AS winter approaches, properties here in Spain remain a magnet for British and tourists from Scandinavia. The tourists from Scandinavian countries such as Iceland, Finland, Sweden, Norway and Denmark will love to be here because of a relatively temperate climate all-year round. The reason for the temperate climate is the proximity to the Mediterranean of the Iberian Peninsula of which Spain is a part of.
Recognizing the importance of the Spaniards to learn another language, the Spanish government has encouraged all high school students i.e. the younger generation to learn the languages of the Scandinavian countries so they can help promote the flourishing hospitality industry in Spain. Among these languages now prevalent as media of instruction in special and international schools throughout the country are Danish, Norwegian, Swedish, Finnish and Icelandic. Of course, one cannot discount English too as the majority of the tourists here in Spain in the end are British.
Another step that the Spanish government has taken is strict inspection in all holiday homes and resorts here in Spain. Because of that, almost all resorts here have been given the blue flag accreditation of the European Union which simply means that they are of highest quality and can be enjoyed by any first-class tourist.
And it’s nowhere close to spend a holiday here in Spain and ultimately stay here than right now. If you’re still outside Spain right at this moment, it’s too bad that you cannot catch international flights anymore to Madrid in time for Halloween. Halloween is a jolly celebration here in Spain and it will be like summer. That’s actually three celebrations all rolled into one.
The first celebration is the commercial Halloween which has been propagated in the rest of the Western world like the United Kingdom and the United States across the Atlantic. Kids do their trick-or-treat thing and receive the most number of candies as compared to the rest of the days in the year. Just like their kiddie counterparts, teenagers here in Spain go out and party during Halloween night, wearing elaborate costumes some of which are hand-woven by the way.
They go to disco bars around town where Halloween specials are dedicated and prizes for the spookiest and creepiest costumes of the night will be given out. These prizes range from novelty items to a dinner for two and a hotel stay for two as well to more usable items such as a gas range and what-have-you. See, it’s not just a party after all but an opportunity to acquire some stuff and save in the end.
The next stop of the celebration is the culmination of Rosary Month. A predominantly Catholic country, Spain’s patron saint is the Mother Mary and in this month, thousands of rosary-shaped balloons all over the country are flown. Those who can retrieve the balloons upon landing get a special prize. Again, this is done on October 31, same date of Halloween. With all these celebrations, who can’t resist spending the rest of his or her life here?