Once upon a time, there were a couple of very narrow old streets in Barcelona, so narrow you could chat to one another across the balcony without raising your voice, or look into the rooms of your neighbours on the opposite site of the street, and see what they were eating for supper, even when there's hardly any light. Afterwards, the inhabitants there would put chairs out in the streets, in front of their doors, to enjoy the fresh cool air, men talking about footballs or politics (the 2 favourite subjects in Spain), wen knitted or gossiped and children played. This relaxed and friendly atmosphere and social gathering with no previous arrangement of the old district of Raval is what the residents want to recreate, since last year, now celebrating it's 2nd edition.
The 2 streets are Carretes and Vistalegre, closed off from traffic since day before yesterday, all balconies display pretty and colourful flowers and plant pots. Yesterday, from 10.00 to 22.00 there were all kinds of activities to share the leisure and fun, propagate the bohemian ambience, invigorate the most artistic facade and promote economic and social projects.
There were music, dancing, performances, fashion parade workshop and sewing class, poetry recital, exhibition of old photos of the streets and the families then and now, and mini market, games and group activities for children.
I have lived in 7 different countries from the shortest 2 months to the longest 11 years, and as visitor in many more, but I have never seen such or even remotely similar regard for neighbour relations and spirit as the Spanish. Throughout the year there are even including very small towns and villages, most would devote at least one day, some longer, to have a street party when the neighbours get together in the street to meet up, chat and dance, exchange gifts, homemade food, tell stories, why not, gossip ... and colourful little light bulbs would be strung-up across balconies and lamp-posts, extra flowers displayed by the door as well as those usually on the balconies. Whilst living in London, many people live in apartments but for years nobody did anything with their neighbours. Mostly they don't even know one and other's names.
Tags: zebracrossing
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