Drinking by numbers
Friday, March 1, 2024
0,0; 1; 7; 10; 12; 18; 42; 43; 51; 56; 60; 70; 80; 103; 108; 501; 1615; 1866; 1885; 1888; 1895; 1906; and 1925
By Joe King
A surprising number of drinks, alcoholic and non-alcoholic, have a number in their name. From cerveza 0,0 (sin) via 7-UP lemonade to 1925 lager.
Here’s a light-hearted look at all the ones I can think of, mainly Spanish products, but also from the Caribbean, Chile, France, New Zealand, North America, Peru and Scotland.
Photo courtesy YouTube
0,0
This is cerveza sin (alcohol). These days, I guess all European brewers have this disgusting product in their repertoire. I hate the aftertaste, and the higher price, compared to beer WITH alcohol.
No. 1
Pimms No. 1, to be precise. Only for posh people in England, I reckon, although I have tried it and like it and I am NOT posh.
7
I guess we’ve all drunk 7-UP in our time. Produced by US giant PepsiCo, it’s similar to rival Coca Cola’s Sprite, a lemonade.
But they are not equivalent. When my son was quite young, he was diagnosed with ADHD (Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder), which caused him to lack concentration, to be anti-social and naughty. Our specialist informed us that it was a condition that was made worse by chemical additives in food and drink – E numbers.
By cutting out these colourings and additives from his diet, combined with brain exercises, we managed to hold the condition in check, until it largely disappeared in adulthood.
So, the only drinks possible for Tom as a child and a teenager were water, milk and 7-UP! which, back then, was advertised as containing no added preservatives. Sprite, on the other hand, is riddled with these “poisons”.
This caused a a problem whenever we came to Spain, as the Spanish regard the two drinks as equivalents. If the bar or restaurant sold Pepsi products, no problem, but if the establishment was contracted to Coca Cola, they just served Sprite.
Try explaining to a Spanish waiter about ADHD, at least back at the end of the 20th century. It’s a bit like trying to explain that vegans eat no animal products, yet they still used to serve my vegan stepson, Johannes, salads with tuna and boiled egg.
No. 7 is also a whiskey from the Jack Daniels stable in Tennessee (USA).
10; 12; 18
These numbers refer to the years a whisky is allowed to mature before release. I spotted an 18-year old single malt in a local wholesalers priced at 800-and-something euros a bottle!
42
42 Below is a vodka from New Zealand.
43
Cuarenta y tres is a Spanish liqueur with 43 natural ingredients which is produced in Cartagena (Murcia). I’ve never tried it, but it is everywhere. When I was a student living in Spain, my fellow female students used to like it. (I think it’s a girlie drink – am I allowed to say that?)
51
This number has been chosen for two completely different spirits from two different countries.
Firstly, it is a pastis, an anis-based aperitif from France. Distilled by the French company Pernod of Marseille, it refers to the alcoholic strength of this yellow-green liquid.
I have to confess to a liking for “un pastis”, a small amount of the spirit topped up with water. But I haven’t had one since the last time I was in France, some dozen years ago.
51 is also the name of a cachaça, a distilled spirit made from fermented sugarcane juice, originating from Madeira but transferred to Brazil. It is widely available in Spain. I’ve never tried it, and probably never shall.
56
Jägermeister is a German digestif made with 56 herbs and spices. Developed in 1934 by Wilhelm and Curt Mast, originally vinegar manufacturers, it has an alcohol by volume (ABV) of 35%. The recipe has not changed since its creation and continues to be served in its signature green glass bottle. It is the flagship product of Mast-Jägermeister SE, headquartered in Wolfenbuettel, Germany.
I always have a bottle in my drinks cabinet, although I haven’t personally drunk it since my twenties.
60, 70 and 80 Shilling
These are generic names for types of ale produced by many breweries in Scotland. The 'shilling' designation refers to the amount of duty paid on different strength beers. The higher the number, the stronger the beer.
Types include:
Scottish Light (60 Shilling): Although rare, this style is experiencing a bit of a renaissance. It’s often only available in casks. These beers are weaker, sweeter, and darker than modern-day English beers.
Scottish Heavy (70 Shilling): Also known as Scottish Heavy, this beer falls into the same category. It shares characteristics with the Scottish Light but has a slightly higher gravity. These beers are clean, malty, and finish dry, with occasional hints of peaty earthiness (smoke).
