Coffee in Spain | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/17/2014 - 01:00
Coffee in Spain Coffee is a part of life. Drinking it is a habit, a tradition. Coffee in Spain is important for social life. coffee spanish

Spaniards start early in the morning when they go out for breakfast somewhere before work. Of course, there are many types of coffee and the assortment is only growing. There are a few variations on each type of coffee to make the perfect coffee for everyone. The work in a bar doesn't get any easier....

  • The first cup of coffee was drunk a long time ago, but not in the way we drink it today. Although you would expect otherwise, for a very long time coffee in Spain was drunk only by the royal family and nobility.
  • From black coffee to latte and from coffee with alcohol to iced coffee. Everything is possible. Of course, they all have their own Spanish designation. Always useful to know; also when you want to order a coffee in Spain that most resembles the coffee at home.

Coffee history

Coffee itself has been around for a long time: around 1500, coffee was already drunk by the Yemeni, wise Sufis to stay awake while praying. Around 1600 it came to Europe and here it was considered medicine.Although not officially a medicine, it is a healthy remedy. For example, it stimulates the central nervous system and promotes breathing and digestion.

While Spain is ahead of the rest of Europe in many aspects, however, coffee arrived in Spain late. In the process, it was initially, and for a long time, only consumed by the royal family and nobility. When finally in 1764 (first coffee shop in Amsterdam as early as 1663) the first coffee shop was opened in Madrid, things moved quickly. A few years later, coffee cafes also opened in Barcelona and inspired many other cities in Spain. Spanish coffee was a fact. By now we are almost 250 years on and there are different variations of coffee.

Types of coffee in Spain

Anyone looking for a (side) job in a Spanish café will still need to read up on the different types of coffee. Spain loves versatility, in summer and in winter. Therefore, there are 7 types of coffee for a reason, each with its own variations according to the wishes and needs of the customers. Below is a brief explanation of the types of coffee found in the cafes:

Café solo is a strong cup of black coffee often drunk after meals or with breakfast. A Cortado is a strong cup of coffee with a little hot milk. A cortado is often drunk from a glass and is very similar to foreign coffee. Café con leche, the name says it all: coffee with milk. Café con leche is best known among foreigners and similar to coffee latte. It is a cup of coffee with hot milk often consumed at breakfast.After 11 p.m., the café con leche is replaced by a stronger cup of coffee. An americano is American-style coffee: a large cup of black coffee. An Americano is less strong than a café solo. 

Especially for the men, there is a carajillo, similar to a café solo. A small, strong cup of coffee but with a dash of whiskey, cognac or some other kind of liquor. This coffee is widely consumed by Spanish men. The cappuchino has also reached Spain, although the Spaniards themselves are not such fans of it. The cappuchino is available with a topping of whipped cream or whipped milk. If Spaniards drink it at all, it is with whipped milk. In fact, the whipped cream is for tourists. After all, nothing is "safer" than cappuchino with whipped cream; you know what you're getting. For summer, there is the café con hielo: coffee with ice cream. When you order a café con hielo, you get a café solo or a cortado with sugar and a glass with ice. The idea is that you yourself pour the coffee into the glass with ice and enjoy a delicious, refreshing and cold coffee.
 

Of course, there are many other types of coffee, but these are the most common.

Spain Coffee is a part of life. Drinking it is a habit, a tradition. Coffee in Spain is important for social life. spanish coffee, coffee in spain, cafe con leche Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> Daphne Nossels

The white villages of Andalusia. Los pueblos blancos | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/10/2014 - 01:00
The white villages of Andalusia These cottages are made for the climate of Andalusia. You find them mostly in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park but also in the region of Cadiz and Málaga. pueblos blancos andalusia

In Spanish they are called Los Pueblos Blancos, the white villages of Andalusia. They are characterized by the little houses with white walls and red/brown roofs on high ground in the areas of Cadiz and Malaga. But what is behind this? Why are they all white and why are they all located in the mountains? The white villages of Andalusia have their own story.

  • All the details of the cottages have their own purpose. The small windows, the bright white paint and the thick walls. The cottages in Andalusia are built this way for very logical reasons.
  • The area has been populated by many peoples, yet one people has left the biggest mark that makes the white villages in Andalusia the way they are today.

