The local newspaper just started
publishing each day a few photos of Barcelona and other Spanish cities at the
same spot 45 years ago, with a brief description of the differences. Most of
them are visually evident. Other information comes from the achieves of that
period and all are very interesting to me, not having known the country of the
bygone days, and where I have in recent years made my home.
After the enormous success of the 1992 Olympics, the
sudden wave of immigrants from abroad and the influx of tourists from all over
the world have, in a relatively short time, caused enormous changes, especially
in Barcelona, for better or for worse. Both physically and psychologically.
Seeing what it was like 40 years ago and saying so in as many words, is
tantamount to conjuring up an invented past.
Anyone arriving from Paris or London in
those days must have found Barcelona incredibly behind time, compared with most
other European countries in many aspects. The photos showed the era of
miniskirts, flares and bushy sideburns. Unkempt hair and ill fitting clothes.
People looked rather drab and grubby, and buildings dark and unwelcome.
Some photos show people of that period, in the
streets, with so many cripples at large, the war might have ended only a few
weeks earlier. There were close shots of some old timers, with teeth, if they
did exist, rather big, nicotine stained and crooked. Women wore mainly black,
almost as soon as they got married. Old ladies looked identical, black from head
to toe, like wearing uniform.
Nevertheless, heady times, before
cosmetic dentists, plastic surgeons, industrial designers, trend stylists and
tormented politicians got their hands on the populace. Barcelona is probably now
one of the most beautiful and advanced modern cities in the world. Optimism and
polite anarchism reigned supreme. A barrage of scathing jokes, contagious good
humour and not to mention plenty of plonk and carrajillos - coffee laced with
brandy or whiskey - cemented comradeship and solidarity. And to think everything
was dirt cheap! In those days!! Shared poverty is a mighty generator of
generosity.
However, round the Rambla in the centre of
Barcelona, a binge could start off innocently enough with a couple of beers and
carry on non stop for 3 days. One of the best things of all was that people of
all ages, creeds and backgrounds mixed happily. And books, real books, were
available at all hours at kiosks and drugstores, cultural activities flourished
beyond bureaucracy's murderous grip.
What went wrong?
Well, you have pride, envy and greed for starters.
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