Food
Eating
out in Spain is relatively cheap and meals are usually substantial instead of
gourmet. The Spanish tradition of tapas is a good way to sample the local
food. Tapas are small dishes of snacks which are served anytime, especially in
small bars. They cover all types of foods from seafood to vegetables. Many
Spanish people make an evening of hopping from bar to bar trying different
tapas. Spain is famous for its fish delicacies and simply must be sampled,
especially if you get to coastal areas. Paella has long been a Spanish favorite,
based on either meat or seafood. Every region in Spain has it's own specialties.
The Spanish tend to eat traditional continental breakfasts, a light lunch and an
evening meal, late.
Drink
Spain is
primarily a wine drinking country with each region producing its own special
wines, however there are several large breweries within Spain producing the
light, lager-like beers popular everywhere. The principal table wines are the Riojas and
Valdepeņas, named after the regions in which they are produced. In
general, Rioja, from the region around Logroņo in the northeast, resembles the
French Bordeaux, though it is less delicate. Valdepeņas is a rougher wine, but
pleasant and hearty. It will be found at its best in the region where it is
grown, midway between Madrid and Cordoba. The Jerez area is famous for it's
sherry. Jerez is the place from which this wine was first exported. Britain now
buys 75% of all sherry exports. There are four main types of sherry, being Fino
which is pale and dry, Amontillado, dry, richer in body and darker, Oloroso,
medium, fragrant and golden and Dulce, which is sweet. In the Basque
Country, Chacoli is a favorite, green wine, slightly sparkling and sour.
The majority of Spanish sparkling wines are sweet and fruity and even the
inexpensive play an important role in Spanish culture.
To get a better
taste of Spain click on the website below to learn more and enjoy tours!
www.vintagespain.com
Nightlife
Spaniards often start the evening with el paseo, a leisurely stroll through the
main streets or along the coastal resorts. Much of Spanish life is lived in the
streets and the atmosphere is especially vibrant at fiesta time. On a warm
evening, the street cafes and bars can fill to capacity as people sit and relax.
The nightclubs of Ibiza and the big cities have attracted the attention of the
international media and are always an attraction for the youngsters. Most open
late at night and don't close until late the following day.
Dress
codes
In
general the Spanish have a very modern outlook on clothing. They are keen on
designer clothes, but quality is more important than a designer name.
Spanish made clothes tend to be high quality and reasonably priced.
Teenage girls
tend to wear trousers more than skirts. Denim is definitely 'in'. Teenage boys
are keen on designer wear and appearance is important to them. Mature
Spaniards dress conservatively and with style. Older men in particular tend to
wear high quality clothing. One should be particularly careful of dress code
if entering churches. Swim-wear and short skirts are frowned upon.
Bullfighting
Spain
has always been famous for its bull-fights which are
undergoing a new lease of
life with a great increase in
interest. In Spain the bullfight is called
the Fiesta Nacional
(the national sport). The origins date back to 711 A.D., when the first bullfight
took place in honor of the crowning of King Alfons VIII. Every week, all
over Spain, thousands of Spaniards flock to the nearest bullring, but not all
Spaniards agree with the sport, or like it. It is reported that each year,
within Spain, 24,000 bulls are killed in front of an audience of 30 million
people. The bullfighting season runs from March until October. The
bullfight is literally a dance with death. The bullfighter has to carefully
examine and study the movements and strengths of the bull. One wrong move and
he will end up gored or seriously injured. The bullfighter has to
demonstrate his skills to the audience in a dramatic and enthusiastic way. If
he makes a good job of it and gets a good round of applause at the end he
could be presented with one of the bull's ears or its tail. If he has done a
really good job he may even be carried round the arena. One variation of
the traditional bullfight is bull-running where bulls are released into the
streets and masses of participants do their best to avoid them and stay alive.
Pamplona is the best place to see this.
To learn more about Spanish
culture from recipes to popular dances go to www.donquijote.org/culture/
