Spanish Summer Dinner

Twice a year, the engineering group I work for in Grifols has a dinner together.  Fortunately, they scheduled the summer outing when I was back so I got to take in a typical Spanish celebration.  The event started at 4 PM and lasted (for me) until 3 AM as I was tired from the night before.  Others, though, went to a disco after and finally made it home more around 8 AM.  Even with a full night's rest, I am confident I could not have been in this group!

Before the actual dinner, many of the engineers met at the beach for an afternoon of swimming and sand futbol.  This was my first chance to go in the Mediterranean and I enjoyed it thoroughly; the waves were quite big and excellent for wading (the water was deep also) while the water itself was cool and salty.  It provided the perfect counterpoint to the heat of the afternoon.  After a quick swim, we played a game of 4-on-4 sand soccer.  In theory, I understand soccer and its strategy, but execution is a whole other matter.  After flailing around for 45 minutes or so, my team somehow led 5-4 and we called it a match.  Another quick swim followed, and then it was time for pre-dinner drinks.

First, I took a "shower" in the beach shower, which was fine except when a woman explained I couldn't use soap (as it was illegal somehow).  Luckily I was mostly done, but my swim trunks were full of suds with no hope of rinsing.  Only a minor problem, though, and it was time for the beach bar.  A group of 12-14 of us hung out for an hour or so and enjoyed what were probably the best mojitos I've ever had.  The mint was very fresh and the amount of sugar (which was more than I'm used to) gave the overall flavor the right amount of sweetness.  These were the perfect cap to a day at the beach.

The dinner was great as well... I had duck confit (always amazing) for my main course, and the following were served as starters (grades next to the dish):
- Ham on crunchy bread rubbed with tomato - A+
- Steamed shrimp - A+
- Fried baby squid - A
- Cod fritters - B+
- Mussels marinara - N/A
- Fideua - B
As is typical here in Spain, the appetizers were the major presence of the meal, and filled me enough that I didn't need my duck (which I of course ate anyway).  At the end of the dinner, I had to give a quick speech.  Everyone else struggled to fill their four-minute requirement but I powered through, hitting my stride just as the MC told me it was time to wrap up.  Even with an audience that doesn't capture every joke I make, I can still talk more than most anyone else!

The night ended at another beach dance bar, where I took it easy on the cocktails as I was the driver for the night.  The bar itself was cool, and the variety of music matched what I expected... a mix of dance music I knew and Spanish dance music that I'd expect to hear.  The crowd grew and grew as the night passed, probably hitting a peak around 2:30 AM or so.  I believe everything closed at 5 AM, but it's incredible to me just how much energy the Spaniards have to stay up drinking and dancing!

Overall, the experience of the dinner was fantastic.  The food, drinks, and company all made it such a unique and authentic "Spanish" fiesta.  These are the pieces of culture I've very much enjoyed experiencing while living here, and the things I'll miss when I head back to America.