More info on last night
So with the help of our friend Patrick Sweeney back in Portland, I've been able to piece together a few more details on what was behind all the chaos in our neighborhood last night.
You can check out the news link here, but essentially the government throughout Spain is aiming to take away one of the young people's favorite kinds of partying. It's called a "botellon" and it is pretty similar to what we in the U.S. refer to as rave. Bunch of kids with nothing better to do on a Friday or Saturday night gather at some public place and just start binge-drinking. The police here have been planning a crackdown on botellones and the kids got wind of it. None too happy about The Man trying to take away their weekly good time, the kids staged massive "macrobotellones" throughout the country yesterday. In some cities, chaos ensued.
Apparently the worst of it was right here in Barrio Gothic, our neighborhood. So tonight, Barrio Gothic and the adjacent Plaza Catalunya, which is Barcelona's version of Times Square, are on lockdown. Police are out in full riot gear, accompanied by helicopters hovering overhead. I guess the police are hoping a serious show of force will prevent a repeat of last night's "festivities."
The funny thing is, despite the huge police presence, everyone throughout the city has gone about their business today as if nothing unusual happened last night. For example, the lingerie shop right across the street from our apartment was one of the stores that had its floor-to-ceiling window completely smashed. By noon today, the entire storefront window had been replaced and bras and nighties were flying off the shelves like a normal Saturday.
I suppose I should point out that Kate and I are in no danger whatsoever. Our apartment is six stories up, so watching all the action from above is very much like watching a football game on TV. In fact, there is even the same kind of battle for field position. Twenty or 30 kids gather on our street and creep toward the police gathered on La Rambla, the major pedestrian boulevard that intersects with our street about 80 meters away. When they get close enough, they start cursing the cops and throwing bottles and whatnot. Eventually the police get tired of playing defense and decide its time to get some field position of their own. So 10 or 20 cops lock arms, march down the street, fire off a few rubber bullets, and the kids take off running down the myriad of side streets. When the police reach the other end of our street, they turn around and march the 200 meters or so back to La Rambla. Ten minutes later the kids return, and the whole process repeats.
So unless one of those cops last night firing the rubber bullets had Dick Cheney-like aim, Kate and I were quite safe poking our heads over our balcony every few minutes to check out the Super Bowl below.
It's actually quite a fascinating cultural experience to have right on our doorstep, literally. No one has been killed or seriously injured, so I kinda just chalk it up to kids being kids.
As I strolled across Plaza Catalunya today, a smile crossed my face and I chuckled thinking to myself that somewhere in this world Mike D. and the rest of the Beastie Boys have got to be smiling. Fore here in Spain, the kids really do fight for their right to party.
You can check out the news link here, but essentially the government throughout Spain is aiming to take away one of the young people's favorite kinds of partying. It's called a "botellon" and it is pretty similar to what we in the U.S. refer to as rave. Bunch of kids with nothing better to do on a Friday or Saturday night gather at some public place and just start binge-drinking. The police here have been planning a crackdown on botellones and the kids got wind of it. None too happy about The Man trying to take away their weekly good time, the kids staged massive "macrobotellones" throughout the country yesterday. In some cities, chaos ensued.
Apparently the worst of it was right here in Barrio Gothic, our neighborhood. So tonight, Barrio Gothic and the adjacent Plaza Catalunya, which is Barcelona's version of Times Square, are on lockdown. Police are out in full riot gear, accompanied by helicopters hovering overhead. I guess the police are hoping a serious show of force will prevent a repeat of last night's "festivities."
The funny thing is, despite the huge police presence, everyone throughout the city has gone about their business today as if nothing unusual happened last night. For example, the lingerie shop right across the street from our apartment was one of the stores that had its floor-to-ceiling window completely smashed. By noon today, the entire storefront window had been replaced and bras and nighties were flying off the shelves like a normal Saturday.
I suppose I should point out that Kate and I are in no danger whatsoever. Our apartment is six stories up, so watching all the action from above is very much like watching a football game on TV. In fact, there is even the same kind of battle for field position. Twenty or 30 kids gather on our street and creep toward the police gathered on La Rambla, the major pedestrian boulevard that intersects with our street about 80 meters away. When they get close enough, they start cursing the cops and throwing bottles and whatnot. Eventually the police get tired of playing defense and decide its time to get some field position of their own. So 10 or 20 cops lock arms, march down the street, fire off a few rubber bullets, and the kids take off running down the myriad of side streets. When the police reach the other end of our street, they turn around and march the 200 meters or so back to La Rambla. Ten minutes later the kids return, and the whole process repeats.
So unless one of those cops last night firing the rubber bullets had Dick Cheney-like aim, Kate and I were quite safe poking our heads over our balcony every few minutes to check out the Super Bowl below.
It's actually quite a fascinating cultural experience to have right on our doorstep, literally. No one has been killed or seriously injured, so I kinda just chalk it up to kids being kids.
As I strolled across Plaza Catalunya today, a smile crossed my face and I chuckled thinking to myself that somewhere in this world Mike D. and the rest of the Beastie Boys have got to be smiling. Fore here in Spain, the kids really do fight for their right to party.
posted by Sean McMahon | 9:00 PM
2 Comments:
Smakman! and Mrs. Smakman/Smakwoman! Hi from me and Mrs. Raymond (Shelby). I get a kick out of reading that Sean is *still* adding to his collection of friends at a rate of about 10 an hour, it seems. It's just a gift. If I see Sean back here in Carlsbad two years from now, I'll undoubtedly witness him encountering a Barcelona pal within 15 minutes.
Love the blog -- it reminds me how completely uncool I am. ;)
Darren
From the snapper
Love ya guys.
Post a Comment
<< Home