angelalee12

[angelalee12]

Catalan Politics News 3

Link: https://www.thelocal.es/20220422/how-spyware-allegations-are-poisoning-spains-ties-with-catalan-separatists/

This article was published on April 22, 2022 and talks about how spyware allegations are poisoning Spain’s ties with Catalan separatists. Catalan separatists have accused Spain’s intelligence services of using spyware to snoop on their phones. This ultimately created tensions with Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s minority leftist government, which relies on their support to pass legislation. Citizen Lab, a company from Canada that focuses on high-tech human rights abuses, said that more than 65 people linked to the Catalan separatist movement had been targets of Pegasus spyware. Pegasus is a software that silently infiltrates phones to take data, activate cameras, or microphones to spy on the owners of the device. It is only sold to government agencies to target criminals however, the company has been largely criticized. The Spanish government denied all allegations of spying on the Catalan independence leaders.

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Catalan Culture News 2

Link: https://www.lavanguardia.com/cultura/20220424/8218441/muere-monje-montserrat-josep-massot-i-muntaner.html

This article was published on April 24, 2022 by La Vanguardia and it announces the death of historian and monk Josep Massot i Muntaner at the age of 80. Josep Massot i Muntaner was a historian, philologist, essayist, and monk of the Abbey of Montserrat. He had a degree in romance philology and was a professor of Literature at the University of Barcelona from 1970 to 1973. He dedicated his life to the extensive knowledge and work of Catalan history and philology. He has received many different awards throughout his career like the Creu de Sant Jordi and the National Prize for Popular Culture. His extensive knowledge of Catalan philology led him to publish the Dictionary of Catalan Literature. Many people and communities have expressed their condolences for the death of Josep Massot i Muntaner. Ther president of the government, Francina Armengol, the Consell de Mallorca, the City Council of Marratxí, the president of the Generalitat de Cataluyna (Pere Aragonès) and many more. All in all, Josep Massot i Muntaner made a lasting impact on Catalan culture and society.

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Catalan Culture News 1

Link: https://english.elpais.com/society/2022-04-20/after-two-years-spain-ends-indoor-face-mask-rule.html

This news article was published by El País on April 20, 2022. The news article talks about how the Spanish Cabinet on Tuesday approved the end of the mandatory use of face masks in most indoor spaces. This decision was made 699 days after the first mask mandate was issued on May 20, 2020. A face mask is no longer required in enclosed spaces except for public transportation, healthcare centers, senior living homes, and pharmacies. The article stated that it is now up to the individual to decide on whether to wear a mask, according to their level of vulnerability to the virus. With this step that was made, Spain joins most of the countries in the European Union where masks are no longer obligatory indoors. I thought this article was important to highlight because of how COVID-19 has affected my study abroad as a whole. I have been grateful to be able to see, travel, and do everything the last four months and the loosening of restrictions is one step closer to regular normal life. Although our program still requires us to wear masks for our classes, I am extremely glad to see a glimpse of what pre-COVID Barcelona looked like today.

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Spanish/Catalan Food 3: Cerveceria Catalana

Cervecería Catalana is a Catalan tapas restaurant located in Eixample. This is one of my favorite, if not my absolute favorite, restaurants in Barcelona. I took Spanish at IES with Professor Cristina Hitaies and she recommended that we go to this restaurant to get a real taste of authentic Spanish foods and tapas. I immediately went the following week and had the best tapas in the city. Much of the menu and the tapas were catered to seafood (which I love). The restaurant is so popular and so nice that you cannot make reservations. It is first come first serve, and if you go at peak dinner time there is a possibility that you can be stuck in line for hours before being able to sit down for dinner. My personal favorite tapas were las gambas al ajilo,  mixto de espárragos y champiñones plancha, langostinos cocidos, and of course the croquetas de pollo y jamón. For dessert, I had the torrija cremada de sta. Teresa, or also known as bread pudding, as a recommendation from a worker and it was delicious. Cerveceria Catalana gave me my first authentic Spanish tapas meal and dinner experience which I will never forget.

