THOSE of you stuck in rainy Britain or Ireland with only the memory of your sun-drenched summer trip to Spain to brighten up your day might be taken aback by this bizarre fact: Spanish people go on holiday, too. Why, you might ask? With the beautiful weather the country enjoys – guaranteed hot summer for three or four months of the year, a pleasant and balmy spring and autumn and a winter that is generally short and just mild enough to be bearable in the south, the islands and on the Mediterranean (and ski resorts to cheer up those living in the coldest parts) – the idyllic beaches, proliferation of swimming pools, and amazing countryside and historical heritage, why would anyone born and bred in Spain even think about leaving it for two weeks at high season?
It seems hard to imagine miserable faces on the return plane when those going back to the daily grind and the humdrum of home are actually heading for Spain. But here’s the rub: Spaniards like to experience new cultures, languages and sights just as much as anyone else on the planet.
Only, sometimes, however much they’re enjoying their break from the drudgery of sunshine and palm-fringed beaches (yes, we know your heart bleeds for them), what they miss on a trip away can make Spanish travellers appreciate what they left behind.
A handful of Spanish holidaymakers answered a survey by national daily newspaper 20 Minutos about what they find weirdest whenever they leave their country – these were the top seven, albeit not in any particular order.
Knowing what Spaniards can’t (or prefer not to) live without also gives you a hint as to what you can expect when you visit Spain on holiday (before you also return home as one of those miserable plane-faces).
What, no blinds?!
Try explaining to a Spaniard on holiday in northern Europe that, even though it gets dark later and the sun comes up earlier in said parts, there are no fixed metal roller-blinds on their hotel or apartment windows. Many a Spanish traveller has reported waking up in broad daylight and getting fully dressed up and ready for breakfast before realising it’s still only 04.00 in the morning. As well as blacking out the room to aid natural sleep (even the thickest and darkest curtains just don’t cut the mustard, they say) fixed blinds serve another crucial purpose in Spain in summer: keeping the heat of the sun out of the building during the daytime.
What’s wrong with ice cubes in coffee and olive oil on toast?
It’s hot, so you need a cold drink, but you could just murder a coffee. Bit of a dilemma in most of Europe. But not in Spain – natives and expats are very used to ordering a hot, caffeinated beverage, even made mostly from steamed milk, and then pouring it into a glass full of ice cubes. It’s called a café del tiempo and you might even find the odd bar that makes the ice cubes out of black coffee.
Read more at thinkSPAIN.com