Thursday, July 19, 2012

Gas Stations and Gender Equality


I unfortunately missed this experience last night, however Ms. Mendonca captured its essence beautifully and I would like to share this with you...After a beach night complete with my attempt to swim (I use the term loosely-I was simply flailing my arms, screaming with chilled, giddy delight and finally dunking my head in the Mediterranean sea) under a star-studded Spanish sky, los chaperones began our trenta minutos camino back from the fishermen beach of Castelldefels (about 30 kilometers outside of Barcelona).    

A man (over the age of 18 so as not to come off as a creeper) was chillin' with his pants down, everything hanging out and taking a pee (ironically, he was right outside the gas station bathroom). Ms. Mendonca and Mr. Nunn had the pleasure of running into this free spirit. Perhaps this revealing activity is allowed as a sort of gender equality-women are after all able to frolic on the European beaches topless and we can't let women get away with partial nudity without giving men the legal opportunity to as well. And because this man was in his forties, it further emphasizes the fact that these are not necessarily the hottest bodies showing off their goods. For those who have been to European beaches, most women who choose to forego a tan line are not as "perky" as they once were.

Finally, in the classic style of Hillstead's blogs-I have a story that involves a brief before and after...with food. I may have had too many ice creams under the Spanish sun because I had to abruptly leave the group and scurry  into a local restaurant to use their water closet, even though it is frowned upon to use the toilet without ordering something. I tried so hard not to make eye contact with the server....but I had no choice...estaba una emergencia. I guess I will not be going back there anytime soon...I hope I did not leave a mark.

Now, as I am typing my blog and wishing I had some more Principe cookies, I must wait eighteen more minutes for rose wine, baguette slices a plenty, and hopefully some cassoulet as we are now already on day six of tour, having just arrived in the south of France. "Life moves quickly, you might miss it if __________________ I don't remember the rest of the line from Ferris Bueller's Day Off.

bullfighting and paella,
Hillstead

 

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