Things I like:
1. Tapas -- this is simply a great idea. Getting small bites or plates of food means you can try a few more things. I wish this idea caught on everywhere.
2. The beautiful tile work -- it turns the most mundane wall, building, or bench into a work of art.
3. Plazas -- the idea that everyone gathers in central places, spaces that are created specifically for that purpose. Makes one more neighborly and keeps people in touch. It might get to be too much at times, but my instinct is that it is a good community builder.
In this square in Granada a theater group started performing rather unexpectedly. People sat on the cathedral steps to watch or continued to drink and eat at the restaurants on the other side.
4. The layers of history and culture, particularly in the south of Spain. Those reminders of all the life that has gone on before us, and being able to see it all around continues to move me.
Things I don't like:
1. The idea that dinner is at 9 and everyone (children too) stays up until all hours of the night. And are pretty loud about it. I say go to bed. Get some sleep. There is not much to be proud about in not getting enough sleep. One young person I know (unnamed) even has the theory that some of the economic problems could be better and more quickly solved if the people weren't so sleep-deprived. I don't know, but it sounds logical.
2. Along with the late nights is the excessive amounts of noise that goes with staying out late. I had to wear earplugs to sleep in a few places. Enough said -- I can be a grump if I don't get enough sleep.
3. No good coffee until Barcelona. For sure Spain is not Italy or France when it comes to coffee. We even broke down and went to Starbucks today. But still, in Barcelona we've found a few good places.
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