Spanish customs you may find strange...

1. Their Timetable or "Horario"

The Spanish are known throughout Europe for the strange hours they keep. You'll realise this when out late in the evening with your friends you look up to see young children chasing each other round restaurant tables as the clock strikes 11pm. Shouldn't they be at home tucked up in bed? Where are their parents?

We've all heard of the Spanish siesta which involves taking a short nap at around 3 or 4pm in the afternoon during the baking heat of summer (A tradition I made the most of during my time away). Not everyone also knows that going to bed before midnight in Spain is practically unheard of. They still manage to get up early enough to get to work and school every day; it amazed me how people could survive with such little sleep.

Meal times are vastly different from England with my grumbling stomach usually piping up round 1.30pm only to be satisfied by about 3.30pm when I got home from work. Dinner is hardly ever before 10pm and can go on for hours. The Spanish actually have verbs that mean "to stay up all night" and "to get up very early" - "trasnochar" and "madrugar".

Don't be surprised if shops shut in the afternoon to make time for siesta or if nobody arrives at the club before 2am - they're probably still eating...


2. Eating Standing Up

Speaking of eating, how often would you expect to go out for a light meal in England and find the restaurant has no chairs? This is a regular occurence in Spain with many restaurants like "El Tigre" in Madrid having a kind of shelf around the walls to perch your drink on and not much else. That being said these places are often mainly serving tapas or light bites to go with your drink; all the food at El Tigre comes free with a glass of cider/beer!


3. Throwing your dirty napkins to the floor...

This Spanish quirk was just so against everything I've ever been taught about manners that I just couldn't bring myself to take part. In many bars there are napkins on tables which you are encouraged to use and then...THROW ON THE FLOOR! There may be a kind of trough running along the base of the bar but more often than not you're expected to just screw up your tissues and drop them where you stand. Throughout the night a member of bar staff pushes a huge broom around the tables gathering up all the rubbish and carries them away. Would it not just be easier to put them in the bin in the first place?

Though often, the more napkins, the more popular the bar with the locals and the better the food!


4. They don't do cards...

This was something that my friend Cat and I discovered early on. The Spanish just don't do cards in the same way the British do. If you're looking for a tasteful birthday, valentines, anniversary, thank you or Christmas card you'll certainly have to begin the search with time to spare. El Corte Inglés, the main Spanish department store, has a pitiful selection and newsagents just don't stock them. There are postcards everywhere but be warned these are VERY unlikely to reach their destination! If you want a card/message to reach home it pretty much has to be in an envelope; all the postcards I ever sent never arrived.

If you're feeling entrepreneurial there's definitely a gap in the market for expats who desperately need a last minute card!


5. YOU buy the cake on your birthday

Unlike in England, where it's customary for your colleagues to club together and bring in a cake or a small treat of some sort, in Spain you're the one parting with the cash. When your birthday rolls around make sure to have a box of chocs ready to share out at work to celebrate. It's just the Spanish way; when its their birthday you'll be given your share of cake too!

Have you noticed any strange customs while in Spain? Leave me a comment below or tweet me - I'd love to hear about them!

The Chino - A Spanish Institution

In my first few weeks in Madrid I discovered what would later become an essential part of life in the city; the Chino. These are the equivalent of the corner shop in England and sell everything from stationary and food to bed linen and crockery. We were forever popping out to the Chino for something or other.

If you're on the hunt for one you won't have to look far; any shop with the words "Alimentación" or "Bazar" on the sign is more often than not a Chino. They also often make a play on the famous Spanish department store El Corte Ingles and call themselves "El Corte Chino". The unequivocal king of the Chinos in my opinion is La Casa de Pin on the Ronda de Atocha; an absolute palace spread over three floors devoted to homeware, knick knacks and everything else you could want.

In Spanish the word "chino/a" means "chinese man/chinese woman" or can simply be used as an adjective to mean chinese e.g. "la tienda china". It's not surprising therefore that these shops are run by chinese families who have migrated over the years to Spain. Coming from England, where we're all so desperate to be seen as politically correct, I was a bit reluctant to use the word Chino at first, it just seemed a bit rude somehow.

We've all heard someone say that all English corner shops are run by "pakis" or make jokes about "Mr Patel" something which often comes across as racist even if it's intended to be funny. Here, just like in every aspect of their life, the Spanish take a more direct approach. The shops are run by chinese people or "chinos" so they use the same name for the shop. This might seem a bit demeaning but it's really innocent. I'm sure if they were run by russians or greeks they'd call them "rusos" or "griegos". Throughout my year in Madrid I never once heard anyone be racist towards a chino (person or shop).

