I am going to end the week of Spain here. Today I am talking about how eating in Spain works. There are a fair number of etiquette and traditions that go along with it. I try to simplify and define the rules as I know it.
End Your Programming Routine: It was an absolute honor to be treated like family and share most meals with the Roca family during our vacation. I feel so privileged that we were invited to spend time and meals with family and friends. Many thanks to making this a great experience.
I was being kind of indecisive on what to talk about today. Originally I was going to talk about the Supreme Court decision NEW YORK STATE RIFLE & PISTOL ASSOCIATION, INC., ET AL. v. BRUEN, SUPERINTENDENT OF NEW YORK STATE POLICE, ET AL and it’s potential implications. But, I decided to not do that because I really haven’t read the decision and have only heard a few other’s opinions on the matter.
So, what else would I talk about? How about firearms and Spain. This is another subject that I really don’t know much about but I got curious because my airgun pellets are from Spain. I also know that there is some kind of gun culture in Spain for manufacturing fine(r) shotguns.
One of the podcasts I listen to is the Orvis Hunting and Shooting Podcast. I didn’t re-listen to this but I am pretty sure the story went like this… Makers of shotguns were looking for a more inexpensive alternative manufacturing base. For instance, a Beretta Silver Pigeon is in the $3000 range. While most people probably could swing this, it isn’t super likely that is going to compete well against a $300 Remington 870.
There is a niche for sure, but makers started moving manufacturing to Spain to get shotguns down to a more appealing price range ($1000-2000). I seem to recall that this happened in the 1970s. That being said, most of the value shotguns are now made in Turkey which happened in the early 2000s as it is too expensive to make in Spain now.
So, there is a small culture of making in-between entry level and fine shotguns. Orvis was one of the companies that purchased and branded Spanish shotguns. There are some other Spanish brands like Star, Astra and Llama that ultimately succumbed the same industry collapse in the late 1990s. Although it seems like that CZ-Colt bought and is using the Llama brand as I can see items in stock at Sportsman’s Warehouse.
Within the air rifle category, Gamo is probably the biggest brand. Amongst the biggest brands Daisy/Crossman – American, Umarex – German and Gamo – Spanish. There were several models that I wanted to by before I ended up buying my Crossman. I made my decision more because I had a gift card to the place that I bought the rifle rather than the brand, but I was really looking for a Gamo first.
It would seem that it is possible to possess firearms in Spain. It does appear that there is some kind of licensing system with the federal government that depends on what you are trying to own and what you want to do with it. Here are some other global examples, so Spain doesn’t stand alone.
End Your Programming Routine: In a small way, the recent Supreme Court decision relates to owning firearms in Spain. If you recall my earlier definitions, rights are not granted, they supersede laws and the existence of government. In theory, we all have the same rights. It is a cultural matter if we collectively decide to defend those rights.
It is strange sitting in the Barcelona airport and typing this message. We are about board the plane for the first leg home. I had all of my posts staged for the last week and a half (with the exception of last Tuesday’s). So, I haven’t given much thought to the beginning of the work week.
So much of my future has been pegged to this trip. It seems like everything was categorized as ’Needs to Get Done Before’ or ’Needs to Wait Until After’. Now, the trip is over, so there is only what comes next. For instance, It is truly time to get to work on my siding project before I actually run out of summer.
I am sure I will probably talk about my trip most of the week, so I don’t have to get it all in today. Plus, I am in kind of a mental fog right now. I don’t know exactly how to name it, but I will attempt to describe it. It is not a hangover, that is the next day pain from the party. It is not the intoxication from the trip, I guess that I would call it the afterglow? You just want to be and nothing really else.
I don’t always feel like every vacation is over. I suppose that it is more like the vacation never started. Maybe it is a function of the duration of the time and maybe distance. In this case, having 10 days in Spain is probably enough time and disconnection from reality that it worked. In contrast, my last day off was a drive to Texas and back in a week. That was definitely not relaxing.
I don’t know if there is a proper formula for a successful. It very well could be different for each person. I know for me, I don’t want to just lay by the pool or in the sand. However, I don’t know if a constant touring format is enough downtime. This vacation had a bit of each.
I was able to finish my pretty substantial book “The Lost Symbol” on the trip as well as see Barcelona multiple days. If I had full control of the itinerary, I probably would have tried to take advantage of the fact that this was my first time in Spain and try to see as much as possible like it was my one opportunity. But, in retrospect I think leaving something for later as well as not filling every minute made it successful.
I am a creature of habit. My days are filled with doing the same things every day. I listen to my podcast list, I check my usual blogs, social media, news and information aggregators. None of these things I did on the trip. The instinctual part of me wants to catch up but a larger part of me want’s to leave it where it lies. That is probably part of a successful vacation as well. It is so difficult for me but probably worth it.
End Your Programming Routine: A lot of this I wrote before we got home. I definitely had some major surprises when we got home. However, I am not going to take today down with those specifics. Let me just say, it was definitely back to reality on Sunday and hopefully another trip to Spain someday.
This is a mobile update from Spain today. I will have plenty of time to unpack any lesson’s learned or anecdotes when I get back. I thought I would share some of my favorite pictures that I have taken so far.