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Spanish/Catalan Food 2: La Boqueria

I have visited the Boqueria a couple of times over the last four months for class field trips as well as for leisure time. The Boqueria Market is located in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona and is one of Barcelona’s most famous tourist landmarks with an entrance from La Rambla. This market is one of the best spots to buy fruits, juices, meats, vegetables, and seafood. However, it is also a great market to try some of the best Catalan traditional foods. There are more than 300 stalls offering all kinds of products typical of Barcelona’s cuisine like paella, croquettes, etc. My personal favorite parts of the Boqueria market was the seafood section, the juices (zumos), and the tapas. In the center of the market, the shops are shaped in a circular formation. This is home to some of the freshest seafood in Barcelona. In this area, you are able to buy all different types of fish and also try different types of seafood you never would have imagined. I, for example, tried sea urchin for the first time at the Boqueria. The stands of the fresh juices cannot be missed due to their colorfulness freshness. There hasn’t been a time that I haven’t gone to the Boqueria without getting a juice that is merely 2 euros! Finally, my personal favorite is to try all the small tapas that the entire market has to offer. I love to walk around for hours and eat smaller things to be able to get a glimpse of what everything is like.  

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Spanish/Catalan Food 1: Golfo de Bizkaia

On April 18, 2022, I went to Golfo de Bizkaia in the El Born district. This place was recommended by a local for some of the best pintxos in town. The place consisted of many different pintxos, which are small finger foods. This restaurant experience was like no other – our bill was calculated by the number of toothpicks of the pintxos we ate. Some of my favorite were the grilled txipirones (baby squid), white shrimp, the artichoke omelette, and the patatas bravas. In addition to these pintxos, I enjoyed a nice cold glass of cava. Over the last four months, I have discovered that cava might be my favorite drink to have with my meals! I learned that it is sparkling wine produced mainly in the Penedès region of Catalonia. I would love to do a cava tasting and maybe even learn how to make cava, as it is my favorite drink to have! Golfo de Bizkaia offered a very well-rounded Spanish food experience with different Catalan tapas, but as well as small Basque casseroles and appetizers. I am extremely grateful to the young local who recommended this place to me and my friend. I highly recommend it!

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Leisure Activity 3: Sant Jordi's Day

On April 23, 2022, I celebrated Sant Jordi’s day for the first time! At first, I wasn’t sure as to what Sant Jordi’s day would entail. All I knew was that it was like Barcelona’s Valentine’s day. However, when I walked around Placa de Cataluyna and by Casa Battlo, I learned that Sant Jordi’s day is almost like a festival. All the roads were closed off and I have never seen so many people walking on the streets. There were many stands full of books and roses set up along the road. I have come to learn that Sant Jordi is one of the most original celebrations in Catalonia which combines culture and love. I participated by getting my boyfriend a book and he got me a rose. Casa Battlo was decked out in roses and was the biggest tourist attraction that day. With further research, I learned that this celebration comes from the patron saint of Catalonia (Jordi) and the famous legend of him and the dragon. I was very glad to participate in this traditional Catalonian cultural day right before leaving for the United States. It felt as if I was a part of something much bigger, and seeing other people participating as well made it even more worthwhile to walk around the streets all day.

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Leisure Activity 2: Bunkers del Carmel

The Bunkers del Carmel has been a frequent spot that I have visited over the last four months. I have gone with many friends to enjoy the sunset and the view while drinking some wine. After going many times, I have noticed the leisure and time many locals spend up there. Eventually, I got interested in what the history of the location was. It turns out that the Bunkers del Carmel has an important aspect to Barcelona’s history. It was built during the Spanish Civil War in 1937 and it was used as a part of an anti-craft battery to defend against attacks from the fascists. Today, it is used as a spot to spend time with people you love and enjoy the amazing panoramic views of Barcelona. I am so happy to say that I have been here multiple times, as this is probably my number one favorite spot in Barcelona.

