Madrid Sanitation Strike, Day 10

on my block this week

Last week, sanitation workers in Madrid went on strike. As October 5th approached, fears of our daily grocery bag-fulls of trash piling up loomed large my roommate and I wondered whether this included the porter in our building.

Good news: it didn't include our porter, or the folks who pick up trash from homes. Bad news: it included every other person who empties trash cans, sweeps up sidewalks and removes curbside rubbish. All of 'em.

near the city center

After more than a week without the service of the sanitation workers, things are getting pretty nasty - and smelly. I've accepted that dog waste on the sidewalk is a reality of Madrid, and it's now exacerbated by the addition of waste from businesses and random/lazy/frugal people who regularly dispose of home trash in public receptacles. I've heard that the trash piles are topping 6 feet in some neighborhoods! On top of the sheer volume of trash, word around town is that the striking workers are the ones dumping bins in the middle of the sidewalk, setting trash cans on fire and pulling other particularly foul pranks.

Of course, the stinky, dirty, rat-calling sidewalks are only one side of the issue. From my understanding, sanitation was privatized in the last several years. As Madrid's construction market, which was booming a few years ago, continues to contract, these companies' bottom lines indicate a need to further downsize. Just one of the major companies reportedly has on the table a plan to cut 1,000 jobs in Madrid and decrease wages of remaining workers by 40%. Just pause for a second and think about how you would manage with nearly half the income you currently make. I just did...and now I feel like kicking the crap (literally) out of a garbage can or two myself. As bad as I felt for myself (not that bad, really) or for tourists visiting Madrid during this uncharacteristically dirty episode, the suffering is very real for these people clinging to their livelihoods in a dismal economy. It's not really helping that the mayor of Madrid, Ana Botella, doesn't see a need to address the issue.

apparently café con leche is more Ana's "thang"

More bad news: my coworker said that the last sanitation strike (about 20 years ago) lasted 32 days...Roll up yer' pantalones, Madrileños - this could get nasty!

Toledo: The City of Three Cultures

yup, I took this photo #nofilter

Part of my compensation for working as an auxiliar de conversación is a sweet benefits package (read: time off). All auxies work four days a week, and the government strongly encourages schools to offer a schedule that includes either a Monday or Friday off to provide ample time for travel. As not just language, but also cultural, teaching assistants, our travels around Spain and Europe while living here will help enhance our understanding of the culture, and therefore our understanding of people and how best to help them learn.

Weeeeellll...we all know I didn´t quite get that sweet schedule with 3- or 4-day weekends on the reg. I have Wednesdays off, so while I miss the consistency of frequent long weekends, I do have the opportunity for some kick-ass, superlong FIVE-day weekends, but normally I´m working with the Friday night to Sunday night situation. Last weekend I realized just how great this is. Knowing me, I´d be tempted to hightail it out of the country every time I could snag a Thursday night flight. International trips aren´t as tempting with the expensive Friday/Sunday travel days, so most weekends I'll be in Spain - which is pretty damn cool. It would be a shame to miss out on the beauty and diversity within this country, and thanks to my semi-suck schedule, I won't miss a bit!

Last month my friend Karen and I were trying to get in on an organized trip to Valencia, but that trip fell through. Bummer...but not for long! Karen invited me to go with her and a group of folks to Toledo for the day. We all bought train tickets and hopped on for the quick 25-minute ride on the Renfe high-speed train out of town.

this is my train face!

It blew my mind how different Toledo is from Madrid. In Chicago, I could be driving for 25 minutes going from Hyde Park to someplace in the loop! Granted, I never drive above 110 mph in the Chi...I digress. Toledo is, right outside of Madrid, a crazy hilly little cultural gem.

Toledo was named a World Heritage Site by UNESCO specifically because it houses so many gems  and hosted so many cultures - the city has a history as a place where Jewish, Christian and Muslim cultures existed harmoniously. This means cathedrals with both Gothic and Moorish architectural influence. An ancient synagogue now owned by the Catholic Church displays ethnically accurate Biblical drawings. In short, it is unique and mind-blowing.

Bible stories galore at Catedral del Toledo!

13th Century Bible

drawing of Abraham with Sarah and Hagar

I also saw the famous El Greco painting, El Entierro de El Conde del Orgaz (The Burial of the Count of Orgaz) at Iglesia Santo Tomé (El Greco's home church), which depicts the funeral of the Count in Toledo, when it was said that Saints Stephen and Augustine descended from heaven to personally lay him to rest. The two worlds merge seamlessly and looking at this huge painting is magical. I couldn't take a picture, but it was chilling and truly magnificent, and the highlight of my trip - I enjoyed it more than seeing the Mona Lisa!

here's a crummy pic from Wikipedia

Want to see more? I've opened up a photo page to share all my photos from the different cities I visit. Check it out my Toledo photos here: LaLa in Toledo.

