Four Interesting facts about Spain

• Gay marriage was legalized June 2005 in this strongly Catholic country despite fierce opposition from the church
• Olive oil from Spain makes up 44% of the total olive oil production in the world
• Spanish people have two surnames, that of both their mother and their father, however, only the father's names get carried forward to the next generation. So if you meet a girl whose name is Maria Martin Garcia you know her father is Senor Martin and her mother was Senorita Garcia. If Maria marries Juan Perez and has children, their surname (apellido) would be Perez Martin, so in old films when a Spanish nobleman gave his name as Juan Garcia de Perez de Martin and so on, he was actually giving a rundown of all his male ancestors!
• Madrid boasts the oldest restaurant in the world, Casa Botin opened in 1725

Five foods to try in Spain

• Paella a traditional rice dish, that has many variations, most people though would expect chicken, pork and seafood in their paella
• Rabo de Buey a rich stew made from ox tail, in Antequera between Malaga and Granada you can eat under the bull ring in their restaurant and actually eat the tail of the bull that fought that day!
• Sopa de Lentejas or lentil soup, made with either brown or puy lentils, squash and ham, it’s a thick and satisfying meal with bread
• Gazpacho the famous cold tomato soup with lots of peppers, onion and olive oil, all ingredients are raw
• Turron – a soft nougat that you can buy year round but most especially at Christmas

Five places to visit in Spain

• Granada and the Alhambra
• The caves at Nerja
• Seville especially at fiesta time – although you need to book well in advance
• Bilbao and the Gaudi museum
• Toledo for the sword making

Spain has good municipal water with very stringent regulations and you should be able to drink it safely, however there is a small chance that your body will need to get used to the natural bacteria inhabiting all water.

Pharmacies in Spain are easily spotted by their illuminated Green Cross , many prescription medicines are available ‘over the counter’ so if you to replenish yours then you should have no trouble, just be sure to take the original packaging with you so you can be sure of getting the correct thing.

There are many ‘walk in’ clinics and of course if you come from another EU country and carry your health card with you, you should be able to get free treatment, however, it is always best to also have good travel insurance should you need to b flown home or have to cancel your trip.

Spain Emergency Numbers

Police 091 Ambulance 061 Fire 080

Spain is a lovely country to visit, the people are warm and friendly, the food is good, the weather, especially in the south is great too, July and August being the hottest and most humid months. Take a good mosquito repellent though as they too are numerous!

On the coast (the Costas) English is spoken by many people but they always appreciate you trying to speak a little Spanish.

Enjoy your visit and drive safely!

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