Scottish Export (80 Shilling): The Scottish Export is richer and stronger than the previous two. It boasts a deep amber colour, moderate bitterness, and a clean, neutral finish.
In summary, these Scottish ales are malt-forward, low in hops, and distinct from their English counterparts. Their unique flavours and historical context make them a delightful choice for beer enthusiasts.
103
Ciento tres is an economy coñac, brandy, in Spain, distilled from sherry by the Osborne group in Jerez de La Frontera (Cádiz). That too is available everywhere in Spain, like Guinness is in the UK and Ireland.
108
This is a non-alcoholic drink made by Seedlip. So, not for me!
1615; 1866; 1885; 1895; 1906; 1925
These are all alcoholic drinks that bear the date of first manufacture.
Pisco 1615 is a colourless or yellowish-to-amber coloured spirit produced in winemaking regions of Peru and Chile. Made by distilling fermented grape juice into a high-proof spirit, it was developed by 16th-century Spanish settlers as an alternative to orujo, a pomace brandy that was being imported from Spain.
1866 is a premium brandy from sherry producer Osborne in Jerez de La Frontera (Cádiz).
1885 is another premium brandy produced in Málaga by distilling DO Málaga wines. A bottle costs a mere 129 euros!
1888 is a premium rum distilled in the Dominican Republic by the company Brugal. Also out of my price range.
1895 is a whiskey from Jack Daniels of Tennessee (USA).
1906 appears on the labels on bottles and cans of a premium lager brewed by Estrella Galicia, up in the northwest of Spain. It refers to the year the brewery was established in La Coruña. A lovely drink.
1925 is the date which appears on a premium lager from the Alhambra brewery in Granada and is the year that the factory opened there. That too is a very drinkable beer.
© Joe King
Acknowledgements:
Cervezas Alhambra (Granada)
Coca Cola
Estrella Galicia (La Coruña)
Osborne (Jerez de la Frontera)
PepsiCo
Pernod
Wikipedia
YouTube
Tags:
7, 7-UP, 42, 43, 51, 60, 60 shilling, 70 shilling, 80 shilling, 103, 1906, 1925, ale, Alhambra, beer, brandy, Brazil, cachaça, cerveza, Chile, Coca Cola, coñac, duty, Estrella Galicia, Gonzalez Byass, Granada, Jack Daniels, Jerez de la Frontera, Joe King, La Coruña, lager, Madeira, Marseille, New Zealand, orujo, pastis, PepsiCo, Pernod, Peru, Tennessee, whiskey
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Only Joe King has been "outed"!
Wednesday, January 3, 2024
By Only Joe King
Only Joe King is an alias for Paul Whitelock, but we reckon most EOS readers will have worked that out. After all, Paul hasn't really tried that hard to keep it a secret.
Paul has several other noms de plume on Eye On Spain, depending on the theme of the blog.
ONLY JOE KING
A light-hearted look at life in Andalucía and Spain in general; its good points and its bad. This blog doesn't pull any punches.
Only Joe King didn't really want anybody to know anything about him. That's just gone out of the window, BTW.
He's blogging because he thinks he has valid things to say. He hopes readers appreciate the pun in the name (Only joking!).
MY COVID-19 DIARY - MARCH 2020 TO DATE
The coronavirus pandemic has hit the world hard, with over 120 million global victims.
I am British, married to a German and we live in Andalucía in the Serranía de Ronda.
This blog contains articles i've written since we both caught Covid-19 at the beginning of 2020. It was a weird life of curfews, lockdowns, masks, hand gel, rules and regulations and, for those of us who were affected directly, the vicious after-effects of the virus, long-covid, bereavement and financial ruin.
I started this blog in the aftermath of our personal experiences with the Coronavirus. Hopefully it has run its course, ie both Covid and this blog.
SPANISH MATTERS - A BLOG IN ENGLISH AND SPANISH FOR THOSE LEARNING THE LANGUAGE
This blog is entitled "Spanish Matters", because it does!
Matter, that is.
If you have committed to living in Spain, in my opinion you should also make a commitment to learn some Spanish. Your life will be enhanced.
So this is a blog about matters Spanish, as well as promoting the notion that Spanish does indeed matter.
The blog contains articles in both English and Spanish. Don Pablo hopes it will be helpful to those learning the language.
