by Maggie Chan
Blazing sunlight, sweltering sea breezes, over-flowing tourists and booming traffic – yes, this is definitely la Plaza de Catalunya (the square of Catalonia), the most lively and crowded square in the city of Barcelona, a multidimensional city famous for its unique modern architecture, Romanesque and Gothic monuments dating back to the first century, remarkable collections of Picasso and Miro, and flourishing contemporary music, dance, theater and literature. Barcelona is the city that fills you with everlasting vitality and inspiration. It is indeed the Xanadu for tourists. But what makes the city the first and best choice for tourists remains a mystery. During the daytime, Barcelona is the sacred land for lovers of modern architecture and antique fanatics, even archaeologists. Visitors are welcomed at the renowned Museu Picasso and Fundacion Miro (the Miro Foundation). The magnificent works of Antonio Gaudi – Sagrada Famila, La Pedrera, Park Guell – are open eight hours a day; and so is the exquisite Palau de la Musica Catalana (the Palace of Music) by Domenechi Montaner, one of the most famous architects in the world. History fans get the chance to drop by the Museu d’ Historia de la Ciutat (Museum of the History of the City), the Cathedral, and explore the ancient relics of Roman times by strolling through the adjoining Barrio Gotico (the Gothic Quarter). La Ramblas, which is the most picturesque boulevard in the city, is also one of the main tourist attractions. Embellished by exotic kiosks and miniature greenhouses located on each side of the avenue, La Ramblas stretches for more than 2km from la Plaza de Catalunya to the port area, where a statue of Christopher Columbus marks its end. For first-time visitors, La Ramblas also provides all kinds of souvenir shops, boutiques and shopping areas, including the most visited market of Barcelona, Mercado de La Boqueria, and the celebrity-inhabited La Plaza Real (Royal Square). Nevertheless, besides art-lovers and shoppers, what is it that attracts huge throngs of tourists to this hot, humid Mediterranean city? Is it post-Olympic fever? Or the tropical climate? The relaxed lifestyle? The answer reveals as night gradually falls. Disguised by the shadow of night, the city turns into a paradise for party-goers. “It’s just that the people in this city like to go out at night,” says Frances, a college student who has lived in Barcelona for almost three years. The colorful nightlife is simply irresistible. Due to the lifestyle of the Spaniards, office hours normally start at 10 a.m., followed by a long “siesta” between 2 and 5 p.m. The city then wakes up again at about 6 p.m., when cafes and restaurants reopen for people after work. As night falls crowds starts to swarm into the streets. The regular time for dinner starts around 9 p.m., when tourists begin to stroll La Ramblas, which turns into a tremendous outdoor caf? at night. Hundreds of people sit next to each other along the street, chatting freely while enjoying music played on local instruments, street-corner skits and folk dancing mixed with champagne, wine, and exquisite Spanish cuisine. The highlight of the evening, however, is just about to begin on the other side of the city: at the other end of the luminous La Ramblas, rhythmic beats stir up the air from across the wharf. Maremagnum, a multi-functional shopping mall, that turns into a gigantic discotheque at night, and hundreds of people are indulging in its exhilaration as the beat goes on. Roaring rhythms, shrill tunes, flashing lights, noisy crowds: the party has just begun. “I’m here just to have fun,” says a 22-year-old Canadian girl sitting at the bar, who is currently between jobs. “I was told that Barcelona is the place where I can party as much as I want, and I’m pretty sure I’ve come to the right place.” Souls are temporarily lost in this mysterious universe and aren’t found until 5 in the morning, as the port area reopens. Then, the city returns to stillness and the streetlamps silently die out. The city wakes again at 10 a.m. – noon on Sundays – and everything begins again. This is Barcelona, the city that spans nearly twenty centuries, and it reamins a paradise for tourists that never loses her charm. a
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The Taida Student Journal has been active since 1995 with an ever-changing roster of student journalists at NTU. Click the above link to read about the authors Archives
May 2024
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