First published: December 19, 2024 12:29 PM Sant Jaume de Frontanyà, in the rural central northern county of Berguedà, is once again the least populated town in Catalonia, with just 26 inhabitants. According to the municipal census as of January 1, 2024 published on Thursday, the town has because the one with the fewest residents for the first time since 2016, after its population decreased by three in 2023. Gisclareny, in the same region, had held the title for least inhabited town ever since Sant Jaume de Frontanyà lost it in 2016. On the other hand, the data released on Thursday also shows that Puigcerdà is the county capital with the highest population growth in Catalonia, with 2.7% year-on-year increase. In addition, for the first time in its history, Puigcerdà has more than 10,000 inhabitants. Overall, around two out of every three Catalan towns have seen an increase in their population in the last year. A total of 19 specific towns hold half of the entire population of the territory. A little over 4 million people live in Barcelona, ​​l'Hospitalet, Terrassa, Badalona, ​​Sabadell, Lleida, Tarragona, Mataró, Santa Coloma de Gramenet, Sant Cugat del Vallès, Cornellà de Llobregat, Rubí, Manresa, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Castelldefels and Viladecans, the most populous cities in Catalonia, in that order. Get the day's biggest stories right to your phone v1.1.0. Copyright © 2025. Powered by EBANTIC. All rights reserved. SpainChevron GironaChevron This family farmhouse, renovated and run by the tastemakers behind Barcelona’s hip Hotel Brummell, attracts both hardcore nature explorers and those pondering what a move to the countryside might look like. It ticks off the checklist of rural fantasies—there are chickens, an equestrian center, a golf course, and sink-into armchairs crying out for a good book. All without scrimping on those key urban essentials: an excellent restaurant and strong Wi-Fi. Decorated simply, with a palette of beiges, wood, and a quirky touch via, say, a contemporary wall tapestry (there’s that urban edge peeking out again). There’s nothing wildly memorable about the rooms (of which there are 14, including three family suites, plus one villa that sleeps up to 12). However, squishy beds hit all the right spots, and a silence policy after 11pm ensures that a restorative shut-eye is all but set in stone. Massages can be reserved with a physiotherapist, and there’s an outdoor pool whose temperature can politely be described as “fresh”. Ok, you might scream. Those who haven’t adopted the ice-bath trend may be more interested in the hot springs at Dorres, a 20-minute drive away. The nearest town is Puigcerdà, which offers good lunch options, but the outdoor landmarks are what you come for. Drive 20 minutes to the slopes of Masella and La Molina, both great for e-biking in summer and skiing in winter. There are as many hiking routes as there are untethered cows along them (yep, this is proper countryside). There’s also an 18-hole golf course beside the hotel. It’s worth noting that you definitely need a car here as there’s not much around the hotel to walk to. You’re handed a passport-sized guidebook on arrival, which is an absolute gem (other hotels, take note!). It includes maps of cycle, hiking and horse-riding routes; restaurant suggestions; local sights and excursions. Brilliantly useful. The main focus is on ‘km0’ products (which means goods that are produced or harvested less than 100km away from where they’re consumed), and avoiding plastic waste by using refillable bottles. If you do one thing while staying, book dinner. Bigger picture, Mas Sant Marc makes an excellent overnight stop if you’re continuing up into France. Pack a warm layer for those chilly mornings and evenings, then fill your lungs with mountain air, put your legs through their paces, and drink in the spectacular views. All listings featured on Condé Nast Traveler are independently selected by our editors. If you book something through our links, we may earn an affiliate commission. up-to-the-minute voice in all things travel Condé Nast Traveler is the global citizen’s bible and muse We understand that time is the greatest luxury which is why Condé Nast Traveler mines its network of experts and influencers so that you never waste a meal or a hotel stay wherever you are in the world Did you find any incorrect or incomplete information? Please, let us know Club Gel Puigcerdà was born in 1956 when a team created in the school Pensionat d'Alta Muntanya played the first match on the frozen lake of Puigcerdà The ice hockey venue was inaugurated in 1958 with an international festival of ice the hockey clubs of the village as AEP (Alumni of the School Pia) played several games In 1983 was inaugurated the current pavilion where the club plays Barça Hockey Gel retaining the title of Liga Nacional after a thrilling playoffs game #4 against GC Puigcerdà decided at overtimeIt's the seventh title for hockey section of giant FC Barcelona All games and stats from the season here: https://bit.ly/3Kd7NW7 curiously obtained against the same opponent and on the same ice Club Hielo Jaca won its 12th title beating 5-1 GC Puigcerdà in game #5 of the finals at home in front of 1600 spectators It's the 4th title in last six years for the club Its the first trophy for Barcelona coach Danylo Didkovsky Frank González new President of Spanish Ice Sports Federation CG Puigcerdà participates in season 2024-2025: Copa del Rey, Liga Nacional, Liga Nacional Sub18, Liga Nacional Femenino (women) Luleå wins their second title in Sweden, 29 years after the first one. Read more» The Nashville Predators and Pittsburgh Penguins will face off in Stockholm, Sweden, on November 14 and 16, 2025, as part of the NHL Global Series. These games at the renovated Avicii Arena mark the 47th and 48th NHL contests held in ... Read more» If only the airline didn’t delay the arrival of our luggage for two and a half days We started the trip with four days in Barcelona We then rented a Tesla and spent three days in the Pyrenees driving around to the tiny tax-free country of Andorra to the sprawling city of Toulouse in France and to the fairy tale village of Puigcerda in Spain We finished the trip with four days on