A nature reserve of about 130 islands that is home to unique animal species and is a feast for the eyes of volcano lovers. Together, the Galápagos Islands (Spanish: Islas Galápagos) are one large natural park with a special character and is located in the Pacific Ocean, 1,000 kilometers off the west coast of South America. The literal translation of Islas Galápagos is "Turtle Islands".

A protected natural area with a fragile ecosystem and yet home to over 25,000 people. The Galápagos Islands have their own special character. Created only a few million years ago and visited by Charles Darwin for his research to develop a new theory, the islands have a short but interesting history.

The group of up to 130 islands in total were created by a series of volcanic eruptions. There is a hot and dry climate. The archipelago belongs to the Latin American country of Ecuador and is considered a province of the country. There are 13 major islands, one of which (San Cristóbal) possesses the province's capital Puerto Baquerizo Moreno. Furthermore,'Isla Isabela' is the largest island with 50% of the total area of the archipelago and has no less than 5 volcanoes. Other well-known large islands are Santa Cruz, Fernandina, San Salvador/Santiago,Floreana, Marchena, Española and Pinta. 

Fernandina is also best known for being in the news relatively often with eruptions of its active volcano. The total population of the islands is about 25,000 and the official language is Spanish. The Galápagos Islands are the perfect getaway for a vacation in Ecuador because not only are the islands themselves special, but they also have interesting sights. You really can't miss the capital Puerto Baquerizo Moreno for a unique experience in the city of a protected nature reserve. There is also the "Galápagos National Park" and you can visit the "Charles Darwin Research Station. A few islands are not accessible to tourists, such as Pinta, this island only allows researchers. The population lives mainly from the cultivation of agricultural products such as cotton, sugar cane, vegetables and fruits and from fishing. In addition, tourism brings a lot of income, for example, Santa Cruz is the island where many cruise ships have their departure and docking base and almost all residents work in the tourism sector.

The islands were discovered in 1535 by a Dominican bishop whose ship accidentally veered off course and ended up at the islands. Geologically and compared to other islands, the islands are only young; they were formed several million years ago by a series of eruptions of volcanoes. In 1835, some of the islands were visited by Charles Darwin. With his research ship, he spent considerable time on the islands to study biology and geology. The research on the Galápagos Islands, among others, eventually led to the famous theory of evolution. His findings are now a fundamental basis for the knowledge of animal species in places like the Galápagos Islands. Around 1960, the islands were considered a national park, and since 1978 they have even been on UNESCO's World Heritage List. In the late 1990s, a strange and flora-threatening problem appeared; a group of feral goats caused serious damage to the beautiful and unique flora and fauna of the islands of Isabella and Santiago. Removal of the more than 150,000 goats allowed nature to recover and left its unique character largely intact.

As mentioned earlier, the Galápagos Islands have a unique composition of flora and fauna. Having never been in contact with the mainland, they contain a number of special animal species. These species have been independently evaluated according to the climate and environment of the islands, making them unique. Some examples are the galápagos giant tortoise, the marine iguana, the galápagos albatross and the frigate bird. Of course, many more species live on the islands. Nature is protected as it is a fragile ecosystem. The landscape is made up of hundreds of volcanoes, the oldest of which are 4-5 million old, and these volcanoes provide an unprecedented fertile soil that allows unusual plant species to be found on these islands.

Cherry Blossom in Spain

Cherry blossoms are usually associated with Japan or even Washington D.C. but Spain also has its own particular cherry blossom festival.  In a corner of Spain between Salamanca and Cáceres, close to the town of Plasencia, is a valley tucked into the mountains of the central system. Within this 70 kilometer long valley—Jerte Valley—is a growing region home to the Picota cherry, one of the sweetest cherries on earth. This cherry comes with a Denominación de Origin (Denomination of Origin) certificate that classifies this fruit as being of the highest quality and coming from only this area of the world.

