Weekend Eating

For the first time, TWO separate people asked why I hadn't written a blog this week, so I figured I'd put one together.  I have to give the people (the two people) what they want!  The reason I was slacking, other than my assumption that interest was dying, is my imminent return to Clayton to see Jessica, Berkley, my family, and friends!  Still, over the past week I've had a few really nice dining experiences so I thought I could share...

Last Sunday, I ate at my favorite tapas bar in Barcelona (Cerveceria Catalana) after visiting the elBulli exhibit at Palau Robert.  The display was great; I was able to read the history of the famous restaurant as well as seeing (through video) the preparation of countless dishes.  While my lunch after wasn't to elBulli standards, it was still great as always.  I had the croquettes, salmon, and ham (all served on small pieces of bread) and left very satisfied.  Cerveceria Catalana is definitely my recommended tapas place for any visitors to Barcelona.

This weekend, I tried three new places.  My co-worker and I went to the first, and then we added a group of co-workers visiting from Clayton for the second and third restaurants.  I thought all were pretty good, with the first the least impressive (and "Spanish") of the group.

The first, Cinco Jotas, is a standard but good restaurant and I tried their shrimp "sampler"  It came with fried shrimp, shrimps fried after being wrapped in wontons, and then little shrimp dumpling "purses".  I suppose it's more my order that made this place seem un-Spanish, as they specialize in the highest grade "jamon" sold as well as a dish with potatoes, ham, and eggs.  My entree was pretty good but seemed Asian more than anything else.  Next time (if there is one, and I wouldn't be against returning), I'll go more traditional.

For dinner yesterday, a group of us tried Arenal, which is a nice beachside restaurant in Barceloneta.  Our table, while inside, was right at the window overlooking the beach and created a cool atmosphere for people watching.  It was the festival of Sant Joan last night, so during the meal we could hear firecrackers and see fireworks throughout.  For appetizer, the table split cod fritters, ham croquettes, and the standard bread with tomato.  All are now firmly in my rotation of first courses ordered, and I believe the visitors enjoyed as well.

For my entree, I split the rice in lobster broth with a co-worker.  One of my friends at work here told me this is a specialty of many beach restaurants, and I was happy to give it a try.  The serving for both me and my co-worker was HUGE... we each had half of a good-sized lobster and more rice than I could possibly eat.  The broth was flavorful and extremely rich, making the rice alone worthy of being a complete entree.  The lobster was great as well; it was tender (surprising as it sat in the hot rice) and packed with taste from the shell and broth.  The only downside was that I had gather the meat myself; I made an absolute mess of this and the tablecloth paid the price unfortunately!  I've now tried both shrimp and lobster broth rice dishes and I have to say that style is one of my favorites in Spain.  I would take either over a paella any day.

For my final culinary adventure, I had octopus with potatoes and paprika (pictured above) with two co-workers at a street-side restaurant on Passeig de Gracia.  The serving was quite large I thought, and the octopus cooked perfectly to be tender with the right amount of salt.  The paprika is somehow the PERFECT match for the octopus, as are the potatoes when everything gets mixed together.  The restaurant, called Divinus, was fairly basic and not too flashy, but all of our meals were quite good.  I've found that, with a somewhat discerning eye to help stay away from "tourist trap" establishments, you can find great food all up and down the main streets in the city.

I think for the last few days here (only three days of work and then I am heading back to Jessica!!!!!), I may try the Japanese restaurant, which serves amazing rice and noodle dishes in addition to excellent shrimp tempura, and the wood-fired pizza place.  Sure, I'm not going out with a Spanish bang, but part of the greatness in Spanish dining is the variety that exists all over the city!

Nearing the Halfway Point

I only have eleven more days (eight working days!) until I return to Clayton to Jessica and Berkley, marking the halfway point of my assignment.  While I'm getting more "comfortable" with the Spanish way of living, nothing can replace my family and home, so I cannot wait.  Each day seems longer than the one before as I get closer to seeing Jessica, but that hasn't been able to dampen our excitement!

This weekend, I went into Barcelona for some quick shopping and also to see the elBulli exhibit at Palau Robert.  The museum (which was free on Sunday) has a nice walk-through display showing the start, evolution, and pinnacle of elBulli, finishing with video of their last night of service.  For 45 minutes, I was fully captivated by the story, the pictures, and the whole concept of the restaurant and the way it transformed dining in the world.  For anyone in Barcelona, I'd strongly recommend you take the time and visit this exhibit; it's informative and entertaining without consuming so much of your day.

