Les felicito por la victoria y el título

Saturday March 21, 2012

At the post game news conference, the managers of FC Barcelona Josep "Pep" Guardiola was very classy and congratulated Real Madrid for winning arguably the biggest game of the year, 'El Clasico.' He was quoted as saying, "Les felicito por la victoria y el título," which means, 'I congratulate you on the victory and title.'  The only other game that might be of more magnitude would be if FC Barcelona and Real Madrid meet in the Champions League Final in May, but both team must win Tuesday and Wednesday for that to become a reality.

For the first time in Guardiola's tenure as Barcelona managers, Barcelona has lost La Liga.  In the post game interviews Guardiola gave credit to Madrid noting they were a  physical team and Barcelona did not match their physicality intensity.

Guardolia also did not complain about his teams effort, and noted they must forget about the loss and focus on the Champions League match on Tuesday against Chelsea.  Pep also commented that they must review the game tape and assess why his team lost El Clasico.

He also took criticism for not playing Cesc Fabregas and he responded by explaining, "I have to make decisions, I paid for it and take responsibility, maybe I was wrong with Cesc or I don't know.  He then reitereated that the result against Chelsea on Tuesday means a lot and the final of Copa del Rey against Athletic is another very important game.

Iniesta was quoted saying, "I am disappointed and hurt. We played wtih some haste, but we had chances to score. We had the vision of keeping the league championship alive, but now have to prepare for Chelsea on Tuesday."

The captain Puyol also spoke following the game praised Madrid and commented that you cannot always win and hinted at the fact that they have not been as consistent as other years.  When asked about the possibility of facing Real Madrid in the final of the Champions League he responded, "It would be a very cool end (to the season)."  For now players will have to quickly switch their focus from Real Madrid to Chelsea and begin preparing for Chelsea on Tuesday.

My take: Living in Barcelona has really taught me the importance of soccer through Catalan culture and Spanish culture.  Going out to bars such as Ovella Negra to watch FC Barcelona games was so much fun and one aspect I will truly miss about Barcelona.  In addition, I will continue to root for Barca once I have returned to the States.  BARCA! BARCA! BARCA!

Source:

http://deportes.elpais.com/deportes/2012/04/22/actualidad/1335047566_837547.html

La Barcelona sin techo

Thursday, April 12, 2012

"The Homeless Barcelona"

The number of homeless in the city has increased 32% since 2008.  Nearly 2,800 people sleep in shelters, on the street or in barracks.  Every day about 1,100 people sleep in public shelters and other accommodation of social organizations, the study said.  About 800 sleeping on the streets and as many in abandoned buildings, vehicles parked on vacant lots and shacks in vacant lots, as one in four people dided on Monday in the neighborhood of Poble Nou in Barcelona. 

Compared to the homeless counts made by Barcelona since 2008 and the comparison between the data for that date and the current evidence that the phenomenon of shanty towers has soared.

The profile of the person sleeping on the street, according to the latest report is that of a man between 26 and 45 who seek refuge in doorways and lobbies of banks mainly in the districts of Eixample and Ciutat Vella (47%)  The third district with more homeless is Sant Marti (14%).  By age 31% are between 26 and 45 years, 24 % between 46 and 65, and the rest is undetermined.  In total according to recent data 500 were foreigners and 300 Spanish.  In 2009, 12.5 % of these people received counseling by the Consistory.

The main problem is, the resources of the City of Barcelona and the extensive network of social organizations that work are insufficient compared to the constant increase of people who become homeless.

Barcelona has a total of 1,347 beds in shelters and residential floors in addition to 416 in inclusion-social entities have more seats than the Consistory-other 120 people on pensions and other 279 in realquiladas rooms.  In the last four years, since the counts are made, the health care network has increased, especially places that have gone on floors from 182-342, but doesn't come close to addressing the real needs.

Maite Fandos (CIU), appealed to citizens to facilitate economic rental apartments to the Consistory to the "significant increase" of homelessness.

Local and social authorities prefer apartments to large facilities or shelters because it helps further integration, provided occupants have a minimum of social skills.  

Overall, the amount of homeless people is beginning to rise at a staggering rate, ignited by the crisis of the Spanish economy and extremely high unemployment rate.  In my opinion, local and social authorities need to brainstorm more ideas and think a little tougher next time to end this problem and to create a stronger plan, that will at least stop the growth of homeless people in Barcelona.

