@pintohoo - I am glad I signed on again, thanks for your post - I have not been to Barcelona, my husband has, in his teenage years; he loved everything Spanish - got there on his bike from Austria. Over a lifetime I have caught up with reading about Spain and the wonderful architect Gaudi and his amazing buildings (all made possible because labour was cheap!!).
Seems we, as humans, need to really get to rock-bottom and remain there for a while before we are capable of renewal - revolution - if you like. Of course, the word 'revolution' has had a bad rap, mainly because of how people behaved in the two or three big ones we know about (French and Russian) - Maybe humans have a much bigger capacity for suffering than we realise and things have to get really really bad before the s...t hits the fan like what happened in France in 1789-1799 - a huge and long-lasting upheaval of society, a lot of killing and years of unrest, disorder. It must be remembered - and not many people do even know about this - that Western Europe was affected by the after effects and chilly winters and cloud-covered skies in summer, caused by the explosion of an Icelandic vulcanoe (The Laki Fissure) in June 1784, which caused first of all one long lasting winter, and then years of overcast skies and bad harvests, before the shout for more 'bread' became the catch-cry of the revolutionaries - people had literally been miserable and starving for years before they became so incensed they rioted in Paris etc. etc. and then they went into action on their aristocracy and 'off with their heads' became the catch cry.
I don't think it's going to get to this in the U.S.A. - they'll make compromises, will manage to perhaps dampen down the economy, which will affect all of us, but there won't be a revolution. America will assert its basic democratic values, maybe Trump will make some major errors, will 'fire' some former friends etc. Putin might get a favourable bit of Ukraine and present a greater threat to Europe, Europeans will be whingeing, but still keep going on their holidays, pay more for their heating, maybe they will be tougher on their unwelcome guests (refugees).
Interesting times - all in all I think things in most democratic countries are still fairly good, and America will have a bit of a shake-down - maybe its rich people will grow a conscience for once . . . many of them are setting a good example already, but perhaps a more fundamental change is needed, however I cannot see that happen under Trump.
All in all a thorough turnover is needed in the United States and I do not think Trump is the man to do this, it is not even his ambition - but then how many historical figures have been driven to their deeds, good or bad, by a draught/stream/impulse that simply moved them along? Is History upon us? Go well. glamorous one! Taurisk
