Lost in Spain: Sardanes in Squares

As we were walking around today enjoying our last hours in Barcelona, we kept coming across circles of older folk dancing outside of the Cathedral near La Rambla. I didn't take any pictures of this unfortunately, but I found this one online.

It was so sweet to watch, these groups of men and women, clasping hands and dancing what was clearly a traditional dance around piles of their bags. We saw a group of teenagers start doing what all teenagers do: mocking tradition. Until an older man, stepped forward and chastised them quite strongly. It was great, the kids just picked up their bags and suddenly became respectful again.

Anyway, I thought for sure it must be some kind of demonstration or special event, so when we got back to the hotel I asked guest reception what was going on. The woman at the front desk said that these dances, Sardanes, happen almost every weekend on Sundays. People will just spontaneously begin dancing to the music in the squares. In fact, all children in Catalan are taught these dances in school, although most of the kids think they're kind of silly.

What a fantastic tradition though. I love that people just dance in the streets here. I quite like this city.

Lost in Spain: Sleepy Park Afternoons

We've had our fill of art for the day, and now it's time for a nap. We've found a wonderful park up here on the hill where the Miro Museum is located. According to my Lonely Planet guidebook, this is supposed to be a superb place for napping. The park is called Jardins de Mossen Cinto de Verdaguer. I highly recommend a summer's day nap under the trees here. It's beautiful.

Lost in Spain: Miró

So today, we went up the hillside on the funicular subway to visit the Miró Foundation museum. I have to be honest, I didn't really know much about Miro before we went up there, but it was something Nick really wanted to see, and I do love learning more about art.

It was a great museum I have to say. I've seen some Miro pieces before, but to see them all collected together was pretty imposing. If it had been a few decades later I might have thought the man was doing some pretty serious drugs when he was painting.

Anyway, we're off tomorrow to see the Picasso Museum which I'm really excited about. Apparently the museum takes you through a progressive exhibit that starts with Picasso's early training and leads you all the way through the last of his paintings. I'm so curious to see how he developed his style over the years.

Must say, the art side of things is kind of a nice counterpoint to all of the culinary emphasis this trip has had . . . . also better for my waistline.

Lost in Spain: Shop til ya drop

Poor Nick. I've dragged him around all day hunting for shoes in my size (they grow'em too big in Germany so I can never find shoes for my itty-bitty feet). On my hunt though I did stumble by this rather fabulous clothing store called Tomate. They deal with about 60 designers living and working throughout Spain. Some very cool stuff. If you happen to be in town, I highly recommend checking them out.

Tomate

Located at:
Bayns Nous, 22
Barcelona, Spain
Phone: 93-3013788

and also at:
Capellans, 3
Barcelona, Spain
Phone: 93-3043665

website: www.tomate-bcn.com

Lost in Spain: Market Breakfasts

So to continue our culinary binge this weekend, I dragged Nick over to La Boqueria, which is one of the biggest permanent produce markets in Europe. They actually have a partnership with London's Borough market (although from what I've read La Boqueria is much bigger even if the market in London is older).

the market. I had a super lovely cafe con leche and some churrosTo avoid the other tourist types, we went over early and got a bit of something to eat to build up the strength to wander through to top it off. Can't really go wrong with fried dough and coffee in the morning. Mmmm. . . .

What a market though, I mean talk about visual, sensorial overload. Between the rainbows of fruit and the juices they were being squeezed into and the gleaming, ice pack piles of fish, I could hardly decide where I should be looking. Of course there were oodles of stands selling the ubiquitous Jamon Iberico. Newly educated after our oh so satisfying meal at Jamonisimo our scrutiny of the offers was intense. Not that we had any chance of picking up a leg of ham to bring home, but there was definitely a very vigorous discussion between Nick and I on whether or not we could swing it.

I'm sad to say that I did not win out in this particular discussion. I did however manage to convince Nick to purchase almost a case of wine to haul back in my suitcase.