Source:

http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2012/04/12/catalunya/1334234092_462750.html

Cataluña vive hoy la invasión de libros, rosas y 'senyeres'

Tuesday, April 24, 2012

Catalonia lives today the invasion of books, roses, and 'senyeres'

Similar to the United States holiday of Valentine's Day, Plaza Catalonia was packed today with people celebrating Sant Jordi.  This day is filled with an exchange of presents between men and women, men giving women roses and women giving men books for the holiday.  The students in the dorm I live in had the day off as well, as their classes were cancelled.  I've never seen so many books and roses in my life until today in the city center between la Rambla, Rambla de  Catalonia and Passeig de Gracia.

t is estimated that booksellers conduct at least 7% of sales throughout the year during Sant Jordi.  Another industry anxiously awaits the arrival of Sant Jordi.  Today it makes 40% of sales rose throughout the year in Catalonia.  Most flowers that were given away today were from three countries: the Netherlands, Colombia, and Ecuador.

In additions to tables of books and roses officers were out in force to maintain peace and keep traffic moving steadily.  There were about 370 officers spread throughout Catalonia, with 170 concentrated in Plaza Catalonia.

Overall, the day seemed like a happy day and a breath of fresh air for Catalans to take their mind off the Spanish economy and to just enjoy themselves and celebrate St George's Day, which is the National Day of Catalonia.


Source: http://ccaa.elpais.com/ccaa/2012/04/19/catalunya/1334826135_874460.html

U.S., Afghanistan near vital deal on future ties

From Nick Paton Walsh of CNN -- The United States and Afghanistan appeared close to signing a vital diplomatic deal Sunday, a pact that would continue cooperation between the two countries after the planned departure of NATO troops in 2014.  Afghan National Security Adviser Daftar Spanta and U.S. Ambassador Ryan Crocker initialed a text Sunday that outlined the future relationship the two countries want.

However, the agreement does leave some important questions -- like the presence of American troops -- to a later document.

Spanta is quoted in a statement issued by the Afghan government, "The document finalized today provides a strong foundation for the security of Afghanistan, the region and the world and is a document for the development of the region."

U.S. Embassy Spokesman Gavin Sundwall explained, "The initialing allows the text to go forward for the internal processes on both sides."  President Obama has indicated he wanted to see the document signed before the NATO summit in Chicago in May.

My immediate reaction to this article is I hope this agreement gets done and would be a great start to rehabilitating relationships between the United States and Afghanistan.  I also like Obama's urgency by wanting the document signed before the NATO summit in Chicago in May.

Source: http://edition.cnn.com/2012/04/22/world/asia/us-afghanistan/index.html?hpt=wo_c2

The Adventures of Juan Carlos

For my national story I was very intrigued by the enormous political mistake of Juan Carlos and his elephant hunting excursion.  If you haven't been following news about the Spanish economy, Carlos' recent hunting trip has angered a large majority of Spaniards.  Juan Carlos decided to accept an invitation to attend a hunting trip in Botswana to kill elephants.  Although it has been reported to be funded by his friend that invited him, the trip has been estimated to cost around 44,000 euros, amid the nation's deep financial woes.  Spain is struggling with 23% unemployment - the highest in the 17 - nation eurozone -which soars to nearly 50% for young workers.

To make matters worse, Juan Carlos suffered a fall during the elephant hunt in Botswana's northern Okavango region and he was immediately flown home by private jet.  After arriving back home Carlos underwent hip replacement surgery.  The King was reported to have been hunting elephants for four days.

A few days later in an unprecedented move King Juan Carlos apologizes moments after being discharged, following five days of treatment his broken hip.  The King said, "I'm very sorry, I made a mistake and it won't happen again."  The King was strongly advised by his political advisers to make some sort of statement addressing his enormous mistake of participating on a hunting trip during Spain's economic crisis.

Juan Carlos standing in front of a dead elephant. This picture caught the attention of many Spaniards looking for answers from their to king to help revive the Spanish economy.

Sources:

http://elpais.com/elpais/2012/04/18/inenglish/1334749560_514779.html 

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/apr/15/spain-king-juan-carlos-hunting

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-31749_162-57414777-10391698/spains-king-fractures-hip-during-elephant-hunt/

Museu Maritim Barcelona and Raval

Wednesday, April 11, 2012

For our third and final field trip our Catalan Cultural Studies Class went to explore Catalan culture within the Raval neighborhood.  El Raval is a neighborhood in the Ciutat Vella district.  El Raval along with Barri Gotic make up the two historical neighborhoods that border Las Ramblas.  El Raval used to be an area historically infamous for its nightlife, cabarets, prostitution and crime.  Through the years, El Raval has gotten a makeover and changed significantly in recent years.  Due to its central location, El Raval has become a minor attraction in Barcelona.  El Raval possesses a very diverse immigrant community with almost half of its population being born abroad ranging from Pakistanis, Indonesias, and a Eastern European community.  The area has various bars, restaurants, and night spots.