Every year in spring this valley comes to life with the blooming of the trees and arrival of thousands of Spaniards that come to see a beautiful, fleeting event.  The region prepares an agenda of activities that range from bird watching to participating in the actual picking of the cherries. This area wakes up from a winter hibernation to a calendar of activities that is actually pretty dizzying.

More than 1.5 million cherry trees occupy this basin with many growing up steeply rising hillsides. These trees pertain mostly to small family farms (there are 3,737 registered growers) and are grown in a very traditional and sustainable manner. For example, it is very common to see during picking season the cherries laid out on beds of fern leaves which protects the fruit while it is being gathered.  Unfortunately for most Americans, tasting these incredibly delicious cherries is practically impossible: 60% of the productions is consumed domestically while the rest is exported principally to Germany and the United Kingdom.

Right now the trees are starting to bloom and the second act of a three-act play of nature is happening.  The locals have given a name to these three moments: Despertar el valle (the valley wakes), Cerezo en Flor (Cherry trees in bloom), and Lluvia de Pétalos (shower of flower petals). This is the moment when most people come to the valley to take in some incredible views and walk along the numerous paths that wind between the trees and the different villages within this area.

If you want to come and take part in an incredible show of nature, you better hurry because by the beginning of May the flowers will be gone and the fruit will be start to be growing on the tree. Not all is lost, though, if you come after the flowers have gone since the fruit will be ready and picked in June and July. You will then be able to taste some the best and rarest cherries in the world. I’d say that would be worth the trip.

How to get to the Valle del Jerte

To get to the Valle del Jerte from Madrid you can go north through Ávila or west, by way of Plasencia—either way the trip takes about 2 1/2 to 3 hours making an overnight stay in a casa rural an excellent option. In spring, the weather is usually warm during the day with cool nights without the extremes of the neighboring areas due to the excellent micro-climate the valley creates.

In Dutch we call them appetizers and they are eaten on birthdays or when there are visitors. In Spain, appetizers are nothing special. In fact, it is part of the Spanish way of life! Spanish tapas are not eaten on an occasion but as a snack. From slices of chorizo to whole works of art, but tapas are tapas and the Spanish cannot live without them.

• Tapas have not always been as elaborate as they are today. In fact, it all started very simply with olives, bread or chorizo. It was only later, when different cultures came into contact with each other, that tapas were influenced and more ingredients and thus more variety appeared.
• The fact that Spaniards eat tapas makes sense in principle; they have a lot of time between meals when there is no eating and then tapas is a good substitute.
• There are countless recipes for the tastiest tapas. It is therefore not for nothing that there are many websites with tips and explanations for making tapas. In addition, each region in Spain has its own specialties.

As mentioned earlier, it started very simply with bread, olives and chorizo. That tapas are now so vastly expanded is because of the influence the Romans, Arabs and Columbus had on it. The Romans discovered olive oil, which gave them the means to preserve meat while adding flavor to various products. The Arabs brought nuts and spices, but the best was what Columbus brought with him: vegetables. Tapas often used to be free. It was a snack you got with your glass of sherry. The sherry drinkers of Andalusia, for example, got a slice of chorizo with their sherry. The saucer with the snack was placed on top of the drink to cover it to keep out flies and other critters. To cover is 'tapar' in Spanish, hence the word tapas. When the bars realized that when they gave the sherry drinkers tapas they drank more (because of the salt content of the tapas), the bars developed several types of tapas to offer with the sherry and other drinks so that sales of the drink increased.

