...continued

Wandering, I notice a man in a store… ‘hola’ I say as I always do… (oh, don’t you worry, I’ve

mastered the greeting) ‘oh hola, que tal!!!’ He responds. interesting, an unusually kind response. He’s a Pakistani storeowner. He invites me in for tea… why not. The thought of being roofied only occurred to me as he prepared an unknown concoction behind a curtain and out of sight. Ha… I survive (he turned out to be a very nice guy. Just kind of lonely I think). I soon press onward.

My exploration brings me to a cross roads… I need to ask someone where this next hotel is located. Plus I’m eager to use the three Spanish phrases I have been repeating in my head for such a time as this. I ask a Spanish gentleman. ‘Perdon senior’… ‘Si’? He corrects me on my Spanish, and says ‘do you speak English’… ‘ha’…a chuckle… ‘well yes’ (unfortunately for me these days) ‘but allow me to practice?’ a smile ‘si, go ahead’ I nailed the next two sentences and he responded in Spanish, kindly translating as he went. My confidence level greatly increased following this interaction. My Spanish teacher explains the language as a bunch of interconnected legos… I felt as if this sequence placed a foundational two or three knobbed lego at the base of my eventual castle. Just give me time…

I scale stairs, pass streets, nod to old ladies out strolling, pass bus stops, ponder my direction, change directions, pass the same bus stop… then I arrive at a hospital… hum, I guess that’s close to a hotel but, for various reason’s I’d rather not end up there. As I’m about to flaunt my three phrases to another unsuspecting passer by, I progress literally four steps. And, what do you know, here’s the hotel. Perfecto! An amazing panoramic view of the city and coastline welcomes me as well as a 90 year old trooper out for a stole at the speedy pace of .1 kph… cane in hand… a determined senor.

            Half of the mission is now complete. The other lies ahead of me. My eyes lead my feet for the remainder of the afternoon. To the ocean, to the pier, to the harbor, to a futbal field, to the bridge, and to a bar called bar derby back in las arenas (my neighborhood in getxo). ‘Quiero uno café con lache, pro favor. Garcias’. I’m convinced I will forever be a coffee drinking after this experience. Muy delicioso… plus enough caffeine to properly enlighten the brain. 

I sit outside with a few others mingling. The place soon explodes. Spaniards everywhere. Spain provides such an example of community. Whole families congregate and enjoy each other’s company. None of that baby-sitting junk. It’s a friends and family affair. The parents chat. The little dudes ride tricycles around like nascar’s… screaming and running into things/people. Los Perros excitedly bark from all the hubbub, while snatching the occasionally dropped crumb. All were living. I sip my café and read some Hemingway. I say a few ‘hola’s to the 2 toddlers racing back and forth from their parents to my table. I catch a few words from nearby tables. Two hours pass. The lifestyle’s contagious. Ladies and Gentlmen… I am in Spain