I started writing this on June 25, which was George Orwell’s 119th birthday, so I thought I would pay tribute to one of his books, Homage To Catalonia, in the title. Barcelona is the capital of Catalonia/Catalunya and is the place where Orwell spent much of his time while fighting for the Republican side in the Spanish civil war.
This is the sixth year since 2012 that I have spent more than a month in Barcelona, and at 3 months this is the longest. We leave tomorrow morning. In 2014, I also booked for 3 months but came back a few days early due to the death of my good friend, Phil Axelrod, in Pittsburgh. I love this city. One of the first things I do every time I arrive is to walk to the large plaza in front of the Barcelona Cathedral in the Barrio Gotic. My blood pressure feels like it drops 30 points then, and it stays that way for the rest of the trip.
I think this is the most beautiful city in the world. Paris has more and grander monuments and museums, but Barcelona has more beautiful residential areas. And much less traffic. And, much friendlier people. And, the most beautiful women in the world. And, better weather. And, it has a beach which runs along the Mediterranean almost the entire length of the city.
People here have a great work-leisure life balance. It makes for some odd open hours for businesses, which are very inconsistent. We have 3 restaurants on our block and three around the corner on the next block. None have the same hours; none are open on all of the same days. The same is true of retail stores. We constantly check Google for open store or restaurant hours. It is sometimes wrong, but helps.
Barcelona has mastered the art of holidays. Last Thursday was St. John the Baptist day in the rest of Spain. In Catalunya, it was celebrated last Friday, so there could be a 3-day weekend.
All six times I have rented an apartment here, it has been in Old Town, in or on the border of El Born, my favorite area. This time our apartment is on Placa Comercial, in the SE corner of Born. I like this particular area so much that we have spent the last week looking for a long-term rental here. We should have started earlier, but initially the focus was on buying, which proved too complicated. We didn’t find one on this trip, but there are a couple of buildings on the Placa now undergoing renovations, so we hope to return in October to look then.
Barcelona is the most tolerant place that I ever have been. Same sex relationships here are commonplace and face zero repercussions. One thing I have noticed here is that we often see groups of 4 at dinner where one couple is heterosexual and the other is a same sex couple. That’s something I seldom see in Los Angeles.
We have become friends with two women in our building who moved here from Switzerland. They mentioned that they had most of the same legal rights there, but never felt as comfortable there as they do here. Barcelona TV did a 15-minute feature on two members of Barcelona Femini, the female soccer team. The only time the fact they are married to each other came up was when one of them said she thinks playing together is easier as a married couple.
While states in America are busy passing anti-transgender laws, in Barcelona, Adidas runs a television commercial featuring transgender athletes.
The manager of one of the restaurants we frequent has an Afro and a beard, wears long golden earrings and has what appears to be a woman’s shaped body. Pre or post-op? No one cares as long as he/she is good at his/her job, which he/she is.
I hadn’t planned to mention this, but since it now is in the news, Spain is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, but abortion is legal here and costs are covered under their universal health care system. After the Supreme Court ruling last week, it was a huge story in all the national newspapers here, with the general tone being incredulity that America could be so backward.
Getting back to more positive news, Barcelona is the most dog friendly city I ever have been in, and no other city is close. Many restaurants have outdoor terrace seating, and dogs are universally welcomed there. Many restaurants also allow them inside. When we take Bacchus with us to eat, if we want to sit indoors we always ask unless we see other dogs there. More than half of the time, he is welcome. No dogs in supermarkets or pharmacies. Other retail stores vary.
About 20% of the people we see still wear masks outdoors and indoors in public. No one cares. Businesses make their own decisions. The bakery we like requires masks. So does the closest pharmacy. Employees in some restaurants are masked. None we have been in have required customers to wear them. All public transport, including trains, require masks. We carry masks with us and use them when requested. It’s not a big deal. It’s absolutely not a political issue here. Spain has the second highest vaccination rate in Europe, right behind Portugal.
When we walk Bacchus (at least 3 times a day), we always see a great number of other dogs. He is so small (3.5 lbs) that many are far too big for him to “investigate” but he loves to mutually sniff dogs who weigh 15 lbs. or less. And, most are happy to interact with him. Many dog owners do not keep their dogs on a leash. In other cities, that would bother me. Not here. The dogs are overwhelmingly well-behaved and laid back. People with large “fighting breed” dogs usually have muzzles on them whether off or on leash, and in 3 months I haven’t seen one attack another dog. Bacchus is in love with a female Yorkie who is bigger than him but for now their relationship still is platonic.
We live just two blocks from Ciutedella Park, one of the largest in the city, which is a haven for dog lovers and everyone else. In Paris, parks with children’s play areas are off-limit for dogs. Here, they fence off the two children’s play areas. Dogs can’t go in them, but are free to roam the rest of the park. Almost everyone picks up after their dogs.
