Jamon. No es carne!
Pre-trip trauma, like a fugly passport photo, unhelpful consular staff, incompetent customer service from my bank/superfund/insurer and ludicrous exchange rates had me thinking I might have tired of this. Then, at Frankfurt Airport drinking bland coffee at 7am with seven hours left in transit, I'm questioned by a Latvian: 'what kind of traveller are you?' Crisis? What crisis? Overlooking the fact he was wearing white trousers and drinking beer, and admitting he was right, I put my bourgeoisie behind me and thirty-minutes later, was enjoying solid German Kaffe and mixed smallgoods surrounded by shaggy dogs and smokers. Ah Europe – so civilised.
Onto Spain and setting down in Malaga, I meet Heriberto. A Cuban expat, he spoke a style of Spanish I was more familiar with. The manager of a Queseria – my translation: 'Cheese Palace' – he’s a good person to know. And if you’re vegetarian, good too to know that jamon, no es carne! My Spanish teacher, Carmen - responsible for linguistic and cultural education - was insistent... Vegetales (vegetables and very unfashionable unless fried), carne (meat) and jamon (ham) are three separate food groups, and one must be specific. In Granada, jamon is big business, pig legs hanging from the ceiling of every tapas bar and restaurant.
When I took out first place in the ride-to-work-day draw last year, I thought the new bike lights the pinnacle of my run with luck. But entry in the intermission raffle at a University of Granada laúd (classical string instrument) performance won me two tickets to a Hammam (Arabic Bath). A grubby backpacker, I was oiled, massaged and bathed in luxury til my skin went pink. Not long after, I found a share-house with two students, Maggie and Stephanie. Maggie (Farsi, English, French, German and Spanish speaking) is studying Arabic calligraphy; Stephanie (Greek, German, French and English speaking) is studying advanced Spanish; making me the dummy in the house in intermediate Spanish and beginners Arabic. Nothing like the long holiday I'd hoped, Spanish runs from 9am-1pm Mon-Fri, and Arabic from 8-10pm Tues and Thurs. And as for taking it all seriously, attending the many essential lectures, films, concerts, restaurants, bars and clubs around town, is a time consuming task.
Strange place, Spain...