1. When it rained so hard in Valencia, we were eating in the underground cave restaurant, and the rain was pouring through the ceiling. It took forever to get the check because our waitress was fervently mopping. When we ran out into the rain, a very excited and happy girl ran behind us for about a block, holding her giant umbrella out over our heads.
2. When we went to Spanish Making Time, we were excited about the flyers that said M.I.A. was going to be there. Oops, she was, but it was just a white German girl DJ who is also named M.I.A. All the Spaniards were really excited about her.
3. When Sue and I explored the city, we found it easier to talk about where to go next if we referred to Valencia's neighborhoods by the name of the Philly neighborhood they most closely resembled. We lived in Old City; trees are in West Philly; you get falafel on South Street; you eat in Northern Liberties; trash on the streets means you're in South Philly.
4. Speaking of things on the street, Spain is kind of my favorite place in the world right now, and its cities are, for the most part, immaculate, but if traveling there, make sure to watch where you step. People let their dogs shit literally everywhere. Then, during the siesta, old ladies come out and sprinkle cornmeal on the ubiquitous piles of turd, and an hour or two later, they sweep it into the street.
5. Sometimes, when Marilyn goes to Spain, she likes to find out how many H&Ms there are in Barcelona (two) and go to both of them right away.
6. Marilyn, to Sue: "Times a million...to speak your language."
7. You could only get free wifi at McDonald's. Hence, Conrad: "We are totally gonna go McBlog about that tomorrow."
8. Waitress, to me: "I like your jacket. And I like [Conrad's] tie. You should switch ties so one of you looks very good and the other one looks like a fool."
9. Sometimes, when I go to Spain, I like to iron clothes for literally hours a day. And spread an inch or two of Nutella on everything.
10. We bought a jug of wine that looked like a plastic gasoline canister. Gasovino.
11. Siesta is more than just real. Sometimes people don't go to work at all or open their shops because, you know, they don't feel like it. Sometimes people close early because, you know, they've made enough money for the day.
12. Bidets.
13. When I got back, the first thing I did was read Philly blogs and myspace bulletins for five hours. The next day at work, I spent an hour gushing about the trip to Dan, and when Conrad came in and Dan asked him if he had an amazing trip, Conrad said, "No."
14. Ben and I went to the P.O.P.E. that night for drinks, and while he ordered some kind of imported craft beer, I told the waitress that I had been in Spain for the last nine days and that all I wanted was the familiar stale-water-and-ashes swill that is PBR. You're so glad to have me back, Philly. You have no idea.
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2 comments:
There's also 2 h&M's in Madrid. And Conrad will never have "an amazing trip", he's way too grumpy.
And good job remembering things.
there are (more than) two H&Ms in Manhattan. I went to both and bought 5 things at one... all grey.
but that was two days ago, and this is a spain post, so I am
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