Spanish Encounters: At the Pub

The last couple of weeks have been a bit quiet for me, not much cultural tourism nor social activities. Partly, it has been really hot and partly, I've just been too lazy or tired to bother going out at night. However, last week, a new acquaintance (Ellie) and I ventured out to a local bar quite near the school. This bar is really tiny and only seems to have 4 seats with standing room for another 4 people. If there was any more people in there, I think you'd have to be really good friends!. 

Ellie had found this place a couple of weeks ago as the lady who runs the bar is open early for breakfast and does coffee etc during the day and sells tapas and drinks at night. I imagine you can buy drinks during the day as well. Bars in Spain are not quite what we are used to in Australia and are generally a mix between a bar selling alcohol and a café selling coffee and cake etc.

Anyway, the owner is a very open and friendly lady so gradually, Ellie has been visiting for breakfast and having conversations with the owner and her husband. So, when she invited me for a drink, it was really for us both to have conversation practice. It was great fun. As it turned out, there were several "regulars" in the night we went and we had Spanish practice with all of them. They all seemed quite content to talk to us, even with our limited Spanish and seemed to enjoy it as much as we did. One chap, Antonio was born and still lives in the Albaicin in Granada (Arab Quarter), the other chap was from Seville originally but had lived in Granada for many years.

During the course of the evening, we managed to talk about our countries, their differences, where we live, what we like to do and our families, among other topics including the quality of the wine and the food. I think, apart from the families I've stayed with and the people on a tour I did to the Alpujarra, this was the most authentic Spanish speaking experience I have had to date. Real, normal Spanish people going about their ordinary lives and including us extranjeros (foreigners) without missing a beat. There was lots of laughter, a little miscommunication and plenty of Spanish lessons occurring over a glass or two of wine (beer in Ellie's case) and of course, tapas.

One other experience occurred about an hour before we left. An elderly man (probably in his 70s if not 80s) kept telling Ellie and I we were beautiful and asking where we came from (We decided he was a bit deaf). Then he decided he needed to know if I was married and when he left, wanted to give Ellie a kiss, not the usual kiss of greeting that the Spanish go in for, but a full on kiss. Ellie was a bit horrified by this and firmly told him the only man she kisses is her husband! Created a lot of laughter from the other people in the bar.

We went again last night and had another great time. I can see why Ellie likes to go there most days. If I didn't have a meal waiting for me with the family I'm staying with, I could easily spend a lot of time there - good company, great conversation, good wine and food. What more could you ask for from a Spanish encounter?