Today was a built-in rest day… As I am writing this I have walked 8 miles around Pamplona so my rest day could use a bit more resting, but this city is really incredible. I went on a food tour hosted by a former chef, now tour company owner named Jimi. He introduced me to the world of Pintxos which are small portions of a single origin dish. Pintxos were originated from San Sebastián, Spain and their first name was called gilda’s which were given for free with a drink to entice more drinking. The classic gilda is made by skewering a pickled guindilla pepper, anchovy, and green olive. This all took place around the mid 1940’s and the name was inspired by Rita Hayworth’s film Gilda because her character was bold and sassy.
I love trying new foods. Food is one of the best representations of a culture. Below are a few pictures from what I tried.
While I was walking around the city, I was drawn to a small shop that sold purses, t-shirts, and artwork from a single artist who in fact also ran the store. There was one purse in particular that I was drawn to and if I was traveling with Jessica, it would have been something she would have purchased. So I bought it.
Over the past year, I have been carrying small pocket cards with me so I could write notes of observation, appreciation, and in some cases I hope inspiration. As an example, I have given a card to a police officer thanking him for keeping our community safe, lounge attendant for working on Christmas and welcoming me a warm smile, and a customer service representative who I felt was taking an unnecessary burden from an upset customer.
It has driven me to be more aware of my surroundings as it is easy to get lost your phone or trying to get to your next destination as fast as possible. My goal is to hand over the note and walk away quickly so they can digest on their own and without the audience of me looking for recognition. When was the last time you receive a handwritten note? Trust me, it will make your day.
Back to the purse. I had it gift wrapped and I wrote a message in my pocket card and walk around the city for two hours trying to find an appropriate person to give this purse to. By the way, I found this task to be incredibly hard. I was drawn to a particular person who was having coffee with her mother and grandmother. Three generations enjoying each other’s company. I interrupted their conversation, handed over the gift-wrapped purse with a note (in Spanish), and walked away without turning back.
In the note, I shared a couple of thoughts, but the main theme was how precious life is and how each moment you have is a gift.
Love Ryan
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