The thought of visiting the place of origin of bullfighting and flamenco has been lingering for years. This time was right, the winter in southern Spain wouldn’t be freezing while avoiding the peak tourist season. Perfect!

English is not widely spoken, but slightly more popular in big cities like Madrid, Valencia and Barcelona. However the hospitality of the friendly Spanish did always overcome the communication barricade. The friendliness in the small towns was genuinely felt. Most of the signboards and restaurant menus were printed only in Spanish, and I ordered wrong meals several times. It was fun sometimes when the unexpected delicious meals were delivered.

Foods were generally good, Tapas was always a talking point. Red wine was so good and cheap…  The “iconic” Jamon (cured ham) should not be missed… Paella was the most introduced to tourists, but the rice was not entirely cooked in their recipe… Choc and churros is good for tea time though I found churros too oily… Roasted piglet that I had did not look alike the TV program, will try again next time… Mercado is always the place to seek cheap good fresh foods…

Transportation network is comprehensive, train, subway and bus schedule are well organized. All info could easily be extracted from internet.

During this visit, Spain was suffering unprecedented economy crisis. High unemployment rate 23% coupled with implementation of austerity measures had initiated lots of dissatisfaction and resistances in various cities. Many were seeking a job abroad.