Barrie's Podcast

What the barbecue virgins don’t seem to realise is that charcoal has to get hot, really hot and glow red before you even attempt to cook food. I have witnessed barbecue virgins trying to get the thing to light with firelighters, paraffin or worse. I have watched with horror as other barbecue virgins throw hunks of flesh onto barely warmed cinders in a determined effort to get food poisoning... If...

I’m always uneasy about the “Happy New Year” greetings that we belt out to anyone that we meet, either on social media or in person. Whenever I hear these words, I have a mental vison of a grinning Ken Dodd, manically waving his ‘tickling stick’, whilst singing that rather troubling song ‘Happiness’.  In reality, of course, we are not meant to be happy all the time, and we need the bad times to he...

It is strange how those who have moved to another country to live and work, develop a craving for something that reminds them of life in their countries of origin. I guess it is not that surprising really, as Christmas is a time of the year when our memories, particularly as we get older, recall times gone by, both happy and sad. Many of those special times have occurred, of course, over the Chris...

I wonder if anyone remembers the BBC television comedy ‘Hi-de-Hi’, which was first broadcast in the 1980s? It was classic, camp comedy, which was based upon a fantasy world of a not so glamorous ‘Butlins style’ holiday camp. Looking back, it became a kind of documentary, since I remember visiting a number of British holiday camps that were very similar to the fictional ‘Maplins’ featured in the sh...

The nature of tourism on the islands has changed over the years too. There is now a rapidly growing interest in rural tourism where visitors are content to relax in a rural environment, and well away from the busy tourist centres and ‘all you can eat’ hotels. We are beginning to see the opening of hostels to attract younger visitors on a tight budget, as well as for those who are happy to stay in...

I have never liked gambling or entered a betting office, and I do not buy lottery tickets.  Indeed, the only gambling that I confess to was spending a quarter in a slot machine in Las Vegas many years ago, since my fascination with the technology on display in that fascinating ‘hell on earth’ was a temptation that I could not avoid. If you enjoyed this article, take a look at my websites: http://b...

It was really good to read in the news this week that the Canary Island of Fuerteventura will once again provide a Beach Library at the beach of Los Pozos. It is a simple concept, users can read books and magazines, as well as participating in a range of activities, such as sports and workshops connected to reading. This library will include books in various languages, and readers can even take th...

We are told that times are hard and the effects of the recession are still with us, but have you noticed that there always seems to be enough money around for those prestige projects? Then, of course, there is that “Brexit dividend” that we all keep hearing about... © Barrie Mahoney 2025 To find out more about Barrie, his blogs, podcasts and books, go to: http://barriemahoney.com/

Our first holiday in Spain some years ago was not a great success. We had booked into a major tour company’s “flagship hotel”, as it was described, only to find a bed containing the residue of its previous occupant, a couple of cockroaches and the distressing remains of a previous night’s curry in the toilet. Needless to say, we complained and were moved to another room. It was not the best introd...

Despite the low cost and ease of accessing other countries by using one of the cheap airlines, often the best way to see Europe is to travel by train. This was the reasoning behind an important European Union scheme for young people that was frequently ignored in the UK, which was a free Inter-Rail Pass to allow teenagers a full month of free travel around Europe. © Barrie Mahoney 2025 To find out...

I recently came across many pensioners protesting in the capital city of Las Palmas de Gran Canaria. This protest was just one taking place in a hundred Spanish cities to raise the plight of pensioners in society. In the Canary Islands, hundreds of people took to the streets in La Laguna in Tenerife and Las Palmas de Gran Canaria to ask for support in their ongoing struggle to preserve the public...

I am often told that Brits on holiday like nothing better than to get out of bed long before their all-inclusive breakfast has even hit the frying pan, and to chase outside to the swimming pool in their boxer shorts or bras (or possibly both) in order to place a vivid Union flag towel on the sunbed of their choice. It is even more exciting if there is a mad competitive dash with the Germans, with...

