Spanish Culture

When in Spain, especially Southern Spain, there is little point in visiting museums and galleries unless you are interested in Spanish history. To experience Spanish culture at its best, wander through the winding streets until you see an animated group speaking in Spanish. They will be smoking, drinking at an odd hour of day (somewhere between 2-3pm on a Friday), and quite often there will be several generations all gathered around - bambinos, grandmothers, teenagers and obvious parents.

As an American, and see this scene, I often wonder if the people here ever work, and that is still very much in question. Everyone says they do something, but in reality from observing from my perch at the cafe they exit their homes and come to Jonathan's cafe for a coffee and like me, they rarely leave except to get lunch or dinner somewhere else.

On Friday afternoon, I had told Saber I would come by his shop and have lunch with him. I was expecting a package from the States, and I hoped it would arrive somewhere around this hour.

At Jonathan's, a crowd of three quickly morphed into 12. There was the couple from across the street - the woman I had met in my apartment earlier that day as she was helping Josef pick out paint - the wife of the bar-owner next to Jonathans, and her grandchild and her brother, and the mother of the child and her sister. There was the blonde woman I remembered from this summer who always spoke to me in speedy Spanish although I understand nothing. She apparently had lost weight and in an attept to tell me this said that she had 'lost her ass'. There was Chocolate the dog (pronounced Chi-co-latte) and the German opera singer. And Saber, who is an equal character with his crazy hair (think of the guy from SuperBad with out of control locks) and his smoking habit to rival a chimney. And me... el rubio Americano, as I have been known in this area for almost a year, The Blonde American.

This is Sevillian culture at its best. Afternoons spent with cerveza and tapas and friends. Animated conversations that rival those seen on Broadway. Passionate statements about life shared with the masses. And the more people you can fit around the table, the better. And if you run out of room, its time to get a bigger table!

Its this carefree, all-inclusive society that I love about being in Sevilla. People take time to relax and share part of themselves with neighbors - as that is what neighbors do. At Jonathan's bar I have had a tab running since Tuesday, and there is no pressure to pay it, there is always tomorrow, and trust is immediately given, even to an American like me.

Its a funny little world here, and one that I am happy to be a part of for a little while longer.