Hola, anyone still here? I’ve been away for a while, working, learning, travelling… Here are my latest Notes from Spain…
1. Only in Spain do the lesser mountain chains look as good as this….
That’s a corner of the Gredos mountains. We spent a weekend recently in Avila, from where we made the hour journey up to the Gredos range, starting with a coffee in the Parador de Gredos, and taking the lovely circular walk through the pine forest below. At reception they’ll give you details of picnic spots up the road by sparkling streams, and directions up to the snow-bound Plataforma de Gredos where walkers head up to tackle the nearby peaks. You’ll need a car.
2. Only in Spain can you go on retreat in tiny valleys lost deep at the end of dirt tracks in magical pine-covered national parks, as far off the grid as you can get…
Only in Spain do you discover that when you walk up the hill behind the house, you get hell of a surprise when you finally get to look over the ridge at the top: a hundred-mile view you never imagined could be there, of a million olive trees rolling across the plains of Jaen below…
This was, ‘El Camino Natural’, a very special place If you are a yoga-meditation-retreat kind of a person.
3. Only in Spain, as we discovered to our wide-eyed horror, might the owner of a very rural guest house investigate the smell of gas (i.e. possible gas leak!) in your room by running a lit match along the rubber pipe connecting the gas ‘butano’ bottle to the boiler on the wall…
4. Only in Spain do you find stacks of crisps piled up against shop windows…
Jessica
19 Apr 10 at 6:45 pm
Makes me want to go!!! I love Spain. I’ve missed the updates, Ben!
Heidi
19 Apr 10 at 7:31 pm
Hello Ben! I love your writings about Spain and recently purchased your book, Errant in Iberia. So far, it’s awesome! I lived in Spain for 2 years, so I can relate to much of the stuff you wrote in there. Great to have you back online, missed your notes from Spain
H.
Laduque
20 Apr 10 at 2:12 am
I missed your posts! The chips in the window is one of my favorites. Can’t wait to indulge my 5 senses this summer when I return to my beloved Madrid!
Brenna
20 Apr 10 at 2:59 am
Hi, just found this blog as I am researching graduate school options in spain.
Since I have a job here (US) I will keep working and save up some money while taking spanish classes for about 2 more years then I plan on graduate schoool. Any chance you know the age of most of the students in Masters programs in Spain, it seems to be a bit older from my research but then again, you are there. Any info helps!
Gracias,
Brenna
Paco Dans
21 Apr 10 at 8:48 pm
Hi Brenna
You can see this info (in spanish) at : http://www.mastermas.com/Guias/EspecialMasterPostgrado/P2.asp
I can say you that : 60% Master students in Spain are women and 70% 30 years old second cycle.
Hope results practical info for you.
best regards from Madrid .
Saludos Ben y enhorabuena por el Post .
Un habitual de Gredos y Avila ,
Paco Dans
Paco Dans
21 Apr 10 at 8:51 pm
sorry , something bad on publish :
60% women and 70% 30 years old.
Saludos.
Paco Dans
21 Apr 10 at 8:53 pm
I think , blog problem with simbols …
3rd try :
60% women
70% down of 25 years old
15% over 30 years old
all aprox.!!!
now OK
Ben Curtis
22 Apr 10 at 8:09 am
Thanks for all the info Paco, glad to have your input here!
Ben Curtis
20 Apr 10 at 7:47 am
Thanks for all the comments and the welcome back! I missed posting too!
@Brenna – It seems to me the age is higher too, but to be quite honest I just don’t know – I suggest asking in our forums.
trobfr
21 Apr 10 at 8:51 am
If you already know Madrid, may i recommend you to go to the north around Cantabria like Santander, Bilbao (most famous ones), Solares, Santoña (less famous ones)… you will find beautiful landscape and like spanish “alli se come bien” (you eat well there)
TetuL
22 Apr 10 at 3:01 pm
hola . quiero preguntarse algo. soy de turquia y estudiante de la lengua y literatura de la española.Necesito su ayuda . quiero ver telenovelas españolas pero yo no puedo encontrarlas. Me puede sugerir algunas telenovelas porfavorrrrrr. ^^
besosss
Ben Curtis
25 Apr 10 at 3:25 pm
Hola – pregunta en el foro (forum), te pueden ayudar mucho alli.
Marco Ochoa
23 Apr 10 at 5:25 am
Ben,
I went to Madrid and Barcelona for the first time last April and absolutely loved it! Soon after coming back, I stumbled on your site and enjoy your postings. After 9 days there, I did get the feeling that Spaniards work to live, not vice versa; as in the U.S. Meals are meant to be enjoyed with conversation, plenty of food and wine. I am Mexican-American and have visited my relatives in Mexico hundreds of times but never had the same feeling as I had in Spain. Also, the people were so friendly, even strangers whom we would ask for directions. I can’t wait to go back!
Akila
23 Apr 10 at 6:31 pm
I just found your site and am loving reading through your wonderful posts on Spain. I spent a summer there about 10 years ago and loved it. We are going back next year and I can’t wait. I remember the crisps stacked against the store fronts. I would also add that “only in Spain, will you see full pigs hung up by their legs in storefronts above the pile of crisps.”
Aja
24 Apr 10 at 5:33 pm
I can’t wait to get to Spain!! I plan to go by next year to pursue my Masters..I love your blog, and the pictures are to die for!! Do you take them yourself, Ben?
Ben Curtis
25 Apr 10 at 3:25 pm
Yes, I take them all, glad you like them!
Dave
26 Apr 10 at 2:34 pm
Great Post Ben!
Incredible View in those photos! I’ve been reading all your older posts and got some great information! I stumbled across your website as my girlfriend and i are planning on moving to Granada Feb next year! Do you have any experience in Granada? Anyone who we talk to about living there (both Spanish and foreign) love it!
Ben Curtis
27 Apr 10 at 7:56 am
Granada is pretty close to heaven on earth I think, here’s a post I wrote about my favourite walk there:
http://www.notesfromspain.com/2006/09/18/a-walk-through-granada/
Mara
26 Apr 10 at 10:33 pm
I was looking for more info about Spain and found this blog… thanks! I’m thinking about traveling to the country in the fall, in the meanwhile learning some Spanish on Babbel.com (http://www.babbel.com). Gracias!
Mondell
27 Apr 10 at 6:26 am
Item #3 of your post gave me the chills. I mean, who the hell investigates a gas leak by LIGHTING A MATCH!?! That is one seriously unsafe practice. He should use his nose and his flashlight.
I guess this practice is consistent with how you’ve been describing Spaniards all these years…they live life to the fullest even if it means sometimes it’s on the edge.
Ben Curtis
27 Apr 10 at 7:54 am
Yup, that sums it up
Funny thing is, this guy is a doctor, you think he might have known better!
Rachel
27 Apr 10 at 3:00 pm
I just found this blog, and I had to comment on the match story. I, too, live in Spain, and my first weekend in my apartment I went away for a night. When I came back, the apartment smelled very strongly of gas. I’m used to using gas, so I panicked and called the landlord, and he did the same thing. He sent me out of the apartment and then when he called me back in, he was standing in the kitchen next to the gas tank with a lit match! He was like, “Don’t worry, there’s no gas leak.” Must be a Spanish thing!·
Ben Curtis
28 Apr 10 at 8:55 am
Yup, complete madness!!