On the Street

And ready with small bills and change

I could sit and watch a good street performer for hours.

What really fascinates me about these all-the-world’s-a-stage artists is how much they vary from city to city and, directly related, how they really reflect and capture something about where they are.

One of my favorite performers was a combination tap dancer, ball-bouncer and juggler in Barcelona. He was always precise and concentrated, and glanced up at the crowd when his routines ended with a sheepish smile. Sadly, I didn’t shoot a video of the performer myself, but I found a video of him and a friend on YouTube (below).

In Puerto Rico, I spent an afternoon walking around Old San Juan and came across this guitarist playing the song “Guantanamera.” Even though the song is technically Cuban, the scene to me was the essence of Old San Juan: relaxed, colorful, sunny and Spanish. The man sitting next to the guitarist is totally unfazed by his performance or the surroundings, such as the hundreds-year-old convent (now hotel) he was sitting facing. This is everyday for him. Not for me!

–Karina for TKGO