‘I Thought That Barcelona Was Spanish’: Tourists Caught in Catalonia Unrest
- 7 years ago
‘I Thought That Barcelona Was Spanish’: Tourists Caught in Catalonia Unrest
Mark Langer, a lawyer from Washington and a former student of modern European history, could narrate how the process of unifying parts of Spain accelerated under Ferdinand II and Isabella I in the 15th century, and could explain the loss of Catalan autonomy under Felipe V. On the other side of the square, an Irish couple said
that the history of their own country’s independence movement meant that Catalan nationalism typically received more coverage in the Irish news media than elsewhere.
England said that It’s like speaking to people in America and trying to explain that the U.K. is actually four places
Mr. Anderssen and Ms. Hoeseth had to cancel their initial trip to the Sagrada Família, as did Ms. Dick and Ms. Forbes.
But it was no great hardship, Ms. Forbes said, adding, "Then we thought: Let’s just go to the beach." In fact, it had even all been "very exciting,"
said Ms. Dick, whose first act in central Barcelona was to wander innocently into the thick of a large pro-independence demonstration.
6, 2017
BARCELONA, Spain — When Gisle Anderssen and Bente Hoeseth, Norwegian newlyweds, were planning their
honeymoon last December, by their own admission, they knew little about Catalan nationalism.
Tourists of all nationalities spoke of their surprise, excitement
and — in some cases — admiration after witnessing the tumultuous events that have unfolded in Barcelona during the past week.
Mark Langer, a lawyer from Washington and a former student of modern European history, could narrate how the process of unifying parts of Spain accelerated under Ferdinand II and Isabella I in the 15th century, and could explain the loss of Catalan autonomy under Felipe V. On the other side of the square, an Irish couple said
that the history of their own country’s independence movement meant that Catalan nationalism typically received more coverage in the Irish news media than elsewhere.
England said that It’s like speaking to people in America and trying to explain that the U.K. is actually four places
Mr. Anderssen and Ms. Hoeseth had to cancel their initial trip to the Sagrada Família, as did Ms. Dick and Ms. Forbes.
But it was no great hardship, Ms. Forbes said, adding, "Then we thought: Let’s just go to the beach." In fact, it had even all been "very exciting,"
said Ms. Dick, whose first act in central Barcelona was to wander innocently into the thick of a large pro-independence demonstration.
6, 2017
BARCELONA, Spain — When Gisle Anderssen and Bente Hoeseth, Norwegian newlyweds, were planning their
honeymoon last December, by their own admission, they knew little about Catalan nationalism.
Tourists of all nationalities spoke of their surprise, excitement
and — in some cases — admiration after witnessing the tumultuous events that have unfolded in Barcelona during the past week.