Your City Barcelona, №16 / autumn 2016

#16, autumn 2016

Cosmopolitan city: diasporas, fates, trends The best concerts, shows and exhibitions of the season

The Cowboy and Columbus from the Ramblas Boulevard

MNAC and its treasures

How to find a dog in Barcelona

A stroll around the shops opened by foreigners

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Your City Barcelona, Editorial Board Rambla de Cataluña 115 BIS, 9 / [Business Global Solutions Hub&in] 08008 Barcelona +34 931 599 058

CONTENTS 6

Publishers Anastasia Kazenkova, Stella Khaykina 666 922 721 editora@tvoigorod.es Editor-in-Chief Elena Syrovatchenko 633 351 913 redactora.jefe@tvoigorod.es

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Designer Aleksey Isaev Artist Shura Tumashova Translators Frank Williams, Lisa Filippova, Ihor Syrovatchenko

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Photographers Filipp Shamshin, Julia Kaujova

THE EDITOR Barcelona’s melting pot

OUR AUTHORS The personalities behind the names TOWN CRIER City news in brief

ACTION PLAN What to do in the autumn

TOP STORY Foreigners’ adventures in Barcelona.

Which events, people and developments make the capital of Catalonia one of Europe’s liveliest, most cosmopolitan cities?

News Department Editor Oleg Kazenkov Advertising Department Anastasia Kazenkova 666 922 721, publicidad@tvoigorod.es Proof-Reader Isabel Aitken This Issue’s Authors Anna Bondarenko, Vlad Vitkovskiy, Elena Volnykh, Marina Voronkova, Olga Grosheva, Daria Gavrilova, Sergey Malkin, Sonia Rey, Alesya Sidorenko This Issue’s Photography Filipp Shamshin, Julia Kaujova, Nadezhda Serebryakova, Eugeniy Mironov, Alexey Anashkin, Johnatan Rodrigo, Elena Syrovatchenko If you are interested in contributing to the magazine, please get in touch with the editorial staff at: 666 922 721, 633 351 913, info@tvoigorod.media Printing House Exce PVD: € 3.5 This publication is not responsible for the opinions of the authors which may not necessarily reflect those of the Editorial Board. The Editorial Board is not responsible for the content of the advertisements. Any reproduction of the texts published here, or any use of them in any form, including citation is allowed only upon granting of written permission from the publishers.

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¿Cómo estás? Barcelona expats on life in a new place DIRECT SPEECH Poet and radio presenter Igor Pomerantsev: ‘I feel at home in the European slipstream’ A CLOSER LOOK Josep Campeny’s fountains

EXPATS Barcelona guides from different countries, about their challenging, but very interesting job

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

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LOCATION, LOCATION, LOCATION Tibidabo and district.

Why it’s worth scaling Barcelona’s highest mountain

78 86 88 92 98

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

The life and times of the Cowboy and Columbus. A report from the Rambla

SHOPPING A patchwork. A stroll round the shops open to new arrivals from different countries MUSIC Sala Bikini. Everything about one of the oldest legends of Barcelona’s clubland

I’LL TAKE YOU TO A MUSEUM The National Art Museum of Catalonia and its treasures WHAT’S ON Music, shows, exhibitions

RULES OF LIFE A new best friend. How to find a dog in Barcelona

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WE’RE ALL GOING....

From Palamós to Cap Roig: for vivid colours, fresh fish and romance

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TALKING POINTS Pyschologist Sergey Malkin on differences in mentality

TASTY Foreign restaurants. A guide to establishments offering the delights of India, Sweden, Vietnam and Greece

Cover illustration Gabriel García Márquez, a green parrot and other Barcelonian foreigners Shura Tumashova

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

THE EDITOR

From the Editor Three years ago I was looking for the right publication in Barcelona where I could advertise the services of my relocation company. The print market here is fairly saturated, but all the same I didn’t have to think for long. Your City Barcelona, of course, a quality magazine in Russian about life in the city I live in and love very much. And so first I became a fan, and then a little later one of its publishers, part of a team which included not only Russian-speaking journalists, editors and photographers, but also many other interesting, creative people who were either born in Barcelona or moved here one, two, three or ten years ago.

When we had the idea of an English-language version of Your City, I knew instantly that this was something we had to do. Barcelona is such a multicultural, multinational city, with so many different languages and voices to be heard, it seemed unfair to limit our readership to just Russian-speaking readers (whom we love, of course, and thank for their loyal support). After all, our beloved city with all its wonderful citizens and guests and our magazine with all its reserves of energy, possibilities and ideas both have plenty to tell and show everyone who has come to live here from Japan and Iceland, the United States and the Arab Emirates, Cuba and Brazil, Columbia and Holland, Great Britain and Estonia. From everywhere where people either speak English from earliest childhood or have learned it as adults.

In other words people from practically the whole world! After all, our readers have made the decision to come here to Barcelona, just like we did, which means they’re curious to know what makes this city tick, just like we are. At least, we very much hope so!

Stella Khaykina publisher, Your City Barcelona translation: Frank Williams

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Our authors

Frank Williams Barcelona and Prague are, if you believe the aircraft instruments, roughly 1350 kilometres apart. But distance hasn’t stopped us making friends with Frank Williams, a Welshman living in the capital of Bohemia. Frank is a translator and radio producer, known to many Russian listeners to the BBC and Radio Liberty. He worked for both these renowned stations for many years until his retirement, when he launched a small media training organisation in the Czech Republic. When Frank was working on the translations for the English-language edition of Your City, he showed he was not only a fine translator, but also an interesting correspondent. We had as much fun discussing the finer points of place names in Catalan as the work of animal shelters. Our in-box still has the picture Frank e-mailed us of his lovely dog, a half beagle, half labrador called Rony, whom he adopted from a shelter for unwanted dogs. translation: Frank Williams

Elena Volnykh Elena’s story is a vivid example of how impressions from childhood and youth can have a powerful impression on a person’s fate. When she was taken as a little girl to the Tula art museum, Elena felt her life from then on would be connected with art, and then, visiting Barcelona when she was 10, promised herself that when she grew up she would come and live here. And so it turned out to be. After studying art history in Moscow and before moving to Catalonia, Elena worked on the Golden Mask festival and on Canadian director Robert Lepage’s sensational production Elseneur. Now, with the help of a grant from the Museo del Prado, she is researching the work of Hieronymus Bosch and preparing a cycle of lectures on Russian art for presentation at the Russian House in Barcelona this autumn. Your City tore our new contributor away from her terribly important work and asked her to tell our readers about the treasures of the National Art Museum of Catalonia.

Filipp Shamshin Your City has known Filipp as a photo­ grapher for a long time, ever since we ran the Russian View competition, when we asked readers to send us the most orginal, unbanal image of Barcelona. His photo – an old man throwing bread to the seagulls against a stormy sea in the background – was one of the strongest and most memorable images.

Not surprising, perhaps, because at that moment our future friend and colleague had already won a more presti­ gious international competition for beginning photographers, with study in Norway as a prize. Filipp’s work on the autumn number of Your City has helped raise the standards of the photography appearing on our pages several notches. Half the magazine is proof of that, but pay special attention to One Day In The Life Of... You don’t see such gen­ uine, live human statues on the Rambla very often.

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

TOWN CRIER History Barceloneta history in photographs

The community-based organisation La Casa de la Barceloneta 1761 has opened a section on its website (casadelabarceloneta1761.bcn.cat) called “El Fondo Fotográfico Popular”. This event at first sight may seem unremarkable.

However, there is a fascinating project behind it: creating a virtual photo collection that shows real Barceloneta life in the 20th century. This idea arose in 2014. Its authors approached the public through newspapers ev­ ery couple of months asking them to contribute to this unique popular archive. The response was enthusiastic: people studied their family albums looking for photographs on different topics – beach, port, festivals, traditions, people, sports and others. This step-by-step collection process helped with sorting out the materials. Photographs were copied in high resolution, and the originals were returned to their owners. Access to a collection of 770 unpublished pictures of one of the oldest and most flamboyant neighbourhoods is now open to everyone.

Rules The Segway ban

Barcelona town hall has banned riding Segways on Passeig Maritim, the main seaside promenade of the town. At present the veto will be enforced until 1st October and includes the entire length of the street, from the W Hotel to the Olympic Port. The locals, who associate the electric scooters with tourists, have received the news approvingly. Apart from the obvious upsides (easy to ride, noiseless, harmless to the environment) this means of transportation has its downsides as well: weighing over 40 kg and achieving up to 50 km/h it can be a real threat for pedestrians. This situation is complicated by the fact that even international law does not share an accepted opinion as to where Segways should be allowed to circulate. On regular roads, bicycle or pedestrian paths? To gain time to make a decision, the authorities have put in place a ban, which though temporary, is nevertheless harsh. Penalties will be incurred by Segway fans. The minimum fine for any unlucky “driver” who comes too close to the beach will amount to 90 euros. Speeding and other anti-social behaviour is going to cost as much as 1,125 euros.

Photos: Yulia Kauhova, casadelabarceloneta1761.bcn.cat

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

People The oldest Spanish lady

The oldest inhabitant of Spain is a 114-year-old Barcelonian woman, Ana Vela Rubio. If longevi­ ty lists are to be trusted, there are only 4 people older than her: Emma Morano from Italy (116 years old), Violet Brown from Jamaica (116 years old), Nabi Tajima (116 years old) and Chiyo Miyako (115 years old) from Japan. Ana is a Catholic, she used to work as a dressmaker, gave birth to four children, and currently resides in a retirement home called La Verenda. Today, there are 14,487 people over 100 years old registered in Spain. Only Japan is ahead when it comes to longevity. It is believed that such a high index is due to the benefits of the Mediterranean diet, mass quitting of cigarette smoking, low suicide rates and the consumption of oleic acid found in jamon.

Transport Electro-taxi: to be or not to be?

The London Taxi Company is planning to launch a new model of electric taxi in Barcelona. The first ecofriendly cars, which seat 6 passengers, are supposed to appear on the roads in 2018. Some professionals are sceptical about this endeavour. Their main concern is the lack of places to charge the cars – currently there are only 360 public chargers. This is why hybrids, working on petrol and electricity, are more popular. LTC has already tried to foster in Barcelonians a love for electric cars, but they have turned out to be uncompetitive due to high prices. Now the company is saying that it has taken into account previous mistakes.

Sights To save the lions

Eight lions, which have guarded the Christopher Columbus monument since 1888, need special care. Restorers came to this conclusion after analysing the condition of the bronze predators. The reasons do not only relate to humidity or sea-gull droppings; tourists are also to blame – few travellers, after conquering La Rambla, manage to avoid the temptation of patting their noses or even of being photographed upon their mighty backs. This leads to faded paint and rust. “People climb the lions, so their original surfaces are damaged. This continuous and systematic activity could ruin the statues,” points out restorer Alex Barbera.

The local authorities are not planning to limit access to one of the most popular sights in Barcelona, but they are considering improved maintenance. Specialists will re-seal the joints, apply anti-corrosion agents and renew the thinning surfaces. translation: Lisa Filippova

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Action plan

Things to do in Barcelona this Autumn Celebrate AT THE MERCÈ Fiesta (1) A few centuries ago, the Holy Virgin Mary liberated Barcelona from voracious locusts. Ever since then, Barcelonians have been eternally grateful to her, and to express their unreserved and joyful gratitude, every September they celebrate La Mercè — a fiesta that turns the Catalan capital into one big bustling medieval fair. You don’t have to be pious or religious to fall under the spell of this vivacious holiday.

You will simply want to join the Barcelonians in several days of fun as they set off fireworks, dance the sardana as frantically as they please, and release papier-mâché giants into the streets, who in their playful curiosity can easily look into the window of an apartment on the second floor.

When: September 22–25 Cheer for triathletes (2) If you see a guy in a wet swimsuit riding a bicycle, then he’s probably a tri­ athlete. He will have endured a long and tough ride already, and you are kindly advised not to stand in his way — unless of course you also are a participant of the Garmin Barcelona Triathlon competition. In that case, you will be aware that after swimming and cycling, there will also be a gruelling run to face. It all starts at 10.00 am at the sports pavilion near the Marbella Beach. If the prospect of cycling in a swimsuit does not appeal to you, you can always simply join the cheering crowd.

When: October 9

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Listen to an art lecture (3) Andrei Rublyov, Viktor Vasnetsov, Alexander Ivanov, Vasily Kandinsky… The list of Russian artists of world significance is like Homer’s proverbial Catalogue of Ships; it seems to go on for ever. But the organisers of the series of art talks in the Russian House of Barcelona are not afraid of challenges. In fact, they love them. Elena Volnykh, a

Russian art historian, will be offering eight talks on the most significant stages in the development of Russian art, from the times of ancient Rus to the 20th century. Now and then, a special talk will be devoted fully and exclusively to just one of the most prominent Russian artists, e. g., Mikhail Vrubel. In fact, this series of talks actually starts with him.

When: September — December

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

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Hoist the sails (4) An entire fleet of sailing ships, boats, and even kayaks, large, small, new and old, will be dropping anchor at El Salón Náutico in the Old Port of Barcelona. If you have not yet saved up enough money to buy your own yacht, you will still have a chance to choose your very own swimming and diving equipment, fishing tackle, and other active recreation products. Landlubbers will not be

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bored either, as they will have the chance to enjoy live music, a fashion show, wine and food tasting, as well as to try kayaking and paddle surfing.

When: October 12–16 Enjoy your beer (5) The original Oktoberfest is perhaps the world’s largest folk festival. But the Barcelona Beer Festival has no intention of yielding to its older brother in

fun and authenticity. At noon on October 12, Fira Barcelona Montjuïc will host the grand opening of the first barrel of frothy drink. Once that is done, get ready to enjoy the aromas and tastes of traditional Bavarian cuisine supplied to your table in the form of sausages, pork knuckle, or a roast chicken, accompanied by potatoes, to the sound of the polka all day long. Admission is free, but as the size of the

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Explore the city’s architectural beauty (7) People, architecture, urban research and practice are the main themes and the motto of the 48H Open House Barcelona Festival. The organisers will be inviting their guests to open their eyes, minds and, literally, the doors to some of the best original design and construction solutions manifested in Barcelona.

You will have a chance to visit around 150 buildings throughout the city, most of which are normally closed to the public. Admission is free; however, there is a limit to the number of visitors.

When: October 22–23

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Marvel at unique snapshots (8) One of the greatest photographers of the twentieth century, Philippe Halsman, never tired of admiring the human face, but here’s the problem — we can only unveil our true selves when we drop all the masks that people tend to wear. Like when we jump, for instance. Film stars, politicians and dukes would jump dozens, if not hundreds, of times until Halsman found that perfect frame. Salvador Dali, Albert Einstein, Marilyn Monroe, Alfred Hitchcock and other prominent figures of the last century looked into the lens of his camera.

The exhibition at CaixaForum will be presenting over 300 works by the master featuring portraits, photo reports, and even nude art.

When: until November 6

main tent is limited, it is advisable to register in advance on the event’s website.

When: October 12–21 Enjoy the local cuisine (6) Butifarra, fideuà, escudella… Catalan cuisine is taking the world by storm. And here we know very well that any delicious, exquisite and healthy meal starts with fresh and superb quality ingredients. We also know that one of the best locations to sample them is the Mercat de Mercats Gastronomic Fair that will be taking place near the Cathedral. Wines, sausages, cheeses, fish, marine creatures, fruits and vegetables arrive on its stalls from all over Catalonia. Gourmets will be welcome to enjoy superb and exquisite dining experiences graciously prepared for them by well-known chefs, while a combo-ticket will allow you to enjoy a wide selection of tapas and drinks.

When: October 21–23

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Photos: Direcció d’Imatge i Serveis Editorials, Víctor Curto, Garmin Barce­ lona Triathlon, www.stonecarving.ru, as well as our private archive translation: Ihor Syrovatchenko

Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

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TOP story Text: Elena Syrovatchenko Photos: Yulia Kauhova, Elena Syrovatchenko, Anastasia Kazenkova, Philipp Shamshin

Foreigners’ adventures in

Barcelona

From Barcelona’s birth at the decree of Carthaginian warlord Hamilcar Barca to Catalonia’s “marriage” with Spain, the city has fallen into the clutches of various agressively inclined foreigners, such as Romans, Visigoths or Arabs. Some outsiders tried to win its favours with gold, but, as the experience of the local Jewish community shows, this approach didn’t always work, especially in the Middle Ages. Essentially, though, Barcelona began to acquire a serious reputation as a cosmopolitan city in the 20th century, with its successive great upheavals, and migration became the main driver of a sharp increase in the number of Barcelonians. In the 21st century that tendency has only increased further.

