The Towel War in Spanish Style.To set up umbrellas and chairs on the beach at 5:30 a.m., after that still enjoy a few hours of sleep and then go at noon to the beach, was costing a Spanish bather in Torrevieja a penalty of 150, – Euro. Decades of habit or tradition of the Spaniards by putting up chairs and umbrellas to reserve the best places in the first line on the ocean water will be fined by communities with penalties. This fight is not Nation against Nation like the Germans and British in the “towel war”, but in the “battle of umbrellas”, it goes against their own countrymen. After several court cases over a period of nine months, the unlawful conduct of the bather was confirmed and explained the punishment as correct.
Torrevieja
The municipality of Torrevieja plaintiff argued that the umbrellas and beach chairs were prejudicing the daily morning cleaning of the beaches, considerably umbrellas without supervision would pose a threat to the other bathers. Since 2015 there are morning patrols formed by the municipality employees to explain bathers the new regulation of the municipality for the beach use and in the case of disregard, to exhibit penalties. Whether Spaniards this ultimately acquiesces stands on another sheet. In the Regulation of Beach use is not explained how long there can be umbrellas, chairs or sun beds unattended on the beach. Another question is whether if somebody can put up his beach gear at 5.30 in the morning and then easily take a nap on the beach instead of in a private home or hotel. The rules in this towel war Spanish style are not as clearly defined as in the confrontation between Germans and British. This tradition of the Spaniards belongs to a perfect day at the beach as well as the paella. The winner of this confrontation is far from fixed and the date for the end of this grotesque situation is unclear. Other municipalities observe the “war situation” in Torrevieja to find conclusions on how to make the morning working on the beaches and respect the beach behaviour of the Spaniards so that no “victim” arise.
