Trip to Spain - 2012

We (Karen and I) are sitting on the balcony of our hotel in Salamanca, Spain. A light rain squall just passed over so we are delaying our walk down to the Plaza Major for a half hour or so. We broke open a bottle of the hotel house wine and after a day and a night of travel, arrival and customs, collecting all of our students, and unpacking all our stuff, the wine is going down very smooth. All is beautiful and delightful here in Salamanca.

 I attended my first Spanish class this morning, and taught my first drawing & painting class in the afternoon. Went on our first 'tapas' and pub crawl last nite. They put on a splendid welcoming feast for us on Sunday evening (about 3 hours and six courses) and every taste sensation was better than the previous. If they keep this up, it is going to be difficult to even consider coming home at all!  I have gathered a lot of photos, several sketches, and a painting or two, so it is time for me to get off my duff and make something happen.

A day in Salamanca starts at about 6am, awakened by bleary but noisy partyers laughing and shouting to each other as they cross the plaza below our window. A warm shower in a modern bathroom eases my transition back into conciousness. There is time for a nice hot cup of coffee on the balcony before a quick breakfast, then a brisk walk to the school, named Mester, where I take Spanish classes along with other university immersion students from a dozen different countries untill 1 oclock every day in sync with the typical Spanish schedule. By 1:30 everyone heads for home for a heavy lunch and a rest or nap til 5pm when the whole town re-awakens and roars along at full-tilt until 9 oclock in the 'afternoon'. They take their siesta very seriously here, every thing shuts down tight, from banks, restaurants, farmacies, shoe stores, and museums, to supermarkets.

The intelligence of this system becomes evident when you realize that dinner is not even considered until between 8 and 10 pm and may drag on till midnight. Most people live in small apartments, so people "live" in the public places of their cities and towns, the parks and plazas and streets. They talk, discuss and joke around attractive and comfortable tables and benches, over coffee, tea, or a glsss of wine.  Next it is time to party in the numerous pubs, bars, and clubs till 2 or 3 am, after which they wander the cool, clean, well-lit streets till they find their way to bed for a couple more hours sleep, and then they it starts all over again.