Things Learned After 5 Hours in Spain -or- Sitting Bored in a Hotel Room

1. Try to avoid saying things like “I don’t know…” when you don’t understand someone. Especially when you later realize that they were saying something to the effect of “I hope you enjoy your stay.” Save yourself the embarrassment and ask them to repeat, especially if you're jet-lagged and half asleep.

2. Streets lined with loads and loads of lavender and roses smell heavenly. 

3. Cars have much better names over here. Peugeot, Fiat, Citroën, Iveco, etc. (that’s for Dad)

4. It may be best to do some preliminary research on dining manners and etiquette, rather than showing up at a local joint and trying to subtly crane your neck to see if the people next to you are cutting the heads off the shrimp in their paella or not. Same goes for figuring out how to take the bones out of the pescadillas (Whiting). 

5. There are whole fields of thistles taller than me. (Meiska)

6. People seem to park wherever they want to. Within reason, but if it works as a parking place, I think people will park there.

7. People take stopping for pedestrians seriously. If you think you want to cross the street, cross it. Don't be like a silly, small-town American who can't make up her mind if she wants to go across or not.

8. I need to take more pictures.