Everything is done for a reason. This is also true of the white villages of Andalusia. All the houses are built with thick walls, small windows and bright white paint. This is typical of the houses in this region. The thick walls are good insulation for both heat and cold. If in winter keeping heat in is essential, in summer keeping cool air in is essential. In addition, the small windows keep too much sunlight from entering the house. Too much sunlight will heat up the house in the summer, which is exactly what is not intended. The bright white paint of the houses reflects the sunlight back, preventing it from penetrating the house. By the way, the reason the walls stay so white is very simple: every spring, each house gets a new paint to usher in spring.

These cottages are made for the climate of Andalusia. You find them mostly in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park, but also in the region of Cadiz and Malaga. They are a real tourist attraction. Yet you must not forget that this oasis of beauty is also simply a habitat of people; although perhaps that makes it even more beautiful. The villages bring with them a special Arabic feeling because of their narrow streets and cozy squares. The squares of the white villages, where old men sit quietly in the shade playing cards and where the women keep the flowers beautiful. It is a picture. Despite the Arab feeling you get with the villages, each village has at least one Roman Catholic church that completes the picture.

The Moors in Spain

That the cottages have only a climatic reason for construction was not always true, by the way. The area has been inhabited since prehistoric times. Several caves can be found with rock paintings. Although many peoples have lived in this area, there has been one people who have been hugely influential to the villages; the Moors. They lived and ruled large parts of Spain beginning in the 13th century. When at one point the Spanish reclaimed their land, the Moors fled into the mountains and built white houses with thick walls and small windows. So initially it was also a kind of protection from the Spaniards. From the high mountain the Moors could soon see them coming and so they could defend themselves in time against the Spaniards. Today, the people in the villages only have to protect themselves from all the tourists who want to see this beautiful place up close.

Spain These cottages are made for the climate of Andalusia. You find them mostly in the Sierra de Grazalema Natural Park but also in the region of Cadiz and Málaga. malaga, cadiz, moors, andalusia Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> Daphne Nossels

The school system in Spain | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 02/03/2014 - 01:00
The school system in Spain Spain's school system is similar to that of the Netherlands. However, there are some differences. Learn more with our don Quijote Spanish blog. school system in Spain

In Spain, the school system is set up by the government and it is the job of the "Ministerio de Educación y Ciencia," the Ministry of Education, to keep quality high. There are also laws associated with this.

In some countries, as a Dutchman, you can get very confused by the school system. The years are divided differently or the level is not comparable. Spain's school system is similar to that of the Netherlands. However, there are some differences.

  • Secondary education, Educación Segundaria Obligatoria (ESO), in Spain is similar to high school in the Netherlands. Only they don't have different levels at the schools in Spain.
  • In Spain, as in France, they have the baccalaureate, a diploma that you obtain to gain entrance to university/higher education.
  • The regulations regarding higher education and university are the same as in the Netherlands.

Education in Spain

Education in Spain does not differ much from the Dutch education system. The first layer is: nursery and primary education. In which we distinguish educación infantil and educación primaria. Educación infantil covers the first six years of the child's life in which the child is not required to attend school. From the age of 3 months until the third year, the child can attend la guardería, the nursery. This must be paid per month and working mothers receive financial assistance from the government. In addition, there is escuela infantil, the kindergarten. After the crèche, the child can attend kindergarten until it reaches the age of 6. From the age of 6 it is compulsory to attend school. Thus, all children must begin primary education, educación primaria. Primary education consists of three cycles of two years each. El primer cyclo begins when the child is 6 years old. With sufficient development, after two years he may proceed to el segundo cyclo and after another two years to el tercer cyclo. In the third cycle, the child is prepared for secondary education. They are taught Castellano (Spanish) as well as any autonomous language and literature.

Secondary education lasts four years and is given to children as young as 12 years old. All children are taught at the same level during these four years. In the second and final cycle, the student does choose a profile to prepare for the Baccalaureate or technical education and after four years of study and satisfactory completion of all subjects, the student receives a diploma: Graduado en Educación Secundaria. This diploma gives access to the Baccalaureate and technical training, depending on what the child's level is.

