Our glorious – or not, Med weather
The weather is something we all take for granted, especially living here in Spain. I’d say the vast majority who have made the move – particularly to the Costa Blanca, did so precisely for the milder, warmer climate.
Madrid is a completely different ballgame that suffers from the extremes – snow in winter and unbearable heat in the summer. But then you wouldn’t really retire there and most expats that do move to the capital are probably working. Much like most capitals around the world, it is bustling, built up and polluted.
Over the years, I have certainly taken the weather for granted, waking up each morning and almost expecting to see a blue sky and the sun. Rain – yes we do get it and recently in great torrential downpours.
However, one weather phenomenon I’m not used to is fog and by golly (oops, is it politically correct to say that word!) Monday was pea soup out on the roads. I took a picture and sent it to my daughter in the UK with exactly that caption and she replied, “What’s pea soup mummy” – well talk about making me feel my age!
Some terms, which you grow up with, you just assume everyone else will know, so it took me quite by surprise. Some are regional phrases and words – our kid as I learnt from my Mancunian relatives refers to a sibling not their own child and growing up I spent many summer holidays there. I remember I was particularly mystified by what a barm cake was, thinking it was some kind of delicious cream cake we were going to get… to us southerners it’s a bread roll!
Thankfully fog isn’t often seen here (unlike back in Blighty), which is lucky as I still haven’t figured out where my fog lights are… but heading out on the motorway I was quite shocked how many cars didn’t even have their headlights on.
According to the weather app on my mobile phone, the next 10 days are showing orange balls with temperatures ranging between 17 and 21 degrees. Traditionally I have found February to always be the coldest month here, but I think that this year we’ve been exceptionally lucky. Which means only one thing, the cold is yet to come so don’t pack away your thick-brushed cotton winceyette pyjamas – I bet that’s another term the youngsters aren’t familiar with!
We tend to acclimatise and most dress like the locals – boots and coats in winter. I do chuckle when down in Benidorm though, as spotting the Brits is so easy. Whereas ‘we’ will be wrapped up, despite there being some sun out, you can guarantee they will be in shorts, t-shirts and flip flops and even testing the water.
It’s been half term in the UK this week so there are plenty of families out, getting away from storm Dennis. The spike in airfares alone indicate it is a school holiday, so you really don’t need to have school age children to work out when they are. Shocking but I suppose it’s all about supply and demand. There are only so many seats on the planes and so many hotel beds so by nature, the more people that want it the higher the price. That I’m afraid is business – but certainly no consolation for the poor parents, who will literally be poor if booking to go away. I am in the ‘Been there, Done that’ brigade, it hasn’t changed since mine were at school and realistically never will.
But, I certainly hope the weather forecast for the weekend is correct, as most towns will be celebrating Carnival on Saturday. There will be a fancy dress parade in Benidorm, although as all things Spanish, not start until bedtime – around 10.00. I can understand in the summer, with the heat, but at this time of the year a mystery as by then it will definitely be chilly. I suppose it’s a habit and they eat late so normal, but despite being here for many years, it is one habit I cannot adopt – eating my dinner nearing midnight. For those thinking of going, its fab to watch but do dress up – dare I say even take your gloves and a scarf as standing around for a couple of hours you will get cold. There is a competition for the best group, couple and individual, with cash prizes awarded for several hundred euros so worth putting some effort in.
www.benidormallyearround.com