one week on the road…

On tuesday morning, the group woke up early and left Kan Pascual. Happily rolling down the Collserola mountain to visit a nice ecological farm, Cal Rosset, that produces for consumer cooperatives in Barcelona. We then followed the Llobregat river by a dirt road, got some fruits from some locals on Martorrell and followed the national road the rest of the day, arriving in Ca La Fou on time for helping cooking diner. On our first day in Ca La Fou, wednesday (11), we had a tour of this huge site and project after our morning circle, in the afternoon some people…

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An introduction to Ca La Fou

Ca La Fou is an ambitious ‘eco-industrial postcapitalist colony’, a day’s cycle outside barcelona. The group first visited this site in october 2010, and only moved here in july 2011. The enormous space was bought as a housing cooperative by the group with a loan from an ecological bank and support from a wider network. It was originally a ‘colonia,’ a factory workhouse dating back to the 13th century. The river running through provided energy for various mills, including a paper mill and a textile mill. this was replaced by a powerful hydroelectric plant after the site was abandoned for a…

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An introduction to Kan Pasqual

Kan Pascual was originally occupied by a group of students and young people who were occupying various places in the late 90’s. They were interested in primitivism and the zapatista movement, and they began living basic with wood fires. They use solar energy complimented by wind energy – a combination which serves them well. They have experimented with biogas from the manure of their neighbour’s horses. They could produce 2 hours of gas per day. however, they had trouble controlling the gas and have stopped for the moment. They use water from the well and rainwater from the roof of…

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An introduction to Can Masdeu

Can Masdeu is an abandoned leprosy hospital in a nature reserve on the outskirts of barcelona. Building and surrounding land was occupied in 2001 by a group of 7 people and slowly transformed into a social centre, allotments and a home. The building itself is owned by ‘hospital de la pau’ – a combination of public and private bodies including the council, the hospital and the church. They planned to make money from the building by turning it into luxury flats for the rich – not a popular plan amongst local people! In catalunya it is both a civil and…

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The biketour has finally started

The first people were meeting on friday, preparing the camp at Can Masdeu and later joined the biggest Critical Mass ever in Barcelona. On saturday more people arrived constantly. For about three hours, Biciclot offered us their workshop, tools, spare parts and knowledge in order to prepare our bicycles for the tour. Since there is a water shortage (it’s summer and it’s the mediterranean!) and the campsite didn’t gave us the possibility to shower, a short detour to the beach on the way back was a welcome refreshment. We attempted to form our first circle in the evening but ended…

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Bon Voyage Ecotopia Biketour

Ecotopia Biketour is now on the road and we are looking forward to all our adventures together! The shiny new biketour booklet 2012 is ready, print off a copy and bring it with you. We also have a day-by-day calendar and a page on which projects/campaigns we are visiting so you can see where we are and where you will join us. If you want to join us it’s still good to register, find out all the info you need here. If you are coming to Barcelona this weekend, check the wiki for information about where we will be when:…

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Celebrate the start of the biketour, 8th July at Can Masdeu 10.30h-19.00h

Come and meet Ecotopia Biketour, find out about Degrowth and help us celebrate the start of our 2,000km journey by bike from Barcelona to Venice, which leaves the next day! Ecotopia Biketour is an eco-mobile do-it-yourself activist community which cycles through Europe each summer. This year our journey takes us through Catalonia, the South of France and Northern Italy and our theme is degrowth, challenging the damaging mentality of growth which overlooks real social and environmental values. We will visit projects, collectives and people who are experimenting with alternatives to growth, learn from each other and live sustainably! And we…

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