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Leisure Activity 1: FC Barca Game

On February 27, 2022, I attended the FC Barcelona game against Athletic Club at Camp Nou. Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid 4-2 and it was a very exiciting game to watch. My friends and I got cheap tickets last minute, so we were sitting at the very top of the stadium; however, it was very entertaining as we were in the section right next to some of the Athletico fans. Attending the FC Barcelona game opened up my eyes to the culture of sports here in Barcelona. Not only was the stadium full of passion and energy for Barcelona, there were many people waving Catalan flags around the stadium. Furthermore, the energy I felt before entering the game was just as ecstatic. My friends and I used to metro to get to Camp Nou, and the entire way, people were cheering and chanting for Barcelona. Before we entered the stadium, we went to a small bar restaurant by Camp Nou and the spirit and energy of Barca was apparent there as well. Overall, I was so glad to be able to see something so important to the city firsthand and experience the day with locals as well as my friends from home.

[angelalee12]

Catalan Culture Activity 3: Disseny Hub Barcelona - Museum of Design (Banksy exhibition)

I visited the Disseny Hub in the Design Museum of Barcelona on February 2, 2022 and walked through the temporary Banksy exhibition titled “The Art of Protest”. This was for a field trip in my Art and Design class with Professor Marisa Torres. Banksy is a notorious artist on the contemporary scene and keeps his identity anonymous. The main themes of Banksy’s work definitely connect to the city of Barcelona, a city of art and creativity, as well as political protest. Many of his works of art speak of worldwide problems, hypocrisies, and current events in a simplistic and satirical way. The experience of the exhibition fit perfectly and synonymously to Banksy’s anonymity and Banksy’s ideals of protest and slyness. The exhibition the museum portrayed expanded and deepened my understanding of Banksy as a person and an artist. I learned that Banksy works hard to make change and put out his opinions on his dissatisfactions with certain aspects of politics, society, and world problems. I also think it correlated to culture here in Catalonia, as I see many street art and contemporary art in the streets that convey the same messages as Banksy. Other street and contemporary artists alike Banksy have the same intentions to spread awareness and capture attention of people of Catalonia.

[angelalee12]

Catalan Cultural Activity 2: Museu Olímpic I d’Esport Joan Antoni Samaranch

I visited the Olympic Museum of Joan Antoni on February 20, 2022. The museum is located in Montjuic and its entrance next to the Olympic stadium is hard to miss. As I learned in my other classes as well as this class, the 1992 completely transformed the city of Barcelona. The museum introduced me to the history of the Olympic games as well as the immense value of sport in Catalan society. The layout of the museum was a downward spiral and goes down from the past to present – like a timeline. At the end of the timeline of the Olympics, there is a special area dedicated to the 1992 Barcelona Olympics. There was a private art collection of Joan Antoni Samaranch as well as emblematic symbols and items from the opening and closing ceremonies of the 1992 Olympic games. One of the most emblematic items in the museum is the displayed arrow that was shot by archer Antonio Rebollo to light the cauldron at the opening ceremony. Visiting the Olympic museum was worthwhile to see first-hand how valuable the 1992 Olympics were to the Barcelona and Catalan society. The biggest takeaway from this museum was that sport is more than just the activity itself – for Barcelonians and Catalans, sport is life.

[angelalee12]

Catalan Cultural Activity 1: Flamenco Show

I attended a Flamenco performance on March 9, 2022 at the Palau Dalmases in the gothic district. Palau Dalmases is located in Carrer Montcada, which is in the Ribera district of Barcelona. The location of the flamenco show was unique due to its baroque influences of the artistic, political, and cultural life of Barcelona and Catalonia. The place was super welcoming and the show even included a free drink. Although it is located in the historic center of Barcelona, the experience was intimate, unique, and not as touristy as I expected it to be. The flamenco performance was an hour long. It consisted of about 5 different performances. The first performance was a flamenco singer and guitarist, both of which had beautiful solos to start off the flamenco show. The next performer was a male flamenco dancer that danced along the singer and the guitarist. There were two more solo flamenco dancer acts after the first male. The last performer was a woman flamenco dancer that demonstrated strength and talent through her performance. All in all, I was perplexed to see the amount of effort and passion that these performers put into these flamenco performances and was so glad to see the music and arts of Catalan culture in person.

