The British love talking about the weather. It’s a national pastime, or so we have been led to believe. Other nations have more important things to talk about like politics, religion, life, football….! Living in Spain we soon realised that for the men, at least, football is life. What other nation would be celebrating the anniversary of winning the World Cup? However since moving to Spain three years ago we have noticed another popular topic of conversation. Believe it or not, the Spanish are always going on about the weather.
To be honest, when we first noticed this phenomenon, we assumed that our Spanish neighbours were just trying to make us feel welcome. They were obviously thinking, “What do the British like talking about? Of course, the weather!” before saying “¡Mucho calor!” to us as we walked past.
Looks like a "tormenta" coming our way
Then, gradually, we realised that wasn’t the case. Spanish señoras were going into shops and saying “¡Tengo calor!”to other Spanish señoras as they fanned themselves. Spanish señors were walking outside, looking up at dark clouds in the sky, before muttering that “tormentas” were due. Eventually the penny dropped – we are fast learners – the Spanish are just as obsessed about the weather as we British are!
Most Spanish phrase-books give you lists of useful phrases, but very few of them have much to say about the weather. Even the otherwise excellent BBC language website doesn’t have any meteorological expressions in their top 20 essential phrases. They include the all-important “Qué tal?” with the typically British response of “Bien, gracias” – but after these niceties, surely a comment about the weather would be appropriate?
It has been said that the reason the British talk about the weather so much is that there is such a variety of weather in the UK, so people may be surprised to read about this Spanish trait. After all, surely every summer is hot in Spain? John and I are now well into our fourth summer here, and can confirm that most days in July and August are very hot, though we have an occasional summer “tormenta” – but that doesn’t stop the weather from being a “hot” topic in Spain!
Talking about hot, there is one phrase to be very careful with, unless you want to be misunderstood. The Spanish word for hot is caliente, however if you wish to say “I am hot” in Spanish do not say “Estoy caliente” as it has other connotations! It is far safer to use the phrase “¡Tengo calor!” and, if you are a woman, you should be carrying the essential summer accessory and fanning yourself at the same time. I think that using a fan is a reflex action for Spanish women of all ages. During the summer months, even when touring a cool bodega where a fan is superfluous, both señoras and señoritas can be seen clutching their fans and automatically fanning themselves.
El Sol
Must go now, as “el tiempo” is due on Spanish TV, and just in case you think “el tiempo” is the Spanish for “the time” – it is, but it also refers to the weather. Hopefully tomorrow will be “Mucho calor” again – I must remember to mention it to our Spanish neighbours!
Those of us who live in Spain have learnt, sometimes the hard way, to be wary of Festivos. They have a habit of sneaking up on us without us noticing. Back in the UK things are more structured: we all know when a bank holiday is approaching, so it can’t take anybody by surprise. The rare extra day’s holiday is always announced well in advance by the press – for example the Royal Wedding at the end of April – so everybody can take advantage of it. In the UK you don’t have to worry about shops closing either, but things are very different in Spain, as we found out not long after moving here.
Most people are aware that Spain has a generous allocation of national holidays however, in addition to the 11 national days (compared to only 8 in the UK), there is a regional day plus two local days. These are the sneaky ones that we are all very wary about, especially as the Ayuntamiento can change them from one year to another!
My friend Lesley told us this morning that she had noticed the 25th July was a red day on her calendar, and wondered if this meant local shops will be closed. I have reassured her that 25th July is a regional day, but not in Murcia where we live. If you live in, or are visiting a different region, you might want to check it out now!
During the hot months of July and August, John and I enjoy wandering around the supermarket in the afternoon, escaping from the heat and making the most of the cool interior. An added bonus is that our Spanish neighbours are either lingering over their lunch or having a siesta, so it’s usually a lot quieter then.
We had been living in Jumilla for two months when we discovered that Spanish bank holidays are very different. We had heard that August 15 was a holiday however Consum, our nearest supermarket, was open that morning. We followed our usual routine: lunch at about 2pm, then a stroll along the road with our shopping list, hoping to find a deserted supermarket. Instead, we found a closed supermarket! There was a procession that day as part of the Fiesta de la Vendimia, so we assumed that Consum and the other shops nearby had closed early because they were on the route. No problem, we would just have to walk a bit further to Mercadona. There we found another closed supermarket! Hmmm. Aldi? We were lucky as Aldi was still open, though we spotted a notice pinned up on the door announcing that they would be closing early, so we managed to buy the few things that we needed.
