vinski

Hi. I'm Spanish I come from Spain but I moved when I was 8 years old. I live in Australia. But haven't went back . Oh oh a rare holiday thing. And what I've lesrne and notice as I grown up is that what annoying thing about Spain is that shops are close and doesn't open from 10am in the morning then just to think that shortly they going to close the shops for a few hours around 1pm afternoon. And won't open the shops until late afternoon. Then again to think that restaurants and shops are open at night and then realise people are having dinner late at night or more like saying 10 or 11pm in the evening.... Then I wondered how Spanish people in Spain no wonder why they all go to bed late at night like 2am in the night. And again no one wakes up to see the wonderful morning.. instead they still in bed until 9or 10am in the morning and everything things the contrary to the rest of msot countries. I'm notad about this I'm Spanish. It also Australian.. and I see the difference from Australia to Spain. For ezaexam in Australia we wake up early to avoid the heat that starts soon we also wake up early when it's 7am to have proper breakfast which is important. Do you expect to see much of Spain really doing the healthy way by wake up.lroning have a decent breakfast or do they just wake up late and skip breakfast because by the time they wake up it be almost afternoon midday . And this is where Spain isn't doing it right with the time slot tradition. Because this leads on eat late.. skip mornings and then end up eating like 2 or 3pm afternoon and then you end up eating late at night end go to bed late... Only in australia we call that someone who can't be bothered to do the right thing. We all work. We don't eat late and skip mornings and be in bed. We wake up early to work to earn money and be back home early afternoon to see the day and to have more time with family and home. And go to bed by midnight. We don't go to bed late because we go to work early. And Spain does it the other way around which seems odd. But I'm not surprised... So why would in Spain eat late and then go to bed late.. does anyone even work in Spain or is everyone on the dull pension or something... I'm Spanish but I do think like the way it works out in Spain. I miss Spain and I love Spain but the time slot in Spain is rather strange... Because it doesn't sound healthy for your health. Not good to eat late and go to bed late and still in bed all thru the morning and then expect to wake up.modday and you skip mornings jsu5 in bed and no proper morning breakfast. It's not a good tradition. This is why Spain lacks in making good money because things are done the odd way... Did you know Spain is the only country in Europe to remain restaurants and shops open until late at night when. The rest of europE everyone packs up to go home and close the shops until next day. Maybe Spain lacks in the crisis of things because of the odd time slot and how people end up going to work. It's not really good. XonsoderCon Spain has too many issues and problems about things.. and I'm not a shame to say this because I rather see and do the rifbt thing for the country. Only to do the right and healthy way. But they do say if you skip mornings and stay in bed... It's seriously not a good healthy way living. Because u end up eating late and go to bed very late.. that's what a person does who doesn't have a job and does things that way. When I went to Spain to see relatives.. I was disappointed because I woke up 8am I had breakfast like I would normally do.. see the sun come out and refresh my body. Go outside and notice nothing is open... Nothing to do.. now expect to wait all morning or at least half morning until the shops open and then soon enough evrryevery closes too soon by 1 or 2pm so not much there to do during the day. Plus I rather see and do things day time and not at night. And I'm not a fan for tapas. I rather est a proper big meal on a plate and not just tapas. Spain has this habit about tapas and eating late and sleep late and no one wakes up until midday .. what a life. It's .Or really decent. Well at least from all I know. And yet I expect to go visit my relative in Spain.... Not sure what I would even do if nothing opens normal jours.. and you don't just expect me to see castles and boring monuments..not everyone likes castles and monuments... Is that all.spain does? Also I'm not a fan on the beach so not for me.also Spain only thinks about food constantly.. not bad thing but that's what Spanish people think of..too much food but the lack of wake up early as they say bright up sjsnhine. So I left to hear your opinion about Spain about this. It please keep it stability with no swearing. Just remember who would someone like me do if nothing is open in Spain... Do one like me.expect to stay home in bed doing nothing like many Spanish people do? Some English conntrys calls that people who lack of been motivate. Thank you. Adios.

