Just in time for summer, Barcelona bans bikini wearers, shirtless men and nudists from its streets

Make sure to wear a shirt if you want to walk around in the stifling heat of Barcelona this summer, or you may pay dearly for it -- up to 300 euros!

Just in time for the tourist rush, the Spanish city known for its beaches and relaxed lifestyle has prohibited not only public nudity, but also the wearing of bathing suits away from swimming areas.

Beset by the hotelier and merchant lobby, who have protested for years that tourists walking around town with exposed torsos give Barcelona a bad image, the city council on Friday approved new legislation to prohibit and punish those who go down the street naked, bare-chested or in a bikini. The measure, which goes into effect next month, was approved just four weeks before municipal elections.

How the law will work

Complete nudity will only be allowed on Barcelona's officially recognized nude beach, Mar Bella, which is the only one in the city that has sand dunes, making it a somewhat secluded spot. Going shirtless or wearing swim-suits will be allowed only at pools, beaches and surrounding areas, such as the Paseo Maritimo stretching along the Mediterranean. Doing so anywhere else in the  city, including while strolling along the emblematic Las Ramblas boulevard or having refreshments at a sidewalk cafe, could result in a fine larger than the 200 euros one has to pay for running a red light: between 300 and 500 euros for going naked, and 120 to 300 for not wearing a shirt. In practice, local police will not fine transgressors immediately: nudes and semi-nudes alike will first receive a warning and an invitation to cover up. Fines will only be given to those who refuse to cooperate or who are caught again for the same violation.

Barcelona's police officers will probably easily recognize nudity when they see it, but how will they determine semi-nudity and its appropriateness? What is the difference between a woman wearing a bikini bathing suit and one wearing a pair of skimpy shorts with a bikini halter top? How far can a shirtless guy walk from the beach before being considered indecent? What happens if while a police officer is fining a bikini-wearing, shirtless couple who wander into a neighborhood near a beach, a sweaty construction worker without a shirt carries a heavy object out of building-site onto the street?

Barcelona on the cutting edge

While at least two other Spanish municipalities have passed legislation banning nudity, none have gone so far as to outlaw semi-nudity. In 2008 Alicante established fines ranging from 751 to 1500 euros for pubic nudity. The city of Las Palmas published an edict in 2004 stating that "nudity, when practiced in places of public transit, practiced en masse, or improperly, is no longer natural and becomes exhibitionism forced on others." Since there was apparently no fine or other punishment prescribed, I'm not sure how nude-free Las Palmas is today. But Barcelona's streets may soon be free of bikinis, swimming trunks and a few tourists.

Maybe next the city council will spend some time and money cracking down on another worrisome group of people who tend to freely wander Barcelona's streets, as well as its beaches: pick-pockets and purse-snatchers.

Cross posted on Newsvine.

Sources:
El destape urbano, non grato (Urban nudity, non grata) - La Razón (with video report)
No es un biquini, es un 'top' (It's not a bikini, it's a 'top') - El País

I'm back!

Where've I been? Well, here in BCN mostly. So, why haven't I written anything in almost two months? Well, at the end of June I was busy moving into a new apartment (I'm still in lovely ole' Barceloneta, but in a slightly larger place); then in July I had lots to do in order to wind down the school year and settle into said apartment; then it was August, with more settling in, a house guest and of course V-A-C-A-T-I-O-N.

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Let's see, since my last post I have been to Ireland (that was work -- I escorted 30 Spanish teens to a summer English course they were to participate in in Cork!), travelled to Italy (that was pure vacation!!) and done a lot of reading, resting, reading, eating, reading, relaxing and reading. Now the last week of my summer break is about to begin and I've got to get ready to gear up for the new school year that starts in September. I have to say, I am definitely up for it!

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I'll write more soon. Meanwhile, enjoy the rest of August!