One of the many fat inducing temptations readily available in Spain and the Canary Islands are ‘Churros con Chocolate’, which is basically deep-fried pastry strips, rolled in sugar and dipped into hot chocolate as they are eaten. This ‘snack’ is hugely popular in Spain, Portugal and the Canary Islands, as well as the United States, France and Mexico. Depending upon the time of day, and the state o...

It seems that all is not well in foreign language learning, according to a recent study, where experts report that Britain will be further isolated from its European partners after Brexit, because of attitudes to learning foreign languages. Apparently, following the EU referendum, many British people have become even more ‘linguaphobic’, relying upon a false belief that everyone across the world c...

A Mince Pie for Christmas   It is strange how those living in another country develop a craving for something that reminds them of life in their countries of origin. I guess it is not that surprising really, as Christmas is a time of the year when our memories, particularly as we get older, recall times gone by, both happy and sad. Many of those special times have occurred, of course, over the Chr...

Those expats who enjoy a tipple will no doubt be delighted to read the news that I am reporting this week. According to researchers, German students studying the Dutch language found that their pronunciation improved remarkably after drinking just one pint of beer each. So, I guess many readers are now wondering if a glass or two of Spanish Rioja before attempting to speak Spanish might be of help...

An article about bee sting therapy caught my eye this week. Tragically, a woman recently died in Spain after undergoing a bizarre form of therapy at a clinic that involved bee venom. The therapy is known as apitherapy, which involved the woman attending a session every four weeks for two years, which was designed to improve her muscular control without allergic reactions.   © Barrie Mahoney 2024 T...

The lurid red leaflets advertising his range of 24-hour plumbing services in both English and Spanish have been blocking up our letter box for the last twelve years. Proudly declaring that he has been in the plumbing business for over thirty years, Juan, as I will call him, was clearly a reliable professional, or so we thought. When our toilet suddenly decided it needed some technical assistance,...

For a lizard, Clemmy is of diminutive size, and I am convinced that she has hardly grown over the three years that I have known her. She only appears on hot, sunny days, when the sun’s rays hit the same spot on the wall of our garden. She usually appears when I am pruning the roses, setting new plants or watering the garden. I talk to her and she appears to listen carefully to my every word; goodn...

When we moved to Spain, we were given several pieces of helpful advice from other expats. One of these pieces of advice was to “buy a fax machine” or at least to make sure that we had ready access to one. This piece of advice was invaluable and is still highly relevant. Over the last few months, I recall several occasions when I have been asked to fax a document to a bank, the customs office or lo...

I admire anyone making a determined effort to learn the language of their host country and are willing to try to avoid asking that embarrassing question “Do you speak English?” at every opportunity. After all, without a basic knowledge of the language, culture and customs, much of the new life that was hoped for will never be achieved. © Barrie Mahoney 2024 To find out more about Barrie, his blogs...

I read recently that due to the country’s financial situation, many people who are used to eating avocado on toast are now turning to eating mushy peas on toast, as a cheaper alternative. Don’t knock it until you’ve tried it, I say; I adore mushy peas! © Barrie Mahoney 2024 To find out more about Barrie, his blogs, podcasts and books, go to: http://barriemahoney.com/

In 1999, a Japanese designer, Shigetaka Kurita, came up with the idea for 176 emojis when working for NTT DOCOMO, a Japanese mobile phone company. They were intended to help facilitate electronic communication when used with mobile phones and pagers. Emoji is a blend of two Japanese words, picture and letters. I often wonder if it was mere coincidence that the word ‘emoji’ sounds similar to the En...

“Oh, she’s an angel”, or “Thank you, you’re an angel” are some of the comments that I sometimes hear, often following an act of kindness or generosity. Maybe such comments are more common in the older generation nowadays, but I am used to hearing them. It is always a comment that startles me for a moment, and I wonder. © Barrie Mahoney 2024 To find out more about Barrie, his blogs, podcasts and bo...

Over the years, cyclists from all over Europe have headed to the Canary Islands to take advantage of some decent weather with which to indulge in their favourite pastime. All of the inhabited islands have become increasingly popular, but with the favourite destinations being Tenerife, Gran Canaria, Lanzarote and Fuerteventura that are selected as ideal destinations for all-year-round cycling. The...