Spain, Everything Under the Sun
Every June, the Corpus Christi festival takes place in all of Spain but it is most famous in Granada. The city was the last Spanish town to be reconquered by the Christians and the Muslim religion was most rooted here, so Corpus Christi was taken very seriously by the Catholic kings. Although the history of Corpus Christi is religious, today the festival is celebrated in carnival style, with plenty of feasting and dancing, parades, and the annual Feria.
Easter is observed as a religious occasion by the people of Spain, who commemorate the resurrection of Jesus Christ with fanfare, devotion, and pageantry. Parades are organized throughout the country, and people dressed as members of ancient brotherhoods are out on the streets carrying heavy floats with religious images, fresh flowers, and candles.
The celebration of "Cruz de Mayo" is spread out throughout all of Spain, and although there are significant variations from town to town there is one common element: the center of the festivity is a cross, inside or outside the house, which is adorned with flowers, plants, candles and very elaborate ornaments.
There is nothing more Spanish than jamón serrano - literally, "ham from the mountains". Cured for at least a year in salt and under special conditions of humidity and temperature, it has a a deep flavor and a firm texture and it is served sliced a 'tapa' with cheese and olives, or in your favorite Spanish recipe.
The Alpujarras, small villages nested in Granada's surrounding mountains, have kept their traditional spirit and the quiet, slow-paced life still survives. One can stroll around the quiet backstreets full of whitewashed houses and see the older generations sitting outside their houses sewing, chatting, and watching the time pass by.
Finding a parking space in the historic center of Spanish cities is almost impossible. Walking is of course easier, but under the severe heat it is also very uncomfortable and even dangerous. As a result, the popular horse-drawn carriages have become one of the most widely used modes of transportation.
Every Spring, two weeks after Easter, "La Feria de Abril" takes place in Sevilla. Men and women dress up in their finest for this event, ideally the traditional "traje corto" (short jacket, tight trousers and boots) for men and the "trajes de flamenca" (flamenco style dress) for women. Men traditionally wear hats called "sombrero cordobés".
Some say that the "Parador de los Reyes Católicos" in Santiago de Compostela is the oldest hotel in the world. Fernando de Aragón and Isabel de Castilla built it as a hotel and hospital for the pilgrims of Saint James. In it, you will find original baroque gardens, artpieces, antique wooden furniture, and a very Spanish sense of history.
The streets of Spanish smaller towns are empty and silent during siesta time, a short nap taken in the afternoon often after the midday meal when shops and businesses may be closed for a good part of the afternoon. But at least in Spain's major cities, the siesta is gradually disappearing, giving way to the influences of globalization and economic pressures.
One of the glories of the Andalucian region is the magnificent parade of flowers that cover the mountains and coast each year. The first spring flowers may appear as early as December, helped by the rains and the mild climate. As the days grow longer and the sun warms the soil, an increasing variety of flowers, some small and delicate, others strident and brightly colored, carpet this Mediterranean landscape.
The monumental architecture of "Plaza de España" in Seville is so grand that it was used as the set for the Royal Palace of Nabo, in George Lucas' Start Wars: Episode II. One can easily spend at least an hour just walking around the plaza's half circle with its fifty eight benches decorated with tiles, depicting historic episodes for each province of Spain.
Every June, the Corpus Christi festival takes place in all of Spain but it is most famous in Granada. The city was the last Spanish town to be reconquered by the Christians and the Muslim religion was most rooted here, so Corpus Christi was taken very seriously by the Catholic kings. Although the history of Corpus Christi is religious, today the festival is celebrated in carnival style, with plenty of feasting and dancing, parades, and the annual Feria.
Every Spring, two weeks after Easter, "La Feria de Abril" takes place in Sevilla. Men and women dress up in their finest for this event, ideally the traditional "traje corto" (short jacket, tight trousers and boots) for men and the "trajes de flamenca" (flamenco style dress) for women. Men traditionally wear hats called "sombrero cordobés".
The festival of San Fermín (or "Los Sanfermines") in the city of Pamplona is a celebration held annually from July 6th to July 14th in honor of San Fermin, patron of the region of Navarra. While its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, the week-long, 24-7 celebration involves many other traditional and folkloric events.
When the Moors were driven out of Spain by Christian rulers in the fifteenth century, they fled to the mountains and took to living in the caves thus starting the cave culture. In the town of Guadix, in Southern Spain, there is an area known as La Barriada de las Cuevas, where every hill has a cave with a painted white façade and a front door occupied by many local families.
"Las Fallas" are celebrations that take place during March 15 through 29 in Valencia, Spain, in honor of Saint Joseph, patron saint of the carpenters. The "fallas" actually refer to the artistic constructions such as the one in the image, made out of flammable materials so they can be easily burned at the end of the festivities.
Every June, the Corpus Christi festival takes place in all of Spain but it is most famous in Granada. The city was the last Spanish town to be reconquered by the Christians and the Muslim religion was most rooted here, so Corpus Christi was taken very seriously by the Catholic kings. Although the history of Corpus Christi is religious, today the festival is celebrated in carnival style, with plenty of feasting and dancing, parades, and the annual Feria.
The festival of San Fermín (or Sanfermines) in the city of Pamplona is a celebration held annually from July 6th to July 14th in honor of San Fermin, patron of the region of Navarra. While its most famous event is the encierro, or the running of the bulls, the week-long, 24-7 celebration involves many other traditional and folkloric events.
The 20 hectares of the Madrid Zoo are divided into areas for each continent, and also have special areas for sealife and aviaries. It is home to animals as diverse as dolphins, koalas, and rhinoceros. The Zoo takes part in many international breeding programs and is considered to be one of the world's leaders for certain species.