Lost in Spain: Gospel Subways

OK, how random is this? Gospel singers from the Institut de Gospel in the subway? Who doesn't love that about a city!

Lost in Spain: Jamonisimo, the best ham I've ever had

So today for lunch, Nick and I tracked down another restaurant recommendation courtesy of Anthony Bourdain's "Decoding Ferran Adria" documentary: Jamonisimo.

Birgit and John attempted the same on Tuesday before we all met up for the El Bulli Extravaganza with no success. So Nick and I were a little nervous that we might also end up with nothing to show for our efforts. Fortunately we found success.

And let me tell you, it was worth the tracking and blackberry searching and wrong turns down streets with no signage. This was by far the most incredible cured pork product I have ever had the pleasure of consuming.

So for those who are not Jamon Iberico connoisseurs, there are three different grades of Jamon Iberico. The highest grade is a type of Jamon Iberico labeled with the phrase "de bellota." Basically this indicates that these lucky swine were fed a diet of acorns exclusively which gives the meat and the fat an especially buttery texture.

After a bit of finagling over the menus (only available in either Spanish or Catalan, clearly this is a place only locals go usually), we managed to communicate to our lovely if non-English speaking store clerk that we wanted to try the sampling of the house Jamon, an animal raised "de bellota" in the Salamonca region of Spain. The selection of meats comes from three different parts of the cured ham leg, each with it's own special texture and taste.

Over a couple of glasses of cava, we slowly consumed the ham, bite by mindblowingly flavorful bite. The fat on the ham slices was practically melting at room temperature. Can I say divine? I think all ham will somehow seem pedestrian after this . . . A few bites of cheese and another glass of cava later and we found ourselves stuffed to the gills with only a few hundred grams of ham and cheese and smiling and gesturing to the shop keeper that we would be back the next day to purchase Jamon to bring home with us. There is just no way I can go back to Frankfurt without bringing John and Birgit a taste of what we just experienced.

Lost in Spain: Kit Cars

OK Dad, this one is for you. Nick and I are driving along minding our own business when out of nowhere this noisy kit car comes pounding up the highway.

It does look pretty cool though. The guy was wearing goggles and everything.

Lost in Spain: Savoring the Sea

So after what was by far the most incredible meal I have had the pleasure to consume, Birgit, John, Nick and I lingered this morning in Roses to dine at another place we had heard about called Rafa's.

We found this restaurant after watching a DVD Birgit bought John as part of his birthday present called Decoding Ferran Adria with Anthony Bourdain. In this video Anthony Bourdain mentioned two other restaurants that Ferran Adria had taken him to, one was a Jamon Iberico store in Barcelona (we're hoping to find it tomorrow) and the other was this tiny little seafood restaurant in Roses that is Ferran Adria's favorite place to eat when he's not working.

Apparently Rafa won't even open the restaurant if he doesn't think the seafood is up to par, but we were lucky today, he was open and he was cooking up a storm for us. We ordered more food than I can possibly believe and consumed it faster than you might think possible given the quantities, but somehow, it was just so fresh, so pure that you could eat and eat and eat and not ever feel too full.

We started off with a series of appetizers, all very simply prepared on the grill with olive oil, garlic and some lemon juice. It was so hard to choose so we actually ended up with five dishes as appetizers: wonderfully crunchy but tender sea cucumber, grilled baby squid, garlicky scampis, prawns (stripy ones that looks like tiny painted lobsters), and grilled clams. And then for the main courses we had sea bream (deboned tableside) and monk fish. Both were excellent, but I think the monk fish had the best flavor of the two.

And of course no meal on this trip so far would be complete without some type of dessert. not that we actually had room for it, but we just couldn't help ourselves when the waitress offered us a special dessert plate to enjoy. Actually it was a combination of three desserts, a fresh goat cheese (kind of a chevre, but even fresher) drizzled with sweet Spanish honey, a chocolate torte and apple tart. Very delicious and a good way to finish the meal. If this is how the eating has started out on this trip, I can only imagine that I'll be heading back to Frankfurt with no need to eat again for at least a month.

