Barcelona Attacks and Aftermath

Annual trip to Barcelona had an interesting plot twist this year. Upon arrival to Barcelona on the 17th, I took a nap in the Airbnb near Las Ramblas and woke up to sound of helicopters and sirens. A quick look at the social media feeds revealed there's been an attack just down the street believed to be by terrorists with many pedestrians wounded or dead. Little was known, many streets were blocked, and we did not hear the full story until a few days after.

The vibrant city halted for a day during the chaos, but quickly resumed in defiance. The night after, I took the photos showing condolences for the wounded and the dead in the streets of the incident. A number of small, but growing lit candles, flowers, and dolls adorned the streets. Many walked around with signs 'no tinc por,' meaning 'I am not afraid.' I loved that locals and tourists alike offered hugs and kind words post-attack, instead of panic and fear you'd expect after a terrorism.

There were many gathered in silence, including a toddler similar age next to the 3 year old boy who fell victim to the attack.

Perhaps this type of courage and defiance lies in some of the Spanish way of life seen in their cultural dances. Flamenco isn't native to Catalan region, but the way they perform is quite unique. Aside from their actual singing, guitar, and dancing, the vibe you get from the performance is something other than simply 'putting on a show.'

The performers were extremely passionate and in tune with each other. Simply dressed with a very basic setup, they seemed entranced by each others' artistry and often smile or gaze into each others' eyes during performance. The focus was on each others' energy and enthusiasm that only intensified as the show went on. Imagine the love they have for this tradition that requires years of practice without compensation then sharing this love on and off stage - it's easy to see this type of behavior being translated into daily life.

Following the Barcelona spirit, I hosted a dinner party at my airbnb rental apartment. It's a beautiful little penthouse apartment in the center of the city with a balcony and a dreamy dinner table. They placed a lit up cherry blossom tree in the middle of the table, making it whimsical at night. Plenty of Spanish tapas, including local ham and home made quinoa-risotto, we celebrated the simple luxury of being alive and healthy to able to enjoy this moment with friends and family.