A TRAVELLER who has explored Spain extensively has explained why you should never order paella on a Monday and advised to ditch takeaway coffee.
Getaway presenter Catriona Rowntree picked up the tips while chatting to locals at a market in Spain’s popular holiday island Majorca.
She gleaned a host of valuable information including the best way to start a day at the markets, why you shouldn’t rent an Airbnb or buy seafood on a Monday as well as the secret to a long and healthy life.
Catriona, 52, was advised never to buy seafood, often a key ingredient in paella, on a Monday as the fishermen don’t go out on a Sunday, meaning the produce won’t be fresh.
She said: “The life expectancy of a Spaniard is 84, they're a healthy lot, loving a Mediterranean diet, a dollop of sun and a good climate,” as reported by the MailOnline.
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While chatting away to the locals she also discovered why they didn’t like Airbnb accommodation.
Catriona said: “All the locals I've spoken to say that's what's pushing them out of their apartments as the town centres are slowly gentrified.
“The average wage is low, most locals rent, sadly landlords prefer the higher fee of an Airbnb. Not cool.”
She also explained why you shouldn’t grab a takeaway coffee saying the locals took the time to sit down and enjoy their coffee.
Catriona said there must be something “wrong with you” if you can’t sit down for five minutes and have a chat.
A local also advised her to start the day by going around the markets with a hot chocolate and a few churros.
Although she warned not to do this every day as otherwise you’ll end up putting on a load of weight but it was worth it for market day.
Previously, Catriona revealed why an egg cup was always one of the first things she packed in her suitcase when going on a trip.
When asked if she had any hotel hacks by Escape, she said she always packs one because there never seem to be any at the hotels she visits.
She said: "If you like boiled eggs, take an egg cup from home, no one ever seems to supply them."
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Not everyone agrees that egg cups are a sensible thing to pack, however, with former hotel worker Brandi Augustus sharing a clip on TikTok warning people against eating them.
She said: "I don’t know how to say this without being attacked by people in the industry... if your hotel serves the hot continental breakfast, eggs, waffles stuff like that, don’t eat that s***."
Catriona had other recommendations, including what people should avoid in their hotel room, with the minibar a big no go.
She continued: "Never touch the minibar, they’re always overpriced."
Most people know that taking things from the hotel minibar can land them with a hefty fine, but there are places where putting things in them can also cost extra money.
That's exactly what happened to Raj Mahal, the founder of the travel booking site PlanMoreTrips.
During a stay in Las Vegas, he stored some of his own drinks in the hotel minibar, only to find he had to pay for the privilege on check out.
He said: “I was at the MGM Aria Resort, where they have advanced minibars that employ sensors that can detect when an item is moved or the size or weight changes.
"We brought our own alcohol and used the mini-fridge to keep it cool and when we checked out, MGM charged us a $25 (£22) a day ‘personal use fee’."
