270km

My first post on this blog was about my 24km cycling commute. Well, I got a new job recently, and my commute now looks just a little different. It’s a 18-minute walk door to door and it has absolutely changed my life. What a luxury.

Walking one morning, I realised how much I notice on this short route—details you’d miss behind a car windscreen. Here are some scenes I pass on my way to work each day.

Disclaimer: the eagle eyed amongst you will notice I did not take all these photos on the same day (sometimes there is blue sky, sometimes not!).

1. Starting out the door, there’s a tiny park with ping pong tables, exercise equipment and plenty of space for kids to play football. There are often three grandmas doing tai chi here at 7am.

2. This tree that’s far too big for its silly little brick pot! It dreams of greater things.

3. A cycle lane, of course. We love to see it.

4. Stepping stones. This path is lots of fun. There’s a perfectly good pavement right beside it, but every morning you will see lots of corporate-y adults heading into the office practically queueing up to go through the little green pathway (myself included). A touch of whimsy before spending 8 hours in a fluorescently lit box.

5. This rather plain church is cheered up immensely by the jolly street paint. Even this pigeon was getting in on the fun.

6. La Escocesa. This is an artist residency collective in an old textile chemical factory. From the outside it doesn’t look like much (as in, it looks like it’s about to be demolished) but there are lots of interesting pieces in the inner courtyard.

7. Two other street art pieces that deserved their own list item.

8. A different form of artistic self expression. Impactful.

9. A collection of faces. My favourite one is the enormous green smiley face. It’s very bad, but that’s what gives it its charm.

10. This very thin building. It must be so calm and peaceful in the top flat. I wonder how they got planning permission for that?

11. This wildflower meadow that’s really a brownfield site. It’s a lot nicer like this than another block of offices that will inevitably be built here.

12. An electric scooter guy looking cool. In Barcelona it’s now compulsory for electric scooter users to wear helmets or they get fined. It definitely gives them an edge.

13. We’ve reached a second park. In a city with a drought problem, it doesn’t make sense to have grass everywhere. This often leaves dirt parks, which aren’t super attractive, but still provide a good space for kids and dogs to play. I find this space a little strange however, as you’ll see from the next two list items…

14. This weird chair for solo people. Don’t get me wrong, sitting by yourself on a nice bench can be a delight. But who in their right minds would want to sit on this tiny, very uncomfortable metal chair in the middle of a patch of dirt? Deeply weird and strange. I have included two angles for reference.

15. This weird orb for nothing in particular (you may have noticed I don’t like this design feature). This is a very odd orb and that is all there is to be said.

16. Wisteria archway. Finally something I really like in this park. Isn’t it lovely. For two weeks in April the wisteria come into bloom and release this glorious smell. The rest of the year it offers a great protection from the midday sun.

17. Overhang row. Further up this same street there are at least two other skyscrapers with huge overhangs. I wonder if the architects were holding a private competition to see who could build the biggest one. Don’t stick around underneath these buildings too long, just in case.

18. Mobility heaven. Oh look! A tram, a bus, cyclists, and pedestrians all on the same road? With enough space for everyone? Amazing! This is Calle Diagonal, and it’s a great example of effective urbanism and multi-modal transport planning.

And that’s it. 18 minutes, lots of street art, a few flowers, one deeply uninviting chair and I’m at my desk. A lot more interesting than staring at brake lights.