Palm Sunday in Barcelona!

This evening a few of us went to church for Palm Sunday at Catedral de Barcelona. We didn't really understand much of the service, but it was still a good intent of being at mass! Palm Sunday mass was a little different here in a number of ways. First, NO PALMS!!! I missed getting them when walking into the church and making the palms into crosses like when I was a kid. I guess that just made us pay more attention to trying to understand the mass that was being said in Spanish (difference number two!). Additionally, because the Cathedral is somewhat of a tourist spot, while mass was being said, there were tourists walking around other parts of the church taking pictures and other touristy things. They were quiet and respectful of the mass though.
Aside from the mass and on the topic of outdoor public spaces, I was surprised to see that the plaza in front of the church was not as full and eventful as I have seen it on other sundays. On most days, the area is full of people shopping in the area, stopping for a rest, skateboarding, etc. On sunday mornings especially, there are many different activities going on; however, on what I thought would be an eventful sunday in front of such a prominant church, the plaza was disappointingly empty. This shows how a public space can change from day to day and that even though a space seems lively on one day, the next day or week it could be as dull and boring as if the space is never used for anything more than a passageway.