Take a photo with the Taj Mahal in the background in Madrid
The concept 'de gañote' is a colloquial adverbial phrase that comes to mean 'by the face, with a long face, with a cap...' and it is an expression that reaches its maximum splendor in those fairs where they give away things. FITUR has been placed as the definitive event for this type of characters that come (we come) in search of the best souvenir . Overall, it's free! But as much as experience claims to be the mother of science, there are always mistakes to avoid and tips to follow so you don't get scalded.
SHOPPING LIST
The gurus of economic self-help, those who are lining up due to the negative economic situation, always assure that making a shopping list is one of the best tricks to save every time you leave home. Well, the same here, make a shopping list, reconsider and think: What can FITUR do for me and for the independent republic of my house? Well, you sure don't need a gazillion thousand brochures from countries and destinations you can't even pronounce. Nor do you need 512-megabyte USBs full of photos that, on top of that, cannot be deleted. oh! And keep in mind that the forty-ninth pen may be the final one. However, it is possible that you are interested in that gift, that star product that some smart stand has managed to place between the eyebrows of every visitor and how is it detected? Read on.
LADIES WITHOUT GLASSES WITH A LYNX EYE
If Spain can contribute something to the EU, it is those ladies who manage to do the weekly shopping with €15.76. Ladies who, when they go to a fair, have corneas sensitive to the word 'free', their ears tuned to detect the term 'it's a giveaway' and their sense of smell tamed to smell a passion fruit juice in a 15 kilometer radius. It is so. Y they are the best guides , the Gandalf for little inexperienced Frodos, after all, the best travel companion. Follow them, do not succumb to the temptation to abandon your slow and hesitant walk and increase your speed. Although they may not seem like it, in the gift/time ratio they are unbeatable. Of course, it is your decision to discriminate the trash from the essential.
THE BAG
The bag, in all its concepts and evolutions, is the rancher's best friend. But hey, singular. The fewer units you accumulate, the better, since they are usually made of paper, an impractical and cumbersome genre that adds a touch of suspense to the visit. When will it break? So, in case of doubt, leave home with a sample of fabric just in case, which will help you to gradually select what interests you. Now, if you are an absolute fan of colored bags, those that are used to carry gifts to a birthday and pretend, here you are in your paradise as long as you fold them, take care of them and store them well in a bag previously chosen to be sacrificed. .
THE CAR
The latest technology in home transportation is here! And it took his time to get to this type of fair. The fact is that some clever company has managed to increase its impact at the fair by giving away something so simple. The long queues (which at FITUR are longer than 5 minutes) will be worth it. However, keep in mind that out of context it is a frowned upon gadget, so don't go to Mercadona or go on a field trip with it.
Shopping in Fitur
'The smoker': extinct but essential species at the Fair
PHYSICAL TRAINING
(Read with the music of Chariots of Fire in the background): zillions of stands, dozens of pavilions, endless kilometers of colored carpets... The FITURthlon is a very demanding sport that mixes resistance, power and orientation. It is an exercise that requires physical background for the aerobic process of standing and holding the queues and anaerobic power to reach the sponsored souvenir before anyone else. Another fundamental physical requirement is that of the automatic 'I', the ability to appear to be interested in the milonga that the professional on duty requires you to listen to before giving you the gift. Pure education. Have phrases on hand such as "How wonderful" or "This year I convince Paco and the children to go there on vacation".
THE LINE
There is a border that must not be crossed. It is the one that separates the heart of the large stands from the corridors. It is an imaginary line, delimited by the counters, an area that should not be invaded before the threatening gaze of the hostesses (being bipolar par excellence) unless you are or appear to be a VIP visitor , of those who are received with all kinds of attention. If you ever manage to become part of this superior race, it is your obligation to look over your shoulder to those who are on the other side of the border. They are mere Sunday students from FITUR.
REFRESHMENT
Not everything is gifts. Then there are ** those delicacies, those bites for gods that have crossed the planet to arrive under the noses of visitors **. And there even the most fussy loses all criticism and objectivity. Given the place and the circumstances, the Turkesistan pistachio cake tastes like caviar. The commotion that is organized around the most cooking countries is radical, it is completely disproportionate. Furor and salivation raised to maximum power. The recommendations are simple: do the same as with the gifts and, above all, do not think that it is the last banquet of your life. Especially since the risk of embarrassment generated by the anxiety of thinking that this is the last stand that gives away food is very high. And, above all, look for that country that gives you free drinks, it will be your new home. The multicultural concoction that is organized in the stomach needs to be watered down for proper digestion.
THAT EURO
Seriously, really, it may hurt to pay in the face of so much apology for free. But many times it is worth it. If you decide no, that there is no budget, nothing happens, but at least don't make a face of maximum offense, that probably nobody is asking you an exorbitant amount of money for that gift/food. And even more so taking into account the fair quality/price ratio that exists in the IFEMA establishments. Seriously, consider that option, you won't regret it.
SWEEPSTAKES
The faces of the FITUR attendees upon leaving the fair is a mixture of tiredness and enthusiasm. The feeling of leaving thinking that you are going to win a raffle or that the best souvenir is not in the bag, but in the email, is inevitable. From here a tip: do not deprive yourself of the illusion, participate in every draw and, remember, choose the option of not subscribing to the newsletter. Too much Spam, too many dreams with advertising every morning in the inbox.
Fitur: a long-distance race