6 days Ago By Albert Diumenjó Segalà
The power returned (partially) while it was still daylight, and people applauded and excitedly photographed streetlights. At dusk, Barcelona became a mixture of darkness and light. Some streets were illuminated; in others, nothing could be seen beyond a few balconies with their bulbs on and cell phone flashlights on for orientation.
Why has electricity been restored to the homes and not the streets? It's a question municipal sources haven't been able to answer. As the hours passed and dawn arrived, the center of Barcelona returned to what it was, with an artificial light (almost without dark spots) that revealed drunken tourists zigzagging with bottles in their hands, cleaning crews, and police officers (today twice as many as on other nights) patrolling. All this is happening as dozens of people arrive at the designated sports centers.
They've been stranded by the transport strike. It's two in the morning when a nightclub on Balmes Street starts to fill up. "After the blackout, they're in the mood to party," says the owner.
It's also two in the morning when about twenty passengers from a train from Seville arrive at the España Industrial sports center to sleep on the floor, between the lines for free kicks and penalties. The power has been back on for barely an hour, while in other parts of Barcelona it's been out since five in the afternoon. The España Industrial sports center is the one that has welcomed the largest number of people in the Catalan capital, with nearly 160 unable to return home because of the massive blackout.
Mostly, they're people who had to take a train from Sants station and ended up spending the night on the sports center's court, with a mattress and a Red Cross blanket, and their suitcases ready to return home as soon as possible. A hundred more slept in the Municipal Sports Center at Gare du Nord, and around twenty more at Can Dragó. In total, almost 300 people spent the night in Barcelona's sports centers.
The City Council created these spaces because they are strategically located near major stations, where it was anticipated that many people could be trapped. Initially, it also created the Can Ricart pavilion in the Raval district, but eventually closed it because there weren't enough people, who have been relocated to one of the other sports centers. Breakfast is ready; the lights are dimmed as night falls.
And there are people who are already snoring. Some are crippled from having waited and waited at Sants station, hoping the train would leave, something it never did. Aside from the sports centers, the Catalan capital's city council has also kept the metro running all night so everyone can get home regardless of the time.
This has shaken up the lives of thousands of Catalans. They celebrate, surprised and happy, that they don't have to pay for the night. For example, there are about twenty people dancing to the music at the Belive club.
The owner believes that tonight will be a good night, that they will make more money than expected simply because most of the competition has closed..
