If there's something that's really unique in Spain, it's the sounds that you can hear in the streets. You know when spring has come when you hear the sound of children playing in the squares, even if they're not the best of playgrounds, one can say with no doubt that children here spend most of their time outdoors. Maybe it's something cultural that dates from the time when the big cities were mere villages where, due to the heat of the summer months, people were nearly "forced" to spend their afternoons and evenings outside.
I can't say I can identify myself with many Spanish traditions, but this urge to go outdoors during the sunny months is something that not only do I share, but also adore. Many of my childhood memories take place in a park right next to my flat. There I learned how to ride a bike, was kissed for the first time, spent the summers with water balloon fights, had my favourite tree and met my first friends.
Another sound that plagues Spanish streets when the weather is nice is that from the "terrazas". The idea of putting chairs outside and watching the people in their slow strolls without any specific destination is something that I've always loved. The rhythm of the city seems to slow down in summer. People take their time and the meaning of the word haste seems to be diluted in the heat.
