Barcelona:''Collapsing Sagrada Familia''

Annebeth Vis has lived in Barcelona for over five years. She works as a freelance journalist for Dutch online and printed media. For Like-a-Local she takes tourists on the Avantgarde Shopping Tour. Annebeth shares a flat in the centre of the city, just off the famous Ramblas.

Last weekend I was having dinner with some friends and we came to talk about the AVE train tunnel to be constructed just under the famous symbol of Barcelona: the Sagrada Familia. The organization against the AVE railroad, SOSSagradaFamilia, had placed a video of Gaudi’s temple collapsing on Youtube. Fiction that could come true if the construction goes through, claim the opponents of the plan. I asked one of the Catalans present about her opinion. She came up with a conspiracy theory: Madrid wanted the tunnel to be constructed, in order for the Sagrada Familia to come down. That way tourists would stay away and look for a new Spanish destination. The capital would be the most likely. And that is how Madrid would win the ancient battle going on between the two most important Spanish cities. I thought the most interesting part was how this example shows the deep the rivalry between inhabitants of these cities. Nevertheless, I do advise tourists to visit the impressive Sagrada Familia now that it’s still there.

Check out the video!
Annebeth Vis

Keywords: barcelona

Paris: Music Festival

It starts at the end of the morning.
Restaurants and coffee-shops move more tables and chairs outside.
One can see more people walking down the streets, paying attention to all that goes on.
As this is an unusual day.
This day is a special day : The Paris Music Festival Day.
For 26 years now, the Paris Music Festival has been held on Summer day, 21st of June.
From mid-afternoon, musicians gather, bands start playing here and there, orchestras play concerts, for hundreds of thousand visitors coming down town to listen to every sort of music.

At every street corner, in many coffeeshops, inside churches and theaters, alongs avenues as in small squares, music is everywhere. Jazz; Reggae, Rock, Techno, Symphony orchestra, choirs, singers, music is the universal language of the capital that day, and it lasts overnight; everything is organised around the Festival, even public transports running around the clock !

People is friendly, and talking to each others, sometimes dancing in the street if the band is good !

The only question is : rain or no rain ? This year, we were lucky as the wheather was very mild, and the public could really stay deep in the night along the streets, for the pleasure of music !

If you plan to visit Paris in June, try to spot the 21st, and stay with us overnight !
Dominique

Keywords: paris