Politics in Catalunya

The Spanish Parliment is different from the Catalan Parliment just so everyone is clear on that. Below is a picture of the Spanish flag....Catalunya is a section within Spain; however they tend to have different views on politics.

In Catalunya, the government is run by the autnomous Parliment of Catalunya and the Generalitat institution system. When it comes to the Spanish Parliment, some of the Catalan Parties actually are begining to gain more points and recognition. As for the Parliment of Catalunya there are 135 seats and new officers are elected every 4 years. The Parliment´'s job is to represent the people of Catalunya and that is why there are so many seats in the parliment so that all of the views anyone could ever have will be represented. The Generalitat consists of the Parliament, President of the Generalitat and the Government of Catalunya. 

The parties are split into two subsets: Independence and Social. As for the independence section, parties are either for independence or against it. Some parties have stronger views on independence than others and some parties are even split within their party about whether or not they believe in an independent Catalunya. Below is a picture of the Independant Catalunya flag.

The Social parties of Catalunya are split into the right wing and left wings. The right wing is classified as the Republican Party and as of the 20th century they are typically Nationalists. The left wing is the Democratic Party and, as of the 20th century as well, mainly consists of of trade unions, anarchists, and comunists. Each of the left and right wing parties have a subset of parties underneath them. 

For example there are a bunch of different parties including: PSC, Ciutadans, CuP, ANC, ERC, Podemos, etc. Each of these groups have slightly different views and run against each other; however sometimes they have to work side by side if they get equal votes when it comes to elcetion time. The picture below is a Catalan flag but lacks the blue triangle and white star which represents independance. 

(Cultural Activities/Traditions 3) Visiting Arch de Triumph and Parc de Ciutadella

This is by far one of my favorite places in Barcelona because it combines two things I appreciate: outdoors and architecture/history.  I love the outdoors so being able to walk around in a city and have the feeling of being in an area with grass and trees makes me very very happy. I was so worried originally when coming to Barcelona because I have never lived in a big city and I was afraid that there would be no trees to sit in the shade or grass to lay on when I wanted to read a book. I can picture exactly my thought before coming here and I was happily surprised when I found out Barcelona has more then just cement and concrete to it. 

Background history: The arch was built in 1888 for the Universal Expedition in Barcelona. Looking at the architecture and materials, you can observe that this was constructed in the Modernista Period due to the use of brick to build the arch. Along the arch there are the coats of arms of the different provinces of Spain as well.  The street that the arch is located on is called Passig. de Lluis Companys, named after the Catalan governor at the time. I learned those facts in my Art class when we took a tour through this area and found it quite interesting.

Parc de Ciutadella  is probably one of my favorite places in Barcelona to go in between my classes to read, eat lunch, or run to. The park is so relaxing and peaceful. I used to run here everyday and then sit by the stunning fountain and just listen to the water and catch my breath. I also love how there are always dogs running all over. I miss my dogs at home so being able to come to a park where there are dogs everywhere you turn adds a homey touch to it. 

The atmosphere from the park is just incredible. The fountains are running, you hear dogs running and playing alongside little children and families laughing, and you can sit out and read a book in the sun or underneath the shade of a big tree. I will miss this park for sure when I return back to the US.

(Local News 3) Tourist Groups Banned from La Boqueria

During the week of April 8, La Boqueria decided to take control of tourists in Barcelona and announced that as of this past week, groups of more then 15 people are not allowed to enter the market on the busiest days, Friday and Saturday mornings.

La Boqueria is a famous market in the center of the city, located right off La Rambla. It is known for it's bright colors, fresh products, and delicious foods. I am pretty sure every tourist who comes to Barcelona has La Boqueria on their list of top attractions in Barcelona. As of now, large tourist groups will be banned from 8 am to 3 pm on Friday's and Saturday's. 

According to La Vanguardia, tourist groups who attempt to enter during those times will be escorted out by security guards and politely told the rules and when they are allowed to return. According to a spokesperson from the market, the restriction of large groups will allow for the market place to not become overcrowded and the flow of people throughout the market will be much smoother.

I have been to La Boqueria on a Friday morning and the people who made this law is a genius. Most tourist groups come with walking tours and tend to just walk around without the intentions of buying anything. They come in, see the market, and then leave. This decreases the business that the stallholders could actually get if the tourists were to come in on their own time and walk through the market and browse. When they take more time to walk around and actually see what each stall has to offer they are more likely to purchase something.

Overall, I think that this law being passed will be beneficial for the Market and hopefully it will increase the sales within the market.

(Cultural Traditions/Activities 2) Sitges Carnival

Sitges Carnival was probably one of the most memorable and fun nights I have had since being in Barcelona. My friends and I paid 15 euros for a bus there and back since we couldn't afford to stay put all night and take the train back at 6 am. To start off the night we found out there was no alcohol allowed on the bus but obviously everyone snuck it on. We all had bottles of wine or champagne and finished them by the time we made it off the 50 minute bus ride. 

