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BITN 835_20,21 (catalonia):BITN 772_20,21 (orbit) 30/7/10 11:24 Page 20 CATALONIA Reluctant part of the team Helen Clifton travels to Catalonia – which supplied under leaf awnings line sleepy alleyways designed to provide respite from the scorching sun. half of Spain’s winning World Cup side but still wants The perfectly located Roman amphitheatre sits with its back to the city’s beach, so players performed to its independence – and finds a region of contrasts the sea. Every year, Tarragona stages a procession to re-enact the Romans’ burning of a local bishop, and they are preparing the pyre as we tour. Fun. However, Tarragona suffers from sharing a strip of The last dregs of sangria have been drained and the Bullfighting ban coastline with possibly the largest, most sprawling infamous vuvuzelas packed away, as the Spanish chemical works I have seen outside of Ellesmere Port. nurse their hangovers and mull over the Catalonia made headlines this Not what you want intruding on your holiday snaps. consequences of their historic World Cup victory. week as it became the first But the development reflects a bustling, industrious But in this soccer-mad country, football has come to region of mainland Spain to culture at odds with the outdated perception of Spain symbolise more than just sport. And one corner of the ban bullfighting. A vote took as a country more in thrall to the cult of the siesta country could be said to be less than happy with the place after a petition was than a stable economy. result. Football has once again pitched the battle for brought to parliament, signed Catalonians are a mixture of Mediterranean and Catalonian independence to the forefront of the by 180,000 people. Ricky French people. Catalan, also spoken in some parts of national consciousness after a period of time off the Gervais and Pamela Anderson southern France, actually bears more resemblance to headlines. were among those who Provençal than Spanish. Although the Spanish flag does not have the same signed the international Historically, the region has always been a right-wing connotations it did in the past, and World petition. In the vote, 68 powerhouse of Spain. Perhaps because of this Cup success has brought the nation together, backed a ban, 55 voted success, right-wing dictator Franco saw fit to Catalonians still want independence. The day before against and nine abstained. violently crush the region’s dreams of autonomy. the final, Barcelona’s streets were draped with flags – Supporters of the ban say Their government was abolished, its leader shot. but not because of sport. Instead, they were being that the practice is barbaric Regional parties were banned – as was Catalan, held aloft by over 1.1 million protesters marching to and outdated. Bullfighting which was made illegal outside the home, instantly demand greater autonomy for their beloved Catalonia. supporters insist that the making it a symbol of the repression of the regime. Recent polls put support for independence at 47 per corrida, as it is known in This is the reason the language is spoken with such cent. Catalonia, is an important pride, and why holidaymakers plucking up the In timing bound to raise maximum publicity for the tradition to preserve. It is also courage to speak halting Spanish will commonly cause, they were protesting against a decision by said that this is a process led receive a reply in Catalan. Spain’s highest court blocking Catalonia’s right to call by nationalist Catalans who We journey on to the pretty – if over-developed – themselves a nation by imposing restrictions on the want to reinforce their resorts of Salou, Cambrils and La Pineda. Of the region’s newly acquired powers of self rule. independence from the rest of three, Cambrils most impresses with its packed Travelling round the Costa Daurada coast of Spain by rejecting one of its promenade of preening, well-to-do Spanish families. Catalonia, home to the region’s second city of best-known traditions. But the Neatly dressed children weave around restaurant Tarragona, there is no evidence of any political Catalan poet Pere Gimferrer floors while their parents tuck into their tenth seafood problems. The surprisingly rich rolling plains of the said of the ban: “It is the course. A walk along the pier and we see the town’s industrial heartland of the region give way to the worst attack on culture since last fishing boat framed by the clock designed to bring familiar strip tourism hotel development of the coast. our transition to democracy.” ships back to shore. It’s symbolic of the huge changes Much neglected in favour of Barcelona, Tarragona the area has seen over recent times. is mercifully quiet and