And now, with my first half of living in Spain just about done, here's a list of some surprises and differences that I find interesting living here:

- I think I've seen Pepsi here once.  Coke products are everywhere (including Coke Zero) and Fanta is far more popular than in the United States.  As most know, though, free refills are unheard of and it has been quite an adjustment for me.
- Credit card machines here a) don't allow for tips to be added (from what I can tell), b) seem to be from 1995 in their technology, and c) sometimes can charge in either dollars or euros, which seems simple but then makes me think ALL of them should have the option.
- With very limited exceptions for Real Madrid fans, no one here cares about any sports teams other than those of Barcelona (futbol and basketball).  Even the Spanish national team is not overly popular.
- Fashion in Spain is either 5 years ahead of America, 15 years behind, or both.
- The cuisine here has been as advertised, if not better.  I did not expect things like duck and tuna to be so common, but they are and they're always prepared extremely well.  While tapas is a relatively new addition to the Barcelona landscape, it is done quite well in a few places.
- Spanish (or maybe Catalan) custom is to have a bocadillo (similar to a torpedo or sub in America, with meat and tomato spread on the bread) around 10 AM each morning, bridging the gap between breakfast and dinner around 1:30 PM.  I wish this caught on EVERYWHERE... the sandwiches are fantastic and a welcome break during mid-morning.
- Food is served more natural, and less processed.  People here constantly joke that Americans only eat chicken tenders!
- The McDonalds here (which I've tried 3 or 4 times I think) is consistently better than in America.  The food is the same, and with both countries putting their best feet forward, I'd call it a draw, but overall, the Spanish version delivers the higher level of quality.
- The phrase "take a beer" instead of "have a beer" or "drink a beer" is my favorite saying I'll bring back to America.
- EVERYTHING (except for restaurants) is closed on Sunday. 
- Driving is stressful.  The roads and lanes are narrower, motor bikes dart and drive between cars frequently, and signage for directions isn't always the best.

I know that I'm missing many, but these are some off the top of my head.  Enjoy your week, and I will enjoy getting closer and closer to returning to Jessica and Berkley!

Euro 2012 Starts

With the first half of my work assignment wrapping soon (less than 3 weeks until I am home to Jessica!), things are becoming a little more "normal" in my day-to-day and work life in Spain.  There are many things that I certainly will never fully adjust to, but I feel much more comfortable on a daily basis interacting with the people here and living a regular life.  Once I get a better understanding of the Spanish language, I will feel even better (although each day is tough being here without Jessica and Berkley, and that has not gotten any easier!).

This week, the European Soccer Championships started in Poland and the Ukraine.  While only a spectator from afar, I have been looking forward to this tournament ever since I knew I was coming to Spain.  I envisioned the whole country gearing up to watch all of the games and cheer on their national team, but I've found things quite different.

Here in Barcelona, most of the soccer fans do not care nearly as much for the Spanish national team as they do the Barcelona club team (interest in the tournament as a whole seems very low).  In fact, some actually seem to DISLIKE the national team because they would prefer to support only Catalan teams and not the rest of the country.  Without getting into a complicated discussion on why this is, I will just say that as a result, I am certainly the most excited for the tournament in my entire office!

Yesterday, I ventured into the city to watch the games at an Irish bar called Scobie's.  While "Irish" bars exist everywhere, this one was run by actual Irish guys (including my bartender Seamus) to give it more credibility.  I had a few Maker's and gingers with a toasted ham and cheese sandwich, and enjoyed the experience other than watching my top pick in a Euro2012 pool (the Dutch) get upset 1-0 by Denmark.  The place got quite crowded, mostly with German fans, although there were a few from the Netherlands as well.  I'll certainly go back here to watch more games.

Before the games, I participated in a nature walk with my company, Grifols.  The Environmental group set up the walk to celebrate something (Earth Day maybe, I'm not sure) and over 150 people participated.  The walk was at a local park and included a 4 km section, then a quick (and delicious) sandwich break, and then a 5 km walk to finish.  I modified my route, and instead of walking the 5 km section I ran the 4 km section back to the car. 

