The social scene
A recent article in The Irish Times compared a night out in different cities including Madrid and Dublin and having lived in both I feel I can give a pretty accurate analysis of the social scene in each of the two capitals.
In general a night out in both capitals involves bars, possibly clubs and food somewhere along the way. In Madrid there are later going out and coming home times (a lot of people take the metro home at 6am ). While beer and wine can be dirt cheap in Spain (like two euro for a glass of wine) beers are smaller than at home so a small beer called a ‘cana’ does not measure up in the taste stakes to the traditional pint. Spirits are more or less the same price (although measures can be more generous, you have been warned before you wake up the next day with a hangover or a 'resaca’).Gin and tonic served in goblet size glasses is the fashionable drinking choice of the minute. Cava is also popular (like a cheap version of champagne).
Cigarettes are much cheaper in Spain than in Ireland (as a non smoker I haven’t a clue of the prices but I know they are much cheaper in Spain) For a small country, Ireland holds the honour of being the first country in the world in 2004 to bring in a ban on smoking in all workplaces . In 2006 a law was introduced in Spain banning smoking in the work place but letting owners of bars and cafes decide whether or not to impose it (many didn’t implement it) but from 2011 the law has been strictly enforced. So at least for us non smokers in Dublin and Madrid the social scene is a smog free zone.
Attitudes differ between what is deemed socially acceptable surrounding smoking and drinking. People have a very casual attitude towards smoking and teachers often smoke outside their schools in full view of the students or puff happily while they wait to cross pedestrian crossings (I think teachers try to hide their smoking from students in Ireland which maybe says something about how smoking is viewed by the general population). Undeniably however, they don’t have as much vomit on the streets and drunken brawls which begs the question is the eating later culture and generally going out later times responsible for less drunken behaviour (the binge drinking culture of Ireland and England was illustrated when Liverpool fans mobbed the city during a football match visit in November meaning squares such as Plaza Mayor closed down to avoid the drunken debauchery)?
I think there is more of a going out culture in Spain during the week but it is in moderation for 'una cana’ whereas maybe just saving going out to once a week encourages binge drinking.
I think in Ireland if someone went for a drink on a random Tuesday night and it wasn’t for a major sporting event people would think 'but why?’ but here it is very normal, Spain may be in a deep crisis but people still manage to have a good time. What Dublin does have over Madrid though is live music which does give a very different feel to a bar scene and probably accounts for the 'craic’ of fun that Irish culture is famous for (I have yet to meet a Spaniard who hasn’t had a good time on nights out in Ireland).
Club entries can be about 20 euros (sorry lads but the ladies can often get in free before a certain hour) so after bars and clubs late night snacks have the same Burger King and McDonald’s options but there are times when my cravings for vinegar soaked brown paper bagged chips make me pang to be in a greasy take away in Ireland with a grimy looking floor and waiting to be served while the staff nip out the back for a fag. So although there are no snack-boxes here chocolate and churros is often a popular end of partying snack in Madrid. Getting home options in Madrid can be taxis, walking (depending on how central you live)or using buses or the metro. In Dublin the bus the
Nitelink feels a bit rough compared to the metro here which means the taxi industry continues to thrive in Dublin.
There is an explosion of Starbucks on every corner (All Starbucks sippers will be acquainted with the ritual of the staff writing you name on your coffee cup. I have shortened my name to 'Dee’ as it just becomes too laboured when I say my name and they look at me as if I’m an alien, I got a ping of pleasure the last time I had a Starbucks in Dublin airport and said my full name). You can get a coffee for around 150 from any old man style bar but sometimes the cult of Starbucks does lure you in!
A lot of socialising in Spain revolves around food. An Italian woman in my Spanish classes remarked than in Italy people often ask each other around to their homes for dinner but that here in Spain everything is about eating out and this is very true , go for some food and you will invariably be seated around a group celebrating someone birthday singing 'cumpleanos feliz’ and the custom of 'sobremesa’ (which means to linger over food) is how dining out is approached in Spain.
Going to the cinema is about the same price as in Ireland although cheaper on a Wednesday. Good theatre is something Ireland does well (now if I could just move the Gate theatre to Madrid all would be well) and is something I miss while leaving here. Of course the climate in Madrid does make social activities like picnics and walks in the park much more accessible than in Ireland and living in the capital also has its advantages of having museums and exhibitions constantly on show (to be fair Dublin has some amazing free museums such as Collins Barracks and the National Art Gallery so both cities can satisfy the cultural cravings).
So, which city has a better social scene? I will play it safe and say that it is the company that makes for a good social scene and not the city and both cities have their place in entertaining. For cheap wine and tapas Madrid is great but for Irish banter and live music Dublin definitely wins some points.The Spanish expression 'dar una vuelto,’ means to take a ramble and see where we end up and if you do this in Dublin or in Madrid you are sure to find plenty of quirkness and craic.
Be it Madrid or Dublin, it’s fun to explore different social scenes, now does anyone fancy a cana?
