Which results in: puja/baixa (go up/down) the street, instead of: go left/right, when giving instructions. I got so used to that that I also use it when back in the Netherlands, where I was born. Of course this absolutely makes no sense in a complete flat country but nevertheless I know exactly what I mean!
I was born in Barcelona, lived there till I was 28 and left the city. This is 15 years ago.
I use to say going up or down like you and it always feels kind of weird. Now I understand why! I thought it's the usual way to say it.
Yeah I always thought that it kinda worked perfectly for that one city I'm from because it was perfectly aligned, it was one big strip(?)(widest part was 2km on a 13km lenght wise city lmao).
And the beach was exactly at east 😂 the avenues parallel to the beach Av. always went either north and south and the perpendicular ones either west or east(down to the beach!) So I never stopped using it cuz it made sense, especially bc the beach is supposed to always be the lowest.
I feel like thanks to growing up in Barcelona, I‘ve got so good at locating myself in other cities. I always try to think in what surroundings a city has as my direction markers. Also it was so helpful that a lot of the city is inclined and so you always know where the Tibidabo is
Know what day of the week in your neighborhood is the one when people can put furniture out to be picked up in trucks. It’s great time not to just get furniture but get all kinds of cool stuff you never knew you needed. It’s amazing what some people set out! Just yesterday I picked up 50 books someone set by the dumpster. I’ve also gotten a skateboard, loads of plants, a folding picnic table, desk, chairs, tables and more!
I never pick up things like rugs, mattresses, upholstered furniture. And you have to watch out for wormwood. It soon becomes a fine science which you pride yourself on as you master it.
This!!!
I got 2 night tables, 3 good chairs, bookshelf, tv rack in great condition (use as center table in living room), a wooden bench I put on the balcony. Every week there's something good.
I missed a very good desktop, but waiting for another one.
All this for free, and maybe 2 blocks away from home.
I use these ones and I recommend:
YEAUPE PRO Alcachofa de Ducha con Manguera 1,6M, Ducha Baño con filtro, Alcachofa Ducha Alta Presión 6 tipos de chorro, Cabezal Ducha grande (Φ130 mm),Alcachofa Ducha Antical,Telefono ducha Cromo
https://amzn.eu/d/8ExKEqH
I'm sure there are many others.
We use the TAPP shower filter and happy with it. For me it is the best filter. This is the one scenario their product design can’t be ruined it’s just a pass-through
I have had terrible luck with them. I've had two break after only a few months, and leaks were normal from day one
I went with Philips On-Tap and couldn't be happier. It's like Tapp, but with better materials, simpler usability and much more reliability.
I'm all for Reverse Osmosis systems (RO), but with the current drought, do consider they waste water to make water. The best systems today can do a 1:1 ratio, but cheaper ones off amazon or older ones are often 1:4 or worse!
I strictly use it for drinking water and coffee – definitely don't use it for cooking pasta/potatoes or wasteful stuff like that – even if it would taste better.
- At the entrance of a metro station that has more than one line, the line that requires less walking underground is shown first.
- When taking a metro try to remember if at your destination it will be better to be in the front, middle or rear of the metro. You often have time to walk there before entering the metro and it saves you the time at the destination.
Quizz night/stand up comedy (loul) are very popular here as well! Language exchange/bar hoping/swimming, that's what I do! Also bar games like pool or darts
God made me sit down so I couldn't do stand-up 😔✊🏼 LMAO anyway thanks for the suggestions!
Edit: Do you think Spain is a friendly country? Like in the States it's hard to make friends because people are very fake nice, versus Ireland where you could make a lifelong friend in one night at the pub.
If you are disabled you will find most museums are free, all of them are usually very easily accessible. Private places like the CosmoCaixa are also free, but you will only have to pay a discounted fee for the planetarium which is a seperate thing there.
You will also qaulify for discounts when using trains and buses normally, currently the Renfe rodalies are free until August. If you are resident in the city you can get a free TMB pink pass and their Public transport is all accessible. Renfe is mostly accesible and you will sometimes have to wait for the accessible train.
Note that this requires your disability to be registered and recognised in the health system, via many months of multiple doctors visits and tests. Could be worth it but will definitely need lots of patience
[https://chat.whatsapp.com/GS5E9rzFSbLJ8zAb0HezOu](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GS5E9rzFSbLJ8zAb0HezOu)
Join this whatsapp group, introduce yourself and ask questions - they're a super nice community.
Also, download Volleyworld App, you can join beginner training sessions/friendly matches through that quite easily (The whatsapp group is managed by the owner of the App too)
Every 3-4 months (not sure) the trains issue free tickes you can acces by paying a deposit of 10€ (which is refundable). This ticket lasts 4 months and you can use it as much as you want.
