Spain ... Ole

Spain for me has always reserved romantic ideas of Don Quixote, Isabel and Ferdinand and, of course, Antonio Banderas. It has, in many ways, exceeded my expectations.

In late September, Spain is fantastic. Most of the tourists are gone and the
kids are back in school. Those of us who enjoy the warm weather, but prefer a more serene setting, know not to travel to Europe in August. The weather is temperate at that time; mid 70's during the day but chilly enough in the evenings for a light sweater.

The Spanish follow a siesta, closing shops from about 1PM to 4PM. I've found that if the time is nearing siesta and I'm browsing in a shop, it's helpful to ask the shopkeeper if they are taking a siesta that day. Those that I've talked to have appreciated my asking and will note when they're expecting to close.

Though it sounds great to take a nap from 1 to 4, I still have difficulty
grasping the Spanish timing. As a culture, they're night people. Don't expect to find a coffee shop open at 6AM or even 8AM. In my experience, I've found cafés do open at about 11-ish. You can get a coffee and a churro and that's about it. Speaking of coffee, I'll just point out now that Spanish coffee is strong - very strong. If you aren't a fan of a cappuccino from Starbucks you better not order one in Spain. Try a café au lait instead. If you're like me, and enjoy a little something for breakfast, I highly recommend heading to the Supermercado for some snacks/breakfast food.

Lunch is typically served starting at 1:00. If you're quite lucky you can find a place lunch open at noon, however I can guarantee that you'll be opening up the joint! For dinner, I prefer to call and make a reservation or simply ask what time the restaurant is open. Most restaurants in Spain don't open for dinner until 7PM at the earliest. Locals typically eat dinner around 9 or 10 PM.

While we're on the subject of food, Spanish food is fantastic. If you haven't tried it, you need to keep a few things in mind. As with many Mediterranean countries, the Spanish cook with olive oil. Not butter. Not lard. Olive oil. If you're a fan of Mexican food, remember that Spanish food is very different.