Higher secondary education is what children go to when they have successfully completed secondary education. This includes two levels: 'Bachillerato' and formación profesional. The 'Bachillerato' takes two years and is comparable in level to the havo in the Netherlands. The profile chosen by students in the second cycle of secondary education is continued as a specialization in an industry in addition to the compulsory, general subjects. The diploma you get after completing the Baccalaureate is a requirement for university admission. There is also formación profesional, which are classes and practical classes. It is training for a practical profession and gives access to further courses, a job and the Baccalaureate.

Higher education and university has been the same as in the Netherlands since 2006. As of 2006, Spain now also works with a Bachelor-Master structure. Before you can enter college or university, you must first take an entrance exam in Spain, "la Prueba de Acceso a la Universidad," better known as the selectividad. This tests the knowledge you learned at the Baccalaureate. The Bachelor in the Netherlands is called 'los Estudios de Grado' in Spain and lasts four years. To graduate, a graduation project must be done that eventually gives you el Titulo de Graduado. The next step is 'Máster Universitario' and takes two years. For this too you have to submit a report, better known as the thesis. For the real go-getters, there is 'Doctorado,' which involves independent research in preparation for writing the dissertation to get the highest title.

Culture Spain's school system is similar to that of the Netherlands. However, there are some differences. Learn more with our don Quijote Spanish blog. spain,spanish,school in spain,university spain,education spain,school system spain Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> Daphne Nossels

Don Quixote. Miguel de Cervantes | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/27/2014 - 01:00
Don Quixote The author of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes, began writing the novel while in prison for unpaid debts. Don Quixote

"In a place in La Mancha, whose name I do not remember, lived a knight not long ago..." The famous first sentence of the Spanish novel "El ingenioso hidalgo Don Quijote de la Mancha. Translated into Dutch, it means "The ingenious nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha. A book about an old gray-haired man who, by reading many books about knights, thinks he is a knight himself.

  • The author of Don Quixote, Cervantes, started writing the novel when he was in prison for unpaid debts. In addition, he was called el manco de Lepanto (the flawed one of Lepanto) when, in a battle against the Ottomans in the Battle of Lepanto (1571), he so injured his left hand that it remained permanently paralyzed.
  • The brave knight Don Quixote was actually named Alonso Quijano, but the knight didn't think that sounded heroic so he went on an adventure with his new name.

Miguel de Cervantes

Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra was born in Alcalá de Henares on Sept. 29, 1547, and died in Madrid on April 23, 1616. He was one of the most important novelists/playwrights in Spanish literature. Cervantes did not have an easy life, for although he was Catholic, his partly Jewish ancestry did not make things easy for him in the Spain of the Catholic Reformation. He left for Italy where he published some elegies and fought with the Spanish army against the Ottoman Empire. When he wanted to return to Spain in 1575, he was captured for 5 years by privateers from Algiers. As if one time in captivity was not enough, he was captured again in 1597, but this time for unpaid debts. He decided to write a story during his imprisonment: thus, the book about Don Quixote and the Windmills was written in a prison! He released the first part of the book ("The Ingenious Nobleman Don Quixote of La Mancha") in 1605. Although this book was successful, Cervantes died in poverty after he released the second part of the book in 1615.

Alonso Quijano, an old, gray-haired man who loved books and stories about knights immensely. He read so many that one day he felt like being a knight himself. Accompanied by Sancho Panza, a small, fat, illiterate peasant whose main interest was food and lured along by the attractive promise of an island, Alonso, under the name Don Quixote of La Mancha, set out on a wander through rural Spain. His goal? To right all kinds of wrongs and become famous through his good deeds. Don Quixote on his horse Rosinante and Sancho Panza on a donkey too small for this fat peasant. The adventure had begun! Of course, the most famous part of the book is the part where the brave knight battles the giants. While Sancho Panza is still loudly shouting that they are windmills and that fighting them will be futile, Don Quixote heads full of courage and full speed toward the giants. "Do not flee, blode and low creatures! It is a single knight who attacks you." He thrusts his lance into a blade and is immediately swept away. Swinging heavily, the knight rolled into the field. This time he had lost, but next time he will defeat them. And they continued on their way to Puerto Lápice, for there they would encounter many and varied adventures.

