No power, no problem. How some in Spain and Portugal defied the outage and embraced the present

BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — The blackout that engulfed the Iberian Peninsula on Monday was chaotic and stressful for many. But it had a silver lining: People were forced away from their screens and into the “real” world, connecting with the present and one another.

Some Spaniards and Portuguese embraced their day without power.

In Barcelona's Gracia neighborhood, squares were packed with sunbathers and people reading books or playing chess. In Madrid, young and old gathered on sidewalks to listen to radios that, once obsolete, were suddenly lifelines. People in Sevilla clapped and tapped their feet to flamenco.

Some neighbors spoke to each other for the first time.

At a vehicle inspection center, employees hung a net and played volleyball. Staff at a non-profit foundation in Madrid’s Embajadores neighborhood pulled tables onto sidewalks and challenged passersby to a friendly game of trivia. Others played UNO on public benches. Long lines formed for free ice cream that store owners decided to give away.

On railway tracks in the middle of nowhere, stranded passengers practiced viral dance moves as they waited for rescue. Lisbon locals joined tourists at scenic viewpoints and partied under the stars. People across the peninsula sang a cappella or played their instruments in the dark.

The world ceased its whirring and time stood still. Anxiety faded. There was boredom but also mindfulness.

When lampposts finally lit up, crowds celebrated, shouting and waving their hands in the air as if their soccer team had scored.

The power was back. And the notifications pinged again.

Associated Press journalists Tales Azzoni in Madrid, Hernán Muñoz in Barcelona and Armando Franca in Lisbon contributed to this report.

Passengers wait outside Lisbon Airport during a nationwide power outage in Lisbon, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Employees of a shop have their lunch, during a major power outage in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

People gather in Plaza Mayor, downtown Madrid, during a major power outage, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Manu Fernandez)

People sit on the terrace of a closed bar at the Monte Agudo viewpoint overlooking Lisbon during a nationwide power outage, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Passengers wait outside Lisbon Airport during a nationwide power outage in Lisbon, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

Customers dine in a restaurant illuminated by a generator during a blackout in Barcelona, Spain, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Emilio Morenatti)

A young couple stands on a wall looking at the sky at a viewpoint overlooking Lisbon during a nationwide power outage, Monday, April 28, 2025. (AP Photo/Armando Franca)

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Matthew Tkachuk is back on the ice with the Florida Panthers, appearing at practice on Sunday for the first time this season and more than four months after he had surgery to repair a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle.

Tkachuk has not played since Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final, when the Panthers clinched their second consecutive title by again topping the Edmonton Oilers. He went through the summer trying to rehab — but eventually decided that he needed the surgery.

He was wearing a yellow non-contact jersey, an indication that he's not yet ready for game action. Florida plays host to Washington on Monday and Montreal on Tuesday, then will be the home team for the NHL Winter Classic at the Miami Marlins' ballpark against the New York Rangers on Friday.

The Panthers are scheduled to practice at the ballpark on Thursday.

After the Panthers won their second straight Stanley Cup in June, Tkachuk revealed that he had sustained the injuries while playing for Team USA in the 4 Nations Face-Off in February. He missed the final 25 games of the regular season but returned for Game 1 of the Panthers’ first-round series against the Tampa Bay Lightning.

Tkachuk had 23 points — eight goals and 15 assists — in 23 playoff games, including seven points in the Stanley Cup Final.

The Panthers have been without a slew of key players all season, including captain Aleksander Barkov. They entered Sunday tied for the second and final wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference, only five points out of the lead in the Atlantic Division.

Florida has gone through this season with the expectation that Tkachuk would be back on a “December-ish” timeline. He has said he wants to play in the Winter Classic, the Panthers' first outdoor game, and for Team USA at the Milan Cortina Olympics in February.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

FILE - Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) scuffles with Carolina Hurricanes players during the second period in Game 3 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Saturday, May 24, 2025, in Sunrise, Fla. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky, File)