The name Don Pablo betrays my origins as a former Spanish (and German) teacher in the UK.
This blog will continue to be added to from time to time.
HOW TO ..... ?
This blog is intended to be helpful to English-speaking foreign residents in Spain by explaining "how to ... " do certain things.
The Crazy Guy has lived in Spain full time since 2008. A fluent Spanish-speaker he reckons he knows his way round the bureaucracy, the indifference and sometimes downright rudeness of "funcionarios".
The Crazy Guy is known amongst the Spanish where he lives as "El Loco", largely because, despite his advanced age, he's always on the go, doing this and that. The Crazy Guy hopes his "How to ..." articles will be helpful to others.
PUNTOS DE VISTA - A PERSONAL SPAIN BLOG
Musings about Spain and Spanish life by Paul Whitelock, hispanophile of some 45 years and resident of Ronda in Andalucia for the last 15 years.
This is my main blog, indicated by the number of posts I have made, already in excess of 100.
SERRANÍA KITCHEN - RECIPES FROM AROUND THE WORLD
This blog contains a selection of recipes from all over, in particular from Andalucía, Asia, England, Germany and the wider Mediterranean area.
Contributors include Rita Drechsler, Jovan Le Knorz, Madita Schröder, Carolyn Emmett, Simon Whitelock, Julie Wilkinson and Paul Whitelock, who are mostly members of the same extended Anglo-German family. Rita and Paul live in the Serranía de Ronda in Andalucía. Madita and Jovan live in Baden-Württemberg, near Heilbronn, Germany. Carolyn and Julie also live in the Serrania de Ronda and Simon lives near Bristol, UK.
THE CRAZY GUY
The Crazy Guy is known amongst the Spanish people where he lives as "El Loco", largely because, despite his advanced age, he's always active, doing this and that. So, he's "The Crazy Guy".
This blog is about some of the things he's been getting up to lately.
The Crazy Guy (El Loco, according to his fellow villagers) likes to keep busy. He hopes readers of this blog find his experiences interesting. He has another blog on EOS called "How to .....?" which offers advice on how to do things here in Spain, based on his experiences.
THE CULTURE VULTURE
A blog about cultural things: art, music, dance, literature, film and theatre.
The Culture Vulture enjoys the good things in life. These include art, music, dance, film, theatre, and books.
THE CURMUDGEON
The Curmudgeon is a miserable sod. He likes to have a moan. He tackles subjects which many foreigners living in Spain agree with but are too polite to say anything about.
The Curmudgeon is now in his early 70s now and has lived in the Serrania de Ronda since he was 58.
THE HISTORY MAN
This blog contains interesting facts about the history of Spain and things Spanish.
The History Man discovered Spain some 50-odd years ago and he fell in love with the place. He has been resident here for 15 years and takes a keen interest in all things historical, geographical and cultural. He is blogging because he hopes readers will find what he writes interesting.
THE SPANISH FLY - TRAVELS IN SPAIN AND BEYOND
The Spanish Fly is a nom de plume of Paul Whitelock who first visited Spain at the age of 20. Now more than 50 years later, he has been to most parts of the country, including nine of the 12 islands. He has owned property in Andalucía since 2001 and has lived in the region for the last 15 years. This blog is a travelogue about some of the places he has visited.
The Spanish Fly writes keenly about his travel experiences in Spain and beyond. He hopes you enjoy sharing his journeys and are inspired to make similar ones yourself.
***
EPILOGUE
So, now you know. All of these blogs are written by li'l ol' me, Paul Whitelock.
I hope you enjoy reading them. Please feel free to comment.
© Paul Whitelock
Tags: Andalucia, blog, blogger, Coronavirus, Covid-19, Crazy Guy, Culture Vulture, Curmudgeon, Don Pablo, El Loco, EOS, Eye on Spain, History Man, How to .....?, Joe King, noms de plume, Only Joe King, Paul Whitelock, Puntos de Vista, Serrania Kitchen, Spanish Fly, Spanish Matters
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Serendipity X - Ambushed on the bridge, accosted at the petrol station and mugged at the Olive Tree
Thursday, December 14, 2023
By Joe King
Serendipity seems to play a large part in my life. Unanticipated happenings that turn out to be very pleasurable. In the last two days, I’ve been ambushed, accosted, and mugged. Sounds terrible, doesn’t it? I assure you it wasn’t! Here in chronological order is what happened to me on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday of this week.
