While my family visited me in Barcelona, we decided to go to Montserrat. Our hotel recommended an authentic Catalan restaurant that was on the way, so we decided to try it. The restaurant was called Cim and was unlike any experience I had ever had at a restaurant. Upon arrival, we were sat outside, overlooking a beautiful view of Barcelona. The waiter took our drink orders and brought out olives and chips along with them.
We then ordered food, which was definitely a little bit difficult with the language barrier between us and the wait staff. Since we couldn’t fully understand the waiter, we were shocked with what he came out with next. Multiple waiters and waitresses came out of the kitchen with bowls of bread and trays of onions, ones like I had never seen before. They were long strands that were burnt at the bottom. We were given bibs and told to stand around a table that had 2 buckets in the middle of them. The waiter instructed us how to eat them, which was by peeling off the burnt part, dipping the onion into a red sauce and just eat the bottom part of the stem. My family thoroughly enjoyed this experience, as it was something we had never seen before. This experience truly made us feel like we were learning more about the Catalan culture and the foods eaten within this area of Spain.
While my family visited me in Barcelona, we decided to take a day trip to Torres Winery. The winery was about an hour drive from Barcelona and sat on top of a beautiful mountain, overlooking the entire city of Barcelona.
Upon arrival, we were sat in a movie room, where we were given a brief history of the Torres family. We were told that this brand was founded in 1870 and has been kept in the Torres family for generations.
We were then put on a golf cart and taken around the winery. The tour guide showed us different vineyards, explaining how different seasons bring about different types of wines.
After our tour around the winery, we were brought into one of the main buildings where the wine is made and they showed us the actual barrels used to make the wine.
Then, we were brought to a beautiful, glass room on top of this building. In the room, there were multiple tables with settings of one plate of cheese and 5 glasses- 4 for wine and 1 for water. Each glass was carefully filled with 4 different types of wines and the tour guide explained how the wine was made and which cheese should be tasted with each glass of wine.
Since I had never been to a winery before, this was a very unique experience for me. I learned a lot about how wine is made and how each season brings about a new flavor of grape. It was so interesting to see how this brand has been kept in the family for generations, with the same values now as it had in the beginning.
Before coming to Barcelona, whenever I mentioned to someone that this was where I’d be studying for a semester, they always told me I must go to Palo Market Fest. Since I had never been to Barcelona before, I researched what this was. I quickly learned that Palo Market Fest was a street market in Barcelona that only took place on the first weekend of each month. The market had vendors that sold food, as well as other items, such as clothing and jewelry.
On the first weekend of March, I decided to attend this market. When I walked in, I realized why so many people recommended that I go to this market at some point throughout my semester abroad. The market was full of different vendors, serving foods ranging from tapas to desserts. Many of the vendors were serving traditional Catalan food, such as paella, but other vendors served more edgy dishes, such as crepes. I decided to get a little bit of everything and tried the patatas bravas, the korean buns and the white chocolate and Nutella stuffed pancake. All of the things I had ordered were amazing. I wasn’t disappointed by any of the dishes I had tasted. I wish I was able to try more things, but I was so full from the 3 items I had chosen, so I will definitely be going back to try different foods from more vendors!
When first arriving in Barcelona, I was unsure what the true Catalan food would be like. Throughout my life, I have always been a picky eater, so it was scary to think about coming to a new country and trying new foods. As I looked at menus of different restaurants that were recommended to me, I realized I actually liked a lot of the foods that Catalan restaurants served. I never realized that many of the Catalan dishes were seafood, which is actually a type of food that I love.
This restaurant in particular, El Nacional, is unlike any restaurant I have been to in the United States. The restaurant is one huge building, split up into many different restaurants, such as a seafood restaurant, a tapas restaurant and an italian restaurant. In the middle of the different rooms of restaurants, there is a gelato bar and a normal bar. My family and I went to the seafood restaurant, El Nacional La Llotja. After looking over the menu, my sister and I decided to order salt-crusted turbot. This dish was unlike anything we have ever tasted before. To start, we have never been served a fish whole, with the head and scales on at the table. We both enjoyed this because it allowed us to see that the food we ordered was fresh and came from a fish, not a freezer, like some restaurants do. In Spain, it is important to use the freshest ingredients in order to serve the most tasteful dishes. The dish was outstanding, bursting with Catalan flavors, such as paprika and parsley. My sister and I both agreed we had never had fish that was so fresh, flaky and flavorful! This dish at El Nacional truly exemplified the Catalan way to prepare and serve their food.
On March 5th, 2019, I went to Carnaval in Sitges, Spain. Since I am studying in Barcelona, I believed it was important to go to Carnaval to immerse myself in a huge part of Spanish culture. Prior to attending this event, I didn’t really have any idea what to expect. I figured that there would just be a parade in the streets, surrounded by people dressed up in different outfits. When I arrived in Sitges on that night, all of my expectations were blown away. All around me, there were people dressed up in crazy costumes, such as people wearing wigs and masks to people on stilts. My friends and I were shocked by how many people attended this event and how they all committed to dressing up to celebrate this occasion.
