Southern Europe Verses Northern Europe

The noise, the smells, the rabble of screaming children, the flesh, the eye make-up, the heat and the air conditioning all go into make a spanish convention or assembly something totally different to anything found in Europe. I doubt even the Gaelic French could produce such spectacular. Compared to the quiet Belgians the 5,000 people seem like 10,000. Last weekend in the cool green climate of West Belgium the 5,000 seemed exactly that 5,000 people. They talked quietly, ate quietly, sang quietly- everything quietly. The Spanish on the other hand talk loudly, almost at screaming pitch, listening to quiet Belgians in puzzlement, asking "Do you have a sore throat?" They eat loudly- at least they make such amount of fuss getting the food out of bags, calling to each other and making a general rucus. They sing loudly, it the most remarkable cultural differences- the Belgians, shy, retiring, hating to raise they're voice above their fellows. The Spanish raise they're voices trying to reach the heavens with their song, emptying all their joy into the music and filling it with their emblematic culture. Then there are the fans, no, not "fanatics" but wooden fans that beat the hot air like buterflies wings, the rhythmic beating fills the auditorium with butterflies.

The crowds move in easy flow, collecting in pockets of long lost friends and new acquaintances, babies are rocked to sleep by their fashionable mothers with impeccable hair. It's the same with all the women, well-made up with impeccably styled hair, beautiful clothes and beautiful jewellry. It's almost a fashion parade, with shoulders showing and stacked heels. The latest fashions are on show and in exposure, hardly remembering the tone of the convention. In Belgium fashions were on show, but with less skin showing- perhaps the cold was the key reason for so little flesh being bared.

Eye make-up here is a must, all the women above sixteen wear it, they'd rather die than be seen without the full make-up mask. Belgium was on the other hand "au natural", even the fashion conscious 40's- 50 year olds wore no make-up, not even lipstick. The young stylised singles dressed in the best names didn't even wear a lick of mascara, what a culture shock!

Talking of fashion, looking at the the same 5,000 people in Spain is a multicoloured parrot show, from tropical greens to spicy oranges and passionate reds. The colours are bright, vibrant, alive and on ocasion extreme. Belgium on the otherhand is cool, muted and pastel shades. No parrots here, rather delicate flower and natural shades.

In amongst the beating spanish fans are another culture differences, the size of families- to an eight seat row in Belgium you will probably find at least 3 or 4 families- in Spain you will find 2 or 3 families to the same eight seat row. In Spain, families are not only large but also extended i.e. all the uncles, aunts, nephews and nieces, cousins and grandparents. So on one row you will find:- Uncle Jose, Aunt Maribel, Cousin Naomi and her boyfriend Paco, Mum, Dad, Sarah, Miguel and Baby Pedro on Mum's lap. Whereas in Belgium as in most other Northern European countries you will find on the one row:- John and Sarah Newby, Jennifer, Fred and Baby Joe Sidler, Matilda and Peter Vanderbrooke, Thomas Dylan, Jack Sparrow. Big families in Northern Europe are unusual, the largest normal family is a 3 children family. Small familes in Spain are unusual, the smallest normal family is a 2 children family.

They deny it with ferocity but it's all down to the catholiscism. In the old days they wer told that contraception was wrong and so big families have become customary, that's also the reason for so much matriachial hierachy and the typical revered Catholic priests that have become dictators in Spanish life. But don't tell anyone I said that!

The differences though are what makes life interesting, the spice of life, and sometimes the loud, loving demonstrative Spanish nature is the best spice of all. I miss when I revisit the quieter, cooler, calmer natures of northern europe. Happily in Spain, over and out.