“Ir de tapas”

Spaniards are known as late eaters. People dine between 9 p.m. and 11 p.m. and sometimes not even until midnight. This means that there is a lot of time between lunch and dinner. A good solution to this is tapas. In Spanish, it is called ir de tapas: consuming snacks in a bar and taking time for friends or family. It is part of the social life of Spaniards. A bar that serves tapas has about 8 to 12 kinds of tapas that are visibly kept under glass heat showcases that make the tapas look scrumptious. Almost all of them contain garlic, peppers or paprika, salt and pepper. In addition to the vegetable and meat tapas, mariscos (seafood) are also very popular; fish such as anchovies, sardines, marbel or squid are often used to make delicious tapas. In northern Spain and some other areas such as Salamanca, tapas are also called pinchos (Basque: pintxos).A pincho is a small skewer and is inserted into the snack to hold the creation together and to keep track of the number of tapas a customer has had in a bar. The average price for one tapa is about 1 to 2 euros, depending on where you consume the tapa. Yet these days tapas are not just appetizers; they can be made into half dishes or meals. That's why on restaurant menus you often see raciones (tapas meals). It is a larger portion of appetizers.

There are countless tapas recipes with different ingredients and variations so there is a bite for everyone. In Spain, each region has its own specialty. For example, the coastal provinces specialize in seafood and the bars and restaurants in inland Spain make amazing creations with mostly meat and vegetables.

The Spanish Bijenkorf, that's how we could call this Spanish department store chain. El Corte Inglés is one of the world leaders in department stores and has been around for more than 70 years. As small as they started in the late 19th century, they are now so big. El Corte Inglés has everything from makeup to a hand blender and from a can of beans to a stylish outfit.

• Since its founding in 1940, the department store has accumulated a lot of experience and you can find almost anything you need. The literal translation of El Corte Inglés into Dutch is De Engelse Snit.
• Besides the department stores, the Spanish distribution group El Corte Inglés also has other chains, including "Viajes Corte Inglés" and the well-known Sfera. Some of these chain are located only in El Corte Inglés itself, while others also have their own branches.
• With 87 branches of El Corte Inglés in total, the department store is not to be missed. Every city in Spain has one anyway and they are all located in a prominent place in the city. The department store now also has 2 branches in Portugal.

The first Corte Inglés

It all started with a small store on the corner of the street "Calle Preciados" in Madrid in 1890, founded by Ramón Areces. The store focused on clothing for children and tailoring. Only in 1940 was it officially named El Corte Inglés S.L., which in 1952 was transformed into Sociedad Anónima, S.A. (Limited Liability Company). Still, it took another 22 years before the second branch was opened. In 1962, El Corte Inglés also decided to overthrow Barcelona with this new type of store, and it caught on. In no time, new department stores sprang up in several cities in Spain. The goal was and still is to offer the target group a complete assortment in every area: from physical care and fashion to home accessories and groceries. 

It is not for nothing, therefore, that the department stores of El Corte Inglés all have more than 4 floors. The largest have 9 floors and even include a parking garage and foreign currency exchange offices.Pharmacies, chop shops, opticians, tobacconists, clothing stores or a supermarket; you name it, El Corte Inglés has it. All to give customers everything they need. Recently, the department store came up with a method that allows customers to store on all floors without having to checkout at each brand individually. The Carta de Compras booklet allows customers to checkout all their items at once through a sticker system.

El Corte Inglés department store sells many brands through a kind of store-in-store system. Makeup brands such as L'Oreal Paris and Maybelline New York, for example, have their own department with their own cash register and representative to sell the brand. The same happens with clothing brands and stores that sell their products in El Corte Inglés. For example, Desigual, Mango and Tommy Hilfiger also have their own departments. In addition to the various brands that El Corte Inglés sells, it also has its own brand. The most famous is probably "Sfera," a brand that sells not only clothes, but also makeup and body care products and has its own branches in addition to departments in the department store. There are also the Telecor (telecommunications) chain, Hipercor (hypermarket chain), Supercor (supermarket chain), Opencor (convenience stores), Viajes Corte Inglés (travel), Bricor (hardware stores), Informática Corte Inglés (software)and Óptica2000 (Opticians and audiciens).

With 87 branches in total, El Corte Inglés is the largest group of department stores in Europe. As of 2001, it also has 2 branches in Portugal: Lisbon and Porto (2006). In Spain, every autonomous region has at least one branch of El Corte Inglés, except the autonomous region of La Rioja. Almost every city in Spain owns the crowd-pleaser. Major Spanish cities even have two or three. Spain's largest cities, of course, have quite a few more: Madrid leads the way with as many as 11 Corte Inglés department stores, followed by Barcelona (5) and Valencia (4). The El Corte Inglés department stores are fun to look around alone, so definitely worth a visit!

