The French say that Africa ends and Europe begins at the Pyrenees. You can interpret that however you want but it’s meant as a criticism of Spain. Spain, the backwards, rough, uncultured country. Now, what is European and non-European is something we can debate all day. I have lived in 3 European countries, one Celtic, one Slavic and one Latin, and at times I have felt they have nothing in common. At other times I have felt what could be described as a European mentality common to all three. However, to get back to the point, there is something rough and backwards about Spain. Peasant food is still very popular in the bars of Madrid which is especially great in winter. There’s nothing like a nice hot bowl of cocido to warm you up. Yet, while I enjoy my cocido, I have to listen to the ranting and joking of the Spanish man sitting beside me. He stares at the television, commenting on every story that appears and giving his expert opinion which is usually that they are all idiots. He says the words joder and cono about a thousand times and constantly refers to the barman as macho, chaval or artista. The whole time he is talking, he is either dropping cigarette ash or a napkin on the floor. Although he is not actually being aggressive, to the outsider it appears as though he is.
Another, altogether more shocking to the outsider, side of Spain can be found on the TV show Callejeros. One of the only TV shows actually worth watching in Spain, Callejeros is about life on the street in some of the poorest neighbourhoods in Spain. Watching this programme, it is hard to believe these scenes are from Europe. The programme is often set in shanty towns similar to those of Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. The most amazing part is that many of the people choose to live in these conditions, in their barrios. Not only do they consider it good enough for them, they consider it good enough for their children. This is the backward part of Spain which is surprising to many outsiders. It may also be the part responsible for flamenco music and the beggars on the metro. Spain was for a long time, a poor, rural country. A Spanish friend told me that the Spanish are not city folk and haven’t adapted yet. That’s probably true and in many ways Spain is one of the immature countries of Europe. Isolated for so long under Franco, everything has developed later here than in other parts of Europe. It will take time for the Spanish to change, old habits die hard. For many young Spaniards, with the opportunity to travel and study abroad, things are already different. Let’s just hope the peasant food survives.
Another, altogether more shocking to the outsider, side of Spain can be found on the TV show Callejeros. One of the only TV shows actually worth watching in Spain, Callejeros is about life on the street in some of the poorest neighbourhoods in Spain. Watching this programme, it is hard to believe these scenes are from Europe. The programme is often set in shanty towns similar to those of Rio de Janeiro or Sao Paulo. The most amazing part is that many of the people choose to live in these conditions, in their barrios. Not only do they consider it good enough for them, they consider it good enough for their children. This is the backward part of Spain which is surprising to many outsiders. It may also be the part responsible for flamenco music and the beggars on the metro. Spain was for a long time, a poor, rural country. A Spanish friend told me that the Spanish are not city folk and haven’t adapted yet. That’s probably true and in many ways Spain is one of the immature countries of Europe. Isolated for so long under Franco, everything has developed later here than in other parts of Europe. It will take time for the Spanish to change, old habits die hard. For many young Spaniards, with the opportunity to travel and study abroad, things are already different. Let’s just hope the peasant food survives.
1 comment:
You are really an insightful observer of the places, you live in... great written!
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