Focusing on the makeover of Barcelona, while walking through El Raval we were able to see first hand how it is becoming an important commercial place.  Old religious buildings and areas from the Middle Ages have been renewed into parks, schools, nurseries, public spaces, town hall buildings, etc.  We were also able to see the young life of Catalans.  In an open space outside of MACBA, we stopped at Plaza dels Angels to see the skateboarding area, which we could observe several younger Catalans, probably age range around 15-25, who were skateboarding and just hanging out on the steps relaxing. 

Here you can see the skate park area with MACBA (The Modern Art Museum of Barcelona) in the background.

If you look closely you can see a reflection of the skyline of Barcelona

We were also able to see CCCB which was next to the Universitat de Barcelona.  There were also several open areas and square for people to meet other people or just keep to themselves.  We also saw the Ravalejar Wall which has pictures of people who lost their houses.

Ravalejar Wall

We continued our journey to Carrer de l'Hospital which is the street that divides the north and south of Raval.  

Carrer de l'Hospital 

We then headed to South Raval which was created in 1998 by demolishing three streets and resulted in the creation of Rambla del Raval. Made the streets pedestrian oriented and created a friendlier type of atmosphere.

The main stretch of Rambla del Raval

El gat del Raval

Overall El Raval was a very interesting place to visit and be able to see first hand the melting pot effect of El Raval with all of the different culture blending together.  I can honestly say without this class field trip I would have never visited El Raval and would have missed out on seeing true Catalan culture and a melting pot effect which is one of the most unique aspects of El Raval.

La Champagneria

Friday, April 20, 2011

Another popular food spot for Catalans is La Champagneria.  La Champagneria is located at Carrer de la Reina Christina 7.  At La Champagneria you are able to get sandwiches, tapas, burgers, and cava for a cheap and affordable price all day long.  La Champagneria also provides a great atmosphere for guests and is always crowded.  When I arrived at La Champagneria, I was shocked that the cava was a light red shade.  Even though the Cava was red, it was still delicious.  As I stated before the restaurant is really cheap and attracts a nice crowd of locals and tourists.  Similar to Bo de B, La Champagneria is very close to La Barceloneta, so many people stop at La Champagneria enjoy a sandwhich or tapa and a bottle of cava then head down to the beach for the day.  I would consider La Champagneria one of the most authentic Spanish bars in Barcelona.  I found it a bit strange when arriving to see meat hanging from the ceiling, garbage all over the floor and no chairs.  My friends and I went around 3:00 in the afternoon and it was absolutely packed.  Apparently, the place is packed every night and they maximize capacity by not having chairs.  La Champagneria is also famous for its unique tapas, which for men are burgers and chicken breast sandwiches, and has very delicious croquettes.  The bar is one of the most unique and most diverse places to eat and drink in Barcelona.  Below are some pictures from my visit to La Champagneria.  

The inside of La Champagneria

On the right you can see meat hanging from the ceiling.

A look at how crowded the small bar was for 3:00 in the afternoon.

A look at behind the bar where the food is being prepared.

A good shot of the bar, menu, and meat hanging from the roof.

A shot at the outside of La Champagneria, notice how there is no sign and you can see how crowded the restaurant and bar has become during the middle of the afternoon.

Bo de B

Throughout the semester a popular lunch destination for my friends and I was Bo de B located on the corner of Fusteria 14 and Merce 35.  After a long hour and half class of Spanish on Fridays my friends and I would often grab Bo de B to go and go relax on the beach.  Other times when the weather wasn't as nice we would wait for a table to open up and eat inside.  Because Bo de B is so popular and such a little place, there were some instances in which you would not be able to get a seat inside and just have to take it to go and find a bench or some steps to eat your meal on.  Bo de B is considered Catalan food because of its Catalan type of food including their famous patatas bravas and "the best bocadillo in town" claim.  In my opinion they do have the best patatas bravas and best bocadillo in town, I get hungry just thinking about it.  It also has a Mediterranean feel to it with the fresh vegetables and feta cheese.  It seems like they have every vegetable you would ever want on a chicken, steak, ground beef bocadillo or platter and the vegetables taste extremely fresh and delicious.  I almost forgot to mention the best part about this place is how cheap the prices are for food, making it extremely affordable for anyone to stop by and grab a quick lunch.

The outside of Bo de B.

The daily specials of Bo de B.

A glimpse of the fresh vegetable bar, which is much more impressive in person.

A picture of the counter where you order and your bocadillo or platter is made for you.

The patatas bravas my friends and I shared.

The chicken bocadillo I ordered, which was absolutely delicious.

Let's Go To the Born (la Ribera Quarter)

Wednesday, March 7, 2012

For our second field trip, we visited the Born Area, specifically la Ribera Quarter focusing on the exploring and discovering Medieval Barcelona.  Many of the buildings in La Ribera date from late Medieval times.  By listening to our teacher, Xavi, we learned that the Guilds or Gremis were the core of medieval Barcelona's economic life; the spine around which all productive work was organized.  Without inscription in a guild, no man could learn or practice a trade.  The guilds have left the spirit of associating in Catalan Culture and lasted for 600 years until the Industrial Revolution.