under-exploited compared LAURA CONNOR At Salou’s Nautical Club, I am forced to take on the with its brash and ever-popular neighbour. Unlike mantle of action woman with a kayaking lesson. Barcelona’s grid design with its sweeping, modernist Hilarity ensues as our Catalan tutors soon realise that streets, Tarragona’s old town, a UNESCO World a pack of British novices petrified of falling into the Heritage site, winds maze-like through the original choppy Med aren’t too easy to communicate with. No Roman city. With new budget flights to the town of matter. The view from the sea was worth it. Reus, around an hour away, the city is a pretty good Tourism has been intertwined with the region’s option for a weekend break. fortunes since the fall of Franco – in fact, the baby Much remains of the 3rd century city, Tarraco, boomer generation were swanning off to resort Lloret which ruled an area of Spain from Cadiz to Portugal. “Independence del Mar while the dictator was still in power. The An overwhelmingly Italian aesthetic dominates – architectural works of Gaudi and the great surrealist looking out from the roof of what was the Roman is a right. But Dali have always drawn visitors to Barcelona, even in forum, the city looks reminiscent of a Tuscan hill the dark days of pre-Olympics development. Both town. to get it there is artists lauded their birthplace, its natural beauty and Peering over the delicately run-down Roman only one way – liberal traditions as crucial to the creation of their quarter is the stark medieval cathedral, the largest in great works. Catalonia, whose pious construction was cut short the decision of It’s the night of one of Spain’s qualifying matches, when labourers started dropping dead with the and dinner with dignitaries at the amazing Clos plague. Bohemian bars and restaurants sheltered the majority.” Barenys vineyard presents me with some of the best 20 THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH · 2-8 AUGUST 2010 BITN 835_20,21 (catalonia):BITN 772_20,21 (orbit) 30/7/10 11:25 Page 21 food I’ve ever tasted. Each delicious portion is Above: human castles at independence under the values of democracy in a reflective of some local speciality. Tarragona’s Santa Tecla peaceful way,” my friend says. A whole grilled goat’s cheese nestling amongst festival. Top to bottom: the “Independence is a right that Catalonia has. But to forest berries, delicate hunks of veal covered in a port of Cambrils; the get it there is only one way – the decision of the cream sauce, pollo (octopus), and serrano ham tapas amphitheatre and majority.” are all washed down with lashings of wine from cathedral in Tarragona Because democracy in Spain is still relatively new, surrounding vineyards. I feel like Obelix at the end of he explains, people are unable to fundamentally one of his infamous feasts. Flight facts understand the rights Catalonia has. But the argument My dining companion expresses surprise when that really holds water is the fact that Catalonia – I ask him if he is sad to be missing the match. He Jet2 flies to Reus from home to less than 20 per cent of Spain’s population – laughs and says he doesn’t support them – but goes Manchester from £29.99 now produces 25 per cent of its GDP. on to explain that most of the World Cup team is including taxes up to 28 These facts ring around my head as, bleary-eyed, Catalan. Of the winning squad, five – Piqué, Puyol, September. Book at I queue for my hotel breakfast surrounded by Capdevila, Busquets and Xavi – are from the www.jet2.com. hundreds of jabbering Spanish families. Yet in my province. Wild West-themed Hotel Gold River – part of the He declines to be named – strong pro- Bed and breakfast are hugely popular PortAventura amusement park – independence views are still controversial. “I saw available at Hotel Gold River I detect no feeling of simmering political resentment. Cameron’s apology for Bloody Sunday,” he says. “We from 108 euros per night. Only the noise of piped Deliverance style-music are still waiting, in Catalonia, for a similar apology www.portaventura.co.uk. throughout the hallways. from the conservative party. They have never Yet despite the sanitised mass market tourist condemned Franco.” Another new Jet2 route is industry, the real reason people keep coming back to Despite many unofficial consultations promoted by Leeds to Bergerac in France. the region is the beautiful coastline, food, architecture civil organisations, Catalonians are still waiting for an See www.bigissueinthenorth. and unique culture – something that, whatever your official referendum. com. views on independence, the Catalonians are “People in Catalonia defend the idea of determined to protect. 2-8 AUGUST 2010 · THE BIG ISSUE IN THE NORTH 21.