From Wikitravel
.^ In a country noted for its fanatical loyalty to the Crown and the Church, the kingship was to be deprived of all power and influence, and the clergy to be excluded as such from Spanish all share in legislation.
^ On all sides except that of Portugal the boundaries of continental Spain are natural, the Peninsula being separated from France by the Pyrenees and on every other side being surrounded by the sea.
^ But other fragments stil rose above the waves, and of these the great irassif of Portugal arc western Spain was one.
.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
.^ Altogether no other country in Europe of equal extent has so great a wealth of species as Spain.
^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ Spain, clearly stipulated that her rule in the New World must be considered at an end, and that the fate of the Philippines would be settled at the Paris negotiations.
Among many
places worth visiting are Spain's thriving capital
Madrid, the vibrant coastal city
of
Barcelona, the famous
"Running of the Bulls" at
Pamplona, major Andalucian cities with Moorish
architecture, like
Seville,
Granada and
Córdoba, the
Way of St.
James and the idyllic
Balearic and
Canary Islands.
Understand
.^ But the Phoenician exploitation of Spain dates principally from after the rise of Carthage , the great Phoenician city of North Africa.
.^ Each of the two island groups forms one of the forty-nine provinces of the kingdom, although only the first named belongs geographically to Spain.
^ Of these but a few occur only there, or at least have not yet been observed elsewhere than in that great province of southern Spain.
^ The Moors decimated the native population; when they in turn were expelled, the country lost not only a numerically large section of its inhabitants, but the section best able to develop its natural wealth.
There is everything from lush meadows and snowy mountains
to huge marshes and deserts in the south east.
History
Immigration
.^ On all sides except that of Portugal the boundaries of continental Spain are natural, the Peninsula being separated from France by the Pyrenees and on every other side being surrounded by the sea.
.^ Three presidents succeeded one another within a year, Pi y Margall, Salmeron.
^ The history of these three miserable years cannot be told except at impossible length.
^ Spain is, on the whole, a country whose production falls far short of her own requirements.
.^ For the next five years the political history of Spain.
^ No European country produces so great a variety of minerals in large amount, and in the production of copper ore, lead ore and mercury Spain heads the list.
.^ Its extraordinary lack of population differentiates Spain from every other country possessed of equal natural advantages and an historic civilization.
^ Altogether no other country in Europe of equal extent has so great a wealth of species as Spain.
^ In the production of pod-fruits and kitchen vegetables Spain is ahead of many other countries.
.^ The special development of the vulgar Latin tongue in Spain, and the formation of the three linguistic types just enumerated, were promoted by political circumstances.
^ As regards the distribution of population between town and country, Spain contrasts in a marked manner with Italy, Spain having but few large towns and a relatively large country population.
^ Besides the date-palm the dwarf - palm grows spontaneously in some parts of the south, but it nowhere makes up a large element of the vegetation.
Regions
.^ Spain is divided into seven military regions or army corps.
^ Internally it was divided into two belts.
^ The national colors are red and yellow- The flag is divided into three horizontal stripes, two red stripes with a yellow one between bearing the royal arms.
.^ Old Spanish with the meaning of the present; alongside of eres one finds (but only in old documents or in dialects) sos, formed like sois (2nd pen.
^ Se, sede, the gerundive sendo, the participle s/do, and some other tenses in the old language.
^ Vith the 2nd century the great Roman-Spanish literature ceased:it was left to other regions which felt later than Spain the stimulus of Romanization to enter into the literary tradition.
.^ Aragonese, Catalans and Valencians werp N Li ~, as different as Galicians, Basques, Castilians and DIf Andalusians.
^ In the Basque Provinces and in Galicia the cultivable area is quite as fully utilized, but in these the difficulties are not so great.
^ Andalusia, Murcia, Valencia, Catalonia and the Balearic Islands were subject to their raids throughout the whole of the 16th and 17th centuries.
Travelers to these parts of the
Iberian
Peninsula should respect their history and language.
.^ Each of the two island groups forms one of the forty-nine provinces of the kingdom, although only the first named belongs geographically to Spain.
^ SPAIN (Espana), a kingdom in the extreme south-west of Europe , comprising about eleven-thirteenths of the Iberian Peninsula, in addition to the Balearic Islands , the Canary Islands , and the fortified station of Ceuta , on the Moroccan coast opposite to Gibraltar .
^ The cavalry includes a squadron of royal horse guards, 28 regiments of the line, remount and dpt establishments, 4 regional squadrons in Majorca , the Canaries, Ceuta, Melilla.
For ease of reference, Spain's many regions can be grouped as
follows:
Cities
Spain has hundreds of interesting cities, here are nine of the
most popular:
- Madrid - The vibrant
capital, with fantastic museums, great food and nightlife
- Barcelona - Spain's
second city, full of modernist buildings and a vibrant cultural
life, nightclubs, and beaches.
- Bilbao - former industrial
city, home to the Guggenheim Museum.
- Cadiz - oldest city in
Western Europe, celebrates a famous carnival.
- Córdoba - The Grand Mosque ('Mezquita')
of Cordoba is one of the world's finest buildings.
- Granada - stunning city in the south,
surrounded by snow capped mountains of the Sierra Nevada, home of
La Alhambra.
- Zaragoza - recently
held a Expo and is the 5th largest city.
- Seville - a beautiful,
verdant city, and home to the world's third largest cathedral.
- Valencia - paella was invented here,
has a very nice beach.
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- Ceuta and Melilla - Spanish enclaves on the African
continent.
- El Arenosillo - rocket launch site near Mazagón in Huelva,
Andalucia
- La
Rioja - Rioja wine and fossilized dinosaur tracks.
- Rías Altas (comprising the province of Lugo plus the northern
part of the province of Coruña) - beautiful beaches and food.
- Rías Baixas (comprising the province of Pontevedra plus the
southern part of the province of Coruña) - beautiful beaches and
food.
- Sitges - a seaside resort
near Barcelona.
- Costa Brava -
the rugged coast.
- Palma - On the island of Mallorca, is
full of amazing beaches, and great nightlife.
- Ibiza - Another Balearic
island; one of the best places for clubbing, raving, and DJs in the
entire world
Get in
Spain is a member of the
Schengen Agreement. For EU, EEA (
Iceland,
Liechtenstein,
Norway) or Swiss citizens, an
officially approved ID card (or a passport) is sufficient for
entry. In no case will they need a visa for a stay of any length.
Others will generally need a passport for entry.
.^ Spain only attempted to make new treaties of commerce with Holland, Norway , Sweden , Denmark and Switzerland.
^ But in this land, where nothing was consistent, there was in reality no sharp division except in the smaller and feudal portioncalled Aragon for convenmenceand save as between Christian and non-Christian, noble and non-noble.
Likewise, a visa granted for any Schengen member
is valid in all other countries that have signed and implemented
the treaty. But be careful: Not all EU members have signed the
Schengen treaty, and not all Schengen members are part of the
European Union.
.^ By a process which was going on elsewhere in Europe the frontier settled into a new political organism.
^ The Liberals were divided into sub-sections, distinguished from one another by a rising scale of violence.
.^ The Liberals were divided into sub-sections, distinguished from one another by a rising scale of violence.
^ On the one hand were the Spaniards who desired to assimilate their country to western Europe, and on the other those of them who adhered to the old order.
Travel between
a Schengen member and a non-Schengen country will result in the
normal border checks. Note that regardless of whether you
travelling within the Schengen area or not, some airlines will
still insist on seeing your ID card or passport.
Keep in mind that the counter begins once you enter any country
in the
Schengen
Area and is
not reset by leaving a specific
Schengen country for another Schengen country, or vice-versa.
As of January 2010
only the citizens of the
following non-EU/EEA/Swiss countries do
not need a
visa for entry into the Schengen Area; note that they must not stay
longer than three months in half a year and must not work while in
the EU:
Andorra,
Antigua and
Barbuda,
Argentina,
Australia,
Bahamas,
Barbados,
Bermuda,
Brazil,
Brunei,
Canada,
Chile,
Costa Rica,
Croatia,
El Salvador,
Guatemala,
Honduras,
Israel,
Japan,
Macedonia*,
Malaysia,
Mauritius,
Mexico,
Monaco,
Montenegro*,
New Zealand,
Nicaragua,
Panama,
Paraguay,
Saint Kitts and Nevis,
San Marino,
Serbia*/**,
Seychelles,
Singapore,
South Korea,
United States,
Uruguay,
Vatican City,
Venezuela, additionally persons holding
British National (Overseas),
Hong Kong SAR or
Macau SAR passports.
Note that
- while British subjects with the right of abode in the
United Kingdom and British Overseas Territories citizens connected
to Gibraltar are considered "United Kingdom nationals for European
Union purposes" and therefore eligible for unlimited
access to the Schengen Area,
- British Overseas Territories citizens without the
right of abode in the United Kingdom and British subjects
without the right of abode in the United Kingdom as well
as British Overseas citizens and British protected persons in
general do require visas.
.^ In these last, however, the prevailing frtut-trees are those of central Europe, and above all the apple , which is very extensively cultivated in Asturias, the Basque Provinces and Navarre.
Further note that
(*) Macedonian, Montenegrin and Serbian citizens need a
biometric passport to enjoy visa-free travel
and
(**) Serbian citizens with passports issued by the Serbian
Coordination Directorate (Serbs residing in Kosovo) still
do need a visa.
There are a number of ways to get into Spain. From neighboring
European countries, a drive with the car or a train ride is
feasible; visitors from further away will probably be using air
travel.
By plane
Spain's national carrier is Iberia.
The busiest airports are
Madrid, A Coruña,
Palma de Mallorca,
Malaga,
Murcia,
Barcelona,
Jerez de la Frontera,
Seville,
Valencia,
Bilbao,
Alicante, Santiago de Compostella,
Vigo and
Gran Canaria. All are listed on the
official airport governing body website:
[2]Madrid and
Bilbao have the most beautiful
airports, designed by famous architects.