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Carloz

Spanish Time

The arrival of the new AVE in Barcelona 5 minutes early (or eight minutes, depending on which newspaper one believes) but following after a 2 month construction delay, started me thinking about differences between the sense of time in Spain and the USA. (Before I go on, let me say that to me a two month delay does not seem like much on a construction project of the magnitude of the AVE and I think such a thing could happen anywhere.)
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Maybe “sense of time” isn't the most accurate phrase. Some foreigners might say a “lack of a sense of time” would be a better way of putting it. I believe it would be more accurate to say that there is simply a difference between the importance attached to time in Anglo-Saxon and Latin cultures. Anyway, here are few personal anecdotes that touch on this difference.
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When I lived in Madrid, it always tickled me that the clocks on two public buildings across the street from each other had slightly different times. The clocks on the Banco de España (i.e., the Spanish treasury) and the main post office at Plaza de Cibeles displayed times that were two minutes apart. (By the way, the main post office has since moved.)
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Speaking of the post office, while living in Madrid I received a notification of a certified letter one afternoon, so I promptly went to collect it the next day. Opening it immediately, I found a letter that had been sent 13 days earlier from the immigration office in Madrid requesting additional documents from me. The letter said that I had 12 days from the date on the letter to do this. It was a Friday afternoon, after the immigration office's closing time of 1pm, which meant Monday would be the earliest I could bring the documents – 4 days late! I thought, “Oh, my gosh, I'll have to get proof from the post office that the letter took more than 12 days to reach me!” So, I asked the postal clerk for a receipt. I was told I had to go to another window for that. After waiting in line at the other window, I was told by another clerk that I had been sent to the wrong window. Thankfully, there was no line at the next window and the clerk there gave me a form to complete for my request. After giving her the completed form she told me I could return towards the end of the next week to collect the receipt! I explained the urgency of the situation to her. She pointed to stacks of forms piled up on a table behind her and said sarcastically, “Well, all of these requests are urgent, too, so you'll just have to wait your turn.” I left the form, but meanwhile took my chances with the immigration office on the following Monday morning. When I explained to the immigration office clerk why I had not come in sooner, he said it wasn't a problem at all and accepted the documents.
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When I first moved to Spain I worked as a coordinator of a program at a school where one of my duties was to buy supplies for the program on a monthly basis. The school had an account with a certain office supply store that I went to during the first week of each month to place our order. No one told me that the store's two locations closed for the month of August, so that first year I found that out when I showed up at the store and read the “closed until September” sign. I remembered it the next year so went to the store on July 31st, where I again found the store closed until September. It turned out that since the 30th and 31st fell on a Monday and Tuesday that year, a decision had been made to close those two days, too. OK, year three I decided to ask the store staff at the beginning of July what their last opening date would be before their August holiday. I was told the store would be open through the 31st. I showed up on the afternoon of July 31st only to find the store closed until September. You see, a decision had been made that year not to re-open after the lunch time siesta! The next year I finally got the hang of it and did the August shopping during the second to last week of July.
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There is an accounting service down the street from my apartment here in Barcelona that prepares my tax return every year. I discovered it a few years ago when the office taped up several little signs in its store-front window announcing this service – simple signs on white A4 paper obviously printed on an office printer. The signs are still up and read, “We will prepare tax returns until May 30, 2004.”
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There is a tiny, little office supply store in my neighborhood that, like many businesses, closes for siesta. Occasionally the store doesn't re-open in the afternoon. I asked the owner about this one day and was told that it depends on how busy he is in the morning. If it's a really slow day, he figures there is no reason to open again after lunch.
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There is a restaurant near my place that advertises lunch served until 4pm. If I show up at at 3:40 or 3:45, sometimes they serve me, but other times say it is too late because the kitchen is closed. I guess it depends on how business has been that day.

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I have lived here for almost 8 years now, so I think I have pretty much reached a stage of acceptance of things like this. Or maybe its just really good denial.
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Hasta luego amig@s,
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Carloz

I'm back -- and the weather's fine -- but a little worrying.

Well, another August has gone by and September begun. It was a nice month -- a little work, a little rest, a little traveling (Ibiza!), a bit of beach time and a lot of sun! Which reminds me, news reports state that this was one of Catalonia's coolest August's on record. It was certainly the coolest I recall -- mostly in the 20s. (That equals 70s and 80s in Fahrenheit.)
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The reports stated that August 2002 was even a little cooler. However, since that was one of the years I'd left Barcelona and spent in Madrid, I don't recall it being cool. In fact, I'm sure it wasn't cool in Madrid -- I doubt that city is EVER cool in the summer. Which is why they say the weather in Madrid is, "nueve meses de invierno y tres meses de infierno." (Nine months of winter and three months of hell.)
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Anyway, although the weather's been pleasant in this corner of Spain, it's causing concern here about climate change.
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Buneo, soon I'll finish part three of "From the seaside to the hillside."
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Until then, saludos amig@s,
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Carloz

Adios julio. Hola agosto.

July's been an interesting month. Starting at the end of June, I began saying goodbye in stages to the students I've been teaching this past year. The last ones were this week. Of course for many of them it was really, "hasta luego" ("see you later") rather than goodbye. But it's still a parting.
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It feels really good to look back and see the progress most have made, although a few have really only maintained. In some cases these are the folks who miss lessons and don't do work outside of class. However, for some others maintenance was the goal and it is good that they met that. In the former cases, there includes the occasional student who seems to think a teacher can implant the language into their head. In the latter, these are usually students at pretty advanced levels who take advantage of the lessons to practice and build confidence. Other than the few implant seeking individuals, I am blessed with students who are bright, stimulating and interested in learning.
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This month I have been fortunate to start with a couple of new students. Although pleasurable and interesting, it can also be a little stressful to start teaching someone new. In some ways, it is comparable to a blind date -- for all parties involved. Well, now that I've met and spent a little time with them, I can say they both seem like they will be excellent learners and a pleasure to teach. The fact that, rather than waiting until September or October, they want to start in August, which is practically a synonym for VACATION in Spain, speaks volumes about these two.
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In addition, I have been doing the language audits that I wrote about previously. This is really interesting work, because it's something different and involves speaking with individuals from around the country who have varying levels of English proficiency.
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What about my vacation, you may be asking. Well, we are blessed in Spain to have a good amount of time off. For example, Semana Santa (Holy Week) and the nearly month long Christmas / New Years / Epiphany break, in addition to a host of local, regional and national holidays. So, for August I will only work part time, will see some local sights (there are always things to discover and re-discover here), spend more time at the beach and will more or less take a week off in the middle of the month. (I say more or less, because although I won't be teaching, I will probably still do language audits that week.)

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Some of the Spaniards I know probably think I am just another workaholic American. Well, how about this? To acknowledge that I do live in a country where August is practically a synonym for VACATION, I will also post a little less on the blog.
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I mean, one has to adapt, right?
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz

Language audits, summer work, summer vacation (not)

I haven't had much time to keep up with the news lately, much less to post something here, because I've been a little busy doing "language audits" for one of the schools I work for. The audits are on incoming students, mostly for the next school year, but occasionally there are students who want to start right away and do some studying this summer.