the island of Majorca in the middle of the crystal-clear Mediterranean Sea The highlight of that leg of the trip was a five-hour catamaran voyage with seventy drunk Europeans including both a bachelor and a bachelorette party I’ll never again hear the Momma Mia song without remembering the crew and the ladies dancing it up My wife’s mission was finding just the right shoes that were made in Spain I think she ended up buying five pairs for herself and one pair for our granddaughter my mission was to find out how they heat buildings on the other side of the Atlantic I found five examples of cast iron hot water radiators We checked in to our Bed & Breakfast in Barcelona the first day We both had the one change of clothes they recommend in our carry-ons It turns out that I can miss a day or two of shaving but my wife can’t be without her stuff for long We did shop for some things other than shoes The nice guy at the desk explained that our room was in the building next door and up three floors in an antique elevator The radiator in photo A was in the hallway leading to our room I hadn’t seen this style cast iron radiator in my forty years of looking at cast iron radiators It was perfect for a hallway because it only stood off the wall about two inches A flat cast iron radiator before there were flat panel steel radiators Tile floors were everywhere and always interesting The B&B was in apartment building built in the 1920’s Our room had a column style cast iron radiator from that era on the terrace where we had our breakfast every morning it has a thermostatic actuated radiator valve The valve regulates the flow of hot water into the radiator to maintain the room temperature at the setpoint on the dial of the actuator Europeans like the comfort and savings that these valves provide I’ve found that most Americans are not that interested What interested me about this radiator was how they do the manual air vent The end sections of the radiator do not have the boss cast into the section to drill and tap for an air vent American radiators almost always have that I guess the Europeans like to use a bunch of bushings to install the manual vent The radiator in photo C was hanging over the fireplace in the hotel we stayed at in the Pyrenees it was a picture of a greenhouse that used to be on the property This place was built in 1910 as a summer home then repurposed as a luxury hotel twenty years ago when we got to our five-star hotel in Majorca The radiators in photos D and E were in shoe stores (imagine that) in the nearby village of Puigcerda This is up in the mountains near some major ski resorts The radiator in photo d is about the longest radiator I can remember It has the thermostatic valve on the supply end These type of valves have to be on the supply side because of the internal construction If the water flows through it the wrong way The radiator in photo E only has 26 sections but unlike the 70-section radiator where the supply and return are on opposite sides of the radiator the connections are through one valve on the same side I’m not sure what magic is going on to get that radiator to heat end to end I did not find any cast iron radiators or panel radiators on the island of Majorca Our modern hotel room had the typical forced air system and light switches that I had to ask at the front desk how to turn off There were a couple of things like that to remind you that you weren’t at home. My phone was the remote control for watching Netflix in the room; that fact was only apparent after two visits to the room by the nice lady at the front desk. I’m glad I only travel once a year, my PTET was kicking in Patrick Linhardt is a forty-year veteran of the wholesale side of the hydronic industry who has been designing and troubleshooting steam and hot water heating systems pumps and controls on an almost daily basis he is currently Hydronic Manager at the Corken Steel Products Co Patrick Linhardt is a forty-one-year veteran of the wholesale side of the hydronic industry who has been designing and troubleshooting steam and hot water heating systems triggering one of the greatest exoduses of modern times “The roads gave out near France so we had to walk over the Col D’Ares pass. It was bitterly cold and there was snow. We had to abandon our belongings, we couldn’t carry them. We found a hut to sleep in. The man who owned it came. It turned out he was a distant relation and in the morning he took me on his shoulders and we walked into France.” Once the refugees arrived in France the official reception was hostile. The French authorities opened the borders until Franco’s troops, in pursuit of the Republicans, reached Le Perthus. But they were completely unprepared for the numbers: there were no provisions, no sanitation, and no shelter from harsh mountain weather for exhausted and demoralised refugees. They were given one loaf between five people and a small cup of water at 3pm, nothing else. None of the refugees were released unless they could get “sponsorship” from a legitimate person outside. But the rightwing press whipped up local hostility, claiming most internees were criminals or seditious communists, mocking them for complaining about rations. Read moreRivesaltes memorial camp only opened in 2015 “It was a 20-year fight to create it,” says Sajaloli “The mayor wanted the barracks to be bulldozed.” But with pressure from historians and Filles et Fils de Républicains Espagnols et fils d’exodus d’Espagne the derelict barracks were preserved and now provide a haunting setting for a museum which is the focus of a painful awakening of memory Nearly 200,000 refugees returned to Spain – after the French encouraged them to go and Franco shamefully lied that they would be well-received moved between camps or used as forced labour Republican fighters who escaped joined the resistance but were eventually absorbed into the local region shaping its history and identity ever since makes her weep: “My parents never saw Spain again.” last stronghold of Spanish Republicans in Catalonia triggering an exodus of Republican fighters and their families France opens its border to refugees – women France opens a camp for internees at Argelès beach 11 Feb onwards Camps open across the Pyrénées-Orientales