roses and they in return give their man a book. The symbolism is meant for a rose to mean love and a book to last forever. Up and down Placa Catalunya, down Las Ramblas and through the old city there were stands selling roses from 1 euro to 20 euros. There were also book stands where huge crowds of both men and women waited in line for discounted products. Outside Corte Ingles there had to be a line of over 300 people looking to buy books. I had never seen the streets of Barcelona so packed with pedestrians. Men, women and children of all ages crowded the streets all for Sant Jordi? I came to a realization that La Diada de Sant Jordi wasn't just a day to celebrate love, it was a day to celebrate Catalunya. Catalan flags draped buildings and stands up and down the streets. A huge Catalan flag hung from Corte Ingles, the most recognizable building in Barcelona's largest plaza. I found it interesting that Corte Ingles' headquarters are stationed in Madrid yet they allowed a huge Catalan flag to be draped from their building in Barcelona's most prominent plaza. It was a day of Catalan nationalism. Not necessarily a day for Catalan independence, but a day to celebrate a tradition that began as early as the 16th century and a tradition that was clearly still going strong.
As I prepare to leave Catalunya in just over two weeks, I found myself appreciating the Catalan people and the value they place on family and tradition. I had never seen such appreciation of a city then I did on the faces of every Catalan that walked down the streets of Barcelona. It seemed as if nobody had anywhere to be so they spent the day just walking the streets and people watching and gazing up at the architecture. Restaurants were packed, bars were wall-to-wall and people were happy. It was nice to return to Barcelona.
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