If you're living in Spain for any length of time "chino" will just become part of your new Spanish vocabulary. Need a new lightbulb or adaptor plug? Head to the Chino. Forgotten to buy pasta or need some decorations to jazz up your new room? The Chino's got you covered. I even bought an emergency suitcase from La Casa de Pin the day before flying home as my mountain of stuff refused to be squashed into the two I'd brought with me.

What's more these shops are often open long after the supermarkets shut on a Sunday or Saint's day; something you will be eternally grateful for when you check your cupboards that morning and find them empty...

Museo Chicote - A bar with a story

Museo Chicote was one of those places I knew I couldn't leave Madrid without having seen just once. My lonely planet guidebook billed it as a "Madrid landmark" and I'd often walked home after a night out past its bright red neon sign. Famous as the city's oldest cocktail bar and boasting an impressive list of customers including Frank Sinatra, Ava Gardner, Grace Kelly and Sophia Loren, missing it was out of the question!

 

Kat and I went out for cocktails in the last few weeks of my time away and it was the perfect time to pay this place a visit. The interior is sufficiently swish with 1930s furniture, a beautifully lit bar, leather booths and photographs of all the famous guests covering the walls.

 

 

We selected our booth and ordered some cocktails (an icy passionfruit concoction for me and a martini for Kat). The drinks came with the option of a Thai tapa so we each had some delicious spicy chicken sticks with mango dip as a side.

 

The wall all along behind the booths is lined with mirrors, here's an arty shot of Kat:

The place was fairly quiet when we arrived and for most of the time we were there; a few couples were enjoying cocktails at the bar but it never really filled up. This would be the perfect spot for a date as the gorgeous interior is certainly impressive and the cocktails were delicious. One thing that did ruin the atmosphere a bit was the arrival of the DJ; after 11.30pm he started playing what my family describes as "bangin' toons". Something that didn't really fit in with the classy decor and black and white photos of old film stars and artists.

Despite this, Museo Chicote is most definitely worth a visit if you're in Madrid for a couple of nights. How could you pass up a chance to visit the bar that Hemingway used to shelter from bombs during the civil war and where Ava Gardner and Frank Sinatra had a lovers' tiff?

If you've visited Museo Chicote leave me a comment below and tell me what you thought!

Why I Love Autumn in Madrid

1. The leaves go gold but the sky stays blue!

Unlike the English autumn where we might have a few sunny days but the majority is muggy, wet and grey, autumn in Madrid is just perfect. This is the best season to visit El Retiro park and soak up some hazy sunshine. Jazz bands play, kids scoot by on go-karts and everything is right with the world...

 

 

 

2. Hot chocolate is a thing the Spanish do VERY well

If you ask for "una taza de chocolate" or a cup of chocolate in Madrid that's just what you get; a cup of thick melted chocolate. This is perfect for dipping (any biscuits/churros/doughnuts will do) or, if you're feeling really naughty, gulping straight from the cup. If you're after more traditional hot chocolate (ie. chocolate powder mixed with hot milk) then ask for a "cola cao".

3. In the streets people roast chestnuts and corncobs on braziers

It always makes me smile when I see people doing this; it feels like I've hopped back in time. The men wear flat caps and stand over huge metal braziers with the smoky smell of roasting chestnuts filling the air. I've also seen bright yellow corncobs dripping in butter. In the spring and summer they also sell pastries and chocolate.

4. The fashion and shopping

Autumn is my favourite time of year whatever country I'm in. All the new autumn collections come out in the shops and we can all start wearing cosy scarves and jumpers in lovely autumnal colours. In Madrid the arrival of the season is greeted by a horde of little old ladies digging out their favourite winter coats. It may still be fairly warm but look out of an upper floor window and it seems like the streets are over-run with tiny, fuzzy bears hurrying along. The brands on offer here are often not sold in the UK so take advantage while you can - oh stradivarius I miss you so!

5. The football season starts...

I have to say that I'm not all that bothered about the football as such but the excitement in the build-up towards a game permeates the whole city. I used to live right next to Santiago de Bernabeu stadium and the noise of people in the streets after a match was incredible - it definitely creates a great atmosphere. What's more it's a great conversation starter - ask a madrileño/a whether they support Real Madrid or Atlético Madrid and see what happens...