and neighbouring areas By mid-March they will contain a quarter of a million refugees This is the archive of The Observer up until 21/04/2025. The Observer is now owned and operated by Tortoise Media. First published: December 8, 2024 12:25 PM The first major snowfalls of the winter arrived in northern Catalonia on Saturday night. A sudden drop in temperatures favored significant snow accumulation in various parts of the Pyrenees. Snowfall totals exceeded 20 centimeters across the region, especially in the western Pyrenees, including areas such as Vall d'Aran, Alta Ribagorça and Pallars Sobirà. Among the most significant measurements were 27 centimeters in Tavascan, 16 centimeters in Vielha and 13 centimeters in Puigcerdà, according to the Catalan Meteorological Service (MeteoCat). The 112 emergency number received around 60 calls related to the heavy snowstorm, mainly from second home hotspots such as Cerdanya, Vall d'Aran and Alt Urgell. Firefighters assisted two vehicles stranded in the snow, with all passengers unharmed. Two roads were closed due to snow: the C-28 at Port de la Bonaigua and the BV-4031 at Coll de la Creueta. In addition, chains are required on several other routes, including the N-230 at the Vielha tunnel and the N-141 at Bossòst.  Strong winds have also caused significant disruptions in Catalonia this weekend, with gusts reaching up to 120 km/h in several areas. Unusually, the Barcelona region was among the affected areas, typically not prone to such strong winds. The 112 emergency hotline received nearly 1,600 calls, with the majority coming from Barcelona, Tarragonès, and Baix Camp counties. Most calls were recorded on Saturday evening and night, prompting firefighters to respond to approximately 125 wind-related incidents just in the city of Barcelona.  The strong winds injured two people on Saturday. In Cornellà de Llobregat, near Barcelona, a woman sustained serious injuries after being struck by a falling tree and is now hospitalized in critical condition. In Balaguer, Lleida, a man suffered minor injuries caused by a falling Christmas decoration. The R3 Rodalies train line was disrupted between Ripoll and Puigcerdà from Saturday evening to Sunday midday due to the adverse weather conditions.  With the service now restored, the entire Rodalies network is operating normally. However, on Saturday afternoon, the southern region faced additional disruptions caused by fallen trees due to the strong winds. A unique hospital deserves unique surroundings and this is probably why Cerdanya Hospital is set at the foot of snow-capped mountains But Cerdanya's health center is actually much more interesting for how its governed than for where it lies It is located just 800 meters from the Spanish-French border The hospital serves residents in the Gran Cerdanya (Great Cerdanya) area and the historical Catalan county of Capcir "Cerdanya Hospital is a binational entity created to provide healthcare and hospital care to all of the population of what we like to call Gran Cerdanya and in Capcir," Xavier Conill, the managing director of the hospital tells Catalan News but its peculiarity is that it is a binational public hospital managed by Catalan and French authorities," he added The management of this infrastructure is divided between the Catalan health department and the French health ministry in a 60-40% partnership This is possible because it is a European Grouping of Territorial Cooperation a mechanism introduced in 2006 by the European Parliament Cerdanya Hospital was one of the first projects that applied this formula and it even won the Building Europe Across Borders award in 2016 given out by the European Committee of the Regions to the best cross-border cooperation project from where visitors can see the mountains on the French side of the border and small villages on the Spanish side.  This proximity to the border could make patients believe it is a cross-border health center "We have introduced the word 'binational' because we like it more than cross-border because cross-border is still discussing borders While there are other hospitals in Europe that offer some cross-border services Cerdanya Hospital is the only one considered binational and managed by administrations from two sides of an international boundary    Cerdanya Hospital is a reality because three major things happened in the county in the late 1990s, around 1997-98.  The first was a "snowstorm blocking all roads connecting Cerdanya with Perpignan for many days," Conill says. This "made it complicated for French citizens to reach hospitals in Perpignan and Prades." Furthermore, French authorities, due to planning purposes, closed down the maternity ward in Prades, prompting pregnant women to travel 160 kilometers on a "very difficult road" to Perpignan to give birth. Finally, Puigcerdà Hospital, which had been open for centuries, was becoming "small and old," and patients needed newer facilities. All of these issues drove Catalan president, Jordi Pujol, and president of the French Languedoc-Roussillon region, Jacques Blanc, to meet in February 2003 and agree to study the possibility of opening a new health center. Construction work eventually started in February 2009. A series of setbacks and delays meant doors did not open until September 19, 2014 at 7am. Cerdanya Hospital is relatively small with 35 beds across 60 rooms, meaning there is still room available as they currently offer double rooms fro each patient. But even though there are not a lot of rooms, the hospital has "basic services," including surgery, trauma and orthopedics, gynecology, and pediatric services, Conill says. All these services are open to those registered in the Catalan health service, CatSalut, and those in the French service, Assurance Maladie (Amelie). At the door, there is a small check-in machine that supports both health cards, the Catalan one and the French Carte Vitale. But not all services are used in the same proportion. For example, "we would treat around the same number of northern residents of the border than southern ones in trauma," Conill says.  