07 February 2010

a little more spanish culture


(this was taken in a friend´s garden in mundaka.... she has a lemon tree....you know there are more....)

1. When Spaniards see you in the street they shout out, "Adios!" or "Hasta luego!" instead of, "Hola!"

2. There are over 240,000 bars in Spain. They provide jobs for 1.2 million people and produce 6% of Spain´s gross domestic product... 6%!!!

3.There are three types of coffee.
-Solo- which is an espresso served in a small cup.
-Cortado- which is an espresso with a splash of milk served in a small cup.
-Café con leche- which is an espresso with the same amount of milk served in a large cup.

4. Toilet paper in Spain is thicker than toilet paper in the US. Apparently, it´s because Spaniards fold their paper and Americans bunch it up into a ball... (I swear... it´s a fact in the Library of Congress of the United States of America...)



65 comments:

Enoo said...

;)
Regarding the first point it has surprised me a lot, I've tried to obtain in vain an explanation from my colleagues: es una costumbre!

Regarding the coffee you've forgotten el 3cafe con hielo" which is so pleasant cuando hace calor ;)

la ninja said...

oi! there we go with the clichés, you nutter.

they say that when they don't intend to stop. it's obviously a "greeting in passing". should they stop, then the conversation starts with "hola, ¿qué tal?", an invitation to chat.

bars. yup. shedloads. however, 19% unemployment at the mo (approx. 4 million people) so, obviously not enough bars.

carajillo, nena, carajillo. crucial one! ;P
it depends on the area. will post a pic of a fab café in málaga you may like.

not even getting into the bog roll one, mate. when I cried for cheekiness and scatology on my last comment I definitely wasn't expecting this one.

raspberry (o pedorreta :P)

Anandi said...

Let's put it this way, I just experienced a resurgence of toilet humor.

Loved the lemons!

Juniper said...

Funny, the adios greeting. I remember in Nepal among Tibetans it was 'where are you going'?, followed by 'where have you been'?.
Love Cafe Cortados, wish they made them like they do in Spain here. .

la ninja said...

as a matter of fact, easier to send you their website

http://www.cafecentralmalaga.com/main.htm

than to find the pic I took back then. I love the last one "no me lo ponga", typical southern humour ;)

talooky said...

I follow la ninja.. The carajillo is an institution, especially in the construction business!! :D

Shokoofeh said...

:))
It's funny ;)

Love the photo.xo

Hayley Egan said...

Ok Regarding 1. YES! and it is the BEST. It left me a little upset at first, I must admit, but now I love the hasta-luego-hello.
It means: I've seen you, I acnowledge you, but I'm not going to talk to you.

Another of my favourites is the Spanish I've-finished-talking-to-you:
-"Venga!"...
All cultures should have these.

anna said...

Really enjoying this post:) Love the photo, love lemons & toilet paper can never be too thick I think. Have a great Sunday!

Memories Of Mine said...

let me get this straight, the 3 types of coffee in Spain are espresso, espresso with some milk and espresso with more milk.

That's not to hard to remember

McGillicutty said...

I love the bars in Spain.. I met hubby in a bar in Spain....it doesn't get much better than that!!!

In South West England we say "all right?" as a greeting, kinda meaning how are you? all right? good.

um la ninja... you lost me!!!!

likeschocolate said...

My husband is from Germany and he fold his toilet paper too, but I think he uses just as much as I do.

RosaMaría said...

i love the spanish bar!! is great can out of the job and go for a caña!
the toolet paper was very funny!

Anonymous said...

Wonderful Spanish lesson!

One café con leche please o;)

Agneta, the swedish one

Crescent Moon said...

I really like these lessons about Spanish culture!
Since you are a U.S. ex-pat:

Happy Superbowl Sunday!

Pascale said...

This is such a great picture! And I like your list. It took us a little while too to get used to the new vocabulary for ordering coffee when we just arrived in Paris...

Francesca said...

No cappuccino? No frothy coffee goodness? You must move to Italy:)!

Juana said...

I can say that still amuses me the fact that italians say "Ciao" when they meet you as well when they say you Goodbay!
¡Hasta la vista, Jane!

Sammi said...

Spanish paper is also harder, especially Scottex, I think its called, I really didnt like that stuff!

puna said...

I want to live in Spain! Adios!

Victoria | Hibiscus Bloem said...

Thanks for the 'insider's guide to being Spanish' - great tips so we don't all look like tourists!! How lovely to have a lemon tree in the garden. Sadly the only lemon I found today was going green and dusty when I picked it out of the bowl - yuck!!!

Miss Zen said...

God bless Spain !

aimee said...

i'll take a triple solo!

Mlle Paradis said...

Well you learn something new everyday! Who ever knew there was an alternative to FOLDING?

Anonymous said...

I am colombian! toilet paper is "papel higienico" !!

i hope you learn so many words!

hasta luegito means see you!

kisses!

Robin said...

Thanks for the toliet paper info! I got a much needed chuckle out of that!

Hope all is well with you and your family!

et lille oejeblik - a little moment said...

i was once at a hens night party where everyone got a roll of toilet paper and had to take off paper as they'd do when visiting the bathroom. what a strange conversation that led too, but with lots of laughing :)

in denmark we'll say hi when we meet in the street and hi hi is like "see you". so passing by people in the street, not stopping, you'll say hi hi. D is still amazed with all this hi-hi-hi-hi going on :)

in israel they have this hand sign for "give me a minute". it totally pissed me off in the beginning when i'd talk to someone and then i'd get this hand sign, wihtout them even looking in my eyes or turning towards me. i felt so insulted. now i have realized how effective it can be that you don't have to interrupt what your doing with a polite smile and say "just a moment". (but is still think it's a bit arrogant :)

Luxury Spain said...

