About Spain: September 2007 Archives
Supermarkets, or "grocery stores" as we call them often in the United States, are found in every Madrid neighborhood and also outside the city in the "Centros Comerciales". You have your Dia (cheap), PLUS (cheap), Lidl (cheap), Maxcoop (average), Carrefour (average), Alcampo (average), Mercadona (average), Caprabo (average), Champion (average), El Corte Inglés Supermarket (expensive), and a number of others. Here in my immediate neighborhood we have Dia and Maxcoop and a Caprabo farther away.
LOCAL SHOPPING:
First, you have WALK. The walking TO the supermarket doesn't bother me - it's the returning with heavy bags and then climbing 4 flights of stairs which bothers me. This is particularly difficult and uncomfortable in summertime when it's hot. Second, the lines in the supermarkets are often very long and few cash registers open to accommodate the public. Third, with all the people waiting behind you in line you STILL have to bag your own groceries. And fourth, neighborhood grocery stores in Madrid are small and so the selection is very limited.
OUT-OF-TOWN SHOPPING:
Going to the "Centros Comerciales" outside of the city, like to a Carrefour, is a different experience altogether. First, you need a car to get there - something I don't have - and traffic in these areas can be crazy. Second, on busy days/hours there can be long lines and difficulty parking in the underground parking garages. Third, these places are HUGE and so the lines at the cash registers can be SUPER LONG. Fourth, at busy times there's lots of shopping cart traffic with lots of left-or-right-looking drivers. They never look forward. Fifth, the selection IS GREAT and the prices are usually very good too. This is really the only positive to going to places like these. Six, on busy days there can be a shortage of shopping carts, causing you to wait for one to be returned - or go searching on different floors. And you'd better have the proper coin for the security lock. And seven, AFTER going back home, I have to carry up a dozen or so bags up four flights of stairs. Exhausting.
ON the UP-side, at Carrefour, customers have the option of requesting a "pedido", having the food sent to your home either the same day or the next day. There's a charge for this but when filling a shopping cart with food and spending 150€, the extra 5€ delivery charge doesn't bother me in the least. Luckily I work at home so this is very convenient - WHEN I can find someone to drive me to the shopping center in the first place. But UNluckily, almost without exception, I leave places like Carrefour with a throbbing headache from all the stress. These excursions can take up to 4 hours. A royal pain in the ARSE. Traffic, long lines, crashing carts, long lines, heavy carts with 4-wheel-independent-movement. ARGH! I really dislike shopping in supermarkets in Madrid as well as in places like El Corte Inglés for the same reasons - with the exception of the shopping carts.
What I DO like about shopping in the neighborhood are the individual, specialized stores - also found in markets. Specialized stores might sell ONLY meats, ONLY chicken products, ONLY fruits and vegetables, ONLY bread, or ONLY potato chips! Shopping like this takes more time but the quality of products is usually better and fresher than when bought in supermarkets. And the products aside, it's always a nice way to meet your neighborhood store owners, exchange some casual conversation about vacations, family, or weather. These store owners always recognize you, can sometimes guess your order, are quick to send a smile your way, and if you're short on cash they'll often allow you to pay the balance on your next visit. You can't get THAT kind of treatment at a supermarket.
I really dislike going to the supermarket for a number of reasons:
LOCAL SHOPPING:
First, you have WALK. The walking TO the supermarket doesn't bother me - it's the returning with heavy bags and then climbing 4 flights of stairs which bothers me. This is particularly difficult and uncomfortable in summertime when it's hot. Second, the lines in the supermarkets are often very long and few cash registers open to accommodate the public. Third, with all the people waiting behind you in line you STILL have to bag your own groceries. And fourth, neighborhood grocery stores in Madrid are small and so the selection is very limited.
OUT-OF-TOWN SHOPPING:
Going to the "Centros Comerciales" outside of the city, like to a Carrefour, is a different experience altogether. First, you need a car to get there - something I don't have - and traffic in these areas can be crazy. Second, on busy days/hours there can be long lines and difficulty parking in the underground parking garages. Third, these places are HUGE and so the lines at the cash registers can be SUPER LONG. Fourth, at busy times there's lots of shopping cart traffic with lots of left-or-right-looking drivers. They never look forward. Fifth, the selection IS GREAT and the prices are usually very good too. This is really the only positive to going to places like these. Six, on busy days there can be a shortage of shopping carts, causing you to wait for one to be returned - or go searching on different floors. And you'd better have the proper coin for the security lock. And seven, AFTER going back home, I have to carry up a dozen or so bags up four flights of stairs. Exhausting.
ON the UP-side, at Carrefour, customers have the option of requesting a "pedido", having the food sent to your home either the same day or the next day. There's a charge for this but when filling a shopping cart with food and spending 150€, the extra 5€ delivery charge doesn't bother me in the least. Luckily I work at home so this is very convenient - WHEN I can find someone to drive me to the shopping center in the first place. But UNluckily, almost without exception, I leave places like Carrefour with a throbbing headache from all the stress. These excursions can take up to 4 hours. A royal pain in the ARSE. Traffic, long lines, crashing carts, long lines, heavy carts with 4-wheel-independent-movement. ARGH! I really dislike shopping in supermarkets in Madrid as well as in places like El Corte Inglés for the same reasons - with the exception of the shopping carts.
What I DO like about shopping in the neighborhood are the individual, specialized stores - also found in markets. Specialized stores might sell ONLY meats, ONLY chicken products, ONLY fruits and vegetables, ONLY bread, or ONLY potato chips! Shopping like this takes more time but the quality of products is usually better and fresher than when bought in supermarkets. And the products aside, it's always a nice way to meet your neighborhood store owners, exchange some casual conversation about vacations, family, or weather. These store owners always recognize you, can sometimes guess your order, are quick to send a smile your way, and if you're short on cash they'll often allow you to pay the balance on your next visit. You can't get THAT kind of treatment at a supermarket.
Bread. Milk. Eggs. These are definitely the staples of an average diet in the United States. But here in Spain it's bread.
"Si no hay pan, no hay comida" is a famous saying in Spain. It means, "Without bread it's not a meal." THAT'S how important bread is to the Spanish diet. There's something so basic, so natural, so necessary about going to buy the daily bread. Bread, which goes without saying, is required everyday.
Panaderías are bread bakeries and can usually be found on every street corner. In the USA you can find places which sell bread but the same places sell cakes, pies, pastries, and other baked goods. Here, pastelerías (pastry shops) also usually sell bread as well but not always.
