee is a woman I know from Cozumel. She was living here when I arrived in 1999-2000. I think she had already lived in Cozumel a while. She and a friend moved to the Riviera Maya area to sell at one of the hotel resorts being built and we lost track of each other. I was happy to find her again on Facebook. Thanks again, India Lee, for the great photos of the new street art at Playa!

These were my favorites. Enjoy!

Graffiti: Street Art Playa del Carmen Part 1

Street Art Playa del Carmen courtesy of India Lee

Very rarely do I like to double post on both my blog Design in Cozumel and here on Gargoyles & Graffiti, but I think this is such an important phonomenon I wanted to report on both. In the process of cleaning up Playa del Carmen, in anticipation of all the new shops, plazas, hotels, and condos ... the city decided to embrace street art. Instead of trying to cover it up, they are having young people all over the city making fabulous graffiti or street art. I love it. Graffiti is a popular form of expression since Roman times, even before. Look at cave paintings.

more street art at Playa del Carmen, Mexico

Notice that the pieces are signed and adorn many of the blah or ugly concrete block walls around town. Bravo to Playa del Carmen to come up with such a colorful and fun solution.

Courtesy of India Lee

India Lee, thanks for posting on Facebook!

Basilica de San Francesc at Palma de Mallorca

Basilica de San Francesc

Bell Tower of the Basilica

My favorite place at Palma de Mallorca was the Basilica de San Francesc. It is a 13th century Church. The feeling of spirituality inside was incredible. I loved that it was old and crumbly. I loved that the Father of the Catalan language is buried there, Ramon Llul. He was stoned to death trying to convert Muslims to Cristianity at Tunisia in 1316.

The Basilica has a fascinating history. Some info and good photos of the Franciscan monastery can be found here.

Unfortunately my interior pictures did not turn out that good. But the ones of the exterior I really think are wonderful. What do you think?

Exterior Basilica de San Francesc

Costa Concordia Revisted July 2014

Costa Concordia July 2014

It has now been over two years since the horrible day when the Costa Concordia went aground on a coral reef at Giglio, Italy. I have reported a few times on the progress of the removal of the cruise ship, and it looks like now it will finally happen.

Costa Concordia divers

This is a link for a video taken yesterday of the condition of the ship, seen by divers.
Costa Concordia July 2014

My heart still goes out to the relatives and friends of the passengers who lost their lives. I also feel very sorry for the residents of the island of Giglio to have to look at this constant reminder of what happened two years ago. And what is happening with the Captain now? Is he still in jail? That I need to look in to and will let you readers know.

Some interior shots from the ship ...

Costa Concordia interior photo

Reception area on Concordia courtesy of Italian Carabinieri

Costa Concordia staircase