The city festival of the beautiful city in northern Spain, San Sebastian, is without a doubt the loudest party among Spanish celebrations. But why really? The quiet but touristy city of San Sebastian makes its presence felt on Jan. 20 when hundreds of people walk the streets of San Sebastian with drums.

• The city's celebration is called the "Tamborrada," because it's all about the drums. This is also the immediate reason for being the loudest party in Spain. For an entire day you hear nothing but rhythmic beats on the drum.
• Although San Sebastian pretends to be a small town in terms of size, it is still one of Spain's most famous tourist destinations. The city is located in northern Spain, in the autonomous region of the Basque Country. Its distance of only 20 kilometers from the French border and its beautiful location on the coast makes San Sebastian a must-see of Spain.

Tamborrada

The "Tamborrada" is the city festival of San Sebastian, but it also attracts many tourists. In addition to rhythmic beats to the music, you get to beat the drums like crazy and make as much noise as you can. It started with a procession from Santa María Church to the church in the old part of San Sebastian in the "Antiguo" district. This procession ended with a festive dance accompanied by flutes and drums from the military band. Since that day, the military has been imitated by almost everyone. People dressed as soldiers march through the streets of San Sebastian with drums. Children are dressed as little soldiers from the time of Napoleon and merrily march along. It has become a tradition to dress up as soldiers or cooks. The latter comes from the tradition of dining as adults in sociedades gastronómicas. This used to be open only to men, but today even the strictest clubs allow women in as well, making it a dinner for all adults.

The event begins at noon when the flag is raised on "Konstituzio Plaza" in the old part of town (Parte Vieja). From then on, you will hear nothing but drums for 24 hours. Everyone marches through the city to music in special costumes that often present a country. For example, the special costume of the military in Scotland consists of a red or blue skirt with matching shirt. Thus, each group of people has a different costume. There are basically two programs during these 24 hours: the regulated program, where processions of people make the streets unsafe with their rhythmic noise, and the part where people beat their drums as arrhythmically and unregulated as possible. The music is often marching music to make the feeling of the military as real as possible. Well-known music includes "March of Sebastian," composed especially for the event, "Erretreta," "Tatiago" and "Iriyarena. The celebration ends 24 hours later at 12 a.m. when the flag at 'Konstituzio Plaza' is lowered again.

San Sebastian

San Sebastian is a small city made big (famous) by the city's international film festival and the "Tamborrada. In terms of size, San Sebastian does not really look like a city, but with more than 186,000 inhabitants, it may well be considered a city. San Sebastian is located in the autonomous region of the Basque Country, so people speak Basque and Castilian (just Spanish). It has many city districts, including "Parte Vieja," "Antiguo" and "Amara Zaharra. So in addition to a beautiful coastline, San Sebastian has a great inner city that is definitely worth visiting....

Today's diet is not as good as it used to be. So maybe we should adopt the diet of the past again! The Mediterranean diet is a diet based on the food and eating habits of inhabitants around the Mediterranean in the early 1960s. So this mainly refers to Spain, Italy, France and Portugal.

• The food from Mediterranean cuisine is very healthy and balanced. At the same time, this way of eating also makes you less likely to get diseases.
• That the inhabitants of the Mediterranean region were so healthy was not just down to the food. Besides eating fiber-rich meals, they also really took the time to eat. Something the Dutch could sometimes learn a thing or two from.
• The diet itself is not only a way to lose weight, it can also be used to simply live healthier. In fact, research has shown that the diet reduces the risk of disease.