2-Euro coins

Nice to know that on July 30, 2005, a coin was issued to commemorate "400 years of Don Quixote". In fact, member countries of the European Union are allowed to issue special 2-euro coins to mark special events. The circulation was 8,000,000 coins, so who knows, you might come across one.

Spain The author of Don Quixote, Miguel de Cervantes, began writing the novel while in prison for unpaid debts. don quixote, spanish book don quixote, miguel de cervantes Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> Daphne Nossels

Varieties of the Spanish language | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/23/2014 - 01:00
Lesser Known Varieties of the Spanish Language Spanish outside of Spain and the Americas. Find out more about some lesser known varieties of Spanish with the don Quijote Spanish Language Blog! Lesser Known Varieties of the Spanish Language

Spanish outside of Spain and the Americas

Equatoguinean Spanish

Spanish is one of the official languages of the small African country of Equatorial Guinea (interestingly Spanish is not defined as an official language in two of the countries with the largest populations of Spanish speakers, Mexico and the United States). Equatorial Guinea was a Spanish territory from 1778 to 1968. Today, although Spanish is generally not used as a first language here, it is still spoken by an estimated 87.7% of the people. This unique variety of Spanish is influenced by local native languages such as Fang. The Association of Spanish Language Academies has proposed creating an Equatorial Guinea Spanish Language Academy.

Notable Spanish language literary works by writers from Equatorial Guinea include the novels Cuando los combes luchaban (When the Kombes Fought, 1953) by Leoncio Evita Enoy, Una Lanza por el Boabí (A Spear for the Boabi) by Daniel Jones Mathama, Ekomo (1985) by María Nsué Angüe, and El reencuentro. El retorno del exiliado (The Reunion. The return of the Exiled, 1985).  

Books of poetry include Voces de espuma (1987) by Ciriaco Bokesa and Sueños en mi selva (Dreams in my Forest, 1987). 

Ladino

Ladino, also known as Judeo-Spanish, is listed by UNESCO as a seriously endangered language. It began to spread in 1492 when Spain’s Jewish community was expelled from the country. Exiled Jewish people from Spain settled in areas such as Holland, Morocco, England, and different parts of the Ottoman Empire, bringing 15th century Castilian Spanish with them. Local languages in those areas heavily influenced regional varieties of Ladino (particularly Turkish and Greek) in much the same way Yiddish has adopted local linguistic influences. Despite the heavy outside influences and declining numbers of speakers over the centuries, Ladino is surprisingly similar to modern Spanish. A number of efforts and projects are being made to preserve Ladino including The Maale-Adumim Institute for Ladino and the cultural magazine Aki Yerushalayim which is written entirely in Ladino.

Estimates suggest that between 160,000 to 300,000 people speak Ladino today, most of them in Israel.     

Spanish Judeo writers include Sara Benveniste who published a complete anthology of her literary works in 1995 entitled Espertando el Djudeo Espanyol,  and the writer Margalit Matityahu (Curtijo Quemado, 1998, Vagabondo Eternal & Bozes en la Shara, 2001).

Spanish in the Philippines

According to the Cervantes Institute of Manila, as of 2010 there were some 3 million Spanish speakers in the Philippines. An estimated 440,000 speakers have native knowledge of the language. It was an official language of the Philippines from the 16th century, throughout Spanish rule, the American administration, and all the way up to 1973 when a new constitution declared English and Filipino as official languages.  

Spanish was widely spoken in the Philippines and used in media and literature in the beginning of the 20th century. The language began to decline here however when the US administration began pressuring newspapers to use English and English was adopted by school systems. Spanish language literature written by Filipinos also thrived during the first half of the 20th century. Notable Filipino writers from the period who wrote in Spanish include Francisco Alonso Liongson (he wrote El Unico Cliente, Mi mujer es Candidata, among many other plays) and poet-playwright-politician Claro Mayo Recto (Bajo los Cocoteros, Solo entre las sombras).

The Tagalog language also has an estimated 4,000 spanish words. Chavacano is a Spanish-based language spoken in parts of the southern area of the Philippines.

The radio program Filipinas Ahora Mismo is aired nationally in the Philippines in Spanish every day.

The Philippines also has an Academy of the Spanish language which is part of the Association of Spanish Language Academies.

