Some thoughts about our 3 weeks in Spain
1. We found the Spanish people as a whole to be very receptive to tourists and in most places, at least some English was spoken (except in, of all places, Madrid).
2. Food was interesting and quite tasty, but we found that getting onto the Spanish eating schedule was next to impossible. It was sometimes difficult to find an open restaurant when our stomachs were ready to eat.
3. In most places, except for Madrid, food was inexpensive by American standards. We generally spent no more than $70 for dinner for 4 including wine (which is cheaper than water). The one exception was a restaurant in Madrid where the waiter thought we ordered 4 large portions of squid ( we were planning on 1 portion to split 4 ways as an appetizer) at $17 a pop ($72 worth of squid!!!) and then another $70 in paella and an entree for Molly.
4. We were shocked that after the expulsion in 1492, the Jewish population never recovered in Spain. There are somewhere between 15,000 and 50, 000 Jews now living in Spain, a tiny fraction of the population. Spain has offered citizenship to Jews and even conversos (those forced to convert during the Inquisition) who can prove a familial connection to Spain.
5. We are also surprised to learn that the Catholic Church holds little or no political power in Spain nowadays. After Franco's death and return to a parliamentary monarchy (as in Great Britain), the Church lost its power. Gay rights and abortion rights are solidly established in Spain. Spain was the 2nd country in the world to permit gay marriage, and Madrid's Gay Pride Parade is the largest in the world.
6. Masks were required on all public transportation including any flights on Iberia (to and from the US) or Vueling Airlines, trains, busses, and cabs. They were not required anywhere else, and none were worn (except by the 4 of us). Bars were packed with patrons seemingly unconcerned about the spread of COVID.
All 4 of us would highly recommend Spain as a great holiday destination (but keep your mask on 😉 .
