Many people dream of buying a bar in The Canaries and spending their days watching the sun go down while the till rings merrily in the background and they chat with their customers.
Only a small percentage of people actually do it, and Joe Cawley is one of those.
He bought a bar in Tenerife in partnership with his brother and their other halves back in the early 90’s, and More Ketchup than Salsa is their story.
The book charts their decision to give up their lives in the north of the UK, despite their complete lack of experience of either Spain or running a bar, and their at times chaotic first year in business. It’s extremely funny in parts, quite moving in others, and is a good reflection of the ups and downs all of us faced when we first moved to a new country.
What sets it apart from other similar books is that Joe is a genuinely good writer. Over the years I’ve read many “ex pat lifestyle” books and whilst they are often useful for gleaning information and opening a window onto other people’s lives, this one is a book I enjoyed reading both for it’s storytelling and for the quality of his descriptions and the way various characters were drawn. Unlike many, it also delves into the darker side of relocating – the frustration of dealing with the often ridiculous bureaucracy, the home sickness suffered by one of the leading characters, and being taken for a long ride by a property con man.
All in all, it’s a book you should read if you are contemplating moving to The Canaries, especially if your aim is to own a bar or restaurant. But it’s also a book to read if you enjoy a good story, and getting a glimpse into a very different way of life.
There’s also a follow up – Another dollop – which I am currently reading and will review soon.
It’s available in all formats from Amazon.
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