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lolplatypus: Out of curiosity, is Kuusi a 3-syllable word with distinct u, or would it be a single, stretched u?
The latter would be incredibly devious.
Stretched. Why would that be devious? The difference is quite easy to hear, as long as you stretch the vowel. Many foreigners just tend to say the both exactly the same (ku- and kuu-), not making any difference between them.

Now that I think about it, do people make any difference in pronunciation when they say "lose" vs. "loose"? If I pronounced those phonetically as Finns do, the difference is very easy to hear (but then they wouldn't sound anything like they are pronounced in English, as English isn't a phonetic language).
Post edited October 07, 2018 by timppu
Open question (and probably an oldie):

What do you think of "American Cuisine"?
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Darvond: Open question (and probably an oldie):

What do you think of "American Cuisine"?
Your cuisine is creative and versatile. A lot of families have their own secret recipes that they pass on to the next generations. Your homemade desserts and snacks are usually good, especially during the holidays.
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timppu: Now that I think about it, do people make any difference in pronunciation when they say "lose" vs. "loose"? If I pronounced those phonetically as Finns do, the difference is very easy to hear (but then they wouldn't sound anything like they are pronounced in English, as English isn't a phonetic language).
"lose" has a long "o" sound, while "loose" has a short "o" sound. (Yes, it's the opposite of what you'd expect from the spelling; maybe that's why some people have been writing "loose" when they mean "lose" lately?)
Amazing! I love this community.

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tinyE: They speak Spanish over there. :D
*giggles in Spanish

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krugos2: Have a wonderful time over there! :)
Thanks! My first time to Europe, I'm so excited!

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Caesar.: Weather is being warmer than usual. For the next days temperatures will range from 9 °C in the night to 25 °C in the afternoon, so pack accordingly. We don't Fahrenheit. It won't probably rain, but check the forecast just before you are leaving.
Good to know, I prefer warmer weather, less to carry. But I should prepare accordingly, the last time I went abroad was a disaster, temperature drop 10° from forecast. In Celsius of course, who uses Fahrenheit? :D

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Caesar.: If you plan renting a car, be aware the local government just approved some traffic restrictions. My recommendation is to use the train and/or metro. They arrive to literally everywhere (including the airport). The price of the ticket changes depending on how many zones you cross, but I believe you can buy a tourist pass. Find and save the train and metro maps in your phone, or download an app.
Definitely not renting a car, I'll use metro and my feet, I also use citymapper app. Is it safe to walk around in general?

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Caesar.: The hottest places to shop are in Preciados, Castellana, Goya and Gran Vía. Depending on what you want to buy you will get recommendations at the hotel (or are yoy staying in an AirBnB?). International tourists can get the VAT reimbursed.
If you want to use cash, you will need euros. However, credit cards are acceptes virtually everywhere.
I will look up Preciados and Castellana. I'll be staying at a hotel in Salamanca area but I haven't book a room for the last night, any recommendation? Do hotels in Madrid accept walk-in guess?

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Caesar.: The farther you go from the most touristic places, the less likely it will be to find people who speak English, so don't rely on that. However, most people under 40 will have at least basic knowledge, and the youngsters under 25 are more or less proficient thanks to the regional bilingual education program. Print the name of the locations you want to go to and the address in case you have a language barrier with a taxi driver.
I've always brought the hotel business card with me, so at the very least I can go back :p
I will go to Toledo and Valladolid.

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Caesar.: Some restaurants will have an English menu, but most won't. Download a dictionary to understand the menu. Waiters will love you if you try to order in Spanish. Tipping is not mandatory or even expected, but you can tip 1-2 € for a good service.
Thank you so much for the tipping advice! I was wondering about that, I don't want to leave bad impression.

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Caesar.: Drinking alcohol in the street is not allowed.
Good regulation! How about smoking?

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Caesar.: You will probably need a plug adapter.
Nope, we use the same plug.

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Caesar.: If you like art don't miss the Triangle of Art (Museums of El Prado, Thyssen and Reina Sofía).
Excellent recommendation, only 20 minutes walk from my hotel.

