Málaga Local Customs

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Semana Santa is the week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday - Every day "tronos" or thrones are paraded around the streets of Málaga, as in other Spanish cities.

These parades go on for hours as the different 'brotherhoods' parade with their particular groups - they are amazing to watch and in Málaga there is almost a party atmosphere (Which there certainly isn't in Sevilla - where it is all a very somber affair).

I particularly liked the final two on Good Friday - Sepulcro and Servitas (Servitas is particularly atmospheric) they parade at about 2 to 3 in the morning!

If you are in Málaga at this time pick up a guide (the RENFE one from the Station is good - and it gives you the easter week train times too!)

The Malagueños eat typical Spanish food and enjoying all fishes and fresh sea friut coming out from the mediterranean sea. There are many restaurants, Tapas bars, and pubs. Featuring Malaga’s cuisine is light and nutritious. Food cooked close to natural, not to much salsa (souce) or oil. A la Plancha is a quick simple way to serve fishes without destroy their taste.
Some of the thing that the Malaguenios use to eat and you better try them toob are:

Gazpacho (Cold tomato soup), Adobo ( Fried fish marinated with wine) Pescaditos fritos (little fried fihes) and off course - Tapas.

* Petao = Cuando algo está muy lleno. Cuando algo falla
* Chavea = Niño pequeño
* Chota, Perola = Cabeza
* Irse la olla = Irse la cabeza
* Perita = Guay
* Jiñao = Cobarde, cagao
* Pila = Pechá de algo; x ehemplo: una pila cocheh, una pila ente...
* Chorraera = Tobogán
* Piños = Dientes
* Moña = Afeminado
* Chorra = Suerte, potra
* Pollón = Tenerla grande
* Castrojo = Cateto de pueblo
* Terral (terrá)= viento caliente procedente de Marruecos y de Ecija, causa de una muerte lenta en verano a los malagueños y fulminante para los guiris ( puto terráa, los pobres moros no tienen culpa de esto)
* Guiri = tio mu blanco que lleva calcetines con las sandalias en pleno agosto que se empeña en estar 8 horas al Sol sin botijo ni boina ni na
* Chusmón = De la familia del 'merdellón' pero con connotaciones delictivas
* Tenis = Zapatillas deportivas
* Gorrilla = Individuo que te vigila el coche si le das un euro y te lo raja si no se lo das.
* Merdellón = Del francés merd de gens (mierda de gente), imposible de definir, hay que verlo!!! (la version femenina es imposible de no ver u oir)
* Ehnortao, Empanao, Alobao, Apollardao = atontao, empaellao, agilipollao..
* Engorilao = entusiasmao con algo, encariñao u obcecao.
* Soba = dormío
* Estar guahnío = Estar muy cansado
* Nove = No veas, se usa para frases tanto afirmativas como negativas
* Biznaga = Ramillete de jazmines en forma de bola
* Portañica = Bragueta
* Muerdeee er rooollo = Que curioso
* Cenacho = Cesta de esparto con asas
* Cenachero = vendedor ambulante de pescao
* Caniho = Colega (vieeeeeo)
* Pechá = Mucho/a
* Nube, sombra, mitad, corto, semicorto, largo, semilargo, solo...= Tipos de cafés atendiendo a la proporcion de leche en el brebaje
* Abe = Sabes, coletilla muy común (aaaaaaaabe, vieeeeo????)
* Fosco = Caca
* Hacer el gato = Dar gato por liebre, engañar, timar
* Fiiite = Fijaté
* Pitufo/Changüi mixto= Pitufo(un tipo de pan)/Changüi con jamón y queso
* Campero = Bocadillo con un tipo de pan y con tantos condimentos que es imposible acabarlo
* Piña = golpe
* Piarda = No ir a clase, hacer pellas
* Piardero = el que hace mas piardas que examenes (dejo de existir con la LOGSE ya que ni hay examenes ni control de asistencia)
* Rosco = Flotador
* Guarrito = Taladrador, viene de la marca Warrington
* Mandanga = Guasa
* Maharón = Chalao, majareta
* Grillao = Loco
* Chuminá = Tontería
* Morcillona = La tengo Flácida y gorda
* Tener más mala cara que los pollos del Pryca = No encontrarse muy bien
* Aaaaaayyyyyyyyyyy que rrrriiiiiicahh... = Vendedor de almendras.
* Chacina = Fiambre (para comer, jamón, salchichón...).
* Moraga = como las pelis de surferos de California pero con sangria en vez de cerveza y boquerones en vez de hamburguesas.
* Gazpachuelo = una sopita de pescao y mahonesa que viene mu bien cuando nieva en Cazabermea.
* Niña = hembra humana menor de 35 años
* Hacer la pirula = saltarse un semaforo, circular marcha atras por una calle en direccion contraria pa que no se note, girar en una rotonda donde no se debe,...
* Calimocho = néctar de los dioses (en Sevilla y Cordoba no lo conocen :)
* Jocántaro = el monstruoso hombre centollo de la Carihuela
* Chícharo = guisante
* Copo = el producto de pescar con red usease los pescaos que has pillao en el dia
* Jábega = barca de pesca con ojos
* Palo = un barrio mu leho der sentro
* Sentro = donde se busca el aguinaldo de los 40 principales toas las navidades
* Curiana = cucaracha generica
* Chiringuito = quiosco
* Trápala = individuo que hace negocios no con muy buenas intenciones, tendente al timo y/o a hacer las cosas de cualquier manera