.^ Spain has nine universities: Madrid, the most numerotisly attended; Salamanca, the most ancient; Granada, Seville, Barcelona, Valencia, Santiago, Saragossa and Valladolid.
Warning: If you buy an e-ticket from Iberia or
ClickAir over the Internet with a credit card, you may have to show
the original credit card upon check-in. If you fail to do so, you
will have to purchase another ticket for the same fare, and the
original ticket will be refunded many weeks or even months
later.
- RENFE [9] -
Timetables and Prices
- FEVE [10] - FEVE's web page
.^ Each of the two island groups forms one of the forty-nine provinces of the kingdom, although only the first named belongs geographically to Spain.
^ Sometimes the ny becomes reduced to y; one occasionally meets in manuscripts with seyor, ay, for senyor, any, but this pronunciation has not become general, as has been the case with the y having its origin in it.
^ All this also did not bear its full frOit till later times, but by the 17th century it had made Spain one of the two most beggarly nations in Europe the other being Portugal.
.^ The air is extremely dry, which is all the more keenly felt from the fact that it is almost constantly in motion, At Madrid (2150 ft.
.^ These three varieties of the Romana rustica are marked off from one another more distinctly than is the case with, say the Romance dialects of Italy; they do not interpenetrate one another, but where the one ends the other begins.
^ They were one only as subjects of the same lords and members of the same Church.
Always check whether
the bus or the train is more convenient.
By bus
Bus travel in Spain is increasingly an attractive option for
people traveling on a tight budget.
.^ Their disappearance greatly promoted the work of national unification, and was a gain, since they had long ceased to serve any really useful purpose.
^ But for an interval of more than twenty-five years they stood apart.
^ No European country produces so great a variety of minerals in large amount, and in the production of copper ore, lead ore and mercury Spain heads the list.
There are lots of private bus companies offering routes to all
major Spanish cities.
.^ The same rule applies to their schools, which are, however, numerously attended, in Madrid, Seville, Barcelona and other towns, by children of Protestant families and of many Roman Catholics also.
^ Apart from the Italian intrigues, the most important foreign affairs of the reign were connected with the relations of Spain with England.
^ The Madrid foreign office welcomed most readily a clever move of Prince Bismarcks to estrange Spain from France and to flatter the young king of Spain.
Traveling by bus in Spain is usually reliable (except on peak
holiday days when roads can be very crowded and you should expect
long delays on popular routes), coaches are modern and comfortable.
You can expect to pay about €8 per 100km.
By boat
Regular ferry services are run by P&O from Portsmouth to
Bilbao (thrice a week) and from
Plymouth and Southampton to
Santander (once a week). This services should
be booked well in advance, provided that many english tourist tend
to book them as a fast way to get to Spain by car.
Visas
.^ Spain appealed in vain to European mediation , to the pope, to courts and governments.
.^ When France and other European nations abandoned free trade for protection towards 1890, a strong movement set in in Spain in favor of protection.
^ Canovas both inclined to assist national aspirations in Morocco, and jealously watched the relations of that empire with other European powers.
.^ Altogether no other country in Europe of equal extent has so great a wealth of species as Spain.
^ When France and other European nations abandoned free trade for protection towards 1890, a strong movement set in in Spain in favor of protection.
^ There are other smaller areas containing little or no coal, but showing by the included plant-remains that the strata undoubtedly belong to the Carbonifei-ous system.
As of May 2004 citizens of the following countries do
not need a visa for entry into Spain.
.^ Spain only attempted to make new treaties of commerce with Holland, Norway , Sweden , Denmark and Switzerland.
^ On the north-west the valley of the Sil and a series of valleys farther south, along both of which military roads have been carried from an early period , open tip comrntinication between Leon and the hill country of Galicia, which explains why this province was united to Leon even before the conquest of Portugal from the Moors.
^ These three varieties of the Romana rustica are marked off from one another more distinctly than is the case with, say the Romance dialects of Italy; they do not interpenetrate one another, but where the one ends the other begins.
.^ Not a few of the officers held Liberal opinions, and this was especially the case with those who had been prisoners in 1~seiv~iuduon France during the war and had been inoculated with foreign doctrines.
Venezuelan credit cards are not accepted like funds for
immigration due to the currency exchange control in this
country.
- Renfe [11] is the
Spanish national rail carrier. .^ Called the Deacon , descendant of Alphonso I., r-.igned for a very short time, and retired to a religious house.
To be safe, always
take the train before the one you need.
By bus
The easiest way to get around most parts of Spain is by bus.
Most major routes are point to point, and very high frequency.
There is a different operator for each route, but usually just one
operator per route. At the bus station, each operator has its own
ticket. The staff at any of them is usually happy to tell you who
operates which route, however.
- Movelia [12]
- provides schedules and fares for most operators.
By boat
Wherever you are in Spain, from your private yacht you can enjoy
gorgeous scenery and distance yourself from the inevitable crowds
of tourists that flock to these destinations. May is a particularly
pleasant time to charter in the regions of Costa Brava, Costa
Blanca and the Balearic Islands as the weather is good and the
crowds have yet to descend. The summer months of July and August
are the hottest and tend to have lighter winds.
.^ The temperature is mild and equable; the rains are abundant all the year round, but fall chiefly in autumn, as in the west of Europe generally.
.^ SPAIN (Espana), a kingdom in the extreme south-west of Europe , comprising about eleven-thirteenths of the Iberian Peninsula, in addition to the Balearic Islands , the Canary Islands , and the fortified station of Ceuta , on the Moroccan coast opposite to Gibraltar .
^ The only considerable lakes in Spain are three coast lagoonsthe Albufera (q.v.
^ The flamingo is found native in the Balearic Islands and on the southern coasts, and a stray specimen is occasionally seen on the table-land of New Castile.
For everyone else, a RYA Yacht Master
Certification or International Certificate of Competence will
normally do. Although a skipper may be required, a hostess/chef may
or may not be necessary. Dining out is strong part of Spanish
custom and tradition. If you are planning on docking in a port and
exploring fabulous bars and restaurants a hostess/cook may just be
useful for serving drinks and making beds. Extra crew can take up
valuable room on a tight ship.
By car
In major cities like
Barcelona and in mid-sized like
San Sebastian,
moving around by car is both expensive and nerve-wracking. Fines
for improper parking are uncompromising (€85 and up).
.^ In Andalusia the downfall of the Almorvides had War with opened the way to the Almohdes, or followers of theAlmothe Mabdi, an even more bigoted religious sect than hades, the other.
^ The work of political unification was essentially more difficult than the christianization of Spain.
^ One of them, by name Ardabast, was deprived of his holding at a later date on the ground that he held more land than could be safely left in the hands of a Christian.
.^ The Spanish Roman and the Visigoth, so-called, of that epoch of poorness of spirit, accustomed as he was to compound with one master after another, saw nothing dishonourable in making such an arrangement.
It also doesn't hurt that the scenery is
beautiful and well worth a drive.
There are two types of highway in Spain: autopistas, or
motorways, and autovías, which are more akin to
expressways. Most autopistas are toll roads while autovías are
generally free of charge. Speed limits range from 50 km/h in towns
to about 90 km/h on rural roads, 100 km/h on autovías, and 120 km/h
on autopistas.
Intersections of two highways typically have a roundabout under
the higher one--so you can both choose any turn and to start
driving in an opposite direction there.
.^ In the kingdom of Aragon the right was secured about the same time.
Between cities, drivers are required to have some rest every 2
hours they drive--there's a fine if you don't follow. It's unclear
how it's enforced, however.
Filling procedure for gas stations varies from brand to brand.
At Agip, you first fill the tank yourself, and then pay inside the
shop. Gasoline is relatively inexpensive compared to other
countries in the EU and Japan, but still more expensive than in the
U.S.
By thumb
Spain isn't a good country for
hitchhiking. Sometimes you can
wait many hours. Try to speak with people at gas stations, parking
lots etc. They are scared and suspicious, but when you show them
that they shouldn't be afraid, they gladly accept you and mostly
also show their generosity. In the South of Spain, in and around
the Alpujarras, hitchhiking is very common and it is also very easy
to get a ride. As long as you can speak a bit of spanish and don't
look too dirty/frightening, you should be able to get a ride
moderately easily.
Renting a car
.^ Another feature of the period of reconstruction was the formation of numerous trusts or combinations of producing companies designed to take advantage of the high tariff , and to restrict competition, lower expenses an d raise prices.
Consider having full-coverage insurance instead of franchise:
other drivers are not always careful parking near other cars,
especially when parking space on a street is limited.
Spanish drivers can be unpredictable and some of the roads on
the Southern area of Malaga and the Costa Del Sol are notoriously
dangerous.
Therefore you will want a car with a fully comprehensive
insurance package with includes a collision damage waiver (CDW) and
a vehicle theft waiver, as well as liability cover. Many of the car
hire companies offer an insurance option where you can choose to
reduce your vehicle excess. This means that if you are in an
accident you would not be financially liable for the whole excess
fee.
Child seats are also available with all vehicles so that any
children in your party can travel safely and in comfort.
Air conditioning is a must in the hot Spanish summer months.
.^ Of the others some were passing phantoms, and the records of the later times of the kingdom are so obscure that we cannot be sure of knowing the names of all who perished by violence.
^ He obeyed the rule which has called upon all the intelligent governors of Spain to make sure of the African coast by occupying it.
If you break down while on holiday you will want a car hire
company that gives you the free roadside assistance of trained
mechanics. Cars often overheat in Spain while the tires are
vulnerable on the hot roads.