Spanish outside of Spain and the Americas. Find out more about some lesser known varieties of Spanish with the don Quijote Spanish Language Blog! spanish,spanish speaking countries,spanish language,ladino,castilian spanish,literature in spanish Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> John Bascombe

Public transportation in Spain | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/20/2014 - 01:00
Public transportation in Spain In Spain, public transportation is well organized. Major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona even have an excellent subway metro network. transportation spain
  • Spain is the land of excellent public transportation. The extensive network of trains in, to and from Spain is one of the main modes of transportation.
  • The capital of Spain has a great subway network and many cabs that will take you anywhere for a good price.
  • The second largest city, Barcelona, has numerous transportation options. From metros to buses and streetcars to cabs.

Travel in Spain: Public transportation throughout the country

If you think things are well organized in the Netherlands, you haven't been to Spain yet. First, there are multiple ways to travel throughout the country and second, they are not nearly as expensive as in the Netherlands. It is well arranged, reliable and convenient. Train transportation consists not only of a simple rail network, Spain also has a good number of lines of high-speed trains that race throughout the country at over 300 km/h. The most famous company is 'AVE' (Alta Velocidad Española). In addition, 'Media Distancia' trains from 'RENFE' are the most obvious trains to travel on. The buses in Spain are, in a word, luxury. When you travel with the so-called 'autocars,' you find yourself in a bus with air conditioning, a TV screen and access to electricity. Then, of course, there are the scheduled buses as you find in every country.

Public transportation in Madrid

Madrid is a large city, it therefore has a large network with many options for getting around. Public transportation in Madrid is subsidized by the government and this makes it pleasantly cheap to travel on. The subways in Madrid go everywhere. It is an extensive network that is still expanding daily. Waiting is almost non-existent, as a metro leaves about every 3 minutes. Madrid has about 185 bus lines throughout the city. Buses struggle in Madrid as they have to compete with the extensive metro network. Nevertheless, they manage to distinguish themselves by offering night services (frequency: every 30 minutes) that get everyone back home safely after going out. White cars with a red diagonal stripe on the sides, you see them all over the city. They are the cabs of Madrid. You can pull them over, but there are also a huge number of cab stands and parking lots. Cabs are cheaper than in the Netherlands, which makes it attractive to travel by cab.

Public transport in Barcelona

Barcelona is the second largest city in Spain, and it also offers numerous options for getting around by public transportation at a good price. The most obvious option for getting around is the metro. It is fast, safe and cheap and with 9 metro lines, all hot spots are easily accessible. Barcelona's metro network is operated by two companies: 'TMB' and 'FGC,' but the integrated ticketing system allows you to travel with both companies on one ticket. On Saturdays, the subways run all night.

The bus is not the fastest mode of transportation since the city is a big fan of one-way streets. As a result, buses often have to detour. That said, it is a good mode of transportation. Like a real city, Barcelona also has streetcars. These streetcars mainly take you to the neighborhoods on the outskirts of the city. As in Madrid and countless other cities, there are more than a thousand cabs in Barcelona. They can be recognized by their black color with yellow doors.

Spain In Spain, public transportation is well organized. Major cities such as Madrid and Barcelona even have an excellent subway metro network. metro barcelona, metro madrid, public transport barcelona, travel spain,public transport spain Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> Daphne Nossels

Top 10 essential films in Spanish | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Wed, 01/15/2014 - 01:00
Top 10 Essential Films in Spanish We hope you like our selection of Spanish Films, and we apologize for those Spanish movies which we have unavoidably missed. Top 10 Essential Films in Spanish

Film viewing gives us the chance to experience the lives of others from the comfort of our own living room. Putting together a top ten movie list is not an easy task, because a list like this will inevitably be incomplete, and it won’t satisfy everyone’s tastes –it probably won’t completely satisfy anybody’s tastes.

In any case, we’ve tried to include films that learners can enjoy without needing too high of a Spanish level, and titles that Spanish teachers will find appropriate to show in class.

We hope you like our selection, and we apologize for those movies which we have unavoidably missed.

