Save money by spending the summer at home, then treat yourself to an autumn break in the sun, writes MARY MOYNIHAN
A COUPLE OF WEEKS ago your cover story compared Irish and Spanish holiday prices. Could I add my unasked-for advice? Firstly, I would never bring children to Spain in July or August, because of heat, crowds and expensive flights.
I suggest having a family bonding week instead. Maybe camping in Granny’s back yard or, better still, finding friends on the coast with a suitable garden who will share their bathroom and provide a plan B if the going get rough and the tent is blown into the sea.
Get the kids to draw up an activity plan using the internet – horse riding, boat trips, local adventures – with guidance from parents on a budget. Picnics and barbecues could also keep expenses down and are great fun for the family.
Now the great pay-off for the parents: the money saved could go towards a post-summer break. (September and October are usually lovely in Spain.) You could leave your children with family or friends, to be reciprocated. Book flights now for real deals. Then repeat Go’s exercise –no comparison. Spain is the only place to go.
Once upon a time S for Spain also stood for sun, sea and sex. Now that we’ve matured S also stands for specials, sparrows and siesta.
Specials abound from airlines that will fly you “free” to Spain, provided you pay the extras. Car-hire firms undercut each other in these tough times – we got a medium-sized car for €10 a day: how low can they go? Hotels are plentiful online, but in reality many have given up and are closed for the winter. Our favourites, the paradors (www.parador.es), offer great value. These state-owned hotels are often in renovated palaces, castles or monasteries. Some are modern; all are in fantastic locations.
Aside from tourists benefiting from specials, the recession is much in evidence. We drove from Mojácar, on the southeast coast, for 300km to pretty Moraira. Everywhere idle cranes stood like herons, long necks bent over their prey. Clusters of abandoned half-built apartments – often as many as 200 – are an eyesore. Possibly, it’s an ill wind that has prevented more building and spared the remaining coastline.
While I’m ranting I’ll just slip in S for smoking, a favourite habit of many Spaniards. Is it because the Irish initiated the smoking ban in Europe that we are so intolerant of others polluting restaurants and bars?
Back on track to S for sparrows. I look forward to my first café con leche with enthusiasm, not so much for the taste but for the flock of little feathered friends awaiting crumbs. They hop and chatter around us. Where have our Irish sparrows gone? Naively, I like to think they will return to our shores to coincide with our next sunny summer, but I suspect there’s a more sinister, scientific theory of their demise.
Finally, S for siesta, part of life in España – so why do I always forget? I understand the need for a rest in soaring summer temperatures, but is it really necessary in winter? Spaniards say that they work a long day and that it is healthier to have their main, leisurely meal at lunchtime. Tourists find it annoying, though, as different establishments take different times for siestas.
I find it’s best to assume that everywhere is shut from noon to 5pm; then I won’t get caught out. Forget going to banks, offices, shops, internet cafes or hairdressers, as you’ll get nada. Of course, the day we travelled to the Sierra de Aitana mountains I didn’t plan my time well. Our destination was to be the 15th-century Moorish castle of Guadalest, perched high atop a pinnacle. It’s reputed to be the most visited site in Spain after the fabulous Prado museum in Madrid. We admired the almond blossom covering the hills like a pink blanket as we headed inland. En route we stopped at a German lodge on another mountain peak. The views were incredible; the local boast is that Ibiza is visible on a clear day. We enjoyed refreshments while sitting around an enormous log fire.
Tempting as it was to stay, we decided to move on towards our castle. The further climb up to Guadalest was spectacular, as we viewed the waterfalls of Fuentes del Algar and wound our way through olive groves and more almond terraces. On arrival we paid to park near the green lake and climbed the many steps to the castle. When we were entering the tunnel we were stopped and told that the castle was closed. Damn siesta.
The ad says “Smile: you’re in Spain,” and we do, especially when we’re in the sea enjoying the sun.