Panaderías really only sell breads. But how can they stay open selling bread so cheaply? A long, average bar of bread costs about 60 eurocents - although the price has recently gone up due to the increase in the price of grains. So how can they stay open? VOLUME. VOLUME. VOLUME. Just about EVERYONE buys bread daily even though many actors, singers, and sports people have said they don't eat bread because it's generally fattening.
I know people who eat an entire bar of bread DAILY. When I first came to Spain I tried to adapt to this custom, going downstairs to the local bread shop to buy my bread and chit-chat with the owners. For me it was more of a social custom than the need for bread. Finally, about 9 months later I gave it up. I just couldn't eat so much bread and always ended up throwing away half or two-thirds of the bread so it wasn't worth it. I was wasting more than I was eating. Plus, it's fattening - and I don't need any help in this regard. Not that I'm fat (yet) but I'm certainly not doing myself any favors by eating bread!
What is enchanting is seeing people in the street with their bar of bread under their arm. Sometimes the bar in a brown paper bag or white plastic bag. Other times it's wrapped in a single sheet of brown paper, wrapped only around the middle so the top and bottom points of bread are exposed. Almost without fail you see people picking off the ends and eating the bread while walking home, crumbs falling to the ground. To me, for me, this is such a quaint scene. BREAD (and wine) is SO European! Seeing someone walking the streets of Columbus, Ohio USA with a bar of bread under his arm would look so...... STRANGE!
Although I rarely have it, my favorite breakfast is toasted bread with garlic and olive oil - and sometimes a tomato spread ontop of all that. Mmmm.. SO tasty and such a common breakfast meal in Spain. The same exists for "merienda" - which is the 6pm, midday snack with coffee. I mainly have this breakfast while traveling in Spain. And it's so easy to find in most all bars. It's easy to order, eat, digest, and oh-so-Spanish! What a better way to start each Spanish day?
"Si no hay pan, no hay comida" is a famous saying in Spain. It means, "Without bread it's not a meal." THAT'S how important bread is to the Spanish diet. There's something so basic, so natural, so necessary about going to buy the daily bread. Bread, which goes without saying, is required everyday.
Panaderías are bread bakeries and can usually be found on every street corner. In the USA you can find places which sell bread but the same places sell cakes, pies, pastries, and other baked goods. Here, pastelerías (pastry shops) also usually sell bread as well but not always.
Panaderías really only sell breads. But how can they stay open selling bread so cheaply? A long, average bar of bread costs about 60 eurocents - although the price has recently gone up due to the increase in the price of grains. So how can they stay open? VOLUME. VOLUME. VOLUME. Just about EVERYONE buys bread daily even though many actors, singers, and sports people have said they don't eat bread because it's generally fattening.
I know people who eat an entire bar of bread DAILY. When I first came to Spain I tried to adapt to this custom, going downstairs to the local bread shop to buy my bread and chit-chat with the owners. For me it was more of a social custom than the need for bread. Finally, about 9 months later I gave it up. I just couldn't eat so much bread and always ended up throwing away half or two-thirds of the bread so it wasn't worth it. I was wasting more than I was eating. Plus, it's fattening - and I don't need any help in this regard. Not that I'm fat (yet) but I'm certainly not doing myself any favors by eating bread!
What is enchanting is seeing people in the street with their bar of bread under their arm. Sometimes the bar in a brown paper bag or white plastic bag. Other times it's wrapped in a single sheet of brown paper, wrapped only around the middle so the top and bottom points of bread are exposed. Almost without fail you see people picking off the ends and eating the bread while walking home, crumbs falling to the ground. To me, for me, this is such a quaint scene. BREAD (and wine) is SO European! Seeing someone walking the streets of Columbus, Ohio USA with a bar of bread under his arm would look so...... STRANGE!
Although I rarely have it, my favorite breakfast is toasted bread with garlic and olive oil - and sometimes a tomato spread ontop of all that. Mmmm.. SO tasty and such a common breakfast meal in Spain. The same exists for "merienda" - which is the 6pm, midday snack with coffee. I mainly have this breakfast while traveling in Spain. And it's so easy to find in most all bars. It's easy to order, eat, digest, and oh-so-Spanish! What a better way to start each Spanish day?
Gypsy street musicians pass through my neighborhood from time to time - but less and less frequently. I always hear them playing their pasodobles before seeing them. They typically go from block corner to block corner trying to get the most "angle" for their performance.
Long ago, they usually consisted of a 3 or 4-person group; one trumpet, one tambourine, one accordion, and one woman who collects the money while spying half-hidden, entertained spectators in their windows above. The woman would always be keen of eye and with her body language would force you to pony-up a coin for having listened with lingering interest. Sometimes the group would have an animal who would do tricks while the music played.
Nowadays, the gypsy band is more like a 1-Man-Band, a single fellow who's wheeling around a kind of cart which holds a car battery, large speaker, and a synthesizer keyboard. The man hits a button which starts the rhythm and he then plays the melody by hand. Now THAT'S progress for you.
The last several days I've heard them in my neighborhood but they never came to my corner. Too bad. I had the camera and coin at hand, too! My afterthought was that the neighbors wouldn't be happy with my encouragement should they come because then the gypsy band would know they had an paying customer here and the "noise" might bother the neighbors.
Rarely on the streets will you see more than one or two people actually stopping to listen to the gypsy musicians. Most hurry along their way because they're truly in a hurry, are bored, bothered, don't want to pay, or don't trust the gypsies. Whatever the case, these street musicians don't make much money doing this, that's for sure.
These days, the street musicians you find in downtown Madrid are not gypsies anymore. They're most likely from Romania, Andean Latin American, or you might even catch the roving Mariachi band in the Puerta del Sol which makes frequent appearances and gains LARGE crowds. I often wonder about the latter band, wonder if the tourists think, "Ah yess... I'M IN SPAIN NOW!" - not realizing this is a MEXICAN band and has little or nothing to do with Spain itself. Along the same lines, how many times have I seen high school tour groups in Madrid (usually from the USA) and more than one of them is wearing a Mexican sombrero! Good Gawd.
Saludos, MadridMan
Long ago, they usually consisted of a 3 or 4-person group; one trumpet, one tambourine, one accordion, and one woman who collects the money while spying half-hidden, entertained spectators in their windows above. The woman would always be keen of eye and with her body language would force you to pony-up a coin for having listened with lingering interest. Sometimes the group would have an animal who would do tricks while the music played.
Nowadays, the gypsy band is more like a 1-Man-Band, a single fellow who's wheeling around a kind of cart which holds a car battery, large speaker, and a synthesizer keyboard. The man hits a button which starts the rhythm and he then plays the melody by hand. Now THAT'S progress for you.