For other services such as a "prosthetic replacement, people living on the Spanish side of the border will come here as it is much more practical than driving to the central city of Manresa," and because the health department will suggest they be treated in Cerdanya. While in France, patients can choose to go to, for example, Paris, if they prefer. "When we talk about the 60-40 proportion it is because the population proportion is more or less this one," Conill says, as there are more inhabitants in the southern part than in the northern part. The hospital serves around 30,000 inhabitants, but during peak holiday seasons, it can serve up to 180,000 inhabitants. During the pandemic lockdowns, police had to ask the hospital for a list of patients who visited the clinic to allow them to cross the border. But "despite the situation, we were able to react," Conill says. "Many patients in more serious condition had to be moved to other hospitals, but [because everyone was at home during lockdown] we could treat residents in the area," he adds. Border crossing during the pandemic is just one of the examples of the day-to-day difficulties this unique binational hospital has. Others include management decisions between the French and Catalan health departments, different working practices, or having to install phone antennas because in some corridors, phones connected to French cellphone signal, and in some other areas, phones connected to Spanish cell networks.  Healthcare workers "try to treat our patients the best way we know, regardless of where they reside. This is our vision. We do have many problems, but we should try to reach unique solutions to unique problems," Conill says. Paperwork and administrative complications are par for the course at the health center, and it even affects ambulances, as the ones from the Catalan emergency services cannot travel to the northern side of the border, nor can French ones travel south of the border, except to go to the hospital.  Challenges appeared from day one when the hospital opened in 2014. Managing births and deaths, especially of patients who live on the French side of the border, is, up to this day, still complicated.  Currently, a newborn baby is still considered a French citizen born abroad, making it more time-consuming for parents to register their newborn child in the French registry, even though the French health ministry also manages the health center.  Something which, with time, has changed is the treatment of those patients who pass away. In the past, remains that needed to cross the border had to be moved in lead coffins, making the process more expensive and complicated.  "Now though, the whole process takes around 24 hours," Conill says.  A binational hospital managed by different administrations with different languages is quite unconventional.  All signs are written in Catalan and French, and Spanish too, as authorities from the Spanish government urged days before the health center opened. As such, there are signs that read: 'RR.HH.,' 'RR.HH.,' and 'RH,' (HR in English), or even 'Administració,' 'Administración,' 'Administration' - this last one should be read in a French accent rather than an English one.  These signs are to indicate where to go, but what do workers speak to each other and to patients? Easy, whichever language they understand. And when treating patients in the patient’s mother tongue.  "Speaking Catalan and French, or Catalan, Spanish, and French… Well, if we found someone that speaks three, four, or five languages, amazing! If not, at least workers should be willing to learn," Xavier Conill says.  Even all of Hospital Cerdanya’s social media posts are bilingual.  The binational Cerdanya Hospital project opened in 2014. A decade on, the team hopes Europe will consider it an experimental lab to learn more about binational management and how to care for European citizens. "We ask the European Union to consider us as their experimental lab for management and binational administration, which is very important and especially for services for the European citizen," Conill says.  Rodalies commuter rail services have been practically fully restored on Wednesday after Monday's blackout. All lines were operating normally as midday, after service was fully restored on the R3 and R4 lines. At the start of Wednesday’s service, trains were running on the R3 between L’Hospitalet de Llobregat and Ripoll, while buses covered the journey between Ripoll and Puigcerdà. However, at 7.20 am a remote control failure forced the service between Vic and Ripoll to be cut off. Separately, on the R4, a signalling failure between Els Monjos and l'Arboç which was causing delays, was resolved before noon. Renfe provided a replacement bus service between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Vilafranca del Penedès to minimize the impact on passengers while technicians worked to fix the problem.  The railway company has reported that in some stations the information and sales systems may not work properly due to failures caused by the shutdown of technological elements of the network. Technicians are working to replace damaged parts and repair the damage to the system. Renfe reported this Tuesday that it would work all night to recover usual services in the commuter rail network, after the difficulties it had in restoring the service the day after the shutdown. At night, the R1 line (between Molins de Rei and Maçanet Massanes), the R2 (between Castelldefels and Granollers Centre), the R2 Nord (between El Prat Airport and Maçanet Massanes), the R3 (between Hospitalet and Puigcerdà), the R4 (between Sant Vicenç de Calders and Manresa) and the R11 (between Barcelona and Portbou) had been restored with minimal services. “Today everything ran smoothly,” Marta Belmonte said to ACN, a commuter from Tiana (Maresme) who travels to Barcelona for work, expressing surprise at the experience.  The R3 Rodalies rail line faced disruptions on Monday morning between Parets and Les Franqueses del Vallès due to the theft of copper cable.  Technicians from public rail infrastructure company Adif are working to repair the damage.  