My Random Observations
Things I took note of on the trip...
Now, I'm not saying that the following are hard-and-fast rules or anything of the sort; they're just things that I personally noticed while I was in Spain, for only 8 days at that, so they're bound to be rather broad generalizations. With that in mind, here are my observations...
1. Rollerblades! Who knew?
I seem to have missed the memo about rollerblades...the one to let me know that people are still using them in this day and age. I hadn't seen a pair of rollerblades out in public in years. I was even saying that instead of losing 7 hours on the flight, we must've lost 15 years! I was unaware that there were still parts of the world wherein rollerblading was a socially acceptable activity for anyone over the age of 12.
2. Spanish Televsion
It sucks. There's seriously nothing good on, ever. I watched a documentary on capital punishment in Texas, fer crissake, not exactly something I would normally choose to watch on vacation, but there was a serious lack of options. And, there was a lot of crap on Gran Hermano. My friend remarked, "Now I understand why they watch so much football...there's fucking nothing else on!" The few good things they did show (you know, the imported stuff) was all dubbed. I haaate dubbing. Watching Finding Nemo in Spanish and Dory's voice wasn't Ellen's, and the sharks didn't have Australian accents, and the turtles didn't sound like surfers was just wrong. We may have a lot of trash on American tv, but at least we have variety and a few truly stand-out gems. Thank god for HBO, Showtime, AMC, TCM, HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, Bravo, and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. When I got back to my apartment on the 20th, I immediately dropped my suitcases, ran past my cats, and hugged my television set.
3. There are a lot of old people.
Whoa, elderly people all over the place. Now, a big reason for this being so noticeable is probably because the culture is so "street-based". Meaning, everybody's outside walking around. We just don't have so much of that in the U.S., especially not in Texas. Even to go to the park or lake, most people have to drive there first. Austin really is a young city in comparison, but it was really endearing to see older gentlemen sitting outside and debating, or old ladies (often in packs of three) taking a walk and chatting with their arms linked, or elderly couples strolling hand-in-hand. Awww.
4. Fashion
My friend and I were quick to note that we didn't really fit in with the locals. No, we weren't wearing solid-white crosstrainers, or visors, or fannypacks, but we still looked...not-European. I have to mention the proliferation of scarves, even when it wasn't that cold outside. The scarf thing actually reminds me a lot of Austin. Whenever it drops below 70 degrees, the hipsters have to whip out their super-trendy, scener-than-thou scarves and winter wear, so I get the scarves statement. But, let's see if I can sum up some of the other prominent fashions/fashion trends I noticed:
In for Women
5. Traffic - On Foot vs. In a Car
People rarely seemed as if they were in a rush to get anywhere when they were on foot. Everybody was just out for a relaxed walk, window-shopping, chatting, people-watching...no real rushing about. Now, behind the wheel of a car was another thing altogether - they drove like fucking maniacs! Most people in big cities seem to drive like lunatics, though. But the pedestrian traffic, compared to cities like New York or D.C., seemed to move at such a leisurely pace. Madrid really surprised me - a lot of bustle, but not a lot of hustle. Normally, this would've driven me effing nuts because I hate walking slowly, and I hate when pinche vacas block my way (if I didn't think it would land me in jail, I'd carry a cattle prod to make sure my path stays clear), but I was hurting so much by Madrid that I had no choice but to go slow with the rest.
6. Bums, Beggars, and Weirdos
There weren't very many of them, at least, not intrusive ones. The handful of beggars we came across were really passive, sitting on sidewalks with cups out as opposed to some of the seriously scary and aggressive beggars I've come across in U.S. cities...you know, the ones that get right in your face and even follow you after you say 'no'? Yeah, none of that in Spain...maybe we were just lucky. In all the time I spent outside with a cigarette or a pack of cigarettes clearly visible, I only got asked for a cigarette twice (both instances within five minutes of each other in Toledo). That has to be some sort of record! And, I never saw any crazies and/or crackheads out on the streets being loud or acting a fool.
7. Service
I know I already remarked on this, but I figured I might as well include it here, too. As I said before, the level of attentiveness on the waiter's parts was significantly less than you find here in the U.S. Service is slow and nobody ever shows you to a table...you just take a seat wherever you want, whether indoors or outdoors, and wait for somebody to come around or wave 'em down when they're in your approximate vicinity. And then you better be ready to order a drink immediately.
8. People's Friendliness
Nobody was terribly rude, but people weren't particularly nice, either. Of course, most big cities aren't exactly known for their amiable inhabitants, but still, besides the requisite Holas and Hasta luegos not many people bothered to smile or exchange any sort of other pleasantries with us. But I am from Texas, where people are pretty damn affable, so I guess I'm accustomed to a certain level of friendliness from strangers. I hear that people in southern Spain tend to be warmer, though, so there's that, too.
Hmmm, that's about all I can think of, so I think my job is done here! Now I've gotta start planning for the next trip, haha. :-P
Now, I'm not saying that the following are hard-and-fast rules or anything of the sort; they're just things that I personally noticed while I was in Spain, for only 8 days at that, so they're bound to be rather broad generalizations. With that in mind, here are my observations...
1. Rollerblades! Who knew?
I seem to have missed the memo about rollerblades...the one to let me know that people are still using them in this day and age. I hadn't seen a pair of rollerblades out in public in years. I was even saying that instead of losing 7 hours on the flight, we must've lost 15 years! I was unaware that there were still parts of the world wherein rollerblading was a socially acceptable activity for anyone over the age of 12.
