Monthly Archives: July 2012

When the Lights Go Out

Posted on July 31, 2012 by emilyeneurope
Power Outage, Spain

I feel like every post needs a photo, so just imagine that this monkey is irritated by the power outage…

Even though there isn’t much to say about this, I feel like it needs to be shared. Since I try to keep up with my unique European experiences, I truly think this fits the bill. Yesterday, as I was sitting at my desk at work, editing yet another article, listening to Olympic competition in the background, and otherwise just doing my thing, the power went out – in the entire building. Not so strange, you say? Keep reading.

Luckily, the building has generators, so we were given a little light and if we were hooked up to the Internet line and not wireless, we could continue working on our laptops. However, about thirty minutes later, the Internet line went down. Now, I’m no technical expert, so I can’t explain why I had the Internet for awhile and then why it went away, but it did. With no Internet, we officially had nothing to do. It was at that moment that I realized how utterly dependent we all are on technology. People started to wander around the office aimlessly until we decided to pass the time by playing some card games. Surely, the power would come back on any time – it was the middle of the day.

That’s what we thought until we saw people pouring out of the building and shops closing up outside. Apparently, the power went out over the whole of Gibraltar. Read that again: the ENTIRE COUNTRY OF GIBRALTAR had zero power. Restaurants, shopping centers, dry cleaners, grocery stores…the list goes on and on. When you think of Gibraltar as more than a little peninsula on the southern tip of Spain, it starts to set in just how enormous this is. When news finally spread to us that it wouldn’t be back on for quite awhile, the office called it a day and we made the long and slow trek home. Unfortunately, we drove in yesterday so that we could pick up our dry cleaning, therefore we were stuck waiting in a long border queue with the rest of the masses trying to escape the dark isolation. Matt made a couple jokes about how the Spanish finally found the major electricity line and cut it to piss off Gibraltar – I’m not counting out that possibility just yet…

Today we have power and so it was back to work in the office. It is just so interesting to live in this little place that is just so unique and observe how a situation that would normally affect only a city in the United States, could affect an entire population.

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , | 2 Comments

Shadow of Night

Posted on July 30, 2012 by emilyeneurope

*Disclaimer – If you have not read A Discovery of Witches, then a few spoilers are contained in this post.*

A Discovery of Witches, Deborah Harkness, Vampires, Witches, History, AlchemyDeborah Harkness has done it again – but this time, it was even better! Shadow of Night, the sequel to A Discovery of Witches, was worth all of the anticipation and excitement. Though I never reviewed A Discovery of Witches on my blog, I can tell you now that I read it as a recommendation from my Mom, who doesn’t typically dive into the fantasy realm. Sure, she read the Twilight series after all of the hype, but the thing I love about sharing book recommendations with my Mom is that we have different reading styles. I became hooked on the Stephanie Plum series by Janet Evanovich years ago thanks to my Mom. So when she recommended A Discovery of Witches, the title itself falling within my love of fantasy, I took it seriously – and I loved it.

There is something special about the way Deborah Harkness tells a story. These aren’t your typical romance/fantasy novels – they are intelligent, historical, and written with such attention to detail. I wish that all of the hype surrounding the silly and underwhelming Fifty Shades of Grey hysteria would redirect its attention to series like A Discovery of Witches. Where Shades fails, Witches succeeds. Based around history and alchemy, you learn so much while reading this series, yet the language remains interesting and fun. The characters are charming even in their flaws, and the romance is realistic and fresh. I can count a book as successful when my emotions stir thanks to a connection I’ve built with the characters, and this book does just that.

In Shadow of Night, our main characters, Diana and Matthew, successfully time-walk back to 1590 to hopefully retrieve the Ashmole 782 and for Diana to learn more about her craft. A scholar of Elizabethan history, Harkness’ portrayal of the 16th-century takes the reader from England to France to Prague. The rich tapestry of Elizabethan life is portrayed through her attention to detail (clothing and setting) and includes a list of new characters like Sir Walter Raleigh and Queen Elizabeth I. Though the narrative is slightly lacking from time to time, including a slow introduction to the story, I was intrigued early-on and swept back into the tumultuous relationship between Diana, her vampire lover, Matthew, and his life in the past through her eyes. Even more so, Harkness successfully shifts back to the present 21st century from time-to-time to update the reader on how their dalliance in the past is affecting the future. My only criticism with this element was that an inclusion of the “present-day” date at the beginning of the chapter would have made the shift a bit more seamless.