In 3 months, we haven’t see a single stray dog here. I can’t think of another city where that has been true. It’s not true in other Spanish cities, as we have seen strays in Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla. We also haven’t seen a single feral cat. Of course, we haven’t seen any cats here although there are a lot of cat owners, who all apparently keep their cats indoors (as do I).
There are homeless people here, but not many of them. There are panhandlers too, but again not many. The predominant crime here is pickpocketing. I keep my wallet in a front pocket and in the Metro keep one hand on my wallet. Masha carries her purse in a way to discourage pickpockets, which is illustrated in all of the Metro stations. We have not been victims any of the times we have been here.
This has a reputation as an expensive city. It is in some areas, but cheaper than the US in others. We spend much less on groceries here than in California. A fresh baguette at a bakery is less than a dollar. Fruits and vegetables are cheaper here. So are eggs. Milk is more expensive. Chicken and seafood is less expensive; beef is more expensive. Iberian ham, a specialty here, is expensive but much less than in the States. Taxi fares are relatively low here. Metro cards make it a bargain if ridden frequently. There are almost too many Metro lines to count. The important thing is that wherever you are going, one of them will get you very close to your destination. You might have to transfer once or twice but the trains run frequently. The Metro is safe and relatively clean.
The Old City, where we live, still has remnants of 2,000 year old Roman walls, 500 year old churches and 100-plus year old modernista buildings designed by architects such as Gaudi, the master of that style. It has mainly narrow, winding streets and numerous large and small plazas, including one near us named for George Orwell. Most are pedestrian-only, either because cars aren’t allowed or couldn’t drive on them even if allowed. There are enough drivable streets however for taxis to get you to, or very close to, your apartment. We use taxis or the Metro to go to the airport and for long distances, but mainly we walk, which is one of the reasons we love this neighborhood. Masha has a Fitbit and my phone tracks steps and mileage. I am averaging about 7,800 steps a day for our 3 months, which is 3 miles and 2:20 of walking per day. Alas, all of the great food here has limited my weight loss.
We are going to really miss it when we leave tomorrow, and I imagine after a month at home will be yearning to get back here. At my age, I never know if there will be another trip here or anywhere else, but if I can stay healthy, as mentioned earlier, we do plan to come back in October and search for a permanent home here.
Of course, if that happens, with a good VPN I still will be able to access this site, and one of the requirements of any apartment will be that we can receive cable, satellite and streaming sports channels. So, whether here or in Santa Monica, we will see the Panthers roll to their second consecutive ACC title. HAIL TO PITT!
This is the sixth year since 2012 that I have spent more than a month in Barcelona, and at 3 months this is the longest. We leave tomorrow morning. In 2014, I also booked for 3 months but came back a few days early due to the death of my good friend, Phil Axelrod, in Pittsburgh. I love this city. One of the first things I do every time I arrive is to walk to the large plaza in front of the Barcelona Cathedral in the Barrio Gotic. My blood pressure feels like it drops 30 points then, and it stays that way for the rest of the trip.
I think this is the most beautiful city in the world. Paris has more and grander monuments and museums, but Barcelona has more beautiful residential areas. And much less traffic. And, much friendlier people. And, the most beautiful women in the world. And, better weather. And, it has a beach which runs along the Mediterranean almost the entire length of the city.
People here have a great work-leisure life balance. It makes for some odd open hours for businesses, which are very inconsistent. We have 3 restaurants on our block and three around the corner on the next block. None have the same hours; none are open on all of the same days. The same is true of retail stores. We constantly check Google for open store or restaurant hours. It is sometimes wrong, but helps.
Barcelona has mastered the art of holidays. Last Thursday was St. John the Baptist day in the rest of Spain. In Catalunya, it was celebrated last Friday, so there could be a 3-day weekend.
All six times I have rented an apartment here, it has been in Old Town, in or on the border of El Born, my favorite area. This time our apartment is on Placa Comercial, in the SE corner of Born. I like this particular area so much that we have spent the last week looking for a long-term rental here. We should have started earlier, but initially the focus was on buying, which proved too complicated. We didn’t find one on this trip, but there are a couple of buildings on the Placa now undergoing renovations, so we hope to return in October to look then.
Barcelona is the most tolerant place that I ever have been. Same sex relationships here are commonplace and face zero repercussions. One thing I have noticed here is that we often see groups of 4 at dinner where one couple is heterosexual and the other is a same sex couple. That’s something I seldom see in Los Angeles.
We have become friends with two women in our building who moved here from Switzerland. They mentioned that they had most of the same legal rights there, but never felt as comfortable there as they do here. Barcelona TV did a 15-minute feature on two members of Barcelona Femini, the female soccer team. The only time the fact they are married to each other came up was when one of them said she thinks playing together is easier as a married couple.
While states in America are busy passing anti-transgender laws, in Barcelona, Adidas runs a television commercial featuring transgender athletes.