2. Spanish Televsion
It sucks. There's seriously nothing good on, ever. I watched a documentary on capital punishment in Texas, fer crissake, not exactly something I would normally choose to watch on vacation, but there was a serious lack of options. And, there was a lot of crap on Gran Hermano. My friend remarked, "Now I understand why they watch so much football...there's fucking nothing else on!" The few good things they did show (you know, the imported stuff) was all dubbed. I haaate dubbing. Watching Finding Nemo in Spanish and Dory's voice wasn't Ellen's, and the sharks didn't have Australian accents, and the turtles didn't sound like surfers was just wrong. We may have a lot of trash on American tv, but at least we have variety and a few truly stand-out gems. Thank god for HBO, Showtime, AMC, TCM, HGTV, Food Network, Travel Channel, Bravo, and Cartoon Network's Adult Swim. When I got back to my apartment on the 20th, I immediately dropped my suitcases, ran past my cats, and hugged my television set.
3. There are a lot of old people.
Whoa, elderly people all over the place. Now, a big reason for this being so noticeable is probably because the culture is so "street-based". Meaning, everybody's outside walking around. We just don't have so much of that in the U.S., especially not in Texas. Even to go to the park or lake, most people have to drive there first. Austin really is a young city in comparison, but it was really endearing to see older gentlemen sitting outside and debating, or old ladies (often in packs of three) taking a walk and chatting with their arms linked, or elderly couples strolling hand-in-hand. Awww.
4. Fashion
My friend and I were quick to note that we didn't really fit in with the locals. No, we weren't wearing solid-white crosstrainers, or visors, or fannypacks, but we still looked...not-European. I have to mention the proliferation of scarves, even when it wasn't that cold outside. The scarf thing actually reminds me a lot of Austin. Whenever it drops below 70 degrees, the hipsters have to whip out their super-trendy, scener-than-thou scarves and winter wear, so I get the scarves statement. But, let's see if I can sum up some of the other prominent fashions/fashion trends I noticed:
In for Women
- Jeans - Either skin-tight or oddly baggy in the ass area.
- Heels - Either on pumps, boots, or booties. There seemed to be much less in the way of flats or sneakers.
- Harem pants - These, along with the butt-baggy jeans, make women look like they have saggy drawers, but I saw a lot of them.
- Pleated pants - Mostly khakis, flared at the waist and tapered at the legs and ankles, so that they looked like aviator pants. Often paired with a braided leather belt (yes, a fucking braided leather belt).
- Jorts - I couldn't believe it myself, but jorts seem to be fashionable now and not just the butt of a joke. They were mostly high-waisted and cuffed. Oy vey.
- Ear Piercing(s) - There were lots and lots of diamond studs, on just one ear or both.
- Jeans - Mostly all baggy, I can't recall seeing a lot of guys in skinny jeans.
- Cologne - Lots of it. Not so much a fashion trend, but something I noticed. I think some of the guys were bathing in the stuff.
- Hair - Worn close-cropped on the sides and longer down the middle.
5. Traffic - On Foot vs. In a Car
People rarely seemed as if they were in a rush to get anywhere when they were on foot. Everybody was just out for a relaxed walk, window-shopping, chatting, people-watching...no real rushing about. Now, behind the wheel of a car was another thing altogether - they drove like fucking maniacs! Most people in big cities seem to drive like lunatics, though. But the pedestrian traffic, compared to cities like New York or D.C., seemed to move at such a leisurely pace. Madrid really surprised me - a lot of bustle, but not a lot of hustle. Normally, this would've driven me effing nuts because I hate walking slowly, and I hate when pinche vacas block my way (if I didn't think it would land me in jail, I'd carry a cattle prod to make sure my path stays clear), but I was hurting so much by Madrid that I had no choice but to go slow with the rest.
6. Bums, Beggars, and Weirdos
There weren't very many of them, at least, not intrusive ones. The handful of beggars we came across were really passive, sitting on sidewalks with cups out as opposed to some of the seriously scary and aggressive beggars I've come across in U.S. cities...you know, the ones that get right in your face and even follow you after you say 'no'? Yeah, none of that in Spain...maybe we were just lucky. In all the time I spent outside with a cigarette or a pack of cigarettes clearly visible, I only got asked for a cigarette twice (both instances within five minutes of each other in Toledo). That has to be some sort of record! And, I never saw any crazies and/or crackheads out on the streets being loud or acting a fool.
7. Service
I know I already remarked on this, but I figured I might as well include it here, too. As I said before, the level of attentiveness on the waiter's parts was significantly less than you find here in the U.S. Service is slow and nobody ever shows you to a table...you just take a seat wherever you want, whether indoors or outdoors, and wait for somebody to come around or wave 'em down when they're in your approximate vicinity. And then you better be ready to order a drink immediately.
8. People's Friendliness
Nobody was terribly rude, but people weren't particularly nice, either. Of course, most big cities aren't exactly known for their amiable inhabitants, but still, besides the requisite Holas and Hasta luegos not many people bothered to smile or exchange any sort of other pleasantries with us. But I am from Texas, where people are pretty damn affable, so I guess I'm accustomed to a certain level of friendliness from strangers. I hear that people in southern Spain tend to be warmer, though, so there's that, too.
Hmmm, that's about all I can think of, so I think my job is done here! Now I've gotta start planning for the next trip, haha. :-P