Today is the Day Of the Mother of God of Montserrat (La Mare de Deu de Montserrat)

Bit of a mouthful isn't it?  Montserrat is a serrated mountain close by and in honour of this day, I will repost from one of my other blogs.  Approaching the Virgin of Montserrat. 

However, Albert's mother's name is Montserrat and we have a couple of friends also named after the mountain. Typically people made a big deal out of their 'Saint Day' rather than the birthday around these parts, but lately the birthday has taken precedence.   Jett and I popped over for a few minutes earlier to give Montserrat a present and we will celebrate the day on Sunday. Today it's impossible as its a Barca/Madrid game playing.

Anyway, congratulations to our Montserrats!

Photo: Our Montse.

Half Time!

Oh, it's truly painful today. Waiting, waiting.


The game was - Barca - Madrid

Beers 'n' Barça in a Bar

What more could you ask for on your first night in Catalonia?

Happy New Year for 2010!!

Its time to say goodbye to 2009 (two thousand and nine) and greet the new year with a big smile of welcome.

At this time of year, many of us spend time remembering the past and promising ourselves not to make the same mistakes for the new year.  We make lists of things we’d like to do, and bad habits we’d like to give up.

In this last year I moved to Granollers from Australia. Its been a year of change, acceptance and adaptation.  In 2009 I’ve begun to learn a new language and discover a new culture while making new friends and exploring a new landscape.

I’ve lived through my first hot granite summer in Granollers, my first St John day (St Joan), my first festa major, my discovery of noisy fire crackers and the devils running through the streets, my first dolmen, the Caganer, the Caga Tio, and soon my first experience of the three kings. I’ve been to the Montsegn in the Autumn, to Montserrat to pay my respects to our lady  the Black Virgin, to the Costa Brava for relief from the sun,  to Tarragona to see the statue of the human castles. And that is just my first 6 months here.

Its time to begin to cast our eyes into the future. To receive my first rose for St George’s Day (St Jordi), to see the spring sunshine begin to warm the city faces of  Granollerians, to discover a new host of fairs and festivals celebrating the history of the area.

My friends and family ask me if I am happy here. I must admit that its difficult sometimes. And yet, yes, I say, I’m happy here. Many people are warm and generous and I love the food.

I like to walk the streets in the middle of the day, when its quiet and there is little traffic on the roads. I like to sit and think of all the people that have passed through these streets on their way to and from Barcelona.  The history of the town walls impresses me every time I think about it. Europeans have only been in Australia for little over 200 years, so our history is really quite different.

Yes, I say, I am happy here. So, in typical Aussie fashion, let me raise my cold beer (its summer back home you know) and say ‘three cheers for the new year’. Wishing you all a happy new year for 2010.

Originally published in Revista del Valles. 

Catalonia, past and present

Part One

Just touching lightly on a huge topic.

Catalonia has not yet come into her own. She is blooming after the repression of the Franco years and the introduction of Spain into the European community, but she is still shaking off the hold of Spanish rule and bucking at the new people coming to live amongst her people.

There is insistence of speaking the Catalan language, of waving the Catalan flag, of protecting the Catalan culture, and yet, it seems, she is reacting against her past and not resonating with the prosperity of her present.

When we were travelling to and from Australia, people asked Albert where he was from. He would say ‘Spain.’ They would say, ‘Madrid?’ He would say ‘No, Barcelona.’ There would be a great smile and warmth and the word ‘Catalonia?’ and, no matter how many times we had this conversation, we would be amazed that people knew the difference.

Obviously, the soccer team, Barça has helped sell the awareness of Catalonia to soccer watching nations. However, Barcelona as a city, has become a by word in cultural cool. Its sexy, its charming, its hot, it has everything a traveller is looking for. The Costa Brava is near by, the Pyrenees is over the hill, and the food is to die for.

So, the world knows about you. They know you exist. They know you are not the same as Spain. They see you as a most beautiful, charming and wonderful place. With something unique to offer the world.

Now its time for you, Catalonia, to accept your position as a jewel in the crown of the world.

Africans in Granollers

There are quite a lot of African people here. It’s a strange thing, but I’ve never really seen a Spanish person talking to any of them. The African’s hang out with the Africans, and there doesn’t seem to be any integration at all.

Today we were at a high school band competition. There were many young people hanging around. There was a mixture of Spanish, South American and Catalan people sitting and watching. Also, one group of about 6 African girls. However, they never actually sat down to watch the bands. They stood, a bit apart from the group, and watched and fidgeted about like typical teenagers. A group of light coloured local girls greeted them and there was a series of hasty air kisses exchanged and then they separated.

That’s it.

I’ve spoken to a few people about it, but it seems the typical response is ‘well, we Catalans are still having trouble with the Spanish people being here.’ (If you’re not sure, Catalonia suffered a cultural repression during the Franco years where Catalan was not allowed to be spoken, there was forced immigration from other areas of Spain to Catalonia, and a general diffusing of all things Catalan.) If you're interested, take a look at the PDF The Social Structure of Catalonia.

It seems the arrivals of Africans only really started about 20 years ago, and people here are still adapting to new colours, customs and cultures.

You know, there was one time when African people mixed happily with locals. And that was when Barca was playing Madrid. Again, I didn’t see any cross cultural interaction going on, but there was total and accepted group support for Barca. I guess that’s something.

FC Barca 2nd May 2009

We went to a bar to see the game – Bar Princessa, and after arriving ten minutes into play time, there were no seats available, and we stood, with most of the other customers.

What game? Pardon? I’m sorry, you don’t know what game? Its impossible to live in Catalonia and say ‘what game?’ Its an amazing phenomenon that I have not experienced before.

THE GAME was Barcelona SMASHING Madrid in a record breaking 6 – 2 !! and more than likely sending Barca into totally victory of the Spanish league.

Some important games are what they call ‘pay for watch’ and are not broadcast over the public TV. Thus, many people congregate in little bars with two or more large screens. They buy a beer or two, or not, and cheer each other on.

I don’t know if you saw any of the footage of the happy fans, but it was more over the top than I’ve experienced in Australia or Norway.

People took to the streets, singing, making loud noises, congratulating each other and jumping up and down like massai warriors in their joy. Then we watched it again and again on the TV, and watched every goal being replayed, every kiss of the Catalan flag, every comment made by ex-players and sports commentators.

It was, they say, a record breaking moment, and a most memorable game for barca fans. One older man said he’d been flowing Barca for fifty years and he’s never seen anything like it. So.

People really insist how important this match was. Ok then. Albert.