Avis accepts payment in US dollars when you pay
by a credit card. If you need to pay when you return rented car,
payment is made from deposit you provided by credit card in the
beginning--so you don't pay extra money upon return, waiting for
weeks for deposit to be unblocked.
By bicycle
Spain is heaven for cycling, judging by how many cyclists you
can see in the cities. Cycling lanes are available in mid-sized and
large cities.
.^ This tragedy, which rightly or wrongly aroused the most widespread indignation throughout Europe, produced a ministerial crisis in Spain.
^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ Medieval Spain divides itself into three con quistasthat of Castile (much the most considerable), that of Portugal, and that of Aragon.
For example, Madrid is between 600
and 700 meters above sea, so if you travel through it by bicycle
you have to be in a good shape.
Talk
.^ Deposits of Tertiary age cover rather more than a third of Spain.
^ Vith the 2nd century the great Roman-Spanish literature ceased:it was left to other regions which felt later than Spain the stimulus of Romanization to enter into the literary tradition.
^ In Andalusia the downfall of the Almorvides had War with opened the way to the Almohdes, or followers of theAlmothe Mabdi, an even more bigoted religious sect than hades, the other.
.^ As for features common to C~talan and Hispanic (Castilian and Portuguese) Romance, on the other hand, and which are unknown to French Romance, only one is of importance; the conservation, namely, of the Latin u with its original sound, while the same vowel has assumed in French and ProvencaI~ .
^ Spain, Portuguese-Galician being the other; both idioms, now separated by very marked differences, can be traced back directly to one common source the Hispanic Romance.
^ PORTUGUESE.Portuguese-Galician constitutes the second branch of the Latin of Spain.
It is
more properly called
Castilian
(
castellano).
.^ Within the Castilian domain, thus embracing all in Spain that is neither Portuguese nor Catalan, there exist linguistic varieties which it would perhaps be an exaggeration.
^ Spain occupies an unsurpassed geographical position; its resources are rich, varied and to some extent unexploited; its inhabitants include the Basques and Catalans, noted for their commercial enterprise, and the Galicians, noted for their industry.
^ This undoubtedly was the case in the north, where the Asturians and Basques, the least Romanized part of the population, appear from the beginning of the age of barbarization as acting for themselves.
Some of
these languages are dominant in their respective regions, and
following their legalization in the 1978 constitution, they are
co-official with Castilian.
.^ Not to speak of the Basque, which still forms an island of some importance in the north-west, three Romance languages share this extensive territory: (1) Portuguese-Galician, spoken in Portugal, Galicia, and a small portion of the province of Leon; (2) Castilian, covering about two-thirds of the Peninsula in the north, centre, and south; (3) Catalan, occupying a long strip of territory to the east and south-east.
Learning a few words in the local languages where
you are traveling will help endear you to the locals.
.^ In the central parts of the same table-land huge thisties (such as the Onopordum nervosunl), centaureas, artemisias and other Compositae are scattered in great piof usion.
^ Within the Castilian domain, thus embracing all in Spain that is neither Portuguese nor Catalan, there exist linguistic varieties which it would perhaps be an exaggeration.
^ When France and other European nations abandoned free trade for protection towards 1890, a strong movement set in in Spain in favor of protection.
.^ Aragon, Catalonia and Valencia by arms.
^ Aragon, which was poor and tenacious of its rights, would give little; Catalonia and Valencia afforded small help.
^ The first was to reunite the Balearic Islands and Roussillon , which James the Conqueror had left by will to a younger son, to the crown of Aragon.
.^ Not to speak of the Basque, which still forms an island of some importance in the north-west, three Romance languages share this extensive territory: (1) Portuguese-Galician, spoken in Portugal, Galicia, and a small portion of the province of Leon; (2) Castilian, covering about two-thirds of the Peninsula in the north, centre, and south; (3) Catalan, occupying a long strip of territory to the east and south-east.
^ In it we must distinguish (1) Portuguese (Portuguez, perhaps a contraction from the old Porlugalez = Portugalensis), the language of the kingdom of Portugal and its colonies in Africa, Asia and America (Brazil); (2) Galician (Gallego), or the language of the old kingdom of Galicia (the modern provinces of Pontevedra, La Coruna, Orense, and Lugo) and of a portion of the old kingdom of Leon (the territory of Vierzo in the province of Leon).
^ The railway from Madrid to Segovia passes through a tunnel close to the Guatlarrama Pass; and the railway from Madrid to Avila traverses the south-western portion of the range through a remarkable series of tunnels and cuttings.
.^ Portuguese and in the Castilian dialects of the north-west.
^ Not to speak of the Basque, which still forms an island of some importance in the north-west, three Romance languages share this extensive territory: (1) Portuguese-Galician, spoken in Portugal, Galicia, and a small portion of the province of Leon; (2) Castilian, covering about two-thirds of the Peninsula in the north, centre, and south; (3) Catalan, occupying a long strip of territory to the east and south-east.
^ Catalan, by its most characteristic features, belongs to the Romance of southern France and not to that of Spain; it is legitimate, therefore, to regard it as imported into Spain by those His pani whom the Arab conquest had driven back beyond the mountains into Languedoc , and who in the 9th century regained the country of their origin; this conclusion is confirmed by the fact that the dialect is also that of two French provinces on the north of the PyreneesRoussillon and Cerdagne.
Basque is unrelated to any Romance language or to any
branch of the Indo-European or Indo-Iranian family of languages.
.^ In these last, however, the prevailing frtut-trees are those of central Europe, and above all the apple , which is very extensively cultivated in Asturias, the Basque Provinces and Navarre.
It was also spoken in rural parts of
Leon,
Zamora,
Salamanca, in a few
villages in Portugal (where it is called Mirandes) and in villages
in the extreme north of
Extremadura.
.^ Spain occupies an unsurpassed geographical position; its resources are rich, varied and to some extent unexploited; its inhabitants include the Basques and Catalans, noted for their commercial enterprise, and the Galicians, noted for their industry.
^ PORTUGUESE.Portuguese-Galician constitutes the second branch of the Latin of Spain.
^ Aragonese, Catalans and Valencians werp N Li ~, as different as Galicians, Basques, Castilians and DIf Andalusians.
The province of Asturias explicitly protects it
and Spain implicitly protects it by not objecting before the
Supreme Court.
- Aragonese (Aragonese: aragonés,
Castilian: aragonés, also known colloquially as
fabla), is spoken in the north of Aragon. It is only vaguely recognized, but not
official (as of June, 2008). .^ All the proparoxytones of modern Catalan are of recent introduction and due to Castilian influence.
^ In conjugation the peculiarities of Gallego are more marked; some find their explanation within the dialect itself, others seem to be due to Castilian influence.
^ The Mediterranean province is that in which the vegetation agrees most closely with that of southern France and the lowlands i By conversion from Tb.
.
- Aranese (Castilian: Aranés,
Catalan/Aranese Occitan: Aranès), is spoken in the Aran
Valley, and is recognized as an official language of Catalonia (not
of Spain), alongside Catalan and Spanish.^ Old Spanish with the meaning of the present; alongside of eres one finds (but only in old documents or in dialects) sos, formed like sois (2nd pen.
^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ Of these but a few occur only there, or at least have not yet been observed elsewhere than in that great province of southern Spain.
This language is a
variety of Gascon Occitan, and as such is very closely related to
Provençal, Limousin, Languedoc, and Catalan.
In addition to the native languages, English and
French are
commonly studied in school. If you are visiting a tourist area you
will find people who are fluent in several languages. You may not
be lucky elsewhere, and your best bet would be young urban people.
Speak slowly, use simple words and don't hesitate to use gestures
or a notebook to be understood. Chances are people will understand
words more easily if you write them down.
.^ Kings of the Visigoths, having relations with Spain, but not established within it Ataulf - -, 410415 Entered the north-east of Spain, murdered at Barcelona.
^ Augustus (or Tiberius possibly) reorganized the administration of Roman Spain., Henceforward there were three proThe Bmplre,viflceS: (a) the north and north-west, the central 27 B.C.- table-land and the east coast as far south as New A.D. 406.
^ In the last years of the 8th and begiiining of the 9th century, Charlemagne and Louis the Pius began conquering the north-east of Spain, which the Arabs had occupied as early as 713.
Locals will appreciate any attempts you make to speak their
language. For example, "Good morning" (Buenos días) and "Thank you"
(Gracias).
.^ BIBLIOGRAPHY,(I) Sources: There are several published collections of sources for Spanish history.
LSI (Language Studies International) offers
quality Spanish courses in Spain
[13].
See
.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
.^ Canary Island power which the Spanish people has always Total exhibited after warthe most notable instance of which is the above-mentioned net increase of nearly 50% .
.^ Sierra Nevada and the coast ranges in the south.
^ The endemic species are naturally most numerous in the mountains, and above all in the loftiest ranges, the Pyrenees and the Sierra Nevada; but it is a peculiarity of the Spanish tableland, as compared with the plains and table-lands of central Europe, tha.t it also possesses a considerable number of endemic plants and plants of extremely restricted range.
^ The greater part of the interior of Spain is composed of a table-land bounded by the Cantabrian Mountains in the north and the Sierra Morena in the south, and divided into two by a series Central of mountain ranges stretching on the whole from east Table-land to west.
Do
Festivals
Spain has a lot of local festivals that are worth going to.
- Málaga's
Semana Santa (Easter) - worth to see. From Palm Sunday to
Easter Sunday. Lots of procession accour within that week.
- Córdoba en Mayo (Cordoba in May) - great month to visit the
Southern city
- Las Cruces (1st week in May) - big flower-made
crosses embellishing public squares in the city center, where you
will also find at night music and drinking and lot of people having
fun!
