only plan was a leisurely drive through the beautiful Rioja
countryside on our way to spend the day in the city of Pamplona - I thought -
like most of us - that it was a small, ancient village who's claim to fame is
the "running of the bulls" - I was so wrong - it is actually a
bustling city of 200,000 - is modern and beautiful - seems very affluent and
progressive - even the street where they run the bulls is very modern and
well kept - loved the place!
walked around town - ate tapas - drank wine - watched
"football" - very uneventful - well until our evening tapas - we were
sitting, minding our own business when I felt someone's hands in my hair - I
turned around and there was a beautiful Spanish dame, running her fingers
through my hair - of course I was flattered but am currently in a solid
relationshi ...
or ...
it was really an old man - drunk
off his ass - talking in hyper-Spanish - very loudly - about me in a degrading
manner to the entire bar - he then decides to put both of his hands on my shoulders
and tell me - very closely - something super smart I'm sure - in slurring,
drunken Spanish - wow!
now, you all know my friends so
you know I've done my fair share of dealing with drunks in a bar - it's just a
little harder with a language barrier - "no compremde" was not
working - he just wouldn't leave me alone - my theory was his dad must have
been the Barber of Seville and he wasn't all that happy about the length of my
hair - finally a couple of guys came to my rescue and shooed him away - we bought
them drinks and they apologized for the entire population of Pamplona -
"he's just drunk" they said in a moment of ultimate understatement -
I nodded and said "no problemo" - then I beamed a big old smile
knowing that in that bar - on that night - I had been able to use my entire
Spanish vocabulary - "perfecto"!
walking home we passed a Hemingway
haunt - clearly had to buy a cigar and a drink and give the old man a toast -
next we dropped by an Irish pub where John and I solved the worlds problems -
eventful after all ...
today we were on holiday
your pal,
European Tronson
No comments:
Post a Comment