Dear Diary,

I’m in Spain for some months and I have noticed quite a few features that are different than at home. A surprise for me here was the temperature; when it drops, you realize that the house isn’t isolated. Can you imagine? When I was lying in my bed I felt the wind blowing over me. Then I realized that the windows were not sealed. Fortunately, the temperature never falls below 16 Celsius at night and 18 during the day, otherwise I don’t know how I would get used to this.

Last week my family was invited to our friend’s home in Granada. I noticed there that we sat behind a strange table with some circles and a thick tablecloth over it. I asked the owner of the house what it was. He explained to me that it used to be a stove. What, a stove under the dining table? It was not clear to me why on earth a stove was under the dining table as it belongs more in the boiler room or basement, or one can see a fireplace in the living room??? Well, I was told that people used to put hot stones or coals in that thing, then put the cover over the legs, to keep their legs warm under a thick cloth in a warm place, therefore the tablecloth was so thick. An interesting solution for winter times!