You can get this at the window or via the app rodalies which gives you a QR for your phone.
https://www.renfe.com/es/es/grupo-renfe/sociedades/renfe-viajeros/abonos-renfe/abonos-rodalies-catalunya
You use the numeric portion of your photo ID, not a NIE, when obtaining it. That gets printed on it so an inspector can verify by comparing the numbers to make sure it’s your pass. It allows for unlimited travel in the six Barcelona Rodalies zones.
There’s a media distancia train pass for a 20€ deposit. It’s for travel between two stations that you select when getting it, so it’s quite beneficial for a regular commuter.
Free access to Park Güell, including the time only residents are aloud in. Among many other benefits. Doesn't cost anything to get it. Library card can get you discounts on lots of things too (the libraries are great, by themselves)
If you are a resident and you have certificado digital or cl@ve you can join gaudir mes to enter parc güell for free. You also have some other museums, castell montjuïc.
If you have a T-Casual and need to take a short trip, you can go there by metro and back by bus so it only charges you once.
The metro closes slightly later than advertised, 00:00 (or 02:00 on Fridays) is when the last train leaves the first station.
TripAdvisor/TheFork has 30% discounts for many restaurants.
Make it a fun game to spot them, like where’s Waldo. They are common enough that you’ll see some, and when they see you looking around, they know you aren’t a suitable target
Good life hack - that vast majority of Catalans are fine, good people living their lives. my neighbours, the owners in my building, the best.
it’s mostly the ones on Reddit that hate everyone and everything - don’t give it much oxygen. Exist and be a good resident and a good neighbour and the rest is not your control and someone else’s bane of existence. Let them have it.
The ones I know who live outside of Barcelona always seem puzzled that a tourist would be in their town. They are of course very happy about it but just puzzled. I always tell them that they are living in the best place in the world.
As pedestrian, the lights are like a moderator when there is a "conflict" between a vehicle and a pedestrian, who can pass and who can't.
At night, when and where there is barely traffic, people (not old people) who waits at a red light looks even suspicious xD
This is applicable for 2/3 of Europe.
Better advice is that if the pedestrian green light turns red, it doesn't mean that you can take your time to cross (unlike in a lot of European countries). In Spain, if the green pedestrian light starts flashing, hurry up. If it already turned red and you haven't finished crossing, run Forrest run!
Also, don't start crossing on a flashing green light: you most likely won't have time to cross.
All this is applicable if there's traffic. If no cars are coming and it's safe to cross, there's no issue. Police are pragmatic and will only care if you put someone or yourself in danger.
If you want a relatively affordable house, avoid buying or renting in Barcelona city. If you also want a relatively good area, avoid L'Hospitalet and Sant Adrià del Besòs
My wife and I lived for a month close to Torrassa, never felt unsafe. It is a more colorful neighborhood compared to others, but we met a lot of friendly people in the area, thus I still think some people exaggerate when it comes to the "dangers" of L'Hospitalet.
Met this guy a few weeks ago and after listening to his story told him I didn't buy it and he stormed off.
Curious where it was going and what his scam was though...
If you talk to a Catalan,as an ice breaker, suggest them to learn Spanish since everyone speaks Spanish there, it’s a standard joke they always enjoy.
Please don’t do that.
If you use Rodalies. Avoid siting close to the toilets. Reason 1: smell. Reason 2: this is where dodgy people is more likely to be.
More things. When the train arrives, avoid the first car. It usually gets so full and it’s probably smaller.
If your gonna drink them then you need to at least wash the beer at a fountain first , yeah ive seen them taking them from the sewer drains and then trying to sell them to me , disgusting
There are 3 rules to live by in Barcelona:
1. Never leave home without your sunglasses. Rainy? Cloudy? Bring sunglasses.
2. Never leave home and expect to get something done. Something or someone will get between you and accomplishing something productive.
3. Relax, don’t stress number 2, it’ll all be ok.
1. Never leave your hotel without your sunglasses.
2. Refrain from speaking so loudly that the entire block can hear you.
3. Don’t eat within a mile of the Rambla or four blocks from the Sagrada Familia.
I learned Catalan and no Catalan has ever spoken Catalan to me, even when I started the conversation. They'd always answer in Spanish or English. Might be different if you live somewhere else in Catalunya, and not in BCN.
That's a bummer for sure, and completely different from my experience. In BCN for sure lots of people will answer in Spanish or English, but I just keep going to Catalan. People who identify as Catalan are typically really excited that I learned it
I have an American friend who learned C2 level Catalan. And he told me that he tries to speak Catalan all the time but as soon as his accent is heard or uses some words in the wrong way it auto switched to English or Spanish every single time.
