10 Spanish things better than their UK equivalents (Part I)

Five years in sunny Spain is plenty of time I reckon to make an objective comparison between the place I left and the one I now call home. In no particular order then, here are ten things I think Spain does just a tad, (actually, considerably), better than the United Kingdom.

Pulpo a la Gallega

Food - sure Inglaterra has cottage pie, Yorkshire puds, Cornish pasties and hotpot - but where would you like me to start with the Mediterranean alternatives ? We'll kick off with tapas shall we, quite possibly one of the best culinary inventions ever - period. First things first, tapas is not/aren't a starter or an "entrada," moreover it's the perfect way to eat as little or as much as you like. Moving swiftly on, the regional options dwarf those availible over the water and the list really is endless. A couple at random: Paella originated in the Valencia region and over the years the signature dish of the Communidad Valenciana has travelled far and wide with different versions evolving depending on whereabouts in the country you ask for it. Pulpo a la Gallega - Octopus from Galicia, the very best eight legged seafood Spain has to offer and a speciality of the Galicia region of Spain directly to the north of Portugal with an Atlantic coastline just south of  the Bay of Biscay.

La Gota Fria often wreaks indiscriminate havoc

The weather - the obvious one but impossible to ignore unfortunately. Obviously the postcards would have you believe that for nine months of the year Spain cooks beaneath a cloudless blue sky, I wouldn't say as many as nine to be honest, for perhaps four months it's a bit on the warm side and at a push, five. For the rest of the year though nothing is off limits weather wise, which includes biblical rains and enough snow in certain areas to sustain some pretty pricey ski resorts. Don't believe everything someone sends you from their summer holidays, during November, December and January my woolly hat, gloves and scarf are most definitely not redundant. Following weeks and weeks where the temperature hovers on or above 40 degrees day after day, towards the end of September a bizarre and, I think unique, weather phenomenon known as La Gota Fria looms large and is a distinct possibility for at least a month. In short, certain unlucky areas can expect torrential rains which leave streets under water and many small towns unable to cope with the deluge.

Outrageous prices for UK faves

Prices - erm, they're quite a bit lower for almost everything. I suppose the best rule of thumb is what costs a quid in the United Kingdom will set you back a euro in Spain. I don't know, say, pizzas - Domino's Pizza in the UK would politely ask you to part with nine quid for example, but over here a very similar order would run to nine of those funny European thingy's. Obviously, currency exchange fluctuations have an impact so at today's rate it would be, give or take, about £7.50 - a couple of years ago holiday makers heading for the Costa's would have secured even better rates of exchange and, thus, even better value. Generally speaking, most things, for example - petrol for the car, a pint of beer, a restaurant meal, cigarettes, basically all the crucial stuff is about twenty per cent cheaper. The exceptions to this rule are the kinds of stuff ex-pats in Spain can't seem to do without; i.e., Marmite, The Sun newspaper, Branston pickle and Heinz spaghetti hoops, to name but a few. For these and other household names from Tesco, expect to be shamelessly ripped off!

A simple system no-one is baffled by

Dustbins - by that I mean a direct comparison between the seemingly haphazard UK "system" and the slick organisation of Spain where trash of all kinds is removed the day people dump it. From memory, British households are issued with about thirteen different coloured receptacles, each of which is designated as being for specific types of household waste. Woe betide any harassed English mum who inadvertently puts an empty fish finger box in the container for grass cuttings and green mulch because that hidden camera within is capable of issuing a spot fine!  In continental Southern Europe it's altogether simpler, every fourth or fifth block in mosts towns you come across a group of three or four big old bins for paper, glass, organic waste and one more for the rest. Once a night, the two niffy ones, (organic and everything else), are emptied by a massive great truck which makes its rounds as everyone is fast asleep. Paper and glass are emptied in the same method once the containers are full, usually weekly. It really isn't rocket science!!

Señoritas - yes please

Ladies - it might be something to do with all that olive oil, I'm not entirely sure what, but by and large Spanish ladies are actually quite fit. Blondes may well have all the fun, but I guarantee you leggy brown eyed brunettes get most of the admiring glances. Although it's my blog and I can write exactly what I want, I'd better stop now because someone, more than likely an anaemic looking British woman, is bound to label me a sexist. I would just add though that I've spent the last four years of my life living with one of the aforementioned señoritas so I am perfectly well qualified and competent to judge the differences.
PS - I've had the privilege and pleasure of knowing some amazing non -Spanish females throughout my life, some of whom remain dear friends that I trust implicitly and there's one in particular I will always adore.


That's the top half - my final five will be coming up shortly.