This tropical archipelago is surrounded by rich fishing grounds and potentially by gas and oil deposits, and strategically located near several primary shipping lanes in the central South China Sea
There is only 4 square kilometres of land, but there are six countries with territorial claims It is claimed in its entirety by China, Taiwan, and Vietnam, while portions are claimed by Malaysia and the Philippines 45 of them are claimed and occupied by one of these parties Even Brunei has gotten in on it, claiming exclusive economic rights encompassing one of the islands
Unsurprisingly, the official and universal language used in Spain is Spanish español, castellano, but it's more complicated than that, as it differs from the Latin American varieties in pronunciation and other details It is part of the Romance family of languages others include Portuguese, Galician, Catalan, Italian, Occitan, French, and Romanian and is one of the main branches of that family It is more properly called Castilian castellano
However, there are a number of languages — Catalan, Basque, Galician, Asturian, etc — spoken in various parts of Spain Some of these languages are dominant in their respective regions, and following their legalization in the 1978 constitution, they are co-official with Castilian Apart from Basque whose origins are still debated the languages of the Iberian Peninsula are part of the Romance family and are fairly easy to pick up if you know Castilian well Learning a few words in the local languages where you are traveling will help endear you to the locals
In addition to the native languages, English and French are commonly studied in school If you are visiting a tourist area you will find people who are fluent in several languages You may not be lucky elsewhere, and your best bet would be young urban people Speak slowly, use simple words and don't hesitate to use gestures or a notebook to be understood Chances are people will understand words more easily if you write them down
French is the most widely understood language in the north-east of Spain, like Alquezar and Cap de Creus at times even better than English, as the majority of travelers there come from France
Locals will appreciate any attempts you make to speak their language For example, "Good morning" Buenos días and "Thank you" Gracias
If you are interested in learning Spanish, there are several options available LSI Language Studies International offers quality Spanish courses in Spain 12
Spain is the country with the 2nd largest number of UNESCO Heritage Sites in the world The most popular beaches are the ones in the Mediterranean coasts and the Canary Islands Meanwhile, for hiking, the mountains of Sierra Nevada in the south, the Central Cordillera and the northern Pyrenees are the best places
Spain has a lot of local festivals that are worth going to
Skiing in the northen region of Spain
For a treat, try Costa Brava and the world renowned Canary Islands
The economic value of the islands is the waters for fishing, and the suspected presence of underwater petroleum reserves There is virtually no economic activity taking place on the islands themselves
The Spanish are very passionate about their food and wine and Spanish cuisine Spanish food can be described as quite light with a lot of vegetables and a huge variety of meat and fish The Spanish cuisine does not use many spices; it relies only on the use of high quality ingredients to give a good taste As such, you may find Spanish food bland at times but there are usually a variety of restaurants in most cities Italian, Chinese, American fast food if you would like to experience a variety of flavors
Spaniards have a different eating timetable than many people are used to
The key thing to remember for a traveler is:
Normally, restaurants in big cities don't close until midnight during the week and 2-3AM during the weekend
Breakfast is eaten by most Spaniards Traditional Spanish breakfast includes coffee or orange juice, and pastries or a small sandwich In Madrid, it is also common to have hot chocolate with "churros" or "porras" In cafes, you can expect varieties of tortilla de patatas see the Spanish dishes section, sometimes tapas either breakfast variety or same kind as served in the evenings with alcohol
The entry level to Spanish food is found in bars as tapas, which are a bit like "starters" or "appetizers", but are instead considered side orders to accompany your drink Some bars will offer a wide variety of different tapas; others specialize on a specific kind like seafood-based A Spanish custom is to have one tapa and one small drink at a bar, then go to the next bar and do the same A group of two or more individuals may order two or more tapas or order raciones instead, which are a bit larger in order to share
Fast food has not yet established a strong grip on the Spaniards and you will find McDonalds and Burger King only in bigger towns in the usual places The menu can be a surprise since it has been customized to appeal to the locals and beer, salads, yogurt primarily Danone, and wine are prominent Pizza is increasingly popular and you will find some outlets in bigger towns but it can be their own homegrown franchise such as TelePizza
Seafood: on a seacoast, fresh seafood is widely available and quite affordable In the inner regions, frozen and poor quality seafood can be frequently encountered outside few highly reputed and expensive restaurants In coastal areas seafood deserves some attention, especially on the north Atlantic coast
Quality seafood in Spain comes from Spain's northwestern region of Galicia So restaurants with the words Gallego Galician will generally specialize in seafood If you are feeling adventurous, you might want to try the Galician regional specialty Pulpo a la Gallega, which is boiled octopus served with paprika, rock salt and olive oil Another adventurous option is Sepia which is cuttlefish, a relative of squid, or the various forms of Calamares squid that you can find in most seafood restaurants If that isn't your style you can always order Gambas Ajillo garlic shrimp, Pescado Frito fried fish, Buñuelos de Bacalao breaded and deep fried cod or the ever-present Paella dishes