All in all, I was enamored with Shadow of Night. This adult fantasy series has everything – intriguing characters, action, history, intelligence, and passionate romance. True to form, this sequel finishes with unanswered questions and building suspense, leaving me begging for the third instalment. Harkness is truly a story-telling historian and she can count me as a huge fan. 

Categories: Book Club | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Mundane Musings – Olympic Edition

Posted on July 27, 2012 by emilyeneurope

A happy Friday and Olympic Opening Ceremony day to all of my readers! Despite the upbeat and perky introduction to this post, I am tired today. After a long work week, Fridays can be pretty tough. However, they signify the beginning of the weekend which I am so looking forward to! Between the start of the Olympics with the opening ceremony and events, a full weekend of sunshine, and a great book to read, I’ve pretty much figured out the best way to re-energize before next week.

Friday, Olympics, Opening Ceremonies, Red Bull

A beautiful, early morning view before heading off to work. While the clouds seem a bit dark, I can assure you that this is an early morning phenomenon and that it is currently bright and cloudless. I will say, though, that it rained for about 15 minutes the other day, and during that time, we all stood at the windows in shock. I kind of miss the rain that I became so accustomed to in Dublin – is that strange?

Opening Ceremonies, Red Bull, Friday, Weekend

Yes, this is how we showed up to work today. Me in my 9/11 Memorial t-shirt, a red headband, and my American flag scarf. Matt in red/white/blue with an American flag that is currently hanging in his office. I’m telling you, we are extremely patriotic, so excited for the Olympics, and not afraid to share it with all of our European friends! Bring on the competition!

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , | 3 Comments

La Feria

Posted on July 24, 2012 by emilyeneurope
Buñuelos, Gibraltar, Spain, Mojito, Carnival, Rides

Going to the fair!

This past weekend was a quiet one. I ordered a book that I was dying to read, so I spent most of the weekend engrossed in its pages (I assure you that once I finish it, it will be reviewed here!). Though we entered the weekend with no special plans thanks to my nerdiness, as Matt and I left Gibraltar on Friday evening and saw the glittering lights of the fair in La Línea, we decided our laziness could wait. That’s right – the fair was in town and I didn’t want to miss out on a chance to explore the similarities and differences of a Spanish fair to the ones I’m accustomed to in the States.

We arrived at la feria around 9:00, which was much earlier than Spanish families planned to arrive. They would come much later and stay at the fair until the wee hours of the morning…with their children. The late dinners and subsequent hours spent out and about has to be one of the most obvious cultural differences to what I’m familiar with. Therefore, Matt and I were some of the first to arrive at the fair. We went straight for food, because it was way past dinnertime for our grumbling bellies. Out of all of the options, we had the largest hankering for a kabob – this ended up being the best idea of the night, because it was the most delicious thing I’ve eaten in a long time! A kabob over here is different than what you probably have in mind: the meat smokes on a turnstile, which is then scraped onto a tortilla and filled with an assortment of options. We ordered a chicken kabob with shredded beetroot, carrot, cheese, and two sauces – a hot sauce and a creamy garlic sauce. After smoking all day, the chicken was tender and juicy with incredible flavor and the shredded beetroot and carrot also made for a perfect compliment to the overall flavor. I was in food heaven!

Buñuelos, Gibraltar, Spain, Mojito, Carnival, Rides

Mmmmmmm – mini donuts with powdered sugar and a mojito!

After dinner, we strolled through the fair while our food digested. I was eager to ride a few rides, even though my counterpart wanted nothing to do with them – his trust for carnival rides is completely non-existent since they are assembled almost overnight. I, however, watched as hundreds of kids fearlessly hopped on even the largest of attractions and said to myself, “if they can do it, so can I.” That lasted for about 15 minutes and one terrifying upside down, spinning contraption later. While hanging upside down, red in the face, screaming bloody murder, and praying that the supports wouldn’t fail me, I could see Matt taking pictures and laughing his butt off – yeah, he got the last laugh. I returned to solid ground with shaky legs, demanded a cocktail, and resigned myself to the fact that I’m getting old and I’m just not quite as fearless any longer.

