SU Madrid organized a tapas crawl on tonight, and out of a program of 107 students, only 8 decided to go!
Tapas is the name of a wide variety of appetizers, or snacks, in Spanish cuisine. They may be cold (such as mixed olives and cheese) or warm (such as chopitos, which are battered, fried baby squid). In select bars in Spain, tapas has evolved into an entire, and sometimes sophisticated, cuisine. In Spain, patrons of tapas can order many different tapas and combine them to make a full meal. The serving of tapas is designed to encourage conversation because people are not so focused upon eating an entire meal that is set before them. In Spain, dinner is usually served between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. (sometimes as late as 12 midnight), leaving significant time between work and dinner. Therefore, Spaniards often go "bar hopping" and eat tapas in the time between finishing work and having dinner. In Madrid, when you go to a bar and order a drink, you will often get a tapa for free.
We traversed around Sol and Plaza de Santa Ana, a 3 to 4 block area. From 8pm to 12:15am we were eating, drinking, talking en español, bar-hopping, and getting to know the 4 Spanish students who were taking us around. Let’s just say, speaking in Spanish is a lot easier in a “relaxed” environment. The Spanish sure know how to have a good time on any night of the week.
1st Stop: La Venecia for cecina, queso curado, and vino de jerez (the driest sherry in Spain, which also means, muy muy fuerte (STRONG!)—and also paid for by the director of the program who came with us to the first 2 places. Gracias!
2nd Stop: Museo del Jamón for jamón (ham) .. (what a surprise!), bread, lomo, and cañas. Cured ham, or jamón Serrano has definitely grown on me. It doesn’t look appetizing in the slightest when it’s hanging from the ceiling, but when in Madrid, you have to try it!
3rd Stop: La Casa del Abuelo for gambas al ajillo (shrimp in olive oil and garlic) and un chato de vino. The favorite of the night! The shrimp comes out sizzling hot in these clay dishes, and we dug in right away.
4th Stop: Casa Farracas for sangria and paella (but they wouldn’t include the tapa with the drink, so the Spanish students said they’re taking this place off the route for next time.)
5th Stop: Las Bravas for patatas bravas, tortilla brava, and sangria. The potatos were delicious! Brava refers to this orange spicy creamy sauce, which is divine with the crisp potatos. I must find this in America.
6th Stop: El Tronco for oreja a la plancha (fried pig’s ear, which tastes and looks just like bacon and so good), patatas ali-oli (their take on potato salad—potatoes with mayo and garlic), bread, and this fabulous drink of beer and lemon juice (tastes like lemonade, but with a kick!)
We were supposed to go to one more place called Cervecería Alemana for croquetas and calamares (fried calamari, and another favorite of mine), but we ran out of time and our stomachs ran out of room. I’d definitely do this again, and looking at this list, I’ll be sure to come extra hungry.
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
When you know you’re fitting in ...
Today someone asked me for directions, and interestingly enough, this person was Spanish-speaking. The best part was that I actually knew where the place was and responded back in Spanish. No, I’m not a local, but that made my day!
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
Cultural Differences
Falling behind in the blogosphere, but been thinking a lot about cultural differences and here's the first three that I noticed:
Customer Service: Basically, not a concept here. Waiters and waitresses take all the time in the world and are very stoic when they take your order…”what do you want?” brings your food to you, gets your money, bye. And when we want the check, it’s as if we have to yell “heyyyy, over here!” But that’s the way it is here, because no matter what, they get paid. There are no tips, just salary. So awesome for them, but for us Americans who like to be asked, “Hi there, how’s it going? Can I get anything else for you?” not so great. Here, they travel at a snail’s pace when it comes to a meal at a restaurant. Eating for a couple of hours sounds pretty good. It’s just another way of living life.
PDA: Public Displays of Affection. It’s everywhere. It’s Europe. It’s out there. They’re romantic people. When I was sitting on my lounge chair on the beach, looking out into the blue water in Ibiza, I saw this couple making out on their floaties as they drifted past and continued down the shoreline. No big deal.
Topless at the beach: Of course in Europe, this also pertains to girls. In Ibiza, and I’m sure in other places in Europe, girls were laying in the sun, swimming, and walking down the beach without their tops. So bizarre, and yet so normal for them! I am pretty sure you’d be fined in America. Again, topless girls all along the beaches, ehh no big deal.
Post on my awesome weekend in London coming up!
