elBulli to Sell its Wine Cellar

            

           Today I read online through a Catalan news website that the famous elBulli restaurant is completely selling everything inside its famous wine cellar.  The total value estimated of these wines is between 1,6-1,6 million euros and all the profit will go towards Ferran Adria’s newly created BulliFoundation, which will open its doors in 2014.  It is very sad to hear that they are getting rid of their wine cellar, because not only is it very famous, but it is something very personal to Adria and his partner Juli Soler.  It took around 27 years for them to collect the over 8.000 bottles of wine, which is not some small task.  Many of the bottles were designed especially for the restaurant, and were never meant to be sold to the general public.  Sotheby’s, the famous auction house will be holding two separate biddings for the cellar, one held in Honk Kong, and the other in New York City.

            Ferran refers to the collection as “unique and exceptional,” which for a man of such fame and taste, this is no small comment.  I hope that this three time Michelin-star winner knows what he is doing when he decided to sell the cellar, and I only wish the best for his new BulliFoundation.  It is very sad indeed that he will not be reopening the restaurant, because it has grown into something more than just a place to eat.  For me, it represents a gathering point for people across the world that have a passion for food and a desire for the unusual.  I can only hope that someday he will decide to once again start cooking for the people, but until that day comes I can only wait.

Catalan Politics

http://uk.reuters.com/article/2012/11/26/uk-spain-catalonia-idUKBRE8AP0EJ20121126

         

            Above is the link to the article I read about yesterday's elections in Catalunya, which of course have been highly publicized and debated over for the past month and beyond.  The ERC has now doubled its representation in the Catalan parliament, and the CiU lost 12 seats bringing their total to 50.  This means, although still in power with Mr. Mas in charge, they will need to form an alliance with the ERC in order to hold their position.  It is unfortunate for Mr. Mas, because they were hoping to win absolute majority with 68 seats, which would make it much easier to push for a referendum for Catalan independence.  Now they will have to team up with their rivals in order to push for nationalism, which will most surely be a more difficult challenge since their viewpoints are never the same.  Although both of these parties are for this cause, I have heard that the ERC will not support any of Mas's plans for fiscal stability in Catalunya.  Mas however does not have much of a choice at this point, and I think it is best for him and his party to make an alliance in order to better their own position and remain in power.

          The political system in Spain is much different than the one used in America.  Firstly, there are only two main political parties, the democrats and the republicans, which means that it is much easier to choose a side since there are less to choose from.  With 5 or more parties here in Spain, it seems very difficult for things to actually get accomplished because so many are fighting each other for the same spot.  With such an economic crisis Spain is currently dealing with, it makes this whole ordeal even harder because so many citizens of Catalunya are upset over what has been happening.  The unemployment rate is up, and people are now turning to independence as their source for an answer.  I am not sure what will happen to this region in the next coming months and years, but I hope whoever is in charge will find a peaceful and successful solution to this growing problem.Whether independence is best for Catalunya or not, I do feel drastic changes are needed in order to stop the economy from failing even more.

            I have still a lot to learn about the various parties in this region of Spain, and the topics for debate are too vast for me to understand in one semester.  Being here for these elections has been one of the most interesting and exciting times in my life because it is clear how important they are for the people of Catalunya.  My parents even told me last week that the news stations in America plan to have full coverage of the elections, which shows me just how important they are for not just Spain, but the world.  Once I return to my country, I will definitely stay aware with what is going on here in Barcelona because I have now started to become a supporter of independence.  Of course I know so little compared to actual Catalans, but I do understand the basic arguments for this cause, and I agree with them.  Only time will tell what ends up happening for this region, but no matter what happens I hope it will fix their economy and job employment rates.  The two pictures attached I took during the festival of La Merce.  If you look closely at the picture directly above, Artur Mas and his staff are standing on the balcony of the goverment building.  They were actually getting booed while I was there!

Tapas Tapas Tapas!!!

