As two very different cultures, the British and Spanish feel very separated in what makes them tick. Of course, things like football are universal and there are more than a few dishes that have been brought to Britain, for better or worse. What few realise is just how close the two groups are on things that have always been seen as quintessentially British. Here are a few of the most interesting examples we’ve found.
Bingo
It may not have come from England, and it actually may have been in Spain in some form before getting there, but bingo is up there with the most iconic British activities. Per person, Britain has the biggest player base for bingo in the world, including both traditional bingo halls and all manner of online bingo games.
There is a game very reminiscent of bingo in Spain, although it has one big twist. It’s called lotería, from which English gets the word lottery, and instead of numbers, it’s played with a variety of pictures. The pictures can be just about anything, and travellers will be interested to know that the game has been enthusiastically adopted in Latin America, with Mexico, Colombia and more all having their own versions.
Kebabs
Calling kebabs something British feels a little odd considering the food originally travelled thousands of miles from the Near East. What makes it British is the unique style of kebab available, characterized by fattier meats than most doner meat in Europe, as well as accompaniments like hot sauce or garlic. It’s a staple food for a night out despite being a far cry from the original, health-wise.
On the other hand, the corresponding Spanish dish known as pinchitos is a lot closer to the Eastern Mediterranean original, owing to the heavy North African cultural influence in the south. Pinchitos are small cubes of meat cooked on a skewer, with the main difference being that pork and chicken are favoured over lamb elsewhere.
Unique Festivals
Whether taken as a point of pride or something for a laugh, recent years have seen the world exposed to the vast array of odd British customary events. The most famous by far has to be the Cooper’s Hill Cheese Rolling and Wake which routinely goes viral on social media each year. That’s not to forget the Bog Snorkelling Championships and the bizarre World Gravy Wrestling Championships.
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For those trying to hide this part of their heritage, fear not as other countries have plenty of their own like this, Spain included. The most famous is probably La Tomatina, believed to be the world’s largest food fight involving hundreds of thousands of tomatoes getting lobbed around. Like British festivals, there was a meaningful reason for it in the past, although most participants these days are more in it for the fun than anything.
There are more examples than these to look at, but overall the message is clear: there’s a lot more that we share between cultures than anyone often realises.
Main Image Source: Unsplash