The last several days I've heard them in my neighborhood but they never came to my corner. Too bad. I had the camera and coin at hand, too! My afterthought was that the neighbors wouldn't be happy with my encouragement should they come because then the gypsy band would know they had an paying customer here and the "noise" might bother the neighbors.
Rarely on the streets will you see more than one or two people actually stopping to listen to the gypsy musicians. Most hurry along their way because they're truly in a hurry, are bored, bothered, don't want to pay, or don't trust the gypsies. Whatever the case, these street musicians don't make much money doing this, that's for sure.
These days, the street musicians you find in downtown Madrid are not gypsies anymore. They're most likely from Romania, Andean Latin American, or you might even catch the roving Mariachi band in the Puerta del Sol which makes frequent appearances and gains LARGE crowds. I often wonder about the latter band, wonder if the tourists think, "Ah yess... I'M IN SPAIN NOW!" - not realizing this is a MEXICAN band and has little or nothing to do with Spain itself. Along the same lines, how many times have I seen high school tour groups in Madrid (usually from the USA) and more than one of them is wearing a Mexican sombrero! Good Gawd.
Saludos, MadridMan
No Kidding! They're Spanish, afterall!
This morning on TeleMadrid there was a report about Madrid's taxi drivers and their ability (or lack of ability) to speak English with their riders. My first thought was, "Of course they can't speak English! They're Spanish!" But then I imagined the difficulty, for example, my parents would have when they come visit me and take a taxi from the airport. The last time I went to Barajas to get them and we returned to the city in a taxi.
The report said the city/Community of Madrid was starting a program for persons in the service industry, offering a 2-month course on basic English. What a great idea!
Some of the taxi drivers TeleMadrid interviewed said they often get directions from passengers when they write down the address. Others said they spoke only a few words of English. Most, however, said they spoke nary a word of English. I can't say I'm surprised with this as the taxi drivers in Spain are often mature and driving taxis for years and years, rarely needing to learn English or any other language. But I'd imagine those whom line-up at Barajas Airport would/should have more knowledge of foreign languages.
I guess, as a last option, English-speaking passengers can simply tell the driver, "Plaza Mayor" or "Puerta del Sol" and then walk the rest of the way if their hotels are nearby. That is, IF the passengers KNOW their hotels are nearby these well-known areas. But imagine being dropped off in the middle of Bangkok, for example, and trying to find your hotel on foot while carrying your luggage and not speaking a word of the local language. That's why I always tell travelers to have the address of their hotel written down so they can SHOW the driver that address. But if that hotel's on a pedestrian street and the driver tries to tell you that - IN SPANISH - the passenger obviously won't understand. Frustrating for everyone.
Should basic English be a requirement for taxi drivers?
Saludos, MadridMan
This morning on TeleMadrid there was a report about Madrid's taxi drivers and their ability (or lack of ability) to speak English with their riders. My first thought was, "Of course they can't speak English! They're Spanish!" But then I imagined the difficulty, for example, my parents would have when they come visit me and take a taxi from the airport. The last time I went to Barajas to get them and we returned to the city in a taxi.
The report said the city/Community of Madrid was starting a program for persons in the service industry, offering a 2-month course on basic English. What a great idea!
Some of the taxi drivers TeleMadrid interviewed said they often get directions from passengers when they write down the address. Others said they spoke only a few words of English. Most, however, said they spoke nary a word of English. I can't say I'm surprised with this as the taxi drivers in Spain are often mature and driving taxis for years and years, rarely needing to learn English or any other language. But I'd imagine those whom line-up at Barajas Airport would/should have more knowledge of foreign languages.
I guess, as a last option, English-speaking passengers can simply tell the driver, "Plaza Mayor" or "Puerta del Sol" and then walk the rest of the way if their hotels are nearby. That is, IF the passengers KNOW their hotels are nearby these well-known areas. But imagine being dropped off in the middle of Bangkok, for example, and trying to find your hotel on foot while carrying your luggage and not speaking a word of the local language. That's why I always tell travelers to have the address of their hotel written down so they can SHOW the driver that address. But if that hotel's on a pedestrian street and the driver tries to tell you that - IN SPANISH - the passenger obviously won't understand. Frustrating for everyone.
Should basic English be a requirement for taxi drivers?
Saludos, MadridMan
For customer service, Spanish pharmacies are near the top!
Unlike in the USA, when you want to buy something like Alka-Seltzer, diarrhea medicine, ASPIRIN, or condoms, you MUST go to the pharmacy. For Spaniards, this is a common fact of life. For Americans, we say, "WHAT?! I have to ask a pharmacist for CONDOMS?!" or "WHAT?! I have to admit to the pharmacist that I have diarrhea?!" or "WHAT?! I have to pay 4 Euros for a pack of 20 aspirins??????!!!"
All these things for Americans is, to say the least, unusual and uncomfortable. We can semi-secretly put boxes of condoms and diarrhea medicine under our arms and face the teenager cashier at any grocery store, convenient start, or drug-store-super-store and we don't have to ask anyone to buy them. Walk up, take it off the hook, and carry it directly to the cash register.
We're also NOT accustomed to paying such prices for aspirin! This, for me, is the most shocking thing. We in the USA (can) pay about $1.50 for a bottle of 100+ aspirin! This is something so common! And store-brand Alka-Seltzer can cost $.200 for a box of 50. So what do I do, I stock up on all these things when I go to the USA and bring them back to Spain with me so I don't have to pay such prices or face such embarrassment at the pharmacies here in Spain.
All that said, wow, I'm beyond impressed with the professionalism of the pharmacies here. These people not only know their stuff (as any self-respecting pharmacist would), but they also take their take to understand your problem. They really tend to treat you like family, always very friendly, always very helpful.
And while the aspirin might be expensive the prescription drugs are DIRT-CHEAP!! WOW! There is one prescription I had filled for the last 10 years in the USA - nothing REALLY necessary but helpful - which cost me $20-per-unit. Here, it costs me 2.40€!!!! This fact reminds me of a number of scenes in the Michael Moore movie SICKO where he goes to Canada, England, and France and asks the people how much they pay for their prescription drugs - and the answer is always the same - IT'S CHEAP compared to the USA.
Don't get me started on the US Healthcare System but let me say this, when I go to the doctor I first ask for an appointment. When I show up for my appointment the doctor calls out 5 people's name for my particular time-slot and we take turns depending on the order of the names called. I've never waited more than 20 minutes for my name to be called and the care has always been professional.