vinski

I do hope one-day Spain changed changes that odd time. slot this is why Spanish people have lived all thru Thier life's getting used to the strange time slot mm that's resnge time slot should of been changed years and eysrs ago when Franco died. But the lack of politics in Spain lacks everything entirely. Not a good way to get used to that. Why would I want to eat late and go to bed late for ? I have a life I wake up 8am to see the morning and to see and refresh my body. Not good to skip mornings. Spain has a thing for night time going out..... Not bad but day time so healthier. Night time should be more home and relax and sleep. I went to the chemist own time in Spain and notice it was close... Then I was hungry but nothing was open... Everyone seems to be in bed even thought it was 9am.. how strange. If Spain did the right thing...they would had make lots of money..and why bother clsoe the shops at 2pm for when they could stay open until.alre aftrrnoln. Who do they expect to shop lare at night... Maybe just the Spanish locals lol... Hmmm

Cowboy1968

Interesting trip report.
I think Fodor's should use it for the introductory chapter of their travel guides on Spain.

StCirq

I take it the Spanish don't use paragraphs either. That can't be healthy.

nanabee

If you hadn't slept through your English classes in Australia maybe your writing would be more believable.

IMDonehere

It is just as interesting as I arrived at the airport at 9:03 and then waited two extra minutes because the plane was late. Maybe less typos.

vinski

I'm using home so it lacks the autocorrect by Android who messes wordings up. But getting to the topic about Spain time. Why do Spain do this ? It's asking for common sense.... Who would want to eat almost when it's almost midnight as in dinner. And then expect to degest and go to bed by 2am... One would say if Spanish people even work or are they all living in a wrong clockwise. I'm Spanish I came from Spain but since I'm getting older I started to learn more and more the odd things about my last country. I don't live in Spain. I notice that in Australia no one stays in bed all morning when the sun comes out. Only dull pludgrs do these things. It reminds me how Spain people do that. But instead they say it's normal for them ....... But I reckon it's not healthy at all... Not a good way to get used to that because it's just not good for health-wise.. it's important to have proper breakfast and wake up early and that's 8am out of bed. But Spain thinks 8am is very early.... How wierd. But this is what's wrong with Spain they have issues.. they complain about wages and many things. If only Spain could change that weird time slot which was created by Franco years ago..... It has to change but should of changed after Franco died in the 70s now the problem is that all Spaniards are now so used to the time slot... They think it's normal. It's not normal
Look at the other countries.. they make food cash at work and busienss and better time slot. When I was in Spain on holidays to visit relatives it was teriblte as to think that shops where close and nothing was open from 10am.. then soon enough expect to have evrreveryt close again by lunchtime around 1 oe 2pm afternoon and they won't open for the next few years... You see.. why do all this during the day when the day is where the world does more shopoish instead of the night... This is whats wrong with the xountry... They have this so used to the Franco time that it seems normal for Spain where. Half the world sees it strange time slot for things been done in Spain. Do Spain epect me to go outside late at night and eat late at night and then go to bed late like a person who stays up all night ? Not a good healthy way for someone. And mornings are very important... Spain Spanish people seems to skip mornings and remain why in bed and this is where things gets in not so healthy... Skipping morning breakfast. But instead for vreakfasb they eat bastery.. like hot chocolate with churros. And that's 100percent. Or healrhy. That's where all the high kalories are... Plus I wouldn't call that even breakfast at all. Spain lacks many of this due to the Franco time... The law should of changed years ago... They just lack in common sense... But I love Spain and the culture. But it's just people sticking up with this rediculous time slot... Remember in Australia they say someone who stays in bed and skips breakfast and skips mornings are boggans people more like couch potatoes who are lazy people. Are most Spaniards are like that ?

Anyhow that's what makes me mad to think nothing is open until they say.. then they clsoe again. So pretty much they work less at day time and work more.at night instead. And not always people refer the beach or the monuments and castles.... So anything to do in spain Spain other then those same old things ? Australia has more then just monuments and museums.. there's.more to see and do during the day... The night you can't see things better... It's all common sense. Thank you.