As mentioned above, the diet is based on the food of inhabitants around the Mediterranean Sea. It consists mainly of all kinds of fish, fruits and vegetables, grains, nuts and olive oil. In addition, legumes such as chickpeas, lentils, white beans are also popular in Mediterranean diet dishes. Frequent use of garlic and herbs should of course not be missed. This contains a lot of healthy fiber, good (and just enough) carbohydrates and an abundance of antioxidants. A simple meal from a Mediterranean cuisine recipe book will bring you a healthy dose of nutrition that is filling. However, every ingredient is completely fresh and often from your own garden. The fact that it is much cheaper to cook with fresh produce there than in, say, the Netherlands, makes it much easier to adopt the eating habits of Mediterranean cuisine.

Cooking with olive oil

Something we can easily adopt, though, is the use of olive oil. Its use is perhaps the main difference between the Mediterranean and other regions. Whereas the people of the Mediterranean region use olive oil for everything, we use butter for everything. Olive oil consists overwhelmingly of monounsaturated fat. The fatty acids in these unsaturated fats improve your cholesterol levels and this in turn reduces the risk of disease. In other words, olive oil is super healthy! Mediterranean cuisine is especially appreciated by the Mediterranean people themselves. The freshness and quality of the products and the simplicity and/or purity of the dish are key. A drink with dinner? You wouldn't expect it but red wine perfectly matches the taste of the food, is healthy and it suits your diet.

Not only is the Mediterranean people's diet healthy, but their lifestyle is something we Dutch might take an example from. Too much busyness and stress is not healthy. The inhabitants of the Mediterranean are very calm and relaxed; their lifestyle is relaxed and they take enough time to enjoy the food.

The diet itself is long lasting because the ingredients are highly nutritious and fill you up well. The easiest way to follow the diet is through a book, which gives you great ideas for recipes that fit right into the picture of Mediterranean cuisine. Recent research has shown that this diet is good for overall health and that it even prevents aging of the brain. Furthermore, it reduces the risk of cardiovascular disease and cancer. A 2003 study found that those following a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, grains, olive oil and fish were 25% less likely to die of cancer. Long live the longer life with the Mediterranean diet!

The encierro, the running of the bulls, is an activity that originated in Spain and is still popular in Spain today. During the encierro, a small group of bulls are let loose on a cordoned off route through the (usually) narrow streets of the city. The remarkable thing about this is that a group of (often young) people run in front of the bulls. This article is about the San Fermín festivities of Pamplona, where bull running is the main event.

• The whole event revolves around only one thing: the running of the bulls. And this happens not just once, but every day for the entire fiesta.
• It starts the night before when the bulls are brought from the corrales del gas to the corrales of Santo Domingo.
• In addition, the night before the encierro, the bulls are separated from each other and people can watch them from a balcony.

The Bull Run

The encierro was originally created out of necessity. The bulls had to be transported to the bullring for the bullfights, and the only way to do this was to run the bulls through the streets. When at some point people started running in front of the bulls, this became an activity that came back every time. It became increasingly popular and eventually grew into a tradition. The first legal bull run was held in 1899, but it did not become internationally popular until the event was mentioned as "the feast of survival" in a novel by Ernest Hemingway.

The fiesta as it is known today is held in Pamplona every year from July 7 to 14. Every morning, when the church bell has struck 8 o'clock and 2 flares are shot into the air, about 6 bulls are let loose to make their way to the corrales of Santo Domingo, with a lot of brave gentlemen running ahead of them. Of course, the bulls do not let a few men get away with it and, as a result, as many as 200 to 300 are injured each year. Most injuries are caused by falls and so are not serious. The narrow, bumpy streets do not make it easy for the men, but the bulls are also often surprised by a sharp turn. Falls are inevitable.

The movement of the bulls from the corrales del gas to the corrales of Santo Domingo, the place where it all begins each morning, also has a name: the encierrillo. The encierrillo takes place the evening before the encierro. A distance of 440 meters is covered in silence and is almost as popular as the encierro itself. To see this move, you need a special pass that can only be obtained at City Hall. For people who do not like the violence of the encierro, the encierrillo is a perfect substitute to still enjoy this special event.

