Fun in Week 2

I did quite a few things after class this week. It's hard to believe the trip is halfway over!

On Monday we had a guided tour of El Raval neighborhood with CEA. It's gone through a lot of social and political transformation over the years and is still a rough part of town today. (EX: Our tour guide told us there was a machete fight between gangs on the streets during the Covid lockdown.)

The trip started right in front of the Museum of Contemporary Art which is famous for skaters. Tons of people were doing tricks on their skateboards and riding around. The guide said they have competitions there and it's a very well known spot for skateboarding in Europe.

The city built a lot of factories in El Raval during the industrial revolution, as well as housing for the people who worked there. Our tour guide said that between the narrow roads and pollution, sunlight could not even reach the ground.

It's changed more recently after Barcelona held the Olympics in 1992. They put fancy hotels and tourist attractions in El Raval in preparation for the Olympics, pushing many of the residents out.

Today there are art museums and a private college. The city has built parks and community spaces where residents can express the culture from their diverse population. It's one of the most diverse parts of Barcelona which you can see in the restaurants and shops. Even the markets have produce that is not necessarily common in Spanish cuisine.

We walked past murals, statues, basketball courts, graffiti art, and lots of local shops, bars, and restaurants.

We stopped by the grounds of an old hospital which is now a library inside. This is the well they used when they treated patients here.

This mural was done by an American activist to represent the aids epidemic and how it affected Barcelona. It only took him 5 hours to complete.

The backdrop of the basketball court is panels of graffiti that artists got permission from the city to do. Right behind me was a whole wall covered in illegal graffiti. The players had a loud speaker going with Spanish and American songs.

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I also met a couple of my classmates one night at the Bunkers del Carmel. They were used in the Civil War during the late 1930s.

It sure is a hike to the top! But there were amazing views of the city and since we went at night you could see all the pretty city lights.

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The next couple nights I went out to some bars with my classmates which was a lot of fun, too.

We went to one speakeasy where you enter through a convenience store front and then walk back into the bar. That was cool.