You take and then stand back

By the time I’d showered and changed last night it was close to 11 p.m.

Vesna, a Lonely Planet writer I bumped into at the hostel, suggested I try tapas at Taberna Coloniales.

“Go left, left, right and straight on. You can’t miss it.”

A large crowd stood outside the restaurant. Waiting for a table would be impossible.  Inside there was barely any standing room and people overflowed onto the narrow streets. I squeezed my way to the end of the bar and watched Anna decorating a dessert, pulling melted white and milk chocolate across the plate with a fork.

“That’s beautiful,” I said.

“Gracias,” she said.

Her grasp of English and mine of Spanish were practically non-existent but I did manage to get her to point at a few things on the menu that she recommended. I wasn’t sure what they were, so asked her to choose two for me. 

When the food came, I couldn’t see anywhere to eat it until a group of Spaniards cleared a tiny spot for me to stand at the bar. All personal space became non-existent.

One plate had tiny clementine-sized fried eggs sitting atop proscuitto and bruschetta; the other was like chicken cordon-bleu: breaded chicken breast stuffed with ham and covered with a melted cheese sauce. While rubbing elbows, shoulders, legs and arms, I tried to get my fork to my mouth.

Maria Jose and Jose Pablo, two of the locals standing next to me spoke English. Their order of food arrived shortly after mine. I watched with envy as they all managed to juggle plates, glasses, knives and forks with ease.

“I’m having difficulty eating and standing up,” I told Maria Jose.

“It is normal for us,” she said.

“Ah,” Jose Pablo said, ‘La toma y entonces está parada detrás.’ Take and then stand back. Do not rush but enjoy.

“It is late for you, yes.” Marie Jose said. It was not a question. She and Jose Pablo had visited London last year and were surprised to eat dinner at 7:00 p.m.

After dinner, at just before midnight, the group settled their check and made to move. (For my two dishes and two glasses of wine I’d paid the huge sum of 6,95 euros.)

“Would you like to join us?” Maria Jose asked. They were heading over to another bar close by for one more drink before heading home. I accepted the kind invitation and tagged along. Around 1 a.m. I kissed goodbye to everyone and Jose Pablo walked me back to the hostel. I dozed off on my 10 euro a night sofa, surrounded by whispers and the pitter patter of hostel guests going to their 18 euro a night beds.

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