            Let me start by saying that I LOVE FOOD!  The most obvious and well known Spanish food traditions are the tapas, and I have quickly grown to love them, too.  It is a perfect dish for someone like me because I love trying new foods and I love being able to eat many different types of foods in one sitting.  With tapas, I can order a bunch of these small plates at the same time and be able to enjoy a diverse selection.  I could not ask for anything better, oh and because its Spanish food and not American, it even tastes better!  I am dreading the day I go back to the states because the quality of food is just not the same.  I love every meal I eat here in Spain, and tapas just make it even sadder for me when I am forced to leave at the end of the semester.

            When my parents were here last week, we tried this place recommended to us called "Bar Mut" and it was fantastic!  Every tapas dish they brought out was superb, and the final one was beef fillets topped with foie gras which were incredible.  I can only say the best of things about this bar restaurant because I have not eaten food that good in years, honestly.  Even the salad had some type of thick cheese in it, and being a huge fan of cheese I of course wasn't complaining.  I could talk for hours about the food and tapas in this city, but I do not think it would be that exciting to read after awhile!  My other favorite tapas dishes include ham and cheese croquettes, and prawns.  Although I love them all so it is hard to narrow it down to a few choices.  When I go back to America I may try making my own tapas dishes, but I think they won't be the same as here.  The bottom left picture is this dish comprised of thin strips of crispy potatoes, shrimp and egg below, which is served at Bar Mut and was one of the most delectable foods I have ever eaten, period.  If you know what it is called or have heard of it before, I highly recommend you go and try it!!

Skateboarding as a Hobby

             

             A recent hobby or sport I have seen many people around the city do is long-boarding.  It is just skateboarding with a bigger size board.  I have always wanted to try this activity, but since I do not have the greatest balance I have always been afraid.  The other day I finally decided to give it a try and I bought a board.  Since it takes me thirty minutes to walk to school every day, I thought that it is a good way for me to get to school faster while having fun at the same time.  These past few days have been a very interesting experience so far with my long-board.  It is a lot of fun to do, but it is so hard!  I have fallen off plenty of times, and the worst part was on Ramblas de Catalunya when I skated into a man walking with his family!  He screamed out in pain and I felt so bad for him, but I apologized a lot and he understood that it was an accident.  I do not trust myself on a skateboard!  I just hope that with every new day, I will get better, so that next time I will not endanger anyone else around me.

            From what I have seen around the city, it is a popular activity that many people do.  In America, only youths skateboard, but here I see older men and women also skating through the streets, which is really cool and surprising to me.  In the United States, many people think less of those that skate because they think they are bad kids or something like that, but here it seems to be accepted.  I do not know why it is viewed differently back in my country, because it is only a fun hobby.  Hopefully by the end of the semester I will be good enough to not kill myself!  Wish me luck!

Polls of Independence for Catalan and the Politcal Parties Futures

Here is the link: 

http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/politics/support-catalonia%E2%80%99s-independence-grows-and-polls-say-pro-independence-parties-would-wi
 http://www.catalannewsagency.com/news/politics/support-catalonia%E2%80%99s-independence-grows-and-polls-say-pro-independence-parties-would-wi

I am very excited to be living in Barcelona during election time so I can really see how the process is carried out.  After learning about all these political parties in the classroom, being able to actually see their campaigns and read articles about their progress has made this a fun experience.  I was very surprised to read that 57% of Catalans would vote for independence, because had previously thought it wasn’t nearly as high.  This movement is quickly becoming a reality and I hope that eventually things can be settled, independence or not.  However, I do think Catalonia could be self-sufficient country free from Spain’s grasp.

This survey was interesting to read because it is predicting the outcome and helping me understand how the people feel in this area.  I was also very excited to see that it has some data on the political party I am giving a presentation on next week, the Ciutadans.  I am glad to hear that they are expected to double their power in the Catalan Parliament by obtaining 6 MPs and get their own parliament group for the first time ever.  I am not sure when the actual election is, but I hope that I am still in Barcelona so I can see it unfold in front of me!  I am also exciting to learn more about how the process works compared to that of America.