Spain Favorite Tips by LoriPori

OLIVE OIL - LIQUID GOLD OF ANDALUCIA PART 2

Favorite thing: At the Mill the harvest is washed before being gathered into a huge vat where it is crushed into a paste that is spread on nylon mats and squeezed by a hydraulic press to separate the liquids from the paste, leaving behind a fibrous residue that is used in soap making or fertilizer. Finally a centrifugal separatoris used to extract the oil from the water. The Oil is then allowed to mature for several weeks and graded before being bottled and sold. The Olive Oil that reaches the market is divided into different quality grades, the best grade being Extra Virgin. Darker in colour and heavier in taste than its cheaper counterparts, it has acidic levels of less than one percent and is used mainly to dress salads. Cheaper grades are used mostly in cooking.
Demand for olive oil has been growing steadily in northern Europe, North America and Japan, ever since it became widely known that it contains non-saturated fats that actually reduce cholesterol levels, making olive oil a healthy substitute for vegetable oils and butter.

OLIVE OIL - LIQUID GOLD OF ANDALUCIA

Favorite thing: If you have ever traveled across Andalucia, particularly in the central and eastern part of the region, you must have seen row upon row of olive groves that extend as far as the eye can see.These vast expanses of cultivation make Spain the largest olive oil producer in the world. More than just an industry, it is a way of life. With an annual output of around 600,000 tons, Spain accounts for almost 40 % of the world's supply. Olive groves can be found throughout the country, from Barcelona to Huelva, but it is in the provinces of Cordoba and Jaen that cultivation is most intense.
The approximately 200 million olive trees in the country represent a tremendous asset, not only in terms of their produce but also because of the great capital output required to start up an olive grove. The cost is derived from the fact that, once planted, it takes olive trees up to ten years to become fully productive.
Olives are harvested by shaking the trees mechanically or manually, which produces a better quality of product than methods such as the beating of the branches with sticks, as used in North Africa. The harvest takes place from early November to January. After they are picked, the olives are taken to the mill within a day or so, to preserve their lower oxidation and acidity.

THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW

Favorite thing: SPAIN GENERAL TIPS
These Tips are for my fellow Canadian travellers and most are geared towards them.
CLIMATE
Along the Mediterranean Coast, summer is never too hot and the beach season stretches from late May to the end of October. Winter is quite mild. The north has warm but shorter summers, the sea water is cool but pleasant, while the rest of the year the weather is cool and my be rainy.

CURRENCY
The currency is the Euro. All major credit cards are widely accepted. Foreign currency can be changed at banks and exchange offices (cambios). ATM's are widely available.
I was prepared for everything, I bought some Euros from my bank, I brought travelers' cheques (Americam Express in CDN funds ) and I used the ATM machines. All three worked great.

ELECTRICITY
220 volts is used in most tourist resorts and in all new buildings. Some hotels may have a 110 or 120 volt outlet for electric razors. A converter and a plug adapter are required (for the Spanish sockets which usually have two wide spaced round pins). Hans and I always carry these things with us when we travel.

CANADIAN EMBASSY
Malaga - Horizonte Building, Plaza de la Malagueta 2, 1st Floor 29016 Malaga Spain
Telephone: 34 (95)222-3346
Fax: 34 (95) 222-9533
Internet: cancon@microcad.es

THE GIANT BLACK BULLS

Favorite thing: Anyone who travels around Spain cannot miss THE GIANT BLACK BULLS which stand on hill tops usually near main roads .While ther are not so many of them along the coast, there is one on the outskirts of Fuengirola at the Los Boliches end.
These "BULLS" are the trademark of a famous Spanish company "Osborne" which produces brandy and sherry. The "BULLS" which originally varied in size, were placed near roads by the Osborne company and carried advertising messages for their products. Over a period of time, they became accepted as a symbol of Spain to such a degree that they were taken over by the Government for this purpose. They are now maintained by the government. the advertising messages have been removed and their size has been standardized at around 34 feet in height. Standing on hilltops as they do, they are visible for miles around.

Fondest memory: As I needed to get my "BULL" pix, I got Stace fo pull over on our way to Antequera when I saw this one on the highway. He is such a sweetheart that he got me as close to it as possibe. Thanks Stace.