Poblenou:Mychildhood

The neighborhood of Poblenou is part of the memories of my childhood. I remember that, from the balcony of my house, I could see the sea and hear the train; a wall closed the way to the beach.

From the roof you could see part of the cemetery; behind one of its walls the barracks stood very dignified, the children who lived and played on that street altered that sepulchral silence.

I remember my school and the rivalry that existed between the other schools. The church where I made my first communion is still there.

The churrería potatoes for the vermouth and the cream cake from the pastry shop were to sweeten Sunday. The market and other shops formed the commercial heart.

On the Rambla, shorter and less crowded than now, there was a police station and library.

The cooperatives, the cinemas, the casino and the cultural centers, where we met to sing, do theater and also some game of table-tennis or billiards.

Factories, workshops and transport companies gave life and polluted the environment. The first neighborhood associations claimed improvements and needs.

Times of dictatorship, transition and freedom.

Carmen Paz English 2

PoblenouthenandPoblenounow

Twenty years ago on a wonderful spring evening my husband and I were walking along Diagonal Avenue when we discovered a nice pedestrian street: Rambla del Poblenou. This street reaches the sea. There are nice beaches surrounding the neighborhood. We enjoyed this beautiful walk a lot. We fell in love with this neighborhood which is not really far from the city center but less stressful. After that, we decided to move and live here.

Time passed and I still like this area in spite of gentrification because it keeps its essence, its soul. Walking here you can hear different languages. It's multicultural and dynamic. The incredible mixture of old traditions and new technologies and the respect to the environment are palpable all around. The atmosphere of the street is always changing. During the week it’s plenty of workers, students and retired people. On the weekend the days belong to families but nights are for young people. The tourists also come in the summer. They look happy and I think it’s not only because they are on holidays but also because they are connected to our Mediterranean lifestyle.

Now, I’m old although I have the same feelings that I had in the past. I really love it here!