There is nothing quite like packing yourself into a small bar with little ventilation and hundreds of soccer fans. This past month has involved many extra cramped days. It has been hot, sweaty, and utterly fantastic, mostly because a little something happened at the end. Spain won! Spain won!!
The most important thing about Spain’s win is the happiness it brought to my father and grandparents back in Spain. Sure it was fun to celebrate each game devoting the whole month to nothing but soccer, but in reality it was their day. My grandfather, a man of very little words, clapped after their win while our neighbor set off each time Spain scored. I can imagine, and only wish, that I could have seen that myself, listening to the television on its highest volume so my grandfather could hear and then running outside to celebrate with the neighbors and just plain yell, sing, or dance with the thrill of victory. I can picture my grandfather’s smile as he talks about Spain. Somos los mejores.
We couldn’t celebrate in Spain, but there was plenty of celebrating in Newark NJ were people took to Ferry street with their flags and some with bull fighter and bull uniforms. That is some dedication on 100+ days. The parking lot of Iberia restaurant was particularly packed the day of the final. If you can see there are some bells in the middle of the parking lot that people felt the need to ring over and over again for hours and hours. Of course my ears didn’t register the noise so much because of all the sangria and celebrating, but I can imagine it made for some very unhappy neighbors.
Nico was feeling rather patriotic, but then he started licking the flag and I’m sure it would have eventually ended up in his stomach, therefore shortly after this picture was taken, I removed the flag and he celebrated by running after my dad and I and playing with his toys.
Needless to say lots of Sangria was drank. The bars in Newark take advantage of celebrants and create obscene concoctions of the drink and put them into large plastic cups around the size of a McDonald’s super size. The idea of a super size alcoholic beverage is probably a very bad one. The drinks are lethal and must be drank with caution, or in our case, they were drank with much gusto.
Yo soy Español, Español, Español!
Spanish Sangria
Ingredients
1/2 full of red wine
1/4 orange juice
1/4 club soda
Couple ounces of brandy (to taste)
Sugar (to taste)
Apple cut in slices
Orange cut in slices
These fractions can work for any size whether its a glass or a jug. I do suggest making it in in larger amounts to make your life easier. Of course if you are making just one glass of sangria u only use a touch of brandy. A few ounces are only used in a jug or larger container.