Fine that Spain has this habit but still it's really not a good way to live like that. It doesn't sound too practical it's it's what I'm saying. It sounds rather dump only because if they where more smart they would wake up be right and sunshine yeah? Go to work open the doors let people buy and not just open late in the morning around 10am when they can easily open things up by 8am. It's not like 8am is considered like if it was 4 in the morning. It's just lazzyness in the creativity of the workforce in Spain due to the lack of the time frame of one everyday living. Airports is doferdiff.. airports will always have things or maot things open.. but what about shops around Spain.. and nothing is open until you have to wait 10am but soon enough they going to close the doors shortly in just 3hours they going to close.. and then don't expect them to open late afternoon or evenings... No wonder why things are running late in Spain. I'm not surprised. It's not practical way of making Spain more richer other then wierd time sprss is the thing that needs to be changed. I call that lazzyness and a bunch of couch potatoes who sleeps during the day and don't have proper breakfast and see the mornings... They only seem night owls instead.

kja

There are morning people and there are night people and it takes both (and people in the middle) for any culture to survive. The presumption by any morning bird that night owls live a life that is less hardworking, less valuable, or more problematic is simply not supported by the data. If you don't like it, fine, don't visit Spain!

vinski

I love Spain. But the time slot is pretty dull.... It's all tondo with common sense... Yeah ? When I went to Spain.. I wanted to chill it see and buy things... It was 11innrbe morning ok it was open then but then soon most stores was already shyting down so quickly during lunch time... Then what? Nothing to see indoors or buy things...it was dull and even worse farmacies was also closed when I wanted to buy sometbsom medication or soeething... So what was there to do? Only thing that happen was been stuck on a nice beautiful day back indoors watching tv all thru the day.. doing nothing.. until things reopened again later aftrrafte which was rather bad because I rather buy things during the day.. I don't go out much during the night.. I always considered as crime are on the loose at night aniways. The fovrrgover of Spain are 100percent lazzyness.. no wonder why things are a little more ore then negative around the country.. not good. Use common sense.. I see night more for young people who goes out clubing. Not kids playing in the streets alone at night... Where crime is more at night then day. Again use common sense.

kja

Well, common sense would also say that one should read a guide book before traveling, and any decent guidebook on Spain covers the times that restaurants, businesses, etc., are open -- so it seems pretty clear that you didn't do your homework. Too bad.

Cowboy1968

I would have thought that most people visited Spain to visit palaces, museums, cathedrals etc.
Or to explore the diverse natural spaces, or take advantage of the beautiful beaches.
Not sure why not being able to buy stuff between 1300 and 1700 is such a major issue.
Even less so since there are supermarkets or the big-scale hipermercados which do not observe siesta.
Neither do shopping centers or malls.
In the cities, it's mostly the domain of small owner-operated stores to close for siesta.
In places like downtown Barcelona, you hardly know that it's siesta since everything is open.

Personally, I cannot understand people who like to get up at 5.30am or even earlier to stuff their face with a "hearty" breakfast and be at the office by 7am. As PP noted, some people like to get up early, others prefer to stay up late.
The night is not the time to lock yourself in at home in Spain.
Plus, in many places it's getting really hot in summer so nighttime is when it's pleasant again to be outside.

Sassafrass

When traveling to any place, an open mind, an education and some understanding and knowledge of the culture of a country is imperative. Criticizing with no objective perspective is narrow minded. Your insinuation that the times things are open or closed are an indication of a whole country being lazy and inefficient is insulting. Honestly, IMHO, it is too bad you can't be put on some list that restricts you from ever entering Spain again. With your low opinion of Spain, you should refrain from visiting. I am likely wasting my time explaining anything to you, but feel such an attitude should be addressed, with the small hope that you might be open to learning.

Perhaps you went only at cooler times, but I have been to Spain several times in Summer. Heat in the middle of the day was sometimes insufferable. As an accommodation to the climate, it made sense to make that a time for rest rather than working outside in that heat. So, a custom of working twice a day and resting twice a day came into being. They worked three or four hours. They took a long break from the heat so what we call lunch time became their big meal with their family and they had a short sleep or "siesta" as we sometimes call it. The food could be prepared in the morning before it was too hot. They returned to work in the late afternoon for three or four hours, then had a lighter evening meal so heavy cooking did not have to be done during the heat of the day. If most people were home having mid-day dinner and sleep, there was no need for stores to be open. Also, you must remember that air conditioning was not common in homes or even small hotels until very recent times. Open doors and windows were a necessity.

