The value of a comb

Façade of Posada del peine

The title of this blog entry is a Spanish expression dating back to the Middle Ages. At that time, a lack of hygiene was commonplace and virtually no-one spent much time on their hair. When society gradually acquired better and healthier habits, this expression came to be used as an insult hurled at the vagabonds and down-and-outs roaming the streets. Today, the expression “you don’t know the value of a comb” means something along the lines of “I’m going to teach you a lesson” and the origin of this strange saying serves as an introduction for our short homage to a hotel which claims to be one the oldest in all of Spain.