Supermarket Dramas

Yes shopping in Spain is wonderful. Yet problematic too!

I just love the local markets with their huge selection of fresh fruits.and vegetables. Totally perfect for my healthy juice each morning. I know it sound horrible and yes it does take some getting used to but I love the natural kick that those vitamins give me.
Some stalls sell fruit and vegetables that are produced locally, others go to a warehouse to buy there so you do have to check out who you want to buy from if you want the most local and fresh produce. Don’t expect standard sizes and shapes, well they taste no different if they look a bit odd!

It is the supermarkets that give me problems.
When I first moved in there were a pile of cleaning products left behind.

Selection of cleaning products

There were so many that we could not distinguish between floor cleaner, disinfectant, bleach or ammonia. Well they all were in a foreign language.
Russ being the ultimate house cleaner decided to get stuck in and use a product to clean out the kitchen cupboards. It was pure amonia and we nearly gassed ourselves.
Then he washed the floors down, with what turned out to be fabric softener. So now we had clean smelling dust!

3 Witches washing up liquid

Taking a gamble I bought 3 witches muti purpose cleaner. Only to find that it stripped the skin off my hands and they became so dry and irritated. Now I’m used to that being a sign that my B12 is low and getting out the old injection, but this was horrible and I ended up having to reach for my non- perfumed non – chemical body lotion and cotton gloves for a day or two.

Buying is one thing but then there is the supermarket conveyor belt. Now I’ve noticed this phenomenon a few times and wondered if Russ would notice it.

Supermarket conveyor belt

Divider for conveyor belt

At each till in any of the supermarkets I go into in Altea there is only ever one shopping divider.
Which means that if someone is being served, then the divider, then the next shopping – there is no divider for you to use. So I did the English thing, left a good space and then started to put up my shopping. I got a really dirty look as if to say’ hey this conveyor belt is mine!’. So I stopped. I tried another time, another day, another supermarket. Got the same stare again….
Russ was now with me and he did the ‘English thing’ and got ‘the stare’. He said in a loud voice ‘what’s that all about?’ I just stopped him putting any more on the conveyor till the magic divider was slammed down for us.
Yes there are differences in shopping. Recommend you check your dictionary for a few cleaning words before using or buying products. Be aware of personal space on a conveyor belt and just have a laugh.
To finish off, here’s one a friend sent me…

Finish and Bolt