Today the Catalonian capital hosts 262,233 officially registered foreign residents, over 16 per cent of the city’s population.

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Incident on the boulevard On 28th July this year tourists strolling down the Passeig Maritim witnessed a strange event; a middle-aged woman up on a stage making an impassioned speech. More accurately, trying to make one, hunched over two microphones simultaneously, because the crowd down below was yelling

A well-known advocate of migrants’ rights, Colau was saying that Barcelona should remain a tolerant, welcoming city back: “Racist!”, “Hypocrite!”. For anyone who recognised the hapless orator as the mayor of Barcelona, Ada Colau, and knew a little Catalonian, what was happening would have seemed astonishing. A well-known advocate of migrants’ rights, Colau was saying that Barcelona should remain a tolerant, welcoming city, open to people of all races, cultures and nationalities, and calling for an end to a policy of closed borders and thanking those of her fellow-citizens who supported her views. The reason for the gathering on the city’s main seaside promenade was the unveiling of the “Countdown of Shame”, a steel column showing the number 3034, the number of migrants drowned so far this year in the attempt to cross to Europe. Overcoming either her emotion or anger, or maybe both together, she handed the microphone over to exiled Syrian poet Mohammed Sirigu. His poem about the crimes of the Assad regime didn’t make the crowd any happier. Neither did a performance from Jordi Savall, who played a short solo on an Afghan instrument to show his solidarity. “Shame on you!”, the activists yelled through a megaphone, and the crowd picked it up — “Shame on you!” So what was behind all this? Well, that very morning seven “manteros”, as the locals call the illegal street traders selling stuff from a piece of fabric spread on the ground, had been arrested in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood. The charges of intellectual property theft were not plucked out of thin air. A dawn police raid on an apartment in Carrer de Calàbria uncovered a veritable factory producing fake designer label handbags, shoes, clothing and accessories. On top of that, one of the seven arrested was directly implicated in an assault on police officers earlier this summer during

an operation to break up an informal street market organised by several hundred “manteros’ of African origin on the Passeig Joan de Borbo. However, since all seven of those picked up in the apartment came from Senegal, their friends and human rights activists immediately suspected intolerance and even racism on the part of the forces of law and order. Not just the police, the mayor, or “alcadessa”, was in for it, too, and for her the problem of illegal trading has become a real headache this summer. On one hand she has proclaimed a policy of open doors and humane treatment for migrants, on the other she can’t afford to ignore the opinion of locals. A letter demanding measures to stop the “manteros’ taking over was signed by the Historical Museum of Catalonia, the Residents’ Association of Barceloneta, the Textile Producers’ Association and around a hundred other respected business and public organisations of the Old City.

Interesting numbers Every year Barcelona’s department of statistics publishes data on various aspects of city life on the internet. These at first sight boring tables of endless numbers and charts are, in fact, a treasure-trove of fascinating information. Including data relating to residents who are not Spanish passport holders. It turns out, for example, that Senegalese, the source of the passions described earlier, are by no means the largest foreign diaspora in Barcelona. Figures for

That very morning seven “manteros”, as the locals call the illegal street traders selling stuff from a piece of fabric spread on the ground, had been arrested in the Sant Antoni neighbourhood 2015 show only 1182 of them. And in general the number of Africans registered in the Catalonian capital barely reaches 19.5 thousand. By contrast, there’s a whole army of Italians, 25,707. Silver and bronze go to Pakistanis and Chinese, and these nationalities have been in the top three for several years now. But why the citizens of Montenegro should shun Barcelona so completely is a mystery.

In 2010 just one solitary Montenegrin was on the

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

The Barcelona of Gabriel García Márquez Towards the end of the 1960’s Barcelona unexpectedly became a magnet for Latin American writers. And so in 1967, number 6 Calle Caponata witnessed the arrival of the newly published author of One Hundred Years of Solitude, plus suitcases, wife Mercedes and two small sons.

The Colombian genius spent six whole years here and, clearly, it was a very productive period for him. We know that Gabo wrote his novel The Autumn of the Patriarch, gathered material for Strange Pilgrims, and was often to be seen at the legendary Bocaccio club on Muntaner, the favourite watering hole of Barcelona’s intellectual elite. Márquez’s neighbour in the Sarri neighbourhood, and closest friend, too, was Mario Vargas Llosa, the Peruvian novelist and playwright, who was, like Márquez, to be awarded the Nobel Prize for literature and recognised as a classic writer in his lifetime. Their friendship ended, though, with a scandal on 12 February 1976 at the premiere of the Mexican film Survive!, when Márquez came over to greet Llosa, and Llosa punched him in the face and floored him.

Observers of this bizarre scene reported that Llosa spoke just one sentence after delivering the knockout blow: “What else am I supposed to do to you after what happened with Patricia in Barcelona?” Yes, indeed, here, too, Сherchez la femme!” as the French say.

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I’m buying a place in your area Something like 90 percent of buyers of elite property in Barcelona are foreigners. This is what the statistics collected by realtors based on their sales during the last few years will tell you. The most significant buyers are traditionally British, French, German and Swedish. Realtors working with properties in the 950,000 euros and upwards price bracket describe their typical foreign client like this: a person without financial problems and with a clear understanding of the cost effectiveness of the square metres they are buying; in the case of Barcelona they are particularly interested in the favourable relationship of price to quality — in other words, the price of top-end property is very affordable and the quality of life in the city is very acceptable.

Nevertheless, Barcelona still has several elite areas with a low concentration of foreign residents.

The most striking example is, perhaps, Font d’en Fargues with only 5.4 percent of “extranjeros”.

This little neighbourhood in the Horta-Guinardó district is a triangle of several quiet streets of old detached houses and villas, plus some newer 3 or 4-storey apartment blocks with their own tennis courts and swimming pools. The area is attractive, clean and prosperous, but also with a suggestion of fun and frivolity, like the boudoir of a long-dead society beauty. Curiously, Font d’en Fargues is home to the Princess Margaret School, one of the oldest and most prestigious international schools in the city, opened in 1967 by one Mrs. Gaos.

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

register, but since that individual left the clerks have had to enter a sad-looking zero for five years running. Obviously, the tables only include “newbies” who have registered their place of residence officially, but they do, nevertheless, show the general picture and answer a host of other different questions. Are the foreigners mainly men or women, for example? Men, as it happens. As far as age goes, the biggest group is younger people between 25 and 39. The elderly, 65 and over, are in a minority. Foreigners who didn’t manage to complete schooling number around 5 thousand, while the highest proportion of university graduates is among the Japanese. The distribution of foreigners by neighbourhood is a separate topic. The Eixample district leads by the number of resident incomers, but in terms of the density of the foreign population, then the Raval neighbourhood is the undoubted champion, with 47.6 percent. The majority of Raval residents with foreign passports are from Pakistan, which is obvious to anyone who has walked down its noisy lanes, the aroma of Asian spices in the air.

A “special” case The Republic of Pakistan is an Asian country, artificially created in 1947 when India was divided on religious lines. It is inhabited by a patchwork of ethnic groups united by their Islamic faith. There were never any historic links with the Iberian peninsula, like there were with Britain, say, the result of nearly one and a half centuries of colonial status. Nevertheless, by the end of 2001 there were 14,322 Pakistani citizens registered with residency permits in Spain. Even more curiously, 10,495 of them were living in Catalonia and almost all of them in Barcelona Province (10,339), of whom 6,112 were living within the city limits of

As far as age goes, the biggest group is younger people between 25 and 39. The elderly, 65 and over, are in a minority

Barcelona itself. During the last 15 years that last figure has tripled. What has made the capital of Catalonia so attractive to its current 19,414 inhabitants of Pakistani origin. The heritage of Gaudí?

The climate? Employment opportunities? Neither the first, nor the second, and certainly not the

third, judging by the number of local Spaniards claiming unemployment benefit. The answer is simple. In January 2001 around a hundred foreigners, mostly from the hardly noticeable at that time Pakistani community, broke into the church of Santa Maria del Pi and refused to leave (and declared a hunger strike at the same time) in protest against a recently passed law, 4/200 “On the rights and freedoms of foreign citizens in Spain and their social integration”. During the next three months the protesters, stubbornly demanding “papers for all”, were joined by around 700 people, turning the drama in the heart of the Gothic quarter into the top news story for the entire country.

Under pressure of public sympathy (a petition in support of the migrants attracted 63,000 signatures in Catalonia), the government was forced to retreat and amend the law. And as sociologists today point out, for Pakistanis living precariously in France, Germany and Britain, this event rang a bell indicating that the floodgates were now open.

And their fellow countrymen in Spain were only too happy to reassure them they could settle here.

Family connections, on which the newcomers could assuredly rely, are seen as the basic factor in the growth of Barcelona’s Pakistani population.

And friendships, too. Mostly, as one can easily guess, with their own kind, as the results of an informal poll carried out a couple of years ago in

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Raval show. Almost 30 percent of respondents had no Spaniards among their acquaintances…

Meanwhile, also a couple of years ago, the authoritative Gallup Institute published the worldwide ratings of the countries most tolerant to migrants. Spain came nearly top in the European part of the ratings, just a little behind Ireland. Onthe-spot studies confirm these findings. In 2012, for example, La Caixa bank organised a poll asking Barcelonians what they thought of their nonSpanish neighbours: 77 percent replied calmly that they had only positive experience of contact with people from other cultures. Citizens who had experienced conflict with outsiders moving into the same building or neighbourhood came to less than 1 percent of respondents. Other noteworthy data includes the number of mixed marriages, which have now crossed the threshhold of 30 per cent. If you want to look at the situation exclusively through rose-tinted spectacles, you can stop right here, but decide to dig deeper and you will uncover a mass of curious details. For example, that there are parts of town being bought up completely by one diaspora or another, with other areas outstripping Raval by far in this respect.

Inside the Ghetto The Fondo area in the municipality of Santa Coloma-de-Gramenet does not officially lie within the boundaries of Barcelona, but it is at the outer limit, the last stop on the metro’s red line. It’s also the city’s main Chinese quarter, a real Chinatown,

with an extremely high concentration of immigrants from the Heavenly Kingdom. It’s said that every third resident is Chinese. That more than 5 thousand live here is a fact. But this is about more than statistics. Fondo is a city within a city, playing by its own rules and living by its own laws. With Chinese shop signs and fast-foods where you can only order if you speak Mandarin. With a school, open all summer, on the corner of Ludwig van Beethoven and Wagner streets, where a teacher with charasteristic Oriental eyes watches carefully over her brood of black-haired children. About the

Fondo is a city within a city, playing by its own rules and living by its own laws Chinese in Barcelona we know a lot and a little, simultaneously. They are friendly and outgoing, yet remain one of the most closed and isolated foreign communities in the city. The majority come from the province of Zhejiang, or to be more exact, from the smallish, population around 500,000, city of Qingtian, to the south of Shanghai, where you’d probably need a microscope to find a family that couldn’t boast of relatives living in Europe. The first wave of Chinese washed over Fondo in the 90’s. Even before that, the area had been fairly specific, with a large amount of accommodation built in the 1970’s for migrant workers from Andalusia. Housing here was a lot cheaper than in the centre, and commercial rents were also pleasingly affordable. Today many of the long-term Chinese residents have not only bought apartments in Santa Coloma-de-Gramenet, they also own businesses — restaurants, shops, hairdressers and even textile factories, where the workers, toiling from morning to night, are also Chinese, either less lucky or more recently arrived. Experts who have studied the community say that the rumours about a Chinese mafia and slave labour, the almost automatic fate of Chinese illegal immigrants when they reach Barcelona, are not just rumour. The well-oiled “business” runs roughly as follows: you want to go and live in Spain, but don’t have the money (or a contract which you need to get a visa), so you turn for help to the “right people”. They see to all the formalities, and for the next couple of years you work off the debt, without even thinking about complaining,

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The Spanish wave As an important Spanish industrial centre, Barcelona has always attracted migrants. In the mid 20th century these were basically “locals” — people from Andalusia, Murcia, Estremadura, who saw they had no future at home and looked for opportunity in other regions. Among the measured, light-haired and generally prosperous Catalans, the migrants — swarthy, dirt-poor and swallowing the letter “s” — were immediately visible and audible. Native Barcelonians disparagingly dubbed the incomers “charnegos”. From the 40’s to the 70’s the city took in more than 400,000 “charnegos”.

Many of them adapted quickly and painlessly to their new home, learned Catalan, contributed to the region’s industrial development, and the offensive nickname has almost completely fallen out of use amongst the aboriginal population.

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Birds of a feather It may come as a surprise, but the green parrots which are as familiar now in Barcelona as pigeons or seagulls, are also immigrants of a kind, albeit with a curious history. Local ornithologists are convinced that the huge local colony, plus the ones that have flown on to other Spanish cities, including Madrid, are the descendants of a few Argentinian parrots and Kramer’s parakeets imported into Catalonia at the beginning of the 1970’s as pets. Whether they broke out of their cages or were let out by owners fed up with their constant squawking, the fact remains that it was as though Barcelona’s palms, plane trees and street lamps were put there specially for their huge nesting colonies, and the birds feel very much at home. Now parrots are one of the most widespread bird species in Barcelona, and the speed with which these feathered interlopers are multiplying is a cause of concern to naturalists, because of the disturbance to the city’s longestablished ecosystem.

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let alone trying to change anything. Any sudden and unexpected alertness on the part of the authorities or the police regarding, say, the complete lack of ventilation in the workshops or excessive working hours would annoy the workers themselves most of all. If the factory closes, how are they to pay the triads and send money home to the family?

Melting pot If anyone thought of establishing ratings for integration into the local community, there can be no doubt that the Italian diaspora would win hands down. Emotional, colourful, gesticulating, loud, they have, paradoxically, succeeded in taking the town “sin hacer ruido” or “without a fuss”. It also happened a very long time ago. It’s a known historical fact. In 1571 a certain Zanotti opened a coaching inn, with food and accommodation, next to the church of Santa Maria del Mar. It was known later as the Fonda Santa Maria, and already by the 19th century Zanotti’s enterprising compatriots were behind the best hotels in Barcelona, including the Grand Hotel Cuatro Naciones on the Rambla, the one where Frédéric Chopin and George Sand parked their bags during their short stay in town. Italians, who kept coming and coming throughout the 19th century (mainly by sea, on ships from Genoa), also owned the resaurants Miramar and Majestic, the Nazionale café and the Teatre del Liceu… The list goes on and on, so it’s simpler just to observe that the most notable and influential section of their community at that time comprised of people connected with the restaurant and hotel businesses, music and theatre, arts and crafts. Clarinet teachers, impressarios, grocers, opera singers, potters, midwives, couturiers, journalists, owners of rubber works, all found a place in the capital of Catalonia, and when the 1880 census showed that Barcelona with 1284 Italian residents was the most popular city in Spain with this particular diaspora, nobody, probably, was surprised. During the first 30 years of the 20th century, when the population of this expanding city was swelling like well-leavened dough, Italians, naturally, were at the forefront in filling the ranks of new Barcelonians. In 1937, though, the flow suddenly dried up, with the dawn of the Franco dictatorship, his policy of economic self-sufficiency and an unbelievably powerful wave of internal migration which brought thousands of families from Andalusia and Murcia to the shores of Catalonia. Though Italians continued

to leave home in search of a better life, Spain, it seems, attracted only the most desperate. There is a theory that things came full circle because of the two most important sporting events in the modern history of the city, the soccer World Cup in 1982 and the Olympic Games in 1992. Supposedly, Italians who came to Barcelona in 1982 and then came back ten years later were so impressed by the changes in the city, they immediately packed

Emotional, colourful, gesticulating, loud, they have, paradoxically, succeeded in taking the town “sin hacer ruido” or “without a fuss”

their bags to move here. Sceptics, when they hear this story, usually pull a face and remind us of a more fundamental, political, event — the Schengen agreement. Once this came into force, Spain removed the barriers at the border and, as a result, opened the doors of Barcelona even wider to Italians and many other Europeans who wanted to try their luck here. Incidentally, the majority of foreign migrants in Barcelona still come from other European countries, if you take the continent as a whole.

translation: Frank Williams

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TOP story Interviews: Olga Grosheva Illustrations: Shura Tumashova

¿Cómo estás?