A mugging at The Olive Tree
On Tuesday evening my wife Rita and I and 15 others attended the Costa Press Club Christmas Party (CPCCP) in Cala de Mijas on the Costa del Sol.
The party/dinner was at the restaurant El Olivo (= Olive Tree).
On arrival we met two new people. Sabine von Reth, a German from Frankfurt, was a new member. Her husband René, from Essen, was her guest.
Rita is also German and I speak the language pretty well (very well, actually!), so the four of us decided to sit together at the dinner table.
It emerged that this German couple, with no experience of the hospitality industry, had opened three “Bavarian Beerhouses” in London, some 15 years ago, the first of their kind in the UK.
Together they had written a book, in English, about their experiences. It is called “Prost!” (Cheers!). They had brought one copy along to the dinner – I’d been mugged, as I felt compelled to buy it! No, not at all, I wanted to. I’m a sucker for books! I must own thousands and I find it hard to part with any of them.
I’ve already made a start on reading it.
Ambushed at the petrol station
After the CPC Christmas dinner, the Christmas Quiz and the Secret Santa exchange of gifts, we headed back to the nearby hotel we had pre-booked.
The following morning, up early as usual and in urgent need of a coffee, I headed out on foot. The only place serving caffeine-based drinks at this ungodly hour was the the local gasolinera de BP.
It was full of workers; astonishingly most of them were young British men.
After a while I got into conversation with Jordan, a 36-year-old from Liverpool, just finishing off a contract locally. Via his company “Abstract”, Jordan offers polished plaster, textured designs, bespoke walls and luxurious finishes to wealthy clients in the UK, Spain, Israel and Italy. And elsewhere too.
After establishing that we might have some common ground, better said, synergy, we eagerly exchanged telephone numbers, email addresses and website URLs.
We said our farewells; he needed to work and I needed to go back to our hotel for breakfast.
Accosted on the bridge
Today, as I was crossing the Puente Nuevo in Ronda on foot to visit an art exhibition at El Convento, I was accosted by a very attractive young lady.
My luck’s in! I thought.
Not at all. Sara Alés Ortega simply realised that, despite looking every inch a “guiri”, I was a fluent Spanish speaker and an avid reader!
Sara had just published a book, "La esencia de lo primitivo", describing her experience of walking the Camino de Santiago. This has been something ever present on my bucket list, but alas, I think it’s now unlikely, unless I do the motorised version!
Back to Sara. She was selling her books from her tote bag at 15€ a copy. I negotiated her down to 10€ on the grounds that I promised to write a favourable review on my website, www.help-me-ronda.com, the independent “bible” for all things Ronda.
Deal done, we exchanged contact details, money and a kiss on each cheek, and I trotted off to my art exhibition, in a better mood than I had been in previously.
Serendipity of the highest quality. In three consecutive days I’d acquired two very interesting books, by Sabine and Sara, and a potentially lucrative contact in Jordan!
¡Feliz Navidad!
© Joe King
Photographs: Paul Whitelock
Tags: "Abstract", Bavarian Beerhouse, bucket list, Cala de Mijas, Camino de Santiago, Christmas, Costa Press Club, CPC, CPCCP, El Convento, Essen, Frankfurt, gasolinera de BP, German, guiri, Joe King, "La esencia de lo primitivo", "Prost!", Puente Nuevo, René von Reth, Ronda, Sabine von Reth, Sara Alés Ortega, serendipity, synergy
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Serendipity IX - "Pink Floyd" at the Bar Dolar
Thursday, November 30, 2023
I finally got around to taking my car to get two new tyres fitted (see Serendipity VIII). The work was scheduled to take an hour, so I walked to a nearby cafe, Bar Dolar, to get breakfast and catch up with my accounts. This is what happened.
Bar Dolar
I walked in. There was a scattering of folk taking an early breakfast - it was just past 9.00 am.
I ordered my cafe con leche and rebañada de pan con aceite y tomate, settled at a table and got out my paperwork to do my accounts. I suddenly became aware of the sound of sublime guitar playing. When I glanced up at the TV, I saw Dave Gilmour (ex-Pink Floyd) playing in a live concert. Wow!