The apartment that we have bought is in a different part of town to where we were renting, so Aldi is now conveniently on our doorstep and Mercadona is just a short walk away. We have got into the habit of checking the noticeboard near the back exit of Mercadona, which shows which days, if any, the store will be closed that month. We know we are safe for the rest of July!
The good news, if you are caught out by an unexpected festivo in Spain, is that lots of bars and restaurants will be open. We discovered this on a festivo that fell on a Monday, when we were surprised to see that one of our favourite bars, that normally closed on Mondays, was open that day. Even better news for us, Bar Paraiso offers its bargain 8€ ménu del día any day that it is open, which includes weekends and festivos, so if we are taken by surprise again, we know where to go!
I imagine most people’s reactions to the title of this post will be “I wish!” How many times have you had a wonderful holiday, used your credit card to its max, then returned home to the worry of paying your credit card bill? Doesn’t it negate some of the positive effects of your holiday – so why not do things differently this year?
Lock up all your credit cards!
The first step is to plan your holiday well in advance, looking online for information about the area you will be visiting. I can give you plenty of general tips for saving money in Spain – and most of those will apply to other countries – but even within Spain different regions have different traditions. Some holiday-makers may return home from Spain raving about the free tapas they had with every drink, but others may say they had to pay for their tapas, albeit they were very cheap, so it helps to know in advance.
Before moving to Spain, we decided to use the train to travel there, partly because it is stress-free compared to flying, and partly because we didn’t have to worry about the weight of our cases! On checking online we discovered that Renfe have a special discount card for over 60s (la tarjeta dorada), which gives discounts of between 25% and 40%. At a cost of 5€ for the annual card, we were soon saving money!
Don't try checking those in for your flight!
We also discovered that Renfe have occasional Estrella offers, so we were able to travel first-class for the same price as normal second-class fares. Not only did we have more comfortable, spacious seats, but our lunch and drinks were included, so we were actually saving money. Note however that, if you are a vegetarian or have special dietary needs, you will need to book your meal in advance.
If you are staying in a hotel, check what is included in the price. If a buffet breakfast is on offer it may be cost-effective, as a good breakfast will keep you going for hours. However if breakfast is extra, and especially if it is a continental breakfast, it could be cheaper going to the nearest bar. This is where prior research is useful: I have to thank fellow travellers who posted on tripadvisor for identifying local bars where we could buy a cheap breakfast and good budget restaurants close to our hotel.
Families may find it cheaper to stay in a self-catering apartment, however be aware that supermarkets on a resort may be surprisingly pricey, and what you don’t want to do is arrive just before it shuts and spend a small fortune trying to stock up for your holiday! If you have done your advance research, you will know where the nearest large supermarkets are and, more importantly, what is the local market day. All you need when you arrive are a few basics until you can go shopping in the morning. Fruit and vegetables will be a lot tastier if you buy them in the local market, as well as cheaper, and you may find good cheeses, cold meats and other local delicacies on offer there.
Explore the local markets
A good option on a hot day is to visit a couple of air-conditioned museums! Be aware that in Spain many museums are closed on Monday, however if you have checked in advance you will already know that. You will also know whether museums are free on certain days (in Madrid, for example, many museums are either free or cheaper on Sunday mornings) and whether discounts are given for EU residents and/or pensioners (have your passport with you!)
If you are going out for the day, budget for a cheap menú del día (in Spain) or look out for le menu or la formule (in France) or similar offers. If you decide to have just a snack for lunch and eat later on, you will probably end up spending a lot more money, particularly if you become very hungry! I know – that happened to us in Paris!
Beware of optional day trips, which may sound tempting but often end up costing you a lot of money. When we were staying at an apartment-hotel in Marbella, we were told about a day-trip to Gibraltar. We thought it was a bit expensive for what was basically a coach-trip with nothing extra included, so investigated the alternatives. We found out that the local bus to La Linea was a lot cheaper, so we took that to save money. We discovered that it saved time too, as lots of coaches and cars were lined up waiting to cross the border, while we strolled across in seconds!
Don’t stop for food or drinks in the main plazas or squares in any tourist area, or you will be charged tourist prices. John and I saw a reasonably priced menú in the window of a restaurant on Las Ramblas in Barcelona, and were impressed by the cost in what we expected to be a pricey area. We then noticed that it didn’t mention any drinks, even though a menú del día usually includes one, so we went inside to check. The waiter was keen to take us to a table (it was obvious that we were tourists!), however before sitting down we asked whether drinks were included. They were not. We then asked to look at the wine list, before beating a hasty retreat! The food might have been reasonably priced, but the drinks were definitely over-priced.
