February 23, 2012

What to know about Spain

Spain is situated in Western Europe.  It spreads across 195,400 square miles which is about twice the size of Oregon state and bigger than the state of California. It has borders with France, Morocco, Andorra, Gibraltar and Portugal. Its coastline is along the Atlantic Ocean, The Mediterranean Sea and the Cantabrian Sea.

The ancestors of modern humans came to Spain around a million years ago, Humans as we know them today settled in the area about 35,000 years ago. Phoenicians began to start cities and trading posts in Spain in the 11th Century BCE, soon after the Greeks arrived in ninth century BCE.

Today Spain is a beautiful country with years of history and cultural heritage which can be seen in the landscape, architecture and people, all this making it one of Europe’s most loved tourist destinations. The major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona offer wonderful food and beautiful architecture.  Areas such as San Sebastian are home to more upper class places ideal for those with money to burn. For the tourist who loves architecture then Castillo de Santa Barbara or Alhambra are great to check out.

Everyday flights go to Spain from most of the world’s major airports, but you can also get to Spain by bus and train from most of Europe. Boat travel is also available from Morocco and the U.K.

Spain: Culture

Spain is significantly influenced by folks of all cultures, starting from the Greeks and Romans to the Muslims, North Africans and Phoenicians. With their barging and touching and not standing in queues, the Spaniards are pretty much as colorful as their culture, and if you happen to be looking for a fun, eventful vacation Spain is the place to go! And, you do not actually have to grasp the primary languages of Castellano and Valencia! Bullfighting is maybe the hottest of all of the Spanish conventions and culture, reflecting the great influence that other cultures and races had on this stunning country. Brought into the Iberian Cape by the Greeks and Phoenicians, bullfighting is a sport that has developed over the centuries and has since evolved well with the Spanish culture.

 Originally, the game concerned men riding horses and fighting raging bulls, nonetheless it at last modified to men, or bullfighters, fighting bulls off without the help of horses. Bullfighting is seen more as a ritualistic event today than a sport.

There are numerous other aspects to the Spanish approach to life and culture, which should all be momentarily covered in this post. Fiestas & Holidays Fiestas and holidays are also an important part of the culture in Spain and play a massive role in the social life of the neighbors.

There are far more than three thousand holidays and fiestas celebrated each year. The Spaniards are fun loving folk and are used to these fests, and nearly each city and town has its own yearly fair that lasts in the region of 1 or 2 days to a fortnight. Town holidays involve the neighbors going on a pilgrimage to a certain shrine either in pony drawn vans or on horseback. Foreigners are always welcomed to take part the fun and laughter. The 1st state party in the month of Feb is the Martes de Carnaval ( the Mardi Gras of Span ). Holy Week is another famous holiday and pulls holiday makers from every part of the planet. Other famous holidays include the Corpus Christi, the Banquet Day of Spain’s guardian saint, the presumption of the Virgin ( la Asuncin ). There are several local fiestas for safe return from the sea, deliverance from the Moors, and crops the Spaniards use any excuse to Party! From costumes and processions to music and dancing and banqueting, you can see now why Spain’s culture is thought to be the most colourful. Bigger holidays include flamenco, bullfights, circuses, funfair’s, fireworks, concerts, carnivals, music competitions and recitals. The most famed however would need to be the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona, which occurs in the Fiesta de San Fermin. Culinary Offerings Food and cuisine in Spain is a heavenly mix of chicken, mixed plant and meat, with fish and a selection of different spices. While it may come as a surprise to you, the Spanish cuisine is comparatively non-spicy, but this doesn’t mean it is tasteless and tawdry! Spanish food offers some of the most mouth wateringly exquisite dishes ever to be set on a dining table. Some of the more popular Spanish dishes include paella, which is a rice dish that has a range of ingredients. Then you have got the mariscos or shellfish and the potajes and pimientos rellenos. Hot chocolate and churros is an an incredibly popular dessert all though Spain. Spain is also known for its savoury wines and the drinking age in the country is eighteen.

Other alcoholic drinks are sangria, Cava and authentic Spanish lager. Other Cultural Pleasures of Spain For people who are into operas and the theater, you ought to know that lots of theaters in Spain are found in Barcelona and Madrid, though a big program has been revealed to build more theaters across the country. Spain has more than eight hundred museums and important collectors items, particularly in Barcelona and Madrid. Football or soccer is the nation’s sport of the country and is simply one of the most vital event or sport when talking of spectatorship and collaboration. These soccer fans are among the most fervent and dedicated in all of Europe and can only be matched in their fanaticism by possibly the Italians. The long yet slow walks on green patios, the energy of bullfighting, the hypnotic sweetness of the flamenco are simply a few of the cultural experiences you can enjoy when visiting Spain.

The country is indeed overpowering. With its spectacularly various culture and conventions, it’s an old fashioned mix between the Old World charm and the New World pretentiousness.A country packed over with cultural contributions, Spain has a rich and varied heritage of folklore and stories. Therefore whether or not this your first trip to the country or even your tenth trip, the country will never fail to make an impression on you.