On Monday afternoon, in downtown Barcelona, people circled cars with their radios blaring to find out what was happening. Everything had gone out, and there was no electricity, no coverage, and no internet. The radio stations' offices—which brought loudspeakers out onto the streets—were filled with people seeking answers; several people also approached the ARA newsroom in the Raval neighborhood, asking what was happening. In other, much less populated towns, however, municipal officials invented measures to try to reach everyone, and even revived old traditions that technology has, over the years, obscured.