Operator Renfe has put on replacement buses on the 12km stretch between Parets and Les Franqueses Trains are running as normal on the rest of the R3 line between Puigcerdà in the Pyrenees and Les Franqueses a fault between El Prat and Barcelona Airport was repaired on Monday after it caused cancelations early in the morning Passengers traveling to and from the airport were advised to take the metro The political commission that will oversee the transfer of powers over the Rodalies commuter railway from Spain to Catalonia is to be set up this month.    Spain's Socialists and pro-independence Esquerra Republicana (ERC) reached an agreement on the issue in November.   Handing over management of Rodalies has been a long-standing demand for pro-independence parties, and Esquerra included it as one of their requirements in the post-electoral negotiations to re-elect Socialist leader Pedro Sánchez as Prime Minister.    First published: November 5, 2022 01:22 PM Several commuters have accused a Renfe Rodalies train driver of intending to halt a service between Barcelona and Puigcerdà, in the Pyrenees, halfway and leave them stranded after a major delay. According to passengers on social media, the driver argued that his shift had just ended and that he would not continue the service. The events happened on Friday at around 10.30pm in Ribes de Freser, near the Pyrenees, five stops away from its destination, Puigcerdà, a town in the Spain – France border. According to Renfe sources, the driver got in touch with the Spanish government-owned company's management center and continued the route. Yet, the commuters say that they "rebelled" to force him reach his destination – discussions between passengers and the driver have been posted on social media. Those in the Barcelona – Puigcerdà R3 service had already reasons to get angry much before the incident in Ribes de Freser. The train departed from the Catalan capital at 4.30pm, expecting to reach Ribes de Freser at 6.56pm and its final destination, Puigcerdà, at 7.41pm. Yet, due to "a failure in the infrastructure" around Manlleu, central Catalonia, where the expected time of arrival was 6.01pm, commuters had to leave the train and continue their journey by a coach arranged by Renfe. The disrupted service ended in Ripoll, where the train was originally scheduled to arrive at 6.35pm. In Ripollès county's capital passengers got on the train again for two stops until Ribes de Freser, where they claim the driver originally did not want to continue the journey. Successive Catalan governments have demanded the management of the train infrastructure and the service be transferred from the Spanish to Catalan administrations for many years – this has been a long-standing demand, especially from the 2000s, and it was only partly transferred in 2009. Yet, the Spanish public company Adif is still in charge of the infrastructure, while Renfe, another Spanish government-owned company, manages the service. Since 2009, the Catalan administration is only in charge of the fares and schedules. For years, Catalonia has also demanded more public investment in renovating stations, tracks, and infrastructure. GamesBids.com The Barcelona and Pyrenees bid to host the 2030 Olympic Winter Games has until this Friday (May 20) to resolve its differences, Spanish Olympic Committee (COE) President Alejandro Blanco imposed if his quest to host the major quadrennial sport event is to be successful. Jurisdictional leaders within the regional bid in Spain have been at odds, bickering over venue distribution and control of the organization of the proposed Games, even as thousands gathered in Northern Catalonia this weekend to protest hosting the Olympics altogether with a binding referendum scheduled July 24. Original plans had set ceremonies and most ice events in Barcelona with snow events spread across both the Catalan and Aragonese Pyrenees, but Aragón president Javier Lambán has complained that his region wasn’t getting its fair share of competitions. “Almost everything is located in the Catalan Pyrenees, our competitors in snow tourism”, Lambán said, according to El Pais.   The disparity led to an Aragón boycott of a planned technical meeting last month. Aragón officials are looking to host the marquee alpine skiing events, or at least some of them – perhaps dividing the men’s and women’s events so that Aragonese can share some of the branding.  But in the view of bid organizers, splitting the events between the two regions will weaken the proposal and ruin the chances of winning the bid. Local businesses are urging the Aragón government to make concessions and move forward to keep the candidacy alive, but Aragón Minister for Education, Culture and Sports Felipe Faci has insisted on his plan to “share the most representative tests and not keep the marginal ones.” Catalan Winter Sports Federation (FCEH) President David Samper has balked at Faci’s complaints, maintaining that his side already made concessions to form an earlier agreement, and further modification shouldn’t be considered.  Samper said if Aragonese is unhappy with current plans, Catalonia can move forward with the bid on its own, already having the needed venues and capacity. But in that case, Samper admitted, the proposal to the International Olympic Committee (IOC) would not be the winner that is currently on the table. A scheduled mid-May visit to Spain was called off by the COE due to the ongoing internal dispute. Blanco maintains “We have a good chance of winning if we are able to solve our problems.” He told EFE that he needs to be able to give IOC President Thomas Bach a good report about the bid when he visits Madrid June 1, alluding that without progress plans may need to shift to a 2034 bid instead https://twitter.com/stopjjoo/status/1525783892350967808 Meanwhile thousands took to the streets in the northern Catalan community of Puigcerdà Sunday to protest the Olympic bid ahead of a July 24 binding referendum over the project.  Waving banners with the words “For a living Pyrenees, stop the Olympic Games” demonstrators claim that organizing a Games during the climate crisis is irresponsible. Organizers Stop JJOO (Stop the Olympic Games) believe that amid global warming, the snow sports industry in the Pyrenees has a limited future.  