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Food in Spain

Food in Spain

Date: May 30 2007

Topic: Reading

Author: madridmatt

Lesson

I am an American, but I live in Madrid, the beautiful capital of Spain. Madrid is a vibrant and energetic city. People say that New York is "the city that never sleeps," but Madrid has a nightlife that puts New York City's to shame. Madrid is by far my favorite city in the world. 

It was very difficult to adjust to many of the Spanish customs. In the United States, we eat breakfast when we wake up, we eat a lunch at noon, and our largest meal of the day is supper at about 7:00 pm. In Spain, the way of eating is totally different. I stop at a local bar for toast with olive oil and a coffee with milk every morning on my way to work. The bars here are always packed with people. I start my workday at 9:30 am and take a lunch break at 2:00 pm. In Spain, the largest meal of the day is lunch. In fact, some Spanish workers take a lunch break until 5:00 pm to eat and sometimes take a siesta, or a nap. The siesta isn't as common in Madrid as in the South of Spain, but it's still common. In fact, many of the businesses in Madrid close for three hours during the siesta. For someone from a country where stores are always open, it was difficult to adjust.

I finish work at 7:30 or 8:00 pm and sometimes stop to meet my friends for a beer and a tapa. A tapa is a small plate of food that is sometimes free with a drink. In Madrid, it could be a piece of the famous Spanish ham, a slice of chorizo sausage or even fried pig ears. Tapas can be anything.

After a tapa, I go to my house and make dinner with my girlfriend. Dinner in Spain is usually much smaller than lunch. We often eat a salad and a small piece of steak or fish. In America people say that if you eat too late, you'll get fat. This is not true. The Spanish eat very late at night and there is no real problem with obesity in Spain. America, on the other hand, is the fattest nation on earth. Though the English are catching up

The workday seems long in Spain, but I have much less stress in Madrid than when I lived in New York City. The Spanish know how to live, and the ham in Spain is the best in the world. Would you like to visit Spain? 

 

Vocabulary

Vibrant: Full of energy and life.

Puts (something) to shame: Use this idiom when one thing is much better than another. For example, Belgium chocolate puts American chocolate to shame.  

By far: To a greater degree. 

Packed: In this context, packed means full.

Nap: A short period of sleep.

Obesity: The condition of being fat.  

Catching up: Advancing toward the leader.  

 

Comments

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zamalek

zamalek

Egypt

what about food in cataloniaWink

05:00 PM Sep 06 2011 |

Hiczka

Hiczka

Poland

I have visited Madrid only once. It’s one of the best cities I have seen in my life! I couldn’t stop watching people chilling and faving fun with friends on a sunny day. What about the food?  Actually I’m bk from Mallorca and I still have the taste of alioli in my mouth. Hmm.. I love spanish food and I’m a big fan of see fruits! I have visited a lots of countries but Spain is one of my favourite!



cheers!

08:31 PM Aug 28 2011 |

Apple Li

Apple Li

China

Foot in mouth

05:54 AM Aug 28 2011 |

春树暮

春树暮

China

I love delicious food very muchSmile

03:37 AM Aug 28 2011 |

Bruce_zhou

China

Anyway,thanks for you share your interesting story in spain,via your story,i m now clear known what the life stye spanish is,in fact, i m interesting in delicious foods and snacks,because of i m from china,as we all know,china’s foods and snacks was famous of the world,like hot pot,all in all ,everybody if coming china,I ‘d like show you around our country and take you try any delicious food what you want.

02:02 AM Aug 28 2011 |

kikii144

kikii144

Latvia

Thanks for your interesting story. Spain seems a very beautiful and nice place.

07:51 PM Aug 27 2011 |

laura2804

laura2804

Germany

Yo amo Madrid tambien <3


Thanks a lot for the report Wink

04:54 PM Aug 27 2011 |

itaspanglishSuper Member!

Italy

You are right!I live in Madrid two months ago and I advice came in and go out !!!

everything lovely!! 

02:35 PM Mar 13 2010 |

GaryLo

GaryLo

China

Madrid is nice place.

05:13 PM Feb 16 2008 |

redflah

Turkey

it is so interesting that must be seen there!

03:01 PM Feb 16 2008 |

selinsibel

selinsibel

France

very veyr interesting thanks a lot!

08:59 AM Feb 05 2008 |

VAIO

VAIO

Spain

Interesting Smile

11:04 PM Jan 23 2008 |

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