Sunday, February 20, 2005
Night and day
Wow. When I told you Spanish partying was more hardcore than anything I’ve seen before, I didn’t know what the fuck I was talking about. Last night was insane. Not because I got really drunk or stayed out particularly late. Their way of partying is on a whole new level because it seems to involve THE ENTIRE CITY.
Last night Jen and I definitively decided not to go clubbing because we were just too tired. At 2:30 AM, we decided maybe we would just go out and see what her friends were up to. Keep in mind this was still leaving the house early for the night. Another interesting bit of information: in Spain (or maybe it’s just Cádiz, I can’t remember what Jen told me) it’s legal to drink on the street. So there’s no reason to keep the party confined to the bars or clubs -- it migrates into the streets AND FILLS IT. The first time I went out, I thought the nightlife establishments seemed a little small, and now I understand why.
Seriously, I was speechless -- we had to cross one of the main squares to get where we were going and it was like trying to navigate through a mosh pit, it was so crowded. Just people standing and talking and drinking, the sound of animated chattering obliterating every last trace of the stillness or quiet we usually tend to associate with nighttime. It was by far much louder and more crowded than anything I’d seen during the daytime in Cádiz. You know on nature programs when they show all the penguins gathering on an island somewhere, and there’s just penguins packed together like sardines as far as the eye can see, and they’re all making a racket because they’re trying to find their mate, because in case you didn’t know, penguins mate for life? And you just can’t believe there are so many fucking penguins talking at the same time and drinking in public? That’s what it reminded me of.
Ultimately, Jen and I ended up not on the street, but in the gay bar. The gay bar, which was approximately the size of my sitting room at home. However, Jen and I took that as a challenge to get the party started. And we totally did get it started, because we are like Juliette Binoche in Chocolat and just show up out of nowhere and make everyone want to dance because they think, “Who are those people? Where did they come from? They don't seem to have any inhibitions. I am inspired and would like to share a dance floor with them.” That’s how it happens in my mind, anyway.
So that was last night. Today it all about the beach, baby. We just laid on the beach all damn day. It was sweet. The sun comes out once in a while in Aberdeen, but it sure as fuck doesn’t provide any warmth. Cádiz is so much closer to the equator and the sunlight is much more direct. It took ages for my eyes to get used to it. When they finally did adjust, I proceeded to die of shame because I was suddenly able to see that my legs are actually paler than Jen’s. Jen, a white girl. Made me look white. I’m a bad, bad Asian.
Even with my ethnic shame, I’m still so freakin’ happy to walk around with so much of me uncovered. Not that I’m walking around naked or anything (the police put a stop to that), but it surprised me how wonderful it felt to feel air against my arms and legs just walking down the street again. And it’s only February -- this is nowhere near “hot” in Spanish terms. But I’m just bopping around the city with a big stupid smile on my face because the world is bright again. Looks like I’m not so opposed to a little sunshine after all.
Last night Jen and I definitively decided not to go clubbing because we were just too tired. At 2:30 AM, we decided maybe we would just go out and see what her friends were up to. Keep in mind this was still leaving the house early for the night. Another interesting bit of information: in Spain (or maybe it’s just Cádiz, I can’t remember what Jen told me) it’s legal to drink on the street. So there’s no reason to keep the party confined to the bars or clubs -- it migrates into the streets AND FILLS IT. The first time I went out, I thought the nightlife establishments seemed a little small, and now I understand why.
Seriously, I was speechless -- we had to cross one of the main squares to get where we were going and it was like trying to navigate through a mosh pit, it was so crowded. Just people standing and talking and drinking, the sound of animated chattering obliterating every last trace of the stillness or quiet we usually tend to associate with nighttime. It was by far much louder and more crowded than anything I’d seen during the daytime in Cádiz. You know on nature programs when they show all the penguins gathering on an island somewhere, and there’s just penguins packed together like sardines as far as the eye can see, and they’re all making a racket because they’re trying to find their mate, because in case you didn’t know, penguins mate for life? And you just can’t believe there are so many fucking penguins talking at the same time and drinking in public? That’s what it reminded me of.
Ultimately, Jen and I ended up not on the street, but in the gay bar. The gay bar, which was approximately the size of my sitting room at home. However, Jen and I took that as a challenge to get the party started. And we totally did get it started, because we are like Juliette Binoche in Chocolat and just show up out of nowhere and make everyone want to dance because they think, “Who are those people? Where did they come from? They don't seem to have any inhibitions. I am inspired and would like to share a dance floor with them.” That’s how it happens in my mind, anyway.
So that was last night. Today it all about the beach, baby. We just laid on the beach all damn day. It was sweet. The sun comes out once in a while in Aberdeen, but it sure as fuck doesn’t provide any warmth. Cádiz is so much closer to the equator and the sunlight is much more direct. It took ages for my eyes to get used to it. When they finally did adjust, I proceeded to die of shame because I was suddenly able to see that my legs are actually paler than Jen’s. Jen, a white girl. Made me look white. I’m a bad, bad Asian.
Even with my ethnic shame, I’m still so freakin’ happy to walk around with so much of me uncovered. Not that I’m walking around naked or anything (the police put a stop to that), but it surprised me how wonderful it felt to feel air against my arms and legs just walking down the street again. And it’s only February -- this is nowhere near “hot” in Spanish terms. But I’m just bopping around the city with a big stupid smile on my face because the world is bright again. Looks like I’m not so opposed to a little sunshine after all.
