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Busy in the bars of Spain

T

TravellingMan22

Veteran Member
Time of past OR future Camino
Portuguese/Frances 2020/Norte 2021
I know many like to avoid crowds, but some may like to ‘get involved’, so to advise/warn there are some big football matches being played by the Spanish National team in Euro 2024 coming up that will fill up the bars / squares on a number of dates, namely 15 June, 20 June and 24 June. There are likely to be more games should Spain qualify for the next phase which is likely, though not certain. The games aren’t actually in Spain, but in Germany. You will certainly notice an ‘extra buzz’ around the country on those days! It can be good excuse to get involved in something that is very important in Europe, and a big part of the Spanish culture!
 
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I well remember on my first camino being in Portomarín on 27 May 2009, demurely locked inside the municipal by 10pm, in stifling heat, hearing outside a happy crowd cheering on Barça to beat ManU 2-0 in the Champions League final. The celebrations went on for a l-o-n-g time. Being from Liverpool, I was happy with the result (although I would never support Liverpool - you will either understand that or you won't.) But that is to go off topic.

The other memorable thing about that stay was that there was no running water in the town that day (ironic considering it sits on top of a reservoir, with the old town at the bottom). I think a tractor had driven over some important pipes. Several of us took a refreshing dip in the reservoir (which happened to be quite high at the time.)
 
Yes 100% understood!!!
 
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just make sure you're rooting for the dudes with red jerseys
and no worries, fighting is rare at these bar events
 
Thanks for the warning.
And a little story about priorities on the Camino:
I think it was in 2014 - the football championship in Brazil. At 10 pm I went to sleep in the albergue, the pilgrim from Germany (she had problems with leg pain) stayed to watch Germany-Brazil. In the morning we asked her what the result was. She answered rather lukewarmly 7:1 for Germany (!!!). But then her eyes lit up and she added with complete enthusiasm: But I managed to get the Ibuprofen!
 
This reminds me of the evening of 16 april. I was staying a few days in Caceres ( I had blisterproblems) That evening Barcelona and Atletico Madrid were playing in the quarterfinals of the Champions League. I went looking for a bar where I could see the game(s) I had some problem finding one. In the end I found one outside of the center. In the back of the bar the match Atletico Madrid vs Borussia Dortmund was shown; in the front Barcelona vs Paris SG.
The bar was crowded and the people reacted very forcefully and loudly. Especially the bartender was very loud. Every time the PSGplayer Dembele, who used to play for Barcelona got the ball the cries " hyo de puta" were heard.
After about half an hour half of the crowd in the backpart left the bar: Atletico was 0-2 behind. At halftime I left the bar, there was no place to sit and I had been on my feet allday. In hindsight I wished I had stayed, both spanish teams lost and did not get to the semifinals. Out of curiosity I would have liked to see to see how the people in the bar did react to this " double loss"
 
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Don’t assume that fans of one Spanish club want other Spanish clubs to win, even against overseas opposition. European and South American football doesn’t work like that for the most part!!!
 
World Cup July 2010, The Netherlands against Spain. I was staying in the municipal albergue in Castrojeriz and although I have absolutely no interest in football, the whole albergue was headed to the closest bar to watch the game (we were given permission to stay out late).

I was the only one cheering on The Netherlands but to no avail as Spain overpowered the Dutch team and rightly so. That just might have been the last time I watched an entire football match!
 
Blimey I was in the stadium for that game!!! 14 years ago!!
 
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For all you thinking ‘oi, what about France’ they are playing 17,21,25 June!!
 
The Sunday sports routine on television is motorcycle racing from all corners of Spain.
 
I was those days visiting Scotland with my mountain group. We watched the game at bar in Skye island. There were also tourists from the Netherlands there. Next day I visited a whisky distillery and after asking for visitors nacionality I was congratulated by everybody.
 
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