We turned down a side street and soon discovered a good neighbourhood restaurant, which seemed to be full of locals rather than other tourists, and where the final bill came to less than the food alone in the first restaurant. Lesson learnt!
Join in the local fiestas for a great and cheap night out. Many resorts offer free entertainment, but some acts are not much better than a karaoke evening, and most bars will charge you a lot for a couple of drinks – remember the worse the act, the more you are likely to drink! I hasten to add that we have enjoyed watching some very talented performers while on holiday, but these have been the exception rather than the rule.
Wander into the town centre where the local fiesta is taking place, and you will soon be enjoying a real party atmosphere. The entertainment will be free, any food and drinks will be either free or far more reasonably priced than back at your hotel or resort, and the whole experience will be one to remember. No doubt we are prejudiced, but we can highly recommend a visit to Jumilla in August. As well as the renowned Fiesta de la Vendimia, you can enjoy the National Folklore Festival and the spectacular Moors and Christians parades.
Entrance of the Moros
I suspect that you won’t be brave enough to leave your credit card at home when going on holiday, but I am hoping that with a bit of advanced planning, and by using your common sense while away, you may be able to leave it in the safe until you return home.
If you have any of your own budget holiday tips to share, please send them to me via the comments box below, and maybe we can have an “International Budget Holiday Tips” feature next time!
How can I justify a post that is solely about walking the dog? Well, we are not talking about any old dog here, we are talking about Lisa, who is probably the most famous dog in Jumilla. Every time we take her out for a walk, somebody will call out “¡Hola, Lisa!” Do they say “Hola, John” or “Hola, Sue”? No! Not only that, but if they spot us without Lisa they ask us where she is! Walking the dog, therefore, is an important part of our life in Jumilla. It is a bit like moving to a new town when you have young children: they are natural ice breakers and it’s a good way to get to know people.
Similarly, having Lisa beside us means that her many friends are now our friends. A group of us were enjoying the fiesta in Fuente del Pino last year, about 15 minutes outside Jumilla, when a young man we had never seen before asked us how Lisa was – in no time at all, we were all socialising.
Lisa with one of her favourite toys
I think it’s a fallacy that only the British love animals. Before Lisa adopted us, she lived on the streets. We used to see her around when we first moved to the area, however because she was wearing a collar, and because the neighbours used to call her “Lisa”, we assumed that she had a home. She also looked well-fed, unlike most strays, but we later discovered that was because so many of our Spanish neighbours were feeding her.
Lisa has her own dog-blog, as part of my blog on AngloINFO. I have been told that she has fans throughout Spain as well as in the UK, and from comments received it appears that she is far more popular than me. I have to admit that I am a bit miffed about this! You can read Lisa’s account of how she came to adopt us, plus her many other posts, here : http://blogs.angloinfo.com/jumilla-journal/
Now temperatures have risen to over 30 degrees, we tend to take her for shorter walks during the middle of the day, and where possible we stick to the shade or “sombra” as our Spanish neighbours would say. Her longer walks are early in the morning and later at night, and it is then that she bumps into her many friends, both canine and human. Other dog owners, when spotting her for the first time, ask us whether she is “macho” or “hembra”. Or sometimes they just ask “perro?”, which means “male dog?”, to which we reply “no, perra!” (obviously, female dog). I can’t remember being questioned about this when I owned dogs in the UK!
Lisa enjoys socialising, and on a nice day we will sit outside one of the local bars with her, having a coffee or glass of wine, depending on the time of day. It can be disconcerting though when Lisa heads for one of our favourite watering holes at other times, expecting us to stop there! Only last week she stopped outside Cerveceria Borneo, which happened to be shut, looking slightly put out because there weren’t any tables or chairs outside…..!
How many fiestas are there on any one day? You would expect the answer to be one, however last weekend two different Fiestas were being celebrated in Jumilla: San Fermín, as discussed previously, plus San Cristóbal, the patron saint of all travellers including lorry drivers. The official days are different, but why restrict yourself to one day’s partying when you can have several days of celebrations? Exactly. The Fiestas de San Fermin ran from 7th to 10th July, whereas the Fiesta de San Cristóbal took place on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th July.