"Pink Floyd"
For me, Gilmour is one of the true great rock guitarists. When Sid Barrett went AWOL from the sixties group and Gilmour replaced him, this band got better overnight. Their Dark Side of the Moon LP is arguably one of the best albums in history. When keyboard player Roger Waters got jealous of Gilmour's playing and good looks, he took his bat and ball home and broke up the group.
Back to the concert.
The band was playing new music to begin with, when all of a sudden the familiar opening chords of DSOTM started up. The quality of the live performance was as good as the original album. I didn't get much accounting done!
Rock memorabilia
The decor of Bar Dolar was intriguing. Take a look at the photos I took:
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Serendipity VIII - Things can only get better!
Sunday, November 26, 2023
Yesterday got off to a bad start. Turning into the polígono industrial in Ronda in the early hours of darkness, the kerb jumped out and hit my front nearside wheel! Here’s what happened next.
Early Morning Blues
Blimey! I thought. I’ve nudged kerbs before in the Ciudad Soñada, the streets being somewhat narrow, but this felt different; the drive became lumpy and didn’t feel right.
Rather than stop and risk getting stranded, I struggled on at snail’s pace to my regular petrol station about half a kilometre away. I pulled up and investigated the damage. Omigod! The tyre was in shreds with two gaping holes. It was as flat as the proverbial pancake! There was no point in trying to re-inflate it.
The time was 6.45 am, TWO AND A QUARTER HOURS BEFORE GARAGES AND TYRE CENTRES WOULD OPEN!
Then I remembered that this car, a Peugeot 2008, had a spare tyre, unlike my three previous cars, a SEAT Leon, a Ford Focus and a Mazda RX8.
Out with the jack
It was probably 45 years since I’d had to change a wheel, but, come on, changing a wheel is like riding a bike, isn’t it? You never forget how to do it.
Well, perhaps that’s not quite true, but I managed it in the end. Although, I have to say I shouldn’t really be doing jobs like this at my age, and certainly not in in a temperature of zero degrees Celsius!
Time for a coffee to calm my nerves, before heading to Casa 87, the house I am doing up for a Liverpool couple who contacted me out of the blue, after surfing my website, www.help-me-ronda.com
Casa 87
I sorted out a few things at the house before heading off to Ronda to source some items of furniture from Solidarios en Ronda, the local charity for homeless people, and Pepe Mariscal, the second-hand dealer. I picked up some great stuff from both places, all at good prices.
Time was running out now to go to the tyre centre, so I decided to postpone until today, Saturday (mistake, they’re shut on Saturdays!)
Aussie serendipity
Back to Friday. At Pepe’s I met a couple from Australia. Kati, French, and David, English, were on extended furlough in Ronda, with a view to emigrating here. A much more pleasant encounter than my earlier encounter with the kerb!
Back at Casa 87, I spent the afternoon painting, before heading home to get ready for our dinner date. Rita and I had decided to spend the evening in Ronda tapeando.
De tapeo in Ronda
We got side-tracked by "Ene de Nati", a rather expensive boutique that the missus likes in Calle Remedios. I nipped to a nearby bar for a wee (and a tubo), where I was accosted by a rather stunning lady and her bloke. Liz was Mexican and Bernd was German. They were on holiday here from California, where they live.
After a pleasant interlude I returned to the missus who had managed to run up a sizeable bill for a woollen suit and a long winter overcoat. As we left the shop, we bumped into Lis and Bernd, I introduced Rita and we all went off for a drink together at one of the many bars on that very street.
Sat at a table outside – inside was full - my wife had a good old chinwag in German with Bernd, while Lis and I spoke Spanish and English. All of a sudden it was quite late, so we decided to break up. Bernd even picked up the bill.
They went back to their hotel, and we went in search of some tapas, which had been our original plan. The place we wanted to try out was closing, so we headed for our old favourite, Las Maravillas on Calle La Bola. It was heaving, but our waiter friend, José Luis found us a table for two.
So, we had a delicious light meal to round off the day, before heading home and to bed after a delightfully serendipitous day.
© Joe King
Tags: Casa 87, Ciudad Soñada, de tapeo, Ene de Nati, Ford Focus, Las Maravillas, Mazda RX8, Pepe Mariscal, Peugeot 2008, Ronda, SEAT Leon, Solidarios, tapa,
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“The Trial of the Lonesome Pine”
Friday, September 22, 2023
Older readers will remember fondly Laurel and Hardy’s version of “The Trail of the Lonesome Pine” (1937).
