Moments of hope
Perfection is at the end of your nose
23/January/2007 13:07 .Permalink
A man travels the world over in search of what he needs and returns home to find it.
George Moore
I cant help but contrast Italy and Spain. In some ways they are sister countries, in others they belong to separate solar systems. How can places be so similar and so unlike at the same time?
I said to Cherry that if Italy is a Volkswagen transporter, then Spain has to be a Nissan Vanette. If Italy is the LIon KIng, then Spain is Winnie the Pooh. She said I´m being to harsh on Spain, I said I was being too hard on Italy.
My pursuit of the perfect manchada seems to be sending me in circles. But then again, traveling in the same direction all the time isn’t for me. I've tried consulting the Tao Te Ching again but just get the same responses: renounce wisdom, see the simplicity in an empty glass, walk like an ripe olive - that sort of thing.
So Iv’e gone back to my ipod theory.
Yesterday, I sat in a local bar, and watched an old guy pouring out my coffee. He had the face of Eeyore. When it arrived, it came in a ceramic white cup, one of those silly things with handles only Barbie dolls could use. I called him back to the bar and he looked up at me as though I were about to steal his thistles.
I reminded him that I had asked for the coffee in a vaso - a glass cup. He apologised and went off to change it for me. I prefer a glass cup as it allows you to see the strength of the coffee, and I believe it keeps the liquid hotter for longer.
So when it came back, I was able to see it was a little strong, and so I asked politely for more milk and that the milk should be hot, not tepid, nor cool. Off went my coffee again and was returned a few seconds later, milkier and steaming. Just how I love it.
Was I being too fussy at the bar? ¡Qué va hombre!
My pod played The Man who doesn't know how to smile.
Read: The Tao of Pooh
Play: Josh Rouse
Watch: Volver
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