LIVING IN SPAIN IN OCTOBER

 WEATHER

October is the month where autumn begins. The days are getting shorter and lower average temperature, therefore is time to change wardrobe. Mornings are usually fresher, although during the day can wear short-sleeved clothing . We do not usually take shelter, but often imposed the fine jacket. Generally temperature they tend not to have important differences between night and day. It is one of the best months to visit Spain, if what you like is to contemplate its artistic and architectural heritage , as in summer , except for the north of Spain, the weather prevents walking the streets of cities and it is better to spend your time at the beach or near the swimming pool having a drink

AUTUMN GASTRONOMY

In October you can find in the market lot of kind of fruits for these season. Typical vegetables are chicory, artichokes, cauliflower, spinach, pumpkin or cabbage. The mushrooms are a gastronomic symbol of autumn. In brief season mushrooms, chanterelles and truffles starts. On the other hand, is possible to find delicious fruits as oranges, tangerines, pears, bananas from Canary Islands, grapes, grenades, kiwis from our Granada province last years, and one of the my favorites is quince. A famous village in Andalucia named Puente Genil is the most famous place where quince grows.

It is the best time for hunting pheasant, wild boar, rabbit, woodcock, partridge and hare.

EL PILAR FESTIVAL AND OCTOBER 12th.

The most famous festival in October in Spain is The Zaragoza’s festival, named El Pilar, in honour of the virgin with the same name. El Pilar is a very big festival, similar to San Fermín in Pamplona and go thousands of people from other provinces. I’ve ever gone to El Pilar, but people told me they are very exiting with the city full of people, music, gastronomy, etc.

October 12th is the Spanish Day (Fiesta Nacional), reminding when Cristobal Colón arrive to America, the new world. Lot of people thing is not a good idea celebrate the “conquest”, because the incipient Spain took the wealth of America and kill thousands of American Indians. Maybe they are right and it is not anything to celebrate, but on the other hand it was the start of the big meeting between two worlds. If you look the history with the present eyes, perhaps you will not be able to continue your life. Spain as a country did lot of things very bad, but we have the opportunity to recover and contribute to improving the daily life for American people. We have big links to share, and they are an opportunity to say I’m sorry for the previous generations. Is the best way to be united. Usually in Madrid ther is a big military parade of Spanish army, presided for the king Felipe VI since 2013. I had the honour to participate in 1987 when I was in the army in the mountains troops from Navarra.

ROADS

The road network is  influenced by the physical environment, which in Spain is characterized by a very compartmentalized space by mountain ranges and steep relief. In the Iberian Peninsula there are high mountain ranges exceeding 3000 meters (Pyrenees, Betic Cordilleras); interior and surrounding mountains above 2000 meters (Central System, Galician Massif, Cantabrian Mountains and Iberian) and mountains with average altitudes between 1500 and 2000 meters (Montes de Toledo, Basque and Catalan Mountain ranges Mountains) altitudes. Moreover, the central Iberian plateau, which occupies a third of the peninsular surface, has an average altitude of 600 meters. It follows that the country especially due to the large centrally unit has a high average altitude (660 m), making it the second European country after Switzerland altitude (1340 m).

Regarding the density of roads per square kilometer, the situation in Spain has always been lower than that of the most industrialized European countries (Germany and Britain). Inter-city transport was dominated by the railroad until the fifties.

The road network of Spain, according to their ownership:

State Highway Network. Are those roads that are the responsibility of the State through the Ministry of Development. They are part of both the National Highway, as the motorways of the State.

Secondary highways of Spain: Includes both roads and motorways and integrates, based on ownership:

Regional Network: consists of all the roads of regional ownership (depending on the Autonomous Community)

Provincial Network: it consists of the set of provincial roads ownership (dependent of the Provincial)

Municipal Network: consists of all the municipally owned roads (under the Town Hall)

October is a transition month and it is ideal to enjoy of the nature. 

Enjoy October!

Gaelia 2015