As honorary Jumillanos we feel it is our duty to support as many local events as possible, which made the weekend a rather frantic one, especially as we also have a duty to support Música entre Vinos, which meant we were committed to attending the event at Bodega Viña Campanero on Saturday night. Readers, it was hard but we did our best.
Friday night was San Fermín night and Saturday night was Música entre Vinos, so what should we do for Sunday night? It had to be San Fermín again, as we knew Al Golpe was the closing act for this year’s Fiestas, but we needed to show a bit of solidarity with the lorry drivers, especially as one of our dog Lisa’s favourite walks is down the road and past the lorry park.
San Cristóbal leading the parade
The local niños come out in force every year to watch the lorries parade through the streets of Jumilla. I suspect that this may have something to do with the packets of corn snacks, sweets and toys that are thrown from the cabs to the waiting children! Even John and I went home on Saturday evening with a bag of goodies after watching (and listening to) the lorries. The tooting of horns seems to be a compulsary component of the parade, and when we covered our ears they just laughed at us.
The parade on Sunday morning was a more musical affair, as this time the statue of San Cristóbal was carried from the lorry park to the Church of San Juan Bautista for a special mass, accompanied by the local band. After watching the morning parade we walked Lisa into town to buy the Sunday papers, then stopped for a cold drink on the way home. We managed to glimpse the Pasacalles for San Fermín as well, where the statue of San Fermín was carried from house to house, accompanied by another local band.
San Fermín - having a rest
Lisa was not impressed by the loud firewords that were being set off at regular intervals, so we decided to head home with her. Our timing was perfect, as the mass for San Cristóbal had finished, and we saw the procession arrive at the Monumento de los Camioneros with their offering of flowers. The Policia Local were on duty to stop the traffic on the main road and I was beckoned across by a police officer so that I could take photos.
Flowers on the Monument
After such a busy morning we decided to relax during the afternoon – after all, we needed to save ourselves for the evening’s events. We had arranged to meet friends in Bar La Casa at 10pm, however we soon discovered that we needed a Plan B as the bar was closed, in spite of Cristina having told us they were going to be open all weekend! Apparently they were all exhausted after a busy weekend (!), but luckily Bar Central, which is usually closed on Sundays, had decided to take advantage of so many potential customers and had opened.
John and I set up a rota to go and check whether Al Golpe had started their performance. We knew what time they were due to start, but this is Spain, moreover it is Jumilla. Although Bar Central is on one side of the plaza where the stage had been set up, there was a children’s fairground in between, and the fairground was very noisy, with a combination of loud music and excited children.
Al Golpe
About half an hour later than advertised Al Golpe started their act, so we downed our drinks and finished off our tapas before heading outside. As always their performance was superb and the audience loved it, calling out “Bravo!” and “Guapos!” before chanting “Otras!”, after the final number had been performed. Al Golpe added a couple of extra songs before packing up, so everybody was happy.
It was nearly one in the morning when we left, pausing only to watch the final firework display.
Saturday night is party night in Jumilla – or it has been so far this month. We thought that last week’s event at Bodegas JM Martínez Verdu would be hard to beat (what a party that was!) but Música entre Vinos at Bodegas Viña Campanero last night was great fun too. One advantage was the location, which is within walking distance of our apartment, so there was no rush to get there on time. I have to confess that this is one of my favourite bodegas: it is the smallest one in the area, so a tour doesn’t take much time; we like their wines too, which is always a bonus; it is very friendly – even our dog Lisa is made to feel welcome by Pedro and his father, though we had to leave her behind on Saturday night!
A lovely evening at Bodegas Viña Campanero
We had assumed that the concert was being held indoors, as has happened in previous years, but when we arrived we discovered that everything had been set up outside. It had been a lovely hot day, and it was starting to become pleasantly cool when we arrived just after 8pm, so we had no objections to this change. One of the joys of living in Spain is that summer evenings aren’t cold, so we can enjoy lots of outdoor events. Even when we left the bodega after midnight, I didn’t need to wear the shawl I had taken.
I went in search of a bottle of water, so that we could all have a cold drink while waiting for the wine to be served. Our friends Lesley and John had arrived before us, while Lesley’s son Nick and his friend Tracey weren’t due to arrive until 9pm. None of us was surprised when Nick and Tracey arrived to find that they hadn’t actually missed anything – have I mentioned the fact that punctuality isn’t a Jumillano characteristic?
