hicimos botellon

So much for a quiet Friday night...

Later on in the evening I heard from my neighbor friend Sergio that he and his friends were going out in the ¨center¨ of Getafe. It´s rare that I ever have going out plans that don´t require 4 different forms of transportation, so I thought why not? They were going to do botellon, and then head to some of the bars in the area.

And now it is time for a brief history on one of the most recent social phenomenons of Spain--botellon.

Although its exact roots are unknown, most would probably agree that botellon is yet another unfortunate offspring of the economy. In recent years, young people have begun to gather around outdoor spaces to have drinks, as this is a much more affordable option than buying them in bars and clubs. Europe has never had a problem with public intoxication, unlike America, where I once received a 100 dollar ticket for standing literally two feet outside the bar with a beer in my hand. However, things have begun to change, in Madrid at least, as a result of botellon. In 2002, a new law was passed that forbade drinking on the streets, because the kids were getting way too out of hand. Thanks to a large handful of immature young folk, botellon is now illegal in Madrid (but not in other places, like Sevilla). However--the young people here have no reservations, nor do the police--who generally turn a blind eye to botellon. Nonetheless, if you are out botellon-ing and happen to get unlucky, the fine is 300 sadly spent Euros.

Anyhow--last night was pretty innocent. We each had a few drinks before heading to the bar, and the whole thing was very tame. Nobody was getting wasted, making idiots of themselves, or wrecking havoc around Getafe. Just simply a few friends hanging around and enjoying a cool atumn night. So all in all, I don´t feel too guilty about taking part in this ¨verguenza¨ of Spain.

For those not so mature--botellon is a different story. Here is a picture my friend Nicole took when we were in Sevilla--on our walk home one night we stumbled upon a desserted botellon war zone. Imagine--this is in front a church.