After living in Spain for more or less two years now, I thought I’d seen everything… I was wrong.  Just the other day I was in Madrid and happened upon this “headless” street performer out to please the crowd [...]]]>

A headless, umbrella-wielding street performer does his thing in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid.

After living in Spain for more or less two years now, I thought I’d seen everything… I was wrong.  Just the other day I was in Madrid and happened upon this “headless” street performer out to please the crowd of people who were passing through the Puerta del Sol.  Seeing him made me reflect a bit on some of the acts that I’ve seen on the streets of Spain – not only in Madrid but also in other cities.   

Indeed, the streets of many of the Spanish cities in which I’ve lived have, at times, looked like the audition line for American Idol.  I’ve seen singers, dancers, musicians, clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and –today– a headless man.  Some of these acts really are quite impressive — especially those on the streets of Madrid — but there are always a few “duds” as well.  You know, the typical homeless guy banging a bongo drum to no recognizable rhythm and trying to earn a few céntimos in the process. 

In the USA people try to do all sorts of things on the street to earn a living too and I’ve often wondered if any of them –American or Spanish– are ever successful.  I’m sure that if you have a good act and you perform in a larger city like Madrid or Barcelona you could be successful, but I really don’t think any of the “human statues” that work the streets of smaller cities like Burgos are going to be quitting their day jobs anytime soon.  Of course, I could be wrong….

Let’s dedicate this post to street performers in Spain and elsewhere.  Leave me a comment answering one (or all) of the following questions:
     a) If you worked as a street performer, what would your act be?
     b) Do you think any street performers make enough money to be able to quit their day jobs?
     c) What is the strangest and/or most unique street performer you’ve ever seen?

I look forward to reading your comments!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Have you ever woken up in the morning and had a hankering for ham?  If you answered affirmatively to that question and you live in Spain, [...]]]>

The butcher shops here in Spain come complete with hanging "legs of ham" to entice customers to buy (especially look where the red arrow is pointing).

Have you ever woken up in the morning and had a hankering for ham?  If you answered affirmatively to that question and you live in Spain, you’re in luck: a nice “leg of ham” is waiting for you just around the corner at your neighborhood deli.  Yes, you heard right… here in Spain “ham legs” like the ones pictured above are suspended from the air and sold in places like grocery stores and delicatessens. 

As an American, I was a little put off the first time I saw one of these ham legs literally “hanging around” in a grocery store.  In fact, I remember asking myself how these things don’t go bad after being stuck in the middle of the store with no refrigeration whatsoever for days (or even months) on end.  I later learned that these patas de jamón are cured much like beef jerky and thus don’t require refrigeration.

Now that I’ve been living in Spain for close to two years I have to admit that, despite their bizarre appearance, I’ve acquired a taste for these delectable “ham legs.”  In case you are curious, this type of ham comes from a special Iberian pig that is native to Spain and these ham legs are sold with much success throughout the Iberian Peninsula.  In fact, most families here in Spain buy a pata de jamón once or twice a year and slowly shave ham off of it with a special knife until nothing is left but the bone.  The ham from these legs can be used in recipes or in sandwiches.

Let’s use the comments of this post to talk about ham and other foods that are “typically Spanish.”  Please, leave me a note below describing both the strangest food you’ve ever eaten in Spain and the best food you’ve ever eaten here.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Here in Spain there are two major sales per year (known as rebajas in Spanish): one is set in January and another is set in July/August.  During these sales, people pretty much go crazy trying to buy up [...]]]>

A shop window is decorated to advertise the "rebajas" (sales) in Spain, which began on January 7th.

Here in Spain there are two major sales per year (known as rebajas in Spanish): one is set in January and another is set in July/August.  During these sales, people pretty much go crazy trying to buy up anything and everything that they could possibly need — at a bargain price, of course.  Think of it as a month-long version of the USA’s well-known “Black Friday.”  Long lines, shot nerves, and more than one overwhelmed, crying store employee are all common traits of the rebajas of Spain. 

As a foreigner I don’t really understand where Spaniards get the money to buy things during these sales.  You see, the winter sales begin on January 7th, which just so happens to be the day after the infamous Three Wise Men visit children’s homes to bring them presents (like Santa Claus in the States).  In the USA, most people are pretty much broke after Christmas from buying all the gifts.  In Spain, on the contrary, people go out and “shop till they drop” the day after Wise Men Day, their biggest gift-giving holiday.  Logical from an economic standpoint?  Not for me, at least. 

In any event, if you’re Spanish and you’re looking for a deal during these rebajas, I wish you the best of luck.  If you’re not Spanish, well, I guess you can save your money this January. 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

I was walking home from a class tonight when I noticed a small “pattern” start to emerge: lighted signs advertising the “Christmas Lottery” were on just about every street corner.  I always knew that Spaniards were a little crazy about their “Lotería de Navidad;” but, [...]]]>

Signs advertising the Christmas Lottery are EVERYWHERE in Burgos.

I was walking home from a class tonight when I noticed a small “pattern” start to emerge: lighted signs advertising the “Christmas Lottery” were on just about every street corner.  I always knew that Spaniards were a little crazy about their “Lotería de Navidad;” but, I guess I’ve never before noticed the extremes to which the craziness goes. 

