The Joy of an Ordinary Wednesday
It's always the lemons, linen, and blue water when people talk about the Mediterranean. No wonder everyone thinks we spend our days at the beach eating seafood and drinking Aperol. And yeah, we do some of that. But I genuinely don't think that's what people end up falling in love with when they come to Spain, Italy, Greece, or the South of France.
It's the little things that are harder to explain. The fact that nobody cares if lunch goes on for two hours, or that you bump into someone you know and, next thing you know, you've spent three hours talking. It's beautiful. I can't imagine sitting down for lunch and being rushed to leave after a certain amount of time. Like, what on earth?
The best ones are the random dinners on a Wednesday night. You don't need an occasion. You're allowed to enjoy a Wednesday. You feel that vibe the second you set foot in Barcelona or Madrid. It's the joy on people's faces.
Sometimes it feels like, back here, you start enjoying life once the hard work is done. You plan your fun once the week is over. Sometimes once the month is over. And without realizing it, you're too old to go back and get all that time and those memories with your people. For what, money?
I never thought about any of this growing up because it just felt normal. It was only after leaving that I realized how much all of it is needed in life. It's the whole point.
And once you get it, you understand why people escape here the second they can.
By Gina Besson
