Hot Takes

I've been is Spain for almost three months now. That pretty much makes me a local, más o menos. And one great thing about Spain is that you don't tip people here. I'm not really sure why, but you don't have to hand over extra money to a waiter or cab driver. This appeals to me greatly. I'm not going to pretend to know anything about the intricacies of driving taxis or waiting tables, but the less money I fork over the better. 

Italy is apparently not aware of this. I never took a cab in Italy, but I did go to restaurants a number of times. After not tipping for a few months, it drained my soul to spend those few extra euros. It's going to be an unpleasant reverse culture shock when I get back to the US and have to start tipping again. Just one more reason why Spain is the bomb. There was a time or two when I didn't tip at an Italian restaurant, but that was only because they added on a three euro surcharge. Like, come on, that's basically already a tip. 

And another thing. Next time someone tries to tell you that the USA isn't the greatest country in the world, remind them that water is free at home. I never appreciated that until I came to Spain and Italy. Being the cheapskate that I am, I have rolled into restaurants and food places countless times and ordered food and "just a cup for water". No extra charge, no problem. In Europe that would cost me 2 euros. I'm not made of money. I don't usually eat out in Valencia, but it was a nuisance on my trip.  I'm not too proud to admit that I smuggled a bottle of water into a restaurant once or twice in Italy as well. Rome was nice because it had free public drinking fountains sprinkled (haha) around the city, but even so it felt a little sketchy and I'm almost certain pigeons poop in that water. 

And another! My first impression of Valencia was that is smelled like a toilet. The entire city reeks of urine (a smell I now hold near and dear to my heart). I have a postulation as to why it smells that way. There are no public bathrooms in sight. If you aren't home and you need to use the bathroom, you have three options. Hold it, enter a business and pay to use their restroom, or piss in the street. Take a guess what lots of people choose to do. It doesn't help that drunk people already don't seem to mind where they pee. During Fallas, the alcohol flowed and the urine flowed faster. These eyes have seen things that can't be unseen. I once watched a dad pull his little boy's pants down and have him pee in the middle of one of the busiest plazas in Valencia. I gave him a stink eye but people walked right on by like he was watering a plant. Florence advertised public bathrooms, but you have to pay at least a euro to use them. The heck I was gonna do that. (Side note: these countries refer to bathrooms as water closets and abbreviate them with W.C. Italy and Spain both do it, even though they are English words. Weird.) I'm not going to type here and act like I haven't urinated in a park or two in my day, but that is a far cry from walking to the other side of a car and going right on the door. Which I have seen.
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