Back to pharmacies: they do observe siesta-hours. But there is always a 24-hour pharmacy available in nearly every neighborhood for emergencies. And I've never walked away from a pharmacy without them giving me some kind of little freebie like a box of sugar-free throat lozenges, a pack of facial tissues, or something like that. What a nice detail which costs them little and strengthens the pharmacist-patient bond. Children always get sugar-free suckers too.
I've gone to a couple different pharmacies here in the neighborhood and so they know me by my face and my nationality. As I've said before, I'm CLEARLY the only United Statesen in THIS neighborhood. They always treat me so nicely, very friendly, asking about me and when I've visited home last, telling about how their daughter is now studying English or recently visited England or Boston.
I think Pharmacies are very similar across Europe so I doubt someone from Sweden would be surprised about what I'm writing because "that's the way it is". But for an American it's a true experience.
By the way, I'd imagine one could also buy condoms in a Sex Shop in Madrid, for example, but... I don't think I'm ready for that - YET.
Saludos, MadridMan
Unlike in the USA, when you want to buy something like Alka-Seltzer, diarrhea medicine, ASPIRIN, or condoms, you MUST go to the pharmacy. For Spaniards, this is a common fact of life. For Americans, we say, "WHAT?! I have to ask a pharmacist for CONDOMS?!" or "WHAT?! I have to admit to the pharmacist that I have diarrhea?!" or "WHAT?! I have to pay 4 Euros for a pack of 20 aspirins??????!!!"
All these things for Americans is, to say the least, unusual and uncomfortable. We can semi-secretly put boxes of condoms and diarrhea medicine under our arms and face the teenager cashier at any grocery store, convenient start, or drug-store-super-store and we don't have to ask anyone to buy them. Walk up, take it off the hook, and carry it directly to the cash register.
We're also NOT accustomed to paying such prices for aspirin! This, for me, is the most shocking thing. We in the USA (can) pay about $1.50 for a bottle of 100+ aspirin! This is something so common! And store-brand Alka-Seltzer can cost $.200 for a box of 50. So what do I do, I stock up on all these things when I go to the USA and bring them back to Spain with me so I don't have to pay such prices or face such embarrassment at the pharmacies here in Spain.
All that said, wow, I'm beyond impressed with the professionalism of the pharmacies here. These people not only know their stuff (as any self-respecting pharmacist would), but they also take their take to understand your problem. They really tend to treat you like family, always very friendly, always very helpful.
And while the aspirin might be expensive the prescription drugs are DIRT-CHEAP!! WOW! There is one prescription I had filled for the last 10 years in the USA - nothing REALLY necessary but helpful - which cost me $20-per-unit. Here, it costs me 2.40€!!!! This fact reminds me of a number of scenes in the Michael Moore movie SICKO where he goes to Canada, England, and France and asks the people how much they pay for their prescription drugs - and the answer is always the same - IT'S CHEAP compared to the USA.
Don't get me started on the US Healthcare System but let me say this, when I go to the doctor I first ask for an appointment. When I show up for my appointment the doctor calls out 5 people's name for my particular time-slot and we take turns depending on the order of the names called. I've never waited more than 20 minutes for my name to be called and the care has always been professional.
Back to pharmacies: they do observe siesta-hours. But there is always a 24-hour pharmacy available in nearly every neighborhood for emergencies. And I've never walked away from a pharmacy without them giving me some kind of little freebie like a box of sugar-free throat lozenges, a pack of facial tissues, or something like that. What a nice detail which costs them little and strengthens the pharmacist-patient bond. Children always get sugar-free suckers too.
I've gone to a couple different pharmacies here in the neighborhood and so they know me by my face and my nationality. As I've said before, I'm CLEARLY the only United Statesen in THIS neighborhood. They always treat me so nicely, very friendly, asking about me and when I've visited home last, telling about how their daughter is now studying English or recently visited England or Boston.
I think Pharmacies are very similar across Europe so I doubt someone from Sweden would be surprised about what I'm writing because "that's the way it is". But for an American it's a true experience.
By the way, I'd imagine one could also buy condoms in a Sex Shop in Madrid, for example, but... I don't think I'm ready for that - YET.
Saludos, MadridMan
Sometimes it's so nice to go down a local bar for breakfast - just as I did this morning. I really missed them during their one-month absence for August vacation.
The place was established in 1952 just as the neighborhood was being constructed. The bar itself doesn't appear to have changed - outside or inside - since then and that's just the way I like it.
It's a street-corner-bar on a not-so-busy one-way street and, luckily, I can see its green-glowing neon lights from my balcony. This line-of-sight has saved me many trips down/up down 5-flights of stairs, dejected, hungry, & morning-grumpy.
You walk into this place and are immediately greeted by the 70-something original owner and his 50-something son whom are CLEARLY a father-son team. The constantly wiped stainless steel bar follows the L-shape of its street-corner orientation.
I'm somewhat of a "regular" of this bar but only for morning porras and coffee. So when I walk in the owner asks somewhat gruffly and without smile, "¿Cuantas?" or "How many?" The answer is alway the same [3] and he assumes my "café con leche" order.
So what are porras? Since there's nothing like them in the USA I can only describe them as 10-inch long, 1-inch diameter, air-pocket-filled, deep fried dough. They don't have much flavor and are not sweet at all. They don't sound very appetizing, do they? No they don't. Churros, the more popular cousin to the porra, are smaller, rope-like strands of fried dough, usually with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Generally speaking, I don't care much for sweet things so I prefer the blander porras.
Porras were first introduced to me for breakfast immediately upon arriving to the neighborhood, my first visit to Spain/Madrid in 1995. Upon seeing them I said, "I'm not eating that!" but was convinced to open-my-mind and try them. So after the first couple I felt like I had a brick in my stomach. BLAH! I though, "NEVER AGAIN!" Ha! Now I have them only once a month.
Here, about 40 meters away, the bar down the street is PURE, TYPICAL Spanish. There are always people having their coffee for breakfast, including the Spanish police, neighborhood people, and workers before starting their day. When I pay and leave the bartender gives me a smile. I say to them and to the rest of the bar with my voice raised a bit, "¡Hasta Luego!". The bartender, now with his back to me, replies with the same as do just a few of the coffee-drinkers. The rest of them, however, simply give me curious, cautious stares with eyes open wide. Hahaha... I can always imagine what they're thinking..., "Who's that? He doesn't belong here! And why's he wearing shorts and sandals in the morning??!" But I'm not offended in the least. This is how it is.
I don't KNOW the bartender or his son but they always greet me with a wave of the hand and a shout of "¡Hasta Luego!" when they see me passing by the bar on my way to who-knows-where. Little details like this always make a person feel at-home in the neighborhood. I get the same in-passing greetings from the "Chicken Lady" at the neighborhood Pollería, butchery, fruit-store, and convenience store owners.
