A quick trip to Barcelona
I went to Barcelona to visit my oldest friend and to see a Miguel Noguera Ultrashow (it would take me too long to explain what this is). Here are some quick observations about the trip:
- During the train ride in, they announced we were going to be delayed "due to the infrastructure". It was funny to me they didn't even bother to give a reason, it's just the infrastructure that creates delays.
- The Barcelona metro, like Madrid's, just fucking works. You can be in any part of the city in 20 minutes or less. I realise that using it every day in rush hour might be a different story, but for a visitor it's a fantastic experience. And an expensive one I might add. I paid €14 for 10 trips (maybe 2 of those were for the card) when in Valencia I pay €6 (it's subsidised by the local government).
- It's very evident and sad how much tourism is destroying the culture of the city. The Gaudí stuff, the cuisine, the caganers in the souvenir shops, those are not culture, they are cultural artifacts of a culture that can't afford to live in their city anymore. My friend pays more than an average salary just in rent. Madrid is already there, Valencia is on its way and I'm sure Sevilla, Bilbao and others are too. I'll stop saying it when I see evidence of the contrary: the economic benefits of tourism don't outweigh the destruction of local cultures.
- Argentineans have fully colonised the city, I've never seen so many empanadas places in my life.
- Went to a lovely little coffee shop run by a Brazilian couple, ate delicious pão de queijo and bought some beans. @CafeChicoBCN
- I looooooved the bookshops I visited, so much better than the average in other parts of the country (and none of that Casa del Libro bullshit). La Llama is a book shop specialised in comedy run by people from El Mundo Today (Spanish The Onion). I saw some amazing stuff, like Seinfeld scripts, the Bob's Burgers recipe book, the World's Best Boss mug and a great selection of graphic novels. I could have spent an entire day in La Central, they had absolutely everything.
- Went to a jigsaw puzzles shop and discovered architectural models (little kits to build little houses with little bricks and little bags of cement). I think I found my new hobby.
- Queueing for the bathroom at the theater I got distracted and two guys went in front of me. When I re-joined my original spot behind my friend they semi-politely told me off for jumping the line and I semi-politely told them that I was with my friend but also that I didn't care that much, since we were all going to the same show and had time to spare. They agreed and I thought it was a good moment to pull out one of my favourite phrases "Entre bomberos no nos pisemos las mangueras" which translates to "Between firefighters we shouldn't step on each other's hoses". They found it hilarious, I thought it was known in Spain, but it seems to be an Argentina thing. Will seek confirmation.