Barcelona expats on life in a new place Living abroad comes with a mass of new impressions, emotions and discoveries. The strongest are often sparked by the differences between how you, as a foreigner who has just left home, view the world and how the people who were born here or lived here a long time see things. Six expats told Your City about the biggest surprises of life in a new place and which Spanish or Catalonian customs they’ve taken up after mov­ ing to Barcelona.

Markus Kohlmeier, Germany I live in the Gothic quarter and there are always a lot of tourists. This means the shops are almost always open, but it also means I have to sleep with earplugs because it’s very noisy. In general, my life in Barcelona is quiet and simple: I learn Spanish, give German lessons, do sports… Incidentally, about sport. I went to a Barcelona — Atletico Madrid match and was surprised by the behaviour of the Spanish fans. If they liked what they saw on the pitch, they applauded. They didn’t sing and chant like the Germans do, they behaved a bit as though they were at the theatre.

Generally, there are plenty of differences between us. Like the way friends interact. In Germany if someone asks you for coffee, you might say: “Your place or mine?” In Spain it’s the opposite, people spend a lot of time on the street. Sure,

the climate has a lot to do with it, and the price of a coffee is significantly cheaper. In Barcelona when we go out in a group, usually it’s one bill for everyone, and each person chips in his share.

Or sometimes, today I’m paying, tomorrow it’ll be your turn. In Germany the normal situation is to have separate bills for each person. There’s a difference in the way the day is organised. In Germany the working day starts early and it’s considered normal to eat a big breakfast, because lunch won’t be until around 2 during a short break. In Spain there’s the siesta, so the custom is a late breakfast and evening meal. I was sharing a flat with some Spaniards and they always started cooking around ten in the evening, and it was always something a bit complicated —

In Barcelona when we go out in a group, usually it’s one bill for ev­ eryone, and each person chips in his share risotto or spaghetti bolognese. The maximum I can do at that time is a sandwich. And they

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would eat at eleven, which is past bedtime. And people are more relaxed about things than at home. For example, nobody ever rushes to pay at the supermarket checkout. In Germany, if there are people behind you, you have to do everything fast, otherwise people get angry waiting, while here everyone has time. Though sometimes it would be nice if the queue did move a bit quicker.

Ina de Mets, Belgium The Spanish have a special attitude to time. For example, if you’re waiting for the plumber to come at 9 in the morning, you won’t be surprised if he calls at the very last moment and tells you he has to put it off until the afternoon or tomorrow. That’s unimag­ inable in Belgium, where you can set your watch by the plumber.

Or another example: one day I saw a really nice designer light fitting and decided to find a company which could make it for me cheaper. Finally I found a firm that would do it and they promised to send me a quote. The first time they confused metres and

I do not regret moving to Spain in the slightest: it’s a different quality of life here and there’s a lot to learn

centimetres, the second time they messed up the arms, then they left out some parts, and on the fourth attempt it turned out the price they quoted didn’t include VAT, though till then they’d said it did. All these negotiations, three visits to the shop and dozens of letters took two months and it still came to nothing. But now the light is irrelevant, because the flat I just moved into doesn’t have electricity, the company says that two months are owing. I’d be happy to pay, but I need to know how much. They won’t tell me and keep demanding more and more documents to prove I own the flat. And they take weeks to reply. Meanwhile, I’ve had to change my complete way of life. I can’t use the mirror in the bathroom, so I have to put my

make-up on out on the balcony. I don’t know what the neighbours think! I recharge my mobile while I have breakfast in a cafe, wash in cold water, dry my hair at the swimming pool, do my washing by hand. And, since I’m without a fridge, I just eat fresh salads, so I have to say thank you to the Spanish for my very healthy life-style! But I do not regret moving to Spain in the slightest: it’s a different quality of life here and there’s a lot to learn.

For example, they have a special attitude towards the family. In Northern Europe it’s ok to say, my uncle is in hospital but I don’t have time to visit him, I’m too busy at work. Here it’s the other way round, and this helps people feel less lonely and isolated.

Mixalis Massopoulos, Greece People here are on the whole very friendly, and I like that wherever I go people will smile, even if it’s not always genuine. The main difference between people here and in Greece is probably the attitude to money. They’ll count the coins very carefully to pay the exact one euro thirty cents for a coffee, while in Greece people will almost fight for the right to pay the bill. And if you go to the supermarket and the milk costs 1.32 euros, the cashier will only take one euro thirty. At home I used to spend money without thinking too much, but here I also began to count it and the relationship between price and quality became important.

I will never, for example, eat patatas bravas or tortilla in a cafe or restaurant, because it’s what my mother cooks when she doesn’t have time. Greek food is very healthy, and preparing a dish takes a minimum amount of time. The Spanish spend their free time differently, too. In Barcelona it’s normal at the end of the week to go to a restaurant in the evening, for maximum one hour, or drop into a tapas bar for a quick beer, then go to several different places and finish the night in a club. On Sunday everybody is at home, resting. In Greece nobody is in a hurry, the evening meal takes as long as you want, maybe one hour, maybe three.

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Then you might go to a club. Unlike the Spanish, though, Greeks will stay in a place as long as they feel like, and not until they get drunk or it closes. I never drink alcohol at home, I usually go to a bar.

In Barcelona you often get “botellón” parties, young people get together at somebody’s place, everybody brings a bottle of something, and then they go out to a club or a park In Barcelona you often get “botellón” parties, young people get together at somebody’s place, everybody brings a bottle of something, and then they go out to a club or a park. There’s a surprising thing, too, in the way people touch: Greeks like to embrace, but we never kiss a woman we don’t know, a handshake is enough. In Spain it doesn’t matter whether you know somebody or not, ev­ erybody kisses everybody else.

Shoko Unagami, Japan In Japan people live to work. Looking for a job after university is obligatory, otherwise people will look down on you. Ev­ erybody is worried about money. The Spanish are more relaxed, they have time to enjoy life. I remember how surprised I was at the number of children in the streets late in the evening. In Japan they’re all at home by seven. On the other hand, I don’t feel so safe here. For example, if I fall asleep in the metro, then I’ll probably lose my bag and my phone, while back home it’s normal to sleep in public transport, because nobody steals. It’s also not usual to share accommodation with other people, and the bathroom is an important place, a “relaxation zone”. So here it was an unpleasant surprise that in a big flat there may be only one bathroom, and no separate toilet.

If somebody wants to wash, and somebody else needs the toilet, what happens then? And if I like reading in the bath? It’s also shameful for us to show emotion in public — to kiss, embrace. It’s considered bad form, bad behaviour. Japanese are very concerned what other people think, and so we are very closed. If a couple goes somewhere, the man usually pays. Here everything is shared.

Japanese men are unemotional, they won’t say to you every day “you look pretty” or “I love you”.

Usually they hide their feelings, say nothing. The Spanish are not afraid to show their emotions, to pay compliments. Yes, and they generally treat women nicely, “ladies first”, I feel like a princess here. Japanese women are more reserved than the Spanish, not so direct. First we listen to what the man says, then act on the basis of that. The idea of friendship is completely different here. In Japan when a man and a woman go out somewhere, it’s always seen as a date. In Spain it’s normal to say: “He’s my friend/she’s my friend, nothing more”, but still I’m always a little bit tense when my young man meets a lady friend. Though now a lot of people tell me I’m more Spanish than Japanese. I get up and go to bed late, I’m often late. My friends also say I like to talk now and have become more open, which is not typical for Japanese.

Floriane Gloriane Xiberras, FRANCE For the French, Barcelona is an ideal city. They know how to organise a party here, everything’s much cheaper, you can meet people from all over the world and you have complete freedom, you can drink and party all night and nobody thinks any the worse. Nobody obeys the law in Spain, and so what? As they say: “no pasa nada”. Most flats

It’s much easier to find work in Barcelona than in France, though you have to work harder are rented without a contract — no pasa nada. In winter the Pakistanis sell a beer on the beach for 50 cents and in summer they charge 2 euros for the same beer — no pasa nada. When a taxi driver hears your accent and thinks you’re a tourist, he takes you round in circles and then wants 15 euros instead of the usual 3 — no pasa nada. Why am I still here? It’s much easier to find work in Barcelona than in France, though you have to

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

work harder. Most of the contracts are temporary, which means you can be fired at any moment. And what you really cannot do here is get sick. In France there are a lot of laws protecting workers’ rights. I get the feeling that Catalonians don’t like foreigners. On one hand, you can understand, seeing the way tourists behave. On the other, it’s not nice going into a shop and asking for something in Spanish and they reply in Catalan. On the whole it’s easier to make friends with someone from another part of Spain than with a Catalonian. They’re closed and very tactile at the same time. They need to kiss you all the time, touch various parts of your body. I don’t like it. There’s an element of hypocrisy. When you meet they keep hugging you and showing how much they like you, but as soon as you’re gone, as a rule they just forget about you.

But I’m impressed by the way there’s less social pressure than there is in France. We’re very categorical. Things are either black or white. You’re 24 years old, you haven’t got a steady boyfriend or a permanent job, it means there’s something wrong with you, but here people can stay with their parents until they’re forty. If you dress badly or weirdly, people in France give you dirty looks, while here you can walk down the street in your pyjamas and nobody says anything, except maybe “how are you doing, lovely?” Nobody will think badly of you.

Josander Liz, Dominican Republic In the Dominican Republic, if you go out into the street and sit on a bench you’ll immediately find new friends. In Barcelona this is unthinkable. People here keep their distance. It can take years before your neighbour says hello to you in the lift. In my country everything’s different: neighbours go to each other for sugar or salt, and if anything happens, they’ll always help you get to the hospi-

tal. Here, by the way, public healthcare is terrible, in hospital you’re just a number on the waiting list, but as soon as you begin to pay insurance ev­ erything changes. In the metro I used to offer my seat to elderly people, then I stopped because most refused. But what was surprising, as soon as I got out of the carriage, they’d take my seat. I don’t know, but maybe they didn’t want to accept because I’m black… Once I helped an old lady, an acquaintance of a relative of mine. Her neighbour saw me and said: “Oh look, the queen has a coloured worker”. I thought in the 21st century people didn’t say things like that any more. In my opinion, it’s a form of passive racism. Sometimes I feel it’s much easier for the locals to accept a gay than a Latin American. On the other hand, in Barcelona you can walk to the beach at three in the morning

Barcelona only seems chaotic, because in fact it’s surprisingly well-ordered. It’s a beautiful city where you can live life to the full; the main thing is to have a job

knowing nothing will happen. Yes, there are muggers, like in Latin America, but the difference is they don’t stick a gun in your face and back home they’ll shoot first and then go through your pockets. Barcelona only seems chaotic, because in fact it’s surprisingly well-ordered. It’s a beautiful city where you can live life to the full; the main thing is to have a job. It doesn’t matter whether it’s a good job or a bad one. As long as they pay you, you have every chance of living well. Public transport, the traffic are incredibly well organised.

What I also like is how difficult it is to get a driver’s licence. Anywhere else you just give a bribe and problem solved. Also, in Barcelona I learned how to control myself.

Before I was very explosive and could blow up if I didn’t like something.

translation: Frank Williams

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Direct speech Interview: Anastasia Kazenkova Photos: Nadezhda Serebryakova

His childhood and adolescence are connected with Ukraine, his work with the Prague office of Radio Liberty, his home with Germany and Britain, his poetry and prose with the Russian language. Poet, writer and journalist Igor Pomerantsev talks to Your City about how he perceives Barcelona, a city at a crossroads of cultures — how it sounds, tastes, feels

Igor Pomerantsev:

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

“I feel at home in the European slipstream”

You’ve been to Barcelona more than once, what brought you here this time?

I came to give a reading of my poetry and prose, and while I was here I took the opportuniy to record half a dozen Barcelonians, mainly “new”, Russian-speaking Barcelonians, for my radio programme Over The Barriers. People think of a radio interview as a lightweight genre, but if you have an interesting interviewee you begin to feel like a sociologist and allow yourself to make some generalisations. And I noticed that Barcelona, the Mediterranean, is of course a culture of wine. Those Russians and Ukrainians who had any kind of connection with wine at home feel more natural here. But northeners, who grew up in a vodka culture, find it harder to adapt.

As a connoisseur of wine, as author of the book Dry Red, how do you feel here?

I have a British passport, so I’m used to pounds, inches and shillings. When I go to America, I get used to degrees Fahrenheit, and then I come back to Centigrade. But for me wine, and the borders of wine, are a very important point of reference. There are areas where the vine grows and there are soils where it yields to potatoes, wheat or beet. I feel at home where the grape grows. So, Barcelona is ready to hear a declaration of love and is ready to share this love with people who don’t find the culture of wine alien.

No doubt you meet this city as old friends?

You develop different relationships with cities. There are cities where you will always be a stranger. And there are the cities where the cemeteries hold your loved ones. For example, I have an intimate relationship with Chernovtsy, because my parents, my grandmother, my aunts are buried there, and this connection is deep, approximately two metres. I also feel close to cities where I wrote something. I first came to Barcelona when I was comparatively young, in my thirties. I wrote poetry and prose, experienced the little joys of authorship. After all, writing, especially poetry, is an intimate experience. Which means that Barcelona has a place in my emotional world. You can find its fingerprints in my books. And this is not a criminal dossier, it’s the dossier of my sensory life. So I am partial to Barcelona. It’s a complex, intimate relationship. And it’s not an indiscriminately happy one. When you look at a city you love close to, you begin to notice the cracks, the mould on the walls, the mourning under the finger nails. I think intimacy embraces both low and high, close up and distance.

If you were asked to create a sound map of the city, what would it be like?

Actually, a sound map has already been created by other people. There’s a small group of outstanding Catalonian radio producers involved in Ars Acustica, the art of sound. They took part in a cycle of programmes Voices of World Cities, and the Barcelona project was one of the best. I included excerpts in one of my own Over The Barriers programmes. The acoustic image of Barcelona is inspirational, at least for me as a person sensitive to sound (in that sense dolphins and bats are my allies). So, I, the dolphins and the bats like very much the sibilant consonants of breaking waves, the whispers and shouts of the city streets and squares, the fragile ripples of children’s voices and the sinister coo of the pigeons.

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All the same, let’s suppose you had taken part in that project, what would be the dominant voice or sound?

ber green, fresh moss. It’s a circle of tactile associations. I have a love affair with Barcelona. There are masculine, virile cities, and I couldn’t have a love affair with them. Friendship, at best.

But with Barcelona I have an affair, love.

I call Chernovtsy a “slipstream of tongues”. From childhood it was natural for me to hear several different languages, to switch on the radio at home and hear Romanian, Ukrainian, Russian. It was a natural linguistic polyphony. In this sense there are parallels with Barcelona, of course. It also stands on a crossroads of cultures: Spanish, Catalonian, the South of France to an extent, Provence, Italy. I think that this “slipstream of tongues’ is culture. From the start, from childhood you are immunised against monotony, homogeny. There are many such crossroads, slipstreams in Europe.

I would look out to sea and record ev­ erything connected with the sea. And in the night I’d record Barcelona dreaming, the way it mutters in Arabic, anThey say that the basis of any sym­ cient Jewish, Spanish, Catalonian. I’d pathy and even love, is childhood record these “dream mutterings’ in the experience, which finds resonance Gothic quarters. You know, mediaeval for us in something else. What ex­ alchemists, astrologers, magicians had perience from your childhood spent their own way of reading cities. They in Chernovtsy resonates here in read them with their feet, walking the Barcelona? streets, because every cobble stone says something, remembers something. I Biographical note love that kind of anIgor Pomerantsev was born in 1948 in Saratov, and grew up in the region thropomorphic attieast of Lake Baikal and Chernovtsy. In 1978 he emigrated to Germany and tude to that part of the received British citizenship the same year. His first experience working natural world which for radio came at the BBC Russian Service in the 1980’s. Today he is well gives no appearance of known as the long-time host of Over The Barriers on Radio Liberty. Among life. For the city is not his guests on the programme were the poet Joseph Brodsky, the translator Dmitry Nabokov, the philosopher Alexander Pyatigorsky, the writer Lawrence just a heap of stones, Durrell, the opera singer Cecilia Bartoli and many others. And anyone who asphalt, cement, confollows contemporary Russian poetry and prose naturally knows Pomerantsev crete, glass. The city is as an inimitable essayist and poet. His latest book of poetry, Death in the animated by human Best Sense of the Word, came out in 2015. breath, voices, touch.