[Listen here].
This, however, is the story of the trial we have undergone of the lonesome pine tree in the garden next to mine, which for a dozen years has been threatening to fall on our house. Years of asking the owner of the abandoned finca to take it down, his inertia and the lack of progress made no difference at all.
Progress? - No
Then my neighbour died suddenly three years ago. His three heirs couldn’t agree on what to do with the property. Two wanted to sell it and one did not. The one who did not, the son, was meanwhile living at his majesty’s pleasure in Alhaurin de la Torre gaol, later transferred to the high security prison in Huelva. What had he done, I wonder?
So, the Will was frozen, and the matter ended up in the hands of lawyers. Nothing to be done, despite the patrulla verde (a section of the local police responsible for environmental matters) declaring the tree to be dangerous. My hands appeared to be tied.
I tried to make a denuncia, but was told that I could not as the property and its Will were sub judice. My insurance company was not interested, as no damage had yet been caused. If the lonesome pine fell on my house and damaged it, then they would pay out! Doh!
Progress? – Yes!
Then, all of a sudden, at the end of August this year, I was informed that they would be felling the lonesome pine in the middle of September. Yay!
True enough - over the course of two mornings, the day before yesterday and yesterday, 20 and 21 September, two tree surgeons cut the pine down from the top a little at a time and cleared the branches that had fallen onto my land.
They repaired my damaged fence, I tidied up and put my garden back together, with the various plant pots in their rightful places.
A section of my garden was no longer in the shade. Maybe my vegetables will grow better from now on.
The trial of the lonesome pine was over, after more than 12 years!
© Only Joe King
Tags: Joe King, Laurel and Hardy, lonesome pine, next-door neighbour, patrulla verde, pine tree, sub judice, the trail of the lonesome pine, tree surgeon
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Published at 4:56 AM Comments (0)
In the Family Way!
Wednesday, May 24, 2023
"In the family way" used to be a euphemism for being pregnant when the p-word was taboo. It was more often than not used to refer to a young unmarried girl, who had got herself "up the duff".
In Ireland the girl would have been forced to give the baby up for adoption, it has since been revealed to the eternal shame of the Roman Catholic Church.
Older readers will remember the 1966 British film "The Family Way" starring Hayley Mills.
Our family way
We were visited by family recently; my daughter and her two young sons - my grandsons - came for a short stay during half-term. And, boy, did we have a fun time!
It didn't start well, though - they missed their flight!
They had an early start and my daughter didn't have her contact lenses in.
She mis-read the gate number for their flight. She read 5B, when it was actually 58! Both gates exist but at different ends of the airport, London Stansted, which is now huge.
What to do? She felt she couldn't disappoint the boys, aged six and three, who had been so looking forward to seeing Grandad and Oma (German for Gran - my wife Rita is German).
We all went online to search for flights later in the day: my daughter, her mother (my ex-wife), Rita and me.
We found one with easyJet, but when we tried to book, the last seats had been sold five minutes before!
We found another with Vueling from and to different airports: Gatwick to Sevilla instead of Stansted to Malaga, but that was no problem.
She booked at a staggering cost of 700 pounds Sterling for the three of them! Well, last-minute, half-term week .....
Next - how to get from Stansted in Essex to Gatwick in Sussex? Mum's taxi to the rescue!
So, instead of arriving in the middle of the day, they got to us late at night and 700 quid poorer!
Holiday with Grandad and Oma
Over the next few days, we packed in loads, chocolate con churros, ice creams, children's playgrounds, the beach, Belgian tapas, playing in my garden (Felix even helped me plant some seeds).
At the end, my daughter and grandsons had a lovely, if expensive, holiday.
The family way .....
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On the lookout for a new car? Marketing mistakes.
Monday, May 8, 2023
If you’re thinking of buying a new car, be careful! You might end up with an off-road w**ker, a sh**ty sports car, a dungmobile or a car that doesn’t go, writes Joe King.
Yes, it’s true!
A Mitsubishi Pajero shouldn’t really sell at all in a Spanish-speaking country, because "pajero" means wanker, ie someone who masturbates. Yet this model, similar to a Shogun, is very popular all over Spain.
