- I was on painkillers throughout most of the trip because of my tooth problems, so that was a natural dampener
- I spent one cold night sleeping on the floor of the airport, after being told ‘vamos’ repeatedly by an irate café owner
- The attractions were just alright in my estimation. In particular, Madrid turned out to be pretty disappointing –don’t stone me please, but I think it’s boring!
- I had heard a lot about street crime in Madrid, so I was on the look-out constantly for my belongings which did breed a certain amount of stress when in crowds
- Poor weather in Barcelona, poorer bunk mates in the hostel!
At the same time, I will admit that having only briefly sampled two places – Madrid and Barcelona – it is perhaps unfair of me to make any conclusive statements about Spain in general.
I actually want to add on to that last sentence, at the risk of overanalyzing a holiday; it is precisely this inability to know a place and a culture that has been bothering me for a while now. No doubt travelling can and does ‘broaden your horizons’ – I firmly believe it is an endeavour with the potential to enlighten, enrich and transform.
Yet at the same time, how far does the business of travelling obfuscate a locality by reducing it to a fixed set of stereotypes? Tourism is after all, about the careful management of a place– if a place lacks any exotic appeal, some must be manufactured. If the destination is however, too ‘different,’ this difference must be attenuated so that it does not alienate the tourist.
So when I say I’ve been somewhere, was I really there? Or was I simply re-enacting a particular vision of the place promulgated by travel literature?
As an independent traveler, did I really have full autonomy over my own holiday, or did I choose from sanctioned routes already chosen for me?
What then, is the purpose of travelling if I wind up consuming and then, perpetuating these same myths about places?
I blame Madrid for foisting these uncomfortable thoughts upon me – but really, what else can you do whilst chilling in the Plaza de Oriente? Your mind invariably wanders, and stumbles upon these awkward questions when you’re supposed to be enjoying an afternoon siesta!
So did I end up knowing Spain and Spaniards any better? Perhaps, perhaps not.
In my mind, there are further implications of this not all of which I really want to discuss. This is something I will have to continue thinking about. For the rest of this review however, I will limit myself to the qualification that I ‘did’ Spain the way it’s spoken about and visualized from the outside – sangria, flamenco, tapas. You name it.
So recognizing that commercial tourism celebrates the creation of showpieces, I will confine myself to judging it by its same self-generated tropes:
The Land of Paella and Sangria
Yes. Paella does feature on a lot of menus in Spanish restaurants. We had our first Paella in a Madrid pub. I personally have never thought Paella inspired fireworks, and I hold firm to this view after we sampled the dish in Madrid – it was decent, but not particularly memorable.
However, we did have Paella again in a Barcelona restaurant managed by Chinese – this time we opted for Black Paella (Arros Negre), which is a variation cooked in squid ink.
I have to be perfectly honest and say I was doubtful about whether Chinese people could ‘do’ Spanish food, but the Black Paella turned out excellent and better than anything else I had tasted thus far. So this was really a case of me eating my words.
Sangria is readily available in all the bars, pubs and restaurants, and you can get a whole pitcher if you want. Of course quality, taste and even fizziness differs from place to place, so there’s obviously no consistent recipe stuck to.
As I found out while on my medication, it is a bit tricky if you try ordering anything non-alcoholic in Spanish pubs - or anything vegetarian for that matter. However, try asking for cerveza sin alcohol (beer without alcohol) and hope they have it. It tastes exactly like normal beer.
If you’re vegetarian, good luck negotiating the Spaniards’ love affair with meat. And watch the ham.
Tapas
If I could explain Tapas to a friend back home, I would say it’s a cross between Chinese dim sum and bar food. From what I understand, tapas refer collectively to a selection of appetizers served in small portions, usually shared amongst a group of friends.
And most importantly as I found out, tapas is strictly served at bars and pubs. Don’t waltz into a café or restaurant asking for a tapas menu unless you want to attract stares. And as with alcohol purchased at the bar, it is not unusual to eat tapas standing up and walking around.
