Morning Observations

I knew this morning would be either different or interesting as soon as I woke up to the 9 o'clock bells.  I am supposed to be out of my house by 9 o'clock in the morning, so when I heard the bells ring nine times, I knew I was in trouble.

I got up and got ready as quickly as possible, headed out the door and got to work by 9:30.  Luckily for me, I do not have a class first thing Monday morning, but one on one work with the bilingual gym teacher.  I walked in fifteen minutes late and he was nowhere to be found.  I checked the teacher's lounge, the gym and of course the café.  After I asked another teacher of his whereabouts, I was informed that he had not come in yet.  Okay, that's fine, I had some free time.

Then, that other teacher gave me my pay from my private lessons from the week before for another teacher.  He told me that she was not there to give it to me today and that she would not be around for her lesson that morning.  More free time for me.  All of this free time meant that I did not have to actually be at work until 11:30 today instead of 9:15.

Since it was about 9:35 when I found this out, I decided I would take a walk and get some breakfast at a café/bar.  The one I chose is a café/bar that I walk by every morning on my way to work, but have never gone into.  I was glad I chose this one today.

I sat down and ordered my typical spanish breakfast: café con leche y pan tostado con atún y tomate (coffee with milk and toast with tuna and tomato).  No piles of pancakes, waffles, bacon etc... here.  I was feeling very observant and was not let down as I sat at the bar eating my spanish breakfast, observing the others that walked in.

At the same time I drank my coffee and ate my toast, a man a couple of seats down ordered his first beer of the day.  His free tapa was bread with jamón serrano.  I don't know about anybody else, but beer and jamón at 10 in the morning is not too appetizing to me, but, to each their own.  Then, another man walked in and ordered a coffee with bailey's on the side.  I thought this was a more morning appropriate choice.  He would have one sip of coffee, one sip of bailey's, repeat.  One more man came in, sat next to the bailey's man and ordered himself straight up whiskey.  No playing around for him this morning.

Another man walked in, stood next to me at the bar and opened up his newspaper to start reading.  I assume he is a regular because he did not have to say a word to the bartender.  As soon as he walked in, the bartender started preparing this man's breakfast.  A glass of water, café con leche, toast with tomato, olive oil and salt.  I watched as this man prepared his toast like I have watched Spanish people do a million times.  First, he pours a generous helping of olive oil on the toast.  Second, he spreads all of the tomato paste that was on the dish and pats it down.  He pours one more layer of olive oil for good measure and tops if off with a couple dashes of salt.  Spaniards really love their olive oil.

I saw something I have never seen before in Spain.  One woman walked in and placed a glass down on the bar.  The bartender picked it up and prepared a café con leche for her.  She left a euro coin on the bar, said hasta luego and walked out the door.  I guess you really can get coffee para llevar (to go) here, if you know where to go.

After I finished my breakfast, I did something that I never thought I would do.  I threw my napkins on the floor before I paid and walked out the door.  It is actually acceptable to throw your napkins/sunflower seed shells/whatever else on the floor of bars here.  Some say that this is one way to find a good bar.  The more napkins on the floor, the better.

I learned two lessons today:

1.  If your routine is thrown off, take advantage and try to go somewhere new.
2. 10:00am is an acceptable time to start drinking on a Monday morning here in Baza.