Catalunya Live

Here is some video of Barcelona's lower Eixample district, around Carrer Casp north (to the right) of Passeig de Gracia. You'll see the typical six or seven story apartment building, with ever-present balconies and other wonderful architectural details. There are inlaid designs on the building exteriors, wrought iron, stained glass, textured concrete, and more.

We went to our favorite bar one night and the bar owner recognized us from other visits and we started talking. He then offered us his Barcelona Football Club Membership card and said we should go see a game. I was flabbergasted but we accepted. We have a friend who thinks that the future of Catalan Independence lies with the Barça... perhaps he's right.

Saint George's Day, April 23, is a national holiday in Catalunya. It is the Day of the Book and the Rose, where women give books to their sweethearts, and men give roses to theirs. This year it was on a Sunday so there were so many people in the old quarter you could barely walk (literally). One of my favorite parts of Saint George's Day is that they open the Catalan House of Parliament, called the Generalitat, to the public. On this day, it truly belongs to everyone. The best part is that you have to wait in line because there are so many people who take advantage of the invitation. I love that. This year, as we exited into the plaza in front of the Generalitat, there was an impromptu demonstration in favor of Catalan Independence. At the request of the demonstrators, the band that had been in the plaza playing for the Sardana dancers struck up the Catalan National Hymn (Els Segadors) and the whole crowd sang. It made goosebumps go down my spine. Note the man at the end holding up four fingers... they represent the four red bars in the Catalan flag.

We went out one night not too long ago only to find cape-covered clubs of firecracker-wielding devils. They walk up and down crazily narrow streets setting off firecrackers and reveling in whatever holiday it happens to be.

This is my new video blog of cultural happenings in Barcelona. I hope you enjoy it! Here's the first video... a little clip of the candy festival of Sant Medir in Gracia. There are dozens of "colles" or clubs, complete with horseback riders and carriages, who through tons and tons (literally) of candy to the passersby.