We then spent the rest of the evening in relaxed, enjoyable fashion. We secured delicious mojitos and procured a Spanish fair favorite - buñuelos. Buñuelos are basically miniature donuts that are made right in front of you and topped with whatever you’d like. We added powdered sugar to ours in an attempt to duplicate an American fair tradition – funnel cake. These buñuelos were fantastic! As you wait in front of the stand, they drop the mini donuts into the batter and in minutes they move across a conveyor belt, flip to fry the other side, and come out looking perfectly golden brown. Yum!

Buñuelos, Gibraltar, Spain, Mojito, Carnival, Rides

My ultimate demise would be at the hands of this ride, the Inverter. I mean, even the name should have put me off…

After I’d “taken the edge off” from my terrifying experience on the upside-down dealer of death with buñuelos and the mojito, Matt and I played some games. Now, the Spanish seem to really love their bingo, because every other stand was a bingo game. Crowds of people would purchase their board and a Spaniard with a microphone would yell out the numbers. Behind him was a mountain of prizes and the spectators just loved it. We tried to go for more traditional games, like the skee-ball horse race, but everyone was so into bingo that we couldn’t get enough people to even play! Sigh. We finally found Matt’s favorite booth, though – a target shooting game. For those of you who know us well, you know Matt’s love for going to the shooting range, and that our first date was that exact activity. So, he was in heaven working on shooting out the red circle in the middle of the target. Not surprisingly, I was the only one to walk away with a huge stuffed animal in the time we spent at the booth.

Alas, our evening came to an end because I had to use the restroom and every single person we asked said there were none at the fair. For real?! I looked at all of the children sucking down soda pop and wondered how they managed. It was a fun evening and certainly worth a few hours on a Friday night. Yesterday, I saw huge cranes taking apart the large rides and resigned myself to the fact that the next time the fair rolls into town, I may just stick to the food and the kiddie rides.

Buñuelos, Gibraltar, Spain, Mojito, Carnival, Rides

On my first ride, which was pretty mild and enjoyable. I should have stopped after that.

Buñuelos, Gibraltar, Spain, Mojito, Carnival, Rides

I think a picture speaks a thousand words. In this one, I’ve clearly comprehended that I made a bad, bad mistake!

Buñuelos, Gibraltar, Spain, Mojito, Carnival, Rides

Matt doing what he does best – winning me prizes!

Buñuelos, Gibraltar, Spain, Mojito, Carnival, Rides

Mmmmmm, kabobs! I wish the fair were here longer just so I could eat here a couple more times!

Categories: Food, Musings, Nightlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Military Training in Gibraltar

Posted on July 19, 2012 by emilyeneurope
Spain, Military Planes, Training, RAF, Royal Air Force, Runway, Tornado

One such aircraft coming in for landing.

For the past few weeks, and for a couple more to come, the RAF Gibraltar (Royal Air Force) has been training their military planes, which basically means they are using the Gibraltar runway for take-off and landing. Through the news that I’ve followed, and the personal experience I’ve had, there is so much I have learned about life in Gibraltar and the constant tension between Gibraltar and Spain.

I recently read an article dated July 2010 that highlighted the tension between Gibraltar and Spain in relation to the military training of Tornadoes from Gibraltar. It was interesting to read that just two years ago, official air space in Gibraltar was not evident – Gibraltar had no territorial waters, therefore no airspace above those waters. It also explained how Alboran, an uninhabited chunk of rock east of Gibraltar, was a site of controversy where military training was concerned. A Mediterranean training area, the lower half is deemed Moroccan airspace and the northern half is deemed Spanish airspace. Morocco had given the British military permission to use it to train, but Spain would not. Again, this was only two years ago.

Since then, military training and commercial flying has become commonplace in Gibraltar, but the tension still seems to resonate between Gibraltar and Spain. From what I’ve understood, and from the stories I’ve heard from locals, Spain holds a huge grudge because Gibraltar is British, not Spanish. However, Gibraltarians continuously vote to remain a British Colony. If you followed the Diamond Jubilee news this summer, you may have heard that Queen Sofía of Spain snubbed Queen Elizabeth II during her celebrations when she cancelled a visit to the UK. This was because of disputes concerning Gibraltar, mainly over fights to do with the fishing waters. And to make matters worse, they are related! This just highlights a fraction of stories I’ve heard – our personal banker who grew up in Gibraltar and my hairdresser who grew up in La Línea have both told me stories of the fighting that happened when they were children.

