Granada

Naturally, weather is a difference n. 1. For example, here in Granada it is possible to climb up a hill and sunbathe even on 2nd November. There is nothing to indicate that it should actually be autumn already. It is sunny 14 days out of 15, you can still walk around in t-shirt in the daytime, a jumper is sufficient for the night. November in Granada is just like August in the Czech Republic. The leaves have not even fallen yet and the jasmines smell in the tortuous streets as if it was their last day on Earth.

Similarly, there is a marked difference in the general lifestyle of Scots (and Czechs) and Spaniards. You have to get used to having dinner after 10pm or to the fact that between 2pm and 5pm you simply cannot get anything in the shops- it is siesta. You do not leave for bars or parties before 11pm. Everything has its time. However, the usual stereotypes about laziness and unpunctuality are, just like all other stereotypes, exaggerated. Not even here one can calmly arrive at work late. It is siesta after lunch and you do not work…yes, but unlike in the Czech Republic or Scotland, you work until 9pm afterwards so the total time spent at work is the same as anywhere in the world.

The next big difference is food. There is not a more profound difference in cuisine quality than in the cases of Britain and the southern cultures. Prefabricated ready-to-eat stuff, chips, ketchups and other edible plastics do not score here. On the other hand, fresh vegetables and fruits are everyday commonplaces. In many households you would not even find a microwave. Then there are tapas; Andalusian speciality. These appetizers can be found in any Spanish bar but only in Andalusia they are served for free with beer or soft drinks. Thus, if you go out to have a few beers you are much more likely to end up gluttonously stuffed than drunk. That is because these appetizers are actually very similar to a regular snack; for example toasted bread with Iberian ham, tomato and olive oil and olives.

Another positive change is the looks of the city itself. It is possible to start liking Glasgow- the grey city of tenement houses- after some time, but it is not possible not to start liking Granada straight away. The mix of Arabian medieval architecture, Christian renaissance and baroque, the city’s hilly profile, omnipresent green, fountains with drinking water, narrow streets, La Alhambra…

Granada is a good place to live. Come and see it for yourself!

Next time, I will tell you a bit about the University…