Crazy for the eclipse: 900 euros per night in a hotel, secret concerts and paddleboard expeditions

BarcelonaIt will be only 1 minute and 32 seconds for those who see it from places where darkness will be total, but in Catalonia, an equal event will not be seen for another 154 years. This exceptionality makes the solar eclipse of this August 12th a milestone marked on the calendar for months –or years– for many, and the adventures to achieve the best experience to see it are almost infinite.

One example will be what some members of the Sabadell Astronomical Group will do. "We have organized a trip to a small town in Burgos, one of the places where the eclipse will be best seen, and in total we are going with two buses," explains engineer and science communicator Rafael Clemente. "There will be about a hundred of us and it will be great because we are going with people who know a lot about the subject, and when they choose a place, it's because they have been analyzing it for months," celebrates the scientist, who already saw the 2019 solar eclipse in Chile, also with the Sabadell astronomical group. "It will be very different. In 2019 it was in Medellín and with the sun very high, on the other hand, this one will be during sunset. In fact, in Burgos the sun will set very slightly after the whole eclipse ends," describes Clemente. "It's true that many people say they will see it near Barcelona, but here it will only be partial and it is not comparable. "There is no comparison, a total eclipse is something truly magical and impressive. Truly, it is fantastic and it is a crime not to take advantage of having it so close to home," insists the communicator with enthusiasm.

An eclipse coinciding with sunset makes the phenomenon more complicated to see, both due to altitude – mountains and buildings will be significant obstacles – and due to the higher probability that clouds will form at that time of dusk and cause trouble. One of the options to ensure that nothing will block the view of the sun is to plan to watch the eclipse looking towards the sea, as thousands of people will do in the Balearic Islands, at around thirty observation points or, directly, do it from the water on board a boat.

Throughout Catalonia, there are hundreds of activities that have been adapted for the current historical moment. Wineries organizing tastings under the stars, excursions to mountain refuges –although some natural spaces will be closed to avoid crowds during the fire risk alert– or paddle surfing expeditions. There will also be special concerts such as the Jordi Savall Festival, which is organizing a concert for theorbo and baroque guitar that will revisit baroque arias by Handel, Purcell, and Visée in a secret location near the monastery of Santes Creus, in Aiguamúrcia.

Planned years in advance

Although for many the eclipse is just another detail to make the day different, others have been planning it for years. This is the case of Ferran and Mireya, a couple in their sixties who decided more than two years ago where they would watch it. "We will watch it from Muniesa, in Teruel, which is one of the municipalities that are part of the dark sky network – areas notable for having low light pollution –", he explains, and also details how he is finishing preparing his camera to take automatic photos of the eclipse in order to enjoy the phenomenon "without worrying about it". It will be the first total eclipse they have seen, but not the first solar eclipse. "Two years ago we saw the partial solar eclipse in Catalonia and twenty years ago we went to Valencia to see the annular solar eclipse", recalls Ferran. "It was fun because we were in the car chasing the eclipse and looking for areas where there were no clouds", she adds. Both detail that the municipality where they plan to watch the eclipse "is not touristy at all", but they worry that it will fill up with people. "Apparently the mayor is doing a lot of promotion", they joke.

In fact, a few kilometers from Muniesa is the Gallocanta lagoon, the place chosen by the Barcelona Astronomical Association (ASTER) for hundreds of its members to gather to watch the eclipse. However, the exodus of astronomy enthusiasts to less touristy areas – and therefore with few accommodations – has also led some to see a golden opportunity to make money. "In May last year, our astronomical association announced that they would travel to a town in Teruel. My friend and I missed out on a spot – recalls Tomàs –, but I looked for a hotel near theirs and booked two rooms for those days. I suppose at that time they had no idea about the eclipse." The hotel let him book, but didn't charge him anything because they didn't have the rates for the following year yet.

"At the end of the year, I called again and they told me the same thing: that they couldn't tell me the price, but not to worry, that my reservation was made. I kept calling and they told me not to worry, that they would send me the rate when they had it," he explains. His surprise came in April when they sent him an email telling him that he had to confirm within a week whether he wanted the room or not. "It was Easter week and I didn't open it until a few days later, and when I saw it, I started calling and sending faxes and emails to confirm," recalls Tomàs. "In the end, they told me yes, I had a room... and that the price was 915 euros per night and a minimum two-day reservation." The man explains that "they expected the price to be high because there are many enthusiasts from all over the world," but they didn't expect such a brutal increase. "However, they had the courtesy to give us a 50% discount because we had booked a long time ago," he admits resignedly. "In the end, we accepted quickly because otherwise, another person would have come who would have been willing to pay the amount," he acknowledges.