Current Affairs in Catalonia and Madrid

Two facts have marked recent days in Spanish current affairs: on one hand, Madrid has lost to Tokyo the hostig of the 2020 Olympics.  On the other, Catalonia ("Barcelona and surroundings" for those who love oversimplifying geography) has diplayed the Via Catalana, an amazing human chain of 400 kms along the Catalan coastal line to support independence claims. Both facts will have a profound impact in months to come.

Well, things have turned really bad for Madrid but really ok for the Catalan cause. How come I put both facts side by side? Not that I am happy about Madrid's failure, but I am really puzzled about the mayor's speech (as meanwhile eveyone is) and her patronizing of the Olympic Committee membes therein. Was that arrogance or ignorance? And this in a remakable contrast to the 1,600,000 people that anonymously set up the human chain in Catalonia -- with lots of enthusiasm, hope and confindence in the future.

And from now on? The Catalan question becomes a central point on the political agenda, for one can't just ignore 1,600,00 people. At the same time Madrid must become a more modest and humble place in the positive sense... the real estate and low cost tourism bubbles must come to an end, in the whole of Spain but mainly in our capital city. Only hard work and not megalomania will get us out of the crisis. If only Mayor Botella would understand...

And mind the aviational "sorpasso" from last month: for the first time in history, Barcelona Airport has overtaken Madrid's. Only for a handful of passengers, of course, and there are several reasons for this unprecedented "sorpasso", but there we are nonetheless. Is that some kind of sign?

PS - I don't give any links in this post as everything can be googled and probably you'll get more local, customized news this way... btw this questions a bit my habit of putting links in my posts... anyhow...

PS2 - I know pretty well this post is not about tourism at all... but tourism do not happens in the vacuum of a galaxy but it raher depends, and quite a lot, on the sociopolitical environment... so I think it is OK my posting political views for once...