Gypsies, Tramps, and Entertainers

Since coming to Navalmoral, I’ve had a few nights out that had been really spectacular. Some of them were going out at night during San Miguel (one of the two main festivals here) and another was the night a bunch of us went dancing, ate churros at 6am, and got home around 8am. But, I think my favorite night here so far was this past Sunday.

After Venice two weeks ago, I wanted to just relax this past weekend. Friday night I went out with some friends in plan tranquilo, getting home around 2am. Then Saturday, I relaxed a little too much. My roommate was out of town, so I spent all day in my pajamas and didn’t leave my apartment once. It was pretty depressing. Sunday looked like it was going to be the same thing.

Sunday, I hung around in sweatpants until early afternoon, then decided to seize the day and went for a walk. The weather was beautiful, so I put on some jeans and explored Navalmoral a bit, then went back home. After that, it was back to the sweatpants. Around 7.30pm, my roommate (who had gotten home earlier that day) texted me that she had seen one of our friends on the street, (César) and that he was going to the Cultural Center that night to see a play. He knows that I’m a theatre geek, so he asked her to see if I wanted to go. Having already eaten dinner, I was ready to sleep in a couple of hours, so I said, “No thanks…maybe next time.” I sat around for another half and hour and remembered that I had made a “Yes Man” pact to myself while in Spain. I texted César and told him I would come. I met him at theatre (jeans back on) around 8.30 and the play started.

The play was pretty bad. The acting. The sets. The costumes. I think it was about homosexuals during the golpe del estado in Spain in 1981…but I could be wrong. I didn’t understand about 90% of the show (Spanish language and the content). César tried his best to explain what was going on to me during the performance, but at one point I just gave up, resigned that my Spanish and history skills just weren’t up to par. After the show, César and another guy who was there said they were going to meet two other friends for a drink, and wanted to know if I wanted to come. At first, I was going to say that I was tired and maybe another time…then I remembered “Yes Man.” We went to the only Irish pub in Navalmoral (only because it has the name “St. James” and serves Guinness) and met up with the other people. We all got a drink and sat around chatting.

When I had entered the pub, there had been a few gypsy men (darker complexion, more from the south), lightly playing the guitar. It was very nice, but quiet. However, as the night went on, more and more gypsy men came into the pub and soon, a full on flamenco show was happening around me. It was the five of us and the gypsies. They were singing, dancing, clapping, playing the guitar, and “olé”ing. It was amazing. Nowhere in the United States would this happen. They weren’t there to give a performance. It was just a bunch of friends meeting up to hang out. We hung around, enjoying the show for a few hours, then headed home.

That night was one of those that really make me appreciate that I really live in Spain. I think too often I forget that many people never even have the opportunity to leave their hometown, and here I am, living in Spain, traveling to all different countries and getting to know new cultures. My love affair with Spain began in Valencia and was so strong right from the start and Sunday night only added to the fire.