Spain, Military Planes, Training, RAF, Royal Air Force, Runway, Tornado

Unfortunately, you can’t see the aircraft as well in this one, but I think the fact that it’s coming in just over the cruise ship is pretty cool.

That being said, Gibraltar remains British, which means every so often the RAF trains here. Our personal experience with this has made for an interesting summer. For one, commercial flights cause enough traffic problems on their own. Traffic in and out of Gibraltar must stop when planes take off and land, because it crosses the runway. Add an influx of planes and more frequent stoppage, and life here becomes a cluster of madness. I recently came into work a little late after dropping Christine off at the airport, and it was easily a 45 minute affair. For one, it was impossible to get a taxi, because they were stuck on the other side of the runway. It would have also been idiotic to jump in one only to watch the meter tick while you sit still, waiting for the planes to land one after another. Therefore, I chose to walk, but again, you stand waiting at the gate that keeps you off of the runway. By the time the planes land (or take off) the mass of people has quadrupled, cars are at a standstill in the queue on the other side of the border in Spain, and driving anywhere near the runway in Gibraltar is crazy.

However, Matt and I have instituted a fail-proof routine: for the most part, the military training happens at the same time, so we make sure to come into work earlier. We also don’t risk driving across into Gibraltar for fear of the queue that would await us later in the evening. Once the nuisance was under control from our end, I simply listen to the thunderous roar every day at the office as each Tornado takes to the skies. And thanks to the open roof atop our office, I’ve been able to take a break here and there to see these planes in all their glory. Sometimes, I can’t help but shake my head as I ponder the place I live and the unique experiences that come with it.

*Click on any of the photos to enlarge. Seriously – they’re pretty cool in the larger size. :)

Spain, Military Planes, Training, RAF, Royal Air Force, Tornado, Runway

Hitting the runway and thunderously coming to a stop. I wish you could hear the noise that accompanies these planes.

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Art for Animals

Posted on July 17, 2012 by emilyeneurope
Animal Angels Global

A nice action shot outside at the event.

I know I’ve been raving about our resident Thai Fusion hotspot, but they’ve recently added another reason to a list of things I love. La Finca never disappoints when it comes to spicy food and delicious cocktails, but on Sunday night, Matt and I stopped by the restaurant for a different reason – a photographic art exhibition by Jennifer Willis with the profits going to Animal Angels Global. Animal Angels Global is a non-profit organization whose mission is to “help to reduce the abandonment and subsequent euthanasia of animals by implementing global rescue, rehabilitation and rehoming programmes alongside neutering and education projects, focusing on the responsibilities of pet ownership and the dangers of indiscriminate breeding.” As animal-lovers ourselves, we were more than happy to stop by to see the art and make a donation to this fantastic charity.

There was quite a sizeable crowd gathered by the time we arrived and we were met with a complimentary glass of cava to enjoy while we examined the art. The photography was a mix of vibrant vegetables, animals and insects in their natural habitat, and action shots from the polo matches in Sotogrande. My favorite shots were of horses in the wild, and one particular photo of a horse and rider mid-stride during a polo match. Jennifer Willis is extremely talented in her craft, however, photographic art is not exactly what Matt and I are drawn to. So, instead of purchasing a piece for our home, we made a donation directly to the foundation. I also purchased a few of their small cards with the horse photos that I quite liked, just sized down. Admittedly, there was another reason we didn’t buy a larger piece of art – one of the owners of La Finca is an artist herself with paintings that are for sale all around the restaurant. I’ve got my eye on an elephant piece that I think we’re going to return for instead. ;)

Though we didn’t stay too long (new kids on the block here and it was crazy humid), it was really nice to be included in this event. Since I was given the opportunity to partake in so many charitable events while in Ireland, I’ve been craving occasions like this. I hope our donation, along with the success of such a lovely event, helps give an animal a home or the care that it needs.

Animal Angels Global

After the event with a couple of the cards I purchased.

Categories: Musings | Tags: , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Fabulous Friday

Posted on July 14, 2012 by emilyeneurope

This post is going to substitute for my failed Mundane Musings post, which may or may not get resurrected. I say “may not” because all the good stuff happens on Friday now! So, in honor of what used to be my musings, here is a look at what Friday had in store for me and Matt.

