Please or to access all these features

Add post

Watch this thread

Save thread

Start a new thread

Flip thread

Hide thread

My feed

Active Unanswered threads

Getting started FAQ's

Unanswered threads Acronyms Talk guidelines

Hide shortcut buttons

Talk

AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Flip

1 2

Original poster

AIBU to not want to go to Barcelona

26 replies

3awesomestars · 04/10/2017 18:18

Longstanding girls weekend away planned for this weekend for friends big birthday.

With everything that is going on and how things are developing I would rather cut our losses, lose the flight money and go somewhere else.

Friends think I'm being a drama queen and that it will all be fine. Am I being unreasonable?

OP posts:

lalalonglegs · 04/10/2017 18:37

I love Barcelona so I'd go but I'd expect (a) some disruption, there could well be strikes on public transport networks (b) I'd stick to the tourist areas such as the Gothic Quarter, Sagrada Familia etc and avoid the areas that crowds are likely to gather.

onalongsabbatical · 04/10/2017 18:42

Well, I think loads of people are going to say don't be silly, but I'm going to say YANBU, and I would feel the same. A previous poster said stick to tourist areas and avoid crowds which sounds contradictory to me, though I guess she meant political crowds, but I think - knowing Barcelona a bit - the political crowds are just as likely to be in the tourist areas and it's not that simple.

Tilapia · 04/10/2017 18:44

You can make your own choices, but YABU to put pressure on your friends to do the same. Your OP seems to imply that you think everyone should cancel, not just you?

gunsandbanjos · 04/10/2017 18:45

I don't think you're a drama queen, I understand your trepidation. I'd still probably go but be careful and try and avoid areas with demonstrations.

lalalonglegs · 04/10/2017 18:45

Actually, sabbatical is correct - I've just looked up where the main Catalan government building is and it's in the old town (I had a vague idea that I'd passed it last time so checked). Hmm, it might be a bit hairy there... I'd still go though .

WhooooAmI24601 · 04/10/2017 18:50

I don't think you're BU to not go, but it would be entirely unreasonable to expect the others to cut their losses and pay out for another location.

Barcelona is beautiful, though, and there are some incredible places to eat if you do end up going (including the best steak restaurant I've been).

FenceSitter01 · 04/10/2017 18:50

DH was in Barcelona this week - I had to send him MSM links to the riots etc - he didn't see any of it.

I suppose it's like us being reported abroad for riots in London - Lewisham or Brixton or Croydon is not all of London.

SuziePink · 04/10/2017 18:51

Barcelona is a lovely city. I'd much rather go, have a good time and support the local people than not, personally. Saying that, if you don't want to go, don't go but don't force your decision on others.

PerfumeIsAMessage · 04/10/2017 18:56

I have 2 colleagues who live in Catalonia, one in Barcelona itself and one in Tarragona. Both were a bit surprised when I mailed and said "are you OK?" on Sunday night. They were "why wouldn't we be?" "Oh that No, everything's fine"

Apparently (according to them, and obviously, they are a sample of 2 so hardly comprehensive) the Catalan government is (I quote) "just trying to provoke trouble and make more of the whole thing than there really is"

Some of the telly footage looks quite hairy, but I'd still go I think.

pasturesgreen · 04/10/2017 19:01

No way I'd go now if it could be avoided. There's bound to be strikes and/or disruption.

Original poster

3awesomestars · 04/10/2017 19:01

Thanks, your replies have made me feel a bit more positive. I don't expect everyone to cancel. I would just feel a bit mean not going, we do a couple of girls weekends altogether a year and it would be strange if one wasn't there. So I will be peer pressured anyway!!
I'm dont normally get bothered by this stuff, I just feel it will be a massive waste of money if the streets are rammed like the press photos showed yesterday as everything's shut. I suppose there is always the hotel bar if nothing else!!

OP posts:

AnyFucker · 04/10/2017 19:05

I would still go. Barcelona has plenty of room.

SouthWestmom · 04/10/2017 19:08

I wouldn't go because I found Barcelona a bit 'meh'. I would go if I liked it because I just don't think there will be any impact on tourists from the political stuff.

PinkSnowAndStars · 04/10/2017 19:39

Purfume - I’m jealous of your friend! Tarragona is a lovely place!!

BCNChica · 04/10/2017 19:41

It's fine here. Everything is pretty much normal. Just avoid Plaza Catalunya and the tourist areas, for no other reason than they're crap, overpriced and pickpocket heaven.

BCNChica · 04/10/2017 19:42

Get the metro to Fontana and hang around Gracia, that's the gem of Barcelona.

BroomstickOfLove · 04/10/2017 19:43

My sister lives in Barcelona and when I spoke to her at the weekend she said that it was really quiet and she hadn't encountered any disruption at all.

Thunderblunder · 04/10/2017 19:50

I'm in Barcelona at the moment. We flew out on monday and are due back to the UK on Friday.
Other than the strike yesterday and the daily news reports you wouldn't know there was anything going on.

Wanderlust1984 · 04/10/2017 20:23

I was there at the weekend and it was fabulous. We saw the riots and our monarch flight was obviously cancelled but I'm still glad I went!

PigletWasPoohsFriend · 04/10/2017 20:27

I think you are better going this weekend than next week tbh.

Jasminedes · 04/10/2017 20:29

My colleague has a relative there. She said that all the local people she knows went out and voted without disruption the other day, and life is going on as normal. I am not up to date on the strike etc, but presume there is no specific warning against travel. Hope you feel you can go and don!t miss out on your trip.

Oblomov17 · 05/10/2017 07:09

Generally, I don’t these types of threads: after an incident : I’m too frightened to go to Manchester / let dd go on a school trip to London.

I don’t understand the thought process, anxiety, paranoia and lack of risk assessment skills that makes these decisions seem logical.

Barcelona is fabulous. But if it was any other place, I would say the same.

BurnTheBlackSuit · 05/10/2017 07:22

It depends on what will happen when they "declare independence". I think they said Sunday or early next week. When are you going until?

I wouldn't be that happy going. Not sure if I'd cancel or not though. Barcelona will obviously be the centre of independence and therefore the focus of trouble.

liminality · 05/10/2017 12:11

I think it is kind of rude to go on boozy girls weekend to a country in thee middle of what is essentially a civil war. It's this kind of utter disregard for locals and their issues that is leading to a lot of unrest amongst the Spanish for tourists.
I would definitely go elsewhere at this point in time. Tensions are running very high there.

Original poster

3awesomestars · 05/10/2017 12:48

Thankyou everyone, we discussed it last night and we are going to change our hotel to one away from the main square and focus our activities away from the main areas. A restaurant owner where we have booked a table for Saturday has contacted me and said don't worry - the media are making things look much worse than they are and they still hope people will visit, which concurs with the posts above from those who are there.
Liminality - If we wanted a boozy girls weekend we would be going to Benidorm, we chose Barcelona because we like art, museums, nice restaurants, tapas and culture. Very presumptuous and kind of rude of you to assume we are going to get wrecked all weekend.

OP posts:

Flip

1 2