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Cadiz is only a couple of hours away by car, but I was astonished how much can change from one place to another. Simple things like ordering a coffee are different. I am referring to the names people call the different types of coffee and the sizes.

In Malaga the size of your average cup (or should I say glass as they are usually served as so) of coffee is much larger than that which I am accustomed to in Cadiz or in fact other parts of Spain. Maybe it is the British or American influence but coffee here is milkier and weaker.

You are often asked if you want a normal (large) coffee or a shorter one (smaller and to me more normal sized one).

If you are offered a Sombra (shaded coffee) this is a smaller coffee, but still very milky. In Cadiz we would call it a manchado (stained coffee).

For your general interest and that of our beloved president, a coffee here usually costs 1,40 euros. I didn't notice that it was cheaper to order a smaller coffee.

Someone from Malaga is usually called a Malagueño, although affectionately they have another name which is Boqueron.

A Boqueron is a type of small fish, Anchovies are normally made out of them. I have no idea why the people of Malaga are called so maybe it has something to do with the fishing tradition and the fact that Boquerones are very abundant in the waters.

Is there a Boqueron out there who can explain why to me?

It is not an insult and Malagueños will call themselves a boqueron freely.

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Malaga is well knowns for its semana santa procession - but I guess that processions are quite a common thing for the city. We visited in early may 2008, and one night we just happened to catch a procession leaving from the cathedral... We bumped into it some time later near calle lario... a few men carrying a cross with a crucified Jesus on their shoulders, and many others just walking with torches. We never found out what procession it iwas.

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A delicious Spanish offering, PULPO A GALLEGA is usually found in bars and restaurants throughout Spain.
Pulpo a Gallaga is steamed discs of Octopus, sprinkled with lemon juice and paprika. A sharp knife or scissors is used to cut the tentacles away from the head,
We had a dish of this delicacy at the La Casona Restaurant in Malaga. The dish was prepared in front of us. It was quite a presentation if I may say so. The Senora used scissors to cut up the boiled Octopus and applied the different spices and then presented the finished plate to us. I did try a piece and it was actually quite tasty, if you can get by the thought of what you are eating. The tentacles were kinda creepy looking.

As we were passing by municipal buildings on Saturday afternoon, in the gardens and parks around one could see lots of just married couples followed by the photographers. Just like everywhere in the world - got married, have your photo done. I found nice that Spanish brides wore the traditional (or maybe they aren't) tiaras..