Spain's Puerta del Sol is the most famous square in Madrid, not only rich in history but also a hotspot for romantic encounters. It is easy to experience a "love at first sight" story there. If you wish to encounter a passionate romance, then immigrate to Spain!
【Love Comes with a Tax】
In rural areas of Castile and León, there exists a "youth association." If a foreigner is found courting a local girl, the association members keep a close watch. If the foreigner and the girl fall in love, they increase patrols at night and "tax" the foreign young man according to "regulations." The "tax" is usually paid in coins or wine. Whenever there is a celebration, the association is responsible for hiring a band and arranging activities. On the wedding day, members must take turns dancing with the bride.
【Nighttime Affection】
In Andalusia, when a young man falls in love with a girl, he often comes to her window at night, expressing his feelings through the fence, sometimes staying until late at night. There is also a unique form of "noisy wedding night" in the Spanish countryside, aimed at widowers remarrying. On their wedding night, villagers, led by the youth, use cans, iron pots, and bells as instruments to present a thunderous concert.
【Guitar as a Messenger of Love】
In southern Spain, the ancient and civilized way of expressing love through guitar still exists. Spaniards affectionately call it the "beautiful legacy of the Middle Ages." When a young man falls in love with a girl, he will seek her hand on a clear morning or a moonlit night. He dresses appropriately, carries a bag of fine wine, gathers a few friends, and goes to the girl's window to play melodious tunes on the guitar, taking turns singing beautiful love songs. If the girl is interested, she will lean out and throw a bouquet of flowers to the young man as a sign of acceptance. From then on, they can openly date as unmarried lovers. If the girl is not interested in the suitor below her window, no matter how much he plays and sings, she remains indifferent and does not come out. In that case, the young man must leave with a sense of loss.
【Umbrella as a Love Indicator】
In a place in the Basque Country in northern Spain, the custom of using umbrellas to convey feelings still exists. According to local customs, unmarried girls must carry an umbrella when going out or visiting friends. Young men can judge the girl's feelings based on the color of her umbrella. If the umbrella is blue, it indicates that the girl is currently uninterested in finding a suitor and wishes to be left alone; if it is purple, it means she is waiting to find someone special, and interested young men may express their love; if it is red, it indicates that she already has a suitor or is in love, and those wishing to pursue her should not waste their efforts.
【Fan as a Love Communicator】
Even today, in certain social occasions in Spain, many women, especially young and beautiful girls, always hold a fan. The local climate is not particularly hot, so the fan is clearly not for cooling off. Instead, it is used to convey feelings between men and women. By making various gestures with the fan, different emotional meanings are expressed, especially those that are inconvenient to articulate verbally. If a girl has a suitor or is not interested in a suitor, she will throw the fan onto the table, indicating to the other party, "I already have someone I like," or "I cannot develop feelings for you." The young man, upon seeing this, will take the hint and leave. If a married woman encounters a man expressing love, she will fan herself vigorously, signaling, "Please leave me alone! Otherwise, my husband will duel with you." The man will naturally understand what to do. If a girl covers the lower half of her face with the fan in front of a suitor, it indicates, "I love you" or "I fell in love with you at first sight." The young man will then embrace and kiss the girl warmly. When parting after a date, if the girl opens the fan and supports her chin with it, she is telling the other party, "I hope to see you again soon." A lovesick young man will certainly act according to the girl's hint.
【Chair as a Third Party】
In other parts of Spain, when young men and women are courting, they often place a chair or a small stool nearby, which is neither occupied nor used for anything. This symbolizes the presence of a fictitious third party, representing a guardian nearby.