- Festival de Patios - one of the most
interesting cultural exhibitions, 2 weeks when some people open
doors of their houses to show their old Patios full of flowers
- Cata del Vino Montilla-Moriles - great wine
tasting in a big tent in the city center during one week in
May
- Fallas - Valencia's festival in March - burning the
"fallas" is a must
- Málaga's
August Fair - flamenco dancing, drinking sherry,
bullfights
- Fiesta de San Isidro - May 15 in Madrid - a celebration of Madrid's patron saint.
- Cabalgata de los Reyes Magos (Three wise men
parade) - on the eve of epiphany, 5th of January, the night before
Spanish kids get their Christmas presents, it rains sweets and toys
in every single town and city
- La Tomatina - a giant tomato fight in Buñol
- Moros y Cristianos (Moors and Christians,
mostly found in Southeastern Spain during spring time) - parades
and "battles" remembering the fights of medieval ages
Skiing in the northen region of Spain
Scuba Diving
For a treat, try Costa Brava and the world renowned Canary
Islands.
Buy
Money
.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ When France and other European nations abandoned free trade for protection towards 1890, a strong movement set in in Spain in favor of protection.
^ In the case of the currency the old Spanish name of peseta was retained for the unit (the franc , 91/2d.
This is much due to the huge presence
of peseta, and "her" many nicknames in colloquial Spanish.
Cash euro: €500 banknotes are not accepted in
many stores--always have alternative banknotes.
Other currencies: Do not expect anybody to
accept other types of currency, or to be willing to exchange
currency. Exceptions are shops and restaurants at airports. These
will generally accept at least US Dollars at a
slightly worse exchange rate.
If you wish to
exchange money, you can do so at
any bank (some may require that you have an account there before
they will exchange your money), where you can also cash in your
traveller's cheques. Currency exchanges, once a
common sight, have all but disappeared since the introduction of
the Euro.
.^ The same rule applies to their schools, which are, however, numerously attended, in Madrid, Seville, Barcelona and other towns, by children of Protestant families and of many Roman Catholics also.
^ The number of endemic species is exceptionally large, the number of monotypic genera in the Peninsula greater than in any other part of the Mediterranean domain.
Credit cards: Credit cards are well accepted:
even in a stall at La Boqueria market in
Barcelona, on an average highway gas station
in the middle of the country, or in small towns like
Alquezar.
.^ The work of political unification was essentially more difficult than the christianization of Spain.
^ It was not difficult to bribe Godoy, who was conscious that his position could not be maintained after the death of Charles IV. In October 1807 Spain accepted the treaty of Fontainebleau .
Most ATMs will allow you to withdraw money with your credit
card, but you'll need to know your card's PIN for that. Most
Spanish stores will ask for ID before accepting your credit card.
Some stores may not accept a foreign driving license or ID card and
you will need to show your passport. This measure is designed to
help avoid credit card fraud.
Business hours
Most businesses (including most shops, but not restaurants)
close in the afternoons around 13:30/14:00 and reopen for the
evening around 16:30/17:00. Exceptions are large malls or major
chain stores.
For most Spaniards, lunch is the main meal of the day and you
will find bars and restaurants open during this time. On Saturdays,
businesses often do not reopen in the evening and almost everywhere
is closed on Sundays. Also, many public offices and banks do not
reopen in the evenings even on weekdays, so if you have any
important business to take care of, be sure to check hours of
operation.
If you plan to spend whole day shopping in small shops, the
following rule of thumb can work. A closed shop should remind it's
also time for your own lunch. And when you finish your lunch, some
shops will be likely open again.
Сlothes and shoes
Designer brands
.^ Its iron and copper and silver and lead were well known: it was also (according to the elder Pliny) the chief source whence the Roman world obtained its tin and quite outdistanced in this period the more famous mines of Cornwall .
^ But Portugal was lost for ever, and the final judgment on the time may be passed in the words of Olivares, who complained that he could find no men in Spain.
^ The greatest sensation was caused by the arrest, on the 31st of August, of Seor Ferrer, a theoretical anarchist well known in many countries for his anti-clerical educational work and in Spain especially as the founder of the lay schools.
Some of these
brands include:
- Kowalski, head office: Ctra.^ The latest general history of Spain is Don Rafael Altamira y Creveas Historia de EspaCa y de la civilizacin espatiola, ~ vols(Barcelona 1902-1906).
^ Barcelona, Tarragona and Lrida (the old principality of Catalonia), and of Castellon de la Plana, Valencia and Alicante (the old kingdom of Valencia), and, in the Mediterranean, that of the Balearic Islands (the old kingdom of li.Iajorca).
^ Castilla y de Leon: Fernando 1.Alonso VII. Both ancient and later times are dealt with in the Historia general de Espaa, escrita por individuos de la real academia de la historia (Madrid, 1892 sqq.
del Leon, km, 2; 03293
Elche, ☎ +34 966 630
612, [15]. Designer shoes and sneakers (trademark Herman
Monster and others) for women, men and unisex. edit
Department stores
- El Corte Ingles, [16]. Major national chain that can be found in
nearly every city. In most cities, enjoys central location but
resides in functional, uninspiring buildings. Has department for
everything--but is not good enough for most purposes, except maybe
for buying gourmet food and local food specialties. Still very
popular with uneducated travelling shoppers. Tax refund for
purchases at El Corte Ingels, unlike most other stores in Spain,
can be returned only to a debit/credit card, even if you originally
payed in cash. edit
Others
- Casas. A chain of
footwear stores that selects most popular (?) models from a dozen+
of mid-range brands. edit
- Camper, [17]. Camper shoes can be seen in most cities in the
country. While it may seem that they are sold everywhere, finding
right model and size may be a trouble--so if you find what you
need, don't postpone your purchase. Campers are sold both in
standalone branded shops, and as a part of a mix with other brands
in local shoe stores. Standalones generally provide wider choice of
models and sizes; local stores can help if you need to hunt for a
specific model and size. edit
Souvenirs
Apart from classical tourist souvenirs, here are some things
that are hard to find elsewhere, or even unique.
- Kukuxumusu t-shirts, [19]. Creative series of good-quality T-shirts which
are both funny and on the topic of Spain as seen by tourists.
Produces some custom series for regional specifics like San Fermin
event. edit
- Paola Reina dolls, C/Jaime I, s/n 03430 Onil
(Alicante), ☎ +34(96)556-4520 (fax: +34(96)556-4688), [20]. edit
Eat
The Spanish are very passionate about their food and wine and
Spanish cuisine.
.^ FloraThe vegetation of Spain ezhibits a variety in keeping with the differences of climate just described.
The
Spanish cuisine does not use many spices; it relies only on the use
of high quality ingredients to give a good taste.
.^ Old Spanish with the meaning of the present; alongside of eres one finds (but only in old documents or in dialects) sos, formed like sois (2nd pen.
^ But Portugal was lost for ever, and the final judgment on the time may be passed in the words of Olivares, who complained that he could find no men in Spain.
^ Within the Castilian domain, thus embracing all in Spain that is neither Portuguese nor Catalan, there exist linguistic varieties which it would perhaps be an exaggeration.
Breakfast, Lunch and Dinner
times
Spaniards have a different eating timetable than many people are
used to.
The key thing to remember for a traveler is:
- breakfast (el desayuno) for most Spaniards is
light and consists of just coffee and perhaps a galleta
(like a graham cracker) or magdalena (sweet muffin-like
bread). Later, some will go to a cafe for a pincho de
tortilla midmorning, but not too close to lunchtime.
- "el aperitivo" is a light snack eaten around 12:00. However,
this could include a couple of glasses of beer and a large filled
baguette.
- lunch (la comida) starts at 13:30-14:30
(though often not until 15:00) and is typically followed by a short
siesta. .^ The division between these two sections is indicated by the change in the course of the main stream from a due westerly to a more south-westerly direction.
La comida and siesta
are usually over by 16:00 at the latest. However, in big cities
there is no opportunity for a siesta.
- dinner (la cena) starts at 20:30 or 21, with
most clientèle coming after 21. It is a lighter meal than lunch. In
Madrid restaurants rarely open before 22:00 and most customers do
not appear before 23:00.
- there is also an afternoon snack that some take between la
comida and la cena called la
merienda. It is similar to a tea time and is taken around
18 or so.
- between the lunch and dinner times, most restaurants and cafes
are closed, and it takes extra effort to find a place to eat if you
missed lunch time.
Normally, restaurants in big cities don't close until midnight
during the week and 2-3AM during the weekend.
Breakfast
Breakfast is eaten by most Spaniards. Traditional Spanish
breakfast includes coffee or orange juice, and pastries or a small
sandwich.
.^ In a country divided by sectional jealousies it was impossible to expect a committee of thirty-four members to impose unity of action even in a common cause; and the Spanish rising, the first fierceness of which had carried all before it, lacked the organizing force which alone would have given it permanent success.
Tapas
.^ The sovereign is grand-master of the eight Spanish orders of knighthood , the principal of which is that of the Golden Fleece (Toison de Oro), founded in 1431 by Philip of Burgundy .
Some bars will offer a wide variety of different tapas;
others specialize on a specific kind (like seafood-based). A
Spanish custom is to have one tapa and one small drink at a bar,
then go to the next bar and do the same.
.^ Every one of the kingdoms grouped round the two sovereigns who shared modern Spain was itself a loose conglomeration of classes.
Fast food
.^ The Inquisition was at first established (in 1480) in the dominions of Castile only, but it was extended in 1486 to Catalonia and in 1487 to Aragon, in spite of strong protests.
The menu can be a surprise since it has been
customized to appeal to the locals and beer, salads, yogurt
primarily Danone, and wine are prominent. Pizza is increasingly
popular and you will find some outlets in bigger towns but it can
be their own homegrown franchise such as TelePizza.
Restaurants
Seafood: on a seacoast, fresh seafood is widely
available and quite affordable. In the inner regions, frozen (and
poor quality) seafood can be frequently encountered outside few
highly reputed (and expensive) restaurants.