Not sure #4 is strictly Spanish 'culture' but made me laugh anyway...

Unknown said...

After Ninja, no words to add.
Carajillo my love.
I must bring you to a little coffee in the old part....

la ninja said...

right, what a carajillo is (for anyone interested or... lost, mcgilli)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carajillo

where I come from we have carajillo (called "cigaló") and "trifàssic" (which is basically espresso+milk+shot or, in other words, a cortado/carajillo hybrid)

I am partial to the baileys one, me(with or w/out the extra milk.)
really. worth a try :)

Reyes said...

Ha,Ha! In my mother's village in Rioja Baja (80 inhabitants) they don't say "hasta luego" or "adios", they just make a gutural sound, life hasn't changed much there in the last 100 years ;-) Besos

Ian said...

You seem to have researched number four very well. Does that include number one and number two?

Kaylovesvintage said...

thanks for teaching me

Joyce said...

Thank you for the lesson my friend. xo

Conny said...

American's ball up their toilet paper??? Okay, so I grew up in a dutch household (in America) and have always folded, but my 6-yr old son wads it up into a ball. I did NOT teach him that! Some "American" must have shown him how. So funny.

Also, glad that I now know how to order coffee (if I ever get to Spain). Thanks for the tip. :>)

And, have a great day.

Emily said...

I'll remember these when we're in Barcelona!

I don't know if you "do" awards or not, but I gave you one today, just because I enjoy your blog so much!

Di said...

These are great facts - particularly the bar and toilet paper facts!

Shannon said...

Super fun! Happy to have discovered your blog.

Palmer and Co said...

LOVE this shot!! I don't think there is a shot you've taken that I haven't loved!

Happy Week, Jane!

Anne Marie said...

There are lots of more types of coffee than three. You have also the "cortado corto de cafe", "manchado", "nube", "sombra" and probably lots more that I don't know of...all are variations of coffee with milk. Each name indicating the quantity of milk.

I just had to add to you wonderful facts about Spain :-)

Unknown said...

Hihi! You're so right! I didn't realize that saying Adios, o Hasta luego didn't make sense! :) And the coffee that I miss here is cafe con hielo! I tried to order it a couple of times, and oh, the looks I got, but I guess, we don't have a proper summer here, so we don't need it!

Lisa said...

Thank you. A lot new I learned today.

Unknown said...

heheheh...so great to know! l))

Angel.Pearls said...

Fun reading -love your 'spanish lemon'! Love//Eva

denise said...

i love tidbits of culture like that. :) and to be able to grow lemon trees, or any kind of citrus, in my yard is a dream of mine.

solo is my cup of coffee...and yes, 6% is a LOT!!!

P I A said...

I especially like the 4th point and these multi-culti secrets! I experienced one day a misunderstanding regarding cafe con leche vasso. I felt like lost in translation. Have a nice day!

Line said...

ooh ooh love your culture Jane thicker toilet paper...!!

and you can talk about coffee anytime!!

outi said...

hi hi, good facts to know, especially the last one;)
hugs!

P I A said...

Thank you Jane for your nice words. I love yours, too!!! And I can't wait for more :) xoxo pia

Eliane Zimmermann said...

toilet paper in ireland is even thinner than in america, even the 4-ply-stuff....

Anonymous said...

these are great - more facts, more facts!!!

hola! (he, he)


anyone know this week's corner view? i never know how to find out any more if it's not on jane's blog!!!

Anonymous said...

and by the way - i'd take the cafe con leche!

Don said...

And if you fold it into a ball?

alexandria said...

This was so fun to read! I like the things you come up with.

Anonymous said...

never mimd - got it - repurposed - thanks

(over my funk by the way!)

shayndel said...

Time for an afternoon cortado---
I like the sound of Spanish coffees, must be delicious!
Hope you're having a great day.

Maia said...

Whose job is it, do you suppose, at the library of congress...

Candela said...

N.4, Toilet paper, I absolutely agree, my husband is american and he bunches it up into a ball, while I fold it. Man, I thought he was special, but you just taught me it's something normal...

Sherry O said...

Ojú! I was going to add the "manchao" (manchado...mostly milk with a "stain" of espresso), but see somebody beat me to the punch. It's how my cousin drinks it in Cádiz. 'Ta hora. :o)

melski said...

Thanks for dropping by my blog :)Hehe, your post brings back lots of memories! Like when I got home from studying in Spain cafe latte tasted like dishwater, it was so weak compared to what i was used to!

Anonymous said...

These posts on spanish culture are great.

Kate Coveny Hood said...

I loved my Spanish cafe con leche... The warmed milk made all the difference.

beatrice De said...

Hola signora.

Cuando vivi a Minorca, la isla blanca, Nosotros tenemos un arboles de citrons.

Mas agnos tarde yo los vistos a Chypre. Aqui, en Suiza, nos aye en el jardin.Es un pequeno frio !!!.

Meillor de escribir en engles. Verdad !

when I use to live in Minorca, we had a lemmons tree. What a pleasure to go to and pik up a fresh lemon for the salad.

Then, I have seen many more in a friend' garden, in Chypre.
It is to cold to gr... pour les faire pousser ... in Switzerland.

Un petit coucou de Lausanne en Suisse.
Just one more comment !!!

beatrice De said...

What I like very mutch in Spain is la *hoschata*. Not the one in cans, the fresh one, almands drink.But you cant found it every vhere, they must be lot of almands.

In Menorca they are.

linda; said...

I love the picture - reminds me of "The Syrian Bride". Thank you for sharing a little bit of the spanish culture.

pink

I knew a girl who was blue. So she painted her world pink. xoxo