I stayed with a family near Cadiz. For us Americans, the hostess planned dinner for 8:00pm. At around 7:00, it was still 100 degrees, so she put out a few snacks and said it was simply too hot to have the stove on. Even though her kitchen was next to the house rather than part of the main house, we did not want her cooking in the heat either. We finally ate around 11:00.

I then stayed in a small family hotel in the heart of Madrid with no air and hot breezes through the windows. We tried going outside, but went back inside and slept in the afternoons.

My friend who was a student went to school for classes early in the morning and again early evening.

In the evening, it cools down enough to be outside. In Summer, in the South, days are long and light until very late. Sitting out in a plaza in the cool of the night, with families eating tapas and children playing makes perfect sense. I for one am sorry to see this way of doing things being eroded by the expanded use of air conditioning.

The big breakfast many have come to think of as the best way of doing things is relatively new. In the US, when we had a more agrarian society, farmers got up very early to get in an hour or two of heavy work and milking done. Then they went in to enjoy a short rest and a big breakfast. Read some of the history of Australia and you will see the same thing was true. Read about other places and you will learn that in other countries in Europe, stores and shops closed for a period in the middle of the day, and always on Sat afternoon and Sunday. People shopped accordingly and had more uninterrupted time with their family.

In spite of knowing that people are more alert and focused with shorter work periods and that naps during the day increase productive working time, we unfortunately are more and more adopting your point of view. It is business, not for your good or common sense.

Traveler_Nick

You wake up at 8am and you're complaining about others sleeping in?

I don't know which parts of Spain you've been to but I've seen shops open at 8am. Plenty of bars open. I've seen people on the beach or out walking. Kids going to school.

It's only small shops that tend to close mid day. Strange the people running those shops have a need for lunch.

bilboburgler

I guess the real question is why do Australians not do this? Probably because the dominant culture has been British where the weather is so miserable that you just want to the day to be over as soon as possible, plus of course UK was an early industrialising nation.
Still if everyplace was the same there would be no "abroad".

Masterphil

I would argue that the US has it all wrong. As I sit in my office, it is absolutely beautiful out! The sun is shining, it's 68 degrees, birds are chirping, yet I am stuck in an office. When I leave at 5pm it will be starting to get dark out! Why not work when it's dark and have off when it's sunny?

Sassafrass

Masterphil, Yes! Yes! Yes!
Same for kids stuck inside in school during the best part of the day. When I was a kid, back in the dark ages, lunch at my public school was 11:30 to 1:00. We could walk home for lunch or play on the playground and eat lunch outside or stay inside and eat and play games if it was too cold. I do realize with both parents working and so many kids being bused to big, factory like schools, that is not practical. Now, they not only have school, they have before care and after care where they are generally confined except for a bit of time in the after care. Why not have school early, then a few hours of play, then finish school later?

IMDonehere

Spinach food-bad, me-goop

Nikki

I have often wondered how people in Spain keep the late hours they do. Not for the reasons stated in the original post, as I have no idea whether it is more or less healthy, but because it is very hard for me to eat so late at night. Can’t easily go to bed after such a late dinner, and staying up is pleasant, especially in the summer, but I have often wondered how people get up for work in the morning.

I have gotten the impression that things were changing in Spain, and that people have had to change their schedules because more and more jobs kept the hours that require you to be there in the morning and in the afternoon, eliminating the siesta.

I am surprised that the original poster has such trouble with the schedule, as Vinski says he or she is Spanish and lived in Spain, but it does sound like Australia is a better fit. I also have trouble understanding the idea that there is nothing to do in the morning. I wonder what part of Spain Vinski is talking about.

Cowboy1968

By the way.. I think one reason has not been mentioned yet..
As Spain is (geographically) in the wrong time zone, the sun sets late. And rises quite late.
For example in Malaga, the statistics say that the sun won't rise until 7am-ish on June 21st.
So the usual daytime hours are somewhat shifted towards the evening.

kja

Some wonderful comments in the last day!
IRL, I eat dinner after 10 p.m. I love Spain! To each his/her own.