Los santos inocentes
1. Los santos inocentes (1984) The Holy Innocents

This film was directed by Mario Camus, a master of creating on-screen adaptations of literary works. It is based on the Miguel Delibes novel of the same name about a family of poor rural family in Extremadura, Spain during the 1970s. Performances from Alfredo Landa (who plays Paco) and Paco Rabal (who plays Azarías) are memorable. The movie takes an insightful look at Spanish society in the late Franco period.

El bosque animado
2. El bosque animado (1987) The Enchanted Forest

Based on the novel of the same name by Wenceslao Fernández Flórez, this tender and magical movie by José Luis Cuerda introduces viewers to rural life in Galicia, Spain in the form of a rousing symphony in which the forest serves as the nucleus of the story. Small but wonderful tales unfold here, about the characters that make the forest their home: a good-hearted bandit, a lost ghost who does not want to be alone, a young man who digs wells and is in love with a girl who immigrates to a big city… It's a mosaic of sensibility that will warm your heart.

Fernando Trueba
3. Belle Époque (1992)

This film by Fernando Trueba takes viewers back to 1931 Spain, a time when Spaniards were living the few days of their monarchy while looking ahead to the new era of the second republic (1931). A young soldier deserts the army and takes refuge in the home of an artist who lives completely isolated from the real world. The arrival of the artists' four daughters launches a series of humorous romantic encounters. The movie won an Oscar for Best Foreign Language film.

La lengua de las mariposas
4. La lengua de las mariposas (1999) Butterfly

Also directed by José Luis Cuerda, this adaptation of Manuel Rivas' short story published in the book "¿Qué me quieres, amor?" is based in Galicia during the beginning of the Spanish Civil War (1936). Don Gregorio is a teacher who not only teaches his students how to read and write, he also shows them how to look critically at the world. The military's overthrow of the government will destroy the character and his vision of education.

El hijo de la novia
5. El hijo de la novia (2001) Son of the Bride

This Argentine picture from Juan José Campanella gives us the story of Rafael Belvedere, who after inheriting a restaurant from his father finds himself overwhelmed by new business responsibilities as his marriage begins to fall apart. Rafael's mother, who suffers from Alzheimers, will play a special role in his life when he decides to help her live her dream of marrying her husband in a church wedding.

Mar adentro
6. Mar adentro (2004) The Sea Inside

This Oscar winning film from Alejandro Amenábar is based on a true story. Javier Bardem also gives a memorable performance that earned him a Golden Globe award for best actor. It tells the story of a man who is left quadriplegic after a diving accident and later demands the right to die with dignity in Spain, where euthanasia is illegal. Two women come into his life and influence him in their own ways.

Diarios de motocicleta
7. Diarios de motocicleta (2004) The Motorcycle Diaries

Brazilian director Walter Salles based this movie on the travel journals of Ernesto Guevara (later known as Che). Guevara wrote the journals during a road trip he took with friend Alberto Granado across South America on a motorcycle with a sidecar. This journey of discovery offers the young doctor insight into the harsh conditions of life that many must endure, an experience that serve as early inspiration for Ernesto, who will later become the now legendary figure of Che Guevara.

Penelope Cruz
8. Volver (2006)

Pedro Almodóvar says that this movie tells the story of "three generations of women that survive the east wind, fire, madness, superstition, and even death, by way of goodness, lies, and limitless vitality". The dead grandmother who appears before the sister, the daughter who lives a meaningless marriage, and the granddaughter who observes everything with naïve wonder, will all form a chorus of voices that may seem at times surreal, but which demonstrates the strength of women who survive despite the circumstances.

Viggo Mortensen
9. Alatriste (2006)

Agustín Díaz Yanes directs Danish actor Viggo Mortensen (who speaks perfect Spanish given his long stays in Latin America) in this film adaptation of the Arturo Pérez Reverte novels that are based on the adventures of a Spanish soldier from the 17th century. This major production offers viewers a vision of 17th century Spain and it serves as a tribute to the paintings of Velázquez and some of Spanish history's most relevant figures.

También la lluvia
10. También la lluvia (2010) Even the Rain

Director Icía bolláin takes us to Bolivia in the year 2500 with a group of Spanish film makers who shoot a movie about the conquest of America and the brutality inflicted by the Spanish during that time. The harsh living conditions depicted in the film parallel the private lives of the actors, film technicians, and the director, who find themselves swept up in the Cochabamba Water War that shook Bolivian society in the first few months of the 21st century.