Overall, the landscape was gorgeous through heavily wooded areas, open fields, and small trails cut through the hills.  Most surprising was the herd of sheep we encountered through the hills... never before have I walked THROUGH a group of 100+ sheep but the others with me didn't think much of it.  I was a bit scared (I'm not really sure why!) but I calmed myself and made it through safely.  The sheep (and their herders) looked at me more as an inconvenience than anything else.  Fortunately, I did not run back into them on my way back to the start!

Starting tomorrow, I have only three Mondays before I'm back in Clayton.  At different points, the time has flown by and crawled, but these past two weeks have taken FOREVER as I get closer to seeing Jessica, Berkley, my family, and my friends.  Staying in Spain has completely altered my perspective on so many things, but most of all it has given me a better understanding of the important things in my life and the proper way to value and appreciate them when I can.  The next 18 days will seem to take ten times that long, but it will be well worth it when I get to RDU Airport and Jessica is there to greet me!

My First Two Months

Today marks exactly two months from the date I arrived here in Spain on the morning of April 3rd (about an hour earlier than the time I am writing this).  I am not sure what expectations I had for the first two months, mainly because I just wanted to do my best to get Jessica and me through our time apart, and I think we've done quite well!  It has been far more difficult than I imagined (not because I expected it to be easy but because there is NO way to properly prepare for being apart from your wife and family for so long, no matter how hard you imagine it will be) but we are close to the halfway point, and then we have a vacation scheduled for the second term!

With regards to work and living in Spain to experience the culture, I am learning a great deal and enjoying the chance to see a new way of life.  While I find the people here similar to people anywhere else (some smart, some funny, some whiny, etc.), the day-to-day life, environment, and culture is vastly different.  Each day, I am exposed to something new, whether it be an approach to problem-solving at work, an after work activity, or a food dish that I've never tasted or seen before.  With all of these, I think I gain both insight into the different ways people live throughout the world as well as my good fortune in having the life I do in Clayton with Jessica.  It's odd but I gain an appreciation of the experience here AND of what I am missing at home at the exact same time.

As far as personal goals here, I had three when I started:

1. Learn to speak, read, and understand Spanish - I am making progress with my Spanish classes, as well as in reading and writing emails at work.  I still have an exceptionally tough time understanding the spoken language, but as I build up vocabulary and identify more words as they race through my ears, I can at least know the main topic of a conversation!  My goal is to really make improvements in the final month before my trip home so that, in the second half of the assignment, I can speak mostly (or much more than I do) in Spanish.

2.  Work with the Spanish side of our company, learning their methods, their approaches to solving problems, and their general work habits to fit in and understand the differences between here and America - I think I've done fairly well with this goal; I feel comfortable contributing to the projects here and I have been able to reach out to other departments (with BASIC Spanish emails) to get additional information I need or am interested in to compare with my work in Clayton.  My office is quite friendly and I already benefit from making friends at work, leading to nice outings on the weekends and "taking beers" after work on Friday.  Most importantly, from a work perspective at least, I have a good insight into the work approach here and how it applies to project engineering.  I am looking forward to helping the two branches of our company work productively together now and when I return home.

3.  Try as much Spanish food as possible - This is another area where I am really excelling... to date, I have tried: pig trotters, octopus tentacles, many variations of croquettes, morro (fried pig snout as best I can tell), several duck preparations, pork cheeks, paella, shrimp heads, countless tapas, monkfish, fresh hams and sausages, bread with tomato and olive oil, and countless other items.  I've found a few things that I won't be trying again (cuttlefish being #1 on that list, anchovies soaked in olive oil as #2 probably) but overall, the quality and variety of food has been incredibly good!

A fourth "goal" that I've added since I arrived is to train for the Raleigh half-marathon in November.  Yesterday, I reached my farthest distance yet, running eight miles in ~ 9 minutes / mile, so that was quite an achievement for me.  I really struggled at the end so I have a long way to go before I'm ready for 13.1 miles, but at least I am getting the exercise and pushing myself more than I ever had running!

With four months or so remaining, my goal with the most work left is to speak and understand Spanish.  I am studying today and will continue to do my best putting in the time and effort to become better.  Learning a new language really is one of the hardest things I've done in my life, especially at this age when I am so set in my ways, but I suppose the challenge will make the reward so much better!