We’re having a quiet day. We’re exploring Premià’s change from fishing village to dormitory town via its skirmish with industrialisation in the 19th century. Few signs are left of its days as a textile town, like many in Catalonia.
But here’s something we can’t get our heads round. The textile and gas industries depended on coal. And the coal was transported from Barcelona by rail, on the very first trainline in Spain, opened in 1848.
But where did the coal come from? Asturias, some of it. But most of it came by sea from England. Just think: England, all the way down the coast of France to the Iberian peninsula which had to be skirted virtually in its entirety. It seems economic madness, but it can’t have been.
The station still exists. The nearby docks hardly at all. One man and his dog play in the shallows of la Descàrrega. I’m sure they don’t give a thought either of this area’s industrial past, nor of its more recent role in the Spanish Civil War. Bunkers were erected here to protect the railway signals from attack by Francoist troops, and you can see their remains in the featured photo..
From Pyrenees to Pennines 
It appears you are enjoying your holiday. First the Balkans, now Spain. Great story of change. Of there is anything certain, it is change. Peace.
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Too right! We’ve been almost overwhelmed by experiences – in a good way.
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We’re off to Catalunya at the end of next month
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Marvellous. I hope you’ll have as good a time as we are having.
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Love that little street of fishermans cottages, very pretty.
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They are lovely. And maybe bigger than you think.
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Very interesting!
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I thought so. Other people’s lives, eh?
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Most interesting. The fishermen’s cottages look very well built.
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You can imagine they are very des res thèse days, because they’re sound and well designed.
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It’s interesting what we have done for “power” over the years 😀 I so adore your last photo. 😀
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I know! What a history. Yup, I knew you’d like that last photo!
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Wonderful, you are gaining some very varied experiences!
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Just a bit ….
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Those snippets from history are very interesting. Makes me want to find out more! The fishermen ‘cottages’ are very handsome.
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They are. But they come in various sizes.
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Power from dirty old English coal just think now of all the solar energy they must get from their days of beautiful, clear blue skies. A lovely part of the world to live as shown in your sunny photos.
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I know! And think of all the energy required to transport said coal. Yes, happy to be here. Less happy to come home to more BJ shenanigans …
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He’s certainly hanging on and on.
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… not ‘like’ obviously.
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Looks like today could be the day, but the field of replacement candidates is somewhat concerning. We need a GE and a hung parliament where smaller parties might gain some influence.
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It won’t be hung while constituencies like ours still exist. One of the safest Tory seats in the country. Where is PR when you need i?
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I know that kind of constituency in parts of rural Suffolk they say you could put a blue rosette on a pig and it would be off to Westminster. 🙄 Sadly, I don’t think either of the two main parties in England will push for PR.
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I think all political parties know about the seats where a stuffed dummy could stand. PR isn’t in their interests, sadly.
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Beautiful images, Margaret. I love that azure water!
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It’s so often that colour!
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