Well, this writer must not have visited many cities in Spain! I have lived here for over 20 years now. While I have not spent much time in Barcelona (passed through it a number of times) I found it to be one of the most unfriendly cities in Spain. There are dozens of other cities, starting with Madrid, Alcala de Henares, and Alicante (as examples) that are much more friendly than Barcelona. I see Barcelona as a prime example of a tourist trap, rather than a place to visit and spend some time in Spain.