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The language audit is essentially an interview to verify the level students have been tentatively assigned according to a written examination they have taken. Usually their final level is right at or very near the level they tested out at. However, some people do much better in an interview situation than on a test and vice versa. Therefore, at times a bit of an adjustment may be required.
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It's interesting work, as I get to talk to different people all over Spain (the interviews are done over the telephone) and find out about their careers, their perceptions of English language learning and a variety of other subjects. One of the things that actually touches me is how important this is for most of them. It reminds me that there is real significance and value to teaching English.
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On the practical side, finding administrative work like this is one of the ways an EFL teacher can earn money during the summer months, when the school year is technically out. This is important because while some English teachers in Spain get paid vacation, many do not.
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So, this summer work has been taking up a bit of time, along with the few students of mine who are continuing with lessons through July. Of course in August EFL opportunities will lessen again.
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One thing I don't like about teaching English in a situation like this, is that I don't get much of a summer vacation, if any. After all, when there's no work, there's no pay coming in.

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On the bright side, it's a such a wonderful place to live that the lack of a lengthy vacation away is not so bad. Plus, there are a lot of public holidays in Spain. And with that, I'll count my blessings and go out for my evening "paseo."
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Chao amig@s,
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Carloz

Spain's Thursday News: Fire in Catalonia ; Telefonica told to pay up ; World told to eat walnuts

Catalan residents and visitors evacuated: The biggest story locally was the forest fire in Montroig del Camp near Tarragona, which is south of Barcelona. Residents and tourists had to be evacuated and around 300 hectares were destroyed, including woodlands, farms, a camp-ground and a restaurant. There were only a few light injuries, mostly smoke inhalation, and people were eventually able to return to their homes thanks to the efforts of local firefighters. This makes six forest fires reported in Catalonia so far this week.

Telfonica slapped with a fine: The European Commission fined Telefonica, Spain's former telephone monopoly (that still acts like it is!), a whopping €152 million ($206 / £102m). This is the largest fine ever for a telephone company and the second largest penalty of any kind imposed by EU regulators. (The record holder? Microsoft's €497 million fine.)

Telefonica has long been accused of abusing its market position in Spain by charging other companies excessively high rates to use its lines. EU regulators claimed this has impeded competition and, therefore, hurt consumers.

EU Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes said, "Telefonica's conduct harmed Spanish consumers, Spanish businesses and the Spanish economy as a whole, and by extension Europe's economy." She claimed that the large size of the fine was necessary as a deterrent and a warning to other companies.

Telefonica has pledged to go to the European Court of Justice to appeal the fine.

I say, "Way to go, Neelie!"

More proof that the Spanish diet is healthy! Probably everyone would agree that a low fat diet is good for you, but could a daily dose of virgin olive oil and walnuts be even better? According to the Prevencion con Dieta Mediterranea (aka, PREDIMED) study, it sure looks that way. The Spanish study of the Mediterranean diet revealed that regular consumption of walnuts and/or virgin olive oil could prevent coronary heart disease (CHD). The first results of the study were published last month in the Archives of Internal Medicine.

The study concluded that there is enough, "evidence to recommend TMD [The Mediterranean Diet] as a useful tool against risk factors for CHD" because "individuals at high cardiovascular risk who improved their diet toward a TMD pattern showed significant reductions in cellular lipid levels and LDL oxidation."

I say, "Way to go, TMD!"

Will success kill 'Bicing', Barcelona's new public bicycling system?

Below is my translation of an article by JAUME BAUZÀ from last Sunday's El Pais newspaper.

