Spain's 'slow' lifestyle is renowned worldwide, with fiesta (festival) and siesta (afternoon nap) succinctly capturing the way of life of the Spanish people. Immigrating to Spain, one will initially experience this firsthand.
In Spain's towns and cities, there are various festivals, celebrations, and cultural activities throughout the year, and the three-hour afternoon siesta is mandated by the government. 'Living in the moment' is the essence of life for the Spanish people. Choosing to immigrate means choosing this leisurely lifestyle.
Slowly Savoring Delicious Food
Chinese people often say "please enjoy slowly" during meals, but it is the Spaniards on the other side of the world who truly embody this ancestral etiquette.
Ordinary Spaniards typically enjoy five or six meals a day without feeling it is excessive. The abundance of bars and restaurants allows Spaniards to enjoy food anytime and anywhere. It is said that Spain has more restaurants and bars per capita than any other country in the world. Due to the ample time for the afternoon siesta, a typical Spanish lunch usually includes appetizers, a main course, dessert, and after-meal drinks, making it a substantial midday feast. They often start with a glass of sherry, accompanied by appetizers drizzled with fragrant olive oil to whet the appetite. Then comes the appetizers, whether soup, salad, or vegetables, all to be savored one by one. The main course typically consists of meat or fish, with roasted lamb and beef being popular, and of course, the seafood paella, known as Spain's "national dish". The final course is dessert paired with coffee, usually accompanied by Oloroso sherry, which is the unchanging routine.
After sunset, Spaniards typically do not rush home. Groups of friends enjoy lingering in small bars, chatting and leisurely savoring food until midnight.
Slowly Tasting Fine Wines
Taking a small propeller plane from Madrid, the capital of Spain, in less than 40 minutes, one can arrive at Logroño, the capital of the important wine-producing region of La Rioja in northern Spain. This is a peaceful and comfortable small town, not large in size, with a small population and even fewer outsiders, embodying the leisurely pace of traditional Spanish life.
Slow is the rhythm of La Rioja: slow living, slow dining, slow winemaking… This slowness is naturally reflected in the wines of La Rioja.
In La Rioja, one often sees wines from the past few years, bottled but not yet labeled, lying horizontally in large iron cages measuring one meter square. The reason La Rioja wineries stockpile so much wine is due to local laws. The three classifications of wine produced in the La Rioja region—Crianza, Reserva, and the highest classification Gran Reserva—require long aging. In addition to aging in small oak barrels, the wine must also continue to mature in bottles for 1 to 2 years before it can be released to the market.
Wine is best when aged, and life is best when slow; this is the essence of life in La Rioja.
Masterpieces Crafted with Care
Antoni Gaudí left ten buildings in Barcelona, including one-fifth of the Sagrada Família.
The Sagrada Família, also known as the Basilica and Expiatory Church of the Holy Family, is the culmination of Gaudí's life work and one of his most significant creations. This church appears to be a building that could only exist in a fantasy world. Gaudí began overseeing the project in 1883, and in the last 12 years of his life, he completely rejected other projects, dedicating himself solely to the construction of this church. However, when he passed away in 1926, only a quarter of the church had been completed.
A significant difference between the Sagrada Família and traditional Gothic churches is the absence of buttresses or flying buttresses; instead, it employs innovative catenary arches and branch-like structural columns. Gaudí's meticulous observation of various natural forms, such as bones, plant roots, and flower shapes, influenced his architectural designs.
It is estimated that the Sagrada Família will be completed by 2028. Once finished, it will reach a height of 170 meters, becoming the tallest church tower in the world. It seems that the Sagrada Família also wishes for people to wait patiently, anticipating the unveiling of its mysterious veil.