Wednesday, May 20, 2009

Summer Time and the Livin's Easy

The sunny days and rising temperatures of the last few weeks has me daydreaming about summertime in Barcelona.  Right now the weather's perfect - warm and breezy - but soon the real heat and humidity will arrive, making trips to the beach and nights spent outside mandatory, unless you enjoy sweating profusely.

Of course the beach in Barcelona, and in Spain in general, doesn't only involve tanning and swimming, but also time spent at one of the country's greatest inventions - el chiringuito, which are the small bars you´ll find along almost all Spanish beaches.  The perfect spot to cool off and whet the whistle with cold beer, sangria or tinto de verano (red wine with either 7-up, Orange Fanta or lemonade) after roasting in the hot sun, many also serve traditional Spanish dishes like paella and tapas, in addition to such standards as sandwhiches and salads.   They aren't cheap by any stretch of the imagination, but that's the price one pays to sit outside in the shade and listen to the waves.

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