Barcelona, like every serious city, has its own body, hands, feet, eyes, ears, its shouts, whispers, crashes, musical themes and grace notes “pitting its air”, to quote Pasternak.

But if we speak of an anthropomor­ phic image of Bar­ celona, how do you see it?

I once wrote a story in which my hero is sitting on a hillock and touches moss, green, soft moss. And a line of verse comes into his head, “mine is leather, yours is velvet”. Barcelona is velvet for me. I touch it and I remem-

And what music do you associate with Barcelona?

Soon I will be going back to Prague, to my radio station, Radio Liberty, going back with my collection of voices, and I’m already thinking what music to use in my program. I discovered urban folk, found distinctive rock, a group called the Barcelona Klezmer Orchestra, met a Catalonian singer who sings in Russian. She gave me her album. But all the same, the musical leitmotif running through Barcelona is the music of the winds. You hear it on the shore, in the port.

Mediterranean breezes breathe on this city, they breathe differently at different times of the year. If I was a composer, I would weave the music of Barcelona from their voices.

translation: Frank Williams

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A Closer Look Text: Marina Voronkova Photos: Philipp Shamshin

Josep Campeny’s

Urchins

Barcelona soars skywards on the spires of the Sagrada Familia, splashes in the sea at the Olympic port and hurries people down the arteries of La Rambla. The big features on the city’s body are obvious to all, but the little masterpieces, a bit like birthmarks, are mainly known only to locals. The quirky Art Nouveau fountains of Josep Campeny, guarded by bronze urchins, are just such treasures

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

La Font de la Granota is opposite Palau Robert on Avenida Diagonal: a boy in a straw hat is lying on his stomach, his arms stretched out clutching a frog. Water trickles from the frog’s mouth. The boy’s left side presses against a basket, with more frogs trying to wriggle out. Frog hunting was, apparently, a favourite pastime of village urchins. His barefoot playmate on the Font del Trinxa on the corner of Ronda Universidad Curious facts 1. and Calle Pelayo looks as The bases for Josep Campeny’s though he’s about to try boys are of stone from one of the some kind of cheeky trick, old quarries on Montjuȉc hill. like pressing his finger In 2009 La Font de la Granota against the spout and squirtwas hit by a truck belonging to a television crew filming nearby. ing water all over the girls The frog hunter himself suffered running past. A third lad, on only superficial damage, but the the Plaça Urquinaona, has stone pedestal broke into several climbed onto the Font del pieces. It took restorers several Noi dels Сàntirs with two months to bring the fountain back heavy pitchers. He has put to its original condition. one down by his feet while he gulps water to slake his thirst from the other.

You can spend quite a while looking at these bronze figures; each has his own distinctive pose, smile, way of dressing, character. For over a century now they’ve been living under the open air of the Eixample quarter.

Their “father” was the Catalonian sculptor Josep Campeny. The son of a carpenter, Campeny graduated from the Higher School of Arts and Crafts in Barcelona, and then went to complete his studies in Paris, where he mastered the Art Nouveau style.

You could say their “mother” was the City Hall.

The urge to beautify the capital of Catalonia seized the city fathers during preparations for the World Exhibition of 1888 and stayed with them through the beginning of the 20th century. Public spaces were landscaped, modern street lighting installed, and a competition organised for deco-

rating the city’s wells and fountains. The first competition was held in the winter of 1891 and Campeny, a handsome, moustachioed, philanthropist, a master of his art who had a weakness for depicting characters drawn from the less respectable walks of life, by this time a famous sculptor much favoured by the aristocracy, won it with ease.

The urge to beautify the capital of Catalonia seized the city fathers during preparations for the World Exhibition of 1888 and stayed with them through the beginning of the 20th century Barcelona was wealthy and did not begrudge the cost of the sculptures. Of the three, the archives show that the water carrier was the most expensive, at 23,850 pesetas. The frog catcher and the trickster came in at 21,950 and 21,400. For a better idea of the cost in real terms, a loaf of bread at that How to get there: time cost 5 centimes, a newspaper 10 centimes, Font de la Granota — crossing of Diagonal and Rosellón, metro while a cobbler would ask Diagonal around 20 pesetas for a pair Font del Trinxa — crossing of of shoes. Incidentally, 20 peRonda Universidad and Pelayo, setas was the daily fine metro Universitat Campeny would have paid Font del Noi dels Càntirs — Plaça Urquinaona, metro Urquinaona under his contract if he

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Curious facts 2.

Fountains are a natural component of Barcelona’s architectural landscape. There are 1,635 drinking and 301 decorative fountains within the city limits. Maintainance and repairs of the first cost the city budget around 0.5 million euros, of the second 3.5 million.

Curious facts 3.

Though the water from Barcelona’s drinking fountains may not taste quite as good as the bottled variety, they are still needed. For this reason the city continues to monitor them for safety and quality, with measurements of pH, bacteria and temperature taken weekly.

failed to deliver his work on time. But he met the deadline, though it is now very difficult to find anything about an official unveiling ceremony for his sculptures.

There probably wasn’t one, which is why the photo in Catalana magazine’s story on the fountains shows a modestly dressed woman carrying a pitcher standing next to the Font del Noi dels Càntirs, rather than

Barcelona was wealthy and did not begrudge the cost of the sculptures

the usual delegation of distinguished, upper-class ladies and gentlemen. In fact, the 20 December 1912 editions of Barcelona’s many newspapers were almost unanimous in noting that the life-size barefoot bronze urchins had caught the attention of the general public. So, success!

Campeny believed art should be for the people, even the low-born and poorly-educated, in fact exactly the class of folk who would go to fountains every day to collect water. There remains one question, though. What inspired Campeny’s choice of Mark Twain-like boys? Art historians do not exclude the possibility that the The Adventures of Tom Sawyer did play a part, but it could just as

Art historians do not exclude the possibility that the The Adventures of Tom Sawyer did play a part well have been the influence of growing up in a family of eight brothers and first-hand experience of the mischief boys get up to. Or perhaps he was trying to create an image of his own first son, who had not survived a childhood bout of pneumonia…

However it was, the boys, now submerged among the throngs of pedestrians, now surfacing from them, became an organic part of the urban landscape of the early 20th century and still look pretty good today. translation: Frank Williams

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Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

Expats Text: Daria Gavrilova, Olga Grosheva Photos: Philipp Shamshin

Barcelona tour guides

They were born far from Barcelona, but they know everything about this city and even earn money telling tourists about it. We wondered what attracted them to the Catalonian capital and how it was that they came to settle here. Three sought-after Barcelona tour guides, holders of Belgian, Russian and Irish passports, agreed to share their personal stories with us.

Ann

Sleebus Belgium

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

“They say that there are two different cities: Barcelona before the 1992 Olympics and after. This is completely true! I was here as a girl, and in the 70’s and in the 80’s, when there were very few tourists and the buildings were… ugly. I remember my visit to La Pedrera in 1984. It was dark grey and didn’t interest anyone.” Ann, who studied French and Spanish philology back home in Belgium, knows the most recent history of the city firsthand. After first visiting Barcelona as a child, she returned here in the 90’s to stay and work for a couple of months and see with her own eyes how Barcelonians prepared for the Olympics. “For three weeks there was a constant feeling of happiness in the air! Everyone felt part of what was going on.” After returning to Belgium, where she left a “good boyfriend”, Ann kept flying back and forth for years, visiting numerous friends and working at conferences.

Ann made the decision to move abroad permanently at the beginning of the 2000s. The whole of the first year of the new millennium she spent travelling around the US. “Upon returning to Belgium I realised that it was not the place where I would like to spend my life. Barcelona, the Mediterranean — this is where I was destined to stay.”

Ann treated this change seriously and responsibly: before packing her bags, she arranged to have interviews at some of the local companies, with whom she had already collaborated as a translator. One of them offered her a contract. “In theory it seemed simple, but when it came to practice I realised that having an official job in Spain required a huge load of paperwork.” But the biggest problem for Ann turned out to be not even the bureaucracy but the inadequate compensation for her work. “After a year I decided to leave this job, because the salary was absurdly low, about 25% of what I used to earn in Belgium. It wasn’t even enough to pay my taxes!” After quitting, Ann submitted the documents for the homologation of her Belgian diploma. It was important for future employment. This process lasted three years. “Truly Kafkaesque!” jokes mevrouw Sleebus. Meanwhile she got certified in all the languages she knows (French, Flemish, English, Catalan, Spanish, and German) and passed the exams to become an official tour guide in Catalonia.

Ann is entirely content with her work as a tour guide. Together with her Catalonian friend, Marta, she founded a touristic project called “Kalipolis”.

Between the two of them, Anne and Marta know approximately 15 languages. They organise walks that could be called offbeat: wine-tastings in bars and bodegas of El Born, a chocolate tour of Barcelona, an introduction to contemporary architecture and little-known modernist masterpieces.

There is also one called “Ask us whatever you want”. “We try to offer tours that are different from others. I know everyone says the same, but we truly believe that tourists are interested in seeing things beyond what can be read in guide-books!

Otherwise, why would one need a guide at all? You could just read a book.” Ann has led lots of un­usual excursions. She walked a group of Californian dancers through a theatrical Barcelona. Told the

In theory it seemed simple, but when it came to practice I realised that having an official job in Spain required a huge load of paperwork Belgian minister of mobility, Jacqueline Galant, who was escorted by a retinue of journalists, about the public transportation system. Studied the Gothic Quarter on bikes with the five-time winner of the Tour de France, Eddy Merckx. “Once I even embarked on a small tour with a doll. Just like in the movie Amélie,” recounts Ann. “The doll was taken secretly from a little girl. Her parents wanted it to travel around Europe, and then to show the photographs in a TV-show as a surprise for the girl.” Ann spent two days in the company of this unusual tourist. “The doll was an amazing companion. We visited the zoo and a museum, went to the beach, went up to Tibidabo, and enjoyed the sunset from the roof of La Pedrera.”

Currently Ann lives in the Gracia district with her son, who was born and raised in Barcelona. The Fleming feels at home in Catalonia and is not intending to leave. On the contrary — Ann Sleebus is hoping to get a Spanish passport. “I think I should have a right to vote if I pay my taxes here.

Being from the EU, I have to live on Spanish soil for 10 years in order to apply for citizenship.

This is what I’ve done. I’ve been living here for 15½ years, but still haven’t seen the citizenship.

But I keep trying to beat this Kafkaesque reality,” — she smiles.

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Evgeniy

Fatianоv Russia

A monotonous tale stuffed with dates and names that are to be forgotten immediately would put anyone to sleep. I couldn’t feel the guide’s attitude towards the city and realised that I should be telling people’s stories. I understood that the highest ratings were scored by programs about private lives and relationships. I try to avoid filth, but blood, love, intrigues — my tours have it all

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

“Barcelona is a place where people are happy.

My job is to walk the streets of this city, admire it and tell stories. Although I am not an emotional man myself, I like to provoke emotions of all sorts.” Evgeniy Fatianov moved to Spain four years ago. Back in Russia he graduated from Voronezh University, worked at a well-known newspaper and on the TV. “Once I was coming home by taxi and the driver let slip: ‘One should leave before 40. After that you won’t get accustomed to anywhere else.’ I was 38 at the time. I got scared by the thought that I had just two years to find my ‘desert island’.” After visiting a number of southern cities with his family, Evgeniy opted for Barcelona. For a while after moving here, Evgeniy kept working as a journalist, writing articles, but there were fewer and fewer jobs, so he had to find a way to earn money locally. He managed to get a position as a teacher in a Russian school. The classes took place only once a week, so all his spare time he dedicated to Barcelona. “I fell in love with this city from the start. I enjoyed touching its walls and breathing its air. Although quite a few people say it smells, I felt it was the aroma of freedom and happiness.” I spent hours on end in a library, reading about the city, and when I felt that I’d collected enough stories, I realised that I wanted to share them with others.”

Before conducting his own tours, Evgeniy went to see the work of his future colleagues. He was disappointed by what he saw. “A monotonous tale stuffed with dates and names that are to be forgotten immediately would put anyone to sleep. I couldn’t share the guide’s attitude towards the city and realised that I should be telling people’s stories. My work at NTV (editor’s note — a popular Russian TV channel) was a useful experience. I understood that the highest rating was secured by programs about private lives and relationships. I try to avoid filth, but blood, love, intrigues — my tours have it all.”

Six months passed between Evgeniy’s move to Spain and the time he published his first advert on the internet offering Montjuïc cemetery walks.

According to him, at the time there were no Russian-speaking guides to accompany tourists to the “nether world” of Barcelona. His first client didn’t turn up until a couple months later. “I was about to despair,” he recalls. “And then a letter came. I got very excited, checked three times if all the graves were still there, worried all through the

tour, and felt it didn’t go well. But the client was pleased and left a good review on the web-site.

Not long after another order came. And so things got rolling.” In our conversation, Fatianov emphasises that he is not a professional tour guide but a journalist telling stories about Barcelona. “I know all the information that the official guides possess.

I can tell you about any architect or building, relate the chronology of things. But it is not particularly interesting to me. I don’t invent my stories, I retell them, leaving all the historical facts intact, adding minor changes and details, so that I can be interested myself and feel like a creator, not just an audioguide.” Evgeniy calls all his clients “special” and assures me that he remembers every one of them, although his rule is not to ask them about their personal lives. “I don’t care if it’s a millionaire by my side or a truck driver. I always pay attention to the eyes of people who are listening. All of them have different reactions and this is so interesting to observe.”

I don’t invent my stories, I retell them leaving all the historical facts intact, adding minor changes and details, so that I can be interested myself and feel like a creator During our conversation Fatianov’s phone keeps ringing. “Tourists,” he explains. “I don’t have time to answer the calls.” He works 14 hours a day, walks 25–30 km around the city, and assures us that he always feels upbeat, thanks to the way he feels about his work. Although he is in high demand, Evgeniy doesn’t feel he is famous. “I am not a confident man, I constantly doubt myself. I don’t even have a mirror at home. Fortunately my hair doesn’t require much grooming. Sometimes I feel embarrassed reading reviews on the internet. It feels it’s not about me — I couldn’t tell stories like that.” The Russian tour guide also confesses he enjoys his flexible work, and depending on the season he finds benefits in it. “I can’t stand routine, grey life. Last year I bought tickets on offer to seven different European countries. Every Wednesday I would fly to a new country. Other cities are beautiful, but there is none like Barcelona. I am magnetically attracted here. I must have lived here in a former life.”

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It was summer. I was teaching and there wasn’t really any work due to the holidays. Gorka had found a job as a tour guide by that time. Getting back home from work, he would tell me really inspiring stories. So I decided to test my luck too. And you know, it all came together somehow

Ann-Marie

Brannigan Irland

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

“In Ireland I was a ceramics artist, but after moving I’ve changed my field completely. I even tried teaching English to children. The only thing I know — all the grey hairs I have appeared then,” Ann-Marie jokes. She moved to Barcelona at the end of the 1990s with her Basque husband, Gorka.

They didn’t have a plan. They liked Barcelona and wanted to try and live in this city. Their first year in Spain wasn’t the easiest. “My Spanish wasn’t going well. Generally I tend to have problems with languages due to slight dyslexia (editor’s note — inability to recognise words quickly and correctly) even in English…” After complaining a bit about the hardships of learning Castilian, Ann-Marie soon returns to the positive side: the language was successfully mastered and the Catalonian capital fulfilled all expectations. Ann-Marie generally laughs a lot and happily reacts to jokes.

The idea to become a tour guide occurred in her fiery-red head quite spontaneously. “It was summer. I was teaching and there wasn’t really any work due to the holidays. Gorka had found a job as a tour guide by that time. Getting back home from work, he would tell me really inspiring stories. So I decided to test my luck too. And you know, it all came together somehow.” Starting off with daily tours around Antoni Gaudí’s buildings, she realised that she enjoyed this occupation a lot more than giving classes to local lazy-bones, so she went on to get an official certificate. Later, she and her husband founded their own company Runner Beans, which offers daily English-language tours around Barcelona. Topics are the usual: masterpieces of Gaudí, the Old Town, Barcelona by night, family outings. The unusual part is that this IrishSpanish company works on a “free walking” principle: at the end of each walk the satisfied tourists pay the amount they consider appropriate. Nowadays the team consists not only of Ann-Marie and Gorka, but a couple of other people of different nationalities. The groups they show around are also quite remarkable. The main condition is knowing English, so Runner Beans usually attracts tourists from Great Britain, the US, Canada and Australia.

