Spaniards are famously known for their laid-back lifestyle, taking at least 150 days off each year, which means they only work four days a week. Interestingly, to accommodate people's habits, almost all cities have streets designed specifically for evening strolls. Moreover, after investing in immigration to Spain, you will discover that Spaniards are also renowned for their love of afternoon naps. They treat napping as a sacred and serious matter, insisting on wearing pajamas, saying a prayer, and lying down for a good one to two hours of sleep.
The Spanish dining table—savoring food slowly
Chinese people often say "please enjoy slowly" while eating, but on the other side of the world, Spaniards have taken this ancestral etiquette to an exquisite level.
It is understood that an average Spaniard typically enjoys five to six meals a day without complaint. The abundance of bars and restaurants allows Spaniards to enjoy food anytime and anywhere, and it is said that Spain has more restaurants and bars per capita than any other country in the world. Due to ample lunchtime, an average Spaniard's lunch usually includes appetizers, a main course, dessert, and after-dinner drinks, making it a proper midday feast. They often drink 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 is usually meat or fish, with roasted lamb and beef being quite popular, and of course, the seafood paella, known as Spain's "national dish." The final course is dessert paired with coffee, typically accompanied by OLOROSO sherry, which is the unchanging routine.
After sunset, Spaniards usually do not rush home. Groups of friends love to gather in small bars, chatting and leisurely savoring food until midnight.
Logroño—slowing down the clock to savor fine wine
Taking a small propeller plane from Madrid, the capital of Spain, it takes less than 40 minutes to reach Logroño, the capital of the important wine-producing region of La Rioja in northern Spain. This is a peaceful and comfortable little town, not large in size, with a small population and even fewer outsiders, embodying the authentic leisurely pace of Spanish life.
Slow is the rhythm of La Rioja: slow living, slow dining, slow winemaking… slowness is naturally reflected in the wines of La Rioja.
What is most commonly seen in La Rioja are the wines from recent 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 La Rioja—Crianza, Reserva, and the highest grade Gran Reserva—require long aging. In addition to aging in small oak barrels, the wine must also continue to mature in bottles for one to two years before it can be released.
Wine is best when aged, and life is better when slow; this is the essence of life in La Rioja.
Sagrada Família—an extraordinary masterpiece of slow craftsmanship
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 projects. 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 this church. However, when he passed away in 1926, only a quarter of the church was completed.
A significant difference between the Sagrada Família and traditional Gothic churches is the absence of buttresses or flying buttresses; instead, it employs unique catenary arches and branch-like column structures. Gaudí's meticulous observation of various natural forms, such as bones, plant roots, and flowers, 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 the Sagrada Família also wants people to wait patiently, anticipating the unveiling of its mysterious veil.