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Caesar.: The city is enough to keep you occupied, but there are also amazing places in range of a one-day trip: Toledo, Ávila, Segovia, Alcalá de Henares and the national park of Sierra de Guadarrama.
I wish to experience it all! Well, at least Toledo is in my list.

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Caesar.: Breakfast in Spain is usually sweet. But most hotels will have an international buffet. Have churros or porras at least once. You can find them in most bars in the early morning and eat them with coffee or hot chocolate.
Churros with hot chocolate... and my mind goes blank.

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Caesar.: For lunch you can have a "menú del día" at any bar or restaurant. For 10-12 € you will have two dishes and dessert. This is what most locals eat on work daya.
For dinner I recommend you to have tapas on some bars while you drink cañas (beers). La Latina and Huertas are the typical zones while the locals have tapas. You can also try Sol and Plaza Mayor, but it's more expensive.
Any non-alcoholic beverage I should try?

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Caesar.: For a more gourmet experience you can try many restaurants. Spanish gastronomy is extremely rich and you will find restaurants specialized in all the regional gastronomies: Galician, Asturian, Basque, Valencian, Andalusian and of course Castillian (Castille is the historical region where Madrid is located). All of them are worth trying. If you feel adventurous or homesick there are many international restaurants as well.
I've made reservation for gastronomic dinner :D

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Caesar.: You can buy excellent fruit at good prices in any market.
I love fruits more than any food. And I heard in Spain you must be wearing a glove to touch the fruit. I'm loving Spain already!
Where do you shop for groceries? Any low price supermarket there? Or big chain convenience store?

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Caesar.: Also, pork is everywhere. Try jamón ibérico. You're welcome.
But they're so expensive. Let's see if I can get it at reasonable price in Spain.

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Caesar.: What about Spanish GOG?
Spain has the Southern Europe regional prices. When a regionsl price exists, it is never more advantageous than the base price in USD. :( We get wallet funds back to make up the difference.
So it's not a good idea to buy games while in Spain.

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Kakarot96: And chorizo ibérico! and lomo ibérico! with queso manchego (manchego cheese)! Well, except if he is islamic. In that case, forget about pork. A good dish with "ibéricos", a bit of bread and olive oil plus a glass of red wine is mandatory if you can!
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PainOfSalvation: Don't forget to try croquettes, patatas bravas and spanish tortilla. They are all delicious. :p
I have to note it all down. Thank you!


I've bought data connection to be used in Spain, but do you have free wifi there?
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Darvond: Open question (and probably an oldie):

What do you think of "American Cuisine"?
What is that? A reality show, a movie, a song, a punk rock band?

Or do you mean what do we think about American food? Sure, I like tacos, pizzas and shrimp rice noodles. I eat those whenever I am not eating Finnish food like Karelian pies with smashed eggs with butter.



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dtgreene: "lose" has a long "o" sound, while "loose" has a short "o" sound. (Yes, it's the opposite of what you'd expect from the spelling; maybe that's why some people have been writing "loose" when they mean "lose" lately?)
I admit I didn't know that. Up until now (and probably also in the future) I would have pronounced them exactly the same.

How e.g. "lose" is pronounced in English, in Finnish we would write it something like "luus" (and it would be pronounced similarly as "lose" in English). So I presume "loose" is pronounced as "lus" for us then.

"You lose" = "Juu luus"
Post edited October 07, 2018 by timppu
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RickyAndersen: ....
I will try to answer all the pending questions.

Very safe to walk around, just mind pickpockets in crowded areas.

Walk-in guests are accepted if there are rooms available (so it's advisable to book in advance). Note that next week there is a long weekend in Spain (Friday is a national holiday), so there will be more tourists than usual.

It's not allowed to smoke in any public places. This includes businesses and of course restaurants. However, it is possible to smoke in restaurants or bars if you are sitting outdoors (terrazas). There are no restrictions on the streets.

For non-alcoholic you can always try alcohol-free beer ("cerveza sin").

In any supermarket (Dia, Mercadona, Condis, Carrefour Market, Caprabo) you will find a fruit section with cheap prices. But any traditional market, or even fruit shop, will do. Ask around the hotel.