The group explains that focusing on preparations for an Olympic Games over the next seven years will take the region along a poor economic path resulting in low paying tourism jobs for young people and a questionable future with an obsolete industry beyond the Games. Local police estimated 2,000 people took part in the event where organizers asked government officials to withdraw the bid and cancel the referendum or residents will flood the ballot boxes with an overwhelming rejection.  On Twitter, organizers claim as many as 5,000 people sang and chanted as they marched along the street. The IOC has no set timetable for the election of an Olympic Games and could announce the selection of one or more preferred candidates at any time.  With technical visits underway and less than eight years until the opening ceremony it is expected that the IOC Future Host Commission will narrow down candidates this year.  A final election could take place as early as the IOC Session planned for Mumbai, India May 30, 2023. A senior producer and award-winning journalist covering Olympic bid business as founder of GamesBids.com as well as providing freelance support for print and Web publications around the world. Robert Livingstone is a member of the Olympic Journalists Association and the International Society of Olympic Historians. Minor disruptions as authorities issue alert for severe weather ACN | Barcelona The snow covered some northern parts of Catalonia on Wednesday The authorities issued an alarm for snow for Wednesday in the counties closer to the Pyrenees while another alert for high winds has also been issued in the south some 23 minor roads mostly near the Pyrenees have been affected by the weather conditions with some restrictions for lorries and obligation to use snow chains Some 500 students were unable to reach school in central Catalonia because school buses could not drive them Yet there were no major disruptions in the areas with several weather conditions and the snow did not reach Barcelona's metro area registered 28cm of snow until noon on Wednesday Other county capitals also got some snowfalls The Rodalies commuter train service in the Barcelona area was severely disrupted on Sunday morning due to the theft of copper cable in Montcada i Reixac the Spanish government-owned public company in charge of the service recommends passengers to use an alternative means of transport – while works are underway to fix the issue there is no forecast on when it will be resolved No commuter train lines were able to reach Barcelona on Sunday morning while regional trains are also affected and high-speed trains work as usual the one connecting the capital with the Maresme county coastal towns in the north where users can take the metro to arrive in Barcelona the airport and Vilanova I la Geltrú among others R4 line is not completing its full route between Vilafranca del Penedès and Manresa through Barcelona – on the one hand it starts at L'Hospitalet de Llobregat to the east in the Penedès counties and on the other hand it operates between Cerdanyola del Vallès and Manresa R3 is not connecting Barcelona with Vic and Puigcerdà because it starts and finishes at Montcada Ripollet and travels north from there R7 and R8 have alternative service by road transport Thus trains cannot run through Barcelona tunnels and between Maçanet No trains can run between Montcada Bifurcació and Montcada either the public company in charge of the network and infrastructure said on Sunday morning that "the damage caused is severe and widespread." The excess voltage at the Rodalies network due to the theft of copper cable generated minor fires in the Barcelona train tunnels and the firefighters were working around midday in Sagrera station according to the civil protection authorities The major incident coincides with the Catalan election day, and the Catalan vice president, Laura Vilagrà, said that the disruptions affect the right to vote and the turnout. The situation is "unacceptable," she said, calling on the Spanish transports minister, Óscar Puente, to take prompt action. Upon voting, the Catalan president, Pere Aragonès, also said that the damage to the commuter train network could affect the right to vote, and added that the issues come after years of "lack of public spending" in the service by the Spanish government. Spanish rail operator Renfe on Tuesday detailed its transportation plan for the coming days after the network suffered a "structural" failure due to copper theft on Sunday. The R1 line of the Rodalies commuter train service resumed normal service to Hospitalet on Tuesday. The R4 North will resume its connection with Barcelona and there will be two trains per hour in each direction between Hospitalet and Manresa. The R4 South will have four trains per hour in each direction between Hospitalet and Sant Civenç de Calders. On the R3, the most affected line, trains will only operate between Puigcerdà and Ripollet, and Renfe will "try to reinforce" alternative bus services. The R7 remains without service and travelers can take the R4 to Cerdanyola and then take a bus to the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB). The R12 regional line only operates between Lleida and Calaf, and there are alternative buses between Calaf and Manresa, where users can take the R4. The R8, R2 and the regional trains of the south operate as usual. The R13 and R14 lines from Lleida and Borges Blanques were disrupted on Tuesday morning due to a new copper theft, as confirmed by Renfe and Adif. Although the theft occurred in the early hours of the night, the service was operating normally by 8.30 am. The disruption of the R3 line, which connects L'Hospitalet de Llobregat and Puigcerdà via Vic, has left thousands of people without their daily commute. "We are angry and outraged," says Bernat Camps, a member of the local public transport activist group 'Perquè no ens fotin el tren'. "The service in all the Rodalies network is now practically normalized, except in the R3. We feel that we are always the last and the most disadvantaged". The R3 line is the most affected by the copper theft and trains only operate between Puigcerdà and Montcada Ripollet with two trains per hour and direction. Many users who normally use the R4 line, which connects Vilafranca del Penedès and Manresa through Barcelona and its metropolitan area, have been forced to find alternative routes.  