.^ Marine Miocene deposits occupy some small tracts, especially on the coast of Valencia, But most of the sandy Tertiary rocks of that district are Pliocene .
Quality seafood in Spain comes from Spain's northwestern region
of Galicia. So restaurants with the words Gallego
(Galician) will generally specialize in seafood. If you are feeling
adventurous, you might want to try the Galician regional specialty
Pulpo a la Gallega, which is boiled octopus served with
paprika, rock salt and olive oil. Another adventurous option is
Sepia which is cuttlefish, a relative of squid, or the
various forms of Calamares (squid) that you can find in
most seafood restaurants. If that isn't your style you can always
order Gambas Ajillo (garlic shrimp), Pescado
Frito (fried fish), Buñuelos de Bacalao (breaded and
deep fried cod) or the ever-present Paella dishes.
Meat products are usually of very good quality,
because Spain has maintained quite a high percentage of free range
animals.
Ordering beef steaks is highly recommended, since most comes
from free range cows from the mountains north of the city.
Pork cuts which are also highly coveted are those known as
Presa Iberica and Secreto Iberico, an absolute
must if found in the menu of any restaurant.
Soups: choice of soups beyond gazpacho is very
limited in Spanish restaurants.
Water is frequently served without a specific
request, and is normally charged for--unless it's included in your
menu del dia. If you would like free tap water instead of
bottled water, request "agua del grifo" (water from the tap).
However, not all restaurants will offer this and you may be forced
to order bottled water.
Appetizers such as bread, cheese, and other
items may be brought to your table even if you didn't order them.
You will be charged for them. If you do not want these appetizers,
politely inform the waiter that you do not want them.
.^ Of these but a few occur only there, or at least have not yet been observed elsewhere than in that great province of southern Spain.
.^ Their disappearance greatly promoted the work of national unification, and was a gain, since they had long ceased to serve any really useful purpose.
This is less true in major resorts and cities where
tipping is common. Look around at other diners to assess if tipping
is appropriate.
Tipping and VAT
No service charges are included in the bill. A
little extra tip is common and you are free to increase that if you
are very pleased. Obviously you don’t have to tip a lousy waiter.
You would typically leave the small change after paying with a
note.
VAT is-not-included is a common trick for mid-range and splurge
restaurants: always check in menu whether VAT (7%, IVA in Spanish)
is included in menu prices.
Menú del día
Many restaurants offer a complete lunch meal for a fixed price –
"menú del día" – and this often works out as a bargain. Water or
wine is commonly included in the price.
Touristy places
.^ As the Christians worked down to the south they found an existing Mahommedan population.
^ In a country noted for its fanatical loyalty to the Crown and the Church, the kingship was to be deprived of all power and influence, and the clergy to be excluded as such from Spanish all share in legislation.
^ Hereupon General Pavia, the governor of Madrid, turned the Cortes into the streets, to the relief of all sane men in the country.
Meaning that drinks are
generally more expensive (about double) and quality is at its
lowest. It is difficult to find proper Spanish food in the tourist
centers.
However you will get Schnitzel, original English breakfast,
Pizza, Donner, and frozen fish. However, if you are prepared to
look a little harder, then even in the busiest tourist towns, you
can find some exceptional traditional Spanish restaurants. If you
are on the coast then think fish and seafood and you won't be
disappointed.
Non-Spanish cuisine
In most cities you can also find international cuisine such as
Italian, Chinese, French, Thai, Japanese, Middle Eastern,
Vietnamese, Argentinian, etc. The bigger the city, the more variety
you can find.
For the past decade there has been a surge in the number of
Irish pubs and Japanese restaurants to be found in most cities.
- Cheese: Spain offers a wide variety of
regional cheeses.
-
- Queso Manchego is the most famous one.
- Cabrales,Tetilla,Mahon are also
popular.
- Chorizo: Spain's most popular sausage is
spiced cured, made from pork, ham, salt, garlic and pepper and is
produced in multitude of varieties, in different sizes, shapes,
short and long, spicy, in all different shades of red, soft, air
dried and hard or smoked. Frequently contains emulgators and
conservatives, so check ingredients if you feel sensitive.
- Jamón (air dried ham): Jamón Serrano
(Serrano ham): Is obtained from the salt meat of the back legs of
the pig and air dried. This same product is given the name of
trowel or paletilla when it is obtained from the
front legs. Also it receives the names of jamón Iberico
(Iberian) and jamón of bellota (acorn). .^ Commerce.Possessing varied resources and being favorably situated for commerce, Spain might be expected to take a leading place among the trading communities of Europe.
^ She became regent when Spain had felt the consequences of the expulsion of the Jesuits and other religious orders from France after the famous Jules Ferry laws, which aimed at placing these orders more under state control, to which they declined to submit.
^ Spain has nine universities: Madrid, the most numerotisly attended; Salamanca, the most ancient; Granada, Seville, Barcelona, Valencia, Santiago, Saragossa and Valladolid.
Jamón Iberico is made from
free range pigs.
- Judging by Boqueria in Barcelona, Jamon Iberico starts
at €80/kg, and Jamon Serrano is about €25/kg.
- Visiting Spain without trying Jamon Iberico would be
considered a crime by most Spaniards. Spaniards treat their ham
very seriously and types and qualities of ham vary in a similar way
to wine. Quality ham is generally expensive but has little to do
with the many cheaper versions available. .^ The pork and hams of Estremadura are famous; goats milk and cheese are important articles of diet.
The least expensive ham comes from pigs fed on normal grains
whereas medium grade pigs are raised on a combination of acorns and
grains. The top tier pigs are fed exclusively on acorns and their
hams are not considered to be the best grade without an "acorn fed"
stamp. These top grade hams have a rich flavor and an oily texture
but to non-connoisseurs, glossiness and the presence of white lines
of fat crisscrossing a slice of ham is generally a good indicator
of its quality.
- Morcilla: Black sausages made from pig blood,
generally made with rice or onion. Sometimes flavoured with anise,
it comes as a fresh, smoked or air dried variety.
Spanish dishes
Typical dishes are:
- Calamares en su tinta: Squid in its ink.
- Chipirones a la plancha: Grilled little squids.
- Caracoles: Snails in a hot sauce.
- Pescaíto frito: Delicious fried fish that can be found
mainly in southern Spain
- Fabada asturiana: Bean stew from Asturias.
- Gambas al ajillo: Prawns with garlic and chili.^ Of these but a few occur only there, or at least have not yet been observed elsewhere than in that great province of southern Spain.
^ The only animals belonging to Spain still noted for their excellence are mules and asses, which are recognized as among the best to be found anywhere.
Fantastic hot stuff.
- Gazpacho Andaluz: Cold vegetable soup. Best during the
hot weather. It's like drinking a salad.
- Merluza a la Vizcaina: The Spanish are not very fond
of sauces. One of the few exceptions is merluza a la Vasca. The
dish contains hake (fish of the cod family) prepared with white
asparagus and green peas.
- Aceitunas, Olivas: Olives, often served for
nibbling.
- Lentejas: A dish made from lentils with chorizo
sausage and/or Serrano ham.
- Potajes or pucheros: Garbanzo beans stew at its
best
- Paella: This is a rice dish originally from Valencia.
Rice is grown locally in what look like wheat fields, and this is
the variety used in paella. The original paella used chicken and
rabbit, and saffron (el azafran). .^ Within the Castilian domain, thus embracing all in Spain that is neither Portuguese nor Catalan, there exist linguistic varieties which it would perhaps be an exaggeration.
Locals suggest to find true paella in large parties like a
wedding in a village, but few restaurants still can compete with
it.
- Pimientos rellenos: Peppers stuffed with minced meat
or seafood. .
- Potaje de espinacas y garbanzos: Chick pea stew with
spinach.^ All this also did not bear its full frOit till later times, but by the 17th century it had made Spain one of the two most beggarly nations in Europe the other being Portugal.
^ Altogether no other country in Europe of equal extent has so great a wealth of species as Spain.
^ The chick-pea forms part of the daily food of all classes of the inhabitants; and among vegetables.
Typical of Seville.
- Tortilla de patatas: Spanish egg omelet with fried
potato. Probably the most popular dish in Spain. You can easily
assess how good a restaurant is by having a small piece of its
potato tortillas. Frequently it is made also with onion, depending
on the zone or the pleasure. .
- Patatas Bravas: Fried potatoes which have been
previously boiled, served with a patented spicy sauce.^ But for an interval of more than twenty-five years they stood apart.
^ One of them, by name Ardabast, was deprived of his holding at a later date on the ground that he held more land than could be safely left in the hands of a Christian.
^ They treated the occupation of Spain as a financial speculation more than as a war for the faith.
.^ Each of the two island groups forms one of the forty-nine provinces of the kingdom, although only the first named belongs geographically to Spain.
^ From 2412 to 1479 the separation lasted with a growing approximation of the two states whose interests touched one afiother so closely.
The name of this plate comes from its sharp flavor,
indicating that it has fire or temperament, recalling the first
operation of I goad in which a goad nails to him so that he is
brave in the bullfight.
- Churros: A fried horn-shaped snack, sometimes referred
as a Spanish doughnut. Typical for a Spanish breakfast or for tea
time. Served with hot chocolate drink.
- Tortilla de Patata— Also known as the Spanish
omelette, this typical food is more like a potato frittata
than an omelette. .
- Bocadillo de Calamares— Fried battered calamari served
in a ciabatta sandwich with lemon juice.
- Sepia con alioli— Fried cuttlefish with garlic
mayonnaise.^ Of these chains, to which Spanish geographers give the name Carpetano-Vetonica, the most easterly is the Sierra de Guadarrama, the general trend of which is from south-west to northeast.
Very popular among tourists.
- Paella Valenciana— The world renowned rice-dish from
Eastern Spain.
