I feel like I'm at camp!

A few weeks ago, within the course of just a few days, Salamanca jumped directly from winter to summer.

Way to go, Salamanca! I like spring as much as the next person, but I’ll take 75 and sunny over a continuation of the country’s rainiest winter in seventy years any day.

Although there have been some relapses.

The change was really crazy, actually. I mean, Salmantinos are outside a lot more than Americans are even in the freezing winter months, so I’ve been used to passing a good number of people on the sidewalks around town.

But.                                                  

Since Semana Santa, absolute throngs of people have started to stream into and the city. Japanese tour groups, retired Spaniard tour groups, middle school field trips, French high school exchange programs.

And since mid-April, when the temperature inexplicably rose about 20 degrees Fahrenheit, I’ve quickly learned why Spaniards are so slim, despite their steady diet of bread and fried everything. Walking along the river one Thursday evening on my way to Pilates in a park, I passed what seemed like the entire city out enjoying the weather in a way I‘ve never seen before. When spring arrives at USC, the students spread out on the Horseshoe with Frisbees, puppies, guitars and bikinis. When spring arrives in Salamanca, every single spot of grass and path and water is occupied by walkers, joggers, runners, sitters, nappers, slackliners, readers, drinkers, futbol players, picnickers, roller bladers, skateboarders, bikers, unicyclers, scooterers(?), dog-walkers, sunbathers, strollers, kayakers, rowers, paddleboaters, guitar-players, bonding families, gossiping old men, gossiping old women, kids playing tag, kids playing Read Madrid vs. Barcelona, kids playing Spain vs. Germany, parents teaching their kids about nature, happy dogs chasing each other, and teenagers whose American counterparts would be at the mall.

Every restaurant has set up outdoor seating, and there are so many people buying ice cream cones that the only seating left is directly on the cobblestone ground. Daniela and I leave our bedroom window open pretty much all the time now, even sometimes while we sleep, and I feel like I'm at camp! A camp filled with very urban sounds, but there you have it.

Just look at all those happy Spaniards frolicking in the nature.

It's unnatural.

Don't they know they're supposed to enjoy a sunset from inside a building?

It’s beautiful to see the whole community come outside like this. It really just warms my heart. Sooo…why can’t we do that in the United States?

You could argue that most American cities aren't nearly as walkable as those in Europe. You could also remind me that most Salamantinos live in apartments with no yards, so they use the city itself as their playground, so to speak. These are true. But I could argue right back that as recently as my own childhood, warm weather drove the neighborhood kids out into the street and yards in droves to ride bikes, play tag, build forts and catch lightning bugs. We managed to spend hours outdoors most days because we considered it an interesting and invigorating extension of our houses. I don't see that as much anymore, and it really sucks. I had forgotten what I was missing until Salamanca reminded me how nice it can be to just take a walk for an hour or two, or to get everyone together for a picnic just because the sun is shining.

Is there a better view anywhere in the world? I think not.

Sitting in the Plaza to eat your frozen yogurt is pretty much as good as it gets.

And it builds muscles.

The remnants of a riverside picnic

On my happy rock somewhere along the Camino del Agua

Maybe we should all take a leaf out of Salamanca's book and drag our kids and friends and parents out of our houses more. I mean, seriously...if we really tried, we could turn Chattanooga/Columbia/wherever into the backdrop of a daily block party. Um, HELLO perfect summer.