The line is currently operational, but there are only two trains per hour in each direction in the southern section of the line, and four trains in the northern section.  "Two trains an hour is totally insufficient," user Rafael Ibero told the Catalan News Agency (ACN).  Ibero, who lives in Barberà del Vallès, drove his own car to Bellaterra, where he took the Ferrocarrils (FGC) commuter train to Barcelona's Plaça Catalunya.  "Until there are clearer conditions from Renfe, I will continue to use this," he said.  The Vallès line of the FGC, which is owned and operated by the Catalan government, saw a 5% increase in passengers on Monday.  The section of the railway where the copper theft happened on Sunday had no security cameras, according to the director of the Mossos d'Esquadra, Pere Ferrer.  Ferrer has criticized the railway operator Adif for not securing the area better, as it is an "extremely important part of the Catalan railway infrastructure". Since the incident, the Mossos and Adif have been blaming each other over who is responsible for the security of the tracks.  Antonio Carmona, the director of Renfe, said on Monday that the security of the rail network was the responsibility of the Mossos. "I feel powerless: I ask the Mossos to put an end to the scourge of copper theft," he said on RAC1 radio.  The director of the Catalan police Pere Ferrer claimed that Adif was primarily responsible because it was the company that owned the copper. "If the infrastructure is not protected, it provides easier opportunities for thieves," he said.  Spanish transport minister Óscar Puente quickly came to Adif's defense:  "Mossos reached a conclusion without even entering the tunnels where the fires occurred: "We rule out sabotage," they said. I applaud their knowledge, but we cannot rule it out," he said.  Catalonia is the region in Spain with the highest number of copper thefts on railway lines. In the first quarter of the year, 46 incidents were recorded, 32 of them in Barcelona alone. Most of the copper thefts occur on the Rodalies lines. Last year, 240 copper thefts occurred on the Rodalies lines, while 16 occurred on FGC lines.  Although the total number of kilometers of Rodalies lines is much greater than that of FGC, the Spanish state-owned lines have 184 incidents per 1,000 kilometers, while the Catalan lines have 29 incidents per 1,000 kilometers. the typical image of a successful restaurant often involves a large and specialized team at the other extreme from what is normally observed some brave chefs have shown that it is possible to run a restaurant by a single person they perform all the tasks required for their operation These “lone wolves” have created unique gastronomic spaces where their vision and skills shine without the need for a large team the restaurant “539 Plats Forts” has become a gastronomic reference point despite having only one person at the helm: the Argentinean chef Martín Comamala with experience in renowned kitchens such as El Bulli and Casa Marcial decided to embark on the adventure of running a restaurant on his own Comamala found that by simplifying operations and reducing complexity The Japanese bar he runs stands out for its wild cuisine and high quality products This approach gives you incredible freedom and the ability to highlight your unique culinary skills With his restaurant “Bisavis Tavern,” Ros tackles a bar for up to ten diners and manages a tiny kitchen in an impressively fluid manner Its focus is on offering an authentic culinary experience and an outstanding wine cellar Ros decided to do it all himself because of his undisciplined nature as a subordinate and his desire for independence Although some considered him “crazy” for his choice he has proven that it is possible to run a restaurant on his own These sensational chefs handle many tasks ranging from selecting ingredients and creating the menu to handling social media and managing reservations Not to mention that they cook without help It is a superhuman effort with which these solo chefs have demonstrated that team discipline is not always necessary for the success of a restaurant Their courage and passion have allowed them to establish unique and vibrant businesses that stand out for their uniqueness and the dedication of their owners they demonstrate that independence and authenticity can be key ingredients for success in the world of gastronomy which in Catalonia and particularly in Barcelona Stock images by Depositphotos La venta de la nuda propiedad Copyright © 2022 Salirporbarcelona , All rights Reserved. Created by JEZZ Media Spain's train manager Renfe forecasts disruptions in the Rodalies commuter train service across Catalonia on Monday after thefts stole copper on Sunday morning The manager expects disruptions on the R1, R3, R7 lines according to the transport plan negotiated between the Catalan government, Barcelona city council, and Adif -Spain's rail manager' after the issues recorded on Sunday. R1 trains will only drive until Badalona, where passengers will be diverted to the metro lines. Meanwhile, the R4 Nord trains will stop at Fabra i Puig train station, and only one out of three trains will be available to reach Manresa during peak hours, and 75% during the rest of the day. Passengers, in this case, are recommended to take the FGC trains in Manresa, Terrassa, and Sabadell. Also, the R2 rodalies trains in Montcada. R4 South will only arrive at Hospitalet de Llobregat train station. R3 will be available between Puigcerdà and Montcada Ripollet, and then buses will be scheduled to reach the Sagrera Meridiana station. R7 travelers will have to use the R4 line until Cerdanyola and then a bus to reach the UAB university. Renfe believes the R2, R8 and R11 lines as well as the southern-regional ones, will not suffer any "disruptions." Barcelona's Plaça de Catalunya and Arc de Triomf train stations will not be accessible on Monday. Text description provided by the architects The building was born of the will to direct most of the rooms to the best views a space created by the bodies of the building and landscape next try to collect the image of the type where the roof becomes the fourth facade It is intended that the slate roof that was born from the soil in the testing of the U loops through all parts of the building