Spanish Gym Life

I'm not a gym rat by any means, as much as I'd love to be, but I know my way around the health club....and I must say that gym life in Spain seems to be really different. This conclusion is based on my last month on a Groupon-subsidized membership to a pretty fancy-pants gimnasio.

I gave the place a once-over:

• Schedule: This gym is never open before 7am - so much for those crack-of-dawn workouts! Maybe they figure if the Metro isn't open, you don't need to be getting all crazy figuring out a way to get to the weight rack. And it closes in the afternoon on weekends (Saturday at 2; Sunday at 4) so there's precious little time to "catch up" on workouts and get ready for the week.

• Equipment: Though the gym is pretty small, I was delighted to see several kettlebells (though that's kind of scary to just have them out all willy-nilly for the uninitiated). Free weights, mats, and steps for aerobics or plyometrics are plentiful. The instructors in the cardio studio teach from a little platform, and they are filmed so everyone can see them well - jazzy. 

• Rush Hour: No classes are available during typical siesta time - about 1pm-5pm. There is no after-work mad dash. When I go around 5 or 6pm, it's pretty empty, and doesn't start to get a little crowded until around 7:30pm.

because gym selfies are the worst selfies

Additional observations:

• I have tried and tried to not believe it, but handwashing is just not the norm around here. I saw multiple women exit the bathroom stall, walk through the locker room and head directly toward the cardio floor. 0_o Gross! Looks like I'm bringing my own Lysol, eh? (If only I could buy some!)
• The gym vending machine might just be the only place in Madrid to get a protein shake or protein bar. They shol' don't carry Muscle Milk at the corner store.
• The age-old problem is global: Rack your weights!

So, digesting all of this information, my immediate issue was figuring out what gym life I'll be leading here in Madrid. For now, I'm a nomad - on the hunt for my next Groupon...

Throwdown: Metro vs. CTA

Quevedo: my hood!

About a month in to my residence in Madrid, I'm feeling really comfortable exploring my neighborhood and navigating the city. There's still plenty on my to-do list, and the public transportation makes it all so easy! The concept isn't new to me, having lived in Chicago for several years, but now that I don't have the option of getting in my car and my income eschews frequent taxi usage, public transportation is crucial. I figured that with my experience of living in Chicago and relying on public transportation and the fun I had navigating New York City's subways on my visits in the last few years, my brain was primed to learn Madrid's system. I was right. ;) There's a lot to love about Madrid's Metro - but of course I had to compare to Chicago's CTA...

• Cleanliness. I have yet to see a dirty Metro car or experience a ride that was unbearably stinky. Despite not offering trash receptacles in the train car, they are generally spotlessly clean - as are the stations themselves. 
• Win: Metro. Sorry, CTA, you know you dirty.

• Stairs. Good goo, man. You can get a helluva workout transferring from one line to the other. The eight total flights I'd have to climb on my Metra/CTA commute the Merchandise Mart some mornings was a light intro to warm-up compared to this cardio-glute test. At least in Chicago I was taking them two flights at a time! Granted, almost every station is accessible with elevators, escalators are a given, and you can even find some moving walkway ramps. But sheesh...when a gal's in a hurry, the line to get on the escalator sometimes seems unreasonably long. And then you see this:

7.5 flights climbing out of La Latina station



do you see this?! you can't even see the top!

• Win: CTA. Excuse me, Metro, why are we six stories below sea level right now?!

• Convenience. I never have to wonder when the next Metro train is coming. Every platform is equipped with digital signs that tell you when the next train will arrive. In addition, each station has signs at the entrance recapping the arrivals of all coming trains for each line, helping you to determine what level of haul-assing you need to use. Additionally, Metro offers various options for leaning on the platform and in the train - which you'll need after rushing up 4 flights of stairs and three escalators.

haul-ass level 3 in effect!

no stress!

• Win: Metro. The Redeye tracker app could only do so much, CTA. System-wide digital tracking is what's up. And butt rails for all!

two heights of rails - suitable for all bootay

the hell is this? does this even qualify as a map?!

