Patum, 2003, Andreu C

From MemoryArchive

Who:   Andreu C
What:  Patum Fesitival 
When:  Summer 2003
Where: Barcelona

Two summers ago, good grades convinced my parents to let me fly to Barcelona by myself, and spend a few weeks staying with relatives. Most of my father’s family lives in Barcelona, but one of his sisters lives in an old farmhouse on the outskirts of a town called [Berga]. There’s always plenty to do in Barcelona, especially in the middle of July, but I got driven out to her little house the day of Berga’s town festival, the [Patum].’ I was tired as hell, so I slept for an hour or two, had a plate of food, and as it started to get dark, I put on some thick clothes, and me and my cousin walked out down the dirt road leading to his house. Berga was laid out on a slight hill in front of us, and behind it was the imposing silhouette of [Mountain Queralt], named for a medieval image of the Virgin Mary that was discovered there. At the very centre of the town, there’s a little town circle fronted by city hall, a few houses, and a big church at the top of some steps.