This cover becomes the distinctive and unique building Sheltered under the roof of the rooms are arranged as shown in the front The structural and functional template generates all facades The closure of this grid is empty and full of texture which emphasize the independence of grid structure and skin façade extending COATING skin throughout the body of the building You'll now receive updates based on what you follow Personalize your stream and start following your favorite authors If you have done all of this and still can't find the email France has a lot of land borders and while some of them are so mountainous only daredevil explorers would cross them there are several places where you can take an easy round trip abroad The change of language and culture can be refreshing A bridge links these otherwise undistinguished towns so that you can have lunch twice at the respective national mealtimes: 12 midday in France and 2pm in Spain a Spanish town stranded in French territory An alternative way to cross the same frontier is in the Basque Country where Hendaye (France) and Irún (Spain) are also connected by a bridge It’s worth popping into Spain if you like decent coffee and some goods in supermarkets can be a little cheaper The Lille metropolitan area merges with built-up Wallonia in Belgium where there is a town hall Don’t expect any dramatic change of architecture or culture but it still makes for a pleasant excursion It’s about 4km from the city centre to the banks of the Rhine and you might prefer to do this trip on a rented bicycle The Passerelle des Deux Rives connects the two halves of a transfrontier park across the Rhine – what could be more symbolic of peace than that there is another pedestrian and cyclist bridge to the north of the main road bridge (the Pont de l’Europe) It’s not everywhere you can walk across an entire country in a morning or afternoon but the principality is less than 5km from west to east and it’s possible to walk from Cap l’Ail in France through the whole of Monaco and back into France (near the Monte Carlo Country Club) at the other end Start on the Boulevard Charles III and leave by the Boulevard d’Italie and you won’t get lost The easy access to neutral Switzerland once made it a destination of refuge for French exiles On your walk across the border you pass over the circular particle accelerator Keep going and you strike Lake Geneva or Lake Léman to the French France starts again on the other side of the lake Ferney-Voltaire is named in honour of the Enlightenment philosopher The house he bought in 1758 is the main sight to see MAP: Dive into our 10 refreshing places to cool off in France Where does the South of France start? Tourism offices share thoughts Updated Map: French commune names that sound like something funny Explore the rich history and artistic allure of this medieval hideaway Historian Dr Julia Faiers shares the surprising history of this perfumed Unesco town in Alpes-Maritimes attracting the likes of Queen Victoria and Coco Chanel Barcelona is to have a total of 1,908 protected dwellings for elderly people by January 2024 This represents a 33% on the 1,433 dwellings currently available The increase will be achieved once the six new housing projects currently at several stages of construction and comprising a total of 475 new flats come into service Owned by the Municipal Institute of Housing (IMHAB) the new dwellings under construction and already in service are protected rental properties reserved for individuals over the age of 65 having difficulties accessing housing The average monthly rental price for each dwelling is around 444 euros and one of the requirements for their access is having an annual income equal to or under 2.5 times the Public Income Indicator with Multiple Effects (IPREM) Which is why the Municipal Institute of Social Services (IMSS) is subsidizing 62% of the cost of all the projects 72% are women and in 81% of cases live alone The dwellings are designed for people of advanced age Their users have services at their disposal to help them to maintain their personal independence improve their living conditions and keep them at bay from having to go into an old people’s home baths equipped for easy access and preventing falls plugs located at a convenient heigh and multi-purpose rooms for carrying out community activities geriatrics and cleaning professionals and an internal alarm service in the event of any incident occurring Revista Barcelona Sociedad Vivienda Labora Radars Plano de Barcelona ACBI Buenas Prácticas Sociales Observatorio Social Barcelona PUIGCERDA (Spain) — A professional pianist in Spain and her parents are facing a seven-and-a-half year jail sentence for acoustic contamination and causing “psychological damage” to those living near her a former neighbour claimed yesterday (Nov 11) Prosecutors are also seeking to have the pianist banned from any profession involving a piano for four years on top of a fine of €10,800 (S$18,100) and damages of €9,900 named only as Sonia B in the report carried in Spanish newspaper El Pais sued Laia Martin for the stress she endured as the musician’s neighbour from 2003 to 2007 in Puigcerda The trial is expected to conclude this week Medical records show that Sonia B suffered hearing damage panic attacks and pregnancy problems due to the “environmental auditory stress” suffered during that period Sonia B and her family eventually moved to another town in 2007 Defence lawyers have asked that the case be thrown out and described the complaint as “completely disproportionate” saying that she was studying outside of Puigcerda at the time and that she also tried to soundproof her room The pianist’s parents are also facing the same sentence as accessories to the fact Sonia B has claimed that Laia Martin’s mother once entered her apartment and agreed that the sound of the piano was louder there than back in her own home and that the pianist once tried to hit her but was restrained by the father Todayonline.com and Today Online domains and apps are now part of 'Channelnewsasia.com' domain We know it's a hassle to switch browsers but we want your experience with TODAY to be fast Upgraded but still having issues? 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