Click on the title below if you want to read the original Spanish version.
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Success threatens to drown 'bicing'
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In biology it is said that an insect survives because it is small, but that if it grew to the size of a cow, it would suffocate. Something similar could happen to Bicing, with its overwhelming success in Barcelona.
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The public transportation system established by City Hall last March has already has attracted 70,000 users so far -- a figure that grows by 1,000 new subscriptions a day. However, the number of available bicycles is much lower: 1,500 located at 100 stations. This difference between supply and demand is starting to cause problems in getting hold of a bicycle.
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Empty stations for much of the day, queues to get hold of one the prized methods of transport and users who, after an initial phase of skepticism followed by enthusiasm for the innovative service, are beginning to grow impatient.
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"The other day I had to go to three stations until I found a bicycle. If it to had gone home on foot since at the start, I would have arrived there earlier," said Ana at a stop near the cathedral.
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"At first there was no problem, but when I leave for work it's a miracle to find a bike," claimed Antoni in the Eixample area.
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Although the majority of users consulted believe that Bicing is an excellent initiative, a lot of criticism was expressed about the lack of bicycles. Nevertheless, those responsible for the program are not worried.
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"I don't believe there is a serious imbalance between supply and demand. At any rate, the service is still not up and running 100%," stated a spokesman of Barcelona Municipal Services, the public business that operates the new urban transportation system. City Hall foresees by year's end 3.000 bicycles in circulation, distributed through 200 stations all over the city. But how many users will have registered by then?
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"Now we are in a state of flux. With the summer's arrival the promotional [membership] rate of six euros annually has ended. It doesn't seem probable that the number of requests will continue at this pace after September."
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The system is seen as an alternative method of public transportation, so it only allows for trips of half an hour. In case that time limit is surpassed, the user is penalized 30 cents. This way the bicycles move constantly. Clear Channel, the company that put the service operation in Barcelona, reported that there have already been more than 500,000 trips recorded.
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"According to our calculations, each bicycle is used an average of 12 times a day and we believe that those rotations will rise to 15 by the end of the year. So when they say that there are few bicycles, one must keep in mind that they are in continuous movement," City Hall said in response to the criticism.
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At Barcelona Municipal Services, they prefer that things develop naturally. "It's logical that in the future some users will drop the service, having tired of not finding a bicycle. Thus the supply and demand will balance out," explained the municipal spokesman. "At any rate, it's still very early to speculate on that question. The system is new. We started from scratch and we need a year to study where the gaps are and find solutions", affirmed this spokesman.
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The advantages of Bicing are undeniable and explain why Barcelonans have been tripping over their feet to get at this service. It's comfortable, ecological and cheap. According to a profile provided by City Hall, the average user is more than 35 years old (48%), is a professional with an advanced degree (30,6%), lives in the Eixample (26,4%) and uses the bike an average of 15 minutes.
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To absorb such user demand, the town council is working towards installing a new station every day. The Bicing map already includes 75 stations that extend all over the city. For example, the six kilometers that separate Plaza d' Espanya and Glòries can be covered in 28 minutes traveling almost in straight line along Gran Via. The stress and heat produced by cars in two lanes, pedestrians that cross the street without looking and furious cabdrivers suggest making the return trip by Metro. The eight stations that separate both Plazas require 12 minutes travel time.
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Such a system is necessary, many citizens say, above all in a metropolis that has always boasted of treating bicycles well. But success can also kill and the flood of users threatens to reduce the effectiveness of the service.
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"There are things that need fine tuning, but in July we'll have 150 maintenance and distribution staff, 10 vehicles with trailers to carry bicycles and another four vehicles for maintenance. So, we'll fill up empty stations more quickly," pronounced City Hall.

Monday’s News in Spain: Spain's eternal summer challenge; more than one million did it in Catalonia yesterday; Catalonian condom machines

Spaniards Take Up Their Annual Summer Challenge - English! Yes, many Spaniards take time during the summer to study English -- children and adults -- at home, in camps and abroad. Intensive courses abound in Spain's cities; children's summer camps (colegios) are held in the countryside where studying English is a major focus; and trips are made to the UK, Ireland, Canada, the USA and as far away as Australasia to participate in immersion courses. According to to the newspaper-ita, Que! , more than 100,000 Spaniards will travel abroad this summer to study languages. And this year Spain's Ministry of Education has made grants available for 18 to 30 year olds who want to study English abroad.
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One million and counting: According to freebie paper ADN, the first day of "rebajas de verano" (summer sales) saw more than one million shoppers turn out in Catalonia yesterday. The most popular items: clothing and shoes.

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Condom Machines Spreading: It's not uncommon to see condom machines in bars, restaurants, schools and on walls outside pharmacies in Barcelona. Now Catalonia's government, the Generalitat, plans to install them in public libraries throughout the region and in metro stations in the greater Barcelona area.

Spain: News for Sunday 1 July 2007

Glasgow, of course, was the major story in all of the newspapers. El Pais ran the following headline: Alerta máxima antiterrorista en el Reino Unido tras un ataque. (Maximum anti-terrorist alert in the United Kingdom after an attack.) However, in Spain life went on as usual, as you can tell from the following local stories:

Summer sales start! Today was one of only 8 Sundays/Holidays a year when all stores are allowed to open for business. This is because today coincided with the start of Spain's summer sales period, which will last until 31 August. The Catalonia Commerce Confederation has predicted sales of between 800 and 900 million euros during these two months, 6% more last year. According to the estimates of the Spanish Commerce Confederation, Spanish consumers will spend, on average, between 150 and 200 euros.

Summer "sails", too! The massive exodus for summer holidays started yesterday, with queues at the ticket counters and traffica jams on the highways and freeways. Freeway AP-7 had vehicles lined up to 20 kilometers at noon. El Prat airport reorted record breaking operations, with a total of 1,102 take-offs and landings.

Glad I stayed home and enjoyed the beach! Hasta mañana...

Wednesday’s News…………BCN’s El Grec Festival; Spain 2, Catalonia 1; and Thierry Henry’s Shirt

Originally posted by Carloz on June, 2007 at http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/

EL GREC, Barcelona’s Summer Festival has begun! Last night saw the premiere of the 31st El Grec Festival, Barcelona’s summer performing arts festival, with Sacred Monsters, a dance performance by Sylvie Guillem (France) and Akram Khan (India). According to El Periodico de Catalunya, the duo surprised the public at the Montjuic amphitheater and heated up the festival’s cool first night.

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El Grec is geard toward everyone, including hip-hop fans this year. Popular musical performances (e.g., Barcelona Big Latin Ensemble, Laurie Anderson, Jorge Drexler, Antony and the Johnsons) and family entertainment (Circus Night, the Wizard of Oz), will be held along with classic works, like Shakespeare’s A Winter’s Tale and Goldoni’s La famiglia dell’antiquario. New works like La Fura dels Baus’ Imperium will alternate with innovative dance and theater, like that of Nau Ivanov, La Caldera de Gracia and the Sant Andreu Teatre.

