This time of year

[/QUOTE] to this year’s annual Christmas dinner festival on Tuesday 18th December at 22.00hrs (10pm) [/QUOTE]

Was in the UK over the weekend and went down to dinner at what I consider a reasonable 8pm and the restaurant was packed!

Compare this to my experience last week when I stop in at Ginos for dinner at 8pm the place was a ghost town, I wasn't sure it was actually open (thankfully it was)

Do you ever get used to eating so late. When I got my first invite like that I thought it was a misprint. What I don't understand how you can got out on a weeknight at 10pm, weekend maybe but not a week night. It probably one of the main reasons I'm a regular at VIPS is because you can get served at a reasonable hour. During the week 10pm is simply too late to eat dinner.

Rob in Madrid (formally timhortonsman)

hey Rob.

yeah, you get used to it. at least i did about a year after moving here.

what is hard to get used to now is eating dinner at midnight due to a 4 month old who shall remain nameless and who is restless and does not fall asleep till then.

but seriously now, in the u.s.a. we usually do dinner between 5 and 7 (7 being pretty late and not the norm). now that i am used to dinner at 10 or later, it is hard to do dinner at 6 when i go home to visit or when i go to u.k. to visit my brother. last time we were in u.k., we got to a restaurant at 6:15pm and the early bird special prices were over (ended at 6).

as for going out late during the week, the spaniards are a different breed also, keep in mind that many people work till 8 or 9pm so going out to dinner or a bite to eat after work is normal. it is not like they are nice and comfy at home by 6pm and then they all go out to eat at 10.

and, most spanish families do not go out to eat during the week, they eat at home (be it at 10pm anyway but at home).

we eat dinner at home most nights but go out to eat during the week once in a while but it is easier for us since ena is on leave from work and i have my own business and make my own schedule.

saludos,
jer...

p.d.

quote:

I'm a regular at VIPS

might not want to say that too loud

Your not kidding the Spanish are a different breed

Actually a large part of it is cultural, up till very recent most offices had and many still do have a 2-3 hour lunch, which means you get late and you still have to do the running around, deal with the kids so on and so forth. Alot of my students say they eat around 9 after the kids have gone to bed. Generally Chris and I eat between 7,30 and 8,30. Since I teach English as lunch I eat more American. What is difficult is when Chris' Spanish co-workers go to Germany they have to adjust to eating lunch at 11.30 that's early even for me.

As an aside I’ve finally started learning Spanish, frustration with not being able to communicate has finally outweighed the hassle of trying to learn a new language.