The Best of Barcelona's Quirk

I can appreciate a place where anything goes and Barcelona adopts this attitude in spades. The quirkiest finds existed in the Barri Gotic and El Ravel neighborhoods.  The first was once home to a range of artists and architects and the surrounding narrow streets and gothic architecture are an American abroad's biggest dreams of Europe.  El Ravel is, apparently, the equivalent to London's Dalston/East End area.  It was/is home to a large immigrant population, was/is deemed a bit seedy but gentrification is slowly making its way across the area.  Case in point:

El Ravel 

Cat Sanctuary and Playground: 

Sort of near the gigantic statue of a cat:

No name needed:      

 Costume and fancy dress shop that doesn't mind if you don headgear and take ridiculous photos:

We're reenacting Super Mario Brothers here just in case the reference eludes

Beautiful bar in El Ravel with actual candle candelabras and an old lady owner who continued to read her book through our cava drinking tenancy

The Museum of Ham is: 1. not a museum 2. Insane 3. This Italian boy's heaven: 

the world's most gimungous apples

I'm not sure if the double bass is defined as 'quirky'  but I happen to love them and they happened to be dotted all over the city.  Thus, my homage to the double bass: 

 If you look closely, you will see the man throwing every dance move from the last three decades.  Not sure if my personal favourite was his rendition of Thriller or the equally terrifying Ricky Martin hip shakes.

 Why gingerbread lady, why??

Barri Gotic Graffiti:

 With a touch of Ghana:

 

Too many pictures.