September 2, 2012
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(written on 8 May 2013)
Oh-oh-oh! What I forgot to mention yesterday! When I did my usual morning stroll in the morning, I walked via Carrer de Ferran, past my favourite lunch place Cafe Schilling, which only two days before had looked as if it was never going to open again, and lo-and-behold! It was open! Somehow they had managed to clear up a huge mess that could be seen through the windows even on Thursday and they had reopened just as scheduled on 1 September. That was absolutely wonderful news so to celebrate that fact I immediately had lunch there, even though it really was a bit too early - definitely according to Spanish standards.
This morning I spent some time in the Raval district. Even though it's an immensely central part of town, adjacent to the tremendously touristy Ramblas, you don't see many tourists here. They all stay on the Ramblas, or if they do feel adventurous they may walk through the Gothic area for a while. But the Raval, on the other side of the Ramblas? No. Still very authentic. And let's hope it stays that way, although the city has started a huge redevelopment project for this neighbourhood. Some years ago, many people in the Raval had banners hanging from their balconies saying "Volem un Barri Digne" - we want to live in a dignified neighbourhood. The city took that to heart and the Raval is slowly changing. There are still street prostitutes, there are still shabby houses with dubious characters lurking in the shades... but the hands of time are noticeable. I wouldn't be surprised if, in a couple of years time, Raval's streets will be spotlessly clean, and there will be Starbuckses, McDonalds's and Burger Kings in most of the neighbourhood's streets. Whether that is a good thing is something I'm not too sure about.
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