So I've been here 3 weeks now and I feel like I should in someway grade Spain's efforts on life so I've created a list of things I think Spain have got spot on, and things they could do to work on. I hope other Year Abroaders in Spain will agree...
Things Spain is doing right*:
1. Sangria
They invented it, it's tasty and it's really cheap. Kudos Spain, Sangria is a keeper.
2. Tortilla
Now Spain does food pretty well in general, but I'd like to draw specific attention and applause to the humble tortilla. This is not the tortilla wraps that some of you are thinking of but kind of an omlette with potato and onion. It is fantastic, goes with anything and given away at tapas nights like it's going out of fashion. Tortilla, excellent, 10 points for Griffindor.
3. Canas
These are small draft measures of beer that usually cost 1/2 euros. Which means you can go out with 10 euros and happily come back with change!
4. Free alcohol
They just love giving away alcohol. On numerous occasions I have ordered a drink then had my money refused. I'm not complaining, you carry on Spain!
5. Free food and cheap food
If the food in supermarkets here isn't cheap enough there's at least 1 tapas night every night where you can go and have free tapas made up of traditional Spanish and regional dishes (including the best of tortillas). England needs more free food.
6. Sleep and being generally relaxed
I like sleep. I quite enjoy ambling everywhere and never rushing. The world should take a leaf out of Spain's pretty relaxed book.
7. Cider
Asturian cider is pretty unusual and unique. The waiters pour it in a very specific way this is known as 'escanciar' and it involves pouring the cider from above head height behind you into the glass which you hold just below waist height. The majority of the cider goes on the floor, but the bit that ends up in the glass is 'mixed' well and you're supposed to drink the cider in one or the rest get's unmixed and tastes bad. There is a street here solely dedicated to Sidrarías, that's cider bars. Fantastic. Although I'm not sure doing the same with a can of cider on a street corner in England would raise the same amount of positive attention.
8. Cheap rent
My rent is currently around 140 euros a month. Even compared to Hull that would rival the smallest of houses on Orchard Park, and it's a lot nicer.
9. Street cleaners
Oviedo is the cleanest city in Europe, I know, we should mention that more. This is due to the jetwashing of the pavements and emptying of bins at 3 in the morning, Spain never sleeps but we do have lovely clean pavements.
10. Old people
It's not unusual at all for me to be wandering back from a night out at 5 in the morning to pass groups of old ladies who've been out with their friends and are on the way home. I want to live here when I'm old with all my old friends.
11. Shutters
The ability to shut out daylight until the afternoon is welcomed with open arms.
*Many of these are food and alcohol based
Things Spain is doing right*:
1. Sangria
They invented it, it's tasty and it's really cheap. Kudos Spain, Sangria is a keeper.
2. Tortilla
Now Spain does food pretty well in general, but I'd like to draw specific attention and applause to the humble tortilla. This is not the tortilla wraps that some of you are thinking of but kind of an omlette with potato and onion. It is fantastic, goes with anything and given away at tapas nights like it's going out of fashion. Tortilla, excellent, 10 points for Griffindor.
3. Canas
These are small draft measures of beer that usually cost 1/2 euros. Which means you can go out with 10 euros and happily come back with change!
4. Free alcohol
They just love giving away alcohol. On numerous occasions I have ordered a drink then had my money refused. I'm not complaining, you carry on Spain!
5. Free food and cheap food
If the food in supermarkets here isn't cheap enough there's at least 1 tapas night every night where you can go and have free tapas made up of traditional Spanish and regional dishes (including the best of tortillas). England needs more free food.
6. Sleep and being generally relaxed
I like sleep. I quite enjoy ambling everywhere and never rushing. The world should take a leaf out of Spain's pretty relaxed book.
7. Cider
Asturian cider is pretty unusual and unique. The waiters pour it in a very specific way this is known as 'escanciar' and it involves pouring the cider from above head height behind you into the glass which you hold just below waist height. The majority of the cider goes on the floor, but the bit that ends up in the glass is 'mixed' well and you're supposed to drink the cider in one or the rest get's unmixed and tastes bad. There is a street here solely dedicated to Sidrarías, that's cider bars. Fantastic. Although I'm not sure doing the same with a can of cider on a street corner in England would raise the same amount of positive attention.
8. Cheap rent
My rent is currently around 140 euros a month. Even compared to Hull that would rival the smallest of houses on Orchard Park, and it's a lot nicer.
9. Street cleaners
Oviedo is the cleanest city in Europe, I know, we should mention that more. This is due to the jetwashing of the pavements and emptying of bins at 3 in the morning, Spain never sleeps but we do have lovely clean pavements.
10. Old people
It's not unusual at all for me to be wandering back from a night out at 5 in the morning to pass groups of old ladies who've been out with their friends and are on the way home. I want to live here when I'm old with all my old friends.
11. Shutters
The ability to shut out daylight until the afternoon is welcomed with open arms.
*Many of these are food and alcohol based
Now we must sadly dwell on some of the confusing things that Spain just really haven't got the hang of yet;
1. Opening hours
Don't get me wrong, I like sleep as much as the next person and can see the need for siestas in the heat of summer. But shops close between 3 and 5 everyday and sometimes you just need food in between those times. Uni offices also close after 2, which means I'm yet to see my supervisor. As for Sundays, when you've not prepared for a hangover the day before and have no food in, it's like apocalypse now and you'll find yourself scraping change together to go to a vending machine to get chocolate and crisps.
2. Bed sheets
Why so many? On my bed I currently have, a sheet, another slightly different sheet, a blanket, another sheet, and a weird thicker not blanket but not duvet thing. This makes getting into bed, out of bed and making the bed quite some feat and usually after getting out of bed and making it I'm ready to get back into it. And as for the long pillows...well.
3. Really tiny tins of tuna.
As an avid tuna fan I fail to understand the reason behind these really tiny tins of tuna. They don't contain enough tuna for anything productive. This may seem trivial but it is awfully odd.
4. Weird bin times.
You can only put your bins out between 9pm and 11pm. Spain you're odd.
5. Ham is not a vegetable
Despite not being a vegetarian the majority of Spaniards still think ham is a vegetable, like asking for something vegetarian and been given a sausage. Does this soup have meat in it? No. It's a pork broth. Spain, pigs are animals.
6. Bells
Bells ring every quarter of an hour. When I'm tired I worry I resemble Quasimodo.
I think for now that concludes my list, it shall however be updated...
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