Comments on: Why Spain Great #4: Your thoughts… http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/ Podcasts and comment on travel, tapas, learning Spanish and living in Spain, plus a lively forum and beautiful Spain photos. Mon, 15 Mar 2010 09:23:27 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Laara http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-123419 Laara Mon, 14 Sep 2009 20:45:33 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-123419 - the beautiful architecture - Terrazas among orange trees in Sevilla - Tapas - Tinto de Verano - Ordering Tinto de Verano for 1.5 euros in Granada and getting a tapa with it... - Buying a litre of Sangria in a carton for 1 euro at supermarcados - Being told to buy the cheaper wine in the supermarket even though it was still really cheap to for me! (Mike, it was Rioja I bought. I can't find Rioja in Canada!) - the beautiful architecture
- Terrazas among orange trees in Sevilla
- Tapas
- Tinto de Verano
- Ordering Tinto de Verano for 1.5 euros in Granada and getting a tapa with it…
- Buying a litre of Sangria in a carton for 1 euro at supermarcados
- Being told to buy the cheaper wine in the supermarket even though it was still really cheap to for me! (Mike, it was Rioja I bought. I can’t find Rioja in Canada!)

]]> By: Lucy http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-122046 Lucy Sat, 05 Sep 2009 19:21:21 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-122046 Hey Mike, I agree with you on most things here, though I don't think people are so friendly (I'm Brazilian, might I add). Here's my list: Sobrasada Fresh fish Madrid Ir de tapas (which means going to around 4 bars in one evening) Churros del Zahara, in Madrid Breakfast in Murcia: pan con tomate Hey Mike, I agree with you on most things here, though I don’t think people are so friendly (I’m Brazilian, might I add). Here’s my list:
Sobrasada
Fresh fish
Madrid
Ir de tapas (which means going to around 4 bars in one evening)
Churros del Zahara, in Madrid
Breakfast in Murcia: pan con tomate

]]> By: Mike http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-120825 Mike Thu, 27 Aug 2009 21:05:50 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-120825 There are loads of things I love about Spain... Friendly people Ir de tapas Jamón y chorizo Salamanca Wine - especially Rioja Signing off e-mails with 'un abrazo' Los mercardos The Metros in Madrid and Barça, with aircon The language (which I'm trying my hardest to get to grips with) Fabada Asturiana There are loads of things I love about Spain…

Friendly people
Ir de tapas
Jamón y chorizo
Salamanca
Wine – especially Rioja
Signing off e-mails with ‘un abrazo’
Los mercardos
The Metros in Madrid and Barça, with aircon
The language (which I’m trying my hardest to get to grips with)
Fabada Asturiana

]]> By: Diarmuid http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-120116 Diarmuid Sun, 23 Aug 2009 09:23:08 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-120116 @kristy I had to post over some cream for conjunctivitis to a friend in NYC..he had gone there from Madrid for the Summer!!! decent health system is essential..and all Spaniards are happy to have one! @kristy I had to post over some cream for conjunctivitis to a friend in NYC..he had gone there from Madrid for the Summer!!! decent health system is essential..and all Spaniards are happy to have one!

]]> By: Salobrena http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-119307 Salobrena Mon, 17 Aug 2009 11:37:10 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-119307 Must be the weather (although the winter can be a bit of a suprise for anyone expecting endless warm evenings when they move here). Why are most foreigners here? To touch baby feet? To eat morcilla? No for 320 days of sunshine a year - something that many Spanish would like to get away from! England is having one of its typical wet summers following a particularly cold winter. As long as the sunshine continues Spain will remain a favourite. Thankfully there are also many other attractive aspects to life here most of which are already above (nice to see Granada was included in the original list - a great city) - but they would be immaterial if Spain was cold and wet. Must be the weather (although the winter can be a bit of a suprise for anyone expecting endless warm evenings when they move here).

Why are most foreigners here? To touch baby feet? To eat morcilla? No for 320 days of sunshine a year – something that many Spanish would like to get away from! England is having one of its typical wet summers following a particularly cold winter. As long as the sunshine continues Spain will remain a favourite. Thankfully there are also many other attractive aspects to life here most of which are already above (nice to see Granada was included in the original list – a great city) – but they would be immaterial if Spain was cold and wet.

]]> By: Martin http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-118350 Martin Tue, 11 Aug 2009 16:08:00 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-118350 #10 Tappas / Tapitas or Pinchos followed by raciones if one cant eat a full meal. Tappas are small dishes of ultimate variety,depending where one is in Spain, served with a drink. Great for just chilling out in the hours before the serious evening meal starts (10pm or so). Great at lush time when its too hot to eat a full meal. It's the civilised way to have a drink (or two or....) #10 Tappas / Tapitas or Pinchos

followed by raciones if one cant eat a full meal.

Tappas are small dishes of ultimate variety,depending where one is in Spain, served with a drink.

Great for just chilling out in the hours before the serious evening meal starts (10pm or so).