6. The food

If you're in need of some culinary inspiration this autumn head to one of Madrid's many food markets. Here you'll find the stalls piled high with nuts, mushrooms, pumpkins and many other beautifully coloured autumnal delights.

* The photo of the old ladies in their fur coats in the plaza mayor was found on misadventuresofjason.blogspot.com

The Golden Triangle of Art

Madrid is a city absolutely bursting at the seams with history and culture. Some of the world's most famous pieces of art by history's most well known artists are kept here. The three largest and most popular art museums in the capital are said to form "the golden triangle of art". This is in fact a bit of a misnomer as they don't form a triangle exactly but more of a straight line all along the Paseo del Prado. In this post I'll give a quick summary of each museum and let you know which is my favourite (It'll be pretty obvious by the end...)

Heading northwards up the paseo the first museum you come to is the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia...or the Museo Reina Sofia for short. This impressive building with its shining steel and glass elevators houses a huge collection of artwork that spans the 20th century from 1900 to around 1980.

The focus is on revolt, conflict and rebellion in the art world with many pieces from the surrealist, cubist and abstract movements. Artists such as Dalí and Picasso are well represented with Picasso's famous Guernica painting a must see exhibit. This is my second favourite out of the three "golden triangle" museums. I have to say that modern art often leaves me cold; I'm not quite sure what to make of this black on black piece for example...

But there are plenty of colourful alternatives and some really beautiful examples of work from the turn of the century. I found this museum the most useful in my research for my year abroad project on the avant garde movement of the 1920s. Below is one of my favourite paintings in Madrid; Herman Anglada Camarasa's Sonia de Klamery echada. I love the use of the dark background which makes the woman herself and the jewel-bright bird almost luminous.

Here is Solana's famous painting of the Tertulia at Café Pombo:

At the Reina Sofia entrance is free on Sundays from 1.30pm to 7pm and otherwise costs 8 euros.

Next on our travels up the Paseo del Prado is, surprisingly enough, the Museo del Prado. This is without doubt Spain's most famous art museum and houses the most important collection of Spanish art in the world. Works by Rubens, El Greco and Diego Velázquez are on display alongside others from European artists from the 12th through to the 19th century. Perhaps the most famous painting by Velázquez, "las Meninas", which depicts the Spanish princess and her maids along with a self portrait of the artist is a great tourist attraction.

The collection of artwork held here is immense and you'll need to set aside at least a whole morning or afternoon to begin to take it all in.

The entrance fee is a fat 14 euros but is reduced to 7 euros for concessions. Students go free and there's free entry for all from Monday-Saturday 6-8pm and Sunday 5-7pm.

Everyone raves about the Museo del Prado and it is certainly an impressive collection of art in an impressive setting. For me though it's the third museum in the "golden triangle" that is really everything that an art museum should be. The Museo Thyssen Bornemisza sits at the top of the Paseo del Prado in a beautiful building with a lovely garden in front.

The inside of the building is just as lovely with high ceilings and plenty of natural light. The reason that I love this museum above all the others is the sheer variety of its art collection. To be honest I find the everlasting stream of religous scenes and court paintings in the Prado quite boring... Yes Las Meninas is an enigma but, as my parents noted after a trip to Venice, one can definitely reach saturation point when it comes to pictures of the baby Jesus.

In the Thyssen there's something for everyone. Lovers of modern art won't be disappointed:

Even those who get their kicks from white on white...

People looking for big names in the art world will also be in their element with several incredibly famous paintings dotted about.

Edward Hopper's Hotel Room (1931)

Hans Holbein's Portrait of Henry VIII

Edgar Degas' Swaying Dancer/Dancer in Green (1877-79)

As a historian and a lover of social history I find portraits of real people or events often much more fascinating than any depiction of a religious scene. Below is a selection of my favourite paintings from the Thyssen's collection showcasing the incredible variety of the works under its roof.

Portrait of President George Washington's Cook (1795-1797)

Henri Matisse, Conversation Under Olive Trees (1921)

Portrait of a Man (1475-1476)

From Medieval artworks...



to Georgian and Victorian society portraits...

 and right the way through to pop art...

 the Museo Thyssen Bornemisza has it all. If you visit one museum in the "golden triangle" and you can resist the pull of the Prado then make it this one; you won't be disappointed!

The entry fee is 10 euros and 7 euros for concessions. Free entry for children under 12 and for everyone on Mondays 12-4pm.

If you're familiar with these wonderful museums I'd love to know which one is your favourite. Leave a comment below or tweet me @madridadrift