Customer Service: Basically, not a concept here. Waiters and waitresses take all the time in the world and are very stoic when they take your order…”what do you want?” brings your food to you, gets your money, bye. And when we want the check, it’s as if we have to yell “heyyyy, over here!” But that’s the way it is here, because no matter what, they get paid. There are no tips, just salary. So awesome for them, but for us Americans who like to be asked, “Hi there, how’s it going? Can I get anything else for you?” not so great. Here, they travel at a snail’s pace when it comes to a meal at a restaurant. Eating for a couple of hours sounds pretty good. It’s just another way of living life.
PDA: Public Displays of Affection. It’s everywhere. It’s Europe. It’s out there. They’re romantic people. When I was sitting on my lounge chair on the beach, looking out into the blue water in Ibiza, I saw this couple making out on their floaties as they drifted past and continued down the shoreline. No big deal.
Topless at the beach: Of course in Europe, this also pertains to girls. In Ibiza, and I’m sure in other places in Europe, girls were laying in the sun, swimming, and walking down the beach without their tops. So bizarre, and yet so normal for them! I am pretty sure you’d be fined in America. Again, topless girls all along the beaches, ehh no big deal.
Post on my awesome weekend in London coming up!
Monday, September 20, 2010
Thursday, September 16, 2010
"We're Going to Ibiza!"
Taking off for Ibiza in about 9 hours!
Which means it is the perfect time for this video!
Enjoy!
Woah!
Were going to Ibiza
Woah!
Back to the island
Woah!
Were gonna have a party
Woah!
In the mediterranean sea
Which means it is the perfect time for this video!
Enjoy!
Woah!
Were going to Ibiza
Woah!
Back to the island
Woah!
Were gonna have a party
Woah!
In the mediterranean sea
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Cultural Shock: Boxed Milk
Well, I've officially been overseas one month and I spent my first few weeks in Spain terrified of contracting some serious infection or gastrointestinal illness (let it be known, I am sick with a little post nasal drip). Contrary to everything I’d learned about food safety, my host family does not refrigerate milk – and while it magically never appears to go bad, I wasn’t convinced that it wouldn’t kill me.
Five weeks in, however, and I’m still here – in fact, even as I write this post, I’m drinking counter-stored milk. And thinking of the number of times I’ve gotten in trouble for leaving milk on the counter, or – even worse! – the number of times I’ve grimaced and drank the only slightly-spoiled milk from my dorm room fridge, I’m beginning to see the wisdom of the European system.
Spanish milk is totally different from American milk. For starters, it isn't as good and it comes in a box and thus kind of tastes like cardboard. It also uses a different type of pasteurization – called UHT – that kills more bacteria and makes it safe for longer periods of time without refrigeration. While I wouldn’t be terribly keen to try this one, sources say that unopened boxed milk will stay fresh for up to nine months.
I had to wonder why this thing hasn’t caught on in the States. After all, Americans have pretty much cornered the over-sanitized food market (genetically modified, pre-cut, hermetically sealed vegetables), and un-spoil-able milk is hard to beat.
Apparently some European milk manufacturers thought the same when they tried to market boxed milk in the U.S. about 15 years ago. At the time, CNN predicted that they’d face a tough crowd — Americans just don’t want to give up the milk flavor they’re used to, even if it this cardboard variety never spoils.
Judging by the fact that I’d never seen boxed milk before this trip, I’m gonna go ahead and guess that they were right.
Monday, September 13, 2010
Afternoon in Retiro Park
Yesterday, I walked around the city for so long that I had leg cramps for hours after. It was too nice a day for subways, though — and it was awesome to see El Retiro’s Palacio de Cristal with all the sun shining through it.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
Problems in Paradise
I promised I would blog both when things are going well and when things are going badly. And even though I’m having awesome time, the state of my Spanish is really becoming frustrating, embarrassing and difficult to deal with.
I’ve had a hard time determining exactly what the problem is. I know I haven't studied Spanish since High School but for all of the 4 or 5 years I’ve studied Spanish, I’ve been at the top, I never even found Spanish difficult. But all of the sudden I can barely conjugate a verb, let alone ramble off in my adopted second tongue. When did that happen?!
It’s not like I’m not trying – I’m trying to the point of neuroticism. But I keep making super, super basic mistakes that probably make me look really dumb. Today I was telling one of my professors about the thing I had for lunch, and I 1) could not remember the word for “carbohydrates” and 2) said everything in the present tense, when we’d eaten six hours before.
Anyway, I’ve decided to keep a notebook with all the mistakes I make in Spanish, and the correct way to say them – plus a list of all the new vocabulary I’m learning. I guess the important thing to remember is that I’m here to learn, and even if the learning curve is painfully steep (and it is, believe me), I just have to try to make my mistakes something I can learn from.
