Football, veggies and TV!

Hola,

I don't know much about Barcelona or football, but speaking as a veggie moving to Spain in 6 months I can tell you it is a challenging aspect of life. I know there are some veggie restaurants in Barca but I haven't spent much time their to find them, there are a couple of excellent ones in Valencia though.

The concept of vegetarianism is less well understood and catered for generally (eg people assume you must eat fish etc), BUT there's always something you can negotiate. For me it has at least forced me to get that area of my Spanish a bit more developed because you have to be able to explain and adapt the menu if necessary. Sometimes it means you cant eat off the better value menu del dia, but often if there is say a soup and a salad in the starter section you can request the salad 'para segunda' and get a decent sized version, or there is always yet another tortilla! But make sure you say 'soy vegetariano' before your salad arrives with jamon sprinkled over it, it is so ubiquitous it isnt always mentioned on the menu, they use it almost as a seasoning on things you'd never expect.

However the one thing about Spain is there is always a load of brilliant fresh local produce year round so you can eat cheaply, easily and healthily at home as a veggie. Endless varieties of beans are also easily available - although processed soy-based foods like tofu are harder to get (bound to be easier in Barcelona I'm sure)

Good luck!

Cx

Cx: great post.

Just to follow up though, Mystery Man, did you see the vegetarian's survival guide to Spain (http://www.spainexpat.com/spain/information/the_vegetarians_survival_guide_to_spain/)?

last big game i went to i payed 125 euros but was down beside the pitch , not on the top off the hills
if you go to the barc web site you see price there

jurdy

now was at Elchle match few weeks ago and it was 45 euro for the side line Elchle FC is Second Division A League
jurdy

Re vegiedom - how strict are you? You have to watch out not just for ham and tuna in salads but also meat stock, caldo, in things like soup, lentils, chickpeas, rice, pasta and even veg like spinach and green beans. After spending time with strict vegie friends in Spain I'd say go and live in another country. The only dependable stuff I could recommend would be
- pisto (like ratatouille, and very rarely made with stock)
- revuelto and tortilla (make sure it doesn't have prawns/ham)
- patatas bravas (usually fried or roasted in oil, not lard)
- gazpacho and ajo blanco (cold soups)
- vegetarian paella (usually made with water rather than stock)
Not even these are infallible and you shlould face the fact you're going to ingest some meat product or other.
In Barcelona however you will have better luck than the sticks. The plentiful Pakistani and other halal restaurants are good for vegetable curries, dhals etc., as although they serve meat they don't normally use stock for non-meat dishes. In support of others on this thread I'd say don't be afraid to order off menu - Spanish people do it all the time with a relaxed confidence that seems amazing to Brits until you get used to it. I've dined with Spaniards in top restuarants and while I've felt compelled to order a starter and maincourse they've asked for something like a plate of spinach, a piece of cheese and an apple, and the snooty waiter's taken the order without blinking an eye.

thanks for all your help guys. Think I will have to accept that I may digest meat at some point or the other but that doesn't bother me so much. I try my best to avoid meat and fish and would not eat knowingly but will not cry if I did eat some.

As for the football...HOW MUCH!?! Blimey! I may have to watch on the box!