“I enjoyed this work seven years ago and I still love it!” admits the former artist. “First of all, you get a chance to grow accustomed to the environment. Secondly, you meet new people every day.

I have to say that people who come to our excursions are very interesting, they have a vivid sense of curiosity. I like to observe how their under-

standing of history, architecture, culture, and traditions grows deeper. Working outdoors is also a bonus. I am not locked between four walls and see the city every day!” According to Ann-Marie, tour guiding has its downsides as well. For example, when friends are planning a BBQ on a Saturday and it is her busiest day, because the majority

My Spanish wasn’t going well. Generally I tend to have problems with languages due to slight dyslexia even in English… of British and Irish tourists come to Barcelona for weekends. “I can’t go away in August either, as it is the busiest season, and I don’t like this time of year in Spain: most of my favorite restaurants, bars and shops are closed, and the area where I live becomes a sort of a ghost town.”

Ann-Marie and Gorka live in Poblenou. “When we first arrived in Barcelona, renting a flat was complicated. At last we managed to find a home close to Port Olympic. We used to walk from there to Poblenou to do our shopping or sit at a restaurant terrace. We grew to love it, so when the time came to find a new place, we came straight to this area.

Poblenou used to have its special charm of a ‘secret neighborhood’ — it has its own Rambla, ev­ eryone knows each other…” The changes happening

I’ve got used to a relaxed lifestyle. I go shopping at 7.30–8 pm.

In Ire­land everything is closed by then and people stay home having dinner

on its streets worry Ann-Marie: Poblenou is becoming ever more popular and as a result, more expensive. The option to leave Barcelona is not even on the table. “I’ve got used to a relaxed lifestyle. I go shopping at 7.30–8 pm. In Ireland everything is closed by then and people stay home having dinner”. When I fly over there, I think it’s OK, I am on vacation, everything is cool, but by the end I am happy to come home, to Barcelona, where we have a dog and are planning to buy a flat. We are happy here!” translation: Lisa Filippova

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u o y e r a o h W ? h t i w p u waking

St at io n fo r Th e En gl is h Sp ea ki ng Ra di o BA RC ELO N A

M F 3 .

7 0 1 m o c .

M F y t i C a n B a rc e l o

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Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

Location, Location, Location Text: Elena Syrovatchenko, Anna Bondarenko Photos: Philipp Shamshin

Tibidabo and environs:

What the doctor ordered

Seen from the direction of the sea, the Collserola mountain range resembles a sleeping prehistoric reptile, its back overgrown with evergreen trees and vegetation. Tibidabo is somewhere in the region of its spine and can easily be identified by the Church of the Sacred Heart, the Ferris wheel and the Norman Foster-designed television tower. But visiting these landmarks is far from being the only reason why it’s worth the climb to the highest point in Barcelona

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Until the 16th century, Tibidabo, which today is part of the Vallvidrera, el Tibidabo i les Planes neighbourhood, was known as Puig de l’Àlig, which translates from Catalan as Mountain of the Eagle. For centuries this was a wild and inaccessible place, almost untouched by human hand.

The new name came from the monks of the monastery of Saint Jerome The new name came from the monks of the monastery of Saint Jerome. “Tibi omnia dabo” is the Latin for what Satan said to Christ in offering to give him “all the kingdoms of the world”. Naturally, the monks were not claiming that the action of the well-kown New Testament story took place here, though, on the other hand, the Gospels are also vague when it comes to precise geographical location… Trackless, cloaked in thick vegetation, alive with bird song and the mournful sighing of the wind pushed suddenly up to a height of 512 metres above sea level, these rocky heights were an almost virgin wilderness. They remained so right until the end of the 19th century, known only to shepherds and hermits, until the mountain suddenly caught the attention of Dr. Salvador Andreu i Grau.

A respected pharmacist, whose cough pastilles are on sale to this day in every Spanish pharmacy, he was also a highly successful property developer. The story with Tibidabo, however, was not entirely typical… As he was walking around San

Special attention was paid to the lower slopes, which was to be turned into an ideal garden city Gervasi one day, the doctor noticed an advertisement for a farm for sale a couple of hundred metres from his own house. He was struck by the extent of the land on offer, stretching from the built-up area right up to the top of the mountain.

And the price was very reasonable, too. The own-

er, a widow of a wine-grower who had been ruined by phylloxera, didn’t think anybody much would be interested. Once bought, things moved fast. In 1899 Andreu found investors, formed the Tibidabo company, and announced a boldly imaginative plan to create an unusual new urban district with a broad avenue, a tram line and a cable car, which would enable people to get to the top of the previously inaccessible mountain ridge.

Special attention was paid to the lower slopes, which were to be turned into an ideal garden city, while the Avinguda Tibidabo, a broad thoroughfare not less than 20 metres wide, was to be the thread that tied together the upper part of Barcelona with the old inhabited quarters down below.

Don Salvador did not wait for permission from the city authorities, and immediately put 250 labourers to work. What happened next was, by

Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

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Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Spanish standards, quite astonishing. Construction that began in mid-1900 was successfully completed in 1901. They say that the council was so impressed with the speed they did not even bother to complain. Furthermore, our medical entrepreneur’s instinct and luck did not fail him.

His vision of a garden city proved attractive to Barcelona’s wealthiest families, and soon both sides of the avenue began to fill up with new luxury Art Nouveau villas — Casa Muntades, Casa Fornells, La Rotonda, Casa Casacuberta and others. The house at number 33, incidentally, figures in Carlos Ruiz Zafón’s bestseller The Shadow of the Wind. The sinister Aldaya mansion is, in reality, an elegant neo-classical tower inhabited by the respectable employees of the Doxa Consulting Group.

It seems reasonable enough that, as the person who thought the whole thing up, Salvador Andreu should keep several properties on the main avenue of Tibidabo for himself. Only one of them, number 17, served as the family residence. The design of Torre del Doctor Andreu was entrusted to architect Enric Sagnier, who was also responsible for the Church of the Sacred Heart on the mountain’s summit. He injected a spirit of supremely elegant modernism that not even the drab utilitarianism of Soviet diplomacy could destroy. During the Civil War the Republican authorities expropriated the villa and it became the Soviet consulate. Franco’s pilots, who were often to be seen in the skies over Barcelona in 1936, were well aware of this, and so the Stalinist apparatchiks turned the basement into an air raid shelter. The bunker contained all the necessary living and working facilities: kitchen, bathrooms, bedrooms, offices, and also an electricity generator, a water cistern and a ventilation system. It’s still there to this day, and if you really want to have a look, the current owners, the Mutua Universal insurance company, will give permission for a visit if requested in advance.

The blue tram, which every tourist knows, is a good way to see the Avinguda Tibidabo. This is the most antiquated part of the Barcelona transport system. It rattles and squeaks, and is always breaking down, but still manages to crawl its way up to the foot of the mountain and back. The speed of 10 kph is perfect for examining all the beauties of the avenue, and also for getting into the unhurried rhythm of life in the Catalan capital

at the turn of 19th and 20th centuries. Or if you’re really not in a hurry and want an even better impression, then make your excursion on foot. But don’t expect to see too much luxury or display of private wealth in today’s Tibidabo. Time has not dealt kindly with the Sarrià-Sant Gervasi district and there has been a distinct change in the class

The blue tram, which every tourist knows, is a good way to see the Avinguda Tibidabo of people who live there — some of the owners of the big villas fled as long ago as the Civil War, fearing the Anarchists, others fell into financial difficulties later. In the second half of the 20th century, the heirs of the original builders could no longer afford to maintain the family properties, and they were gradually sold off at auction. Bought up by banks and big property companies, the villas now house private clinics, international schools, consulates, restaurants and management consultancies.

Even so, the uppermost part of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Vallvidrera, el Tibidabo i les Planes is still one of the most prestigious places to live in Barcelona. Very few apartments come up for sale. The main property deals are for houses. For a luxury detached villa right on the avenue, with six bedrooms, several bathrooms, wooden staircases, mosaic floors, lift, garden, garage and other conveniences, expect to pay 5 to 6 million euros. Not

The uppermost part of Sarrià-Sant Gervasi, Vallvidrera, el Tibidabo i les Planes, is still one of the most prestigious places to live in Barcelona cheap, admittedly, but the view is magnificant, the air is clean and the neighbours are decent.

Just over a year ago Barcelona FC defender Gerard Piqué and singer Shakira bought themselves a house on the nearby Avinguda Pearson. Get to know them, and you might be able to save money on tickets to Camp Nou or concerts. translation: Frank Williams

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Mirador del Tibidabo It was from here, from Tibidabo, that Pedro Almodóvar filmed night falling on Barcelona, one of the most beautiful and expressive scenes of his 1998 film All About My Mother. There are several “Miradors” on Tibidabo. One of the viewing platforms is located directly under the palm of the bronze Christ standing on the top of the Church of the Sacred Heart. You can only get there by lift, costing a couple of euros, but it is most definitely worth it. You will be not 512, but 572 metres above sea level, and you can see not just Barcelona, but way beyond, as far as the peaks of Montserrat. It’s fun to look across the city, which looks like a toy from the old Mountain of the Eagle, through the massive binoculars on the little central viewing platform, the one tucked away behind the carousel. It’s a great way to look at the cucumber-shaped Torre Agbar, the Sagrada Familia with its everlasting cranes, the shark’s fin of the Hotel W and other architectural gems of Catalonia’s capital city, as well as develop an appreciation of the engineering genius of Ildefons Cerdà, who laid out the ideal street pattern of Eixample.

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Parque Natural de la Sierra de Collserola The Collserola nature reserve, of which Tibidabo is part, is one of the green spaces that are called the lungs of Barcelona. Small wonder, with a good ten million trees. With such abundant flora there comes, unsurprisingly, a wealth of fauna. The woodland hosts foxes, lynx and badgers, and wild boar have become something of a trademark of the park. Three years ago a boar got as far as the Sants neighbourhood, and one of the policemen involved in trying to deal with the incident was shot in the knee by a colleague. Such incidents are rare, however, and the park is hugely popular with nature lovers and a favourite with hikers. About ten years ago you would often see treasure hunters. They were looking for valuables which had supposedly been buried by the rich of Vallvidrera as they abandoned their homes during the Civil War. The only thing anybody ever found, though, was a pair of earrings obviously dropped by an absent-minded lady about a hundred years ago.

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Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Parque de Atracciones Tibidabo The first fairground attraction in Tibi­ dabo opened in 1905. Although this was no more than a booth with distorting mirrors set up next to the cable car, it was an immediate hit with the public.

Nothing had been seen like it in Spain before. The legendary little red plane, set in motion by its own propeller, landed on top of this Barcelona mountain in 1928, and was an exact copy of the plane which carried out the very first Barcelona to Madrid flight. The roller coaster, known in Russian as American Hills and in Spanish as Russian Moun­ tain, was sampled by local children back in 1961. The park has featured in the action of several films. The characters played by Javier Barden and Scarlett Johansson in Vicky Cristina Barce­ lona discussed love here, and the hero of The Machinist, played by Christian Bale, wandered through it. Unfortunately, the park has seen its darker moments. In the summer of 2010 one of the most popular rides, the Pendulum, collapsed, killing a 15-year-old girl.

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A DAY IN THE LIFE OF...

Text: Vlad Vitkovski Photos: Philipp Shamshin

The Cowboy and Columbus

The living statues of La Rambla

They say that as early as the 1930s you could have met made-up oddities on La Rambla entertaining idle passersby. But their true glory was at the end of the 1990s or the beginning of the 2000s when at stopped being just an easy way to earn a penny and became a performance art worthy of its place among the symbols of Barcelona. To learn more about this curious profession Your city spoke to Luis and Josep, or‌ the Cowboy and Columbus as they are known on the boulevard

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

16.00 Luis — the Cowboy It is a bright summer day.

La Rambla, or to be precise its widest part, Santa Monica, is buzzing. Tourists tired by the heat are making their way sluggishly towards the sea. The man I have come to spend his working day with is looking in a small mirror and putting on copper colou­ red make-up with calm, precise movements. His name is Luis, he works as a Cowboy in addition to holding the position of Secretary of the Live Statues Association. My protagonist’s working days look very much alike, as do his tasks: chose a posture, freeze, hear a coin clinking in the box, come to life, spin the lasso above his head, have his picture taken with the passer-­by who has paid for the service, and freeze again. He came to Barcelona from Argentina 30 years ago, tried many jobs until finding his place on La Rambla. “In the beginning my characters used to change,” he says, “but then a friend suggested the Cowboy as an image. It came so naturally to me that I haven’t parted with it in nearly 18 years.”

When tens of statues of Romanian origin occupied La Rambla, the authorities decided to start requiring licences

While putting his make-up on, Luis reminisces about the golden era when the activity of street artists was immune to licensing and taxes, one could stand anywhere on La Rambla, and generous tourists would throw heavy 2-euro coins and even notes instead of mere cents. Then everything changed. When tens of statues of Romanian origin occupied La Rambla (creating costumes from scrap, whole families would go out to the boulevard), the authorities decided to start requiring licences. To get one you had to have a degree in art or theatre.

In the end they chose 30 people. Well, that was a good thing: they removed all the people who didn’t take their work seriously. But then new

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problems arose: all the statues were evicted together to Rambla Santa Monica where idlers and passers-by are scarce. “Moreover, how can we earn anything standing five meters from each other?” complains Lius. “Nobody wants to take

Some artists created professional companies like Tricicle, others went as far as Cirque du Soleil

pictures with all of us at the same time. So in the end only one gets a coin.” He says that tourists used to go to several colleagues of his while walking along La Rambla, and the surprise factor used to be stronger when a figure under a tree would suddenly come to life.

It’s nearly half past four. The stubborn sun still doesn’t want to hit the horizon, the air gets ever more hot, but Cowboy Luis is impervious. He tells me about the Live Statues Association, created especially to communicate with the local

authorities. “No one pays any attention to us anyway. The petitions get accepted and then disappear into the bureaucrats’ desks. I guess we got so much into our characters that they stopped seeing us as humans,” jokes the performer bitterly. “For example, two summers in a row there is a street food festival on La Rambla and we are evicted for two weeks onto La Rambla del Raval, which feels like an insult. The war is never over: we used to fight the Javier Trias government, now we fight Ada Colau (editor’s note — former and current mayors of Barcelona).”

Luis is convinced that street art is not to be restricted. He thinks that Barcelona has always been a nursery of talents, and some of them started right here, on La Rambla. Some artists created professional companies like Tricicle, others went as far as Cirque du Soleil. Why is that? “Because there was freedom of expression and competition!” With a sigh Luis puts on his hat, steps up to the pedestal and freezes, becoming the Cowboy ready to take out his Colt any second. And I go on to meet another famous La Rambla character.

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

cognita will show itself. At first Josep wanted to tell fairy-tales on La Rambla, but it turned out that it is prohibited to do so on Barcelona’s most famous boulevard. “Policemen themselves suggested I become a live statue,” confesses the performer. “I could chose between the Predator and Columbus. I didn´t know anything about the Predator so I became Columbus. I created my own costume and image.”

Josep has tried being an interior designer and the owner of a fashion store but he used to lose interest and stop as soon he achieved a certain level. “It was because every time I got bored,” he explains. “I always wanted to do something

The Barcelonian Columbus also confesses that, although he spends the day on the same spot, he is never alone — he has to play his role, react to the passers-by

16.30 Columbus — Josep The working day of Josep Cardona, a native of Barcelona with refined manners and slender features, is coming to an end. He is 62 years old and every day from 10am to 4pm he is Christopher Columbus. This great navigator’s double performs the same unpretentious routine with every tourist:

It was because every time I got bored, I always wanted to do something creative, and here I finally found my vocation

he points with his finger into the distance just like his stone counterpart on the pillar in the Old Port.