Selection of Spanish Films, and we apologize for those Spanish movies which we have unavoidably missed. Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> John Bascombe

The Retiro Park in Madrid | DonQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/13/2014 - 01:00
The Retiro Park in Madrid The Retiro Park Madrid is hugely popular with tourists and the people of Madrid. During the summer months, several free outdoor concerts take place there. retiro park madrid

Madrid is the cultural, economic and political heart of Spain. It is the largest city in Spain, so there are many attractions in Madrid. The Retiro Park in Madrid is like the Vondelpark in Amsterdam.

Vacations in Madrid

The Retiro Park in Madrid is the largest and most popular park in the city. The park has and area of 1.4 km². The official name of the park is El Retiro. In the past, "Jardin del Buen Retiro" was the name of the park. The park is located on the east side of the center of Madrid. The Golden Triangle of Madrid (Museo del Prado, Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Reina Sofía museum) is also located in the immediate vicinity of the park.

In 1632, King Philip IV's palace was built in the park. This palace was a kind of refuge for the royal family, hence the name Retiro which means refuge. The park was a private park for the royal family until 1869. From 1869, the park was opened to the public.
The Retiro park has a large pond where people can rent boats and escape from the hustle and bustle of the big city. Therefore, on weekends and holidays, the park is very popular with Madrileños. Due to the huge size of the park, the park is never too crowded. In addition to renting boats, it is also possible to take a horse-drawn carriage ride through the park. Street musicians, street vendors and living statues are also not lacking in the park.

Palacio de Cristal

Besides the beautiful nature, there are also some buildings. In the south of the park is a smaller pond with the Palacio de Cristal adjacent to it. This palace was built in 1887 by Ricardo Velázquez Bosco using the Crystal Palace in London as an example. This palace houses exotic plants and temporary exhibitions. However, the Palacio de Cristal is not the only building designed by Velázquez. In 1884, he designed another building in the park, the Palacio de Velázquez. This palace used to be used for exhibitions of the mining, metal, glass and ceramic industries. Today, it houses art exhibitions.

Another impressive work in the park is the Galápagos Fountain. It was created in 1832 by José de Mariategui in honor of the birth of Isabel II. Four small angels, with dolphins and a snail adorn the top of the fountain. The structure of the fountain symbolizes the various allegories of long life, fertility and the upholding of traditional values such as wisdom and rectitude.

Part of the park is set up as a rose garden, "Roseleda. During a trip to Madrid, a visit to the Retiro Park should definitely not be missed.

Madrid The Retiro Park Madrid is hugely popular with tourists and the people of Madrid. During the summer months, several free outdoor concerts take place there. madrid, madrid spain, retiro park madrid Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> Samentha Geerts

Fundeu BBVA's Spanish word of the year 2013

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Thu, 01/09/2014 - 01:00
Fundeu BBVA's Spanish word of the year The Fundeu BBVA selected the Spanisch word escrache as their 2013 word of the year. What do you think is the most beautiful word in Spanish? Fundeu BBVA's Spanish Word of the Year

The 2013 Word of the Year: ESCRACHE

A number of new and curious words have made interesting appearances on the Spanish linguistic landscape in recent years including wasapear (to send text messages using the cell phone app WhatsApp) and auto-foto. These terms made the candidate short list, but Fundeu BBVA ended up selecting escrache  as their 2013 word of the year. 

The Fundeu BBVA is an organization that works together with the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE) and whose main mission is to promote what they deem as proper Spanish usage in the media. The group was looking for a word that had recently come into the mainstream and was relevant in terms of its usage to describe recent current events. Escrache, in reference to an organized demonstration in front of the homes of politicians and other public figures, seemed to meet those qualifications.

The Argentine and Uruguayan media used the word frequently in the 1990s to describe many demonstrations held to protest crimes committed by dictatorships. Escrache has recently found its way across the Atlantic and into Spain’s popular media, which makes use of the word to describe protests organized by Spain’s Mortgage Victims Platform, a social group that fights against home evictions.  

