Today I had a visitor from the US that was amazed at the amount of bars and people on the streets in Bilbao. We started talking, and came up with several basic CULTURAL differences between bars in Spain (Basque Country, in this particular case) and the US. Here they go (and I´m talking in general terms, exceptions allowed):
- Bars in Spain are places to socialize, not to get drunk. We meet at bars not to drink, but to talk to friends or family.
- We drink small size beers (zurito, in the BAsque Country, or wine.
- We do meet at bars with family, kids, grandparents...and there´s always a quarrel to be the first one paying.
- When the group is formed, we either pay one round at each bar (a bar per person, to finish off the round, at least), eat some pintxos or tapas (we don´t seek to get drunk), or we put some money in common ("bote") and one person pays for all. Nobody cares about the fairness on it...you may have a beer, another one a coke and another one a glass of water...money is not important.
- We may visit 7 or 8 bars at least, and have our drinks outside. There must be food involved, in the form of pintxos.
- We love doing this before lunch or dinner.
- Kids are welcome in bars. There´s no such thing as "family bars" or "family restaurants".
- Yes, you can throw your napkins to the floor...and it´s not bad manners.
- NO tips is left, ever, maybe just the spare change.
- Sitting at a bar is not that common, we like to have our drinks standing.
- A drunk person in a bar or in the group is always a no-no.
- business meetings can also be held at a bar, having a beer or a wine.

We thought of all these in five minutes...he was kind of surprised at the differences...

I don't often frequent bars, so I'm no expert. When I've been in bars in Spain, it's usually to have tapas and a mineral water. But I've observed many of the same things you've mentioned. I especially enjoyed seeing a family enter a bar in Avila where a family member was working. It was really lovely to see the hugs and cheek kisses the family gave the waiter. So different from the States.

In Sevilla, when it rained, the patrons all squeezed inside the bar, and when the rain stopped, they flowed back into the streets, chatting all the while.

If you visit 7 or 8 bars, do you order 7 or 8 drinks without getting drunk?

If you visit 7 or 8 bars, do you order 7 or 8 drinks without getting drunk?>>

1. you drink water some of the time.

2. you don't have a drink in every place

3. you've been doing it all your life so you're used to it.

4. all of the above.

Greg - I was wondering the same.

Having spent quite a bit of time in The Basque country and Bilbao last summer I agree with your list. Certainly some parts of the US have very similar type of bars meant for casual snack, maybe a drink as you make your way through an area.
I think 7 or 8 is pushing it for me. We always travel w our best freinds from Madrid and we never go to more than 4 places! 7 or 8 seems like a lot - even for a busy Friday night!! Just my opinion.... or maybe age!

Absolutely...The fact that we take time to drink a very small beer (about 15-20cl) only, and that we are eating something at the same time, helps not to get drunk. Yes, you may be "happier" and maybe kind of tipsy if you overdo it, but we do try to avoid getting drunk...I mean "real" drunk.

...just watching on telly how in Pamplona bars are offering a wine and a pintxo for two euros, special offer.

Annhig...3 or 4, probably ...

...and surprisingly, the number of dipsomaniacs is not higher here than in any other country...in fact, it´s lower!! Maybe due to our "normal" relationship since kids with alcohol?

I might add the quality of food you get in Spanish bars is often much higher as well! I can't imagine getting such nice seafood or such carefully prepared snacks in most US bars.

Another cultural difference I have noticed in Spanish bars, as well as in general, is a differing concept of "personal space". In the U.S. the norm for speaking to someone is about at a distance of about a meter. In Spain, particularly in bars and at parties, the "comfortable" distance seems to be about half that.

I have been to parties in Madrid, for example that seem to have 500 happy people crammed into one room; all standing and chattering away nose to nose. This can be uncomfortable to an American, particularly one who is a bit claustrophobic.

The same thing happens in the workplace, as well. I once watched a Spanish engineer back a Yankee engineer all the way down a hallway during a long technical discussion. The Spaniard would move forward to make a point, and the Yank would unconsciously shuffle a step backward while making his. Neither realized what was happening, but down the hall they went.

I agree that, in theory, drinking small amounts and eating at the same time, will stop you getting drunk. however in practice......

on our trip to Vienna a few years ago, we spend a most enjoyable afternoon touring the Heurige - the wine taverns that serve their own wine, usually in ancient inns with lovely gardens. we were very careful - only one glass of wine in each, we drank as much water as wine, and we ate plenty - a starter at the first, the buffet at the 2nd.....pudding at the 3rd [or was it the 4th?] ....

and when we got back to Vienna, we could NOT remember how many we'd been to. still can't.

it was a hoot!

mikelg - I am sure that being brought up to drink a little alcohol with meals is better than seeing adults getting bladdered once or twice a week. at the moment there is a campaign in the UK to persuade us that our glass or two of wine with dinner most evenings is as bad as binge drinking.

good luck with that.

Funny...doctors in Spain recommend having a couple of glasses of wine (red) a day...for adults. Proven to be good for your health. At least if you´re Spanish...I think that we have one of the longest life expectancy in the world...

Funny...doctors in Spain recommend having a couple of glasses of wine (red) a day...for adults. Proven to be good for your health. At least if you´re Spanish...I think that we have one of the longest life expectancy in the world...>>

perhaps our blood is different? i suspect that if spanish docs said anything else they'd lose their patients.

"I have been to parties in Madrid, for example that seem to have 500 happy people crammed into one room; all standing and chattering away nose to nose. This can be uncomfortable to an American, particularly one who is a bit claustrophobic."

If they are even a little bit claustrophobic, they would never be able to experience the festival in Pamplona, or just about any bar in Spain, let alone Madrid and the Basque country where it can be belly to belly at times.

Yes, sometimes the cultural differences can make some American's uncomfortable, it's something we see each year during fiesta, but most tend to get used to it after a few days if they allow themselves to relax and enjoy themselves.

There are at least 12 bars in a three block area from the house, we live in the East Village in New York City and many more if you go six.
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Many of the bars are for people to meet to anything from a casual sex or a long term relationship

Many kids come from the suburbs to drink and throw up in Manhattan, this is especially true on St. Patrick's Day and New Year's Eve.

Some bars become known as for attracting for people of a certain age, there are sports bars, gay bars, dive bars (specializing in cheap drinks and a raucus atmosphere) specialty drinks, etc.

The food is a separate issue but many offer "pub grub" that is burgers or buffalo wings, but if the place is just a bar, then 99 out of 100 times the food secondary. Although there are bars that full restuarants as opposed to the major of restaurants that have bars.

In many bars the main drink is beer, especially for the younger crowds.

IDs are checked because no one under 21 is supposed to be in a bar.

The Spanish multi-generation get together in an American bar would make Grandma seem like an old drunk and Dad looking to hit on one of his daughter's friends. It just isn't done.

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Besides that they are the same as Spain.

here in the StatesI just watched and enjoyed a Spanish DVD movie set in a suburb of Barcelona called Tapas (2005) The hours are so different from the States-from early morning to very late-killer schedule for the owner.

Yes, the cultural differences are many and major... Which is why we seldom go out for a drink and a pintxo or tapa when home since our favorite Basque chef lost his restaurant and pintxos bar in a divorce and La Taberna del Alabardero in Seattle closed it's doors.