Tourists readily enter into the game of gazing into the distance as though any second now terra in-

creative, and here I finally found my vocation. Many think street art is not worthy of being called a permanent job, but I feel differently and my friends and family agree with me.” The Barcelonian Columbus also confesses that, although he spends the day on the same spot, he is never alone — he has to play his role, react to the passers-by. His view of life is optimistic, although he is also discontent with the situation on La Rambla. He invented a nick-name for

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season, so the traditional Spanish August vacation is not an option for him. The discoverer of America briefly disappears from La Rambla in winter, but he comes back as soon as the cruise liners start entering the port.

Almost no one talks to each other here and we definitely don’t go for a drink after work together

Santa Monica — a concentration camp for live statues. After moving to this area the relationships between the performers became dreadful: constant rows and even fights for the spots. “Almost no one talks to each other here and we definitely don’t go for a drink after work together,” says Columbus. “The Association is just five out of 30 people, and they do not express the common opinion.”

The hopes invested in Ada Colau (the new mayor, known for her left-wing sympathies, who, allegedly, was going to let the statues scatter again along the whole of La Rambla) didn’t materialise.

All that was gained was permission to switch places from time to time, to stay in the shade for a while.

The day is coming to an end and I leave the busy boulevard, where many of us start our acquaintance with the Catalonian capital. But they stay to practice their strange art, despite burning sun or pouring rain, making the passers-by laugh or scream with fright. They are a part of Barcelona’s soul, an expressive reminder that, if this city can make statues come to life, then other miracles are possible as well.

The natural question about his earnings makes Josep smile: everyone asks the same thing. “On a good day you could get more then a 100 euros,” — he explains. But straight away he complains about

The discoverer of America briefly disappears from La Rambla in winter, but he comes back as soon as the cruise liners start entering the port

the effect the crisis has had on his finances. “The Russian tourists, for example, used to be happy and never threw less than a euro, but now they tend to look downcast and only give small coins.”

I’m interested to know if he ever has a vacation. It turns out that he does, but summer is the busiest

translation: Lisa Filippova

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Tasty Text: Alesya Sidorenko Photos: Philipp Shamshin

Foreign restaurants One of the most pleasant ways of getting to know a different culture is to sample its national dishes. Cosmopolitan Barcelona, which has always enjoyed a reputation for good food, provides plenty of opportunities. Your City takes a look at some of the national cuisines on offer — India, Sweden, Vietnam and Greece

S urya M untaner

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Seeing a space ship instead of a bar as you walk in does put you off your stride a bit. Is this really an Indian restaurant? But a heady aroma of spices and a photo of a flying bus packed with the happy citizens of Mumbai immediately put your mind at rest. Surya Muntaner is restaurateur Ketan Trivedi’s second venture inspired by his homeland. Like his first, Surya Pau Claris, the décor here is the work of Argentinian artist Fabio Camarotta who played on two themes: the Mumbai of the future and the jungles of Mahabaleshwar.

How will the most densely populated city in the world look in 2115 and what wildlife prowls the foothills of the Western Ghats? You can ponder these questions while waiting for your order, but meanwhile let’s study the menu. Gourmets who prefer classic Indian cooking will be happy. A wide selection of curries is offered. The butter chicken, tender meat in a rich tomato and cream sauce, is especially good. And something to go with it? Why not try a local innovation — naan rolls? Naan is a leavened wheat flatbread, that comes plain with butter, or flavoured with cheese or garlic. You can fill it with chicken tikka masala, with lamb or salmon, whatever you like. For those who eschew both meat and fish, Indian cuisine is remarkably rich in choice. Amongst the most popular vegetarian options are hummus, homemade paneer cheese, fresh salads, and vegetable purées. There is also an openness to cultural dialogue. Take Peruvian ceviche, for example, with its strong notes of ginger and hot chili pepper, in other words a clear influence of India. Speaking of chili, for European palates less accustomed to the fiery taste, Surya Muntaner lets you choose the level of spiciness in all its dishes.

Where: Consell de Cent, 236, metro Universitat/ www. suryamuntaner.com

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Owner and chef at this restaurant is Nina Olsson. As soon as she moved to Barcelona six years ago, Nina realised that the pleasures of her new life would not be complete without the favourite dishes from her childhood. So the Sant Antoni neighbourhood now hosts the city’s only Swedish gastronomic embassy. When it came to designing the interior of Pappa Sven, Nina and her family decided to make the place just like home. The tables were made by the owner herself, the nesting boxes came into this world thanks to her grandmother, while the author of the main light fitting in the shape of a sledge was her father, the self-same Pappa Sven whose portrait now hangs on the wall. So, what does this cosy Scandinavian apartment have on the menu? Meatballs, those favourites of Karlsson-on-the-Roof, are there, of course. Pappa Sven serves herring, something not very familiar to Spanish palates, as well as anchovies. The portions are pleasingly generous, while the combination of sweet and sour seems well harmonised — meatballs are served with a cranberry sauce and the flavour of salmon is attenuated by a sweet mustard. Any thirst brought on by the salty starters can be slaked by a shot of home-made aquavit or cider, imported direct from Sweden. Nina is true to the traditions of home with her desserts as well. Drop by at the beginning of January to try her semla buns filled with whipped cream and almonds. Everyone who wants to have good fortune in the New Year should have one. One other local custom is to buy something small to take home with you before leaving. The restaurant’s little shop not only sells Kalles caviare paste, but also little washing up brushes, just like every Swede has at home.

Where: Villarroel, 22, metro Sant Antoni/ www.pappasven.es

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P appa S ven

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B un B o

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If you’ve ever stood on the banks of the Mekong River, you’ll know what bun bo is. It’s a rich beef broth with rice noodles that’s a staple of Vietnamese fast food stands. It’s also on the menu at Barcelona’s Bun Bo, and made the same way, with just a couple of tweaks to make it easier on more delicate European stomachs. The rich variety of flavours in Vietnamese cuisine owes a lot to the different grasses used.

These must, of course, be fresh, and so should the other ingredients. Jorge, one of the owners, says that their kitchen follows a strict rule: to use only what has been bought fresh that day. He’s not fibbing, judging by their spring rolls at least. Rolls of wafer-thin rice paper harbour a filling of fresh shrimp, pork, cashew, noodles, mint and basil. Another signature dish is the pho soup, again with rice vermicelli and spring onions. One bowl, the Vietnamese say, will set you up for the entire day. They’re not kidding, this nutritious soup simmers for a whole 8 hours. To intensify the flavour you can add pepper, mint, bean sprouts and lime juice to a base of beef, chicken or vegetable broth. The atmosphere is very special, too. Little Chinese lanterns hang from the ceiling, the walls are guarded by an army of Buddhas, while parked in the middle of the dining area is a genuine street cart. The unusual décor and good food make Bun Bo a popular spot, so be ready to join a queue for a table in the evenings. The best place from which to observe its progress is the bar. A caipirinha or a mojito will set you back 50 per cent less than in many other Barcelona eateries.

Where: Sagristans, 3, metro Urquinaona/ www.bunbovietnam.com

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“Crazy pomegranate tree” is how the name of this restaurant translates. The owner of Magraner Boig, Kostis Bernardis, borrowed it from his fellow-countryman, the Greek poet and Nobel Prize-winner Odysseas Elytis, whose portrait relieves the austere simplicity of the interior. The sundrenched white and blue of Greece is hardly discernible here.

This is a more homely Greece, as experienced by its locals rather than tourists, and then it’s shown in just a few details.

The home-made tables covered with patterned tiles, for example, or the Greek music which carries you across to the shores of the serene Aegean. Gastronomical special effects are, naturally, laid on as part of the journey. For starters there’s fried halloumi cheese made from a mixture of cow’s and goat’s milk. Wash this down with a glass of Greek wine and you begin to feel the gentle lapping of the waves beneath your feet. Aniseed-flavoured ouzo goes well with keftedes meatballs. Especially noteworthy is Kostis’ own tomato sauce made with 14 ingredients to a recipe he inherited from his mother. If the myth of the beautiful Io, transformed by an enamoured Zeus into a snow-white cow, is still fresh in your mind, then you’d probably prefer something vegetarian. In this case ask the waiter to bring you kolokithokeftedes, made from courgettes, with mint and oregano. They are delicious, especially in combination with tzatziki.

Where: C/d’En Robador, 22, metro Liceu/ www.elmagranerboig.com

translation: Frank Williams

Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

M agraner B oig

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Shopping Text: Alesya Sidorenko Photos: Philipp Shamshin

Fashion from around the globe

It so happens that Barcelona has become a place of harmonious cohabitation between various nationalities, who, like it or not, leave their unique mark on its cultural and day-to-day landscape. Your City invites you to go window-shopping around some of the establishments opened by foreigners

B lau T rama

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Tags with hens and roosters not only show the price of things, but also hint at the real “avian” surname of Franca Ramia Galla. This fragile-looking, energetic and inspiring Italian with her extravagant clothes and short haircut makes one think of Coco Chanel. Just like the famous French designer, she also wants to change the established perception of female beauty and style. She finds open-minded Barcelona an appropriate spot, because at home people used to throw sidelong glances at her. Her interest in high-quality materials was cultivated during childhood by her mother. After learning to sew, she even invented her own unique style of tailoring. So all the clothing and textiles displayed in the shop are handmade by the owner of Blau Trama. For example, the asymmetric, electric-coloured Cinderella dress, which promises its buyer a magical transformation for the price of one hundred euros. Franca has big plans: recently she has started dying her fabrics manually and is already planning to grow plants from which to make fabrics at home. A couple of spinning wheels at the back suggest that this winter Barcelonians can expect warm surprises from Franca. where: Mare de Déu del Pilar, 11, metro Urquinaona / frankaramia.tumblr.com

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The Russian origin of the shop’s name (translator’s note — Babochka means “butterfly” in Russian) helps us guess where Elena Yerina comes from. Although, personally, she finds the aspects of transformation and rebirth more important. The thing is that in Babochka everything is for sale.

Even the divan, where Freud’s patients could once have remembered their childhood dreams, and which now serves as a display for vintage swimsuits. The former Siberian truly believes that things have a right to a second chance. She was encouraged to start her own business by the disappointment she felt at the assortment of Eixample boutiques. If she can get hold of the prototypes of famous brand products, she changes them according to her own taste or her clients’ desires. This is how they become exclusive. Elena defines her project as a “thrift store” (a shop where vintage, secondhand and designer cloths go together). That is why Babo­ chka’s display, for instance, combines Musa Bamba bag-backpacks for 89 euros (literally unique, they are made of patches of fabric found in textile factories in Brazil) and a real vintage treasure — a dressing gown, purchased after the liquidation of an underwear store, for fifty euros. By the way, if you feel inspired by this story and want to give a second chance to a dress you bought on an impulse or you have an idea for something new, you are welcome to come by the workshop located right there, in the shop. where: Roger de Flor, 142, metro Tetuan / 699 28 43 03

Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

B abochka

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S mash

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A black sleeveless Tapera dress where a fanciful elephant made of exotic plants and flowers covers the bodice and the skirt is hemmed with fern leaves is one of the most minimalistic things on the shelves of Smash. Once this brand specialised in unisex streetwear. Having moved on from adolescence it is now associated with incredibly feminine skirts, dresses and accessories. Bright colours and plenty of tropical flora clearly hint at the native land of Luisa Diabert (head designer of Smash) — Brazil. Her team has already had a chance to work in Amsterdam, Martinique and Ibiza. Their goal is to create beautiful clothes for people who are not afraid to express their individuality. And not to ruin them in the process. Their average prices oscillate between 40 and 70 euros. If you are looking for something for the Indian summer which in Barcelona lasts for almost all of autumn, have a look at the long Tomasa dress from the Summer Symmetry collection: its delicate colours would add a note of softness even to the most independent-minded of beauties.

Those of you who are wary of fashion prints could join the cheerful Smash style by buying a pair of traditional Menorcan sandals or a designer bag. where: Gran de Gràcia, 144, metro Fontana / www.smashwear.com

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The name sounds German, but the approach to fashion selection and people is truly cosmopolitan. This is an artspace that combines a fashion shop, a modern art gallery, a bar, café and restaurant and that is absolutely eclectic. The 400 sq.m. used to be occupied by a furniture shop and a parking lot. The French owners of Wer-Haus have clearly put great effort into giving this space a new life. Passing through the gourmet zone, we reach the area with shelves and hangers, in which we are especially interested for this column.

Impeccably white walls with stone above, endless ceilings, direct sunlight — all of this creates a sense of being in a temple. This one is a temple of male fashion. One of the local cult objects is an avant-garde Raf Simons cloak: an asymmetric chequered pattern stands out boldly on white fabric. Sure to produce equal reverence in fashion maniacs are the minimalistic sweatshirts with a Gosha Rubchinskiy tag made by a successful young Russian designer who has managed to catch the pulse of youth subcultures. The Wer-Haus fashion pantheon also includes such brands as Marius Petrus, Lemaire and Etudes Studio. Becoming a follower of high fashion is not an easily affordable endeavour: some of the items are priced as high as a 1,000 euros. where: Aragó, 287, metro Passeig de Gràcia / wer-haus.com

translation: Lisa Filippova

Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

W er - H aus

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Music Text: Sonia Rey Photo: Johnatan Rodrigo

Sala Bikini. Living legend

The word “bikini” has various meanings: it's what the whole world calls toasted sandwiches with ham and cheese, two-piece female bathing suits, and the atoll in the Pacific where the very first underwater atomic bomb testing took place. But only in Barcelona is Bikini above all a club. It is a legendary venue that has already turned 63, but is as spry as ever, good looking and still dancing!

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

If legends are to be trusted, Bikini was founded by the prim and proper Carmen Polo to hold tea parties for local ladies at times when she and her husband visited the Catalonian capital. This was the place where young Juan Carlos de Borbón and Sofía de Grecia came to dance; of course this was long before they got married and had their son, the current king of Spain Felipe VI. It was here when Barcelonians learnt about the beginning of Seat 600 automobile mass production, and first heard the Letka Jenka twist, which made all the progressive youth of the 60’s move to the same rhythm.

The guests have a choice of several halls, each with its own music: indie, rock, pop, latino or dance. The sound is great, the go-go dancers are beautiful, and the musicians on the bill are both local and foreign The fifties, sixties and seventies were the golden era of Bikini. It opened its doors in 1953 on Diagonal, which was known then as the avenue of the Generalissimo. It was located, not in the L’Illa shopping centre, as it is now, but in a no-longer-existing building designed by the architect Julio Chinchilla Ballesta. At first the owners wanted to create the atmosphere of a fashionable American establishment with mini-golf and bowling. Dance-lovers were not overlooked either: live music sounded from a hall with an orchestra pit. Bikini started to look like a disco in

the 70’s after a general renovation, which brought in a DJ cabin, floodlights and a dancefloor. And the 80’s were a time of decline: concerts were often replaced by erotic shows, the quality of the music fell dramatically, and the audience dwindled. Probably all this was why the club announce its closure in January of 1990.

Bikini was reincarnated exactly 6 years later in its new location: the L’Illa shopping mall. Over the last 20 years the locals have got used to the jolly commotion of the party people who gather here at the weekend. The bouncers are not too strict, so the majority easily get through the doors, following a steel tunnel into the depths of Barcelona’s nightlife.

The guests have a choice of several halls, each with its own music: indie, rock, pop, latino or dance. The sound is great, the go-go dancers are beautiful, and the musicians on the bill are both local and foreign.

For example, just before the club closed for the summer holidays, a Cuban band called Havana D’Prinera was grooving on stage under the direction of its dark-skinned trumpeter Alexander Abreu. Salsa with a hint Sala Bikini of R&B and jazz filled the www.bikinibcn.com place, the bar was overflowing Av. Diagonal, 547 (L’Illa Diagonal), metro Maria Cristina, Les Corts with icy mojitos, and in the Opening hours: parties — thu-sat, middle of the dancefloor an elderly couple were tap-danc- 00.00 to 06.00, concerts — look up the timetable ing away. No doubt about it, Entrance: free lists through the Bikini is a place where at 60 club’s Facebook page, ticket at life is just beginning. the entrance — from 15 euros translation: Lisa Filippova

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I’ll take you to a museum Text: Elena Volnykh Photos: Yulia Kauchova

MNAC. Hunting world masterpieces

The grandiose building of this museum is familiar to every resident of Barcelona, or anyone who has ever been near the Plaça d'Espanya. But most people are content with looking at its imposing facade and don’t venture inside. Maybe they’re looking for the big international names and the museum’s name puts them off. Should you be in any doubt, though, the National Art Museum of Catalonia’s collections include not just Catalan artists, but also names like Velázquez, Titian, Goya, Picasso and many others of world renown

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

MNAC is housed in the National Palace, probably the most notable building on Montjuȉc hill. It was built specially for the World Exhibition, hosted by Barcelona in 1929. After it was finished, it was supposed to house a big art collection, but in 1936 the outbreak of the Civil War put an end to these plans. The exhibits had to be rescued. The most valuable were hastily transferred to Paris, where an exhibition of Catalan art had been organised, the remainder were sent to the little town of Olot in the north of the region. After the war the collection was split. The Romanesque and Mediaeval collections remained in the National Palace, while works from the 19th and 20th centuries found refuge in the Museum of Contemporary Art in the Ciutadella park. They were reunited under one roof only on the eve of the 1992 Olympics.

