This week has been/will be relatively uneventful.... so I thought I'd entertain you regulars with things I've come to learn and accept about the Barcelona culture and its people.
Good:
- Everyone has amazing fashion sense. Well, almost everyone. Men wear scarves and sweaters, and the occasional fitted suits to work. Women always wear heels, even to the grocery store. Obviously there are sub-cultures, but even those adorable little bohemian Spanish girls look better rolling out of bed than I could with years of fashion school under my belt (which I don't have).
- All of the streets have big recycling bins that look like Disney's "Wall-E", with separate ones for paper, glass, plastic, and even compost! Tourists, however, throw their giant hangover sized water bottles in the trash can like they get paid for it. Rude.
- They nap. EVERY DAY. Stores close down a few hours every day so people can go home to eat lunch with their family... AKA nap. I've taken to this custom, even though I technically don't need it because I don't get lunch at Feli's, but sleeping is one of my favorite past-times.
- Dogs are so well trained half of them don't need leashes on the streets. They just follow their owners like, well, puppies. Tory and Ginger would be long long gone if we ever tried this (bless their little wandering hearts).
- Food here. Tapas, perfect. Cafe con leche, perfect. Pan con tomate, perfect. Sangria, perfect. Beer and wine is cheaper than water... are you seeing a trend? They're going to have to roll me onto my plane home.
The Bad..
- I think it's a law that as you get older, you have to be more of an asshole on the street. Teenagers dodge around the crowds like bullets, middle aged people will stop in their tracks and at least wait for YOU to move out of their way, and the older citizens tend to just walk right through you if you don't move. Some sort of self righteousness these Barcelonians have. No matter how determined I look, how loud my boots are stomping on the pavement, a Spanish woman waddling down the street people watching will still see herself as more important than me, the American listening to her ipod and hauling it to class. I've even seen them do this for cars. CARS, that have a green light and the right of way. They don't stop for anyone. Oh well. At least they respect themselves.
- They really really don't like Americans. No matter how hard I try to speak Spanish, they will always just roll their eyes (something I still find the most condescending move ever) and speak in English. My Spanish is not that bad. If anything it's proper. Sorry I don't speak a mile a minute, but I know I'm saying it correctly. Let me try to get better by responding to me in Spanish!
- Everyone is also really skinny. Like stick skinny. I don't understand it, with all this delicious food here, and they eat like 7 meals a day. And I never see people running on the streets, unless its Katherine (or just Americans). Maybe it's because they all go to the gym? Or smoke cigarettes. I vote the latter, because everyone and their mother has a cig in their hand at all times.
- Public displays of affection. Couples in this city are not afraid to show they are in love, which is fine... but at least keep it above the belt on the metro, eh? It's hilarious, heart wrenching, and mildly disgusting at times. I'm over it.
The Ugly
- The city itself is very safe, but pickpocketing is a big issue. Of course, you just can't be stupid about it and you'll be fine, but the fact that you have to hug your purse in the center of town makes me sad. They're good too. They'll brush past you and bam, your wallet's gone.
- The Spanish economy is failing miserably. Probably because of all the napping and partying they do. Beggars on the street break my heart. There's one guy outside of my apartment who is so adorable I just want to give him everything I own. The one's that come up to you while your eating outside or waiting to cross the street are pretty bad too... I wish I could help them all but I just cant. Spain needs jobs!
- Spanish men have this idea that every American girl in a bar immediately will go home with them. I don't know who's giving them this idea, but they should probably go back to the states, because I'm trying to enjoy myself without getting mauled. Poor blondes too... they LOVE blondes. They've never seen them. Poor Katherine gets told at least twice a day that someone loves her. Actually I guess that's not so bad, but in the context they mean it, it is.
I'm sure I have more. Maybe some time I'll add them.
Peace out America! (And Spain! And London! And Germany? And Russia? I figured out I can see when people from different countries read my blog... people in Russia are into it I guess? Awkward.)
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