This is MY neighborhood now. I feel AT HOME and sleep well at night.
Saludos, MadridMan
The place was established in 1952 just as the neighborhood was being constructed. The bar itself doesn't appear to have changed - outside or inside - since then and that's just the way I like it.
It's a street-corner-bar on a not-so-busy one-way street and, luckily, I can see its green-glowing neon lights from my balcony. This line-of-sight has saved me many trips down/up down 5-flights of stairs, dejected, hungry, & morning-grumpy.
You walk into this place and are immediately greeted by the 70-something original owner and his 50-something son whom are CLEARLY a father-son team. The constantly wiped stainless steel bar follows the L-shape of its street-corner orientation.
I'm somewhat of a "regular" of this bar but only for morning porras and coffee. So when I walk in the owner asks somewhat gruffly and without smile, "¿Cuantas?" or "How many?" The answer is alway the same [3] and he assumes my "café con leche" order.
So what are porras? Since there's nothing like them in the USA I can only describe them as 10-inch long, 1-inch diameter, air-pocket-filled, deep fried dough. They don't have much flavor and are not sweet at all. They don't sound very appetizing, do they? No they don't. Churros, the more popular cousin to the porra, are smaller, rope-like strands of fried dough, usually with powdered sugar sprinkled on top. Generally speaking, I don't care much for sweet things so I prefer the blander porras.
Porras were first introduced to me for breakfast immediately upon arriving to the neighborhood, my first visit to Spain/Madrid in 1995. Upon seeing them I said, "I'm not eating that!" but was convinced to open-my-mind and try them. So after the first couple I felt like I had a brick in my stomach. BLAH! I though, "NEVER AGAIN!" Ha! Now I have them only once a month.
Here, about 40 meters away, the bar down the street is PURE, TYPICAL Spanish. There are always people having their coffee for breakfast, including the Spanish police, neighborhood people, and workers before starting their day. When I pay and leave the bartender gives me a smile. I say to them and to the rest of the bar with my voice raised a bit, "¡Hasta Luego!". The bartender, now with his back to me, replies with the same as do just a few of the coffee-drinkers. The rest of them, however, simply give me curious, cautious stares with eyes open wide. Hahaha... I can always imagine what they're thinking..., "Who's that? He doesn't belong here! And why's he wearing shorts and sandals in the morning??!" But I'm not offended in the least. This is how it is.
I don't KNOW the bartender or his son but they always greet me with a wave of the hand and a shout of "¡Hasta Luego!" when they see me passing by the bar on my way to who-knows-where. Little details like this always make a person feel at-home in the neighborhood. I get the same in-passing greetings from the "Chicken Lady" at the neighborhood Pollería, butchery, fruit-store, and convenience store owners.
This is MY neighborhood now. I feel AT HOME and sleep well at night.
Saludos, MadridMan
I like to go to the movies. Usually I'll go to the Cine Ideal on the Plaza Jacinto Benavente en downtown Madrid to catch the latest, greatest Hollywood production shown in V.O. - "Versión Original". Or if it's a good Spanish movie with English subtitles, I'll go to one of the Renoir Princesa or Renoir Plaza de España cinemas on the Plaza de los Cubos near Plaza de España.
But last night I went to a new, more local theater to see a movie, a BRITISH movie, with a Spanish buddy whom I've known for years and years. I went with MUCH anticipation as I watched them build the entire commercial complex over the last year. Now it includes not only the cinema but also (my) gym, bowling alley (did that last night after the movie), an outside terrace bar, restaurants, and a Carlos Sainz Center where you drive miniature race cars around a circuit (10-minutes, 18€) - both inside and outside.
The new cinema, LUX Cinemas, promoting itself as the only cinema in Madrid where you can CHOOSE your language, was not ALL it "dubbed" itself to be. Their specialty is not only that they're the newest and most "LUXurious" (?) cinemas in Spain but also that they have the most modern audio system, inflated ticket prices include an obligatory snack-food choice which you can eat at your seat with armrest-hidden counters which flip-up and over ones lap. But the cool thing about this place was that you could actually CHOOSE your language with use of headphones.
We bought our tickets, took a few steps away from the window, then I went back and asked HOW I could "choose" my language. The ticket seller told me, "You can't choose a language with this movie." I said, "And in the future, how can I know what movies are available in different languages?" She said, "Well, you can't. You can only ask after arriving. We had ONE movie awhile back for which you could choose your language and we 'may' have more in the future." Hmmmmm... Sooooo... I was about to watch a BRITISH movie dubbed in Spanish. Okay. Well... fine. Let's see how this goes with my level of Spanish.
We walked into the VAST, empty cinema, pretty blue lighting system, seats sparkling new and fresh. The attendant took us directly to our ticket-numbered seats, smiled, nodded, and walked away. We were totally alone in our middle-center seats. A few minutes later another couple did come in and were seated behind us. We were 4 people for this 6pm movie on a Wednesday. Fine. I looked around for the audio jacks into which one could plug-in headphones. None. Hmmm... This was all a disappointment and an obvious mis-direction by the marketing department.
The lights dimmed. The coming attractions were shown. We started eating our popcorn. Then the British movie started, continued, and ended in just under two hours. To my amazement - I UNDERSTOOD ALMOST EVERYTHING!!!! WOWEE!! I'd have to say THIS movie was a kind of milestone for me. I always avoided Spanish movies or Spanish-dubbed movies for fear it would be a waste of time and money - and it usually is because I never understand enough of the move to make it enjoyable. But this movie was different. OR *I* was different. I'm not sure which it was. But I understood the, laughed at jokes, and even audibly "added" the next word in the actors' un-finished sentences.
I don't mean to pat myself on the back and shout, "LOOK HOW GREAT I AM!" because I'm certainly not. We whom learn other languages have a constant fear of saying the wrong thing or misunderstanding something told to us. We also have a great lack of confidence with ourselves with regards to the language with which we live but don't totally understand. But lately I've noticed, little by little, I'm understanding people more and more. Other recent examples include a visit to the doctor last week, talking to the Social Security agent today, and and old man at the bus stop today who was telling me about how he couldn't understand why his wife didn't want to buy the more economical month-long ABONO bus/metro tickets instead of the 10-trip tickets she does buy.
It would appear that learning a language occurs on a 3-part curve:
We hear people speaking to us in this foreign language and we finally understand nearly everything. BUT WHY CAN'T WE REPRODUCE WHAT WE'RE HEARING? That is to say, if I can understand the language why can't I SPEAK the language? That's more difficult. My speaking is now decent-to-good but I suppose that'll come more quickly in the latter half of the 2nd part of the aforementioned learning curve.