Meat products are usually of very good quality, because Spain has maintained quite a high percentage of free range animals
Ordering beef steaks is highly recommended, since most comes from free range cows from the mountains north of the city
Pork cuts which are also highly coveted are those known as Presa Iberica and Secreto Iberico, an absolute must if found in the menu of any restaurant
Soups: choice of soups beyond gazpacho is very limited in Spanish restaurants
Water is frequently served without a specific request, and is normally charged for--unless it's included in your menu del dia If you would like free tap water instead of bottled water, request "agua del grifo" water from the tap However, not all restaurants will offer this and you may be forced to order bottled water
Appetizers such as bread, cheese, and other items may be brought to your table even if you didn't order them You will be charged for them If you do not want these appetizers, politely inform the waiter that you do not want them
Tipping is not observed in Spain so don't tip unless there was something absolutely exceptional about the service As a result, you may find that waiters are not as attentive or courteous as you may be used to since they don't work for tips This is less true in major resorts and cities where tipping is common Look around at other diners to assess if tipping is appropriate
World-level restaurants: There are several restaurants in Spain which are destinations in itself, becoming a sole reason to travel to a specific city One of them is El Bulli in Roses
No service charges are included in the bill A little extra tip is common and you are free to increase that if you are very pleased Obviously you don’t have to tip a lousy waiter You would typically leave the small change after paying with a note
VAT is-not-included is a common trick for mid-range and splurge restaurants: always check in menu whether VAT 8%, IVA in Spanish is included in menu prices
Many restaurants offer a complete lunch meal for a fixed price – "menú del día" – and this often works out as a bargain Water or wine is commonly included in the price
Typical Spanish food can be found all over the country, however top tourist destinations such as Costa Brava and Costa del Sol have turned all existing traditions upside down Meaning that drinks are generally more expensive about double and quality is at its lowest It is difficult to find proper Spanish food in the tourist centers
However you will get Schnitzel, original English breakfast, Pizza, Donner, and frozen fish However, if you are prepared to look a little harder, then even in the busiest tourist towns, you can find some exceptional traditional Spanish restaurants If you are on the coast then think fish and seafood and you won't be disappointed
In most cities you can also find international cuisine such as Italian, Chinese, French, Thai, Japanese, Middle Eastern, Vietnamese, Argentinian, etc The bigger the city, the more variety you can find
For the past decade there has been a surge in the number of Irish pubs and Japanese restaurants to be found in most cities
Typical dishes are:
Spanish people are very passionate about the quality, intensity and taste of their coffee and good freshly brewed coffee is available almost everywhere
The usual choices are solo, the milk-less espresso version; cortado, solo with a dash of milk; con leche, solo with milk added; and manchado, coffee with lots of milk sort of like the French cafe au lait Asking for caffee latte will likely result in less milk then you are used to--it's always OK to ask for adding extra milk
Starbucks 13 is the only national chain operating in Spain Locals argue that it can't compete with small local cafes in quality of coffee and only visited by tourists Can be found only in larger cities: Barcelona 18 outlets, Madrid 20 outlets, Sevilla 7 outlets and Valencia 3 outlets--as of Oct 2007 It is not present in smaller cities
If you eat for €20 per dinner, you will never be served a good tea; expect Pompadour or Lipton It takes some effort to find a good tea if you spend most time of the day in touristy places
The drinking age in Spain is 18 People under this age are forbidden to drink and buy alcoholic drinks, although enforcement in tourist and clubbing areas is lax Drinking in the streets has recently been banned although it is still a common practice in most nightlife areas
Try an absinthe cocktail the fabled liquor was never outlawed here
Probably one of the best places to meet people in Spain is in bars Everyone visits them and they are always busy and sometimes bursting with people There is no age restriction imposed to enter these premises although children and teenagers often will not be served alcoholic drinks Age restrictions for the consumption of alcohol are clearly posted at bars but are enforced only intermittently It is not uncommon to see an entire family at a bar
It's important to know the difference between a pub which closes at 3-3:30AM and a club which opens until 6-8AM but is usually deserted early in the night
On weekends, the time to go out for copas drinks usually starts at about 11PM-1AM which is somewhat later than in North and Central Europe Before that, people usually do any number of things, have some tapas raciones, algo para picar, eat a "real" dinner in a restaurant, stay at home with family, or go to cultural events If you want to go dancing you will find that most of the clubs in Madrid are relatively empty before midnight some do not even open until 1AM and most won't get crowded until 3AM People usually go to pubs, then go to the clubs until 6-8AM