A small part of the tradition surrounding the bull run is the apartado: segregation. The night before the encierro, the bulls are separated and spectators and fans can watch the bulls from the balcony. The bulls are viewed and judged based on appearance and characteristics. Probably this is to assess the animal during the run, or else just interest. It is part of tradition, so fun to participate in.

Spain was overwhelmed on Feb. 26 by the sad news of the death of Paco de Lucía.

Paco is the unsurpassed master among flamenco guitarists, winner of many awards such as the “Premio de los Principes de Asturias de las Artes,” “Premio Nacional de Guitarra de arte Flamenco” and many others. A guitarist admired and respected worldwide for his guitar playing and daring in the field of music. His worldwide fame began when he released the piece “Entre dos Aguas. In the late 1960s, he became acquainted with the best flamenco singer ever; Camarón de la Isla.

A friendship developed between the two masters based on mutual admiration for each other's vocal and guitar skills. Together they form an unparalleled duo, release 10 records and put flamenco on the world map.

The death of Paco de Lucía is mourned by many, including non-flamenco lovers. When Camarón died in 1992, it was a great loss to the flamenco and gypsy world. He is still revered, all young singers try to emulate him and flowers are laid daily at his memorial in “La Línea de la Concepción. It is impossible to talk about flamenco music or listen to it without Camarón and Paco, they ARE flamenco. With Paco's passing, the flamenco world feels like an orphan, the last master is no more, but his music is his legacy. A legacy that deserves a place on the World Heritage list!

• The name day is similar to your birthday in terms of celebration. You get visitors and small gifts and all kinds of treats are brought out. So in Spain, people named after a saint actually have two birthdays.
• For those without a name day, there is All Saints' Day. This day always falls on November 1 and is a day off in many countries.
• It is sometimes said that in Spain every day is a holiday. This is largely because each village has its own patron saint who is commemorated on the day he died. And since there are quite a few villages in Spain ...

Saint

If you are named after a saint, you are lucky to have two birthdays a year. The name day is often celebrated on the day the saint you are named after died and is celebrated to honor and remember that saint. Naming days go a long way; for example, if you are named after Saint San José, you can be called José, but so can Fina or Pepe. In addition, it does not matter whether the name of the saint you are named after is male or female; in fact, the female namings Nicole and Nicoletta of the male saint Saint Nicholas are often used. Name Day in Spain is celebrated much the same as a birthday. It is celebrated with food, cakes, drinks, flowers and visits from family and close friends who often bring a small gift. If you are not named after a saint, you may celebrate your name day on All Saints Day.

All Saints' Day

The Christian feast that falls on Nov. 1 and has to do with Día del Santo is All Saints' Day. It is celebrated among Catholics and Anglicans, and in the Catholic Church it is an important feast. On this day, all saints are commemorated. Many countries, including Spain, consider November 1 a national holiday. In the Netherlands, however, this was abolished in 1960. This holiday is celebrated in Spain with special food for All Saints' Day: huesos de santos (bones of saints, rolled up marzipan) and donuts..

"Every day there is a party somewhere in Spain." That's right! Because because, among other things, every village has its own patron saint, it seems like every day is a celebration. A patron saint is a saint or angel who is considered and revered as the protector of a city and whose name one can receive at a baptism. For example, Valencia has San José and the city honors him with the famous Fallas festival. Benicassim holds a week of fiestas in January to honor San Antonio and in early September Salamanca has a week of fiestas with bullfights and a parade, in honor of the Virgen de la Vega. The saints are very important in Spain and at the same time provide many fiestas throughout the country and year.

A Special Month for Romantic Getaways

Valentine’s day is right in the heart of February, and it’s a day that makes this a special month for anyone with a special someone in their own heart. Allow us to suggest ten places where romance fills the air and mingles with Spanish… the perfect language for talking about love according to Bob Dylan.

Join don Quijote and immerse yourself in the real-life settings of these timeless tales of love!