Someone once said, "The more I know the more I realize I don't know" or "The more I learn the stupider I feel."
Saludos, MadridMan
But last night I went to a new, more local theater to see a movie, a BRITISH movie, with a Spanish buddy whom I've known for years and years. I went with MUCH anticipation as I watched them build the entire commercial complex over the last year. Now it includes not only the cinema but also (my) gym, bowling alley (did that last night after the movie), an outside terrace bar, restaurants, and a Carlos Sainz Center where you drive miniature race cars around a circuit (10-minutes, 18€) - both inside and outside.
The new cinema, LUX Cinemas, promoting itself as the only cinema in Madrid where you can CHOOSE your language, was not ALL it "dubbed" itself to be. Their specialty is not only that they're the newest and most "LUXurious" (?) cinemas in Spain but also that they have the most modern audio system, inflated ticket prices include an obligatory snack-food choice which you can eat at your seat with armrest-hidden counters which flip-up and over ones lap. But the cool thing about this place was that you could actually CHOOSE your language with use of headphones.
We bought our tickets, took a few steps away from the window, then I went back and asked HOW I could "choose" my language. The ticket seller told me, "You can't choose a language with this movie." I said, "And in the future, how can I know what movies are available in different languages?" She said, "Well, you can't. You can only ask after arriving. We had ONE movie awhile back for which you could choose your language and we 'may' have more in the future." Hmmmmm... Sooooo... I was about to watch a BRITISH movie dubbed in Spanish. Okay. Well... fine. Let's see how this goes with my level of Spanish.
We walked into the VAST, empty cinema, pretty blue lighting system, seats sparkling new and fresh. The attendant took us directly to our ticket-numbered seats, smiled, nodded, and walked away. We were totally alone in our middle-center seats. A few minutes later another couple did come in and were seated behind us. We were 4 people for this 6pm movie on a Wednesday. Fine. I looked around for the audio jacks into which one could plug-in headphones. None. Hmmm... This was all a disappointment and an obvious mis-direction by the marketing department.
The lights dimmed. The coming attractions were shown. We started eating our popcorn. Then the British movie started, continued, and ended in just under two hours. To my amazement - I UNDERSTOOD ALMOST EVERYTHING!!!! WOWEE!! I'd have to say THIS movie was a kind of milestone for me. I always avoided Spanish movies or Spanish-dubbed movies for fear it would be a waste of time and money - and it usually is because I never understand enough of the move to make it enjoyable. But this movie was different. OR *I* was different. I'm not sure which it was. But I understood the, laughed at jokes, and even audibly "added" the next word in the actors' un-finished sentences.
I don't mean to pat myself on the back and shout, "LOOK HOW GREAT I AM!" because I'm certainly not. We whom learn other languages have a constant fear of saying the wrong thing or misunderstanding something told to us. We also have a great lack of confidence with ourselves with regards to the language with which we live but don't totally understand. But lately I've noticed, little by little, I'm understanding people more and more. Other recent examples include a visit to the doctor last week, talking to the Social Security agent today, and and old man at the bus stop today who was telling me about how he couldn't understand why his wife didn't want to buy the more economical month-long ABONO bus/metro tickets instead of the 10-trip tickets she does buy.
It would appear that learning a language occurs on a 3-part curve:
- The first 3rd is relatively flat yet very gently ascending. You become exposed to the basics of a language
- The second 3rd takes a sharp UP-turn. You know the
basics and these basics allow you to absorb the language's vocabulary
and real-life uses on a faster rate
- The last 3rd of the curve is much more level but still gently ascending. You know the basics, have a large mental vocabulary, but continue to learn the less commonly-used details of a language
We hear people speaking to us in this foreign language and we finally understand nearly everything. BUT WHY CAN'T WE REPRODUCE WHAT WE'RE HEARING? That is to say, if I can understand the language why can't I SPEAK the language? That's more difficult. My speaking is now decent-to-good but I suppose that'll come more quickly in the latter half of the 2nd part of the aforementioned learning curve.
Someone once said, "The more I know the more I realize I don't know" or "The more I learn the stupider I feel."
Saludos, MadridMan
Mmmm.. It's 10pm, it's still summer, everyone's windows are open, and some of the most amazing, most delicious smells are coming through my window now. Mmmm.. IF ONLY my own kitchen smelled THIS good - but it never does.
Cooking for me usually entails nothing more than opening a bag, pouring contents into a pan, adding water (or not), and heating for 15 minutes. That's a typical MadridMan meal for dinner - when I have dinner, that is. Pathetic, ain't it? Sure it is. Oftentimes I'll only have a light dinner consisting of nothing more than nuts or fruit or a yogurt, all depending on the size and the time I've had lunch. My lunches are usually LARGE, however, and often consisting of soup, or home-cooked pork or chicken fillets, "Cocido Madrileño" from a can, or even the same add-water-and-heat pasta or rice meals. My best lunches, obviously, take place in restaurants when meeting friends downtown. Oh how I long for these meetings to not only meet with good or new friends but also to have a decent meal!
Food in Spain is almost like a religion. And if that's true, I must be an atheist because I'm no cook! I try and sometimes I succeed with something unusual - or at least something good and totally home-made - but that's an irregularity, an anomaly. My effort usually comes when someone says, "Hey, I'm coming over for lunch/dinner" and then I have no excuse but to TRY to makes something fresh. Today's lunch consisted of an American-Style frozen pizza ("Arizona", it was called, "American Style Pizza") and Mexican-style rice from a bag (add water). It was very very tasty and made me a little homesick for REAL Mexican food (i.e. "real" from the United States - which isn't likely to be very similar to Mexican food in Mexico!). I've even eaten at Mexican restaurants here in Madrid and, well, it's just not the same, not as good to these taste buds.
Anyone want to invite MadridMan to lunch or dinner? Send me an email or post an OPEN INVITATION to our message board members HERE! We're frequently having lunchtime get-togethers in downtown Madrid - I LOVE THESE. And from time to time we schedule a nighttime gathering at some bar or terraza.
I think I love typical Spanish food even more than Spaniards themselves! But then, I've only been enjoying it for the last decade of my life. Right now I have an urge for Patatas Bravas! Mmmm.... Guess I'll settle for nuts, yogurt, and a glass of Rueda white wine.
Here's to Spanish food! Raise your glass, world! You're in for a treat!