MNAC was built specially for the World Exhibition, hosted by Barcelona in 1929 The first thing you should pay attention to is a group of Romanesque frescoes and sculptures discovered in the Pyrenees at the beginning of the last century. Experts spent years on the study and restoration of these fragile discoveries. The wooden statues were restored before being transferred, but moving the semi-circular frescoes was far more complicated. The museum’s specialists solved this problem using unusual supports that copied the walls of the MNAC churches. The region’s Roaddress: Palau Nacional, Parc de manesque artistic heritage is Montjuic, metro Espanya of interest not only to local opening hours: Tuesday — Saturscholars. Foreign antiquarday 10:00 to 18:00, Sunday and ians and collectors exploited Public Holidays 10:00 to 15:00 the absence of laws banning (October to April), Tuesday — Satthe export of such rarities urday 10:00 to 20:00, Sunday and from Spain and bought up Public Holidays 10:00 to 15:00 antiquities en masse for sale (May to September) in the USA. The Union of Muentrance: Adults 12 euros (valid seums pooled all its resourcfor 2 days); temporary exhibitions es and efforts to obtain en6 euros; Saturday after 15:00 dangered works, thanks to admission free

which Barcelona has acquired a collection of Romanesque art that is probably the most significant of its kind anywhere in the world.

Early and late Gothic art is almost as well represented. Mediaeval Catalan artists followed the custom of the time in creating large-scale altarpieces of the highest artistic standards for the region’s cathedrals and churches. One example is Lluís Dalmau’s Altarpiece of the Councillors. Dalmau was ordered by his patron, King Alfonso V, to go to Flanders to make the acquaintance of Jan van Eyck, author of the Ghent Altarpiece. On his return, he began work on an altarpiece for the chapel of Barcelona’s city council which astonished his contemporaries with its painting technique and exerted a massive influence on Catalan art of the period.

The museum’s specialists solved this problem using unusual supports that copied the walls of the churches The period from the Renaissance to the 19th century is represented at MNAC by El Greco, Titian, Velázquez, Lucas Cranach, Peter Paul Rubens and Francisco Goya. Their canvases are already reason enough to spend several hours in these

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by Fra Angelico, Canaletto, the Carracci brothers and other great Italians.

Modern art and interior design await the curious on the upper floors. Pride of place is taken by local artists and Modernisme, better known in English as Art Nouveau, which is so central to the spirit of Barcelona even today. Here we find Antoni Gaudí with his twisted furniture created specially for the Casa Batlló; Ramon Casas and Santiago Rusiñol with paintings that look like illustrations of everyday city life; Marià Fortuny and Joaquin Mir Trinxet, who created new styles in Catalan art. Especially noteworthy is Salvador Dalí’s Portrait of My Father from 1925, which alrooms. The most valuable works were gifted to the museum by the collector and patron Francesc

Especially noteworthy is Salvador Dalí’s Portrait of My Father from 1925, which allows us to see how the head of the Dalí clan looked in the eyes of his genius son Cambó. Pleasant surprises for aficionados of classical art do not end there. The Madrid ThyssenBornemisza Museum, the second most important in Spain, has placed more than 70 items at the disposal of its Barcelona colleague, including works

lows us to see how the head of the Dalí clan looked in the eyes of his genius son.

The museum also boasts a number of canvases by artists of world renown from the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Seeking them out becomes a kind of hunt for masterpieces, an intriguing quest, a game. Here are some of the main landmarks to help you on your way: a painting by Edvard Munch, best known for his The Scream; a work by French artist Eugène Boudin, teacher of the “father of Impressionism” Claude Monet; a piece by Czech master Alphonse Mucha, famous for his posters in the Art Nouveau style; a sculpture by Auguste Rodin and, of course, Woman in Hat and Fur Collar by Pablo Picasso, painted in what many scholars feel to be the artist’s best period. translation: Frank Williams

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Classic Catalan Haute Cuisine

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WHAT’S ON/MUSIC Laura Pausini

The singer Laura Pausini is probably the best known Italian woman in the world after Monica Bellucci. And the world was thrilled to learn that this autumn her eleventh studio album will be released. Similares was recorded in two versions at once: Italian and Spanish. What does she sing about? Dreams, fears and emotions understandable to anyone in the world.

Where: Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic, 5-7, m. Espanya Tickets: from 27 euros / 8 October

Okean Elzy

Okean Elzy is Ukraine’s biggest rock band and it is their second visit to Barcelona. A couple of years ago they came here for the first time and if you were at their concert then, you will certainly remember how they made the walls of the club at Montjuïc tremble. Actually, the video for their song Friend was filmed in the area too. It features Noelia, a young lady of Spanish and Chinese descent, a fact relevant to the visual aspect of the narrative, and was filmed by Louis Franck, a British film director.

Slava Vakarchuk, the band’s lead singer, and the creative team whom we know collectively as Okean Elzy, have recently produced their ninth studio album (called No Borders). This forthcoming concert is part of their two-year world tour covering not only Europe but also North America and even the Middle East.

Where: Sant Jordi Club. Passeig Olímpic, 5-7, m. Espanya. Tickets: from 36 euros / 26 November

James Rhodes

James Rhodes from Britain is not an ordinary concert pianist. First of all, no one has ever seen him on stage in a suit. Secondly, during breaks he prefers to entertain the audience with tales of famous composers who have influenced him, rather than bow. At his first solo concert in Barcelona the musician will perform pieces by Beethoven, Bach and Chopin.

Where: BARTs. Av. Paral·lel, 62, m. Paral·lel Tickets: from 20 euros / 10 November

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Michael Feinstein

They say Michael Feinstein can hold a note as long as it takes for the audience to burst into applause. However, there is not much chance of the American singer and his fans breaking the record in Barcelona: the program consists of the best Frank Sinatra songs, which never fail to cause ovations. Musicians of the Valles Symphonic Orchestra have been entrusted with accompanying the repeated Grammy winner.

Where: Palau de la Música. Palau de la Música, 4-6, m. Urquinaona Tickets: from 18 euros / 19 November

Hiromi

As a teenager, Hiromi Uehara had already performed with the Prague Philharmonic Orchestra and was spotted in the company of jazzman Chic Corea. Now she is 36 and a renowned pianist who can manage everything from heavy bone-rattling funk and jazzrock on synthesizers to soft music on a classical grand piano. It is interesting not only to hear but to see this Japanese woman: she is known for her love for trainers and shocking hairstyles.

Where: Palau de la Música. Palau de la Música, 4-6, m. Urquinaona Tickets: from 15 euros / 26 October

Justin Bieber

Justin Bieber is conquering Europe with his new album Purpose. The world tour, which started in March in Seattle, will include dozens of major cities. Critics who have already had a chance to see the concert divide into two camps: some say it is “one of the most breathtaking” shows, the other thinks that the Canadian singer performed “with the enthusiasm of a teenager who has to tidy up his room”.

Where: Palau Sant Jordi. Passeig Olímpic, 5-7, m. Espanya Tickets: from 62 euros / 22 November

Zahara

The Spanish musician, Zahara, pushes the boundaries of traditional musical genres, brilliantly mixing jazz, rock and pop in her sets.

This woman, who looks like a hippy schoolgirl, will appear in Barcelona as part of a tour called “La Santísima Trinidad” (the Holy Trinity). This has nothing to do with religion. The idea is that in every city the singer is giving three different concerts. The acoustic and the electric concerts will be held in the Razzmatazz club and the trio version will take place on the stage of Sidecar.

Where: Sala Rаzzmatazz. Pamplona, 88, m.

Marina and Sidecar. Plaça Reial, 7, m. Liceu Tickets: from 12 euros / 15, 17 and 18 November

translation: Lisa Filippova, Ihor Syrovatchenko

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WHAT’S ON/SHOWS

Erotic Fair

The Barcelona Erotic Fair has a thing or two to show the public. People who are not prudish are happy to come and have a look at an amazing array of useful articles, art objects, music and performances, united by the culture of sensual pleasure. Apart from warm memories you can leave with an erotic industry novelty and the autograph of an honorary guest.

Last year it was Nacho Vidal, actor and director of adult movies.

Where: Pabellón Olimpic Vall Hebrón, m.

Montbau, Vall d’Hebron Tickets: from 18 euros / 6-9 October

CSIO Barcelona

Barcelona is getting ready for the International CSIO tournament– a captivating showjumping competition featuring riders from around the globe. Predictably there will be a lot of spectators, and the VIP lounge will certainly be visited by celebrities. Gentlemen should buy tickets in advance (entrance is free only on the opening day) and the ladies should choose a fashionable hat. If you have kids, bring them along –there will be ponies waiting to be ridden for an extra fee. There is no reason to get greedy: all the proceeds won by by these lovely creatures at the CSIO will go to help sick children.

Where: Real Club de Polo. Avda. Dr. Marañón 19-31, m.

Zona Universitària Tickets: from 5 euros / 22-25 September

Festival de Cine de Sitges

The coming 49-th edition of the Sitges International Fantastic Film Festival has chosen the Star Trek saga as its main theme. This means that almost all the movie premieres that will take place in the idyllic seaside town will relate to science fiction. However, other topics will not be overlooked.

Among other listings you can find The Neon Demon. This schizophrenic horror by a Danish director, Nicolas Winding Refn, who went as far as showing necrophilia and cannibalism, came as surprise even to the experienced Cannes audience.

Where: Sitges movie theatres, see more on www.sitgesfilmfestival.com Tickets: from 4.50 euros / 7-16 October

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Macbeth

Christof Loy directs this black and white version of the immortal Shakespeare tragedy. The costumes, which are far from the 11th century, add a surreal twist to the play. However, the actors’ performances, as they show how evil spirits ensnare people, look natural. Pay special attention to the duo of Lady Macbeth and her husband and the sleep-walking scene, of which the composer Giuseppe Verdi said: “Leave them out and there would be no opera”.

Where: Gran Teatre del Liceu. La Rambla, 5159, m. Liceu Tickets: from 15 euros / 7-23 October

Priscilla, Reina del Desierto

What would happens if an ordinary person were cast into the desert? Understandably, he or she would be devastated. It would be another story with these jolly drag queens, though. They would cheer each other up and make you laugh, sing Tina Turner and Madonna.

The musical Priscilla, Queen of the Desert tells us that anyone can find their place under the sun. Staging involves more than 500 splendid costumes, 200 wigs and 150 pairs of shoes. The “queens” will only have 15 seconds to change their image. Tick-tock…

Where: Teatro Tívoli. Caspe, 8, m. Passeig de Gràcia Tickets: from 20 euros / 26 October -11 December

AutoRetro Barcelona

The 1908 edition Renault 11 HP that used to belong to Barcelona City Hall now looks like a toy. But the Porsche 911, which left the production line in 1965, looks more serious, although still too posh. Both are participating in the AutoRetro salon, which for years has brought together on its “parking lot” hundreds of two- and four-weeled rarities. Approximately 50 thousand people come to look at them. “A classical automobile is not a relic, but a piece of art that should be enjoyed and shared,” so say the organisers of this exhibition.

Where: Fira de Barcelona. Avinguda de la Reina Maria Cristina, m. Espanya Tickets: from 16 euros / 24-27 November translation: Lisa Filippova, Ihor Syrovatchenko

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WHAT’S ON/ART Miralda. Madeinusa

A pacifist, a performance artist, and a kicker, Antonio Miralda is the guy who once endeavoured to marry the Statue of Liberty in New York to the stone sculpture of Christopher Columbus that resides in the Port of Barcelona. However, the artist is even more famous for his installations of food, with the process of its deterioration being part of the creative concept.

Madeinusa is an artistic series that comprises drawings, photographs, sketches, and even reconstructed sculptures, and it will undoubtedly provide visitors with a comprehensive view of both the extent and the complexity of Miralda’s projects.

Where: MACBA. Plaça dels Àngels, 1, m.

Pl. Catalunya, Universitat Entrance: 10 euros / October 21 - April 9

Cubismo y guerra

In 1906, Juan Gris fled from Madrid to Paris to avoid conscription with just 16 francs in his pocket. According to Gertrude Stein, he was the only person in the world of art who made Pablo Picasso feel somewhat territorial. At the Cubism and War exhibition dedicated to the survival of the European avant-garde in the First World War, the paintings of the two great Spaniards hang next to each other. Also included in the exhibition are Fernand Léger and Georges Braque, the Cubists who experienced the war in its gruesome fields and trenches.

Where: Museo Picasso de Barcelona. Montcada, 15-23, m. Jaume I Entrance: 7 euros / October 21 - January 29

Huellas. Humberto Rivas

Humberto Rivas is an Argentinean by origin, yet a large part of his artistic legacy is immediately related to Barcelona, Madrid, and other Spanish cities. That is where the photographer registered the ghosts of the Civil war who came to dwell in the homes, landscapes, and faces of the people of Spain. The exhibition, named Traces. Humberto Rivas comprises 53 works of the artist produced between the years 1981 and 2005.

Where: Arxiu Fotogràfic. Plaça de Pons i Clerch, 2, floor 2a Entrance: free / October 20 - August 4

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Marianne Breslauer

Reflecting on the women depicted by Marianne Breslauer, critics would universally agree that they are strong, independent, “new” women.

Meanwhile, the artist herself described them as “very feminine”. Which is the truth here? One of the most respected photographers of the Weimar Republic, Marianne Breslauer was rediscovered in the 1980s, and immediately received recognition from the public. At this exhibition created in her honour, the focus will be on the photos from 1933, when Marianne travelled to Spain and Andorra in the company of Annemarie Schwarzenbach, a writer and her friend.

Where: MNAC. Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc. m. Espanya Entrance: 6 euro / October 26 - January 29

Lluïsa Vidal. Pintora del modernismo

It so happened that, metaphorically speaking, the foundation, walls and roof of Catalan modernism were erected mostly by men.

The artist, Lluïsa Vidal, is a rare exception. She lived a short life, yet she managed to leave behind a series of curious graphic drawings, posters, magazine illustrations and portraits, which are praised for the subtle manner in which she conveys the emotional state of the characters. MNAC will be displaying the most remarkable of them, along with the artist’s letters and family photos.

Where: MNAC. Palau Nacional, Parc de Montjuïc, m. Espanya Entrance: 6 euros / September 23 January 15

1000 m² of desire

Architecture is a multi-dimensional reality. It is certainly a craft as much as it is an art, or a science based on simple and straightforward rules of geometry. The curators of the exhibition 1000 m² of desire have chosen a very unusual perspective. They see architecture as a creatively arranged space acting as “a spring that activates the engine of sexual desire”. To prove their theory, they propose that you have a look at the bedrooms of the bourgeoisie of the 18th century, Playboy clubs, the fashion for which reached its apogee during the Cold War, and a number of other old and modern buildings that are directly or indirectly related to the human libido.

Where: CCCB. Montalegre, 5, m. Universitat Entrance: 6 euros / October 1 - March 31 translation: Lisa Filippova, Ihor Syrovatchenko

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Rules of life Text: Anna Bondarenko Photo: Yulia Kauhova

A new friend.

Keeping a dog in Barcelona.

If dogs were asked to rate the most comfortable cities for living in, Barcelona would, without a doubt, come top of their list. There may be one or two minor restrictions, but here they are allowed to ride the metro, to go into shops and restaurants, stay in hotels and even sunbathe on the beach. It’s hardly surprising, then, that approximately every ninth person in the city has a dog at home. Your City looked into what you need to know and where you need to go if you’re thinking of acquiring a four-legged friend

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

A question of breed It’s a well-known fact that Barcelona in all kinds of ways is a democratic city which is used to racial, national, linguistic and social diversity. This applies to dogs as well. Of course, like in any other big city, there is a fashion for certain breeds. For example, today Japanese Shiba Inu and French Bulldogs are especially à la mode.