A Toyota MR2 has no place on a garage forecourt in France, because MR2 in French is pronounced “emmerdeux”, which, you guessed it, means shitty.
The Rolls Royce Silver Mist classic car had to be renamed in Germany, because "Mist" means dung, not the right image for such an expensive luxury car.
The Opel/Vauxhall Nova was renamed the Corsa for the Spanish-speaking market, simply because to describe a car by saying “it doesn’t go” is plain stupid.
Other celebrated faux pas have been the Mazda Laputa, because la puta is the Spanish for whore. This model was renamed in Spanish-speaking countries, though strangely not in the USA where Spanish is the second most-widely spoken language after English. Much to the amusement of many Hispanics.
The Fiat Marea didn’t sell well in Spanish-speaking markets either, since marea means sick, puke.
Another Italian marque, Lancia, planned to launch the Marica but it never got further than the drawing board. Marica is the Spanish for "queer" or "homosexual"!
Volkswagen have had several dodgy moments with their model names over the years. Golf and Jetta were either daft or problematic in some markets, although they got away with "Käfer", the cult classic VW Beetle. I find Polo funny; the car with the hole in the middle (cf. Polo mints ad campaign).
So, bear all of this in mind when choosing a new car.
***
Moving away from cars, the Germans had a problem with Vick vapour rub, because of the pronunciation (“Fick” means f*ck!), so the spelling was changed for German-speaking markets to Wick, pronounced “Vick”.
Then we have Colon washing powder and Bimbo bread in Spain, Pschitt lemonade in France, not to mention ShitBegone toilet paper, Wack Off insect repellent and Minipussi snacks in China. Drinks named Sars, Cok, Erektus, and Fart hold little attraction for me, and as for Homo sausage and Shitto hot pepper sauce, well, I’d need MyFannie kitchen roll to mop up the sick!
Even where foreign language translations and cultural misunderstandings are not the issue, things can still go wrong. Take the unfortunate advertising slogan for vacuum cleaners in the USA: “Nothing sucks like an Electrolux”, or the relaunch a few years back of Reed Business News with the branding: “If it’s news to you, it’s news to us!”
I’m off now to “bite the wax tadpole”, the Chinese for (drink a) coca cola. No, seriously, back in 1928 that was the result of the company’s first attempt to find a suitable transliteration into Chinese characters for their product. Fortunately, and after much research, the name was changed to something which can be loosely translated as “happiness in the mouth”, which is much more palatable.
Happy motoring!
© Joe King
About Joe King
Joe, not his real name, is a bit of an enigma. He has lived in the Serranía de Ronda for many years, but prefers to fly under the radar.
He doesn’t take life too seriously, except in the case of Covid-19, but even there he can see the funny side.
He prefers to use a pseudonym and an anonimised photo.
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Published at 3:40 AM Comments (2)
ITV
Friday, March 31, 2023
Not the British TV channel, Independent TeleVision, but the Inspección Técnica de Vehículos - the Spanish equivalent of the MOT test.
How does it work in Spain?
It is quite different to the procedure in the UK, where the car owner looks for the cheapest quote from an approved MOT testing station, chooses one, rings up, makes an appointment and drops the car off. At most garages they offer a while-you-wait service, so you can relax, get a coffee, read a magazine or play with your mobile phone, while the mechanic gives your car the once-over.
In Spain, you make the appointment online at your choice of testing station. These are are not garages, but designated testing stations run by the regional junta. They only do vehicle testing and there is usually only one per locality. You turn up on the designated day at the appointed time, present your vehicle details (ficha técnica), pay the fee (I paid just over 30€ earlier this week) and wait your turn.When your registration comes up on the digital display in the waiting area, you drive to your alloted línea and remain in the car.
When summoned, you drive to the first point on the "line", which is emissions. Then it's lights, horn, windscreen wipers, seatbelts, tyres and brakes, followed by an inspection pit examination of the underside of the car, ie steering, brake poads, suspension, shock absorbers, etc.
If your vehicle has passed you get your pegatina, window sticker, and a paper report.
If your vehicle has failed you have a short period in which to get the work done and re-present the vehicle to the ITV station, There is no additional fee for the re-test like there is in the UK.
So the car owner has to "work" unpaid, AND pay a fee which is higher than in the UK.
How often is the ITV?
The first ITV on a car falls due on its fourth birthday, then every two years up to 10, and after that annually.
