Like much of the world this winter, except for Russia I think, the winter has been a bit of a disappointment for snow-lovers and anti-global warming activists, and a big hit for those who adhere to the belief that the Nestlé and General Motors, as well as most of the population of the Untied States, Christianity, golfers and banks with deceptively well-meaning commercials are mainly responsible for the increase in earthly temperature, regardless of other natural phenomenon. In fact, I’d say it has been a banner year. The end is near, it’s our fault, so the prospects couldn’t be better. Last winter was one of the worst in over a decade, but will put that aside as an anomoly.
Lately, though, Old Man Winter has started to show his icy claws throughout the continent and everyone is bitching about the cold, even here in Madrid. For the last two weeks the nighttime temperatures habitually dip below freezing and one night it went as low as 22ºF (That’s -6ºC). The next day I told a friend of mine from Germany about it and she said that the night before it had bee -22ºC. So, I shut up and starting realizing that I was beginning to talk and think like a Spaniard. Wasn’t this news everywhere? Well, no. Why would it be? In fact, that has been part of Spain’s outward appearance for years: not enough exposure and, when it does, it’s often for the wrong reason. Except for when Spain won the World Cup, yes we are champions of the the most important soccer tournament on the planet. It’s time to get the picture right, set the story straight, give the earth (I like Earth, afterall, it is our planet why not capitalize it) a new vision of Spain.
So, the cold can stick it. Things are all right. Things are all right.
