Day 6

I took a small blog break and then I discovered that we’re already thinking about packing up. Because I usually spend multiple weeks in this wonderland where beer costs less than food and water, where everything closes up for an afternoon nap, and where the prime minister says things like “Spain is a great country and the Spanish are very Spanish and much Spanish,” and when criticized during a debate, responded “Everything you said is false, except for some things,” it just seems too soon to be thinking about leaving, although it is way past time to end this sentence.

The main thoroughfare that connects the port part of the city with the northern part is a large avenue called Laietana. Our neighborhood is right next to it, so I walk it all the time. It used to be pretty congested with cars, but now the city is undergoing a massive project to add light rail and pedestrian malls everywhere to reduce the number of cars in the city. As a result, Laietana has gone from 5 lanes of heavy traffic to 1-2 lanes of stopped traffic 24 hours a day. Since this project has been going on for almost two years and has a long way to go, I feel like it’s already achieving the objective.

The graffiti, on the other hand, just isn’t what it used to be. In past years I’ve posted pictures of spray paint art in downtown Barcelona that belonged in a museum. 

These days it really looks like those tattooed, hair-bunned hipsters are just phoning it in.

Which I guess is why places like this popped up, which give classes on how to up your graffiti game. They include instructions on what materials you need, how to create the initial sketches and how to make stencils, and then you can practice on a wall in the “school.” After that, they turn you loose in downtown Barcelona. What could possibly go wrong?

And this just in from the Awkward Translation Desk, permanent signage on the front of a barbershop that says “Much more than we are.” That guy should run for prime minister.