• Fares. Fares in Madrid have different costs depending on where you're traveling. If you live in the city center, you pay one price to go anywhere in the center. If you live a little outside, you pay more to cover the entire area. It's kind of confusing and it seems kind of silly - does it cost more to operate the train a mile further out? I don't know the answer to that question, but seriously, how do you read this map!? One ride in Zone A costs...well, crap...I'm not really sure. There is a complicated table of prices on the Metro site anywhere from 1.50-6.00E. CTA ranges $2-5, with both systems charging a ridiculous fee for going to the airport.
• Win: CTA. A simpler fare schedule that is easier to pay for and will ultimately get you more for your money.

• Transfers. Every single transfer within the Metro is free as long as you don't exit the station. From any line, any time. You may be in for a long walk, but a quick consultation of your map will allow you to navigate from any corner of the city...as long as you stay in your zone. I live in the city center, so I don't have much need for going to the 'burbs, but I don't dig the fact that I'd have to pay more to get to the far corners of Madrid. 
• Win: CTA. This is a borderline toss-up. However, because a CTA pass is a CTA pass and the city of Chicago has much more sprawl than the Madridland area (to use Chi-town nomenclature), the CTA pass goes much further (litchrally) than a Metro abono, which is tied to a specific zone. Even though all of CTA's transfers aren't free, and some are time-based discounts, I still think the Metro is just trying to trick me into thinking it's a fair system.

• PDA. Why do I need a distraction on the Metro, you ask? The constant, aggressive, over-the-top, in-your-face, attacking-all-your-senses makeout sessions that take place all over train cars and platforms. Now I'm not 100% anti-PDA, but this is incessant and inescapable. It's bad enough when the offending couple strategically locates itself in your direct line of sight, but when you can still hear the lip smacking after moving 10 feet away and angling 60 degrees, it is too. damn. much. 
• Win: CTA. For the simple fact that I've never witnessed the groping, straddling and exposed tongues on the CTA that I've had to suffer through here. 

• Underground/above ground trains. All of the Metro is underground - as I mentioned, deep, deeeeep under Madrid. Though the all indoor, all subterranean system offers protection from the elements, it's alos a bummer to not see the beautiful city on daily commutes. As I'm getting more comfortable with my route, I'll start riding the bus a bit more, I think.
• Win: CTA. The "L" offers some stunning views of the loop and the Chicago River that on a crummy day at work can remind you why you live in the Windy City.

• Climate. Granted, I arrived in Madrid when daily highs were still in the 90s, and I know that I am a natural born sweater. It's pretty much a given that I will have developed a "glow" by the time I reach my train in damn near any city. However, from what I can tell, the Metro offers some level of climate control in the station itself, but the train cars themselves are often stuffy, gamey hotboxes. Every now and then I'll catch a mercifully air-conditioned car, but it's been a less-often-than-so (is that the opposite of "more often than not"? (Deep thoughts.)) treat.
• Win: CTA: Oh, you'll suffer on the platform, but once you're en route, the CTA will get you good and comfy most of the time. (Let me know if I'm having rosy-colored memories, though).

• Education. At some Metro stations, you can go to a bibliometro - a mini-library - and borrow a book - for the free. It does seem like a slight hassle to get a borrower card, but then again, any card you could possibly want in Spain comes with its own set of hoops through which you get to jump and scramble. I digress. This is a perfect place for taking out books, since I am always in need of some distraction on the train. 



Opera station education

• Win: Metro. Points to CTA for having a station at the library, but unless a librarian is meeting me on the platform, almost doesn't count.

• Cultural sight-seeing. The Metro has friggin' museums. In a punny English translation twist, they are called suburban museums. Get it? "Suburban"? Sub? Urban? Ha. The Carpetana station houses paleontological remains and the Opera station houses archaeological remains of canals from the 16th and 17th Century. 

Caños del Peral Fountain irrigation

• Win: Metro. Step your game up, CTA.

• Hours of operation. The Metro closes. Like, all the way. Despite the fact that many young Spaniards may not be rolling out of the house until around that time to hit the clubs, the Metro has its last run before 2am. Granted, peeps hitting the club at that time are probably planning to stay out until the Metro re-opens in the morning, but the reverse rush-hour crush around 1:30am is...hmmm... "entertaining." 
• Win: CTA. Metro, don't act like you never needed a train at 4am.