We get the best food at the office, and yesterday was no exception. On the right you see the European rendition of Southern Fried Chicken. Though it’s not quite as southern as I would have hoped, it was delish. And on the left was a salad with noodles, prosciutto, and asparagus.

How crazy is that low cloud cover over the Mediterranean Sea and surrounding the Rock of Gibraltar?! Beautiful and a tad eerie at the same time…

We went out last night with some coworkers to this Argentinian tapas grill in La Linea, the Spanish town that borders Gibraltar. That plate had ribs, steak, chorizo and potatoes. Don’t worry, the plate of meat was shared.

Towards the end of dinner, I noticed a man walking around selling these light-up ears for only two euros. I mean, come on! Two euros? Sold! A kid at heart, I love things like this. But when Matt and I began our walk back to the car, I noticed a group of kids running around and passed off the ears for their amusement. :)

Categories: Food, Musings, Nightlife | Tags: , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Summer Barbecues

Posted on July 12, 2012 by emilyeneurope

There is nothing quite like lighting up the barbecue during the summer months; hotdogs and hamburgers are the ticket to tasty food and good atmosphere. Barbecues also give you a reason to socialize with friends, because who doesn’t like hanging around the barbecue, drinking a beer and chatting away the early evening? I am not the only one who feels this way over here, because we’ve got a couple summer barbecues under our belt so far. In fact, I think it’s about our turn to reciprocate!

At our friend’s house for an evening barbecue. They cooked up mini-burgers and the best wings I’ve had since coming to Europe!

We will make FIRE!!!

What barbecue isn’t complete without a bit of playtime with newly adopted kitties?

My barbecue “garb.”

At another barbecue in Gibraltar. Check out the view of Africa!

Gibraltar

Sunset on the Rock of Gibraltar.

Categories: Food, Musings, Nightlife | Tags: , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

An Old Friend and a Few Apes

Posted on July 10, 2012 by emilyeneurope
La Finca, Pura Tapa, Spain, Apes, Rock of Gibraltar, Alcaidesa, Sotogrande, Airplanes

From our first evening out and about in Gibraltar

Over the weekend, one of my dearest friends (and an old college roommate) came to visit me all the way down here in Spain/Gibraltar. Christine happened to be travelling in Europe, specifically to visit her aunt in London, so it was much easier for her to take a flight into Gibraltar. I was beyond excited to not just catch-up with an old friend, but to show a fellow American what this unique area of the world is all about.

Christine arrived in Gibraltar on Friday afternoon to hot weather and a bit of craziness in the border town of La Linea. For the past couple of weeks – and for a couple more to come – military planes have been practicing on the Gibraltar runway. Gibraltar is so small that not only are these planes extremely loud (even at the office with the windows closed), but they also cause quite the traffic jam. Before, a few commercial planes would come in and out of Gibraltar in a day; now, it’s a constant stream of take-offs and landings all day long. Since traffic must travel across the runway, every time an aircraft takes off, traffic comes to a halt. So, when I picked up Christine, it was mayhem! Welcome to Gibraltar. :)

Our first activity was lunch on the beach between Sotogrande and Torreguadiaro. There are two fantastic beach bars set up on that beach, and we settled in at one for a couple glasses of tinto verano and huge salads. Following lunch, we went back to the house to change clothes and head back to Gibraltar for a night out. We met Matt for a drink and then enjoyed dinner at Gaucho’s. This was the first time Matt met Christine in person, so I was delighted to introduce him to one of my best friends. Following a delicious dinner of Argentinian steak and sea bass, we met up with a group of friends at the casino for drinks and spent the rest of the evening playing in Gibraltar.

Africa, La Finca, Pura Tapa, Spain, Apes, Rock of Gibraltar, Alcaidesa, Sotogrande, Beach, Gaucho's, Airplanes

Proof of the incredible wind at Europa Point (Morocco in the background). I was not into it!

On Saturday we took it easy and I showed Christine what the neighborhood has to offer. We went to the Alcaidesa beach and set up our chairs close enough to put our feet in the water. Unfortunately, a bit of fog rolled in, but we decided it was okay because we were still getting sun and it kept the extreme heat at bay. Time flew by down at the beach and before you know it, it was late afternoon. We went back up to the house to hang by the pool for a little bit, then got ready for another night out. This time, it was the Spanish night life that we wanted to share. Dinner was at one of our favorite tapas restaurants, Pura Tapa. We feasted on our favorite dishes and a few new ones, then made our way to the Alcaidesa beach bar. It was a little too early for dancing, but we ran into some co-workers and joined them for drinks on the beach.