For a true Spanish experience, after a night of dancing and drinking it is not unusual to have a breakfast of chocolate con churros with your friends before going home CcC is a small cup of thick, melted chocolate served with freshly fried sweet fritters used for dipping in the chocolate, yum
Bars are mainly to have drink and a small tapa while socializing and decompressing from work or studies Usually Spaniards can control their alcohol consumption better than their northern European neighbors and drunken people are rarely seen at bars or on the streets A drink, if ordered without an accompanying tapa, is often served with a "minor" or inexpensive tapa as a courtesy
Size and price of tapas changes a lot throughout Spain For instance, it's almost impossible to get free tapas in big cities like Madrid or Barcelona while you can eat for free just paying for the drinks, with huge tapas at cities like Granada or Badajoz
The tapa, and the related pincho, trace their existence in Spain to both acting as a cover "Tapa" on top of a cup of wine to prevent flies from accessing it, and as a requirement of law when serving wine at an establishment during the middle ages
The Spanish beer is not too bad and well worth a try Most popular local brands include San Miguel, Cruzcampo, Mahou, Ambar, Estrella Galicia, Keller and many others, including local brands at most cities; import beers are also available A great beer is 'Mezquita' Cervezas Alhambra, try to find it! Also "Legado de Yuste" is one of the best beer made in Spain, and is quite extended, but more expensive than a normal 'caña' In Spain, beer is often served from a tap in 25 cl "caña" or 33 cl "tubo" tube glasses Bigger servings are rare, but you can also ask for a "corto", "zurito" round the Basque country or simply "una cerveza" or "tanque" south of the country to get a half size beer, perfect to drink in one go and get quickly to the next bar while having tapas
If you're in Zaragoza or Aragon, in general, the Pilsner-type Ambar 52% alc and the stronger Export double malt, 70% alc are available Ambar 1900: Its production began in 1996 The system of fermentation to room temperature is used Marlen is a beer of traditional manufacture using malted barley and hops
Locals in Aragon often add lemon juice to their beer Particularly on hot summer days people will drink a refreshing "clara" which is a light beer mixed with lemon/lemonade
Cava is Spanish sparkling wine and the name went from Spanish Champagne to Cava was after a long lasting dispute with the French The Spanish called it for a long time champan, but the French argued that champagne can be made only from grapes grown in the Champagne region in France Nevertheless, Cava is a quite successful sparkling wine and 99% of the production comes from the area around Barcelona
Can be found in the Basque Country, Galicia and Asturias
A milky non-alcoholic drink made of tigernuts and sugar Alboraia, a small town close to Valencia, is regarded as a best place where horchata is produced
Sangria is drink made of wine and fruits and usually is made from simple wines You will find sangria in areas frequented by tourists Spanish prepare sangria for fiestas and hot summer, and not every day as seen in touristic regions like Mallorca
Sangria in restaurants aimed for foreigners are best avoided, but it is a very good drink to try if a Spaniard prepares it for a fiesta!
The pale sherry wine around Jerez called "fino" is fortified with alcohol to 15 percent If you would like to have one in a bar you have to order a fino Manzanilla is bit salty, good as an appetizer Amontillado and Oloroso are a different types of sherry were the oxidative aging process has taken the lead
Spain is a country with great wine-making and drinking traditions: 22% of Europe's wine growing area is in Spain, however the production is about half of what the French produce
Regions: The most famous wines come from Rioja region, less known but also important comes from Ribera del Duero, Priorato, Toro and Jumilla The latter are becoming more and more popular and are slightly less expensive than Rioja wines White, rose and red wines are produced, but the red wines are certainly the most important ones
Wine bars: they are more and more popular In short, a wine bar is a sophisticated tapas bar where you can order wine by the glass You will immediatily see a blackboard with the wines that are available and the price per glass In Madrid, the Hapsburg neighborhood has become Madrid's wine bar heaven To enjoy a food & wine tour of this area you can join the Old Madrid Tapas & Wine Tour
Grapes: The main red grapes are Tempranillo, Garnacha, Monastrell and Mencia The primary white grape used is Albarino, and the grapes used in Jerez are: 'Pedro Ximenez and Palomino
Specific names: Valdepenas is good value for money Whites: Belondrade Y Lurton regarded as greatest white wine in Spain Vina Sol is good as a mass product, with fruity taste
Grades: Spanish quality wines are produced using an aging process and they have been in a oak barrel for at least one year before they can be labeled Crianza and then spend another two years in a bottle before been sold Reservas are aged for five years and Gran Reservas are aged for 10 years
Prices: Spain has seen a tremendous rise in wine prices over the last decade and Spanish wines are not as much of a bargain as they were a decade ago However you will still find 5, 10 and 20 year old wines at affordable prices especially when compared with similar quality wines from Australia, Chile, France, and the US
In a bar: For red wine in a bar, ask "un tinto por favor", for white wine "un blanco por favor", for rose: "un rosado por favor"