Great at lush time when its too hot to eat a full meal.

It’s the civilised way to have a drink (or two or….)

]]> By: Mo http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-117163 Mo Tue, 04 Aug 2009 20:06:23 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-117163 Decided that the things I love about Spain should be mentioned. The food, drink, the way that the day goes on until late at night, geraniums, living with all the doors and windows open even at night, Spanish generosity, gesticulation, the language. In fact I´d put that one as my best. The Spanish language. It is adorable, thrilling, quirky, vast, beautiful. Decided that the things I love about Spain should be mentioned. The food, drink, the way that the day goes on until late at night, geraniums, living with all the doors and windows open even at night, Spanish generosity, gesticulation, the language. In fact I´d put that one as my best. The Spanish language. It is adorable, thrilling, quirky, vast, beautiful.

]]> By: Mo http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-116941 Mo Mon, 03 Aug 2009 13:13:27 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-116941 Yes, yes, yes, agree, agree. So why am I sick to death of the place? It must be me and that old curmudgeonly crusty Scottishness I was born with, (you know the kind that expects institutions to work and bureaucracy to bear some relation to what a people requires). I just had one of my lovely, (yes yes, heavy sarcasm) day-in-day-out Spanish experiences at a summer camp for kids. All went well till ... the cock-up. Everything here works perfectly till ... the cock-up. In my humble opinion no amount of ham makes up for that. Sorry, see my grumbly old blog for more grousiness in general. And I´ll keep reading to see if you can make me change my mind, or at least my smelly old cardigan and carpet slippers from between the wars. Grumble grumble .... Yes, yes, yes, agree, agree. So why am I sick to death of the place? It must be me and that old curmudgeonly crusty Scottishness I was born with, (you know the kind that expects institutions to work and bureaucracy to bear some relation to what a people requires). I just had one of my lovely, (yes yes, heavy sarcasm) day-in-day-out Spanish experiences at a summer camp for kids. All went well till … the cock-up. Everything here works perfectly till … the cock-up. In my humble opinion no amount of ham makes up for that. Sorry, see my grumbly old blog for more grousiness in general. And I´ll keep reading to see if you can make me change my mind, or at least my smelly old cardigan and carpet slippers from between the wars. Grumble grumble ….

]]> By: Meghan Smithgall http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-116267 Meghan Smithgall Thu, 30 Jul 2009 19:59:27 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-116267 1. La sobremesa- The general gusto for long meals, good conversation, and lots of storytelling and laughing, without the pressure and angst of the days many "to-do's" or turning the table in a restaurant 2. Terrazas in the summer- There's La Latina, just about each plaza in Madrid, and cafe after cafe catering to the warm (or HOT!) summer air and the need to unwind and enjoy each other (and life around you) 3. Jamon iberico de bellota- I'm still not sure I've ever tasted a meat so sweet and salty at the same time, so rich, nutty, and irresistible! 4. Common/Informal expressions that only fit in Spanish: that even Queen Sofia herself says, "hombre, es que..."; little kids in the street saying "Juan, dejame la pelota, joder- me cago en la leche;" little old women saying, "pero que cono dices?" haha 1. La sobremesa- The general gusto for long meals, good conversation, and lots of storytelling and laughing, without the pressure and angst of the days many “to-do’s” or turning the table in a restaurant
2. Terrazas in the summer- There’s La Latina, just about each plaza in Madrid, and cafe after cafe catering to the warm (or HOT!) summer air and the need to unwind and enjoy each other (and life around you)
3. Jamon iberico de bellota- I’m still not sure I’ve ever tasted a meat so sweet and salty at the same time, so rich, nutty, and irresistible!
4. Common/Informal expressions that only fit in Spanish: that even Queen Sofia herself says, “hombre, es que…”; little kids in the street saying “Juan, dejame la pelota, joder- me cago en la leche;” little old women saying, “pero que cono dices?” haha

]]> By: Jonny http://www.notesfromspain.com/2009/07/10/why-spain-great-4-your-thoughts/comment-page-1/#comment-115672 Jonny Tue, 28 Jul 2009 21:08:19 +0000 http://www.notesfromspain.com/?p=1209#comment-115672 Santa Maria de Lebeña, nr Fuete De; (& the Picos de Europa generally), vermut on tap in Madrid tascas, torta de santiago, Bilbao's Casco Viejo, and any Spanish pork products - lomo, fuet, morcilla, chorizo, jamon, butifarra, chistorra, sobrasada, salchichon, you name it - and the opportunity to enjoy them unhurriedly and without breaking the bank. Santa Maria de Lebeña, nr Fuete De; (& the Picos de Europa generally), vermut on tap in Madrid tascas, torta de santiago, Bilbao’s Casco Viejo, and any Spanish pork products – lomo, fuet, morcilla, chorizo, jamon, butifarra, chistorra, sobrasada, salchichon, you name it – and the opportunity to enjoy them unhurriedly and without breaking the bank.

]]>