- Gazpacho Andaluz— Cold soup from southern Spain. .
- Empanadas Gallegas— Meat or tuna pies are also very
popular in Madrid.^ II is now nothing more than a graphic sign, except in Andalusia, where the aspirate sound represented by it comes very near j.
.
- Revuelto de ajetes con setas— Scrambled eggs with
fresh garlic sprouts and wild mushrooms.^ (Madrid, i891); B. Merino, Contribucin a Ia flora de Galicia (Tuy, 1897); A. Chapman and W. J. Buck , Wild Spain (London, 1893); id.
Also commonly contains
shrimps.
- Setas al ajillo/Gambas al ajillo— Shrimps or wild
mushrooms fried in garlic.
- Boquerones en vinagre— Anchovies marinated in vinegar
with garlic and parsley.
- Ensaladilla Rusa (Russian Salad)— This potato salad
dish of Russian origin, widely consumed in parts of Eastern Europe
and the Middle East, is strangely enough, extremely popular in
Spain.
Drink
Tea and Coffee
.^ It would be unjustifiable to assume from the inadequate data available that the Spanish people retains the vitality which characterized it from 1797 to 5857.
The usual choices are solo, the milk-less
espresso version; cortado, solo with a dash of
milk; con leche, solo with milk added; and
manchado, coffee with lots of milk (sort of like
the French cafe au lait). Asking for caffee latte
will likely result in less milk then you are used to--it's always
OK to ask for adding extra milk.
Starbucks [21] is the only national chain
operating in Spain. Locals argue that it can't compete with small
local cafes in quality of coffee and only visited by tourists.
.^ Spain has nine universities: Madrid, the most numerotisly attended; Salamanca, the most ancient; Granada, Seville, Barcelona, Valencia, Santiago, Saragossa and Valladolid.
If you eat for €20 per dinner, you will never be served a good
tea; expect Pompadour or Lipton.
.^ Some were described as from sea to sea, and seven times a day, that is to say they could take him anywhere in the kings dominions from the Bay of Biscay to the Straits of Gibraltar, and change him as often as they pleased.
Alcohol
The drinking age in Spain is 18. People under this age are
forbidden to drink and buy alcoholic drinks, although enforcement
in tourist and clubbing areas is lax. Drinking in the streets has
recently been banned (although it is still a common practice in
most nightlife areas).
Bars
Probably one of the best places to meet people in Spain is in
bars. Everyone visits them and they are always busy and sometimes
bursting with people. There is no age restriction imposed to enter
these premises although children and teenagers often will not be
served alcoholic drinks. Age restrictions for the consumption of
alcohol are clearly posted at bars but are enforced only
intermittently. It is not uncommon to see an entire family at a
bar.
.^ The close of the period of the great reconquest, five centuries of struggle, left Spain divided between two states of different Spain after character.
On weekends, the time to go out for
copas (drinks)
usually starts at about 11PM-1AM which is somewhat later than in
North and Central Europe.
.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ Six months before this event definitely settled the question of the succession to the throne, the royal family and its councillors assembled to take very important decisions.
If you want to go dancing you
will find that most of the clubs in Madrid are relatively empty
before midnight (some do not even open until 1AM) and most won't
get crowded until 3AM. People usually go to pubs, then go to the
clubs until 6-8AM.
For a true Spanish experience, after a night of dancing and
drinking it is not unusual to have a breakfast of chocolate con
churros with your friends before going home. (CcC is
a small cup of thick, melted chocolate served with freshly fried
sweet fritters used for dipping in the chocolate, yum)
Bars are mainly to have drink and a small tapa while
socializing and decompressing from work or studies. Usually
Spaniards can control their alcohol consumption better than their
northern European neighbors and drunken people are rarely seen at
bars or on the streets. A drink, if ordered without an accompanying
tapa, is often served with a "minor" or inexpensive tapa as a
courtesy.
Size and prize of tapas changes a lot throughout Spain.
.^ Spain has nine universities: Madrid, the most numerotisly attended; Salamanca, the most ancient; Granada, Seville, Barcelona, Valencia, Santiago, Saragossa and Valladolid.
^ The epidemic spread rapidly over the Peninsula, causing great havoc in important cities like Granada, Saragossa and Valencia.
.^ Deposits of Tertiary age cover rather more than a third of Spain.
^ His death at the age of thirty-eight, during the great plague, and while he was besieging Gibraltar, was a misfortune to Spain.
^ This law re-established universal male suffrage , which had existed during the Revolution, from 1869 to 1877.
Beer
The Spanish beer is not too bad and well worth a try. Most
popular local brands include San Miguel, Cruzcampo, Mahou, Ambar,
Estrella Galicia, Keller and many others, including local brands at
most cities; import beers are also available. A great beer is
'Mezquita' (Cervezas Alhambra), try to find it! In Spain, beer is
often served from a tap in 25 cl ("caña") or 33 cl ("tubo") tube
glasses. Bigger servings are rare, but you can also ask for a
"corto", "zurito" (round the Basque country) or simply "una
cerveza" or "tanque" (south of the country) to get a half size
beer, perfect to drink in one go and get quickly to the next bar
while having tapas.
If you're in
Zaragoza
(or
Aragon, in general), the
Pilsner-type
Ambar (5.2% alc.) and the stronger
Export (double malt, 7.0% alc.) are available.
Ambar 1900: Its production began in 1996. The
system of fermentation to room temperature is used.
Marlen is a beer of traditional manufacture using
malted barley and hops.
Locals in Aragon often add lemon juice to their beer.
Particularly on hot summer days people will drink a refreshing
"clara" which is a light beer mixed with lemon/lemonade.
Cava
.^ Yet the absolute monarchy would probably have lasted for long if a dispute as to the succession had not thrown one of the monarchical parties on the support of the Liberals.
^ This went on almost continuously as long as the rgime of moderate tariffs and commercial treatises lasted, ie.
.^ They called in the French, and the Spanish government was compelled to neglect Portugal.
^ For strategical reasons the Spanish gauge was made different from that of France; and military considerations long postponed the construction of any railway across the Pyrenees.
.^ TITe production is quite insignificant compared with the extent of the coal-bearing beds, which are estimated to cover an area of about 3500 sq.
Cider
Horchata
A milky non-alcoholic drink made of tigernuts and sugar.
Alboraia, a small town close to
Valencia, is regarded as a best place where
horchata is produced.
Sangria
Sangria is drink made of wine and fruits and usually is made
from simple wines. You will find sangria in areas frequented by
tourists. Spanish prepare sangria for fiestas and hot summer, and
not every day as seen in touristic regions like
Mallorca.
Sangria in restaurants aimed for foreigners are best avoided,
but it is a very good drink to try if a Spaniard prepares it for a
fiesta!
Sherry (Fino)
The pale sherry wine around Jerez called "fino" is fortified
with alcohol to 15 percent. If you would like to have one in a bar
you have to order a fino. Manzanilla is bit salty, good as
an appetizer. Amontillado and Oloroso are a different types of
sherry were the oxidative aging process has taken the lead.
Wine
.^ Altogether no other country in Europe of equal extent has so great a wealth of species as Spain.
^ TITe production is quite insignificant compared with the extent of the coal-bearing beds, which are estimated to cover an area of about 3500 sq.
^ No European country produces so great a variety of minerals in large amount, and in the production of copper ore, lead ore and mercury Spain heads the list.
Regions: The most famous wines come from
Rioja region, less known but also important comes from
Ribera del Duero, Priorato, Toro and
Jumilla . The latter are becoming more and more popular
and are slightly less expensive than Rioja wines. White, rose and
red wines are produced, but the red wines are certainly the most
important ones.
Grapes: The main red grapes are Tempranillo,
Garnacha, Monastrell and Mencia. The primary white grape used is
Albarino, and the grapes used in Jerez are: 'Pedro Ximenez
and Palomino. Specific names: Valdepenas
is good value for money. Whites: Belondrade Y
Lurton regarded as greatest white wine in Spain. Vina
Sol is good as a mass product, with fruity taste.
.^ The period of one hundred and two years covered by the reigns of Philip III. (1598-1621), Philip IV .
^ Abdurrahman III. found it independent again when he came to the throne, and had to besiege it for two years before it yielded.
^ One of the first measures adopted by them in Castile, before the union with Aragon, was to stop the nomination of foreigners to Spanish benefices by the pope.
Reservas are aged
for five years and Gran Reservas are aged for 10 years.
.^ The Spanish steppes deserve a special notice, since they are not confined to one of the four botanical provinces, but are found in all of them except the last.
However you will still find
5, 10 and 20 year old wines at affordable prices especially when
compared with similar quality wines from Australia, Chile, France,
and the US.
In a bar: For red wine in a bar, ask "un tinto
por favor", for white wine "un blanco por favor", for rose: "un
rosado por favor".
Wine-based drinks: Young people in Spain have
developed their own way to have wine. When having
botellones (big outdoor parties with drink and lots of
people), most of them will be mixing some red wine with Coke and
drink such mix straight from the Coke bottle.
.^ In these last, however, the prevailing frtut-trees are those of central Europe, and above all the apple , which is very extensively cultivated in Asturias, the Basque Provinces and Navarre.
But don't ask
for it while in an upper class bar, or among adults, since they
will most certainly not approve of the idea! As a general rule, any
wine that comes in a glass bottle is considered "too good" to make
kalimotxo.
|
What's the difference?
There are three different names given to hotel-like
accommodation in large cities in Spain, they are Hotel, Hostal and
Pension. It is important not to confuse a hostel with a hostal; a
hostel offers backpacker-type accommodation with shared rooms,
whereas a hostal is very similar to a guest house and is generally
cheaper than a hotel.
|
There are many different kinds of tourist accommodations,
ranging from hotels, pensions, rented villas, to camping or even
monasteries.
