Is the siesta over?

For much of Spain's recent history, a siesta has made long days bearable. A workday that begins at 9 a.m. and ends at 8 p.m. makes more sense when it's broken up by an afternoon nap. But some Spaniards question whether a workday interrupted by a long, nonproductive break is compatible with the modern world. Lengthy commutes now make it impractical to return home for a nap, so the siesta often becomes a three-hour lunch. The Fundacion Independiente, a research organization in Madrid, is campaigning to end the marathon lunches and align the Spanish workday with the 9-to-5 schedule common in the rest of Europe. But Prime Minister Josd Luis Rodriguez Zapatero has his doubts. "The work schedule is what distinguishes Spaniards," he says, "but it is also what defines us."