Lifestyle & Culture

For centuries it has been said that ‘Africa begins at the Pyrenees’, be assured, dear reader, this is still very much the case. You will not be fully at ease here until your body-clock has had time to readjust to SMT (Spanish Maybe Time), relax – it will happen. If it works for me it will work for you all, just let nature take its course!

So, welcome to the land of ‘Mañana’! Don’t expect to find an express checkout for six items or less in a Spanish supermarket, or to be acknowledged whilst waiting in a queue to be served in a local shop. For generations, the Spaniards have regarded shopping and the verbal exchange at the till as a social event rather than as a chore. The only thing which might distract the shop assistant’s full attention from the current customer will be the appearance of a friend’s baby! The Spaniards seem more child orientated than any other nationality we have encountered. We have often left a local restaurant at, say, 11.30pm only to have our table taken by a Spanish family with toddlers & young babies for their evening meal! Sunday lunch is a serious extended family affair for the locals and a fascinating spectator sport for the rest of us. Tables for 30 to 40 people are not uncommon and the meal can often continue till beyond five o’clock. With this in mind, please be aware of the need to book your Sunday meals well in advance at the more popular restaurants.

The siesta concept can be a little infuriating to begin with, however, the compensation is to be found in joining the locals for the ‘Paseo’ (evening promenade) with all facilities open until late evening. Spanish tradesmen have a novel view of the word mañana: If you need a Spanish plumber for an urgent call-out, please don’t invite him to lie to you by asking if he will be with you tomorrow – the answer will invariably be ‘Si’ – however it is important for you to understand that this is said in politeness of the moment and should on no account be relied upon! Please realize that this is not blatant dishonesty, he is politely providing you with the answer he knows you are wanting to hear!

You will soon notice that the locals have a rather informal approach to their driving style. You are just as likely to be held up by an elderly rustic driving his S class Mercedes at 30kph as you are to be overtaken by a thirty something mum ferrying the kids to school at 90kph with a mobile telephone to her ear & the rear view mirror adjusted to ‘make-up & hair’ mode. The good news is, the roads are much quieter and parking is generally much easier here than in the UK and road-rage non-existent – any potential friction is swiftly defused with a shrug and the advice ‘Tranquilo, hombre!’(Relax, be calm, old chap).

In essence, those who try to adapt and adjust to the Mediterranean lifestyle and bother to learn just a little Spanish will find integration here not only easy, but also a very agreeable and therapeutic experience.