"7% VAT is not included" is a common trick for mid-range
guesthouses and hotels: always check the small print when you
choose your place to stay. VAT is IVA in Spanish.
Small villages
Besides the coasts, Spain is rich in tourists-friendly
inland small villages, like
Alquezar: with narrow medieval streets,
charming silence and isolation, still good selection of affordable
restaurants and accommodation.
Casa Rural, the B&Bs of
Spain
For a more homely sort of accommodation consider the Casa Rural.
A Casa Rural is the rough equivalent to a Bed and Breakfast or a
Gîte. Not all houses are situated in the countryside, as the name
implies. Some are situated in the smaller towns, and they exist in
virtually every province.
Casas Rurales, throughout Spain, vary in quality and price. In
some regions, like
Galicia,
they are strictly controlled and inspected. Other regions are not
so thorough in applying their regulations.
Some websites, such as Toprural
[22]
or Planrural
[23], charge owners for a
listing. There are reviews of the houses, in several languages.
Others, such as Casas rurales
[24], are free to
owners.
Hotels
Many foreign visitors to Spain stay in hotels that have been
organised by the various tour operators that offer package holidays
to the popular Spanish resorts on the costas and islands.
.^ But there are still many parts of the country where tradeand especially miningis retarded by the want of good roads.
^ Impotent, and that there is every ~ reason to believe that he deserved the description in all the senses of the word.
.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ The Moors decimated the native population; when they in turn were expelled, the country lost not only a numerically large section of its inhabitants, but the section best able to develop its natural wealth.
^ No European country produces so great a variety of minerals in large amount, and in the production of copper ore, lead ore and mercury Spain heads the list.
There are many well-run Spanish
hotel groups that are worth considering when deciding on a hotel to
stay in Spain.
.^ Each of the two island groups forms one of the forty-nine provinces of the kingdom, although only the first named belongs geographically to Spain.
^ Old Spanish with the meaning of the present; alongside of eres one finds (but only in old documents or in dialects) sos, formed like sois (2nd pen.
^ The Spanish steppes deserve a special notice, since they are not confined to one of the four botanical provinces, but are found in all of them except the last.
Another well-known Spanish
hotel group Hotels Barceló
[26].
Paradores
A
Parador ("inn")
[27] is a state owned
hotel in
Spain (rating from 3 to
5 stars).
.^ Of these chains, to which Spanish geographers give the name Carpetano-Vetonica, the most easterly is the Sierra de Guadarrama, the general trend of which is from south-west to northeast.
Found mostly in historical
buildings, such as convents, Moorish castles (like
La Alhambra), or
haciendas, Paradores are the exact opposite of the uncontrolled
development found in coastal regions like the
Costa del Sol.
Hospitality has been harmoniously integrated with the restoration
of castles, palaces and convents, rescuing from ruin and
abandonment monuments representative of Spain's historical and
cultural heritage.
.^ Santiago de Compostela , for example.
^ During the next ten years Ferdinand governed with the very able assistance of the archbishop of Toledo, Jimenes de Cisneros (q.n.
^ Before it could be promulgated, the tidings came of a separatist rising in the old haunts of Creole disaffection near Santiago de Cuba.
.^ This good feeling was unfortunately not destined to be of long duration; and in the following year the struggle between the antagonistic forces in Spain once more produced a perilous crisis.
^ A Coleccion de documentos isiiditos para la historia de Espagna, by Pidal and others, was published in 65 vols.
^ The work of political unification was essentially more difficult than the christianization of Spain.
Paradores will serve breakfast (about €10) and often have very
good local cuisine typical for their region (about €25).
Accommodation prices are a good value, when you consider that
the hotels are often found in the heart of scenic areas, varying
from €85 for a double room to €245 for a twin room (like in
Granada).
.^ Santiago de Compostela , for example.
There are some promotions available:
- 60+ can enjoy a discount.
- youngsters under 30 can visit the paradors at a fixed rate of
€35 per person.
- two nights half board have a discount of 20%.
- a dreamweek of 6 nights is cheaper.
- 5 nights at €42 per person.
The promotions do not always apply, especially in August they
are not valid, and may require advance bookings.
Hostels
There are plenty of hostels in Spain, mostly in Madrid. Prices
can vary from €15 to €25 per night.
- Xanascat [28] is the National Network of
Youth Hostels of Catalonia if you are visiting Barcelona, Girona,
Taragona or other locations in the region.
Apartment Rental
.^ Every one of the kingdoms grouped round the two sovereigns who shared modern Spain was itself a loose conglomeration of classes.
^ The Spanish Church was once more placed in strict subjection to the Roman see, from which for a short time it had been freed.
Accommodations range from small apartments to villas.
Camping
Campings
[29] are the
least expensive.
Stay safe
Police
There are four kinds of police:
- 'Policía Municipal' or 'Local' (metropolitan police), In Barcelona: Guardia Urbana.
Uniforms change from town to town, but they use to wear black or
blue clothes with pale blue shirt and a blue cap (or white helmet)
with a checkered white-and-blue strip. .^ In the majority of cases the conversion had occurred so long ago that the memory of the time when they were Mahommedans was lost, and multitudes of the children of Mudjares remained.
^ The Moors decimated the native population; when they in turn were expelled, the country lost not only a numerically large section of its inhabitants, but the section best able to develop its natural wealth.
Although you
can't officially report theft to them, they will escort
you to 'Policia Nacional' headquarters if required, and they will
escort the suspects to be arrested also, if needed.
- 'Policía Nacional' wear dark blue clothes and blue cap
(sometimes replaced by a baseball-like cap), unlike Policía
Municipal, they do not have a checkered flag around their
cap/helmet. .
- 'Guardia Civil' keeps the order outside cities, in the country,
and regulates traffic in the roads between cities.^ The pretender, in4eed, disclaimed any intention of stirring up civil war in Spain; his mission would be to restore order when the country fhould have wearied of the republican rgime whose speedy advent he foresaw.
^ If anything could have recalled the distracted country to harmony and order, it would have been the object- lesson presented by the loss of all its colonies on the continent Th ~, 11 of America.
^ The nuncio , indeed, announced that the papacy would be prepared to discuss the question of authorization, but only on condition that all demands for such authorization should be granted.
You would
probably see them guarding official buildings, or patrolling the
roads. They wear plain green military-like clothes; some of them
wear a strange black helmet ('tricornio') resembling a toreador
cap, but most of them use green caps or white motorcycle
helmets.
- Given that Spain has a high grade of political autonomy
released to its regional governments, some of them also have
regional law forces, such as Policía Foral in Navarra, the
Ertzaintza in the Basque Country or the Mossos d'Esquadra in
Catalonia.
All kinds of police also wear high-visibility clothing
("reflective" jackets) while directing traffic, or in the road.
Theft
Spain is a safe country, but you should take some basic
precautions encouraged in the entire world:
.^ One of the most notable differences between normal Portugiiese and Gahician is the substitution of the surd spirant in place of the sonant spirant for the Lat.
^ They are only the most conspicuotis example of a process which was common to all the Peninsula.
^ He resigned the control of his government to the duke of Lerma (q.v), one of the most worthless of all royal favorites.
A voice message reminding that is played in
most of the bus/train stations and airports.
Do not carry large amounts of money with you, unless needed.
.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
Of course, use it
with caution.
Beware of pickpockets when visiting areas with large
numbers of people, like crowded buses or the Puerta del Sol(in
Madrid). .
In Madrid and also in Barcelona, criminals target particularly
people from the Far East (especially Japan), thinking they carry
money and are easy prey.
Don't hesitate to report crimes to local police.
In general, you must bear in mind that those areas with a
larger number of foreign visitors, like some crowded vacation
resorts in the East Coast, are much more likely to attract thieves
than places which are not so popular among tourists.
Avoid gypsy women offering rosemary, refuse it always; they
will read your future, ask for some money, and your pocket will
probably be picked.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ Primitive Inhabitants.The origin and character of the early inhabitants of the Peninsula are unknown; recent conjectures on the subject, which have been many, are more bold than probable, and we must await the result of further excavations of prehistoric sites and further inquiries into the native inscriptions before we can hope for much certainty.
^ Spain, and an even larger proportion of the tramways and narrow-gauge railways, especially in mining districts, have been constructed and worked with foreign capital.
Some gypsy women also will approach you on the
street repeating "Buena suerte" ("good luck") as a distraction for
another gypsy woman to try to pickpocket you. Avoid them at all
costs.
A great tourist attraction is the Flea Market (el Rastro) in
Madrid on the weekends. However, as it is nearly standing room only
- it is also an attraction for pickpockets. They operate in
groups... be extremely cautious in these tight market type
environments as it is very common to be targeted... especially if
you stand out as a tourist or someone with money. .
Women that carry purses should always put the straps across
their bodies.^ There is much in the internal history of that kingdom which stands apart from the general development of western Europe, from which it was shut out.
^ Marshal Campos was not allowed to carry out his liberal and conciliatory policy, which the reactionary party in the colony, ci partido espanol, resented as much as their allies in the Peninsula.
Always hold on to the purse itself and keep it in
front of your body. Keep one hand on the bottom, as pickpockets can
otherwise slit the bottom without you ever knowing.
Never place anything on the back of a chair or on the floor
next to you, keep it on your person always.
If you must us an ATM, do not flash the money you have just
picked up.
Scams
Some people could try to take advantage of your ignorance of
local customs.
- In Spanish cities, all taxis should have a visible fare table.
.^ But witkout going into details on a subject which requires particular treatment, it may be noted that the ~ c Cortes was no more coherent, or fixed in constitution or e 0 es.
Many taxi drivers will also demand a
tip from foreign customers, although it is not custom in Spain to
leave taxi drivers a tip. .