Saludos, MadridMan
Cooking for me usually entails nothing more than opening a bag, pouring contents into a pan, adding water (or not), and heating for 15 minutes. That's a typical MadridMan meal for dinner - when I have dinner, that is. Pathetic, ain't it? Sure it is. Oftentimes I'll only have a light dinner consisting of nothing more than nuts or fruit or a yogurt, all depending on the size and the time I've had lunch. My lunches are usually LARGE, however, and often consisting of soup, or home-cooked pork or chicken fillets, "Cocido Madrileño" from a can, or even the same add-water-and-heat pasta or rice meals. My best lunches, obviously, take place in restaurants when meeting friends downtown. Oh how I long for these meetings to not only meet with good or new friends but also to have a decent meal!
Food in Spain is almost like a religion. And if that's true, I must be an atheist because I'm no cook! I try and sometimes I succeed with something unusual - or at least something good and totally home-made - but that's an irregularity, an anomaly. My effort usually comes when someone says, "Hey, I'm coming over for lunch/dinner" and then I have no excuse but to TRY to makes something fresh. Today's lunch consisted of an American-Style frozen pizza ("Arizona", it was called, "American Style Pizza") and Mexican-style rice from a bag (add water). It was very very tasty and made me a little homesick for REAL Mexican food (i.e. "real" from the United States - which isn't likely to be very similar to Mexican food in Mexico!). I've even eaten at Mexican restaurants here in Madrid and, well, it's just not the same, not as good to these taste buds.
Anyone want to invite MadridMan to lunch or dinner? Send me an email or post an OPEN INVITATION to our message board members HERE! We're frequently having lunchtime get-togethers in downtown Madrid - I LOVE THESE. And from time to time we schedule a nighttime gathering at some bar or terraza.
I think I love typical Spanish food even more than Spaniards themselves! But then, I've only been enjoying it for the last decade of my life. Right now I have an urge for Patatas Bravas! Mmmm.... Guess I'll settle for nuts, yogurt, and a glass of Rueda white wine.
Here's to Spanish food! Raise your glass, world! You're in for a treat!
Saludos, MadridMan
What a country, eh? Okay, I realize topless sunbathing is not exclusive to Madrid. But HERE is where I have most of my experience - with topless sunbathing!!
Most weekdays I go to the gym in hopes of staving off the effects of my sedentary existence in front of the computer. I spend a good 40 minutes of aerobic exercises on the treadmill and elliptical machine and then weight machines (I don't like free weights. I ain't no dumbbell. heheeh..). That's all well and good.
But my gym also has an grassy, private outdoor sunbathing area JUST outside the window of the exercise room. And here's the funny part... If this was Columbus, Ohio USA the window would be lined with men (and some women) trying to shoulder through the crowd to get a peek at the topless women below.
BUT NOOOOOOOO! This is Europe. Here, nary a man nor woman is against the window to gawk at the sights below - UNUSUAL SITES THEY ARE for my United Statesen eyes. Europeans, well, I know men admire the naked female form, and it no-doubt, gives them certain urges, but here seeing such things are nothing out of the ordinary.
Oh sure, occasionally a couple of young men will linger at the window, grinning, elbowing each other while gazing across the group of 5-20 women below, 50% of them topless, but the leering doesn't last very long. Sometimes I find myself near the window for some particular exercise machine and I too will look over the group. The phrases, "Wow. I can't believe my eyes" and "You chose wisely, Grasshopper" fill my Temporal Lobe - when they can get past the Frontal Lobe, that is. he he he... But after an "acceptable" amount of time I'll walk away, fearful the gym's attendant will approach me with a scolding.
At my gym they're doing some renovations both outside and inside. The outside work is being done conveniently just outside this particular window. Sometimes I see the workmen lingering as they pass by, sometimes tripping, sometimes stopping and pretending to make a phone call while staring. One particular workman, I'm ashamed to say it, appeared to be taking photos with his mobile camera phone. My presumption was that this particular workman was not from Spain - and maybe not even from western Europe - and so he wasn't as accustomed to seeing topless women in public. Well, they weren't out in the PUBLIC but they were within plain view of his workspace so imagine his reaction.
I always knew that topless sunbathing was common in Spain as I'd seen many of them on the beaches of San Sebastián-Donotia when visiting there for Semana Santa/Holy Week several years ago. But to have topless sunbathers outside my gym's window, so common and casual, and ON A DAILY BASIS in summer, is a REAL eye-opener.
Back in 1995, my first visit to Madrid, I VIVIDLY remember seeing TV advertisements for shampoo and body lotion, both using nearly-totally-nude models in the commercials, full-frontal nudity from the waist up and full back nudity too. WOWEE! But little by little, as has passed, fewer and fewer of these commercials are broadcast for whatever reason. Now, really, you never see nudity on TV commercials - although you do casually see it on TV news programs showing sunbathers on beaches during the summer vacation season. I IMAGINE men aren't jumping out of their couches when seeing topless sunbathers on the TV news!
It's also quite common to pass newsstands on the sidewalks and see, right on the front of the newsstand, a magazine with a topless, large-breasted woman on its cover. My first reaction is, "My God! What if the children see that?!" Then I realize that I'm in Europe where the female form is not something to be hidden nor for which to be ashamed. Afterall, BOTH men AND women have breasts, don'tcha know! THIS is equality at its definition.
Saludos, MadridMan
Most weekdays I go to the gym in hopes of staving off the effects of my sedentary existence in front of the computer. I spend a good 40 minutes of aerobic exercises on the treadmill and elliptical machine and then weight machines (I don't like free weights. I ain't no dumbbell. heheeh..). That's all well and good.
But my gym also has an grassy, private outdoor sunbathing area JUST outside the window of the exercise room. And here's the funny part... If this was Columbus, Ohio USA the window would be lined with men (and some women) trying to shoulder through the crowd to get a peek at the topless women below.
BUT NOOOOOOOO! This is Europe. Here, nary a man nor woman is against the window to gawk at the sights below - UNUSUAL SITES THEY ARE for my United Statesen eyes. Europeans, well, I know men admire the naked female form, and it no-doubt, gives them certain urges, but here seeing such things are nothing out of the ordinary.
Oh sure, occasionally a couple of young men will linger at the window, grinning, elbowing each other while gazing across the group of 5-20 women below, 50% of them topless, but the leering doesn't last very long. Sometimes I find myself near the window for some particular exercise machine and I too will look over the group. The phrases, "Wow. I can't believe my eyes" and "You chose wisely, Grasshopper" fill my Temporal Lobe - when they can get past the Frontal Lobe, that is. he he he... But after an "acceptable" amount of time I'll walk away, fearful the gym's attendant will approach me with a scolding.
