News

On big thing in the news today was in El Periodico, and it was about a major change in healthcare that is about to take place. The Spanish healthcare system is loosing a lot of money and it is making it harder for Spain to recover. the bad economy is only making things worse, and there needs to be a change. Staring in April, there will be major reductions in healthcare and hospitals will be receiving a major cut. Doctors and nurses will be fired and the amounts of medications being prescribed will be limited. Medical services will need to be evaluated before being approved and there will me no more unnecessary surgeries. 

This is a big deal because it will change how the whole system is working. They are slowly trying to get away from universal healthcare, and working towards a more private system. What these changes mean for the people, is that young and healthy people will be getting the most of it, while the old and sick are being pushed aside. The system cannot continue the way it is now, with the government paying for everyone's sicknesses. 

La Boqueria

I cant think of a better place to spend my leisure time than in one of the greatest cultural centers of Barcelona. The Boqueria market is one of my favorite place to go, either to buy fresh food, watch the locals do their daily business, eat at one of the great tapas bars, or simply just walk around.

Jamon Serrano

The greatest collection of fresh fruits

This market has so much history and is a major part of Catalan culture. It was the major place of trade and economy at the start of the city. People would gather at the market to see what fresh local products were available, talk to their fellow neighbors about politics and the economy, and was a central gathering place for the whole city.

Local buying fresh fish from his favorite stall

Also, it houses the finest and freshest local ingredients, such as jamon serrano and a plethora of seafood. In addition to being a market with tons of fresh fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, it also has many typical Catalan bars to relax with a drink, or to eat a mid afternoon meal. Pictured below is a picture of one meal I had in the boqueria market. It is tripa stew, which is made with cow stomach, potatoes and chorizo. Because the restaurants are located directly in the market, they buy all their products from the vendors that morning, making them one of the freshest places to get a typical Catalan meal.

One of the many bars in the Boqueria

Tripa Stew

Cultural Significance of Montjuic

Montjuic is a very important cultural center in Barcelona. It was completely renovated for the 1992 Olympic games and helped shape what Barcelona looks like today. The Olympic Games put Barcelona on the map and made it a very popular place for tourists. It is the reason many students, such as myself, study here. If it were not for the Games, Barcelona would not have many of the key things it has right now.

For example, the entire Olympic village on top of Montjuic was built for the Games, and is still a popular and important place to visit. The Olympic Stadium and the Palau Sant Jordi are both large stadiums that are still being used to host events today.  The Large communication tower on Montjuic helped progress the accessibility of television and radio to the entire city and was vital to the progression of the city into modern times.

Though it was not always a part of Barcelona, the massive construction and renovation on Montjuic of the 1992 Olympics holds an important history in the culture of Barcelona. It was the host location for arguable the most important event that took place in Barcelona, and is extremely important in the Barcelona Culture. It will always be a spotlight in the reason Barcelona became so popular and will remain popular.

FCB vs. Zaragosa

A relatively new addition to Catalan culture is the Futbol Club Barcelona. Today, when people talk about Barcelona, it almost always goes hand in hand with FCB and Messi. It was not always like that however, and it continues to grow in popularity. I participated in this exciting cultural event the other day.

It was Barcelona against Zaragosa, and although Zaragosa is not a very well known or popular team, the Barcelona fans were still engaged and loud fans, cheering on their team. The end score was 1-0 Bareclona, making the game even that much better. the stands went crazy when the goal was scored, and from then on till the end of the game, there was dancing, cheering and typical Barcelona songs being sung all throughout the stadium.

Carnaval 2011: Sitges

Yesterday was a cultural experience of a lifetime. My friends and I were submersed in a traditional carnaval celebration in Sitges, Catalonia that I will never forget. The day started off with an exciting train ride from Barcelona to Sitges. The train was full of people dressed in various costumes and wearing bazaar and extravagant head pieces.

 The beginning part of the day was mainly spent on the beach as we watched very strange costumes go by. The vibe in Sitges was electric. everyone was enjoying their time on the beach, drinking and laughing at their own ridiculous costumes, as well as the multitude of other costumes to be seen. Also, there was a children parade through the streets during the day, where family members all cheered as their children were performing the in streets.

Morning Parade

When night fell however, the children were gone, and even more interesting characters came out to play. The larger parade began at about nine o'clock and lasted well past five in the morning. It was over eight hours of elaborate dance moves, eccentric costumes, loud music, cross dressers and gay pride. The street were completely packed with college students, and adults all sharing the space, and enjoying the wild environment.

Carnaval is an exciting event all throughout Europe, and being in one of the largest celebrations in Catalunya was a cultural experience I will never forget.