My Siesta Epiphany....and fighting off a Mugger

Today, during siesta, I was forced to truly understand the meaning of siesta.  Here’s how it all went down.

Andrea, Cory, Meg and I were supposed to meet during siesta to book our flights for our first break.  Through a series of misunderstandings, I was the only one who had told their host mom that they wouldn’t be there for el almuerzo.  So, after realizing this, I was a bit pissed off that I was missing lunch, and I didn’t want to go home because that would just be awkward.  So, I decided to visit the pasta man.

Pasta man is this guy from Italy who owns a little pastería.  He makes his own pastas and sauces fresh everyday, and I’d been meaning to try it anyway.  I got rotini with arribiata sauce and it was SO GOOD.  I brought my pasta to the “churros con chocolate plaza” (there are names for plazas here, we just come up with our own) and at it on a bench.  It took me all of 15 minutes to finish it.  At this point I became annoyed that I had to kill an hour and a half more. 

I thought to myself, oh I’ll go get some face wash; the pharmacy was closed.  Then I thought, oh, I’ll walk around some stores; they were closed.  Desperately searching for some sort of activity, I finally just started walking around.  The ONLY places that are opened during siesta are the Chino stores (run by the Asians) and cafes/restaurants.  So, since I was thirsty, I grabbed a coke from the chino store and discovered the “legal to drink alcohol here plaza” that I’ve heard so much about.  The fountain was turned off (yes, apparently even fountains take a break during siesta) but I sat in the sort-of-barren plaza anyway. 

I popped open my coke and just kind of….sat there.  I looked around and saw some people eating at a café outside.  A man on a bike rode past me.  A father and his son were feeding some pigeons.  And I was having an epiphany about siesta.

Siestas are basically FORCED relaxation.  At that moment, when I was sitting on a bench, drinking my coke, I had never felt more aware of my own presence.  I know that sound weird, but I always say that life is too short, and I never truly sit and appreciate the fact that I exist on this earth.  I like doing instead of just being.  This moment made me realize that siesta is a time to just RELAX and take a moment out of your day to appreciate your life, to ponder, to think, and to simply enjoy life.  Siestas might be my new favorite part about Spain J


......Later during my siesta...........


I'm typing this on my computer, when this guy comes up to me.  He has a broken arm and he keeps pointing at his arm and talking really quickly in Spanish.  I couldn't understand him, so I kept saying "NO, No gracias, déjame, etc" over and over again.  This guy didn't get the hint.  Then , he started to point at his cast, then at my computer.  That set me OFF.  I jumped up, threw my computer into my backpack and SCREAMED "DÉJAME."  


The guy gave me a terrified look and ran away.
I win.


NOTE: people in Andalusia apparently over-exaggerate everything, hence the title to this blog