Lost in Spain: Driving Costa Brava

We arrived and we're on our way to Roses for dinner at El Bulli tonight. I cannot believe this is actually happening. Fortunately we've had almost five hours in the car for it to sink in. . .

In the meantime, we've managed to stop off in a tiny little seaside town (Birgit has been feeling a bit under the weather after a night out yesterday), and Nick picked up a gorgeous rose for me for St. George's Day. I'm supposed to buy him a book, but they're all in Spanish so I don't think it will do much good. I suppose he'll forgive me though.

Costa Brava is gorgeous, the road winds along these immense cliffs above the shoreline, and as you drive them you look down into almost Caribbean blue water within the coves. We couldn't have had a more beautiful day for the drive too, bright blue skies and sun, sun, sun.

Saving for the Future: Germans vs. Americans

OK, not really, but I did read an article today that talk about the absolute piss poor savings rate most Americans seem to have. What was interesting was that they directly referenced German savings rates vs. those in the U.S. Although the article wasn't really about comparing the two cultural viewpoints (really it was about how to get people to save more through inertia in decision making), I was just struck by the fact that they used Germany as a comparison.

Having now lived in Germany for over a year I've had ample opportunity to experience German attitudes towards money. While Germans may save a greater percentage of their paycheck in many ways it is because they simply have to in order to pay for ordinary or extraordinary purchase. Unlike the U.S. where a mindset of living on credit prevails, Germans rarely use credit cards. In fact, in quite a few places they aren't even accepted. When they do use credit cards, they often have to pay the balance off in full at the end of every month. So instead they live in what is primarily a cash based society. As a result, in many ways they simply don't have a choice. They MUST save more in order to do things like buy furniture, repair their cars, take vacations. They can't simply put it all on a credit card and pay it off over a period of months. A radically different situation than what currently exists in America, don't you think?

Anyway, just an interesting article to read now that I've got a bit more of the German perspective going on here. I think the Germans have the better approach than we do in some ways, somehow it just seems like it's better to live within your means. . . .

Hug, hug, hug

It is a cold and rather rainy Spring day in Frankfurt this Saturday. One of those miserably damp days that just seems to sink into all the aches and pains leftover from a stressful week. Nick's friend Mike was in town visiting for the day and despite the unfavorable weather we ended up sitting outside at my favorite Saturday farmer's market at Konstablerwache having pancakes and cappuccinos before Mike had to catch his flight. As we walked him down into the subway, we suddenly found ourselves surrounded by about 6 or 7 people carrying signs that said "Free Hugs" in a couple of different languages.

I have no idea what this was for or who was organizing it, but we all got hugs from the people with the signs. I got two for taking this picture. . . . It's definitely one way to brighten up a rainy April morning.

*** A quick addition to this. After a quick bit of research, apparently there is a Free Hugs Campaign out there. Check it out.

Mountain Lions and Earthquakes in Chicago? What next??

Rubble lies in the street Friday in Louisville, Kentucky, after part of a cornice fell off a building. (Taken from the CNN website, see below link)


First a mountain lion appears in Roscoe Village earlier this week and now an earthquake has struck Southern Illinois. This morning around 4:30am a 5.2 magnitude earthquake shook Southern Illinois with enough strength to make the buildings in Chicago sway.Granted Illinois happens to sit on top of a rather major fault line in the continent, but still, it's not like this is California or something.

I think the world has gone a little off kilter this week. Maybe it's the full moon that's about to strike, I don't know. But I have to admit, once again I'm really starting to wonder if I just shouldn't stay in Europe, I think it might be safer. . . .

Return of the Wild!

Snowy Frankfurt Mornings

Well, after all this time I finally have the chance to see a little snow in Frankfurt. What a surprise to wake up this morning and see the rooftops frosted with snow. I didn't actually think it would happen while I was here now that it's practically spring time. Then again, there's been a lot of snowfall in the Alps so I suppose it's not quite as crazy as it might seem.

I guess this means that I won't be biking into the office this morning.