Hola!

I love the sound of people speaking Spanish. There’s something magical about it.

When I went to Barcelona in 1990, I decided I was going to learn to speak spanish. So I bought a little phrase book and cassette tape set and began to listen.

I knew how to say I was lost. I knew how to order beer – even though I didn’t drink it. And I knew how to ask: “How much is that?”

I was soon to discover that I had missed a few things…

I was at a Christmas fair just off La Ramblas in Barcelona. There were stalls set up in an alley that ran on three sides of a building. It was so quaint. I saw some bowls I liked and asked how much they were.

When the artisan answered in spanish I realized my mistake. I had forgotten to learn the possible replies to my questions! Luckily I knew ‘Escribalo, por favor’ – write it down, please.

The moral of the story…. you can rely on phrase books and avoid eating squid when you really wanted french fries. Or you can learn how to converse in spanish. Stay tuned as I review some of the ‘speak spanish’ products available today.

In addition, there will be tips on spanish cooking and places to see while in Spain. I can hear some of you saying – just Spain?! I know there are many countries with spanish as their main language. If you know of places to visit in those countries, let me know!

Enjoy!

Sue