We all agreed that the wine was worth waiting for, though we couldn’t agree on our favourite. I really appreciated the chilled white and rosado wines on such a warm evening, but John soon moved onto his usual red wines and pronounced the Tinto Joven as his favourite wine. We expected the food to be good and we weren’t disappointed: I particularly enjoyed the tiny portions of tortilla, the cheeses and the churros, which were served in traditional style with hot chocolate at the end of the evening.
An unexpected bonus was the arrival of our friends Jaqui and Melissa with a couple of our Spanish neighbours. plus we saw lots of other familiar faces. We heard a few other English voices, however I suspect that we were easily outnumbered by the Spanish community, as there aren’t that many British people (or indeed other foreigners) living in this area.
Andrés and Cristóbal were joined by a friend for this number
The music was provided by Andrés Martínez and Cristóbal Cutillas, who played some brilliant riffs on his guitar. The infectious music soon had the appreciative audience nodding in time to the beat and rumour has it a couple of Brits were spotted dancing, along with several Spanish couples. There were loud calls of “Otras” at the end of the evening, and the duo happily obliged.
We were glad that we didn’t have too far to go home, as we have another late night ahead of us. One of our favourite groups Al Golpe is playing tonight, to bring the Fiestas de San Fermín to a close, and they aren’t due to start performing until 22.30. It’s a good thing that we don’t have anything on the agenda for tomorrow morning!
Hopefully I whetted your appetites in my previous post, so I thought I would do a quick update today on yesterday’s fiesta fun.
Our friend Jaqui invited a few of us to join her and her daughter Melissa for menú del día in Restaurante Monasterio. For those of you not in the know, the Spanish fixed price menú del día is a wonderful invention, started in 1965 under the Franco régime to guarantee workers a good cheap meal at lunchtime. The cost of our lunch was 9€ per head, with so many starters, mains and desserts to choose from that we had to ask our patient waiter to repeat the choices a couple of times.
Waiting for our main courses to arrive
We shared a generous salad to begin with, and then the waiter kindly brought fussy old me a tapa of ensalada marisco as I didn’t like any of the starters. In my defence, my choice was slightly limited by the fact that I don’t eat any meat! The starters included salmorejo (similar to gazpacho), consomé with pelotas (meatballs) and arroz tres delicias, which looked like vegetable rice however, as I suspected, some ham had been added. Main courses included sardines, boquerones, chicken, meat kebabs and escalopes – I can’t remember all the choices, just the dishes our group selected. We begged for a break before we ordered desserts, as by this stage we were all feeling pretty full! I had a yummy tiramisu (I received some envious looks from my fellow diners) and other homemade desserts included tarta de queso, flan and natillas. We had a couple of bottles of good Jumilla wine to accompany our meal, and coffee to finish.
John and I were offered a lift home but declined, as we needed to walk off some of our huge lunch. Just to remind you, the menu was 9€ each: amazing value!
We also walked into town that evening, to meet up with Jaqui and Melissa again, plus other friends. The meeting point was Bar La Casa, because we knew that Cristina was due to play a starring role in the evening’s events, as she is one of the Reinas for 2011. When we arrived Cristina was working hard serving us and other customers, dressed in her everyday clothes, but she assured us that she would be changing later on.
Cristina wearing her sash
After some tapas and red wine, and once a totally transformed Cristina had emerged, we all wandered across the road to join in the festivities. The plaza was already crowded and the atmosphere was buzzing, as families watched their children dancing on the large stage. In between the dance performances, the Fiesta Reinas were being crowned and presented with bouquets. We all cheered loudly when Cristina received her award, calling out “Guapa!” There were also bursts of fireworks in between performances, as I predicted. When we left just after midnight it was obvious that many of the revellers would be partying for a long time, however we had two more late nights ahead of us, so decided it would be wise to pace ourselves.
Most people associate the Fiesta of San Fermín with Pamplona and bull-running in July, however I decided to do a bit of investigation into the connection between bulls and “Saint Firmin” (as he is also known), in the interests of journalistic accuracy. After my research, I was even more confused than before.
Apparently San Fermín’s feast day is actually on September 25th and not July 6th. The connection with bulls seems a bit tenuous too: there is one story that Saint Fermín died being dragged through the streets by bulls, although other sources suggest that it was a different saint. However he was definitely born in Pamplona, which I am sure is enough of a connection to justify the annual celebrations both there and throughout Spain.
