I visited the Gracia Barrio with the after school tour group. Garcia was its own city until about 1900 and our guide said that most people there still consider themselves residents of Gracia rather than Barcelona. We saw a lot of flags hanging from the balconies that are different from the flag of Catalunya. The Catalunya flag has only orange and yellow stripes; the Gracia flag has the stripes but with a navy triangle on one end with a star in it. It is an area with a lot of elderly people in it but at the same time, kind of a bohemian population. Our guide also whispered to us that there are gypsies that live in the Gracia Barrio. He said they do not work at regular jobs but we don't have to worry about them snatching purses or the like. They are into bigger things and that we do not want to have any trouble with the gypsies. I think he was being melodramatic, because he gestured us all in close and whispered the whole time.
Gracia has a huge festival in August and here is a quote about one of the activities they do during the fiesta. "A very typical Catalan tradition is the colles castelleres or, in other words, human towers, which can reach seven or eight storeys high. These are a big feature of the festival and an incredible sight. But they don’t just stop at building a tower – during the week they also attempt to walk it for 200 metres between two of the neighbourhood’s main squares." So imagine that--a walking tower of people! It is also known for its many plazas where children play and parents sit in the patios of bars and restaurants to watch them. Our guide also tells us that it is absolutely forbidden to drink alcohol outside of a bar or restaurant area, but goes on to tell us how to do it. You set the glass down near you and drink from it whenever you want, but if a policeman asks you if it is yours, you just deny it. He also says that Catalunyans do not do any kind of organized dance steps except there is one move that everyone does. He held up his hand to show there would be a drink in it and grabbed the lower part of his shirt and moved it in a circular motion. Sometimes I wonder how much of what he tells us is true!
The Gracia Barrio also contains the first house that Gaudi built in the area (we can't say in Barcelona because in 1878 when he built it, Gracia was not part of Barcelona) Here is a link to some information about the house: Casa Vicens It is also quite near Parc Guell. The area only has one metro stop at the head of the area and only one bus goes through the area because most of the streets are too narrow. It is a very interesting and picturesque area.
After I got back to my apartment, I arranged a Skype date with my two granddaughters. We connected about 3:30 pm your time and 9:30 pm my time. I took my computer around the apartment so the girls could see where I live. When I showed the balcony Sophia noticed that it was dark outside in contrast to the full sun of afternoon that I was seeing them in. She also said I have a nice kitchen! We talked for a while and I found out that my post cards did not arrive. Lola sent some after I sent mine and hers arrived so I think mine are lost. They are excited about Easter and taking a trip to Fargo to see the other grandparents.
Wednesday at school we were down to only four students. Two more showed up after the break but the whole school seemed pretty quiet with students apparently skipping out early for long breaks during Semana Santa. I met my Chinese friend, Eva, after class today. We took a walk and had chocolate and churros and made plans to meet for the evening school activity, Barcelona after dark. More on that later!
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