Wine-based drinks: Young people in Spain have developed their own way to have wine When having botellones big outdoor parties with drink and lots of people, most of them will be mixing some red wine with Coke and drink such mix straight from the Coke bottle The name of this drink is calimocho or kalimotxo in the Basque Country and Navarre and is really very popular But don't ask for it while in an upper class bar, or among adults, since they will most certainly not approve of the idea! As a general rule, any wine that comes in a glass bottle is considered "too good" to make kalimotxo
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What's the difference? There are three names for hotel-like accommodation in large cities in Spain: hotel, hostal and pension It is important not to confuse a hostel with a hostal; a hostel offers backpacker-type accommodation with shared rooms, whereas a hostal is very similar to a guest house and is generally cheaper than a hotel |
There are many types of tourist accommodation, ranging from hotels, pensions and rented villas, to camping and even monasteries
"7% VAT is not included" is a common trick for mid-range guesthouses and hotels: always check the small print when you choose your place to stay VAT is IVA in Spanish
Besides the coasts, Spain is rich in small tourist-friendly inland villages, like Alquezar: with narrow medieval streets, charming silence and isolation, still good selection of affordable restaurants and accommodation
For a more homely sort of accommodation consider the casa rural A casa rural is the rough equivalent to a bed and breakfast or a gîte Not all houses are situated in the countryside, as the name implies Some are situated in the smaller towns, and they are in virtually every province
Casas rurales vary in quality and price throughout Spain In some regions, like Galicia, they are strictly controlled and inspected Other regions are not so thorough in applying their regulations
Many foreign visitors stay in hotels that have been organised by tour operators who offer package holidays to the popular resorts on the costas and islands However, for the independent traveller, there are hotels all over the country in all categories and to suit every budget In fact, due to the well developed internal and foreign tourism markets Spain may well be one of the best served European countries in terms of numbers and quality of hotels
A parador inn 14 is a state-owned hotel in Spain rating from 3 to 5 stars These are a chain of hotels founded in 1928 by the Spanish King Alfonso XIII The unique aspects of paradores are their location and their history Found mostly in historical buildings, such as convents, Moorish castles like La Alhambra, or haciendas, paradores are the exact opposite of the uncontrolled development found in coastal regions like the Costa del Sol Hospitality has been harmoniously integrated with the restoration of castles, palaces and convents, rescuing from ruin and abandonment monuments representative of Spain's historical and cultural heritage
For example the parador in Santiago de Compostela is located next to the Cathedral in a former royal hospital built in the year 1499 Rooms are decorated in an old-fashioned way, but nevertheless have modern facilities Other notable paradores are in Arcos de la Frontera, Ronda, Santillana del Mar Altamira cave as well as more than 100 other destination all over Spain
Paradores serve breakfast about €10 and often have very good local cuisine typical of their region about €25
Accommodation prices are good value, when you consider that the hotels are often found in the heart of scenic areas, varying from €85 for a double room to €245 for a twin room like in Granada Two of the most beautiful paradors are in Léon and Santiago de Compostela
There are some promotions available:
The promotions do not always apply, especially in August they are not valid, and may require advance bookings
There are plenty of hostels, mostly in Madrid Prices vary from €15 to €25 per night
Short-term, self-catering apartment rental is an option for travellers who want to stay in one place for a week or more Accommodations range from small apartments to villas
The number of holiday rentals available depends on the area of Spain you are planning to visit Although they are common in coastal areas, big capitals and other popular tourist cities, if you plan to visit small inland towns, you will find casas rurales more easily
Camping is the least expensive lodging option
Due to the large number of unemployed South Africans, there are limited work opportunities for foreigners in South Africa
Non South African citizens are only allowed to work in South Africa if they are in possession of a work permit Students in Canada can apply for a work visa through SWAP 40, although costs are high the service is helpful and well organized
The process of applying for a work permit is similar to applying for a study permit, contact a South African High Commission, Embassy, Consulate or Trade Mission in your country of origin, or in the nearest country, should there be no South African representation is available in your country Government form B1-159 A&C needs to be completed for the application Processing of the application will take 8 to 12 weeks
There are some skills that are in short supply in the country and the Department of Home Affairs has a Quota Work Permit program aimed at sourcing these skills from abroad A list of skills in demand and set quotas for each of those skills are published yearly Applicants with formal qualification and work experience in the required fields may apply for a quota work permit This permit costs around R1600 and applications will take between 6 to 8 weeks to process If the application is approved one will have a 90 day period from the time of entering the country to find employment in the field that the permit was issued for Once employed, the permit will stay valid as long as one is employed within the same field of work changing employers is allowed More information, as well as the skills and quotas list for the current year, can be found on the Department of Home Affairs homepage 41
