Top 20 Spanish Memories

As my time here in Spain winds down (three weeks and counting), I wanted to capture some of the specific memories that I'll keep when I return to North Carolina.  What will follow in the next few weeks is a list of the "Top 20" things from my time in Spain.  Of course, I already realized I missed one major thing (the Rancid concert which I detailed here) that should be Top 10 or Top 5, so there are probably gaps and activities out of order, but I suppose it's better than nothing.  Some items are places Jessica and I traveled or ate, others are Barcelona tourist sights, and a few are silly conveniences or quirks of Spain that I enjoyed or that made my time here a bit easier.  Anyway, I hope this list can provide a good look into what it's like living in Spain for five months as an American.

Today starts with a two-for-one... enjoy!

#20 - Prices in Spain INCLUDE tax!

Even I realize how inane this first item sounds (and I don't want people to mistake that this trait is inherently better than the Olympic Port or something else that didn't make the list), but it was a little feature of Spain that I truly enjoyed.  Too often in America, I want to buy something that costs $5 but then it ends up being $5.35 or whatever the sales tax is in a particular state on a particular day and I'm annoyed with change in my pocket the rest of the day.  Here in Spain... NO PROBLEM!  If something costs 2 euros, it costs 2 euros and you don't need extra change to cover the "hidden" fee. 

For some reason, this always makes my bill at a restaurant seem a little cheaper.  I build in a tax and tip percentage in my mind (shockingly near 30% in the US) that basically doesn't exist here, and that is a WONDERFUL feeling... even if I am deceiving myself because the difference between the euro and the dollar basically cancels any benefit.  Still, this is a very satisfying method of displaying prices for an analytical, mathematical mind that appreciates taking a break every once in a while.  I implore the US to adopt this... stop fooling the consumer with prices and while you're at it, let's round gas prices up the $0.001 cent rather than having that silly small 9 at the end.

#19 - Scobie's Irish Pub

Every once in a while, it was nice to go somewhere that I knew had an English-speaking bartender and would be showing sports I was interested in.  For me, Scobie's filled this need perfectly.  Located a block away from Placa Cataluyna, Scobie's was owned and run by an Irish guy and had a bartender named Seamus who became a friend over the course of my visits; I even got the lowdown on how terrible it was for him to move from one apartment to another in the city.  The general friendliness here and the authentic Irish bar feel were both great.  Scobie's was one of the few places where I felt truly comfortable and more "at home", which made a big difference during some of the tougher stretches!

My best Scobie's memory came during the British Open, which is the one golf major timed well for living in Europe (rather than requiring me to stay up until 1 or 2 AM for the finish like the Masters or US Open).  I spent both Saturday and Sunday at Scobie's watching Adam Scott build up and then choke away his first major, all the while enjoying the witty Irish commentary of the bartenders and the company of fellow drinkers from the UK.  Throw in an excellent grilled ham and cheese sandwich (called a bikini in Spain for some reason) with crisp fries and I couldn't ask for much more.  Anyone who ventures to Barcelona from the States should pay Scobie's a visit; it won't disappoint.