There were many things that surprised me while attending the Carnaval parade. The first thing I noticed was that many children were out late with their parents in bars to watch the parade with their families. I thought this was interesting because in New York, young children couldn’t even step foot in a bar. Additionally, the dancers on the floats were mostly dancing the way they wanted to, not really in sync with the other dancers. Their costumes were much more loud and colorful than any costumes I had seen before. The people that attended the parade all banded together at the end of the night to watch all of the different floats and dancers go through the streets. I felt like I was apart of the Spanish culture on this night.
Recently, I toured El Born. During Medieval Times in Europe, guilds were used for workers and craftsmen. Throughout this time in Barcelona, a man had to become part of a guild in order to learn the skill he wanted to pursue in his lifetime. Guilds were used to control the quality of the products and protect the workers. Typically, each guild had a sign outside of their door to portray what the guild was. Throughout El Born, the street names were used to show what guilds were on those specific streets. For example, Placa de Llana was the street where most of the wool was made and sold. Also, Carrer dels Mirallers, meaning mirrors, was the street where mirrors were sold. Another street, Carrer de L’Espaseria, was a street where one could buy swords. Additionally, Carrer dels Cottoners was where the cotton workers were. Also, Carrer de Ferro was where iron workers were.
“La Casa Taller”:
“La Casa Taller” is known as a typical craftsmanship family house. This is where the craftsmens worked and lived. Within these homes, the craftsmen were separated based on their skill level. Usually, the master had a few apprentices who worked under him. Since the workshops were tall, narrow buildings, the hierarchy of craftsmens were shown by the balconies on the buildings. On the lowest floor, the balcony was the largest, which showed this was where the master lived. As the floors went up, the balconies got smaller, depicting the level of the apprentices in the workshop. On the top floors, the peasants and servants lived.
Main Architectural Aspects:
Throughout El Born, there were many architectural aspects that differentiate the craftsmen’s buildings to the industrial production ones. One of the most prominent features I noticed was the narrow streets. These streets were mainly used for horses to get down, so there was no need to make them more wide than they are. Also, the buildings are much more narrow than industrial buildings because not many things needed to be transported into the buildings. Industrial buildings also have more doors because they were used more often for trading, whereas the buildings in El Born are more simply.
Cultural Relation to Catalan Culture:
Santa Maria del Mar:
This church was built by the merchants. The church has decorative pieces that represent Christianity from the viewpoints of the workers during the time it was built. This is related to Catalan culture because it represents the workers in the area, rather than the king or the power of the church.
El Mercat del Born:
This market was built in 1876 and had become a central market in Barcelona. Although this market does not still exist today, it was an important building during its time. This market was a central place for commerce and trade, mainly with livestock.
El Fossa de les Moreres:
Many people had died during the War of the Spanish Succession, so this plaza was built as a memorial to those who defended Barcelona. The French troops had burned down many Catalan buildings, so this memorial commemorates this time.
La Ciutadella Park:
Before the loss of the war, this area was a fortress. After the war had ended, the king took full control, so this park represents the things that the Catalans had hated most. This park, one of the most centralized parks in Barcelona, was one of the only green areas in Barcelona, until more parks were made.
5. Main Changes in Catalan Society after September 11th 1714:
September 11th, 1714 marks the fall of Barcelona during the War of the Spanish Succession. This day brought about many changes in Catalonia, including the loss of institutions and laws. Many of the Catalan traditions, practices and languages were banned from society.
6. El Consolat de Mar/La Llotja:
La Llotja was the first stock exchange market in Europe. This is where merchants would bring their boats when they first arrived in Barcelona to exchange their goods to sell them to the city.
Recently, I went to Mercat de L’Abaceria in Barcelona. I really enjoyed visiting this market because it showed me the way local people in Barcelona buy their produce. This market was very interesting to visit because not only did I get to interact with the local people, but I also got to see the differences between the way Americans shop in supermarkets and the way Spanish people shop in their local markets.
One of the first things I noticed when I was walking through the market was that all of the produce, meat and fish are not covered by anything. I found this to be especially interesting because in America, this would be seen as unsanitary.
I noticed many things in the stands that sold fish that I would not see in America. One of the main things that stood out to me was that the fish are presented whole, on ice, with their heads still on. I learned that by having the heads on the fish, it allowed the customers to see how fresh the fish was. By speaking with the owners of the stands, I learned that they get their fish fresh everyday from La Mercabana, a huge market where most smaller markets buy their products from. One interesting thing that I was told was that when customers come to the market, they are usually asked how they would like to cook the fish and then the owner will provide them with a specific cut of the fish in order for their meal to taste the best. Additionally, I picked up on the fact that many of the fish stands had women working, which is not something you would normally see in America.