Once we got there the streets were lined with people and it was super crowded. We hadn't even reached the parade part of the city and we were bumping into people from all directions. Once we got to the parade the atmosphere of the place turned into a party. Music was blasting, people were singing and dancing, and everyone was having a great time!

 There were a bunch of people near the parade with funny signs and cardboard cutouts that we could stand in to take pictures (above picture). They were all funny things like animals or the one above is a "Hot or Not" type of app for phones.

 When we got closer to the parade we worked our way to the front of the gates where we could see the entire parade perfectly. It was amazing how decorative the floats were and how dressed up each person was as well! 

 We danced and  sang and partied all night! We made friends with some locals who were dressed as American Football players which we all thought was hilarious. You could see all different kinds of costumes. The one costume I remember most was seeing two guys dressed in parrot suits with their faces painted - they went all out for the parade. 

 A few times we attempted to join the parade and the people in the parade were loving it but the security guards weren't too happy about it and kicked us out a few times. After the parade started to dwindle down we all realized we were hungry and wanted something quick to eat, so where did we go? Obviously the most American place - a pizzeria. Here we scarfed down 3 pizzas and each had another glass of wine before venturing back out into the land of the Carnival. 

As the night was coming to an end for us since we had to run back to catch the bus the parades were still going on and the people were partying harder then ever still. The next day I heard a girl talking about how she had to take a taxi all the way home because she got split up from her friends and it cost her 90 euros...I'm happy I caught the bus and made it back safely to my bed. 

What a night...

(Traditional Food 3) La Xampanyeria

Hidden in a small back alley near the Barceloneta stop off the L4 line is a tiny little tapas restaurant with a big name. The name is Can Paixano, also known as La Xampanyeria, and this local tapas bar is known for its cheap yet quality cava and tapas. Literally this place is hidden on a side street and with no sign outside, you'd be lucky enough to stroll by it or know someone who's already been.

 When this place gets busy, like it usually does, it is packed to the brim. You can find mainly locals here and if you want to practice your Spanish or Catalan, it is the perfect place to do so considering they know almost no English. Once you make it into the restaurant if there's a line, you're packed in like sardines, however it is well worth it once you get your food and cava. 

The first time I experienced La Xampanyeria was when I was working on a Spanish video for a class and we had to give a tour of Barcelona through our eyes. A girl in my group brought us here and oh my god....it was phenomenal. I got a botifarra amb cebolla, croquetas, i formatge. They come on small little plates and are finger food, well all except for the huge sausage on a bun. And to wash it all down we had some cava that was probably the least expensive cava I have yet to have in Spain, but still tasted great. Also don't worry about a garbage because once you're done with your napkins feel free to crumple it up and throw it on the ground with all the other napkins that have probably started to pile up underneath your feet!

I would definitely recommend this small hole in the wall tapas restaurant for anyone looking for a great local and traditional experience with authentic tapas. The next time I am in Barcelona, I will be back for the croquetes and cava. Fins a la proxima La Xampanyeria!

(Traditional Food 2) 100 Montaditos

We this is the place to go for lunch every Monday or when you're in a crunch for time. This place is only about 60 yards from IES and it is the perfect place for a quick bite to eat and a beer.

They have so many choices of little sandwiches and I can never decide which one I want even though I have been there over 30 times since I have come to Barcelona. Every single time I go there I try to get at least one new sandwich every time. Sometimes it works out for the best, while sometimes it takes a turn for the worst. 

Since Monday's are 50 cent day for all montaditos, the place is packed with people by 1:00 pm and if you try to go at 2:30, you better have time to wait at least half an hour for your food. But no worries because you can sit back and chat while having some beer or vino de tinto while you wait for them to call your name over the loud speaker. 

This little tapas restaurant is where all the young Americans flock as well as the young locals, so it is a mixture of culture whenever you go there for a bite to eat. They have seating inside or outside, and on nice day's you better get there early if you want a seat outside because the locals will sit out there for hours talking, drinking, smoking, and eating. If any American was to ask me for a quick, cheap, and decent place to eat I would definitely direct them here for all the above characteristics because this place is one place I wouldn't mind bringing back with me to the USA.

(International News) UK Opposes National Ban

On April 13, a United Nations meeting was held to discuss the potential ban of developing "killer robots". As stated by a UK Spokesman, "We do not see the need for a prohibition as international humanitarian law already provides sufficient regulation". The idea of these killer robots is basically that they will have the power to select and execute targets WITHOUT any human input.

To the UK's defense they said that they do not plan to make any drones or planes that are completely autonomous; however, since they didn't agree on banning the law, other countries are allowed to keep or make these such robots.

How is a robot able to tell what threats are dangerous and what isn't? A human brain can see something and for the most part determine whether or not it is a threat. How can we rely on a solely non-human robot which lacks distinctly human traits, such as fear, hate, sense of honor and dignity, compassion and love which are all considered to be desirable in combat? 

In my opinion, I think that this is insane. There is no way that a robot should have total control over the potential to destroy something or someone. The fact that this is even being considered is scary to me. I can't even imagine a world where a robot has more control over my life then I do because if that drone think's I am a threat doing something harmless and wants to kill me it has all the potential to if it wants. And who's to say that it won't just kill me? What are the standards of being a threat? The definition? The components that determine whether or not I am a target and I should die?

