Student Reunion

This Friday just gone, marked one week since we finished studying Spanish. I cannot say I have learnt much though. It was a case of “in one ear and out the other” for me and probably most of the other students too! Iga – one of our class mates decided to organise another gathering this week. This time we arranged to meet at a statue called the Roy Lichtenstein statue at 3pm. Mona, Rob and I met there at 3pm but nobody else was there. Garth did not find it and was stuck at the metro station. Ludis and Liga went to play volleyball instead. Eventually we found our way to the place and met up with Jacek and Silvia.

Roy Lichtenstein Statue

We went to a famous (notorious) bar in the old city called La Xampaneria. The X is pronounced Sh. So La Shampaneria. Well, you would guess that this bar is famous for …champagne. The Spanish call champagne "Cava". La Xampaneria is a small bar so there is very little room to move inside it, and the place is packed. It must be recommended in tourist guide books etc as there were many foreigners in there, and plenty of different languages were being spoken. You notice it because you stand so closely that you hear everything other people say.

Red and White Cava

Inside the bar there are Iberic hams (smoked hams) and smoked cheeses hanging from the rafters. It appeared to me that the hams and cheeses were very old. So I definitely did not eat any of the food in that bar. The bar is well known for its cheap Cava - 90 cents per glass or 4.60 per bottle. They sell bocadillos (sandwiches) for 1.80 as well. It is very cheap by comparison with the prices other places charge. So our group of former Spanish students ate and drank. The Rosas (red champagne) was enjoyable. I felt light headed after only one glass. Mona suggested I get a bocadillo. I couldn't – not after the seeing the meat and cheeses hanging from the rafters inside the bar. The floor of the bar is a mess. The tradition in Spain (older establishments) is to throw your left over food and paper serviettes on the floor. This practice is live and well in La Xampaneria. Just imagine the floor of a bar covered in food and paper serviettes. Very unsanitary conditions... I could not stomach food in there. Jacek managed to have about 4 bocadillos!!

Hams hanging from the rafters and papers etc on the floor

After we bid farewell to Rob and Mona who went to look for their favourite Venezuelan restaurant, the Polish and the South Africans made their way to the beach, to join Ludis , Liga and our ex-teacher Pablo for some beach volleyball. I ended up swimming in the sea again – but not in my underpants. It was still light so I had to wear my shorts and then shivered all the way home on the train, with my wet pants.

Packed inside like sardines in a tin