Escrache’s origins in Argentina likely come from the Genovese scraccâ meaning to spit, or the Italian schiacciare meaning to smash or crush. English speakers however will immediately associate escrache with the word scratch, and Spanish speakers in places with heavy English language influences (like the US) use escrache to describe a scratch. It’s a completely different usage of the word, which makes it even more interesting and added value to its candidacy as Fundeu BBVA’s word of the year.

 Although the RAE’s dictionary does not include the word, it does provide an entry of the verb escrachar as a colloquial Argentine word that can mean either to break, destroy, smash, or oddly enough, to take a photograph of somebody.

This is the first year that the Fundeu BBVA has selected a word of the year, and it’s not the only organization to do it. The American Dialect Society has been announcing words of the year in English since 1991. Not! meaning “just kidding” was 92’s woty. Both Webster and Oxford dictionaries have them too. This year, “selfie” beat out “twerk” and “bitcoin” to become Oxford’s word of the year.

The “most beautiful Spanish word” survey

The Cervantes Institute has launched several online surveys in recent years in search of the most beautiful word in Spanish. The surveys, which coincide with el Día del Español celebrations (which happen in mid June), are open to anyone who wants to participate, and thousands of internet users from around the world compete.

Amor” won in 2006 but had stiff competition from words with appealing meanings like paz or libertad, and words that sounded attractive such as libélula, albahaca and susurro. In 2011, a word nominated by the celebrated actor Gael García Bernal was elected over other nominations such as sueño, flamenco and alegría: his word was Querétaro, a word with indigenous origins and likely means either “island of the blue salamanders” or “place of reptiles”.

So what do you think is the most beautiful word in Spanish? Which do you think should be the word of the year?

The Fundeu BBVA selected the Spanisch word escrache as their 2013 word of the year. What do you think is the most beautiful word in Spanish? fundeu bbva, spanish word of the year Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> John Bascombe

The flag of Spain | donQuijote

Submitted by Anonymous (not verified) on Mon, 01/06/2014 - 01:00
The flag of Spain The red and yellow colors have been applied to the Spanish flag since the 18th century. The current flag of Spain has been in use since 1981. the spanish flag

The Spanish flag

The Spanish flag is probably one of the most distinctive flags of European countries. The Spanish flag has caused the colors yellow and red to be seen as the national colors of Spain.

The current Spanish flag went into use on Dec. 19, 1981. The flag consists of two red strips and one yellow strip. The yellow strip is the same height as the two red strips together. The colors red and yellow have been used on the flag of Spain since 1785 and were chosen because, according to King Charles III, these colors would stand out.

The coat of arms of Spain

The left half of the yellow strip depicts the coat of arms of Spain. This coat of arms has undergone many changes in recent centuries. In fact, until 1981, the coat of arms was adorned by an eagle. The coat of arms of Spain consists of 8 different parts. At the top left of the coat of arms is a yellow tower symbolizing the region of Castile. On the upper right is a crowned lion symbolizing the region of León. The four red stripes in the lower left symbolize Aragon. The gold chain with the emerald in the lower right represents Navarre. The pomegranate in the bottom center represents Granada. The three lilies in the center of the coat of arms symbolize Bourbon, home to the royal house. Finally, the coat of arms is crowned with a crown, reflecting the royal crown.

The pillars on the side of the shield are also called the "Pillars of Hercules," the former name of the Strait of Gibraltar. The red ribbon wrapped around the pillars says "plus ultra" which means, "beyond. With this, the coat of arms of Spain includes the former Spanish territories in the Americas.

The Spanish flag without the coat of arms is also commonly used by Spanish citizens and is also called the civil flag. The flag should not officially be hung out between sunset and sunrise, however, Spanish embassies are an exception to this.

Spain The red and yellow colors have been applied to the Spanish flag since the 18th century. The current flag of Spain has been in use since 1981. spanish flag, flags europe, flag spain, flag of spain, european flags Off <!-- Revive Adserver Etiqueta JS asincrónica - Generated with Revive Adserver v5.0.2 --><ins data-revive-zoneid="7" data-revive-id="ec923599c3fad9b044f22a6a73433428"></ins><script async src="//ads.iegrupo.com/www/delivery/asyncjs.php"></script> Samentha Geerts
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