At my gym they're doing some renovations both outside and inside. The outside work is being done conveniently just outside this particular window. Sometimes I see the workmen lingering as they pass by, sometimes tripping, sometimes stopping and pretending to make a phone call while staring. One particular workman, I'm ashamed to say it, appeared to be taking photos with his mobile camera phone. My presumption was that this particular workman was not from Spain - and maybe not even from western Europe - and so he wasn't as accustomed to seeing topless women in public. Well, they weren't out in the PUBLIC but they were within plain view of his workspace so imagine his reaction.
I always knew that topless sunbathing was common in Spain as I'd seen many of them on the beaches of San Sebastián-Donotia when visiting there for Semana Santa/Holy Week several years ago. But to have topless sunbathers outside my gym's window, so common and casual, and ON A DAILY BASIS in summer, is a REAL eye-opener.
Back in 1995, my first visit to Madrid, I VIVIDLY remember seeing TV advertisements for shampoo and body lotion, both using nearly-totally-nude models in the commercials, full-frontal nudity from the waist up and full back nudity too. WOWEE! But little by little, as has passed, fewer and fewer of these commercials are broadcast for whatever reason. Now, really, you never see nudity on TV commercials - although you do casually see it on TV news programs showing sunbathers on beaches during the summer vacation season. I IMAGINE men aren't jumping out of their couches when seeing topless sunbathers on the TV news!
It's also quite common to pass newsstands on the sidewalks and see, right on the front of the newsstand, a magazine with a topless, large-breasted woman on its cover. My first reaction is, "My God! What if the children see that?!" Then I realize that I'm in Europe where the female form is not something to be hidden nor for which to be ashamed. Afterall, BOTH men AND women have breasts, don'tcha know! THIS is equality at its definition.
Saludos, MadridMan
Today's Saturday. Most Saturday morning's of the year you'd typically find little activity in the streets. But not this morning!
I was walking back from the gym today at about noon and there was a definite buzz in the street; people were greeting others on the corners, everyone smiling, lots of waving, more traffic, bars were full, and there was a definite energy which didn't exist just one week ago.
The Spanish summer is officially over! Today's September 1 and everyone who was away for a monthlong vacation in August has returned - or those who were gone the entire month of July are just now meeting up with those whom were gone in August!
Monday, September 3rd, will be the day everyone will be back to work, all the stores, bars, and restaurants will be open once again, and life in Spain will essentially be back to normal. Thank goodness! There is a special soothing peacefulness in the neighborhoods in Madrid in summertime which is nice but it can be frustrating too if you're waiting for your favorite bar to reopen, your favorite "Fábrica de Patatas Fritas" (store which makes fresh potato chips on-site - imagine that! And delicious too!) to raise its storefront ceiling-to-floor metal shutter, your telephone calls to be answered more quickly by businesses (if they answer at all in summer), and your best buddies to come home.
I'm sure tonight, Saturday night before the official return to work, will be a BIGGG night in Madrid with lots of parties, everyone dining out or going to bars, the terrazas full, everyone enjoying the last valuable moments of freedom with friends and family before going back to stressful, tedious, monotonous day jobs, back to worrying about paying the [vacation] bills and getting back-to-school necessities, worrying about daycare or elder-care, and watching that suntan slowly fade day by day.
But for me, it means normalcy. I spent a total of 16 vacation days outside of Madrid this entire summer, visiting the USA and northern Spain. But while gone I'm always anxious to return to Madrid - my new home - and back to the job I truly love to do, passing another day and thinking (in the words of comedian/actor Steve Martin when he was only doing stand-up comedy) "And the MOST amazing thing to me is...... I... Get... Paid... For... Doing... This."
I'm a happy guy today. My friends are back from vacation (except for a special one who moved to San Francisco - permanently), my stores and bars are all open (except for one which closed just yesterday because it was "too cool" for the neighborhood), the autumn travel season is quickly approaching which means anxious tourists traveling to Madrid, and travel for me too! I hope to return to Barcelona, maybe Granada, and possibly to the Basque Country too (Bilbao, San Sebastián-Donostia). Also have to start thinking about planning an autumn "Party With MadridMan in Madrid" gathering once again. That should be fun.
Welcome Home, Madrid! I missed you!
Saludos, MadridMan
I was walking back from the gym today at about noon and there was a definite buzz in the street; people were greeting others on the corners, everyone smiling, lots of waving, more traffic, bars were full, and there was a definite energy which didn't exist just one week ago.
The Spanish summer is officially over! Today's September 1 and everyone who was away for a monthlong vacation in August has returned - or those who were gone the entire month of July are just now meeting up with those whom were gone in August!
Monday, September 3rd, will be the day everyone will be back to work, all the stores, bars, and restaurants will be open once again, and life in Spain will essentially be back to normal. Thank goodness! There is a special soothing peacefulness in the neighborhoods in Madrid in summertime which is nice but it can be frustrating too if you're waiting for your favorite bar to reopen, your favorite "Fábrica de Patatas Fritas" (store which makes fresh potato chips on-site - imagine that! And delicious too!) to raise its storefront ceiling-to-floor metal shutter, your telephone calls to be answered more quickly by businesses (if they answer at all in summer), and your best buddies to come home.
I'm sure tonight, Saturday night before the official return to work, will be a BIGGG night in Madrid with lots of parties, everyone dining out or going to bars, the terrazas full, everyone enjoying the last valuable moments of freedom with friends and family before going back to stressful, tedious, monotonous day jobs, back to worrying about paying the [vacation] bills and getting back-to-school necessities, worrying about daycare or elder-care, and watching that suntan slowly fade day by day.
But for me, it means normalcy. I spent a total of 16 vacation days outside of Madrid this entire summer, visiting the USA and northern Spain. But while gone I'm always anxious to return to Madrid - my new home - and back to the job I truly love to do, passing another day and thinking (in the words of comedian/actor Steve Martin when he was only doing stand-up comedy) "And the MOST amazing thing to me is...... I... Get... Paid... For... Doing... This."
I'm a happy guy today. My friends are back from vacation (except for a special one who moved to San Francisco - permanently), my stores and bars are all open (except for one which closed just yesterday because it was "too cool" for the neighborhood), the autumn travel season is quickly approaching which means anxious tourists traveling to Madrid, and travel for me too! I hope to return to Barcelona, maybe Granada, and possibly to the Basque Country too (Bilbao, San Sebastián-Donostia). Also have to start thinking about planning an autumn "Party With MadridMan in Madrid" gathering once again. That should be fun.
Welcome Home, Madrid! I missed you!
Saludos, MadridMan
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