The manager of one of the restaurants we frequent has an Afro and a beard, wears long golden earrings and has what appears to be a woman’s shaped body. Pre or post-op? No one cares as long as he/she is good at his/her job, which he/she is.
I hadn’t planned to mention this, but since it now is in the news, Spain is an overwhelmingly Catholic country, but abortion is legal here and costs are covered under their universal health care system. After the Supreme Court ruling last week, it was a huge story in all the national newspapers here, with the general tone being incredulity that America could be so backward.
Getting back to more positive news, Barcelona is the most dog friendly city I ever have been in, and no other city is close. Many restaurants have outdoor terrace seating, and dogs are universally welcomed there. Many restaurants also allow them inside. When we take Bacchus with us to eat, if we want to sit indoors we always ask unless we see other dogs there. More than half of the time, he is welcome. No dogs in supermarkets or pharmacies. Other retail stores vary.
About 20% of the people we see still wear masks outdoors and indoors in public. No one cares. Businesses make their own decisions. The bakery we like requires masks. So does the closest pharmacy. Employees in some restaurants are masked. None we have been in have required customers to wear them. All public transport, including trains, require masks. We carry masks with us and use them when requested. It’s not a big deal. It’s absolutely not a political issue here. Spain has the second highest vaccination rate in Europe, right behind Portugal.
When we walk Bacchus (at least 3 times a day), we always see a great number of other dogs. He is so small (3.5 lbs) that many are far too big for him to “investigate” but he loves to mutually sniff dogs who weigh 15 lbs. or less. And, most are happy to interact with him. Many dog owners do not keep their dogs on a leash. In other cities, that would bother me. Not here. The dogs are overwhelmingly well-behaved and laid back. People with large “fighting breed” dogs usually have muzzles on them whether off or on leash, and in 3 months I haven’t seen one attack another dog. Bacchus is in love with a female Yorkie who is bigger than him but for now their relationship still is platonic.
We live just two blocks from Ciutedella Park, one of the largest in the city, which is a haven for dog lovers and everyone else. In Paris, parks with children’s play areas are off-limit for dogs. Here, they fence off the two children’s play areas. Dogs can’t go in them, but are free to roam the rest of the park. Almost everyone picks up after their dogs.
In 3 months, we haven’t see a single stray dog here. I can’t think of another city where that has been true. It’s not true in other Spanish cities, as we have seen strays in Madrid, Valencia and Sevilla. We also haven’t seen a single feral cat. Of course, we haven’t seen any cats here although there are a lot of cat owners, who all apparently keep their cats indoors (as do I).
There are homeless people here, but not many of them. There are panhandlers too, but again not many. The predominant crime here is pickpocketing. I keep my wallet in a front pocket and in the Metro keep one hand on my wallet. Masha carries her purse in a way to discourage pickpockets, which is illustrated in all of the Metro stations. We have not been victims any of the times we have been here.
This has a reputation as an expensive city. It is in some areas, but cheaper than the US in others. We spend much less on groceries here than in California. A fresh baguette at a bakery is less than a dollar. Fruits and vegetables are cheaper here. So are eggs. Milk is more expensive. Chicken and seafood is less expensive; beef is more expensive. Iberian ham, a specialty here, is expensive but much less than in the States. Taxi fares are relatively low here. Metro cards make it a bargain if ridden frequently. There are almost too many Metro lines to count. The important thing is that wherever you are going, one of them will get you very close to your destination. You might have to transfer once or twice but the trains run frequently. The Metro is safe and relatively clean.
The Old City, where we live, still has remnants of 2,000 year old Roman walls, 500 year old churches and 100-plus year old modernista buildings designed by architects such as Gaudi, the master of that style. It has mainly narrow, winding streets and numerous large and small plazas, including one near us named for George Orwell. Most are pedestrian-only, either because cars aren’t allowed or couldn’t drive on them even if allowed. There are enough drivable streets however for taxis to get you to, or very close to, your apartment. We use taxis or the Metro to go to the airport and for long distances, but mainly we walk, which is one of the reasons we love this neighborhood. Masha has a Fitbit and my phone tracks steps and mileage. I am averaging about 7,800 steps a day for our 3 months, which is 3 miles and 2:20 of walking per day. Alas, all of the great food here has limited my weight loss.
We are going to really miss it when we leave tomorrow, and I imagine after a month at home will be yearning to get back here. At my age, I never know if there will be another trip here or anywhere else, but if I can stay healthy, as mentioned earlier, we do plan to come back in October and search for a permanent home here.
Of course, if that happens, with a good VPN I still will be able to access this site, and one of the requirements of any apartment will be that we can receive cable, satellite and streaming sports channels. So, whether here or in Santa Monica, we will see the Panthers roll to their second consecutive ACC title. HAIL TO PITT!
Last edited:
