The laundries
In the 1950s and 1960s, most apartments in Barceloneta did not have running water or had it from a tank, and we did not have washing machines. Therefore, laundries and public showers were the best alternative.
The main laundries were:
– Calle Atlàntida, 25. In 1960, showers were added. It was one of the last laundries to remain in operation in Barceloneta.
– Calle Sant Miquel.
– Calle Andrea Dòria with Baluartd.
I remember that on Saturdays and Sundays I would go to shower on Calle Atlántida, with the unforgettable smell of egg shampoo or tar. Mrs. Camila and Mr. Juanito charged 15 pesetas, including the towel and shower. At home, we were all boys, and I had to accompany my mother to the laundromat to help her carry the clothes. I liked the smell of the neighborhood laundromat. I can still smell it.
