Novelist Choi Min-seok heads to Spain, the home of Don Quixote.
Finding tranquility in an unknown world filled with unfamiliar words and people

In the afternoon, when government offices and restaurants all close their shutters under the hot sun, and everyone is in a deep sleep during siesta time, a lonely man wanders the streets of Madrid.
Novelist Choi Min-seok, who captivated countless readers with "Berlin Diary" and established himself as a literary entertainer with "A 40-Day Journey Around South America," has now landed in Madrid, Spain! Selected for the "Writer Exchange Program" between the Land Cultural Foundation and the Spanish Ministry of Culture and Sports, the author traveled to various parts of Europe, including Madrid, from September 1 to November 15, 2022.
This book, which blends the landscapes and people, language and culture, history and art of Spain with the novelist's signature humor and wit, is complemented by 235 vivid photographs taken by the author himself, adding to the pleasure of reading.

“I went down a quiet back road, and the morning in Maduk-ri, where I rode my bike, was refreshing.”

Finally, I became a cyclist who bent over and swayed from side to side with each pedal stroke.
As I was proudly imagining myself galloping through the streets of Maduk-ri, cutting through the wind, the staff cautiously asked to take a picture.
Judging from the fact that we had just talked about my occupation as a novelist, I assumed he wanted to take a commemorative photo, but I answered humbly, like a writer who distances himself from worldly desires.

“A photo?
“I am satisfied with just being able to write.”

The young employee looked dumbfounded at my words.


“No no no no.
There are a lot of bicycle thieves in Madrid, Señor (teacher).
The person who purchased the bike must take a photo with the bike to prove it.
“That way, if your bike gets stolen, the police can see this photo and know that you are the original owner of the bike.”

I feel like I've mistakenly entered a world of great chaos.

- September 2nd

Now I understand why Spanish people take siestas, which are essentially naps.
It's because I can't get through the afternoon without taking a siesta.
Besides, the sun sets at 9 p.m., so I can't stand such a long day.
I eat dinner at 9pm and go to bed late, but my wake-up time is the same as in other countries.

In the end, I was very sleep deprived.
The passionate lifestyle of the Spanish has led to a shortened night's sleep, and the desire to socialize passionately has given rise to a culture of daytime drinking, so after a drink at lunch, you can't help but feel drowsy.
So, how can I not take a siesta?
At this time, banks, government offices, and all other places are closed.
It is a time for the whole country to go to dreamland.

- September 8th

Tomorrow is the test day that will finally determine my class promotion.
When I asked a lot of questions about what I should study because I was anxious, the teacher tried to reassure me again by saying, “There has never been a student who failed in the history of private practice.”
I said 'yes'.
“That’s right!” he said, and just in case, I asked, “How long has the academy been open?” The teacher looked embarrassed and answered that the academy opened last year.
Besides, I found out that due to the coronavirus, almost no students came.
There aren't many now.
So, in other words, not many students took the test, which means that not many students passed.

Susi, with her quick wit and quick eyes, noticed the anxiety flashing through my eyes and made a German joke, “Choi! Primero! (Hey Mr. Choi! I’m the first one to fail!)”
I laughed to myself, and even though it's been eight years since I left Berlin, I still suffer from German humor.

- September 22nd
--- From "September"

What good would it do for a novelist to study Spanish?
Should I submit my language certificate to get a promotion or get a job at a trading company?
Or, a prestigious publisher might say, “Oh, Mr. Choi Min-seok.
“You finally reached C1 level!” Are you saying that you will be awarded a literary prize?
Rather, because I can't write novels, I just drift away from the literary track.
So then why on earth would I want to study something like Spanish?


That's because, looking back, what enriched my life was always something that had nothing to do with monetary compensation.
But the irony is that if you consistently do useless things in life, hoping only for pure pleasure, life will eventually reward you.


- October 1st

Oddly enough, when asking “Where have you been?” in Spanish, the verb “to go” is not used, but “Conocer”, which means “to know.”
That is, ask something like this:
“Do you know Portland?” This means have you been to Portland?

Of course, at first I didn't know the intention of this question, so I answered like this.

“I’ve been to Portland, but I don’t know much about it.”
Then the other person says:

“No, I said I went there earlier! I said it was something I ‘knew’!”
Why do Spanish people use the verb 'to know' instead of 'to go' when talking about travel?
Perhaps that's because the purpose of their travel is not to visit a destination, but to get to know it properly.
Now I understand why the Spanish people were asking so many questions like, “Do you know Berlin?” and “Do you know Tokyo?”
So, even though I came to Madrid, I still don't know Madrid very well, and I feel like my body has arrived, but my soul hasn't.
I hope you arrive soon, both physically and mentally.

- October 2nd

The loneliness of middle age doesn't come from the idea of ​​becoming a money-making machine or from the appearance of wrinkles.
It arises precisely from the fact that there is no teacher.
There is no one to teach me anymore, and no one to try to teach me anymore.
If you don't invest time and money in learning on your own, you will end up living solely on the superficial information and experiences you have accumulated in the past.
This is not a life of moving forward, but a life of eating away at past experiences and training.
That's why, now that I'm in my mid-40s, I want to dedicate a whole part of my life to studying, even if it means dozing off in the early morning.


If by any chance a student reads this, he might say, “No, sir.
You might say, “What’s wrong with your head?” but the truth is, you’re tired of encounters filled with alcohol, volatile conversations, and rhetoric that masks narcissism with humble words.
If you waste years of time in such a place, wasting your body and soul, you might sympathize with my thirst.

Anyway, I have to make time to study while working, but I know that this time is a gift from life.

- October 19th

Brad said with a proud smile, as expected of a third-year Madrireño (Madeleine person).


“It’s tapas (basic snacks)!”

Two plates of appetizers and two glasses of small draft beer for 7.50 euros!
Hessel and I couldn't help but admire him and saluted him, saying, "Senior Bradley!"
So, we each happily ate a plate of food and a glass of draft beer.
And then I ordered two large beers, and two more plates of food came out.

By the way, I ordered beer, so why did I get food again? That's right.
This was a place where every time you ordered a glass of beer, they gave you a plate of snacks.
In other words, the side dishes weren't included in the price of the beer, but were included in the price of the beer! The third time I ordered, I asked for just the beer, and it was only 1 euro cheaper than if the side dishes were included.
That's right.
As it turns out, Brad was a British idiot.

In the end, crayfish was the crab, and green was the same color (the place he went to for such a cheap price was a beer house that sold side dishes!). The blood of a fool also flows through his body, and the moment he instinctively recognized me as a fellow tribesman, a sense of crisis washed over me, wondering if we had become friends.

- October 20th
--- From "October"

I sat down at the bar and took a sip of the local draft beer, Alhambra Lager.
Certainly, in hot countries, a refreshing, bitter lager is the way to go.
In fact, most of the beers I enjoyed when I came to Spain were lagers.
I guess I should talk about the best lager beer here, and without hesitation, I would choose Madrid Beer's 'Maou Clásica'.

Not only is it delicious, but it also makes me feel good to say this because it makes me feel like a Madrilenyo (a person who is Madri).
Anyway, in Spain, once you sit down, it is advisable to start with a lager.


- November 6th

--- From "November"