I almost didn't publish the bad experiences I had in Barcelona and in fact, I haven't touched on all of them. I don't like doing it about any place but my time in Barcelona as a tourist was both good and bad, in ways that I hadn't experienced while traveling lately.
The tiredness of those I met in the tourist industry was noticeably different to any place else I had been and in some instances I wondered about the burden of tourists on locals in Barcelona.
So if you want to only read of the good, then choose the appropriately titled post ...
Hasta la vista.
Sunday, November 23, 2008
2 kinds of memories on leaving Barcelona ....
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2 comments:
The tiredness of those in the Spanish tourist industry can be noticeable indeed Di.
Barcelona is a very busy hotspot, (I visited on a bus-tour from nearby upscale coastal Sitges, which feels totally different during the summer),
but in spite of all the stunning beauty,
there is at times a sense of "we're working in Disneyland and really had it with you tourists".
While this sentiment is often limited, individual and noticeable in any busy tourist location worldwide, I got that very same distinct feeling, both in Barcelona, but even more so in the classic Spanish build-up coastal towns.
I must note that this tiredness was nowhere to be found in Turkey last summer, where everyone I met was courteous.
Because I love to read you, I read both posts. I spent 3 days in Barcelona in Nov 2006. I don't recall noticing hostility at all... I did notice that attractions were packed, you had to queue for everything, and there was a certain predator-prey aspect that I felt from some males that I'd encountered.
But, that being said, the small out of the way tapas restaurants were delicious, the weather was a welcomed change from the cold gray city that is Brussels, and with a little bit of effort with the language I found it pretty enjoyable...
I think if you were with friends who were hosting you the tourist experience would have surely escaped you.. like the bus trip for example :P
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