Taking care of his customers’ night-time libation needs is Catalan Lluis Farga, 26, one of the bartenders at El Gato Negro in the Eixample. He’s been working in bars until the small hours of the morning for the past seven years having started in an Argentinian bar doing public relations. In winter months, he works two nights a week but in the summer it goes up to six.

“Some people think that working during the day is ‘normal’,” Farga explained, but much of the satisfaction he gets from his job can only come from a night shift. “It’s pretty cool because I learned a lot of spectacular shots, with fire. I love to work there because you can see the faces of the people that see that kind of shot for the first time. I love it, especially serving up interactive shots like the ‘Rambo’ and the ‘Monica Lewinsky’.”

Farga is also studying at university and believes that working in a bar is an optimal employment option. “I wanted to work in a bar because it’s the best way to earn easy money being a student,” he explained. A day job can get in the way of classes and homework, and there’s the added bonus that, “Working at night is a way to save money. You aren’t going to the clubs to spend your own money. You are saving money and also at the bar you can drink for free.”

Walking home after his shift, Farga gets to see a side of the city that few witness. With most people long in bed or dancing the night away in a club, he walks down empty, calm streets with the occasional empty taxi whizzing by or a police officer doing a breathalyser test. ‘Somehow I enjoy it—walking in Barcelona without any noise and people. It’s a different city.”

As a part-time football coach for a youth team, there is however a definite downside to his timetable. “Sometimes I go to sleep at 4.30am and have to wake up really early because I have to go to games. That’s the worst thing about it, but I choose to do it. Some Saturdays I have to get up at 8am after going to sleep at 4am.”

Farga’s weekend work also throws off his weekdays. “I have some problems falling asleep during the week. Probably the worst days are Mondays and Tuesdays,” he said. “Sometimes it’s a bit hard to pay attention to the teachers at university.” To combat the weekday insomnia, he uses the joint weapons of a strict timetable and coffee.

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Barcelona Metropolitan Issue 181

Friday

February 10, 2012

Saturday

February 11, 2012

Sunday

February 12, 2012

Monday

February 13, 2012

Tuesday

February 14, 2012

Wednesday

February 15, 2012

Thursday

February 16, 2012

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