When looking at the vegetable stands, I noticed many things I would not see in America. One thing that really stood out to me was the fact that most of the produce was grown in Catalunya. On each vegetable, there were little notes that specified exactly where in Catalunya that vegetable or fruit was from, which was interesting to see. The owner told me that the produce that couldn’t be grown in Catalunya was imported, which was mostly fruits, such as pineapple. I was also told that usually, they have a wider variety of vegetables, but right now is not the best season, which is why they only offer certain vegetables at specific times of the year.
I learned that many people only buy their produce at these local markets because they guaranteed freshness and quality. I really enjoyed going to this market because it taught me about the local people and how they buy their groceries on a weekly basis.
On Sunday, February 12th, 2019, three of Spain’s right-winged parties started a protest in Madrid, consisting of tens of thousands of people, regarding Spain’s Prime Minister Pedro Sanchéz.
The main goal of this protest was for the PSOE to call for elections as soon as possible and get rid of the current Prime Minister. The three groups that organized this protest believed that the Prime Minister had betrayed Spain by accepting demands from pro-independence groups in the northeast region of Catalonia.The people of Spain view this as a betrayal to their country because the central government had previously broken off negotiations with these groups due to their demands.
This march is important because it was scheduled right before the beginning of a trial against the Catalan secessionist leaders. These leaders attempted to create an independence bid in 2017. This trial starts on Tuesday, which will consist of around 500 witnesses and will last approximately three months.
The protest was prompted by the Spanish government allowing an observer at the cross-party talks on Catalonia. It was not shared what this observer would be doing at the talks. Although Spain’s deputy prime minister announced that talks with Catalan separatist parties were off, the protest carried on.
The slogan of the demonstration was “For a United Spain. Elections Now!” The protesters were angry about the fact that Sánchez has not called elections in the eight months he has been in power. He is seen as a squatter due to him coming to power through a no-confidence motion.
There were no political speeches made at the demonstration on Sunday, but instead, had journalists read a manifesto that had been agreed on by the three parties leading the election. This manifesto focused on the tough rhetoric that has been employed by Casado and Abascal. However, the three leaders addressed the crowds prior to the protest, speaking about a “wave of dignity.” Their main point was that “Today sees the start of the reconquest.”
After reading this, it has become evident to me that the people of Spain do not like the Prime Minister that is in power right now. I think that the people of Spain should have a say in who is in power for their country and the government should hold an election, where the people have a say in who the voices are for them.
As I looked around the museum, it was apparent that the way Barcelona was built was influenced by the Roman architecture. In ancient Rome, bricks were used to build most of the buildings, walkways and streets. Today, Barcelona’s streets are built from bricks, which resembles the way the Romans built their streets. Furthermore, the Roman streets were narrow, which also holds true for the way the Barcelona streets were built. The Roman sewer systems are built in the same way that the sewer system would be built in Barcelona today. The system follows a pattern that coincides with how the streets were built. Although the public baths from ancient Roman times were common during that time, they are not very common in Barcelona’s society today. The Roman columns throughout the exhibit really stood out to me. These columns were built to sustain the Roman buildings, not just for decoration. Although many buildings in Barcelona have columns that look similar to the ones used in ancient Rome, they are not often used as the main base for buildings.
Roman Religion
In the beginning of Spanish culture, polytheism was widely practiced throughout the peninsula. The Spanish people focused on believing in spirits, such as ones that were there to protect themselves and their extended family. They believed in different spirits for different aspects of their life, including a God for food and a God for protection. As time went on, Spain converted to Catholicism, which is why the city is built around a cathedral. With the influx of Catholicism came the worshipping of one God, commonly known as monotheism.
Construction Similarities
Today, Catalan buildings contain many of the same features as the buildings seen in ancient Roman times. The most prominent feature I noticed was the narrow streets built throughout the ancient city and the city of Barcelona today. Additionally, the front of certain Catalan buildings has columns on them. Although these columns may not be used for the same purposes as the Romans had, they still identify closely with the decorative look they have. These columns can also be seen in many American buildings, such as the White House. These columns signify political importance, which could be a reason as to why the Romans used them, the Catalans use them for parliamentary buildings and the Americans use them for the President’s home.
Domestic Objects
There was a plethora of domestic objects inside of the museum, such as utensils, vases and bowls. These objects were commonly used inside the home to prepare and eat meals. Additionally, there were laundry rooms used in the ancient civilization. This surprised me because I was under the impression that during those times, people just used water to clean their clothing. Furthermore, there were coins in the museum that the people had used during ancient times. This suggests that the people did more than just bartering to receive new goods, which surprised me because I didn’t realize how early people started using objects to suggest specific objects held monetary value.
Gods’ Relation to Food and Wine
When the Romans followed a polytheistic religion, they often used food and wine to feel connected to the Gods. They used specific foods and wines during celebrations of the Gods. Although today Catholicism takes precedent in Spain, specific foods and wines are used to celebrate holidays. Wine has become a very common drink throughout Spain, even allowing children to drink it from a very young age. One of the most popular red wines in Spain is Tempranillo, known for its in-the-middle taste. One of the most popular white wines in Spain is Airen, known for its high alcohol content.
Barcelona Past and Present 