Hotels usually offer complimentary wifi, and some places will have open wifi as well. Many restaurants have wifi too, you just need to ask a waiter for the password. There was an attempt to install free wifi in all the city but the provider went bankrupt before finishing the project.
Post edited October 07, 2018 by Caesar.
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Darvond: Open question (and probably an oldie):

What do you think of "American Cuisine"?
Such a thing doesn't exist. Your "cuisine" just consists of a bunch of things from different countries.
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Caesar.: snip
You're giving me a lot of useful information.
Thank you so much for the insights!
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Lucumo: Such a thing doesn't exist. Your "cuisine" just consists of a bunch of things from different countries.
Opinions may be seen as such, but I do feel the USA has invented a fair share of foods.
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Lucumo: Such a thing doesn't exist. Your "cuisine" just consists of a bunch of things from different countries.
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Darvond: Opinions may be seen as such, but I do feel the USA has invented a fair share of foods.
I think most of the times it's easier to describe a specific regional cuisine than the cuisine of a whole nation which can be extremely varying across the whole country. Are you thinking about the sum of all the regional dishes in the US or about what most people abroad would associate with "American" food in general (which is most likely fast food like hamburgers and hot dogs or other stereotypes)?

Since we get a lot of cultural influences from the US but I've never actually been there myself, I'd have to think hard what food I know that is considered to be truly US American in origin. (I liked the Pumpkin Pie I once made after a recipe, but I don't know how true it was to the original.)

Personally, I care more for specific dishes than the arbitrary sum of them that is described as a country's cuisine. I bet you could find something delicious and something repulsive or bland in every nation's "cuisine". ;)
Post edited October 07, 2018 by Leroux
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Leroux: I think most of the times it's easier to describe a specific regional cuisine than the cuisine of a whole nation which can be extremely varying across the whole country. Are you thinking about the sum of all the regional dishes in the US or about what most people abroad would associate with "American" food in general (which is most likely fast food like hamburgers and hot dogs or other stereotypes)?

Since we get a lot of cultural influences from the US but I've never actually been there myself, I'd have to think hard what food I know that is considered to be truly US American in origin. (I liked the Pumpkin Pie I once made after a recipe, but I don't know how true it was to the original.)

Personally, I care more for specific dishes than the arbitrary sum of them that is described as a country's cuisine. I bet you could find something delicious and something repulsive or bland in every nation's "cuisine". ;)
Well, alright. Let's unbroaden a bit: Texas. Known for BBQ, steaks, and so on.
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Leroux: Personally, I care more for specific dishes than the arbitrary sum of them that is described as a country's cuisine. I bet you could find something delicious and something repulsive or bland in every nation's "cuisine". ;)
Not to mention :

1° How we are trained to find food delicious/repulsive in reference to our own culinary habits and categories ("what? they pre-chew and spit our food? disgusting!", "what? they eat insects? must taste bad!", "what? frogs? snails? eww", etc). Cue to jokes about exotics eating wrong because really those guys (but doctor Jones can cope).

2° How many nations share the same very-special-unique-typical-food-only-of-ours-with-our-flag-planted-on-it. Countries and culinary areas do not overlap.
Post edited October 07, 2018 by Telika
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tinyE: Why do Germans love David Hasselhoff?
That's a stereotype, of course, but there's also some truth to it. He was quite popular over here in my youth, at the end of the 80's / early 90's due to his appearance in Knight Rider and Baywatch. I think the reason for that is that at the time we didn't have that many different TV programs yet - before 1984 we only had three channels, and they were non-commercial, public broadcasting channels funded by taxes and officially meant to educate not just entertain, and even after privately owned channels started to appear, we didn't have a lot of US (or other foreign) shows yet, which made these two stand out much more than in the US where they were just two among many. He also used that popularity to his advantage to start off his musical career, although tbh I think hardly anyone over here knows more than his song "Looking for Freedom", which possibly struck a nerve at the time shortly before the fall of the Berlin Wall. And on top of that, magazines tended to stress his German heritage.

Nowadays, if you can find any German who'd actually admit to still liking him, it's probably just nostalgia. ;)
Post edited October 07, 2018 by Leroux
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Darvond: Open question (and probably an oldie):

What do you think of "American Cuisine"?
I´m a bit jealous of your burgers.