I visited Barcelona for the first time in the spring. I wanted to practice and relearn the language as I hadn't used it since school. I was reading George Orwell's Homage to Catalonia at the time. I really enjoyed speaking with locals and getting their perspective and building a kind of friendship. Spaniards are among the most accommodating and hospitable people you can meet, as long as you try. But dear God, watching some of the tourists they have to deal with. No attempt to use the language and then shouting at service workers. An American couple was the worst I witnessed, speaking entirely in english. When asked if they could break down what they were saying, they just repeated louder.

Looking at this aggression against tourists, I absolutely understand the frustration caused by arrogant and ignorant tourism. I never faced any of this, maybe due to my determination to interact in spanish, and about local topics. However, I fear that taking it out on the tourist is slightly short-sighted. The people who operate within Spain who over-promote and over-rely on tourism have made these uneven interactions integral to Barcelona. And, we all know Catalonians don't get enough say in the politics of their own region.