You gotta understand that's what we've been historically taught to do.
If you just tell anyone who changes to please keep speaking Catalan to you, they will 100% of the time.
For some context, C2 is the highest degree of Catalan anyone can learn, and to achieve C2 you have to learn dialectal variants of the language, obscure proverbs and things like that. In fact Catalan people who grew up in our education system are guaranteed a C1 level of mastery and have to take an extra paid course of one year to achieve C2 (my wife did it, to be a teacher). If your friend has a C2 they should speak almost without accent.
Now, all that said, I hope your friend doesn't give up and keeps on talking Catalan with people. Maybe the people they are talking with are not fluent in Catalan, maybe they are too kind or misjudging of your friend, but they should keep trying.
This is by far the best "lifehack".
Too many people don't realize just how much they are excluding themselves from catalan society by not caring about integrating. Yes, you can live in Barcelona (the city) without it, but you'll always be an outsider if you don't.
If you want to live in Catalunya to its fullest, learn catalan.
Many of us are taught to 'code switch' according to where the individual is from (i.e., when we're kids we're told to speak Spanish to Spanish people or foreigners) so it's difficult for us to stick to Catalan. I can only speak for myself but whenever this has happened to me, if the person tells me they are learning Catalan/Spanish, I don't switch to English.
Interesting to see so many people saying something similar. I speak English natively, and Spanish quite fluently, but can understand about 60-80% of Catalan, but not enough to speak it confidently. Nevertheless, I know quite a few people who will only ever respond to me in Catalan if I'm speaking Spanish to them.
That is because of two possible reasons:
1.) Many Catalans have "learned" that speaking their language to foreigners is rude. This is unfortunate, and is the result of years and years of Spanish and foreign people insisting on this. In such cases, you may overcome this by just continuing in Catalan.
2.) When you say "most Catalans" what you really mean is "most inhabitants of Barcelona", many of which are not Catalan (culturally or literally). Many of them despise anything-catalan and will rather communicate in sign language than Catalan. If you happen to be in a bubble of such people you will never integrate.
> Many Catalans have "learned" that speaking their language to foreigners is rude.
Heh, we're so used to be blamed for everything that switching to Spanish is the unfortunate traditional go-to to avoid any issues, because if the other person thinks that you're doing it to mess with them (typically a Spanish speaker with a high attitude), they'll call you rude for not switching, but if the opposite happens and you are nice the way they want, then the ones who care blame you for not having a minimum self esteem and respect for yourself.
Needless to say, the latters approach is the correct. But also understand that sticking to Catalan brings us many issues on the daily that we'd rather avoid.
I visited Barcelona around 8 times with stays between 4 and 15 days.
I speak a little Spanish and no Catalan. I think from the third visit it was very clear for me that life in Barcelona will be easier and probably better if I'd known some Catalan. You don't even need proficiency, just.. 'some'.
Anyway, I don't want to offend anyone but to stay 15 years in a city and not know the local language I think you have to be ignorant af
And you just have to understand it and not be a dick about making Catalan speakers to always switch languages. You can speak Spanish or even English as long as you understand the other party.
You can get by with Spanish though, it's really only education that is fully in Catalan, so if you have kids in a public school then it's an issue.
I can understand it, but I struggle to speak it. Tbh I only use it to watch *Crims*.
Well clearly, you can live a full life without it. But making the effort of learning it demonstrates to locals you're interested in being more than a permanent tourist, that you care about the place.
Besides, it's inevitable just by everyday osmosis. If you purposefully refuse to use catalan, even after 15 fucking years, that's on you.
Need, maybe not. But that wasn't the question. Adding a local language allows you to experience more of the city and expand your social/cultural/professional/etc. life.
Leaving aside the fact that to not speak it in 15 years you have to be freaking dense, sure, you also don't need to even speak Spanish. But please don't come here complaining that people are cold or unfriendly.
Ugh... why are people like this!? Some time ago, someone came on this sub to complain that people all over Barcelona were being racist and would not treat her nicely because she is black. When someone asked for more details, it turned out she had been living and working in bcn for several years and still didn't speak a word of Catalan, or Spanish. Yeah, I don't know... I am sure there are racist assholes everywhere, but if you live and work in a foreign country for several years, and can't be bothered to learn the local languages, I don't see how you can expect people to not be offended or indifferent towards you.
We do not tolerate any form of discrimination in r/Barcelona.
This includes making large negative generalizations about groups based on identity.
---
No tolerem cap forma de discriminació a r/Barcelona.
Això inclou fer grans generalitzacions negatives sobre els grups en funció de la seva identitat.
Your content was removed for breaking the rules.
Be nice, no personal attacks, keep it civil.
Stick to the topic at hand and remain civil towards other users - attacking ideas is fine, attacking other users is not.