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Blog Post #3 - 5. Conclusions: Why do you think the area of Raval district of Barcelona has become one of the centers of alternative culture in Europe during that period? Why do you think this space have determined people’s action?

After Franco's dictatorship ended in 1975, the people of Barcelona and Cataluña needed to find a new way of life and a new culture to their lives by the '80s. It makes sense that the core of Barcelona became one of the best areas that promoted alternative and youthful culture, as the people of Barcelona and Cataluña are trying to find a new way of life. After so many years of being prohibited to do many activities freely, the people finally had a chance to do whatever they wanted and express themselves however they wanted. El Raval was the core of Barcelona and it became hub for everyone to create a new alternative youth culture and become a place of meeting and pastime. This space was so appealing for this new alternative youth culture because of the open public spaces available as well as the many plazas open for anyone to gather and do their hobbies.

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Blog Post #3 - 4. What signs can you see in this neighborhood that explain its nature (stores, bars, public buildings, street art, etc…). Take photos of 5 examples that justify your answer and show symbols of alternative culture in the area. Take 3 photos to illustrate your answer and explain them.

The photos above exemplify the street art, signs, paintings, and buildings that stood out to me the most during our field excursion down El Raval. The nature of this art gave the neighborhood its contemporary, young, and free atmosphere I felt when walking through this neighborhood. This culture is a little bit more free-living. One of the most interesting signs and art that stood out to me is the sign that reads, "Disney ruined my son" above a kindergarten school building. Another example of contemporary and alternative signs I saw on this trip was the Keith Haring mural artwork that was spread across the walls on a building by the MACBA. Keith Haring is a pop artist from New York that aligns parallel with the atmosphere of the Raval neighborhood. His work shows a lot of activism for the things he believes in, and I believe that the Raval neighborhood is a good representation of that. Everywhere we walked, there were many different works of art that represented different activists, for example, Woman's Day here in Spain. The artwork of the neighborhood is an imperative aspect to the youthful and uninhibited atmosphere of El Raval.

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Blog Post #3 - 3. Make a list of Public buildings and explain its uses. What kind of people are the target of these buildings? Do you think this area was planed for youth? Take 2 photos of public buildings and explain them.

The two public buildings pictured above are the Museu d'Art Contemporani de Barcelona, or the MACBA, and the Centre de Cultural Contemporanea de Barcelona (CCCB). The MACBA holds some the biggest collections of modern and contemporary art in Barcelona. The CCCB is an arts center in the Raval district that organizes many different exhibitions, debates, festivals, concerts, film cycles, courses, lectures, and other activities. The main target for these two specific buildings are most likely for young adults and students who attend university around the area. Around this area is the Universitat de Barcelona. Many students who attend this university may frequently walk by this area and utilize these public spaces and buildings for enjoyment or even for their academics. I think that these areas were meticulously planned for the youth as it is in the vicinity of youthful area filled with universities, children's schools, parks, and more.

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Blog Post #3 - 2. Where is Raval placed in the City Map. The most expensive area of the core of Barcelona for public use.

The map above shows where El Raval is placed in the city map of Barcelona. It is in between Montjuic and the Gothic Quarter. This area is not as touristy as where Las Ramblas is. However, it is a very populated spot for many locals and students. El Raval is the most expensive area of the core of Barcelona. However, the open spaces and multiple areas of public use make the location worth to live in, especially for locals and students as there are many bars, museums, events, schools, social houses for those who live there.

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Blog Post #3 - 1. Describe the Spaces for Public use in Raval Area. People, public spaces, stores and private areas. Take 3 images representing three examples of culture.

When walking around the Raval area for our field trip, I've come to notice that the spaces for public use are more for locals rather than tourists. Most of the public spaces are open and plaza-like. I think it is important that these public spaces are open and plaza-like so that it looks more welcoming and comfortable for those coming to use the public space. The idea of a public space represents a place and time for locals and young people to hang out and spend quality time outside. I took notice of many people skateboarding, biking, playing basketball, while others just enjoying the beautiful weather outside, sitting at an outdoor seating bar having a beer. Overall, the spaces for public use in Raval area give a comfortable and relaxing atmosphere for many locals, from children to young adults to elderly.