Consistently popular are spaniels, Bolognese, Yorkies and toy terriers, which shiver even under the blazing Spanish sun. There are breeds traditional to the region. The nicest is the Catalonian Shepherd. Up in the mountains these long-haired dogs are still used as working dogs to round up sheep, while in town they are for

The most obvious and simplest way of obtaining a dog is to go to one of Barcelona’s many pet shops. Some of them follow the basic rules of merchandising and put their wares on live display companionship. You don’t often see fighting breeds, like the American Pitbull, Argentine Dogo, Brazilian Mastiff or Rottweiler. A royal Useful addresses decree of 2002 classified 1. Lliga per la protecció d’Animals these and similar breeds i Plantes de Barcelona as potentially dangerous www.protectorabcn.es (+34) and requires special con934 170124 Guarda Antón, 10, fgc Av. ditions to keep them. To Tibidabo be a legal owner of a seThe oldest and best known rious dog like this, you animal shelter in the city need to be over 18, with involved in the rescue, care good mental health, a and rehabilitation of dogs. The shelter welcomes people who clean criminal record are ready to re-home animals and have public liability and people who want to help insurance. On the whole, our four-legged friends by you don’t actually see volunteering. that many pure-breed 2. Bambú Difunde dogs on the streets of www.bambu-difunde.net This website mostly contains ads the Catalonian capital. for lost and found pets, re-uniting For some it’s a question them with their owners or finding of tolerance, for others new homes. It covers the whole an attempt to show inof Spain, but the site’s navigation tool allows users to focus their dividuality, since most search and follow updates in of the mongrels of Eixspecific regions. ample, Barceloneta or

There is no tax or licence fee for keeping a dog in Barcelona, though some towns in the province do charge between 15 and 35 euros, depending on size and breed. The rules do require, though, that a law-abiding dog in the city has an implanted chip with information about the owner and be registered with the authorities.

Pedralbes are a mix of the most unexpected canine breeds and blood. The absence of noble breeding, though, seems to have little influence on either their appearance or behaviour, and Barcelona’s mixed breeds are, as a rule, just as well trained and cared for as the royal corgis.

Shop, internet or club?

The most obvious and simplest way of obtaining a dog is to go to one of Barcelona’s many pet shops. Some of them follow the basic rules of merchandising and put their wares on live display. Puppies spend the whole working day in glass pens, a sight which only a child might find appealing. Local animal rights activists have rightly taken up the fight to ban this kind of

Until October 2015 the luxury of seeing the underground was accessible only to guide dogs, police dogs and small breeds in special carriers. Under the new rules, your furry friend can only be stopped at the barrier during rush hour or if he isn’t wearing a muzzle. Travel is free.

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Following a petition signed by thousands of Barcelona residents, in summer 2016 the city authorities launched a pilot project setting aside a special beach where you can swim and sunbathe with your dog. An area of 1200 square metres has been allocated on the Levante beach for doggy swimmers from June to the end of September. Previously, animals were not allowed anywhere on the beach during the bathing season.

trading in animals, and sales staff categorically forbid any photographs. Fortunately there is a solution to this problem, a kind of on-line pet dating where breeders allow you to choose your future friend from the pages of shops which exist only on the web. A good example is www. portaldelcriador.com. Besides a detailed description of the breed, this site gives information on the sex, colour, parents and personalities of the

The professionals and volunteers of the league do everything to win their shaggy charges’ trust and help them overcome their fear of people pups on offer. The average price for a pedigree puppy is 600–800 euros, with rare breeds on offer from 1000 euros. Usually a puppy comes to the owner already vaccinated and chipped.

Offers of puppies for sale can often be seen on free small ads sites such as www.segundamano. es or www.milanuncios.com. Prices are more attractive here and a pedigree (or claiming to be pedigree) puppy can be yours for 200 euros and up, though with fewer guarantees, naturally.

But, if you know exactly what breed you are looking for, and pedigree is more important

than price, it makes sense to contact professional breeders’ clubs and associations directly. Especially since they will help new owners with all the necessary documents without which it will be hard for your little poodle or boxer to take part in a dog show or find a suitable mate when he or she has grown up.

Rescue shelters If breed and age are not critical, you could also consider a dog from one of the shelters which rescue abandoned animals, provide veterinary care and rehabilitation, and are always

If you choose an adult dog with a difficult past, you can count on a couple of free consultations with an animal psychologist looking for suitable new homes for their inmates. Currently there are about twenty of them in Barcelona. The Lliga per la protecció d’Animals i Plantes de Barcelona at the foot of Tibidabo mountain is considered the oldest, with the barking from its kennels and cages audible since 1944. The professionals and volun-

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

Spain’s only canine aquapark is at the Resort Canino Can Janè half an hour from Barcelona (Roca del Vallès, Ctra.

Valldeoriolf Km 2,5).

Long- and shorthaired guests have access to a swimming pool, other amusements including obstacle courses, balls and boats, as well as a grass area for walks and training. Entrance costs around 15 euros, admission for accompanying owners is free.

teers of the league do everything to win their shaggy charges’ trust and help them overcome their fear of people. At any given moment the shelter holds about 70 dogs of the most varied breeds, characters and past histories. Puppies are usually adopted immediately, and the same is mainly true of the younger, more active pooches. To make sure potential owners and their new pets start off on the right foot, the shelter workers use a programme of familiarisation. First you pick out a dog you think you like, then you make a series of regular visits: you get to know him, take him for a walk, feed him.

Following a petition signed by thousands of Barcelona residents, in summer 2016 the city authorities launched a pilot project setting aside a special beach where you can swim and sunbathe with your dog. An area of 1200 square metres has been allocated on the Levante beach for doggy swimmers from June to the end of September. Previously, animals were not allowed anywhere on the beach during the bathing season.

Once emotional and physical contact are established, you move on to the formalities. At this stage you’ll be asked about your living conditions, family members and previous pets. You may also get a home visit from one of their specialists. You should also be ready to pay for your dog. The adoption fee is 150 euros. This is more symbolic than anything, since it includes all the shelter’s expenses including de-worming, vaccinations, neutering and microchiping with information about the new owner. The shelter has vets on staff and all the animals are under constant medical supervision. If there are any health problems, the shelter won’t try to conceal the true condition of the dog and will recommend optimal forms of treatment. If you

To make sure potential owners and their new pets start off on the right foot, the shelter workers use a programme of familiarisation choose an adult dog with a difficult past, you can count on a couple of free consultations with an animal psychologist who will help modify his behaviour for the better. And even if you don’t feel ready to take on the challenge of an adoption, but also don’t feel you can just stand by, the shelter will also let you to become the official patron of one of the dogs. translation: Frank Williams

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When to go

The Cap Roig botanical garden is open all the year round, though opening times between October and February are restricted, 9:00– 18:00, Saturdays and Sundays.

Entry costs 4 euros. Music lovers are advised to plan their visit for summer. Every year between late July and early August the garden hosts the Cap Roig international music festival, which has featured stars of the calibre of Elton John, Cesária Évora and Barbara Hendricks.

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

We’re all going…

Text: Jordi Perres Photos: Evgeny Mironov

From Palamós to Cap Roig: in search of vivid colours, fresh fish and romance

The water here is like thick black ink, gnarled pine trees whisper directions to the wandering winds, and the red of the cliffs reminds you of bad sunburn. Here, between the little towns of Palafrugell and Mont-Ras, is Cap Roig, one of the lovliest and most famous botanical gardens of the Mediterranean. How did it come to be here and why is it so well worth a visit? A boat trip from the port town of Palamós to the Red Cape gave Your City the answers

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Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

What to bring back

A gigabyte of photos of cacti, gulls and cliffs taken on Cap Roig and surroundings, Mar de Palamós eau de toilette from the Fisheries’ Museum, and a couple of kilos of the famous local prawns, plus a burning desire to buy a house on the Costa Brava and masses of positive feelings.

Our yacht is rocking gently at the quay in Palamós port. But before we hoist sail, let’s take a quick look at the town, which has grown out of an ordinary fishing village. The old part of Palamós makes a pleasant stroll. Dandelions grow out of the walls of the little crooked houses and pigeons strut along the cobbled lanes. Old ladies share the latest news, gossiping for hours. Out of season Palamós, the third biggest port in Catalonia after Barcelona and Tarragona, literally envelops you with its provincial placidity. It’s good here in summer, too, when the casino opens its doors, a little queue develops at the Fisheries’ Museum, and there’s the buzz of the market where you can buy the most amazing creatures of the deep.

Freshly caught prawns and spider crabs, mussels and sea urchins, tuna and sea bream, lobster and anchovies are loaded onto trays of crushed ice by the local fishermen. You can tell which of the boats has had a good catch even before they come into harbour, by the cloud of gulls wheeling and screaming at the stern.

Out of season Palamós, the third biggest port in Catalonia after Barcelona and Tarragona, literally envelops you with its provincial placidity To sail from Palamós to the Red Cape you need to set your course north east. It’s three nautical miles, which takes just half an hour. Out to starboard the sea stretches smoothly away to infinity, while to port land slips in and out of view.

Not any old land, for this is the Costa Brava, which translates as Savage Coast. In these parts it has almost managed to preserve its pristine wild state. A hundred years ago it was a place where smugglers and excise men fought their battle of wits, and the paths used by each side were given the name “Los Caminos de Ronda”, or “Roundabout Paths. Now they’re used only by the owners of the scattering of expensive villas and dedicated hikers, and the worst that can happen is an encounter with a squirrel hunting for nuts.

But who was responsible for creating the botanical garden on Cap Roig, the true pearl of

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this idyllic spot? In 1927 a very unusual couple looked out from the cliffs overhanging the sea.

He was a Russian colonel, Nikolay Voevodsky, she was an upper-class Englishwoman, Dorothy Webster. Tired of the social whirl in London, the couple decided to buy land on the Costa Brava and build themselves a little castle, where they could live out a quiet and contented retirement Voevodsky, an amateur architect, took part himself in the building of this strong, stone lovenest. And it was probably his idea to create a bathing pool in the bay nearby for his beloved wife. This modest structure at the foot of the cliff is now known as “El Baño de La Rusa”, or the Russian Bath. Though how often Dorothy, busy with her garden, found time to use it is a big question…

A society lady, who so recently was waltzing the night away and organising parties, suddenly turned into a genuinely dedicated gardener. Along with a few helpers, she nurtured delicate tropical

The size of the property, 17 hectares, of which 7 were given over to her hobby, meant Mrs Voevodsky had little time on her hands flowers and trees, decided where to lay out terraces, watched carefully to see how the cypresses and cacti took to the stony soil of her estate. The size of the property, 17 hectares, of which 7 were given over to her hobby, meant Mrs Voevodsky had little time on her hands. Not that the Voevodskys did much socialising. They were generally satisfied with their own company, and that of their pets, a cat and a Great Dane. Guests were few. It is said that Voevodsky, a former colonel in the Tsarist army who never learned Spanish or Catalan, couldn’t get on with his neighbours. Cristóbal Balenciaga was an exception. The great couturier was a close friend of Nikolay and Dorothy, and often strolled with them along these paths, transferred in 1969, along with the house and garden, to the Caixa Girona foundation, which has not only maintained the architecture and landscape of the estate on the Red Cape (a condition of the bequest), but also opened it to the public. translation: Frank Williams

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

How to get there

To see the Cap Roig botanical gardens from the sea or discover other marine excursions in Catalonia, Your City recommends contacting the RussianSpanish Yacht Club, which organised this trip for us, either through their site www. yachtspain.ru or by phone — (+34) 932 080 736. If you prefer to drive, enter Palafrugell or Mont-Ras into the satnav. Jardín botánico Cap Roig is between the two towns. Approximate driving time from Barcelona is a little under 2 hours.

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Your City Barcelona â„–16. Autumn 2016

It’s three nautical miles, which takes just half an hour.

Out to starboard the sea stretches smoothly away to infinity, while to port land slips in and out of view. Not any old land, for this is the Costa Brava, which translates as Savage Coast

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Talking points Text: Sergey Malkin

Difference in mentalities

In today’s world the problem of distance no longer exists, and migrants, expats, cosmopolitans, travellers and the simply lost became its permanent residents a long time ago. They’re best placed to know one of those concrete barriers between people of different nationalities, the notorious difference in mentalities. Are there ways to overcome it and do you need to?

It always amuses me to hear exactly the same question from my friends when they’ve heard me talking on the phone to my relatives back home; “You’ve fallen out, right?” For some reason the intonations and speech patterns many Russians use on the phone sound to the typical Dutch ear like an argument. I grew up in Russia, but I’ve lived outside my country for the past 25 years, mainly in Amsterdam and Barcelona. Have I become a regular, thrifty Dutchman, who values tolerance and moderation in all things? I’m afraid I haven’t. Do I resemble a hotblooded Spaniard who knows how to enjoy life without hurrying? I doubt it. Have I stopped being a lackadaisical Russian who believes in the supernatural and fantastical? No, I failed there, too.

Indignation, outrage, fury, repulsion or their opposites, interest, attraction, charm, all help us find our place in the world Every nation has its predominant characteristics that are especially noticable to people looking at them from outside. The unrestrained emotiveness of the Spanish, the artficial smile and boundless

translation: Frank Williams

optimism of the American, the anxiously knitted brows of the Russian… Which is most like you?

When our basic nature, the very foundation of our selves, collides with other people’s, this usually takes place not on the level of our convictions, but on the level of feelings. Indignation, outrage, fury, repulsion or their opposites, interest, attraction,

It’s been noted that our mentality is especially visible in situations of stress or agitation charm, all help us find our place in the world. Our organism does, it’s true, more often react to something alien by refusing and rejecting it. In a way this is like trying to swallow something that would usually strike us as inedible. Let’s suppose all your life, day in, day out, you’ve had a diet of Russian borshch or German sausage, washing it down with kvas or beer, and then you go to Bangkok where there is a lively trade in deep-fried, crispy … grasshoppers and cockroaches. Try some! Me? No thanks, I’ve suddenly lost my appetite.

It’s been noted that our mentality is especially visible in situations of stress or agitation. Being kissed by a Spaniard at their very first meeting

Each of these entrenched stereotypes points to the impossibility of the object of your adoration being a decent man or woman, faithful, honest and worthy of your love might be off-putting to the restrained British, and the cool reserve of Russians might make them appear badly brought up or even rude to an American with his mile-wide smile. It’s in the zone of feelings that we understand how different we are in temperament, how strongly we differ in the norms and values we carry inside our personal consciousness and collective unconscious. They define us and our belonging to one or another culture, shape our attitude to such concepts as friendship, love, patriotism, money, personal space… And the problem is not that we sometimes

Your City Barcelona №16. Autumn 2016

The most glaring example of this kind of situation is when you fall in love with a foreigner and want to start a family. In listening to your friends or even to the quiet whisper coming from the depths of your own subconscious, there is a great risk of hearing something like: “Be warned! You know they’re all drunks/ misers/ spendthrifts/ crooks/ womanisers”. Each of these entrenched stereotypes points to the impossibility of the object of your adoration being a decent man or woman, faithful, honest and worthy of your love.

In brief, unable to live and behave as one should.

Yet how, pray, should one?

Two extremes are possible here. The first is to re-educate the foreigner, wipe the uncomfortable differences from the face of the earth. The second is to take on new characteristics yourself, adapt and reject your own self. You can achieve a result in both cases, but there are no guarantees that at this point another truth will not be revealed to you — that living with your own image and like-

ness is boring. Furthermore, who said that you are without sin? How, let’s say, is “mañana”, that carefree Spanish “tomorrow” (all too often meaning “never”) better or worse than a Russian “perhaps” or Anna Karenina-style melodrama? Not to feel that

Not to feel that you are yourself or to lose the person you are by obsessing about a difference in mentality is far sadder than colliding over the differences which make us interesting to each other you are yourself or to lose the person you are by obsessing about a difference in mentality is far sadder than colliding over the differences which make us interesting to each other, and, consequently, give us every chance of coming to a meeting of minds and genuine intimacy. www.therapy-barcelona.com 636 946 274

Illustration: Girl Interrupted. Erik Baumann

look at all these things differently, but that prejudice, hiding behind a range of stereotypes, does not let us see the real, living person with all his merits and deficiencies.

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