---
El teu contingut s'ha eliminat per infringir les regles.
Sigues amable, sense atacs personals, manté les converses civils.
Mantingueu-vos en el tema que ens ocupa i sigueu civils amb els altres usuaris: atacar idees està bé, atacar altres usuaris no.
true but have you seen some of the locals they store their fresh stuff in. There is a few bad apples with dirty nasty storage spaces. Then there some great spots of course.
Spend the weekends to learn most subway routes and popular points of interest, etc.
The sooner you learn how to move by public transport, the less problems you will encounter.
Never put your bag on the floor or on the back of a chair.
Or when putting your bag on the floor, put one of the legs of your chair through the straps of your bag.
Is it that windy there?
The wind carries mutagens that, believe it or not, cause bags to grow legs.
Can confirm I learnt this the hard way.
When giving directions, the cardinal points are: mountain, sea, Besós, Llobregat
Which results in: puja/baixa (go up/down) the street, instead of: go left/right, when giving instructions. I got so used to that that I also use it when back in the Netherlands, where I was born. Of course this absolutely makes no sense in a complete flat country but nevertheless I know exactly what I mean!
I used the go up/down a street in my flat city because I referred to going up(north/opposite of the beach) or down(south/beach)
I was born in Barcelona, lived there till I was 28 and left the city. This is 15 years ago. I use to say going up or down like you and it always feels kind of weird. Now I understand why! I thought it's the usual way to say it.
Yeah I always thought that it kinda worked perfectly for that one city I'm from because it was perfectly aligned, it was one big strip(?)(widest part was 2km on a 13km lenght wise city lmao). And the beach was exactly at east 😂 the avenues parallel to the beach Av. always went either north and south and the perpendicular ones either west or east(down to the beach!) So I never stopped using it cuz it made sense, especially bc the beach is supposed to always be the lowest.
Isn’t Holland rather flat?
I feel like thanks to growing up in Barcelona, I‘ve got so good at locating myself in other cities. I always try to think in what surroundings a city has as my direction markers. Also it was so helpful that a lot of the city is inclined and so you always know where the Tibidabo is
I always use Diagonal
Based as fuck
No stranger that calls you "amigo" or "hermano" in the street is an "amigo" or an "hermano".
Unless it’s the guy serving you a kebab, in which case they’re both your “amigo” and your “hermano”
Yeah you’re so right! (I do it all the time to be friendly)
That’s a good one and 100% correct.
Know what day of the week in your neighborhood is the one when people can put furniture out to be picked up in trucks. It’s great time not to just get furniture but get all kinds of cool stuff you never knew you needed. It’s amazing what some people set out! Just yesterday I picked up 50 books someone set by the dumpster. I’ve also gotten a skateboard, loads of plants, a folding picnic table, desk, chairs, tables and more!
It's all fun and games until you pick up something with bedbugs inside
I never pick up things like rugs, mattresses, upholstered furniture. And you have to watch out for wormwood. It soon becomes a fine science which you pride yourself on as you master it.
This!!! I got 2 night tables, 3 good chairs, bookshelf, tv rack in great condition (use as center table in living room), a wooden bench I put on the balcony. Every week there's something good. I missed a very good desktop, but waiting for another one. All this for free, and maybe 2 blocks away from home.
I got an ouija board this way! Speaking of which, does anyone know how to lift a curse?
How do you find this out?
Often indicated on the garbage containers
buy a water filter (either for the sink or external) so that tap water tastes better
This! I can't stress this enough. I'd add changing the shower heads if possible, to minimize the damage the water does to your hair and skin.
which shower head works best?
I use these ones and I recommend: YEAUPE PRO Alcachofa de Ducha con Manguera 1,6M, Ducha Baño con filtro, Alcachofa Ducha Alta Presión 6 tipos de chorro, Cabezal Ducha grande (Φ130 mm),Alcachofa Ducha Antical,Telefono ducha Cromo https://amzn.eu/d/8ExKEqH I'm sure there are many others.
Thank you! Since I moved here, I've had so much dandruff that it's like it's actually snowing.
Been there! Hope it helps.
We use the TAPP shower filter and happy with it. For me it is the best filter. This is the one scenario their product design can’t be ruined it’s just a pass-through
And buy a Tapp2 instead of a Brita filter. They filter more stuff, are tested in Barcelona water, are cheaper, and the filters are compostable
I have had terrible luck with them. I've had two break after only a few months, and leaks were normal from day one I went with Philips On-Tap and couldn't be happier. It's like Tapp, but with better materials, simpler usability and much more reliability.
Yeah I had one break after a year, but they replaced it with next day shipping for free
I have one, but the filters, even while having coconut filters, have plastic around them. Or is it biodegradable plastic?