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Here’s a link to the program: http://www.barcelonafestival.com/eng/programme
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Spain is number 2 and Catalonia number 1! Spain is the world’s 2nd most popular tourist destination, and within Spain, Catalonia is the most popular Autonomous Region. Between January and May of 2007 a total of 5.1 million tourists from other countries visited Catalonia – 25.3% of all foreign tourists who came to Spain according to data presented yesterday by the secretary of Innovation, Universities and Business, Josep Huguet. The most popular areas in Catalonia were Barcelona, followed by the Costa del Maresme, the Costa del Garraf, and the Costa Daurada.

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Number 14 fever: Vendors report that Henry’s number 14 T-Shirt is fast on the road to being the second most popular seller among Barça souvenirs. Watch out Ronaldinho!

The Spanish School Year

This is the final week of the Spanish school year, which runs from October through June. Therefore, this week I will be teaching year-end lessons for many of my students and giving tests to others. (Which means I’ll be grading tests, too.) In a few of my classes we will have a special little party of sorts. For example, one of my mid-day groups that I taught the expression “pot luck” to for a Christmas luncheon we had, have decided to have a pot luck luncheon for the year’s end.

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It is not good-bye to all of my students, however. Some I will see next year and a few are continuing with classes through July - some with a more intensive schedule and others with the same schedule they’ve had all year.

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What do teacher’s of English as a foreign language (EFL) living in Spain do during the summer? Well, those who work for the public school system and some who work for private schools (e.g., high schools) get paid vacation. Those who work for language academies or work on their own as private teachers usually have to work at least part of the summer, as they do not get paid vacation.

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Probably the biggest area of summer employment available in the EFL sector is Summer Camp work. Camps (usually referred to as ”colonias” in Spanish) often hire teachers under 30 to teach English. Teachers may also be expected to supervise the children during breaks and to participate in sports and other activities with them.

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It’s supposed to be exhausting work, but the pay can be good at the better camps. Most camps are residential with room and board usually provided. Since they are often located in rural areas, there is little opportunity for teachers to spend money. For these reasons, many teachers who work in colonias can actually save money.

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Teachers who do not work in Spanish colonias may work in Summer Camps in nearby countries. Italy, Switzerland and the UK seem to be particularly popular for this kind of work. Those teachers who do not want to work in summer camps, or who can't find such work (perhaps because they are over 30), usually find non-teaching work here or in their home countries and/or look for private students who want intensive classes during the summer.

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August is a particularly difficult time to find private students, because so many Spaniards take a good part of August off. Even those who do not go out of town for August vacation may be reluctant to take lessons during the hottest month of the year.

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Then there is September. Although the school year starts officially in October, there are language academies that start classes the month before. Many students who want private lessons are also willing to start-up early. So, some income usually starts to trickle in during the month of September. Then comes October and the cycle begins again.

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Copied from my original 25 June 2007 post at http://myspainblog.wordpress.com

Spain’s Sunday News Highlights: Who are more undesirable - French tourists, cats, dogs or politicians? Read and decide!

Fresh from reading El Pais and El Periodico at the beach, here are some of the items that struck me:

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Hoteliers Fear French Tourists and Idolize the Japanese.

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(By the way, this article had me, and the French friend who was with me, howling!)
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According to a survey of European hoteliers by GfK for Expedia, the Japanese are the favorite tourists, while the French — well the article said, “son groseros, quejicas y no se adapten a la cultura del lugar que visitan.” (They are rude, complaining and do not adapt themselves to the culture of the places they visit.)

.Where the Japanese were considered polite and interested in local culture and cuisine, the French were generally described as poor tippers who refuse to even try to learn a few words of the language of the host country and who show little interest in trying local culinary specialties. Only in fashion consciousness did they excel, along with Italians and Spaniards.

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The article also pointed out that the survey broke with some sterotypes; namely, that of American’s as arrogant and not interested in other languages. Although Americans ranked highest in the category of complainers and were seen as the worst dressers, they were ranked number one in the categories of trying to speak the local language, interested in trying the local cuisine and tipping.

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The Germans and British were noted for their lack of fashion sense. The Russians and the British scored low on respecting local customs.

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All-in-all, the top 5 tourist groups were: 1. Japanese; 2. Americans; 3. Swiss; 4. Swedish and 5. Germans. At the bottom of the list of 28 nationalities were: 24. British; 25. Russians; 26. Chinese; 27. Indians and 28. French.

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The article then had an interesting postscript about a Japanese doctor who has identifed something called the Paris Syndrome. Here is my translation of what was written about this condition:

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“That the words thanks and please have almost disappeared from the dictionaries of the French is not only verified by the GfK survey, which was carried out in April. It is also verified, with genuine fear, by the Japanese that land in the French capital. The cultural clash that occurs between the code of reverential conduct and hyper-respectfulness of the Japanese visitors and the aggressiveness and lack of courtesy of many waiters, sales clerks and Parisian cabdrivers is transformed, in some cases, into an illness that has been named the Paris Syndrome by Dr. Hiroaki Ota.

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“Each year he diagnoses about twenty cases among subjects of the Chrysanthemum Throne who visit the city they idealize as the mecca of culture and love. Auditory and visual hallucinations, feelings of persecution, confusion, anguish and even depression are some of the symptoms. There are some who do not overcome the clash. In the most serious cases, he opts for hospitalizing and repatriating the patient.”

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Clcik here for the online version of the article.