Spain, La Finca, Pura Tapa, Apes, Rock of Gibraltar, Sotogrande, Alcaidesa, Airplanes, Gaucho's, Beach

Just hanging with the apes!

On Sunday, we took Christine sightseeing in Gibraltar. Who comes to Gibraltar without going to the top of the rock to see the apes? Luckily for us, there was no line going into Gibraltar, so we drove across and took her to Europa Point first. Europa Point is the closest point to Africa, and the views are phenomenal. Unfortunately, the wind was fierce that day, so we only spent enough time to take a couple of pictures before making our way to the cable car. At the top of the rock, the apes were out in full force doing their thing and as always, Matt ended up with an ape on him. During this visit, there was some sort of dissension among the pack and a group of apes ended up in a big fight. In the middle of the chaos, they all charged in my direction, one ape nearly taking me out as it collided with my leg. Needless to say, I was screeching and hopping around trying to get out of the action!

After a day in the sun on the rock, we decided to cool down with a drink at the Caleta Hotel, followed by dinner in Spain at our other favorite spot, La Finca. As always, the food, the drinks, and the service at La Finca were wonderful, making for a perfect end to the weekend. I was so sad to see Christine go on Monday. It’s not often that my American friends can make over to this part of the world, so I was thrilled to get to share my life with her. And, of course, it was so great getting to spend time with my old friend. We vowed to make this a tradition, but next time, we’ll take a trip to some place new!

Spain, La Finca, Pura Tapa, Apes, Rock of Gibraltar, Sotogrande, Alcaidesa, Airplanes, Gaucho's, Beach

The ape den in all its glory.

Spain, La Finca, Pura Tapa, Apes, Rock of Gibraltar, Sotogrande, Alcaidesa, Airplanes, Gaucho's, Beach

The obligatory picture of me and Matt (at Pura Tapa).

Spain, La Finca, Pura Tapa, Apes, Rock of Gibraltar, Sotogrande, Alcaidesa, Airplanes, Gaucho's, Beach

We should start calling him the “monkey man.”

Spain, La Finca, Pura Tapa, Apes, Rock of Gibraltar, Sotogrande, Alcaidesa, Airplanes, Gaucho's, Beach

At La Finca on our last night.

Categories: Musings, Nightlife | Tags: , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Independence Day

Posted on July 5, 2012 by emilyeneurope
4th of July, Independence Day, American Flag, Barbeque, Fireworks

With Matt gone, I had to take this myself, and let’s just say I’m not too skilled at self-portraits! You get the idea though…

I may be a day late, but a belated Happy 4th of July to all of my American friends and family! I celebrated here as best as I could. Unfortunately, my American partner-in-crime (read: boyfriend) was out of town for meetings, so I was the sole and lonesome American in this neck of the woods. Never fear, though, because my European friends rallied and did their best to show their support! On the 3rd, we had a company gathering at the offices and luckily for me, the balloons were red, white and blue to represent the colors of our new brand. Well, at the end of the party I stole a couple and tied them to my chair for the next day. However, when I arrived, they had doubled in quantity! My sneaky friends at the office made my desk more festive with extra balloons and left a “Happy 4th of July” note for me.

Dressed in my 4th of July best, people stopped by throughout the day to admire my decked out corner of the office. I matched my surroundings in a white and blue dress, white cardigan, and an American flag scarf (yes, I own an American flag scarf). That evening, a few friends invited me to join them at Gaucho’s for an Argentinian steak. They concluded that a steak at Gaucho’s was the closest I would get to an American barbeque, and they were right. We had a lovely time sitting outside, feasting on Gaucho’s amazing cuisine (I’ve mentioned this place on more than one occasion), and an American passerby even commented on my scarf. I guess Matt and I aren’t alone down here!

Though it would have been wonderful to have the day off to barbeque, shoot fireworks, and be with family and friends back home, I think this European twist had its own charm. I felt extremely patriotic all day and I never once forgot how thankful I am to the men and women who fight every day to keep America free. I am proud to be an American, and yesterday, not a single European could doubt that one bit.

Categories: Food, Musings, Nightlife | Tags: , , , , , , | Leave a comment

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