Jumillanos love a good party, so the neighbours in the Barrio of San Fermín will be celebrating their saint’s day (inJuly) with great enthusiasm over the next few days. Fortunately there won’t be any bulls in the neighbourhood, so John and I plan to go along tonight with some friends to join in the fiesta fun.
I have to say that I have never been to a bull-fight and I don’t intend going to one. I just accept that it is one of the few Spanish traditions that I can’t agree with, though I don’t think it is my place to tell them so, especially since hunting was allowed in the UK until recent years. However I am pleased to report that a growing number of Spaniards are campaigning against all forms of cruelty to animals, and there is now an Antitaurino group here in Jumilla, which my facebook friend Irene from 4 Patas kindly signed me up for!
The programme for this year’s Fiestas de San Fermín includes several processions, a special mass, a Tortilla Española competition, dance displays, children’s games, a concert by a Pop Rock group and, to close the festivities, a concert by the talented Flamenco group Al Golpe.
During our first couple of years in Jumilla we watched the children playing at bull-fighting during the fiesta, but it doesn’t seem to be on the agenda this year, which we think is a good thing. Although I must admit that the children were so cute that I couldn’t resist taking a couple of photos. I hope nobody minds if I post one here:
Children taking part in the Fiestas de San Fermin
Tonight we are going to watch the Coronation of the Fiesta Queens. We aren’t sure exactly what is involved, but our lovely friend Cristina from Bar La Casa is one of the Reinas, so we are going along to support her. There will be a dance display too by the Academia Aurora González, who so impressed us with their performance in Teatro Vico, so we know it will be an enjoyable evening. We suspect that a few loud fireworks might be lit tonight as well, although nothing has been advertised: after all a fiesta isn’t a fiesta in Spain without one or two deafening blasts!
For John and me – and anybody else living on a restricted budget – one of the benefits of living in Spain is the cheap entertainment. We have a wonderful theatre in town (Teatro Vico) and tickets for performances there don’t exactly break the bank, however we have two other theatres in Jumilla where entry is free.
Teatro Vico
As part of their mandate, Spanish savings banks provide social, charitable and cultural services. Both CAM and CajaMurcia in Jumilla have exhibition halls where art and photographic exhibitions can be held, and they both have small theatres for concerts, drama and dance displays as well as many other events.
Last night we went to see a video presentation in CajaMurcia’s theatre, which is above their main Jumilla branch. They have an exhibition room there too, so beforehand we looked at the display of posters for this year’s Cabalgate Infantíl, which children from local schools had designed. The children’s procession takes place during Jumilla’s Fiestade la Vendimia in August, so naturally wine featured in many of the posters, but Bob Esponja also seemed to be a popular theme!
The video presentation was scheduled to start at 20.00, so being optimistic we wandered into the theatre at that time. It looked promising, as we could see that everything had been set up and a few other people were already in there, however Jumillanos aren’t exactly noted for their punctuality. The señor in charge kept looking at his watch, and we heard a few words being muttered about not everybody being there, and “puntualidad” was also mentioned.
Eventually the show began at 20.15, which is impressive by Jumilla’s standards. The video showed scenes from Jumilla’s Fiesta de la Vendimia going back to the early 80s and finishing with last year’s celebrations. There were plenty of laughs from the audience and a few sarcastic comments as people recognised the participants, which added to the atmosphere. We recognised at least three people taking part in earlier years’ festivities.
Each video clip showed a procession with adults and children carrying baskets of grapes, a group treading the grapes (all looking remarkably similar to each other), lots of people kissing each other as they presented bouquets of flowers, glimpses of traditional dancers, plus the revellers getting covered in red wine during the Gran Cabalgata del Vino at the end of the fiesta.
Soaked in red wine
If you are coming to Spain for a holiday, or if you plan to move here permanently, I recommend finding out where your nearest savings bank is. We have seen some fascinating exhibitions since we moved to Jumilla, and enjoyed some amazing concerts, and it hasn’t cost us a cent!
Spain has always been a popular holiday destination, however many tourists don’t get the most out of their stay. Sure, they return with a suntan (or more likely sunburn!), several pounds heavier weight-wise, several pounds lighter money-wise (having spent far too many euros), some tacky souvenirs and lots of exciting photos of them on the beach, by the pool or in the bar. Is that what you want? Or do you fancy doing something different this year?