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This country is going to the dogs - and cats: Sticking with El Periodico and surveys, in an article entitled The Spaniard, tolerant of pets, another poll found that 53% of Spaniards interviewed were in favor of cats and dogs being allowed in hotels, restaurants, beaches and other public places, while another 37% thought this should be allowed as long as the animals behave themselves.

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly: Both El Pais and El Periodico had a lot of coverage of the agreement reached among the 27 EU countries on a new “treaty.” El Periodico claimed, “Europe Unblocked with Concessions to Poland” , while El Pais announced “Europe Regains Its Pulse.”

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El Pais described Merkel as having played the bad cop and Sarkozy the good in negotiations with Poland at the meeting of EU leaders in Brussels this weekend. It reported that Germany threatened to leave Poland out of future negotiations on the treaty by the Inter-Governmental Conference Group if President Kaczynski continued to hold up the agreement. The paper claimed that Merkel’s forcefulness, along with Sarkozy’s skilled negotiations over the telephone with Prime Minister Kaczynski (who was in Warsaw) were key elements of a successful strategy. It also cited efforts by the PMs of Spain, Britain and Luxembourg: Zapatero, Blair and Junker.

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Tweedele Dumb and Tweedle Dumber: The Kaczynski brothers are increasingly depicted in an unfavorable light in much of the Spanish media. A cartoon in today’s El Pais depicted them wearing identical police officer uniforms and interchangable scowls while looking down at a pair of ants on a beach. The caption read: “Polish police check with horror on the promiscuous nudity of ants on the beaches of the Baltic sea.”

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Click here to see the cartoon.

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And that’s all from me from Spain for now…

Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 24 June, 2007

An English Teacher’s Sunny Summer Sunday in Spain!

This article has been updated and can be found on my Newsvine column.
Here's a link to the article: Sunday In Spain: An English Teacher Ends The Week

Barceloneta and beyond (well, a little) during the summer solstice celebration

Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 24 June, 2007

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It’s just after 4:30am and I’m back home for a little break, so here’s another update. The fantasticness (Merriam-Webster lists it) of this night has continued. My fellow carrefoc spectator decided to go home, so I walked over to Pl. del Mar to meet some friends. On the way over, I joined a few people (strangers) jumping over a little bonfire for good luck — emphasis on “little.”

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At Pl. del Mar there was a stage set up with a pretty good Spanish rock group called Electronico playing. However, my interest in them waned as my curiosity grew about what was going on further up along the seaside. My friends were enjoying dancing, so I decided to head up the coast on my own. (You see, Pl. del Mar is at one end of the Barcelona beachfront. The other end is about 6.5 ks, or 4 miles, away, at the Rio Besos — Kisses River. The distance is only an estimate, but it shouldn’t bee too far off.)

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The crowd was thicker than on Sundays when the tourists are joined by all the locals taking their Sunday seaside stroll. The place was packed! The beach was completely full as well as the “paseo” that runs along it. People were walking, sitting, dancing, drinking ,eating, playing games and, of course, throwing fireworks.

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At the first chiringuito (the name given to the small bars located directly on the beach) I passed, the music was blaring electronic dance music. The next one had a DJ playing old disco music. (For example, Fly, Robin, Fly.)

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Then I passed the Restaurante Salamanca, a seaside institution in Barcelona, which had a very lively crowd beside it. This eatery, which is a block from my apartment building, is well known for its paella and seafood dishes, not for music or dancing. So, imagine my surprise when I realized Salamanca had a DJ playing music on its beachfront terrace. He was about 70 years old, dressed in dark blue slacks, a crisp blue shirt, blue suspenders and a bright green tie. This fellow was wowing the crowd with hot salsa music and Spanish dance hits. Unable to resist, I stopped and danced until the restaurant management made him close down around 2 am, despite cries of “Otra! Otra! Otra!”(or ”More! More! More!”) from the ecstatic crowd. Everyone around me was disappointed to see him fold up his equipment.

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Then I thought, “Hey, I always stay here in La Barceloneta for San Juan. I wonder what’s happening even further up the beach? Even to the other end?” All of a sudden I knew how to find out first hand exactly how folks spend San Juan outside of my barrio — Bicing! (Bicing is the Barcelona public transit system’s bicycle lending service. See June 17th post, Biking with Bicing in Barcelona for more details.)

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Just a few feet / meters away was a Bicing bike stand, so I walked on over and used my magnetized membership card to get a bicycle. Then I was off on a wonderful night “madrugada” ride to Besos.

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Between Barceloneta and the Puerto Olímpico (aka Port Olímpic) night-life area, the paseo and beach were full of people enjoying the night. In fact the beach was as crowded then as it normally is during the daytime! Only, now there were ”moon-bathers” who were gathered around torches and bonfires.

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The Puerto Olímpico area, where Northeners and Southerners "meat", was even more intense than usual. The outdoors was as stuffed as the scores of discos in the area usually are. Despite the large number of people, other cyclers and I didn’t have much trouble getting through.

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Next was Nova Icaria Beach, which is usually a lot quieter than Puerto Olímpico at night. Tonight it certainly wasn’t! The chiringuitos were rocking, people were lying on the beach and walking up and down the paseo. The next two areas, Bogatell Beach and Mar Bella Beach, had similar scenes. As I was riding along Bogatell, the lights went out on a section of the paseo, which led to lots of oohs and ahhs from the crowds around me and on the sand below, as this improved the view of the fireworks blasting in the skies above us. I believe the outage was an accident, however, because the next area, Mar Bella, had lights ablaze.