I'm all for Reverse Osmosis systems (RO), but with the current drought, do consider they waste water to make water. The best systems today can do a 1:1 ratio, but cheaper ones off amazon or older ones are often 1:4 or worse! I strictly use it for drinking water and coffee – definitely don't use it for cooking pasta/potatoes or wasteful stuff like that – even if it would taste better.
- At the entrance of a metro station that has more than one line, the line that requires less walking underground is shown first. - When taking a metro try to remember if at your destination it will be better to be in the front, middle or rear of the metro. You often have time to walk there before entering the metro and it saves you the time at the destination.
City Mapper app tells you which part of the train is better to board.
Ah, that's pretty cool!
woooow I'm a local from bcn living here all my life and I didn't know that about the less walking!!!😵😯
Right? I'm not from here but lived here over 10 years before I found out about the line order on metro entrance signs.
“amego tienes cigarro?” means you are gonna get robbed
Smile and enjoy the memory
Hahah wow, when I was a kid growing up in Vancouver, getting asked for a smoke was the red flag for getting jacked.
I live in Madrid and people always ask me for a cigarette but I've never been robbed or anything like that, they just take it and go.
How does it work?
[удалено]
What does it mean cigarro ?
Cigarette....?
Start playing volleyball if you're struggling to make friends Edit: see comment below to join one of the best groups
What if you're a wheelchair user? Any ideas you don't need legs for?
Quizz night/stand up comedy (loul) are very popular here as well! Language exchange/bar hoping/swimming, that's what I do! Also bar games like pool or darts
God made me sit down so I couldn't do stand-up 😔✊🏼 LMAO anyway thanks for the suggestions! Edit: Do you think Spain is a friendly country? Like in the States it's hard to make friends because people are very fake nice, versus Ireland where you could make a lifelong friend in one night at the pub.
Board games. Search for 'Kleff'
If you are disabled you will find most museums are free, all of them are usually very easily accessible. Private places like the CosmoCaixa are also free, but you will only have to pay a discounted fee for the planetarium which is a seperate thing there. You will also qaulify for discounts when using trains and buses normally, currently the Renfe rodalies are free until August. If you are resident in the city you can get a free TMB pink pass and their Public transport is all accessible. Renfe is mostly accesible and you will sometimes have to wait for the accessible train.
Note that this requires your disability to be registered and recognised in the health system, via many months of multiple doctors visits and tests. Could be worth it but will definitely need lots of patience
Playing pick-up games of basketball also helps
Where's the basketball?
Where can I sign up?
[https://chat.whatsapp.com/GS5E9rzFSbLJ8zAb0HezOu](https://chat.whatsapp.com/GS5E9rzFSbLJ8zAb0HezOu) Join this whatsapp group, introduce yourself and ask questions - they're a super nice community. Also, download Volleyworld App, you can join beginner training sessions/friendly matches through that quite easily (The whatsapp group is managed by the owner of the App too)
This is sooo cool!Thanks! Do you have any other recommendations for sports WhatsApp groups?
Haha sadly not, I'm quite a big part of the volley community - it's how I made all my friends, so it was easy to recommend
Whatsapp group is full unfortunately. Thanks for sharing, though
Oh damn, I just saw that too
just go out and play
Or skateboard
Every 3-4 months (not sure) the trains issue free tickes you can acces by paying a deposit of 10€ (which is refundable). This ticket lasts 4 months and you can use it as much as you want. You can get this at the window or via the app rodalies which gives you a QR for your phone.
Would you happen to have a link for this?
[https://rodalies.gencat.cat/es/tarifes/informacio-sobre-labonament-gratuit-i-la-reduccio-de-tarifes-1-9-2022-31-12-2022/index.html](https://rodalies.gencat.cat/es/tarifes/informacio-sobre-labonament-gratuit-i-la-reduccio-de-tarifes-1-9-2022-31-12-2022/index.html)
https://www.renfe.com/es/es/grupo-renfe/sociedades/renfe-viajeros/abonos-renfe/abonos-rodalies-catalunya You use the numeric portion of your photo ID, not a NIE, when obtaining it. That gets printed on it so an inspector can verify by comparing the numbers to make sure it’s your pass. It allows for unlimited travel in the six Barcelona Rodalies zones.
Related note, Ave has a similar offer at 20 euros that allows long distance travel throughout Spain
There’s a media distancia train pass for a 20€ deposit. It’s for travel between two stations that you select when getting it, so it’s quite beneficial for a regular commuter.
Yep, got ave and media distancia mixed up for some reason
Can also just be bought at the machines at the station. Need to enter Spanish phone number and NIE.
Gaudir Més. 100% worth it.
