- These are merely my observations. Rick Steves, I'm not.
- In Madrid birds chirp to notify you when to cross the street; we were on our own in Barcelona.
- There doesn't appear to be as many people speaking English as other European countries.
- They really don't use washcloths and you can't buy them in stores...we tried. We bought a hand towel and cut it in half. How do they remove their make-up?
- I think every Spaniard smokes...got more second hand smoke there than I did when Tom was puffing away three packs a day.
- They wear white after Labor Day. Since there is no Labor Day that I know of in Spain, I guess that doesn't apply to them. Makes sense.
- They eat every part of the cow, fish, pig, chicken, and ox, including brains and tail...really. I probably left out some of the parts...I just couldn't deal with it.
- Expect to wait at least thirty minutes for the bill in the restaurants after you've asked for it...they are in no hurry.
- The universal reply after you asked them if they speak Ingles, "A little."
- There are AT LEAST two restaurants in every block.
- If you're driving, getting out of Barcelona is a heck of a lot easier than getting in...makes New York look tame.
- Almost every apartment has a beautiful balcony.
- Water is served in glass bottles more than plastic...Spain's going green.
- They really do eat dinner late in the evening.
- There is no ranch dressing in Spain, it's olive oil and vinegar or nada.
- Just as in Italy, their daily objective is to try to run over a tourist with their cycles.
- They double park when and where they want to...like I said, they're in no hurry.
- Iberian ham is served all day...salty and tough, but when you're hungry it tastes good...no mustard though, when asked for it, the reply, "No habla Ingles."
- Spanish women have beautiful skin.
- Spanish women OF ALL AGES wear leggings or tights, and of course, the ubiquitous neck scarf!
- Chips are served with wine in Madrid.
- Spaniards are more than willing to give directions when asked but if you follow them you'll be in worse shape than when you started.
There you have it. In case you're wondering, Madrid was my favorite city. It might be because our apartment was located in the old part of town with lots of character and a convenience store across the street, or it could be because I like to be alerted by chirping birds when it's time to cross the street. Really.
