This morning's phrasal verbs (remember those?) were "to creep out" and "to come off as", and our idioms were "cut to the chase" and "barking up the wrong tree". One thing the Spaniards always ask is, "Do you say this?" and often I have to admit that I don't. It is a challenge to find another way to explain what it means, when you would use it, and whether it is positive or negative, casual or formal. Sometimes you just never get it across.
Today is market day, and I had two one-to-ones during the market hours. Fortunately, both of my partners wanted to go, so I actually went twice. It was not at all what I expected. Instead of stalls of fruits, vegetables, and flowers, this market was more like Walmart came to your backyard. Even the Spaniards seemed taken aback by it. One of the first stalls we came to featured bras and panties. Further down, men's suits and shirts, pots and pans, chandeliers (!?), socks, detergents and toilet paper, and on and on. There was a churro stand, but I was so full from breakfast that I wasn't even tempted. Nor did I need any light fixtures or shoes (real Nike's? I don't think so). I did buy a beautiful scarf, though. This little village is kind of remote and very small, so this kind of market gives the people who maybe don't have transportation to a larger town a chance to buy what they need. Lots of tiny old ladies with shopping carts. I wonder if the whole thing moves on to another town tomorrow?
On my second trip, we got distracted by the church next door to our hotel, which was open. We decided to go inside, and I am really glad that we did. We saw one of the platforms that they carry through the streets, during religious processions, with a statue on it. Being curious, I tried to lift one of the corners to see how heavy it was. I might as well have been trying to lift the church itself. I don't know how they do it! After that, we made a quick tour of the market, since my partner had not been there, but we had to hurry to be back in time for the Spaniards' presentation class.
Then I had a telephone session. My partner and I were given a scenario, and then went to our rooms. He then called me, pretending to be an angry tourist who had been mugged in Toronto. I was the bored, unhelpful desk sergeant who took the report. It was fun, though I didn't think he was angry enough.
Mike and I went back down into town during siesta to find a place to buy Cokes. We now know just where to find them - and anything else we might need. The little store carries everything from hardware to clothing to dog muzzles to snacks, and more, and it is open during siesta. The rest of the town is closed from 2:00-5:00.
This afternoon was a tour of the hotel, which was built on the ruin of what was originally a 14th century castle, and then, from the 16th century to the 1960s, a convent for Dominican nuns. Two years ago, after extensive renovations and restorations, it was opened as a hotel. They kept as much intact as was possible. The central room, which also doubles as the breakfast room, was the center of the nuns' cloister. In a side room you can see the footing of one of the towers, which was unusual because it is the shape of a pentagon. Also there are many wine jugs found at the bottom. (The nuns appear to have been fond of "the drink".) Very recently, they discovered the bones of some 60 nuns (they think) who were buried under what was the choir of the original church. The government came and moved them. The dome over the central room has triangular panels. Every glass pane is slanted a slightly different direction to help deflect the sun at different times and keep the central room from becoming a sunny little oven.
Time for another one-to-one, this time with a guy who already has a reputation for being difficult to understand. (To be fair, they share info among themselves, too, about which Anglos are difficult.)
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