Last night was easily the best I've had since getting here. Around 11:00 I met up with Maddy, Erika, and Lo debajo del reloj and we began searching around for a place to get some tapas/beer. The funny and helpful thing about being in the Plaza at that time of night is that it's crawling with promoters. We are constantly being handed promotions and drink coupons and the more aggressive promoters actually attempt to shuffle you toward their bar/club. The positive of all of this is that it forces the pricing to be super competitive which often times means that we don't have to pay much at all (or anything) to get drinks.
Just to give an idea, here's a snapshot of bars in the neighborhood we were hanging around--- every red dot is a bar or club, and not all of them are even listed on google.
We ran into Will and Andy on our quest to find a low-key place to hang out and they decided to come along. Finally we ended up at a place Lo and her friends went all the time last semester... The Holy Cross. It's just your typical Irish pub... which seems to be quite a thing here in Salamanca. I don't know what it is about Irish pubs that draws so many people in, but it was absolutely packed. We sat around a table made of whiskey barrels and shared some beers and laughs.
After Holy Cross we wandered over to our usual spot, El Savor. This is a salsa club that always has live music. Upon entry we were sad to discover that our friends weren't there and decided it was a little too early in the night to start shamelessly trying to salsa. So we moved on.
Next we went decided to pick up the pace a little bit and went to Gatsby. Gatbsy is just your average dance club that generally has great specials when it comes to drinks. We wandered over and did some tequila and dancing before deciding it was time to head to the next place.
At this point we were straight up meandering around trying to decide where we could find some of our friends. We trekked over to a place called Submarino which is a club quite literally decorated as the inside of a submarine. The freaky thing about this place is that it kind of smells like chlorine.. it's unsettling. We looked around, couldn't find the gang, and headed out.
After meandering for a few minutes we ran into two more kids from our program. We asked if they had seen the others and it just so happened they were in the bar we were standing in front of. Excitedly ran into the bar whose name I am completely unsure of, and were greeted by Miguel and a ton of Erika's friends from the residencia who are spanish.
We were introduced to all of them and they are all so friendly. We decided to solidify our new friendship with shots and dancing and it all fell in to place rather naturally. Minutes after meeting them we were dancing in a circle and embracing.
The rest of the night sort of followed suite. We went outside the bar and lingered in the street with all of these new friends who were hellbent on teaching us swears and phrases we needed to know. One student was very persistent in having me teach him how to hit on girls in English and so we both learned some new tricks.
After a while of standing in the street and having such so much spanish conversation, three of the sweetest students sort of adopted Erika, Maddy, and I and made it their goal to show us around town for a bit. Upon entering the first place with this group, Guaydil (our new pal) turned to me and said that this was going to be a funny surprise. Basically, he was totally fucking with us and brought us into a hardcore metal bar. Now, I have never been to a Metallica or Korn concert but if I had to imagine what it would be like, I would imagine everything that I experienced at this bar. Piercings, crazy haircuts, leather, studs, moshing, you name it. It was all very terrifying and hysterical. Needless to say we were only there long enough for Maddy and I to cram into the bathroom together (which was lacking a toilet seat and had a sink half ripped out of the wall) for a break.
After this place we went back to El Savor and this time it was really packed. The band was making sweet salsa music as we sheepishly went towards the dance floor. I have never been confident in my dance moves but this was a whole new level of embarrassment. Guaydil and his two friends did their best to teach us the ways. Maddy got swept up by a random older man and was being swung all around the dance floor while Guaydil made me his dance partner. I was unbelievably intimidated by how great of a dancer he is and so as he encouraged me to "se mas suave" (be more smooth) to which I replied "salsa no está en mi sangre como si" (salsa is not in my blood like you)
Shame or not, it was probably one of the most authentic experiences I have had here. Nothing beats having students our age from the university take us out to dance salsa. We all had a great time, even if us white girls needed a little teaching.
After salsa we got our chance to shine. Guaydil's friend is really into American music from the 1940s/50s so we went to this random swing bar. This is where we were able to teach them a few corny moves we all know from watching Grease on repeat throughout our childhoods. I think the best part of this was that they were even able to make something as corny as the twist or mashed potato look sexy. Guess they can't help it.
Our final stop was to a modern dance club whose name I cannot remember. What I do remember is the three guias telling us that it was "the best club ever". Apparently everyone else in Salamanca esta de acuerdo because there was a massive line outside that wrapped around the corner of the street. At this point Guaydil whipped out some sort of VIP card and the six of us circumvented the crowd and made our way inside. This place was your typical dance club-- lots of lights, lots of dancing, lots of shakira.
I was only half surprised when I looked at my phone and saw that it was 4am. The Spanish never seem to want to wrap the party up. Guaydil decided to leave with us but the others kept on dancing.
Maddy took a cab because she lives in a different part of town but Erika and I started off on our usual trek toward home. Guaydil joined because he lives in the residencia near Erika. We weaved through the quiet streets away from the bar and talked about our homes and studies until it was time to say goodnight.
Anyway, it was easily the best night thusfar and this is solely because we got to hang out with Spanish students. I love that we only spoke Spanish for the entire night, even among our american friends.
Fingers crossed that we're in and will be able to go out with them more often.
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