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As Mar Bella gave way to Nova Mar Bella Beach the crush of people continued to increase. Then as I passed the only sand dunes on BCN’s beaches I saw an incredible sight: the beachfront, from there until practically the end of the access to Nova Mar Bella Beach about a half a kilometer beyond, was chock-full of people dancing to the music of the four chiringuitos that are spaced out along the sea. It was just about standing room only — and people were still arriving! All of the bars had DJs playing similar dance music so that there was a semblance of musical continuity as I sailed by.

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The next area was broken up by construction that is underway for Barcelona’s new aquatic zoo. Therefore, in that section there was no one on the beach, as people are not allowed on the seafront there. The area that follows is the remnant of Barcelona’s Universal Forum of Cultures held in 2004. It is a 18,000 square meter fairground, similar to an Olympic Games site or a World’s Fair site. People were going to and coming from the giant tents that serve as dance areas along the sea.

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After a quick glide across the bridge that spans the Forum yacht basin, I ended up at Barcelona’s newest beach. The crowds were much thinner there, but judging from the burnt out sparklers and spent rocket shells, the area must have been jammed with revelers earlier on. When I was riding by there were groups of people scattered around little fires in the sand, while they drank, talked, sang and watched the concentration of fireworks in the skies above the area I’d just ridden over from. Next, I basically retraced my ride.

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In both directions, there were people who greeted me (”¡Hola hombre!” ; “¡Que pasa bien!” which means, ”May good things happen to you!”), cheered me on when they saw the type of bike I was riding (”Bicing! Bicing! Bicing!”) and stopped to chat with me. I even met a nice couple from Leeds who are in town for a medical conference.

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Well, now it’s about 5:30am and the sun will be rising soon. It’s quieter — no more fireworks at a rat-tat-tat speed, but just an occasional whistle followed by a blast. I’m going to head out to Barceloneta beach, plant myself in the sand and thank old sol as I watch another of its grand appearances.

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Good night and good morning…

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Responses

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By: Colin on June 24th, 2007 at 2:34 pm

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Wow! it sounds amazing! The only comparison I have is last New Year in Gran Canaria. The fireworks were pretty amazing and the party went on all night - sadly I had to get a plane home at 2.00pm on New Years Day so I couldn’t stop out too late. BTW… I checked the Cambridge dictionary and there is no ‘fantasticness’ in it… methinks this is one reason why the language is still called ‘English’!!!

The Night of Fire - La Noche del Fuego - La Nit de la Foc

Incredible, so far! I just came home for a break in-between the correfoc in Pl. de la Barceloneta and the corretillada until dawn in Pl. del Mar. I went to the correfoc with a friend after eating dinner and desert (coca de nueces) at my place. We watched some of the smaller fireworks from my terrace then walked over to Pl. de la Barceloneta. My friend had never seen the Barceloneta carrefoc before, and he thought he was only in store for more of the spattering of fireworks that was going on (and is still going on!) in the streets.

Then as we got a few blocks from my apartment he noticed that Barceloneta’s little lanes were becoming more and more packed. Gradually we began to hear drumbeats and, as we turned a corner, to see flashes of light coming from a couple of streets ahead. Round one more corner and we saw a throng of people leading up to the plaza - young people, senior citizens, families, tourists, couples, groups of friends, etc.

I was a little braver than usual and eventually made my way right up to the edge of the square where all the fireworks were going off from the revelers costumes. My friend elected to watch from a little further behind. From my vantage point I could see, hear, feel, smell and practically touch what was happening before us.

The sparklers and firecrackers were carried by the performers in heavily gloved hands, attached to decorated helmets, spewing from knee-pads, literally jumping off of shoes, etc. The costumes were mostly red and black, although one group wore white clothes covered with hand-painted twists and twirls. Some of of my favorite participants were:

- the guy who had a back-piece that looked like a crude pair of wings, which in fact was a launching pad for a thunderstorm of pyrotechnics that went off as he ran like hell around the plaza;

- the person on roller skates, whose skates shot off sizzling sparklers in front and behind as he whizzed by the crowd;

- the two human flamethrowers.

- the giant wire-mesh fish on wheels that was rolled out near the finale to shoot Roman candles high into the sky.

All of this took place with live music in the background — percussive and wind instruments to provide the rhythm to an impressive spectacle.

Wow!

P.S. I’ll try to come back by in a few hours to write an update! If not, tomorrow at some point I’ll write more.

Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 23 June, 2007

In Today’s News: Tonight Won’t Be Just Any Night

The Flame Has Arrived! I learned a bit more about local traditons today from an El Periodico article entitled, “Hogueras y verbenas festejan la noche de San Juan.” (Bonfires and festivals celebrate Saint John's Night.)

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It seems that a flame called La Flama del Canigo is transported from the Catalan area of France to Barcelona. It arrives in the city via Ave. Meridiana in the morning. After being recevied in the Catalan Parliament building it is carried down Ave. Diagonal to Pl. Sant Jaume, where the City Hall and the Generalitat stand across from one another. There representatives of Barcelona’s neighborhoods and of towns and cities throughout Catalunya collect a part of the flame to take to their respective communities to light bonfires.

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The article then went on to highlight the festivals in the city of Sabadell (about 75ks north of Barcelona) and my neighborhood, Barceloneta. Speaking of which, I’ve got to go as the carrefoc will start soon.

