It was a very relaxed day after a jam packed Barcelona weekend! Class and then la playa the rest of the day! I must say I am doing an excellent job of not getting burnt! Since I didn't take any new pictures today because not much is new today I will take this opportunity to teach you a little bit about Catalunya which we have been learning about in classes and while walking around Tarragona. Catalunya (see http://www.europeanhomerentals.com/ImageArchive/map_catalunya.gif ) was an independent state until September 11, 1714 when the Spainish Empire succesfully overtook Barcelona and claimed Catalunya as part of Spain. Today September 11 is Catalunya's national day (La Diada Nacional de Catalunya). Many people still believe Catalonia should be it's own state independent of Spain while others are okay with being part of Spain as long as they preserve their own language and culture. The former fly a variation of the traditional Catalan flag (which is a yellow flag with 4 red stripes) that also has a white star within a blue triangle. In Barcelona there was a stand of shirts that said "Me, Spanish?" and a person under the writing laughing on the ground. Everyone here speaks both Cataln and Spanish but their first choice in everyday use is almost always Cataln. Either way, it is clear the people of Catalunya have a strong sense of pride in their history and continue their traditions to this day. Walking the beach today we saw grafiti in Catalan that said "300 years of occupation, 300 years of resistance". Viva Catalunya :)
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