Some streets that were dedicated to craftsmanship or trade  in the Medieval Times include: Carrer del Carders, Placa de la Llana, Carrer del Cotoners, Carrer de Sant Antoni dels Sombrerers, Carrer de les Smoleres, and Carrer de les Candeles.  In Placa De La Llana shepards sold wool, Carrer del Cotoners was the guild famous for producing Cotton.  On the other hand,  Carrer de Sant Antoni dels Sombrerers was named after the hat-maker guild and Carrer de les Smoleres was the wheat guild.  Finally, Carrer de les Candeles was named after the guild that manufactured candles.  Els Gremis were created during the Medieval period in Barcelona and were formed to create an association of people that performed the same craft or trade.  In some ways, guilds are still relevant to Catalan culture today.

Carrer dels Carders (Chair-makers)

One of the many narrow streets in the Born Area

 Placa de la Llana (Stock Market Area/Shepards sold wool)

Carrer dels Cotoners

Carrer de Sant Antoni dels Sombrerers (Hat-Makers)

During the Medieval period in Barcelona, 'La casa-taller' (the house-workshop) was the typical craftsmanship family house.  It was called 'La casa-taller' because it was the same place to live and work.  Servants lived on the top floor and was the only place on La casa-taller that received sunlight.  Servants often spent three years living with a family on an internship.  La casa-taller usually had a large window on the front of the shop for displaying products and a window on the back to act as loading dock for materials.  Similar to most streets throughout the Born Area, the streets of La casa-taller were extremely narrow streets.

After observing the buildings of this area of Barcelona the main architectural aspects that distinguish the craftsman work buildings to the industrial production buildings is the strategically placed stones that were able to endure naturals disasters and extremely strong storms.  On the other hand, industrial buildings were not made to last and be able to endure brutal storms and weather problems.

Santa Maria del Mar is located in the Ribera district of Barcelona built between 1329-1383.  It provides a great example of Catalan Gothic style. It also helps represent Catalan culture because it was built by working Catalan men.  Santa Maria del Mar is a symbol of Bourgeoisie in Barcelona and the middle class of the Middle Ages.  It also displays octagonal towers and simple walls.

El Mercat del Born was made of iron and was Barcelona's principal wholesale market until the mid-1970s when the wholesalers were moved to Mercabarna on the city's outskirts.  Symbol of the 1800s mentality because it was made of iron.

El Fossa de les Moreres is a memorial plaza near Santa Maria del Mar built over a cemetery where defenders of the city were buried following the Siege of Barcelona at the end of the War of the Spanish Succession in 1714.  The eternal flame is always burning in remembrance of the fallen Catalans.  Several people associated with guilds died here defending Catalonia.  

La Ciutadell Park was a fortress created by Philip V in 1714 after the War of the Spanish Succession.  The Citadel was created in order to maintain control over the city, and to hold the Catalan citizens from rebelling like they did in the previous century.

El Consolat de mar was a quasi-judicial body set up in the Crown of Aragon, that later spread throughout the Mediterranean basin to administer maritime and commercial law.  Also refers to a celebrated maritime customs and ordinances in Catalan known in English as the Customs of the Sea.  In the 21st century el Conosolat de mar is used for commercial arbitration service operated by the Barcelona Chamber of Commerce and for a series of trade-promotion offices operated by the city of Barcelona.

The Fortress at Montjuïc

Sunday, March 3rd, 2012

On the same day we visited the Olympic Ring, my friends and I visited the fortress at Montjuïc.  Montjuïc is known as the 'Mountain of the Jews' or translated in Medieval Catalan as 'Jew Hill.'  It is also known as 'hill of Jupiter.'  At the top of Montjuïc, the main attraction is the fortress, Castell de Montjuïc, which mainly dates back from the 17th with 18th century additions.  Until the rule of Franco, it served as a prison, often holding political prisoners.  The castle was also the site of numerous executions.  The castle overlooks the harbor and to the southwest you are able to see the city of Barcelona.  Below are some pictures I was able to capture when visiting the fortress at Montjuïc.

A view from inside of the gondola lift or cable car, that we took from the Metro Stop Montjuïc to the top of Montjuïc.

A view of Barcelona from the cable car.

Another view of center city of Barcelona.

A view of the harbor from the top of Montjuïc.

Here you can see the cruise ships stationed at the harbor.  Tourism is one of the most important industries for the Barcelona economy.

Sitting atop the Fortress at Montjuïc. 

The Catalan Flag waiving strong at the Fortress.  

A view of center city of Barcelona.

An alternate view of Barcelona.