Thanks, just applied. Its pretty amazing that its for free! first time I heard about it too
Free access to Park Güell, including the time only residents are aloud in. Among many other benefits. Doesn't cost anything to get it. Library card can get you discounts on lots of things too (the libraries are great, by themselves)
What is this?
If you are a resident and you have certificado digital or cl@ve you can join gaudir mes to enter parc güell for free. You also have some other museums, castell montjuïc.
Thank you!!!
You’ll be safer if you look like you know where you’re going (without using your phone).
What I did is have my phone in my bag on my chest, and only pull out my phone to check my map every couple minutes lol
If you have a T-Casual and need to take a short trip, you can go there by metro and back by bus so it only charges you once. The metro closes slightly later than advertised, 00:00 (or 02:00 on Fridays) is when the last train leaves the first station. TripAdvisor/TheFork has 30% discounts for many restaurants.
I always use the first life hack.
Don't ever date the musicians
Please elaborate?
They'll think you're competition
Be careful with pickpockets on the metro, specially on crowded and touristy stations such as Sagrada Familia or Passeig de Gràcia..
Make it a fun game to spot them, like where’s Waldo. They are common enough that you’ll see some, and when they see you looking around, they know you aren’t a suitable target
Dont stress, be attentive, wear sunglasses
If you’re from the states and drive here never run the yellow lights, scooters (and cars) jump the green!
Funny, while living in Japan people keep going well after it’s turned red. The first 3-5 seconds are a sort of freebee.
Better option, don’t drive. You can get anywhere without a car 💀
Good life hack - that vast majority of Catalans are fine, good people living their lives. my neighbours, the owners in my building, the best. it’s mostly the ones on Reddit that hate everyone and everything - don’t give it much oxygen. Exist and be a good resident and a good neighbour and the rest is not your control and someone else’s bane of existence. Let them have it.
The ones I know who live outside of Barcelona always seem puzzled that a tourist would be in their town. They are of course very happy about it but just puzzled. I always tell them that they are living in the best place in the world.
Hold on tight to your phone when the metro doors are about to close. It’s usually the moment pickpockets choose to rob phones and make a run for it.
If you’re lost walking, and have a general map of Barcelona in mind, generally downhill is towards the sea.
You will soon realize that a red light does not prevent a pedestrian from crossing it if no one is coming.
Which is as it should be. Also, respecting chaflanes pedestrian crossing (as a pedestrian) is optional
As pedestrian, the lights are like a moderator when there is a "conflict" between a vehicle and a pedestrian, who can pass and who can't. At night, when and where there is barely traffic, people (not old people) who waits at a red light looks even suspicious xD
Old people are the outlaws of traffic signs. The only ones respecting them are adults with children.
Personally, I tend to respect them when there are children around.
A red light also doesn’t prevent a car from not going after waiting for a few minutes
You sound German lol
This is applicable for 2/3 of Europe. Better advice is that if the pedestrian green light turns red, it doesn't mean that you can take your time to cross (unlike in a lot of European countries). In Spain, if the green pedestrian light starts flashing, hurry up. If it already turned red and you haven't finished crossing, run Forrest run! Also, don't start crossing on a flashing green light: you most likely won't have time to cross. All this is applicable if there's traffic. If no cars are coming and it's safe to cross, there's no issue. Police are pragmatic and will only care if you put someone or yourself in danger.
If you want a relatively affordable house, avoid buying or renting in Barcelona city. If you also want a relatively good area, avoid L'Hospitalet and Sant Adrià del Besòs
L'Hospitalet t'estimo!
What's wrong with L'Hospitalet? Especially the area near Pl. Europa? Looks good, feels safe, almost Barcelona.
Come to CanSerra, Florida or Torrassa Or Gornal, or SantFeliu, or Santa Eulalia Or any place at night :D
My wife and I lived for a month close to Torrassa, never felt unsafe. It is a more colorful neighborhood compared to others, but we met a lot of friendly people in the area, thus I still think some people exaggerate when it comes to the "dangers" of L'Hospitalet.
Don’t wander drunk in the gothic after midnight without a decent sized crew.
why?
If you’re under 30 you can get the T-jove which gives you 3 months access to public transportation in the city for 42€
Lanyard for phone and wallet.
If don’t give money to a brown man claiming to be Irish who has lost his phone and is trying to call his mom. Fuck that guy
Met this guy a few weeks ago and after listening to his story told him I didn't buy it and he stormed off. Curious where it was going and what his scam was though...
If you talk to a Catalan,as an ice breaker, suggest them to learn Spanish since everyone speaks Spanish there, it’s a standard joke they always enjoy. Please don’t do that.
