Spain, in general, is also incredible. The schedule was made for me: long nights, long lunches, long naps and nothing on time. Everybody walks everywhere and is out at absurd hours. I never really realized the extent, but we shamelessly coddle our old and young. 80 year olds and 6 year olds are all out, strolling the plaza or pedestrian walkways around midnight. So awesome. Also, way to go Spain: plazas are the coolest things ever. Tons of space and air, a natural place for people and activities to come together… so much better than broadways or whatever else we have… well, Spain has those too. Point being, plazas are my favorite things. Sure you waste space when you have a space larger than a football (either kind) field enclosed by kick-ass buildings with pedestrian walkways shooting out from it… but… it completes me. And they’re everywhere.
Basic pro/con list of Spain, which will, of course, be expanded:
+ Plazas
+ Tapas – Each time you order a beer or a soda, FREE SNACKS come with it. FREE. What the fuck. Sometimes you pick one (like a bagel sandwich) or sometimes, if the place is “lame” (no.), they’ll just give the table three different baskets of different kinds of snacks. FREE. Always, FREE. ?!?
+ Don’t shut away their old people or youngin’s
+ Siesta. Oh man. It’s still real. Nothing is open. I take hourS-long naps most days. Amazing.
+ The food. Incredible. Paella, gazpacho, countless nameless dishes. So good.
+ So much cheaper than everywhere else in Western Europe.
+ History. everywhere. Architecture… oh man.
+ Mediterranean.
+ 7th largest world economy. I seriously thought that Spain was the bastard-child of Western Europe. Well, it was 30 years ago but the economy kicks ass now.
+ complete lack of punctuality
+ “No pasó nada.”
+ Kick-ass weather.
+ Decentralization—every major region in Spain is so unique that they have their own languages and culture and everything, and after bugging the national government forever, get to call themselves “nations.”
+ Such nice people. People that are ridiculously warm before you know them, on the street, or at a restaurant or a bar. Everyone, everywhere likes everyone, everywhere. Seriously. It’s weird. Take that, Northeast US, England, France.
+ Bakeries
+ Dancing: Salsa, Flamenco, Booty. Starting Salsa classes soon, I think.
+ Crazy, divisive (yet effective??), juicy politics.
+ Churros y chocolate: Spanish dunk these fried, fluffy pastries (not the same as churros in the U.S.) in delicious, warm, melted chocolate from about 3 to 5 in the morning before they go to bed. A good thing too because I usually almost fall asleep at the table.
+ The Spanish mullet is alive and well!
- The creepy guy ratio here is about 89273498390349839 times that of the United States. They’re brazen little fuckers. As there are about twice as many girls on this trip as boys, I spend most of my late night walking girls home in Alcalá, because if one of them is out alone passed midnight, they default to whore status here. Fuck you, Spain. In the big cities it’s even worse. It’s like everyone is a rapist. You (the boy) has to constantly put yourself in between the group of girls and creepy guys following with obviously no other reason than to be creepy and god only knows what else, because they give up and walk away once you sufficiently assert yourself. If you mistakenly walk down the street, guys will run up to the girls to… well, I’m not sure because I just got in front of her and yelled at him and he backed off. Not keen on finding out. It sucks so much more for the girls because nobody really messes with guys, or girls when they’re with decently competent guys. Well they might try to take your shit: this sketchy guy and his girlfriend tried to rob my bag on a crowded street (unfortunately we really stood out because the hostel didn’t let us keep our bags there and had them for afternoon) but they sucked it up. Not quite as skill-less as Chileans, but seriously, put in some more effort or study up if you want my $$$ or possessions.
- The exchange rate. Go die.
- When people can figure out we speak English and want to practice their own (happens a lot in touristy, customer service areas). Damn! Our new official plan is to tell everyone we can’t understand them because we’re Icelandic (if they just start talking in English). Pretty bulletproof, I think.
- Like the rest of Europe, EVERYONE SMOKES.
- I think boombox culture hit Spain about 20 years too late (just like mullets). Now, any train you’re on or line you’re in, you’re pretty much guaranteed the pleasure of listening to someone’s crappy Spanish/American/Arabic pop over even crappier speakers out of their cell phones.
So I've been lazy and haven't taken many of my own pictures in Alcalá or Madrid. Thanks to Mary for letting me steal hers!
Example of the most bare-bones free snacks... we've come to expect sandwiches.
Typical street of my town.
Morning market. Not as nice as Madrid or wherever, but does the trick.
That's my school! So cool... this building built in 1508... so cool.
Outside of the building.
Plaza de Cervantes. The main plaza of the town. Really big with lots of rose gardens. Unfortunately, the giant statue of Cervantes is under restoration.
Wider view.
FULL of old people... and strollers (not pictured). Especially during working hours, you'll only see parents, children younger than 5, and people older than 60.
Statues to pose with Don Quixote and Sancho Panza.
My cat.
Inside the law school, where I have class.
Some touristy street in Madrid.
Churros con chocolate.
Plaza de... I forget which one. ¿Sol? I don't remember. In Madrid, though.
It's even cooler and more filled with artists and such at night.
The Madrid rail station. What the fuck??? Huge,realist building with a giant garden in the middle... and for this week a "Lost" advertisement... classy, Spain.
Tapeando por calle en Madrid.
El Prado. Awesome and enough El Greco to please me...
This is, um... the post office in Madrid. Yeah, pretty incredible. I don't know why they thought this was necessary, but I'm pretty sure it's the coolest post office that exists.