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P.S. Another great photo taken in Barceloneta by Greg Gladman. Here is a link to a Flickr page with more of his fantastic photos of the fiesta: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ggladman/sets/72157594175614703/

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Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 23 June, 2007

An English Teacher’s Saturday in Spain!

This article has been updated and can be found on my Newsvine column.
Here's a link to the article: An English Teacher's Sunny Spanish Saturday

In Friday’s News: Solstice Beach Celebrations; Immigration Trends; EU Response to Spain’s Construction Boom; A Weather Prediction

Not only in Barcelona! La nit més curta també es viu a les platges catalanes. (The shortest night is lively on Catalan beaches, too.) Although I will enjoy Saint John's Night in my little neighborhood of Barceloneta, there are, of course a wide variety of celebrations throughout the city as well as throughout the Autonomous Region of Catalonia. Communities up and down the coast, as well as in the interior of the region, have special festivities. Coastal areas have fireworks displays, bonfires and all night dances on the beaches.
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For example, one of BCN’s next door neighbors, Badalona, will host Summersand, an outdoor electronic music festival with several well known DJs. Further north in Mataró, local bands will perform on the city’s beaches. Meanwhile down south in Tarragona, American ska band, The Toasters, will be appearing on Miracle beach. And the photo above is from an invitation I received to a beach party in Gava Mar.

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From one extreme to another: According to the daily newspaper-ito Que!, the neighborhoods in Barcelona with the most Saint John’s Night festivals are Horta and Sant Martí, with 12 each, followed by Sants with 11 and Gracia with 10. The most tranquil are Sant Andreu with 1, Ciutat Vella (this one's actually in my neighborhood, Barceloneta), Les Corts and Sarriá-Sant Gervasi with 2 and Nou Barris with 3.

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Well, Ciutat Vella may only have one neighborhood festival, but it is in Barceloneta and it is definitely a ¡FIESTA! I’m sure all of those neighborhoods with multiple street festivals will be fun to party in but they all lack one thing we are blessed with – A BEACH! ¡Viva la Barceloneta!

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1 in 4 in 2015: Another daily freebie, Metro, reported that if the current trend remains the same, 14.2% of the population of Spain will be immigrant by the year 2015. This was in a report by the Grupo de Estudios de Tendencias Sociales-Fundación Sistema, which also included a profile of today’s typical immigrant: an individual between 30 and 40 years old (49.6%), who rents (82%), holds a temporary job (49%) and who came to Spain without a work permit (72.4%).

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This report reminded me of an interesting article I read recently in Business Week: How Spain Thrives on Immigration. Click on the title to read the article online.

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EU scolds Spain: Today several papers reported on the fact that yesterday the European Parliament passed a motion critical of the unchecked urban development in Madrid and along the Mediterranean. The body apparently agrees with those who claim that poor regulation has combined with corruption and greed to result in a “disastrous effect” on the environment. Parliament claims that the “massive development projects do not respond to real needs.”

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Next week the European Commission plans to take the government of the Autonomous Region of Valencia to the European Court of Justice on a related matter.

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It will be interesting to see how all of this develops and what effect it may have on the construction boom in Spain.

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Surprise, surprise - good weather in Spain: The National Meteorological Institute predicts clement weather in Spain this summer. What a relief!

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Copied from original http://myspainblog.wordpress.com/ posting by Carloz on 22 June, 2007

ANNUAL SUMMER SOLSTICE CELEBRATION IN BARCELONA THIS WEEKEND

Barcelona’s observation of the summer solstice is a fiesta called Saint John’s Night. (La Noche de Sant Juan in Spanish; La Nit de Sant Joan in Catalan.) The event involves an all nighter of fireworks, moonlight swimming, bonfires on the beach, eating a special pan like pastry called coca (it can be either sweet or salty, e.g. made with candied fruits or with pine nuts) and drinking, of course — usually lots of the Catalan sparkling wine known as cava. This year’s fiesta starts at sunset on Saturday June 23rd and lasts until sunrise on Sunday.
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The fiesta’s roots stretch back to the time when Mediterranean people worshipped nature. At that time one tradition was the building of bonfires on the summer solstice in order to shed light on the shortest night of the year. In the 7th century the church forbad the ritual as pagan. However, the people kept the tradition alive by Christianizing it as a homage to Saint John the Baptist.
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During the Middle Ages it was believed that on this night witches and demons came out and that by jumping over a bonfire was purifying. Today some people still jump over bonfires, but the idea now is to say goodbye to the old, welcome the new and make a wish.

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The fireworks are actually pretty intimidating. There don’t seem to be many governmental controls on the sale or use of fireworks here, so on Saint John’s Night it’s a case of sparklers, firecrackers, Roman candles, bottle rockets, etc. going off all around you. So, if you’re out and about, you need to take care.

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The City of Barcelona has a special web page devoted to Saint John’s Night. It is full of information about the traditions and foods, including recipes for things like Coca with Fruit and Pine Nuts and Coca with Pork Craklin. It also has a lisiting of the various festivites by neighborhood. (If you want to see where I’ll be, click on Ciutat Vella on the map of Barcelona.) http://www.bcn.es/santjoan/en/

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P.S. The photo above was taken in my neighborhood in 2006 by Greg Gladman. Here is a link to a Flickr page with more of his fantastic photos of the fiesta: http://www.flickr.com/photos/ggladman/sets/72157594175614703/

Related: Summer Solstice in Spain: Fiestas of Fire!