Fluent Fiction - Catalan: Lost in the Labyrinth: An Afternoon of Laughter and Flamenco in Barcelona
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Story Transcript:

Ca: Als carrers de la vella ciutat de Barcelona, on les empedrades rèpliques de l'història murmuren secrets als oïdors disposats, tres grans amics estaven de visita. Eren Marta, Jordi i Núria. La Núria havia nascut i crescut a Barcelona, però per a la Marta i el Jordi, tot estava ple de misteri i aventura.
En: As they walked the ancient streets of Barcelona, where the cobblestones echoed the murmurs of history, three great friends were visiting. Their names were Marta, Jordi, and Núria. Núria had been born and raised in Barcelona, but for Marta and Jordi, everything was full of mystery and adventure.

Ca: Una tarda, la Marta i el Jordi van decidir explorar el laberíntic Barri Gòtic. Tan aviat van començar a deambular, van perdre orientació. Van agafar un gir a l'esquerra, després a la dreta, un altre a l'esquerra... i la bellesa del barri va començar a embriagar-los. Van passar per la Catedral, davant la Plaça de Sant Jaume i pel carrer del Bisbe que els van deixar sense alè. No es van adonar que estaven perduts fins que es van trobar a si mateixos en un carreró estrany.
En: One afternoon, Marta and Jordi decided to explore the labyrinthine Gothic Quarter. As soon as they began to wander, they lost their sense of direction. They took a left turn, then a right, another left... and the beauty of the neighborhood started to intoxicate them. They passed by the Cathedral, in front of the Plaça de Sant Jaume and through the Carrer del Bisbe, leaving them breathless. They didn't realize they were lost until they found themselves in a strange alleyway.

Ca: Just quan començaven a preocupar-se, el so d'una guitarra flamenca els va arribar. El ritme els cridava a anar cap a aquesta direcció i les seves cames van actuar per si mateixes. De cop i volta, es van trobar a la porta d'un local lluminós on es feia una classe de ball flamenc. No van poder evitar-ho, es van endinsar, es van posar els xiruques i van començar a intentar seguir els passos.
En: Just as they were starting to worry, the sound of a flamenco guitar reached their ears. The rhythm called them in that direction and their legs acted on their own. Suddenly, they found themselves at the door of a brightly lit venue where a flamenco dance class was taking place. They couldn't resist, they went inside, put on their castanets, and started trying to follow the steps.

Ca: Al principi, van intentar copiar el que veien: palmades, cops de peu, voltes... però entre més ho intentaven, més divertit s'ho passaven. Els seus intents de seguir el ritme eren tan descoordinats que anaven a contracor dels altres ballarins. Tot i així, no van parar, i els altres ballarins van començar a riure amb ells.
En: At first, they tried to copy what they saw: clapping, stomping, turns... but the more they tried, the more fun they had. Their attempts to follow the rhythm were so out of sync that they went against the other dancers. Nevertheless, they didn't stop, and the other dancers began to laugh with them.

Ca: La Núria, que s'havia topat amb la situació d'azar, es va quedar un moment parada a la porta. Els seus amics estaven d'esquena a ella, concentrats en la música. Va contenir el riure, però finalment no va poder més i va esclatar. Els qui es reien abans de la Marta i el Jordi van parar sorpresos davant el nou so que ressonava a la sala. Marta i Jordi es van girar per veure la Núria somrient i es van unir a la seva rialla contagiosa.
En: Núria, who had stumbled upon the random situation, stood still at the door for a moment. Her friends had their backs to her, focused on the music. She held back her laughter, but eventually couldn't resist and burst out laughing. Those who had been laughing at Marta and Jordi before stopped in surprise at the new sound echoing in the room. Marta and Jordi turned to see Núria smiling and joined in her contagious laughter.

Ca: A partir d'aquell moment, les tres amistats van tenir una anècdota inoblidable de la seva visita a Barcelona i de la seva experiència al Barri Gòtic. Va ser una tarda d'exploració, confusió, música, dansa i sobretot, una tarda plena de rialles i alegria. Un viatge que, sense cap dubte, recordaran per sempre.
En: From that moment on, the three friends had an unforgettable anecdote from their visit to Barcelona and their experience in the Gothic Quarter. It was an afternoon of exploration, confusion, music, dance, and above all, an afternoon full of laughter and joy. A trip that, without a doubt, they would remember forever.


Vocabulary Words:

• As: Als
• they: ells
• walked: caminaven
• ancient: antic
• streets: carrers
• of: de
• Barcelona: Barcelona
• cobblestones: empedrades
• echoed: rèpliques
• murmurs: murmuren
• history: història
• great: grans
• friends: amics
• visiting: de visita
• names: noms
• were: eren
• Marta: Marta
• Jordi: Jordi
• and: i
• Núria: Núria
• had: havia
• born: nascut
• and: i
• raised: crescut
• in: a
• but: però
• for: per a
• everything: tot
• was: estava
• full: ple