Food is very important here. Our first night was dinner with ‘the family’ purchased with items from the market. I am positive that I will be talking more about food and eating habits coming up, since they play such an important prominence in life.
Our first trip was west to a nearby city called Tarragona. Roman influence dates all the way back to 200 BC. Consequently, there were many interesting things to learn about and see. Having been to Rome before, this is kind of small potatoes by comparison, but everything was lovely. I wish we could have seen some of the re-enactments while we were there.
Then, we learned about Gaudi. I should say re-learned because I remember his work from art history class in college. We spent several days looking at his work throughout the city. My pictures are not nearly as great as my wife’s. Maybe I will get them after the trip.
End Your Programming Routine: So far, so good. We are enjoying our trip so much. Today we are off to another adventure (and part of Spain). Look forward to more about Spain next week.
The first time I ever heard this phrase was in Steven King’s The Dark Tower: The Gunslinger. If I remember correctly, the main character Roland recites these words as a poem.
“The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. There is joy and also pain but the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. Pretty-plain, loony-sane The ways of the world all will change and all the ways remain the same but if you’re mad or only sane the rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain. We walk in love but fly in chains And the planes in Spain fall mainly in the rain.”
I didn’t know the origins of the lyrics, I think I read the book in middle school or high school. I thought it was unique to the book when one day I heard my grandfather utter the phrase. We were working on a rental house and it started raining and then he said, “The rain in Spain falls mainly on the plain”.
I never asked him, but I am pretty sure he was not a reader of Steven King. He read a lot of other things like National Geographic, the newspaper, the Bible, the Catechisms, Reader’s Digest, etc. It made me think that there was another source. But, this was the time that was pre-internet so research was not so easy to do. I kind of forgot about it until I was think about our trip to Spain.
It turns out, it was referenced in the 1938 film Pygmalian and subsequently published in 1956 for My Fair Lady. I am no old movie/musical/theater buff. So, I haven’t seen either but I am sure that is where he picked it up. This would have been in the early 1990s.
From my research, it appears that King changed the words so I guess if you get past the first stanza, you wouldn’t recognize it. To me, it sounded kind of like gibberish in the first place. It’s probably a book that I could re-read and get more out of it. I don’t remember a lot of it anyway. But reading the plot summary again, it said that King re-wrote it in 2003 because he thought it was difficult to understand and follow. I kind of agree and I think that is why I don’t remember much of it.
There was a movie made in 2017. From that plot summary, it was a combination of two books (in the five book series). So, the phrase was not in the original play, but in the subsequent movie, then changed by King in his books which have movies combining books together. No wonder I don’t know what is going on.
End Your Programming Routine: Coming from very temperate Oregon, we have not had any rain in Spain. It got up to near 90 at the end of April but we have been seeing highs in the low sixties lately. It is nice to get a taste of summer on our vacation.
I know, security experts say not to broadcast your absence over the internet. To that, I say that is good advice particularly for social media. But, either the people closest to us know that we are going or people on this site do not know precisely where we live. It is not that the house is going to be empty anyway.
Today, we are off to eight days in Spain (plus two travel days). I am probably going to do some degree of writing ahead here. But, I don’t think I will do eight days worth. I may opt to post some while I am travelling, but that is not likely. What I am saying is… be prepared for a gap.
This is an important trip. For one thing, the airplane tickets were almost $2000 a piece. This is my first vacation since 2019. Not that taking two years off wasn’t restful, it definitely was. This is my kid’s first time in Europe and leaving the continent. This will be all of our first time in Spain.
We are going to visit our exchange student and his family. We are going to stay pretty close to Barcelona except for a couple days in Majorica with no real agenda. We will see the sights in Barcelona, but most of it is going to be seeing the beach and re-connecting.
There is some anxiety on for the trip as well. From what I have read, for entry we need a passport and a vaccine card within the last 270 days. In order to come home, we will need a Covid test to be negative. I really don’t know what the mask situation or anything like that is currently.
End Your Programming Routine: I don’t want to dwell on the potential negatives. I am looking forward to taking some time off and an adventure. I am sure I will get some content out of this so, look forward to some insight from Spain later in the month. Until then, I am off!
I have referenced our hosting a Spanish exchange student multiple times this year. He was with us last year and told us the most amazing, funny Christmas tradition that you would not believe. My mouth was wide open as he was describing all the steps in the tradition. It is called Caga Tio.
The basic way it works is that you ‘feed’ the log for several days before Christmas. Then, on Christmas, you put all of the presents down and cover them with a blanket. Then, you give a stick to the kids (or people) getting presents and you all sing a song while beating the Caga Tio with a stick until it poops out presents (That would be the end of the song). You lift the blanket to see what the the Caga Tio pooped out for you. A more thorough history can be read on Wikipedia.
Our exchange student was from the Barcelona area. The people there identify with a sub-region called Catalan. While Spanish, their independent identity remains strong. There is a subcurrent of Catalan first, Spanish second.
I suppose that they would consider this kind of a stocking type activity. I had totally forgotten about this tradition that he told us about until we receive a Christmas gift from Sergio about a week ago. Some day, I am angling to get this into our Christmas traditions, probably because it seems a little irreverent.
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