P.S., I fully realize that I sound like an after-school special right now — but I think if I sounded like anything else, I’d probably be going crazy. I know it’s a learning process. It just gets a little frustrating sometimes.
I’ve had a hard time determining exactly what the problem is. I know I haven't studied Spanish since High School but for all of the 4 or 5 years I’ve studied Spanish, I’ve been at the top, I never even found Spanish difficult. But all of the sudden I can barely conjugate a verb, let alone ramble off in my adopted second tongue. When did that happen?!
It’s not like I’m not trying – I’m trying to the point of neuroticism. But I keep making super, super basic mistakes that probably make me look really dumb. Today I was telling one of my professors about the thing I had for lunch, and I 1) could not remember the word for “carbohydrates” and 2) said everything in the present tense, when we’d eaten six hours before.
Anyway, I’ve decided to keep a notebook with all the mistakes I make in Spanish, and the correct way to say them – plus a list of all the new vocabulary I’m learning. I guess the important thing to remember is that I’m here to learn, and even if the learning curve is painfully steep (and it is, believe me), I just have to try to make my mistakes something I can learn from.
P.S., I fully realize that I sound like an after-school special right now — but I think if I sounded like anything else, I’d probably be going crazy. I know it’s a learning process. It just gets a little frustrating sometimes.
Booked Trips
September 16th - September 19th: Ibiza
September 23rd - September 26th: London
October 21st - October 24th: Ireland
October 28th - November 1st: Germany
November 4th - November 9th: Athens
November 19th - November 21st: Lisbon, Portugal
Still trying to figure out Rome and Paris!
September 23rd - September 26th: London
October 21st - October 24th: Ireland
October 28th - November 1st: Germany
November 4th - November 9th: Athens
November 19th - November 21st: Lisbon, Portugal
Still trying to figure out Rome and Paris!
Saturday, September 4, 2010
Long Night
Everyone in my group has been napping since around 4:00 this afternoon. Young and collegiate as we are, we have been totally out-partied by the Spanish. Until well after 4 a.m. last night, when I went to bed, there were hundreds upon hundreds of them still out on the street, drinking and swaying to some washed-up Spanish rock band. I’ve seen mosh pits that were less intense. Parties in the USA are looking lamer and lamer everyday
Spanish Culture
I have been in Madrid almost two weeks and can now impart a few more lessons on Spanish culture, since yesterday we had a lecture on customs and etiquette! Some highlights:
*When ordering in a restaurant, you don’t have to begin with “I would like” or “can I have.” You literally just say the name of the food. This will perhaps help me avoid calamities like yesterday’s.
*Contrary to the reports in all of my guidebooks, you don’t have to tip in Spain. It’s customary to leave your change or round up the bill, but no more.
*In general, Spanish people are late to social events (they have this thing called a “five minute courtesy,” like “it’s totally okay if you’re five minutes late”). I think I’m going to fit in pretty well.
*Full meals (a.k.a., pretty much anything that isn’t breakfast or tapas) consist of two courses AND a dessert. However, Miki assures us that we will not engordarnos (get fat) because olive oil is good for you.
*Women greet both other women and men with a kiss on both cheeks. Men greet each other with a handshake.
*People will shamelessly check you out on the metro. It’s not sexual, and they’re not planning to mug you … there’s just nowhere else to look. Its one big staring contest.
That’s probably enough etiquette for one day, amirite? If you don’t think so, feel free to say so in the comments.
*When ordering in a restaurant, you don’t have to begin with “I would like” or “can I have.” You literally just say the name of the food. This will perhaps help me avoid calamities like yesterday’s.
*Contrary to the reports in all of my guidebooks, you don’t have to tip in Spain. It’s customary to leave your change or round up the bill, but no more.
*In general, Spanish people are late to social events (they have this thing called a “five minute courtesy,” like “it’s totally okay if you’re five minutes late”). I think I’m going to fit in pretty well.
*Full meals (a.k.a., pretty much anything that isn’t breakfast or tapas) consist of two courses AND a dessert. However, Miki assures us that we will not engordarnos (get fat) because olive oil is good for you.
*Women greet both other women and men with a kiss on both cheeks. Men greet each other with a handshake.
*People will shamelessly check you out on the metro. It’s not sexual, and they’re not planning to mug you … there’s just nowhere else to look. Its one big staring contest.
That’s probably enough etiquette for one day, amirite? If you don’t think so, feel free to say so in the comments.
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