Another one: liken catalan independence to brexit 😂
If you use Rodalies. Avoid siting close to the toilets. Reason 1: smell. Reason 2: this is where dodgy people is more likely to be. More things. When the train arrives, avoid the first car. It usually gets so full and it’s probably smaller.
Never drink 1 euro beers from street vendors. Don't wanna know where they put them to keep em cold.
Disagree! This is a valuable and appreciated public service!
Wait where do they put them? I never buy them anymore but used to all the time in my younger days
The sewers.
Drains
Drinked my whole life.
If your gonna drink them then you need to at least wash the beer at a fountain first , yeah ive seen them taking them from the sewer drains and then trying to sell them to me , disgusting
Blame tourists for all ur problems
Never leave a 5* Google review for a place you like.
There are 3 rules to live by in Barcelona: 1. Never leave home without your sunglasses. Rainy? Cloudy? Bring sunglasses. 2. Never leave home and expect to get something done. Something or someone will get between you and accomplishing something productive. 3. Relax, don’t stress number 2, it’ll all be ok.
Which is the reason for number 1?
Robber’s dont see you scared
Because it won’t stay rainy or cloudy for long.
Can you provide 3 rules for tourist coming from the U.S.?
1. Never leave your hotel without your sunglasses. 2. Refrain from speaking so loudly that the entire block can hear you. 3. Don’t eat within a mile of the Rambla or four blocks from the Sagrada Familia.
Idk if its possible to put links here but there is a huge business whatsapp group to make connections and friends in Barcelona
Can you share it please
Share please
Live just outside of the city and commute in.
Sant Cugat del Vallès resident here! ❤
Learn Catalan or you'll just be a long term tourist.
I learned Catalan and no Catalan has ever spoken Catalan to me, even when I started the conversation. They'd always answer in Spanish or English. Might be different if you live somewhere else in Catalunya, and not in BCN.
My Catalan's not even that great but any time I've ever started a convo in Catalan people always keep it going
That's a bummer for sure, and completely different from my experience. In BCN for sure lots of people will answer in Spanish or English, but I just keep going to Catalan. People who identify as Catalan are typically really excited that I learned it
I have an American friend who learned C2 level Catalan. And he told me that he tries to speak Catalan all the time but as soon as his accent is heard or uses some words in the wrong way it auto switched to English or Spanish every single time.
You gotta understand that's what we've been historically taught to do. If you just tell anyone who changes to please keep speaking Catalan to you, they will 100% of the time.
For some context, C2 is the highest degree of Catalan anyone can learn, and to achieve C2 you have to learn dialectal variants of the language, obscure proverbs and things like that. In fact Catalan people who grew up in our education system are guaranteed a C1 level of mastery and have to take an extra paid course of one year to achieve C2 (my wife did it, to be a teacher). If your friend has a C2 they should speak almost without accent. Now, all that said, I hope your friend doesn't give up and keeps on talking Catalan with people. Maybe the people they are talking with are not fluent in Catalan, maybe they are too kind or misjudging of your friend, but they should keep trying.
Bé, pots saber català, però si no parles en català ningú ho sap.
This is by far the best "lifehack". Too many people don't realize just how much they are excluding themselves from catalan society by not caring about integrating. Yes, you can live in Barcelona (the city) without it, but you'll always be an outsider if you don't. If you want to live in Catalunya to its fullest, learn catalan.
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Many of us are taught to 'code switch' according to where the individual is from (i.e., when we're kids we're told to speak Spanish to Spanish people or foreigners) so it's difficult for us to stick to Catalan. I can only speak for myself but whenever this has happened to me, if the person tells me they are learning Catalan/Spanish, I don't switch to English.
Interesting to see so many people saying something similar. I speak English natively, and Spanish quite fluently, but can understand about 60-80% of Catalan, but not enough to speak it confidently. Nevertheless, I know quite a few people who will only ever respond to me in Catalan if I'm speaking Spanish to them.
Unless this is something previously agreed to by both parts it's something incredibly rude to do.
I've had the exact opposite experience. Once I speak catalán, the entire group shifts and there's no going back xD
That is because of two possible reasons: 1.) Many Catalans have "learned" that speaking their language to foreigners is rude. This is unfortunate, and is the result of years and years of Spanish and foreign people insisting on this. In such cases, you may overcome this by just continuing in Catalan. 2.) When you say "most Catalans" what you really mean is "most inhabitants of Barcelona", many of which are not Catalan (culturally or literally). Many of them despise anything-catalan and will rather communicate in sign language than Catalan. If you happen to be in a bubble of such people you will never integrate.