If you’re not familiar with the Christmas Lottery in Spain, it’s basically a huge lottery drawing held around Christmas that the entire country buys a ticket for (or maybe two tickets, or sometimes three tickets, and there are probably cases of people buying four tickets, or five, but certainly not more than six… or seven).  The truth is that the popularity of this lottery is unbelievable.

Since I’m not Spanish, I don’t totally understand the attraction to the Christmas Lottery — I suppose your odds of winning are higher or the jackpot is bigger, but since I don’t play I’m not really sure.  In any event, I can tell you that people stand in long lines to buy Christmas Lottery tickets at places where winning tickets have been sold in the past and, in general, the entire population goes “crazy” buying up all the tickets in existence in places like tobacco shops, bars, and official lottery retail outlets. 

So, if you’re Spanish and you’ve bought a ticket for the Christmas Lottery this year, let me wish you all the “suerte” in the world… and please, do leave me a comment explaining what you think is the attraction to the Christmas Lottery in Spain.  I guess Americans like me just don’t understand this type of thing. 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Carrefour, one of the biggest chain supermarkets/one-stop-shopping stores in Spain, recently made the decision to stop giving plastic bags to its customers under the assumption that less bags is friendlier for the environment.  In fact, [...]]]>

I’ve joined the ranks of old ladies and homeless people everywhere by buying myself a shopping cart.

Carrefour, one of the biggest chain supermarkets/one-stop-shopping stores in Spain, recently made the decision to stop giving plastic bags to its customers under the assumption that less bags is friendlier for the environment.  In fact, the whole “bag debate” has been going on for quite a while in Spain.  Truthfully, I don’t really know if the stores are using less (or no) plastic bags because they genuinely care about the environment or if they are just doing so because it cuts down on costs.  In any event, that’s not really the reason I’m writing this post….

As a result of Carrefour no longer giving out plastic shopping bags to its customers, I have had to become a bit “innovative” in figuring out a way to get my weekly grocery order home from the store (remember, I don’t have a car to take my groceries home in).  In Spain, a lot of older ladies — the “señoras,” if you will – use rolling shopping carts like the one pictured above to carry their items from the store to their homes.  Since the whole “rollable cart” idea is so popular here amongst the older ladies, I thought I would give it a whirl.  So, just a few weeks ago, I decided to buy my very own, green shopping cart to help me carry my items home from the store (it’s the cart pictured above, isn’t it a beauty?). 

Now I have my new, glorious, green shopping cart.  There’s just one problem: in the States, the only people who push shopping carts around in the streets are homeless people.  Thus, when I told some of my friends and family members back home that I bought a shopping cart to transport my groceries, I got the obvious chuckle and questions such as, “Do you carry around a blanket and a pillow in it too?” 

So, my dear readers, my question to you is the following.  Do you think that my cart makes me look like a homeless person (or like a retiree)?  Please leave your thoughts in the comment section below.  I’d also be interested in hearing your reaction to Carrefour’s decision to stop giving plastic bags to its customers.  Do you think this was done out of true concern for the environment or just to cut down on the store’s costs?  Thanks in advance for sharing your opinion!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Now, it’s not at all a [...]]]> I’ve noticed something since returning to Spain a couple of weeks ago: everyone is gone.  What do I mean by that?  It’s simple, really: August is “vacation” month in Spain and lots (and I do mean lots) of Spaniards go to the beach, the “pueblo,” or another country during this month. 

Now, it’s not at all a bad thing that Spaniards leave in August, but I kind of wish they didn’t have to close down entire stores for the duration of their absence.  It’s a little inconvenient to walk down the street to your favorite bakery and find a sign on the door that says that they have closed up shop for the whole month of August due to vacations.  Of course, I guess everyone — even the baker — needs to get away and relax a little, right?  Speaking of relaxation for the baker, I wonder how the owners of little “mom and pop” stores in the USA go on vacation?  You never see shops closed there. 

Here’s a little something fun for this August “vacation” post.  How about if everybody who reads this writes a comment about their most recent and/or most memorable trip?  I’d be interested in hearing about the great places that you’ve visited and the corners of the world that you’ve found yourself in.  Leave me a message below.

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

I took this “aerial shot” from the living room window of my apartment (I live on the fourth floor).  I wanted to share it with you because, as you can see, there are four cars parked along the street and, [...]]]>

Cars parked outside the blue lines… is this a way for Spaniards to rebel against the parking police?

I took this “aerial shot” from the living room window of my apartment (I live on the fourth floor).  I wanted to share it with you because, as you can see, there are four cars parked along the street and, to my disbelief, none of them are actually parked within the blue lines the way they should be.  But don’t take my word for it — click on the picture above to see the larger version and judge for yourself just how “off the mark” each car is.  

No matter what time of day it is or how many cars are parked along my street, none of them ever use the blue lines.  In fact, I am looking out the window right now and see over 20 cars parked everywhere but within the blue lines.  When I see this, I can’t help but wonder why and how it happens.  In the USA, it’s pretty unlikely that you would regularly see cars parked like this for the simple fact that they’d be fined almost immediately for taking up more than one space. 

So, here’s something for us to debate in this post.  Why do you think that “park jobs” in Spain are so “unique?”  Are Spaniards in Burgos starting a non-conformist parking movement?  Is this a way for them to rebel against meter maids everywhere?  Maybe it just boils down to a different way of looking at the world?  Leave your opinion below. 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com