« What’s a city made of? Dreams of glory, wonderful riches, active people struggling to get ahead selfish people holding back, life and death, vices and virtues, all this in one place. »

Joan Maragall, 1909

« Consequently we can devide people into two categories: first, those who love us, and second, those who tells us they love us often and openly. You can place me in the first category, dear Lottchen. I’m extremely fond of you even if I don’t make a (big) fuss about »

 Heinrich Heine in a letter to his sister