The overall winner? Bah, doesn't matter! Not like they can swap cities anyhoo. Love thy public transportation! But for the record, I'd draft Metra first. :)

Cristóbal Colón & Brotherly Love

This weekend, Spain celebrated a national holiday. Bummer that it was on Saturday - that would never fly in the US, amiright? My coworkers tipped me off that there would be a big parade, so I hopped on Google to find out where it was going down and how I could join. Each year on October 12, Spain celebrates Día de la Hispanidad or Fiesta Nacional de España. Hmm...the name doesn't say much...but I found a site that seemed pretty official, 12octubre.es, and within about three seconds determined that I'd be sitting out the festivities:

"discovery of America"... oh word?

It's Columbus Day. Womp. Disappointing that a shared Spain/USA national holiday is so wack. First of all, how can a man claim to discover a land where many, many people already live? Just like a man. It just suddenly became a good idea now that you said it, huh? Second, the actions of Christopher Columbus and his supporting home country <cough>SPAIN<cough> spread disease and initiated genocide. Boy, BYE.

Since this "holiday" is one I'm not willing to celebrate, I stood in silent protest while my students enjoyed a performance by the Madrid police band Friday morning.

Banda de Policia Madrid...they were aight

Well, not protesting for real, for real, but instead of paying rapt attention, I decided to document the lovefest happening between two of my students who (I think) are brothers. This is what happened the entire hour:

It was all very sweet. At school in the States, my understanding is that kids are forbidden from touching or generally messing with other kids (for some good, precedence-based reasons that I don't knock), but it's the norm here in Spain for kids to be falling all over each other and behaving in all types of physically loving (and because they're kids, sometimes menacing, ways) - and it continues as folks (yes, dudes) get older! This has zippo to do with ol' Cristóbal Colón, but it made my Friday happy! :)

¿Dónde Está SuperTarget?

Grocery shopping in Spain is...different. Different than shopping in the US - shocker, I know. I've been grocery shopping for a few days now and am just now starting to feel like my kitchen is set up. I'll give some credit for the extended shopping period to the fact that the kitchen started with nothing but bowls and plates, so building from the ground-up was an extra bonus challenge. Where's a Target when a sista needs one?!

I realized by about day 3 of grocery shopping that my first mistake was making a list. In the US, this was standard protocol for me, but in Spain it only causes disappointment and eventual exhaustion. See, back in Chicago, I could start my shopping at Aldi and check off as much as possible there, then pick up everything else at Trader Joe's...and maybe a couple basics at Dominick's...and one last thing at Whole Foods if I was feeling froggy. So yes, grocery voyages have always been my thing. It was always the best way to ensure I got what I wanted and for a fair price.

Well shoot, I have no idea which of these Spanish stores is akin to any of my Chi-town faves! I started at Carrefour Express and checked off a few items from my list, then moved to SimplyCity and checked off a couple more...trekked over to Lidl to check off one or two more...proceeded to Corte Inglés for a bit more....and then hit a couple fruterías before I fell out. But guess what? My list was still hella long because the bottom line is that some of these items just aren't readily available. This is about how I feel my conversation would go with the stores I visited as I moved through my grocery list:

• Sweet potatoes?
• Nah...You can try these corrugated batatas instead.
• Plain skim Greek yogurt?
• You fancy, huh? Better go shop in a rich neighborhood.
• Canned black beans?
• Gonna have to go to the Latin foods store for that.
• Jalapeños?
• Jajaja...we don't like spicy food like that. Don't play yourself.
• Kale?
• ¿Qué?

Needless to say, my list hasn't been fulfilled yet, and I know I'll find some of these things, but for now I'm adjusting and making some work-arounds, like cozying up to gazpacho in cartons to get my veggies in, pledging allegiance to acelga (chard) until I find col rizada (kale), and buying a slow cooker to make my own black beans. I probably won't shop with a list until I'm very familiar with what's available and where. My shopping will have to be based on what I want/can eat from what's available most likely, and a fair amount of trial and error. For example, I found almond milk, but it was so sweet that it was more like nutty Kool-Aid than a sub for milk. I bought mixed nuts for trail mix, but they're crazy salty. 

eggs...right there in the corner

In the meantime, check out some fun grocery facts...

Eggs are not refrigerated. Ever. Anywhere. Just chillin' in the corner (well, not literally, but you know what I mean). I may not be purchasing eggs the entire time I'm here. I know I've eaten unrefrigerated eggs, but I'm inordinately weirded out by this.

Milk isn't really refrigerated either. I'm down with this because it tastes good and there is a broad variety of milks available - including lactose-free milk that doesn't cost a grip.

