To my dismay, I realized the politics in Spain are just as polarized as those in the United States. But because I was traveling in a country with a longer history, I could connect to a time and place free of conflict.
THIS weekend, a steady stream of anti-fascists will be making their way to memorials all over the world, marking the 85th anniversary of the uprising which led to the Spanish civil war.
Comrades will lay wreaths, flowers and ribbons in the vibrant red, yellow and purple of the Spanish Republican flag.
Many will give the clenched-fist salute, honouring the volunteers who fought in the International Brigades, taking on the might of Franco and his grim allies Hitler and Mussolini.
Some will see large groups gathered (pandemic permitting). Countryside and cities will hear the Internationale sung, in a myriad of languages, echoing the voices of the brigaders themselves, on the battlefields of Spain.
Letzter Interbrigadist des Spanischen Bürgerkriegs tot | Tiroler Tageszeitung Online tt.com - get the latest breaking news, showbiz & celebrity photos, sport news & rumours, viral videos and top stories from tt.com Daily Mail and Mail on Sunday newspapers.