Before you go on holiday, use the internet to research your holiday with a difference. Staying on the Costa del Sol? Away from the beaches there are some lovely villages to visit on the ruta de los pueblos blancos, or discover the city of Malaga instead of bypassing it in your rush to reach the beach. Costa Blanca? There is a lot to see in Alicante (the city, not the airport!) and if you are a wine lover, come and visit Jumilla, known as the city of wine. A good place to start your research is http://www.spain.info/en/, and don’t forget to check whether there are going to be any fiestas in the area you are visiting.
Visit Mijas for the day when staying on the Costa del Sol
The first thing you will have to learn when you are on holiday is to get up a bit earlier than usual, so that you can enjoy the whole day, and to leave your hotel/apartment/resort/comfort zone. You are going out for breakfast, which for Spanish people is best enjoyed in a café or bar between 10 and 12. They will have had a cup of coffee first thing, but the morning break is a time to meet friends and have a chat over a coffee and tostada or maybe chocolate and churros. You will definitely need a snack then, because you aren’t going to have lunch until 2pm at the earliest!
Spend your morning walking around the nearest town, visiting museums and churches, strolling through local parks and generally working up a good appetite for lunch. Don’t forget to wear comfortable shoes, to slap on the suntan lotion, to bring your camera (this year your friends may find your photos a bit more interesting than usual) and remember to carry a bottle of water.
Keep your eyes open while you are enjoying your walk because you are looking out for a good menú del día, however be aware that many restaurants won’t advertise them before 1pm. This is a top money-saving tip in Spain: have your main meal at lunchtime like the Spanish do, though avoid obvious tourist areas to get the best value for your money. Menú del día will usually cost you between 8€ and 12€ for a minimum of 3 courses, bread and a drink. We know a very good bar in Jumilla where for 8€ we get a shared salad to start with, a basket of bread, a wide choice of starters, mains and desserts, a carafe of red wine with water or refresco plus coffee to finish our meal. After that, we don’t need much food in the evening!
Drive inland from the Costa Blanca to visit Jumilla castle, a local bodega, and have menú del día
Lunch will be a leisurely affair, which is good news, as you will be indoors during the hottest part of the day. If you want to go native, observe how Spanish people avoid sitting in the sun. They love being outdoors during the summer: enjoying a drink, chatting to their friends, promenading along the sea front, but they walk in the shade or sit under a parasol. Also observe that, even though Spanish chicas will wear miniscule skirts or shorts in town, beach wear is kept strictly for the beach.
After lunch you can stroll back to your hotel or apartment for a siesta if you fancy going really native, or plan ahead for the evening, relax with a good book, and enjoy a cold drink. In tourist areas there may be shops open in the afternoon, but elsewhere only supermarkets disregard the traditional siesta.
If you haven’t gone out for a menú del día, be prepared to pay more for your evening meal, and also be prepared to wait for it! We were staying in Barcelona a few years ago, and left our hotel at 8pm to find somewhere to eat. Nearly every restaurant was shut, and as we were hungry we were becoming a bit anxious. We popped into a bar that was open, for a glass of wine and some tapas to calm our nerves. As we left the bar just after 9pm, we saw that restaurants were beginning to open up again. Lesson learnt!
Depending on where you are staying, you may be given a free tapa with your drink when you go out in the evening for a glass of wine . If you had a big lunch, that may be all you need. If not, look for a bar that is full of local people and you should find the best and cheapest tapas there.
A peaceful square in Valencia
Finally, don’t go to bed too early or you may miss the best part of the day. On the last night of a holiday in Valencia to enjoy the Las Fallas festival, we were on our way back to our hotel just after midnight, when we decided to stop for a coffee. Noticing a large marquee in the square behind the bar, we decided to take a quick look and discovered that a band was tuning up inside. Local people were beginning to go into the marquee and encouraged us to join them, pointing out that there was a bar set up in the corner, which was selling drinks for 1€.
Soon everybody was up dancing to the music, chatting away to us in a mixture of English and Spanish and generally having a good time. There was a mixture of both young and old, from niños to abuelos, all making a lot of noise (Spanish people tend to be noisy) but nobody appeared to be drunk, even though vast amounts of alcohol were being served at the bar. When we left at three in the morning the party was still in full swing, however sadly we had a flight to catch!
If you decide to go native in Spain, you are guaranteed to have a great time. Please tell us all about your experiences and any recommendations in the comments box below.
