the siesta of a slav

In my travels around the world, I’ve noticed a simple pattern: the less there is to do in a society or economy, the more food becomes the centerpiece of daily life.

From the deep South to the outer suburbs to Staten Island, the pattern holds — when options shrink, appetite expands. Meals become events, and eating becomes identity.

That’s one of the quiet advantages of major cosmopolitan cities: they keep you on point. In places of constant motion, stimulation replaces consumption.

You don’t eat out of boredom — you eat because time allows it.

Take it to the extreme and look at many Muslim countries: the travel experience often becomes a food tour out of necessity. The culture of hospitality and the rhythm of daily prayer leave few alternative forms of recreation, so cuisine fills the social and sensory space.

It’s worth studying where afternoon naps — siestas — are a norm.

They reveal a lot about both diet and metabolism.

Heavy lunches and long rests are a form of collective pacing.

For me, the lesson is practical: during market hours, I avoid any meal that might induce a siesta.

Energy management is part of authorship.

You can’t author tempo if you’re digesting it.