Observations

February 23, 2011 3:43 PM/10:43 PM

Just a few observations I’ve made in the last week and a half:

• · I am of average height here. I am taller than many people. This is a new feeling.
• · Spaniards eat more fruit than Americans, in general.
• · Granada has a staggering number of clothing, shoe, grocery, paper, and book stores as well as cafes, bars, and restaurants which leads me to wonder how challenging it is for businesses to survive in such stiff competition.
• · Everyone I’ve bought something from has been very patient with my Spanish.
• · Wine is very cheap. My friends bought some (tasted good to me) for 1.3 € or $1.78.
• · My meal today was one I’d never had before: rice with tomato sauce spooned on top with a fried egg, a large hot dog looking piece of meat, and fried bananas. I couldn’t eat the bananas. I’ve been saying no to bananas since I was first allowed to, sometime in elementary school.
• · Even though it was 62 degrees here today, many of the locals stayed bundled up in wool coats and scarves (sometimes two scarves). If I’d been at home, I would have been in a swimsuit in the yard. This proves, once again, that temperature can be relative.
• · Junk food update – the Cheetos here don’t have much flavor. They taste like generic cheese puffs. They seem to only have puffy Cheetos and not crunchy Cheetos.
• · There are a plethora of benches but not much grass. I had to really search to find a patch of grass on which to sit, study, and soak up some sun.
• · The chip/snack aisle is only one half of one side of the aisle rather than all the way down both sides.
• · Thus far, in Granada, I’ve seen a Burger King, Dunkin Donuts, (called Dunkin Coffee) and a Domino’s Pizza.