Damn near anything nutty/trail-mixy/snacky qualifies as frutos secos (dried fruits). And oftentimes the nuts labeled as dried fruits are actually fried! Buyer beware!

neither frutos nor secos...discuss.

The seafood section is just...outchea.

seafood is....fresh!

In addition, I'm struggling to feel comfortable buying meat products because of dudes like this. *Diddy voice* For real? You just gon' lean on the meat counter and text? Is that what's hot in the streets?

are you on WhatsApp?

Wine is so cheap. So cheap. Only slight more expensive than bottled water, which is also far cheaper than in the States.

vino... < $1

Here are some items that probably wouldn't make it in the States. I didn't even realize I have a couple of these in my home!

in case you didn't already feel guilty about chugging that beer.

self explanatory

die, milk, die!

moldi bread?

This would be an exotic foods shop.

100% American

Welp, siesta is over, and I'm heading out to buy some exotic foods! Don't judge me if I come back with graham crackers and bad canned frosting. Hasta :)

mmm, artificial flavors!

No Pasa Nada

mi escuela

"No pasa nada." Literally, this phrase means "nothing happens," but for Spaniards, it captures a greater spectrum of sentiment: "no big deal"; "don't worry about it"; "doesn't matter to me"; "no problem."

Today I met with my school director and English coordinator to discuss the schedule for the upcoming year. When I visited the school last week, they informed me that the school has another auxiliar, whom I met today - a sweet undergrad from Australia named Georgia. Though she was introduced as my counterpart, my initial instinct was to look at her as an adversary, particularly around the table for discussing schedules. With one auxiliar, there's one schedule, so therefore no question, choice or recourse. But with two, pleadings, options and preferred opportunities are nearly certain. Someone is bound to get the "unpreferred" schedule.

Based on my research in the program, auxiliares generally have Fridays off, but some have Mondays off. Still others suffer the lamest fate of all - Wednesdays off. Sure, a day off is a day off, but a Wednesday off just chops up the week into funky little nuggets, and it certainly doesn't support extended weekend jaunts. Well waddaya know...the options before Georgia and me were Fridays off or...wait for it (I'm sure you know what's coming anyway)...wait for it...WEDNESDAYS off. Blerg.

blerg.

While my director discussed punctuality, sick days and school procedures in perfectly slowed-down Spanish, I distractedly stared at the paper showing the two schedules. On one side, carefree, laughter-filled Fridays in Greece, Morocco, Italy; breezy three-day weekends jet-setting across the continent. On the other side, rainy, hungover Wednesdays; humpday with no saucy benefit; a cruel weekend tease; a worthless day wasted in the middle of the week. Wednesday, ugh. Miércoles. It's even a weird word in Spanish.

We discussed flipping a coin for cara o cruz (Spains's heads or tails) and my Aussie counterpart immediately volunteered to flip the coin. I protested as much as I could in broken Spanish and hand gestures - that removes 50% of probability if someone gets to volunteer in one of the two steps. No, ma'am. So they decided to have us draw numbers from a hat, which was really an outstretched palm with crumpled paper towel bits: 1 for the Friday schedule; 2 for the Wednesday schedule. As soon as they hit the table, Georgia's little hand reached out for the crumple furthest from me. I have beef with this. Internal beef. Anyone who's eaten Chinese food with me knoooooows that I always take the fortune cookie furthest away! Always.  Nonetheless, I held onto my resolve for good karma, opened my paper and read: "2." WEDNESDAY.

¿Cómo se dice "blerg" en español?

Knowing that the time for pleading for a better schedule had come to a complete close, I took a breath and decided to be ok with this arrangement. There's a reason why I got this schedule; maybe I'll like it better; maybe I'll have a better experience at the school with my coworkers. But we all know that LaLa's poker face is nonexistent. My director patted me on the arm and reminded me (for the second time) that when Friday holidays come around, I have the potential for 5-day weekends if I ask the school to rearrange my classes a bit. So there's that. I smiled and insisted that I understand and it's fine - "está bien."

I think there's something to be said for accepting disappointment with a gracious attitude. Despite my brute facial honesty, I really do feel at peace with the schedule. Sure, a guaranteed Friday still sounds better, but what can I do? Then, as we walked out, Georgia let me know that with her schedule at her side gig, she's not sure which school schedule she prefers - she's conflicted, and asked whether I was really OK with the schedule. Ummm...what? I was surprised that she took the "better" schedule despite feeling lukewarm about it, but I supposed I'd be trying to set myself up in the best possible way if I were in her shoes, too. I smiled, told her I'll be fine, gave her my number and let her know she can contact me if she had second or third thoughts. No pasa nada.

