American efficiency

I love traveling, and all manner of going native, but today was a testimony to American efficiency and our "can do" method of approaching life and how to get stuff done.  The first stop was the Vodaphone store.  We had already tried to get a SIM card on Saturday, but waited for over 1/2 hour and still the same customer was ahead of us.  Really not too different that the Verizon store at home.  Today we waited another 1/2 hour, but did get our SIM card.  Passport always required for every transaction.  That is a given.  Then the difficult task of exchanging $$$ for euro.  Easy, right?  We finally found a bank that would do the deed, but they would only exchange $300 per day.  This took at least 1/2 hour.  We then tried several other banks in town.  All only have one teller working at a time.  Again, not much different than Bank of the Worst, but I digress.  This is a fairly busy town, but one where everyone knows everyone, like Truckee.  Again, many waits in line, only to be told "no cambio".  One bank in town will exchange money, so I guess we will go back tomorrow.  Then we hit the road, still looking for our sweet spot for bike riding on the island.  There is not a map to be found that shows all of the small roads, and no map would be able to convey the steepness of these "roads".  Remember, I have ridden all over Sonoma and Napa Counties, and nothing compares to what they have here.  20% seems to be the norm, and all roads are about 10' wide, and two lanes.  Even using your imagination, you won't even get close to how gnarly they are.  And these same roads have an endless stream of traffic.  Daunting, to say the least.
These challenges are all good for us.  It keeps us on our toes, and makes you appreciate all of the different ways to get things done around the world.  Spain is such a contradiction at times.  Some things are just so slick, and then sometimes the bureaucracy just hits you upside the head.
Hasta luego....