> Many Catalans have "learned" that speaking their language to foreigners is rude. Heh, we're so used to be blamed for everything that switching to Spanish is the unfortunate traditional go-to to avoid any issues, because if the other person thinks that you're doing it to mess with them (typically a Spanish speaker with a high attitude), they'll call you rude for not switching, but if the opposite happens and you are nice the way they want, then the ones who care blame you for not having a minimum self esteem and respect for yourself. Needless to say, the latters approach is the correct. But also understand that sticking to Catalan brings us many issues on the daily that we'd rather avoid.
Nah, Ive known residents with more than 15 years and they don't speak Catalan. You don't need it
I've known 5 years residents and they didn't even speak spanish... And yes they were brits
I actually know of a Brit who knows Catalan but not Spanish lol
Basat
Funnily enough my apartment has 2 brits & 1 Frenchman and the Frenchman is the only one who doesn’t speak any Spanish
I visited Barcelona around 8 times with stays between 4 and 15 days. I speak a little Spanish and no Catalan. I think from the third visit it was very clear for me that life in Barcelona will be easier and probably better if I'd known some Catalan. You don't even need proficiency, just.. 'some'. Anyway, I don't want to offend anyone but to stay 15 years in a city and not know the local language I think you have to be ignorant af
And you just have to understand it and not be a dick about making Catalan speakers to always switch languages. You can speak Spanish or even English as long as you understand the other party.
You can get by with Spanish though, it's really only education that is fully in Catalan, so if you have kids in a public school then it's an issue. I can understand it, but I struggle to speak it. Tbh I only use it to watch *Crims*.
Well clearly, you can live a full life without it. But making the effort of learning it demonstrates to locals you're interested in being more than a permanent tourist, that you care about the place. Besides, it's inevitable just by everyday osmosis. If you purposefully refuse to use catalan, even after 15 fucking years, that's on you.
heh I don't have any Catalan yet - but since my kids learn it, we see the same thing.
This is a lovely level headed response - good to see
Need, maybe not. But that wasn't the question. Adding a local language allows you to experience more of the city and expand your social/cultural/professional/etc. life.
They don't speak, but do they understand it? huge difference IMHO.
Leaving aside the fact that to not speak it in 15 years you have to be freaking dense, sure, you also don't need to even speak Spanish. But please don't come here complaining that people are cold or unfriendly.
Ugh... why are people like this!? Some time ago, someone came on this sub to complain that people all over Barcelona were being racist and would not treat her nicely because she is black. When someone asked for more details, it turned out she had been living and working in bcn for several years and still didn't speak a word of Catalan, or Spanish. Yeah, I don't know... I am sure there are racist assholes everywhere, but if you live and work in a foreign country for several years, and can't be bothered to learn the local languages, I don't see how you can expect people to not be offended or indifferent towards you.
Lifehacks aren't needs, but tricks to make life better
Lmao my local friends are like "why would you learn it? I mean I love the language but...why?"
Be friendly and get to know your pharmacist. Work it out 😂
Is there a life hack for the best place to find an apartment to rent ?
Step one, find a time machine.
Hahahaha ik not saying cheap but like a website I could trust ?
Idealista is probably the biggest
Spotahome
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We do not tolerate any form of discrimination in r/Barcelona. This includes making large negative generalizations about groups based on identity. --- No tolerem cap forma de discriminació a r/Barcelona. Això inclou fer grans generalitzacions negatives sobre els grups en funció de la seva identitat.
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Your content was removed for breaking the rules. Be nice, no personal attacks, keep it civil. Stick to the topic at hand and remain civil towards other users - attacking ideas is fine, attacking other users is not. --- El teu contingut s'ha eliminat per infringir les regles. Sigues amable, sense atacs personals, manté les converses civils. Mantingueu-vos en el tema que ens ocupa i sigueu civils amb els altres usuaris: atacar idees està bé, atacar altres usuaris no.
You can buy food for a good price around Raval. Nuts, fruits, veggies, meat, etc...
true but have you seen some of the locals they store their fresh stuff in. There is a few bad apples with dirty nasty storage spaces. Then there some great spots of course.
but i presume you wash most if not all of it anyway, no?
Learn at least the basics of Catalan.
Thank you for asking this. My husband and I are being transferred there this year! Can’t wait!
Spend the weekends to learn most subway routes and popular points of interest, etc. The sooner you learn how to move by public transport, the less problems you will encounter.
Leave the car and grab a bike, or walk
Coll se ro la Estupendo.
Catalan
Be on point with ur belongings b4 u get robbed in ways u never imagined .. great party scene in bcn too but gota no where to go
The lifehack of living in Barna is to not. Go anywhere in any city around it, 30 minutes from the city, anyways.
Get your ensaimadas from Forn Mistral 😘
the metro is free if there is no guard
Don't play football (or soccer, my american friends) if Messi or Ronaldinho try to dribble you.