 The above chart shows that 272 scientists, robot experts, etc. have called for a ban on the development of fully autonomous weapons. However, 6 countries are known to have researched, developed, and started to test fully autonomous weapons including the UK, China, Russia, South Korea, Israel, and the USA. Also, 44 countries have publicly spoken on fully autonomous weapons since it was brought to the worlds attention in 2013. So even though the opposition of the ban for the "killer robots" is directly pointed at the UK now, there are 5 other places in the world that have these deadly weapons and are most likely opposed to the ban as well. It's a scary world out there.

(Local News 2) Independence for Catalunya

Margallo ve un "tremendo error" en el independentismo catalán

The Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo announced today (04/14) that he did not think that Catalunya becoming independent was a logical idea. He stated that it was almost impossible due to the fact that United Nations and The European Union would have to back them on this and it is "not viable" as an option. He also state that the EU "will never accept secession". 

The book above "Leones contra Dioses" was published this year and Jose Manuel Garcia-Margallo helped present the book and used it in his speech about Catalunya seperating. The book discusses the economics of the Spain and features the Madrid stock market and the politicians. Overall, it shows the unequal battle between the two. It also highlights the debt crisis in Europe, mainly in Spain. Jose uses the book to discusses the importance of Catalunya staying a part of Spain and working together to get Spain out of debt. 

After reading through the article I could tell that Jose was a right wing party member before even researching him. I got out of this that he wants Catalunya to stay part of Spain because he wants Catalunya to help pay back the debt Spain has accumulated. It's funny because after researching the ERC so much I learned a lot from their party. A lot of what they had to say was that Spain wanted to keep Catalunya in the loop because they were making such large profits which Spain taxed highly. 

The Prime Minister of Spain, Jose said "relations between the central government and Catalan are "cordial" and that good relations are necessary for political stability, also necessary for economic growth and job creation. "When we say to discuss what is possible and what is not, things will improve even more".

(Field trip 3) El Raval

Today we went on a trip to El Raval which is off La Rambla on the opposite side of the Gothic Quarter. I had ventured down this way a few times but got super lost and managed to find my way back to La Ramblas without finding a lot of the hidden treasures along the way. Below is a picture of another University of Barcelona campus building. This building is for the philosophy, history, and geography majors. 

Next to the University building there is the Museu d'Art Comtemporani de Barcelona (MACBA). This is a famous art museum in Barcelona and was built with an open court yard square in front of it. This is where the young kids and skaters of Barcelona come to hangout and skate. Since kids are outside playing and having fun there is a very low crime rate around this area and has turned into a social area still in the center of the city. 

 Along our walk we ran into a bunch of really interesting street art pieces including the one below. This states that "All together we can stop AIDS" and displays a bunch of people dancing, and holding hands. I really liked this piece out of all the works of art we passed by on that field trip. 

 On our walk we passed by a beautiful public library and on the opposite side of the library stood the old hospital. The famous Antoni Gaudi died here without even being recognized for a few days. A lot of the old architecture still stands and there are new shops and restaurants put in them. I liked how the old architecture was incorporated into the new shops because it leaves the history of it all still there and the city looks even more beautiful that way.  

 As we were coming to the end of our field trip Xavi brought us to La Rambla de Raval. This small replica of the huge touristy area we all know was quite different considering it was much quieter and less busy then the true La Rambla. 

I really liked exploring this part of the city because I hadn't really explored it yet. It was beautiful and had a laid back friendly environment. 

(Field Trip 2) Medieval Barcelona - El Born

Today we went to the Medieval part of Barcelona where we entered the El Born District and took a trip to El Born Market. Here we saw the ruins of the old Catalunya from the 1700's. Originally the ruins were undiscovered, but in the 19th century when doing renovations to the market, the ruins were uncovered. 

From the outside you would never know that a huge chunk of Catalunya's history lies within the massive steel frame of the Market. The all glass frame allows for the sun to shine in and naturally light the ruins which adds to its beauty.

 The view from the top of the walk way displays all of the ruins, showing the streets, houses, and buildings that were once standing tall. Now the outlines are all that remains, but there's more to it then just a bunch of rocks.

 The tour guide took us down into the actual ruins and we were able to walk on the same streets that the Catalans from the 1700's walked on. That's over 300 years ago! It was an amazing experience to go down there and learn about the history of it all. For example, the picture above shows a typical entry way to a house. Even though I couldn't get a close enough picture, there is a typical game carved into one of the rocks making up the floor work. Our guide said it was very common for houses to have floor stones with the game (similar to Tic Tac Toe) carved into them. 

From this view you can see the street cutting across the picture and it separating the part of the town that housed the smelly fish to the other cleaner part of town. They separated the fish side from the other part since it got very smelly and even worse with hotter weather. 

 The picture above shows a typical room in a house. The houses were very small width wise but our guide said they could be up to 3 stories in height!