Tag Archives: food


What does it mean?

This is a traditional way of cooking sea fish in Málaga, most often sardines. Normally people steak the fish in thin and long reeds, to grill with wood in the sand of the beach. You can go to a “chiringuito” -this is a bar situated by the beach- and ask for espetos.

Try it on a beach on the Costa del Sol!

Why do Spanish people have “tapas”?

Spanish people have “tapas” out of a belief that drinking alcohol without having something to eat is not a good idea. Tapas relate to having drinks and chatting.

Tapas go from a saucer of olives or chips to the most elaborate mini-meals! And they are free. It’s a kindness by the owners of the establishment.

Tapeo means going out for drinks and tapas, and also having tapas instead of a regular meal.

In Autumn, in Fuengirola, bars and restaurants celebrate the Erotic Tapa Tour. For two euros you can get a beer and a tapa. This is fun, delicious and helps locals get by after the summer season.

More reading, in Spanish:

Fuengirola, by Mari Carmen (NB1 C)

Mari Carmen, a Básico 1 student (NB1, 2015-16), wrote this wonderful article about Fuengirola to include an example of an informative article in her Writing File (April 2016). She also took Useful Language from a textbook article on Dublin we read in class and from her course monologues.

The beach and the promenade
The beach and the promenade

Fuengirola, by Mari Carmen (NB1 C, April 2016)

Fuengirola is a town in the south of Spain. The weather in Fuengirola is really good. It’s nice and sunny most of the year. It’s doesn’t rain much. The air is a little wet. This is good for you skin.

Nougat (turrón) ice-cream

In the summer, there are a lot of people, because of the sea and the weather. The sea is amazing! You can sunbathe, go for a swim and go for a walk on the beach. You can have a drink in a beach bar. If you are here in this season, you must have an ice cream in Tita Fina. They’re delicious.

Castillo de Sohail (Fuengirola)

If you come here with children, you must visit Fantasia Park and Poniente Park. You can also visit Bioparc. It’s Fuengirola’s zoo. You can also go to Fuengirola’s castle. From the top of the tower of the castle you can see all the coast. The views are fantastic!

mercadilloecologicoIf you like shopping in street markets, here, there are a lot. On Tuesdays and Saturdays there are street markets in the Recinto Ferial (Fair Grounds). Every second Sunday there is an ecology street market in front of Carrefour (Las Lagunas).

There are a lot of things to enjoy in Fuengirola.

How can you not be happy and friendly with all that?

Fuengirola, the sunny city, by Cristina (NB1 C)



Fuengirola, the Sunny City, by Cristina (NB1 C, 2015-16)

Fuengirola is a city where you can see the sun most of the year. Because of the sun and the weather there are a lot of tourists.

If you want to visit Fuengirola, you have to know these things:

  • The train drivers on the sightseeing tour train tell very interesting stories about all the buildings and monuments they go past.
  • The best tourist attraction is the Biopark, Fuengirola`s zoo, where you can see a thousand animals!!
  • When you want something to eat, the Plaza Picasso area is the place to go. In general, the food is geat and very good value for money. You can have “tapas”. A “tapa” is a little typical meal you have with your drink, here, on the coast.
  • You can also go to “chiringuitos”. A “chiringuito” is a beach bar where you can eat fresh fish. (You must try “espetos” – that’s grilled fresh fish!)
  • If you want to buy fruits or clothes, you can go to the street market in the Fair Grounds (Recinto Ferial).

We hope you visit us some day!!


About politeness

Sometimes people from other cultures think that Spanish people are not polite because they don’t say “please” and “thank you” as often as other people from other cultures. Politeness and kindness are expressed in different ways on this planet. In Spain, people often use the imperative for asking for something (“Give me this or that”), but their voice, their gestures, their humo(u)r, the famous “diminutivos” (a suffix that makes words “little” in a good way, like “-ita”, “-ito”, “-illo”, “-illa”) when it’s not a sexist use) often express politeness (Thanks, María, for reminding me of diminutives!) So not using “please” doesn’t necessarily mean you are being rude. In Spain, it’s kind, it’s polite to say hello and exchange a few words, even when you are a customer, when you want a good or a service.

Feria Ecocultura 2010

On the other hand, Spanish people also have the feeling that some foreigners are not polite. And here are some examples to illustrate why. When at the supermarket, foreigners living here, or spending their holidays here, are incapable of saying “hola” (hello), “dos bolsas, por favor” (two bags, please) or “gracias” (thank you) to the check out person. Even if Spanish-speakers try to speak English it is always kind, or polite, for foreigners to learn a few words at least. It shows you feel some basic respect for your hosts, or at least that is the feeling those hosts might get. Not saying a word in Spanish feels like when you travel abroad and reject food people offer you. Food is culture, and when we travel we need to be flexible and never say no to food that is being offered (unless there is some kind of problem, of course) because it feels as if you rejected the culture itself, its people.