Some little things about Merida: the incidentals.

As we have spent so much time here, and only written about the big day activities that we have done I thought I’d jot down some of the smalls incidentals about it here that have given it its charm. So, thing 1:

People talking to you on the street:

There is a man selling his goods on the streets. He approaches us every day in one place or another, whether it be a bar, café or just as we are sat on a bench. He obviously really enjoys his job and tries really hard to make his ‘wares’ seem novel and appealing. Every day is the same routine (he must have a really bad memory for faces); First he pulls out a fan and shows it you, then he raises his eyebrows and, which dramatic pause as if he is performing some sort of magic trick he flays the fan and shows you that it makes wind! We laugh a little and shake our heads saying something like ‘no, pour el momento per favour’. So next he takes out a box of cigars with a nudge-nudge at Adam. He says something or other in Spanish to the effect of ‘go on, I know you want them, eh, eh.’ Adam, again shakes his head, ‘no, no’. Finally, as if he has saved the best until last and that we could possibly refuse the next item, he pulls out a little wooden bat with a group of five wooden chickens which he makes peck the board by squeezing the handle together. Bizarre! The first time we giggled a bit at this one, which the man took as a sign that we liked them and joined in with the most roaring laugh! He looked very disappointed when we did actually refuse the chickens afterall. But he continues to offer us the same three items every day apparently oblivious that we have ever seen his performance before.