So I would say it is simple, fuss-free food in an informal context. For that reason, don’t think or expect tapas to be a ‘cuisine.’ A modest plate of olives, mini sandwiches, potato salad or meatballs can alone constitute tapas. At the same time, croquettas, calamari, and slices of Iberian ham usually feature on the tapas list. Of these, I would recommend trying Iberian ham as it is pretty unique to Spain and has an excellent flavor.
Other than that, do your tapas crawl, but bear in mind the context that it is usually consumed in – tapas in general, are deemed secondary accompaniments to drinking and socializing in Spain.
The Flamenco
We’ve all heard about this dramatic dance of passion. How does it stack up?
Well, a lot of Flamenco in Spain is staged for tourists, there’s no two-ways about that. Cover charges into Flamenco clubs can consequently be pretty expensive.
When in Barcelona, we had the opportunity to attend a Flamenco and Opera performance (literally entitled Flamenco y Opera). For about 30 euros, you literally get a fusion of everything quintessentially ‘Spanish’ in the performing arts – flamenco of course, and also a rendition of the celebrated Habanera from Carmen (yes, you know which one), in addition to singing accompanied by that famous Spanish guitar.
I don’t know enough about opera to comment, and frankly it intimidates me sometimes. In any case, I was most struck by the Flamenco dancers. The choreography for the show was designed for either the male or female to take centre-stage at any one time; they did not dance together that much as a result. This produced mixed reactions – my friends had hoped to see them dance more often as a couple. However I was enthralled by the individual dances, and in particular, how much passion and strength the female dancer exhibited singularly. She was sensual without coming across as a sex object – a rare combination today I feel. She exuded power, confidence and dignity – all without the help of a man. Bravisimmo!
Sunshine and Beaches
Spain is no doubt warmer than where I’m currently at. But no, it’s not all sun and fun. There are beaches in Barcelona which are excellent for surfing, however not everyday’s a perfect beach day. Always go prepared for dreary, wet weather especially in spring time.
While wet weather plans are essential in Barcelona, you might need similar ones in Madrid – not to escape the rain, but rather, the dry, oppressive heat. Madrid is known for its art museums, so I suggest you head right down to either The Prado or the Reina Sofia (if you like modern art) on those unbearably hot afternoons.
Gaudi in Barcelona
Barcelona tourism has a lot to thank Antonio Gaudi for. His inventive and often surreal architectural creations are the city’s main draws, and I believe Barcelona is one of the few places where a construction site is considered a local symbol. Gaudi’s unfinished Sagrada Familia attracts millions, and I will admit that the exterior is astounding to behold. However I had doubts about paying 13 euros to view the interior which I understand, after reading online reviews, is mostly covered in scaffolding.
Apart from the Sagrada Familia, there are plenty of other Gaudi creations in Barcelona. They are beautiful no doubt, but I feel they are overpriced. Park Guell is one of the few that are free to enter, and I do recommend you go there to get a sampling of Gaudi’s genius.
However the park is sadly marred by the tons of buskers and street vendors who converge on its walkways, taking advantage of the high visitor traffic.
A bit of a disappointment not because the park is deficient aesthetically. I would however put it down to way too much pre-visitation hype, which Barcelona tourism invariably encourages.
In a nutshell: I would recommend that unless you are a big fan of nightlife, do not linger in Madrid. It did not excite me, and we found ourselves running out of things to do and see by the end of the first day.
Barcelona is more interesting in comparison, though I personally feel that the cult of Gaudi (not Gaudi himself) is overrated.
The food I had in Spain did not blow my mind, although you might as well try it when there. Between the so-called ‘Spanish’ culutral activities of Flamenco and bullfighting, I would recommend the former not simply because I enjoyed it, but also because I personally think bullfighting is cruel! So there you go. That’s how I ‘did’ Spain.
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