I just had the first ITV on my four-year-old Peugeot this week. There were several deficiencies, but the nice man passed me anyway, on the understanding I would get the faults, particularly a problem with the brakes, fixed straightaway. I got new front brake pads fitted yesterday.
Happy motoring!
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Published at 7:21 AM Comments (3)
Best economy in Europe?
Tuesday, January 31, 2023
By Only Joe King
Which European country has the most successful economy in Europe at the moment? Germany, France, Luxembourg, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Sweden? The UK, following a successful Brexit? Ha, ha, ha!!!
Nope, amigos míos, it’s SPAIN!
Economic growth
According to the latest figures, in 2022, Spain had the highest rate of growth among European nations, at 5.5%.
At the other end of the league table, in bottom place, below Russia, is that newly independent offshore island, the United Kingdom, despite all the advantages of Brexit.
Russia is in a self-inflicted state of chaos, brought about by the illegal invasion of Ukraine, yet their rate of growth is above the UK, despite draconian sanctions, economic isolation and secuestered bank accounts abroad.
Spain has achieved this mark despite the challenges posed by the war in Ukraine, Covid-19, the energy crisis, supply problems, inflation, the rise in interest rates and the global slow-down.
Not to mention domestic issues such as the Catalunya question, the pardoning of Basque terrorists, domestic violence, abortion, VOX, Morocco, Solo sí es sí, strikes and the ongoing Covid-19 threat.
Yet prime minister Pedro Sánchez is pilloried throughout the land, even in former PSOE strongholds like Andalucía. He is not expected to form the next government after the general election later this year.
Despite being regarded on the world stage as statesmanlike, Sánchez is clever, charismatic and good-looking, with his command of English, French, Italian and Portuguese. Unlike his predecessors Mariano Rajoy, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (nickname Mr Bean), José María Aznar and Felipe González, who were mono-lingual when in office, and his presumed successor Alberto Núñez Feijóo, who is about as charismatic as ….. Sir Keir Starmer ….. and who speaks only castellano and gallego, surely a serious disadvantage for a senior politician nowadays.
So, well done, Spain! The future is looking promising with the return to pre-pandemic tourism levels.
Population growth
Alongside this economic growth, the population is also growing with a surge in foreign immigrants moving to the country. Spain is now home to more inhabitants than ever before. Census data published this week by the National Institute of Statistics (INE), puts the number of people registered as resident in Spain on January 1st 2022 at 47,475,420, a historical high, and 90,313 more inhabitants compared to the previous year (a 0.19% increase).
The increase in population is mainly due to a rise in the foreign population, which increased by 102,784 people to 5,542,932 people and now accounts for 11.7% of the national total.
In Málaga province alone in 2022, the population grew by 5.3%, ie 14,343 people. In the province of Málaga, foreigners now account for nearly 17% of the population, although in some municipalities the numbers are much higher.
In Benahavís 60% of the population is foreign, in Cómpeta and Sayalonga over 40%. In Fuengirola 37%. In Manilva, Nerja and Torrox the proportion is above 35%. One third of the population of Mijas is foreign.
Of these recent newcomers, the most are British (despite or, more likely, because of Brexit), followed by immigrants from Italy, Argentina, Germany, Russia, Colombia, France, Venezuela, Morocco and Poland. The total of registered British residents in Malaga province is over 56,000. From Morocco there are over 33,500, Italy 14,400 and Germany 9,500. Poles are relative newcomers and number 2,300.
With the Andalucia regional government offering tax breaks for foreigners who invest in property here, these numbers are likely to increase in the near future.
© Joe King
Sources:
El País
INE (Instituto Nacional de Estadística)
SUR in English
Wikipedia
www.lamoncloa.gob.es
Further Reading:
HOW TO ….. BUY A HOUSE by The Crazy Guy
Tags: Alberto Núñez Feijóo, Argentina, Benahavís, Brexit, Colombia, Cómpeta, Crazy Guy, economic growth, Felipe González, France, Fuengirola, Germany, INS, Italy, Joe King, José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero, José María Aznar, Manilva, Mariano Rajoy, Mijas, Morocco, Nerja, Poland Russia, Sayalonga, SUR in English, Torrox, United Kingdom, Venezuela, Wikipedia
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Published at 3:29 PM Comments (7)
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