A great thing about foreign travel is discovering new customs that you can bring home. As a kid in Mid-America I knew about the tavern culture that was an important anchor for a neighborhood, especially in the winter. In Ireland, the pub serves the same function. It is a gathering spot, cafe, bar and entertainment. It is much the same in Scotland and England. In Spain the tapas bar serves a similar function in the mid-afternoon. People stop what they are doing for a time of regrouping. Even the kids get into the swim of it. In the United States it seems like lunch is an interruption. I currently work at a California hospital where we have a half hour lunch break and most of us resent having to stop for any more time than to eat. We need to bring back the pub attitude. There is something very healthy about it - and it is not the alcohol and the food (although that is not bad either).
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