A Taste of Madrid

gazpacho with a glass of tinto de verano

The easiest way to dive into Madrid, and probably any city, is to start eating! Find out what's good and go after it, right?! Across the country, Spain is known for many things: ham, olives, wine, gazpacho, seafood, and of course, tapas-style meals. I've had all these things, plus some unexpected other gems, but one thing in particular has surprised me more than anything: BREAD. Did I not do my homework, or is this carb obsession suspiciously missing from general information about Spanish cuisine? Seriously -- my lunch today, which was (shamefully) french fry based, was served with this basket of bread and teeny crunchy breadsticks.

wee little breads snuggled up next to big bread

Last week I received an appetizer of potato salad scooped onto a slice of bread. It's like nothing leaves the kitchen before passing the "Can this be put on bread?" test. Carbs on carbs on carbs, y'all.

Beyond this revelation, I've had some great meals and am developing some favorites. And like a good Millennial, I've taken pics of most of them. Below is a quick food tour thus far. ¡Buen provecho!

it's not a meal if olive oil isn't on the table

 A traditional Spanish breakfast is very light - café con leche and pan con tomate - a small baguette lightly toasted and served with tomato puree. Olive oil and salt to taste, and this is a tasty breakfast!

seafood tostadas

Mercado de San Miguel....Man, this place will spoil you! Everything I had here was delicious from pulpo (octopus) and bacalao on toast... to some sort of vermouth beverage (not sure what - I was ordering by picture) served with bright green olives... to a heavenly pastry called crunis - like a huge, amazing cream puff sandwich of bliss.

crunis

vermut de grifo

montaditos for days

At least two people in the States RAVED about eating at 100 Montaditos. Turns out that this is a fast-food chain with a menu of you guessed it, 100 small sandwiches (plus a couple salads and some fried side dishes). I was underwhelmed to say the least - this is kinda like the Cici's Pizza of Spanish sandwiches...not much character or taste, but a lot of bread. That's not to say I might not return when they're 2 for 1, though! Best montadito? Top left - an Oreo sandwich. Yes, you heard me. One little cookie wrapped in chocolate bread, served with whipped cream. A sandwich within a sandwich. It's existential.

raciones FTW

Now THIS is how you tapear (go eat tapas)! Ok, not really. These are raciones - large portions! And notice the empty bread bowl at the top of the picture...assimilation you can taste! Moving clockwise, we had gambas al ajillo, patatas bravas, orejas a la plancha and sepia a la plancha. Oh, what's all that? Shrimp in garlic oil, fried potatoes in a spicy tomato sauce (kills the Cafe BaBeReeBa version!), grilled ears and grilled cuttlefish. Did you catch that? Yep, the plate at the bottom of the pic is ears! A mountain of chewy, kinda gooey pig ear pieces...definitely an experience, and also very rich. My orientation roommate was an adventurous eater like me, so we enjoyed trying out a few new things! When in Spain, right?

eSpanish pizza

Pizza in Spain? Yeah, it happens. It's not always the best, though you'd think proximity to Italy might give folks a leg up. When you find a girlfriend who asks if you want to order half the pizza with anchovies, you say "yes, with garlic" and keep her!

never too much ham

 Curiosity killed the cat. I had to buy these chips to see how they tasted. In short, like ham. Like a mouthful of hickory-smoked, country, salty ham. I'm not sure why I was so shocked at the overwhelming hamminess of it all. Do you think these would stand a chance in the States? For the record, the cat died of hypertension. So salty. So hammy.

churros...they aight

Ah, the classic: chocolate con churros (and café con leche, duh). As much as you'll hear about churros being a common post-club snack or breakfast bite, I can't say I'll be having them again. The star is really the chocolate - even though it's made by the cup from a powder, it's thick, lightly sweet and generally yummy. Without it, the churro is just a greasy, salty dough stick. I'm not a big chocolate fan anyway, so I def don't need a fried vehicle to help me increase my consumption.



 
There you have it! That's a sample of my dining so far. I'm growing a little too fond of tinto de verano (red wine with a Sprite-ish soda) and as a result, am suffering from a touch of dehydration - I've hardly had water at meals since wine is always either cheap or included! You may have also noticed that vegetables are scarce. I'm working on it! I'm not sure where they're hiding on the menu, but I'm looking forward to cooking at home...now that I have one!! I'll fill you in on my new digs soon :)

Hasta!