The Beauty Of España by Sarah.

When we talk about Spain, some will visualize their picturesque beaches, some will think about their Flamenco musics and dance, while some of the others will surely remember that it is the home where bullfighting traditions were born... Spain is widely recognized for its own unique culture which has been existed for more than thousand years. But not everyone knows that Spain has much more to offer than that. As of now, Spain has become one of the cultural centers of Europe.

Spain Tomato Fight  (La Tomatina)

 This is a cultural food fight festival that will be celebrated on every last Wednesday of August annually. It usually will be held in the Valencian town of Bunol. During the procession, thousands of people will engage in a brutal battle, where they will throw overripe tomatoes at each other. It is estimated that about 150,000 tomatoes are wasted during the celebration in Spain. 

 

Running Of The Bulls (Encierro)

  Every July 6th - 14th, Pamplona, a small Spanish town will turn into a big party scene when the festival is started. The event occurs every day during the San Fermin festival as a forerunner to the main event of the day, Bullfighting, at the main stadium in Pamplona. The main purpose of Encierro in Pamplona is to run as close as possible to the bulls without actually getting hurt. You may not be surprised to know that Encierro in Pamplona is as dangerous as it looks and several people do get injured every year. In present years, there have been protests by animal rights societies who think that the way the bulls are treated is inhumane. However, the festival is still part of the culture in Spain and does not appear to be going away.

 

Holy Week (Semana Santa)

 

  In Christianity, Holy Week is the last week before Easter. It consists religious holidays of Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday (Holy Thursday) and Good Friday. All of the religious holidays mentioned  memorialize the last week in life of Jesus Christ. People wearing such robe (Nazarenos) during ceremony carry candles or wooden crosses. In some occasions, they also walk barefoot with shackles or chains on their feet as sort of penance. Beside wearing the Nazarenos, they can also wear the uniforms similar to those worn by soldiers in Ancient Rome.

 

  Tapas

   Tapa means "cover" in Spanish. It is basically snacks but Spanish people normally combine it to make it to a full meal. In some areas of Spain, mainly in Andalusia, they are often being eaten with some drinks such as beer or wine served in bars. In Andalusia, tapas can be "upgraded" to a bigger portions, equivalent to half a dish (media ración) or a whole one (ración). This is generally more economical when a tapa is being ordered by more than one person. There are cold tapas (smoked salmon, cheeses, olives, vegetables) and warm tapas (fried shrimps, battered squid)

 

Churros

   Another traditional all-time favourite is Churros, a Spanish sweet snack consisting some strips of fried dough sprinkled with sugar or cinnamon. Churros are traditional Spanish desserts developed centuries ago by Spanish shepherds. Sometimes churros is also referred to as a Spanish doughnut. It is oftenly served with a cup of thick chocolate to dip churros in it. We can easily find the store that sells churros also known as 'Churrerías' in the city of Spain.

 

Tortilla Española

  Tortilla Española (Spanish omelette) is a typical Spanish dish that consist a thick egg omelette containing potates and friend in olive oil. In spain, it is also called as Tortilla de patatas/papas. Tortilla Española can range from an authentic and carefully  seasoned preparation made from raw potatoes of a carefully selected potatoes. The texture and thickness of tortillas are vary according to the selection of a region. In Spain, a tortilla is  always accompanied by bread or different sauces like mayonnaise or tomato sauce. In most bars and restaurants, it is served with a bocadillo (a sandwich made with crusty bread).

Flamenco Dance

  

   Now let's talk about the Flamenco dance. Well, Flamenco is a Spanish art form of dance made up of four parts ; Guitar playing (“toque”), Song (“cante”), Handclapping (“palmas”) and the dance (“baile”). Flamenco is a Spanish art form of dance made up of four parts ; Guitar playing (“toque”), Song (“cante”), Handclapping (“palmas”) and the dance (“baile”). Flamenco was originated in the southern regions of Andalusia in southern Spain. 

  Traditional flamenco dancers barely receive any formal training. On the contrary, flamenco was handed down from friends or relatives. While some flamenco musicians and dancers are still learning the flamenco on their own, most of the modern flamenco artists nowadays are professionally trained. 

  The dance have many different purposes. Whether the dance is invented to entertain, being romantic or comforting, Flamenco dance is a very emotional style kind of dance. Flamenco dancers express their deepest emotions by using body movements and facial expressions. As the dancers perform, they may as well clap their hands or kick their feet. Many dancers also snap a small concave pieces of wood, ivory, or plastic called “castanets.”

Paso Doble

  Paso Doble is now internationally recognized. The Paso Doble dance is a fast-paced ballroom dance. In Spanish, "Paso Doble" means "two step". The dance consists of several dramatic poses that are coordianted with highlights in the music. Traditionally, the man is characterized as the matador (bullfighter) and the lady as his cape in the drama of a Spanish bullfight. The dancers may select to enact the role of the picador, bull, banderillero, torero, or Spanish dancer, and they can change roles throughout the dance. Just like Flamenco dancing, the Paso Doble also potrays arrogance and affection towards each other. Paso Doble is performed more as a competition dance than as a social dance. The Paso Doble is one of the most dramatic of all the Latin dances. In the Paso Doble, dancers will be taking strong steps forward with the heels with hand movements. The forward steps should potray proudness. The man should also associate Appel, a move in which he strongly stamps his foot, much like a matador striking the ground in order to capture the attention of the bull (the woman). All moves of the Paso Doble should be sharp and energetic, with the chest and head held high to represent arrogance and dignity. 

1. Spain has a very low birthrate. It is due to high unemployment, low wages and expensive housing costs.
2. Do not be alarmed by a dirty floor in a bar. For them, a dirty floor means a good bar!
3. The Spaniards have lunch at 2 pm and dinner around 9 to 10 pm.
4. When meeting someone, it is typical to give one kiss on each cheek.
5. During the winter season, elder women often flaunt their expensive fur coats. 
6. Spain is the number one country with the highest rate of organ donation in the world.
7. Spain is the number one supplier of olive oil in the world with 44% of the world's olive oil production. That is two times bigger than Italy and four times bigger than Greece.
8. Same-sex marriage in Spain is legalize on July 3, 2005.
9. Most households buy fresh bread every day. Bread is required at almost every meal.
10. When your car is towed away, a message will be left on the street so you would know where it was taken.  

Published by Sarah.

Traditional flamenco dancers rarely received any formal training. Instead, flamenco was passed down from friends, relatives and neighbors.