Ñam ñam

Ñam ñam is what madrileños say after savoring a delicious tortilla española, or perhaps a box of ositos chiquilines (teddy grahams).

Joder, the cuisine here is ñami. Marcela (my señora/host mom) is a wonderful cook, as she will often admit herself.
I will outline a few of the delicassies that I have sampled whilst here in Madrid:
1. La tortilla española. Potatoes, olive oil, eggs. Not the ever-present Mission tortillas found in abundance in many a college apartment. Like an omelette. Marcela did make the best one I've had so far.
2. Churros y chocolate. Long donutty fried things dipped in the most glorious jar of melted chocolate. Bought on Sunday mornings for the grandkids from La pasteleria Lyon around the corner. Quite a treat.
3. Pisto. Vegetable medley: eggplant, garbonzos, tomatoes andmore mediterranean veggies cooked to perfection. Kind of ratatouille-ish.
4. Queso con cebollas carmelizadas. Best tapas ever, found on Cava Baja in La Latina. May lead to queso overdose, but you won't realize it until the coma 'cuz its just so frikkin yummy.
5. Cafe con leche. A little bigger than a shot (chupito!) but exponentially better than American coffee. Hey, wait, I like coffee?
6. Sangria y/o tinto verano. Mmm. Fruity and suave. The oranges are actually the most soaked with alcohol, so try not to eat 5 slices in a matter of minutes (oops).
7. Naranjas valencianas. Oranges! Fresh! from Valencia! Never have I ever tasted a more delish orange.

...stay tuned for more adventures into the culinary depths of este pais.

Last weekend I had many aventuras in different parts of the city:
My friends and I found "El jardin secreto" after 1 night and a day of searching. We were feeling silly asking locals if they knew where the secret garden was (responses we got: funny looks, crude remarks, laughs). Its a restaurante/cafe that Adina told me I should frequent. Its located in this older part of the city with tiny tiny streets barely wide enough for the multitude of Vespas that putter around the city (often with young-looking kids or couples aboard). The jardin was closed, but we are planning on returning soon.
Lori and I wandered for hours in the really old part of the city later that night, near el Palacio Real, before finding the tapas place we were meeting everyone else at. We felt like time-travelers. The Grand European Storm was brewing that night, and I felt it appropriate to sepia tone my photos.
Yesterday I went exploring between classes, and I found the coolest little street leading to Chueca. On it unassumingly stood this HQ of sorts with the most elaborately huge ornementation and seemingly Seussical appearance. Not quite Gaudi, but almost. On the same street I found Cacto-cacto, a cactus shop maintained by a woman who had cactus-like hair, and a sweet bead shop. And many colorful characters meandering about.
The city seems inmense and metropolitan at first, but there are so many little streets and barrios and brick stairwells that it becomes quite intimate.

Also, I saw my first flamenco show! We went to this little restaurant in a quieter part of the city where we were the only americanos. We shared some vino tinto and were entertained by a flamenco dancer, singer, and guitarist. Flamenco is one of the most enchanting and passionate works of art that I have ever seen. The guttural "AYs" of the cantante seem to come from another era or perhaps world. Its hard to describe, as we found as the spell gradually melted away when we were journeying home and we struggled to communicate what it was that enchanted us.

Back in reality, I have been taking a month long seminar (it lasts untli mid-February, when we start Autonoma classes) about the politics, culture and literature of Spain in the last 40 years. What fascinates me most from what we've learned about Spain is the different cultures of the provinces and the nationalist sentiments in places like El pais vasco (Basque country) and Cataluña. Castillian Spanish is not used in these places, and many cultural aspects differ from Madrid and other parts of Spain as well. The politics for these autonomies are complex. Even as urgent as the Basque terrorist group ETA seems, the political divisions in the pro-independence and other nationalist groups in the region will prevent any action in the near future.
Spain is un Estado de Bienestar, or a Welfare state. Universal healthcare, illegal immigrants included, is guaranteed. Pharmacies are state regulated, and they are everywhere. Funcionarios, or employees of the state, cannot be fired. Guau.
What also amazes me is the lack of effect "La crisis" is having on the nightlife here. Every night that I've gone out, everything is packed. Bars, restaurants, cafes, discotecas. And it doesn't have to be nighttime. And it certainly isn't because there are only a few to choose from. The economics professor, Silvia, who spoke in our seminar thought it had something to do with the psychology of the country. Cultural mindsets trumping empty wallets.

Entonces...
longest post ever.
I've just got a lot to say, I suppose.