- In many places of Madrid, especially near Atocha station, and
also in the Ramblas of Barcelona, there are people ('trileros') who
play the "shell game". They will "fish" you if you play, and they
will most likely pick your pocket if you stop to see other people
play.^ The same rule applies to their schools, which are, however, numerously attended, in Madrid, Seville, Barcelona and other towns, by children of Protestant families and of many Roman Catholics also.
^ At Barcelona the university had to be closed to stop the revolutionary agitation of the students; in April there were serious riots at Salamanca, Barcelona and Madrid.
^ On the part of the Arabs, who, though a small minority of the invaders, were the ruling element, there was a marked absence of proselytizing zeal.
Most of these scammers are foreign immigrants from Eastern
Europe.
- Before paying the bill in bars and restaurants, always check
the bill and carefully scrutinize it. Poorly paid wait staff will
often attempt to squeeze a few (or many) extra euros out of
unsuspecting tourists by charging for things they didn´t eat (bread
for example - if you didn´t eat it, you can´t be charged for it) or
drink, or simply overcharging. This is true in both touristy and
non-touristy areas. If you feel you´ve been overcharged, bring it
their attention and/or ask to see a menu. It is also sometimes
written (in English only) at the bottom of a bill that a tip is not
included - remember that tipping is optional in Spain and Spanish
people commonly leave loose change only (and almost never an
American-style 15-20%), so don´t be fooled into leaving more than
you have to.
- Spanish cities can be LOUD at night, especially on
weekends.
- All stores, hotels and restaurants should have an official
complaint form, in case you need it.
- The emergency telephone number (police, firefighters,
ambulances) is 112. You may call it from any phone at no cost, in
case you need to.
Drugs
.^ Commerce.Possessing varied resources and being favorably situated for commerce, Spain might be expected to take a leading place among the trading communities of Europe.
.^ Under his direction many useful public works were carried outroads, bridges and large schemes of drainage.
- Pharmaceuticals are not sold at supermarkets, they're sold at
'farmacias' (pharmacies), identified with a green cross or a
Hygeia's cup. .
- People from European Union and a few more European countries
can freely use the public health system, if they have the
appropriate intereuropean sanitary card.^ But there was more show than reality in this parade of government by free discussion and by law.
^ The greater chartered towns had their surrounding comarcas, answering to the county of an Italian city, over which they exercised jurisdiction.
^ And in this country, where all was local law usage and privilege, where uniformity was unknown, all charters were not held by towns.
That card does not work in
private hospitals. .
- However, do not hesitate to go to any healthcare
facility should you be injured or seriously ill, as it would be
illegal for them not to treat you, even if you are
uninsured.
- Though most foreigners tend to think Spain is a warm place, it
can be terribly cold in winter, especially in the Central Region
and in the North, and in some places it is also rainy in summer.^ In this zone the extremes of temperature are less, though the summers here also are warm, and the winters decidedly cool, especially in the north-east.
^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ Spain, and an even larger proportion of the tramways and narrow-gauge railways, especially in mining districts, have been constructed and worked with foreign capital.
Remember to travel with adequate clothes.
- In summer, avoid direct exposure to sunlight for long periods
of time to prevent sunburn and heatstroke. .
- Most cities have a good water supply, especially Madrid, but you may prefer
bottled water to the alkaline taste of water in the east and
south.
- Spaniards in general are very patriotic about both their
country and the region in which they live.^ Owing to the abundance of water-power to be obtained in the mountainous regions, these new undertakings proved very successful.
^ Under Fernando, they advanced to of the the banks of the Tagus in the south, and into Valencia Christian on the south-east.
^ But there are still many parts of the country where tradeand especially miningis retarded by the want of good roads.
Avoid arguments about
whether people from Catalonia or the Basque Country are Spaniards
or not. .
- Spaniards are generally very interested in maintaining their
linguistic and cultural connections with Latin America.^ Speaking generally, Portuguese is further removed than Castilian from Latin; its development has gone further, and its actual forms are more worn out than those of the sister language, and hence it has, not without reason, been compared to French, with which it has some very notable analogies.
.^ They are only the most conspicuotis example of a process which was common to all the Peninsula.
.
- Bullfighting is seen by most Spaniards as a show directed at
southerners, countryside people and foreign tourists and a huge
sector of Spaniards (especially among the youth) are completely
against it.^ On the other hand, numerous placenames show that parts of the Peninsula were once held by Celtic-speaking peoples, and it is, of course, possible that Celts and Iberians may have formed a mixed race in certain regions.
^ On the one hand were the Spaniards who desired to assimilate their country to western Europe, and on the other those of them who adhered to the old order.
^ Canary Island power which the Spanish people has always Total exhibited after warthe most notable instance of which is the above-mentioned net increase of nearly 50% .
.
- Avoid talking about their former colonial past and especially
about the "Black Legend". Many Spaniards do also take pride in
their history and former Imperial glories.^ As far north as Astorga there is still a population known as the Maragatos, and familiar to all Spain as carters and muleteers.
^ In the production of pod-fruits and kitchen vegetables Spain is ahead of many other countries.
.
- It is customary to kiss friends, family, and acquaintances on
both cheeks upon seeing each other and saying goodbye.^ It became a familiar saying that the spurious race of Bourbon had disappeared for ever, and the country was called upon to make a new and a better government.
^ The northern and north-western maritime provinces, on the other hand, have a climate as equable, and as moist, as that of the west of England or Scotland .
^ Spain has given to France the right of pre-emption over any of her West African colonies.
Male-to-male
kisses of this sort are limited to family members or to very close
friends, otherwise a firm handshake is expected instead. So same as
in France or Italy.
- Spaniards are keen to maintain physical contact while talking,
such as putting a hand on your shoulder, patting your back, etc.
These should be taken as signs of friendship done among relatives,
close friends and colleagues.
- During lunch or dinner, Spaniards do not begin eating until
everyone is seated and ready to eat. Likewise, they do not leave
the table until everyone is finished eating. Table manners are
otherwise standard and informal, although this also depends on the
place you are eating. When the bill comes, it is common to pay
equally, regardless of the amount or price each has consumed.
- When Spaniards receive a gift or are offered a drink or a meal,
they usually refuse for a bit, so as not to seem greedy. This
sometimes sparks arguments among especially reluctant people, but
it is seen as polite. .^ Deposits of Tertiary age cover rather more than a third of Spain.
^ But for an interval of more than twenty-five years they stood apart.
^ They treated the occupation of Spain as a financial speculation more than as a war for the faith.
On the other hand, if you are interested in the offer, politely
smile and decline it, saying that you don't want to be a nuisance,
etc. but relent and accept when they insist.
- When in a car, the elderly and pregnant always ride in the
passenger's seat, unless they request not to.
- Spaniards do rarely drink or eat in the street. Bars will
rarely offer the option of food to take away although "tapas" are
easily available. .
- Appearing drunk in public is generally frowned upon.
- In Spanish beaches it is okay for women to sunbathe topless.^ Substantially, they remained till the end of the empire, though Tarraconensis was broken up at different dates into smaller and more manageable areas.
^ Napoleon had sought to impose upon Spain an alien dynasty; Angoulme came to restore the Spanish king to his own.
^ The electors proved, as usual, so docile, and they were so well handled by the authorities, that Canovas obtained a parliament with great majorities in both houses which voted a limited franchise to take the place of universal suffrage.
This practice is particularly common in tourist areas. .
- While Spaniards may not always be the most punctual people in
the world, you should never arrive late to appointments: this will
seem very bad to most people.
- If you are staying at a Spaniard's home, bring shoes to wear
inside such as slippers.^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
^ Canary Island power which the Spanish people has always Total exhibited after warthe most notable instance of which is the above-mentioned net increase of nearly 50% .
.
- Spaniards are not as religious as the media sometimes presents
them, but they are, and always have been, a mostly Catholic country
(73% officially, although just 10% admit practising): respect this
and avoid making any comments that could offend.^ The Spaniard became the swordsman and executioner of the counter-Reformation, because the power of the House of Austria depended on the imposition of religious unity in Europe.
^ Her purse was always open to assist convents, monasteries, and religious works and societies of all kinds, as long as they were under the management of the Church.
^ The Catholics regained pcwer by his overthrow, but they could not give stability to the state.
In particular,
religious festivals, Holy Week (Easter), and Christmas are very
important to Spaniards. .
- Avoid mentioning the past, such as the former fascist
dictatorship of Francisco Franco, who ruled Spain from 1939 to 1975
and, specially, the Civil War of 1936-39. Many symbols, pictures,
statues and monuments affiliated with the Franco regime have been
outlawed and possible fines and jail time could result if you
violate these laws.^ A comprehensive account of such matters as population, industry, commerce, finance, mining, shipping, public works, post and telegraphs, railways, education, constitution, law and justice, public health , &c.,may be found in the following works; all those of which the place and date of issue are not specified are published annually in Madrid: Censo de Ia poblacin de Espana: 1900 (Madrid, 1902, &c.
^ The pretender, in4eed, disclaimed any intention of stirring up civil war in Spain; his mission would be to restore order when the country fhould have wearied of the republican rgime whose speedy advent he foresaw.
^ The Liberals left office after having done all that was morally and materially possible, considering the extremely difficult, indeed inextricable, situation in which they found the country in October 1897.
.^ Spain against his political enemies in Rome, the Spaniards who supported him were already half Romanized.
^ It was no wonder that the death of a king who had shown so much capacity for rule, so much unselfish energy and courage, Regency ~ and so many amiable personal qualities, should Queen have made Spaniards and foreigners extremely Christina.
^ In 1125 he carried out a great raid through Mahommedan Spain, camping in its midst for months, and returning with many thousands of the Christian rayahs, who, under the name of Mozrabes, had hitherto continued to live under Moslem rule.
.^ But the most extensive and interesting Tertiary accumulations are those of the great lakes which in Oligocene and Miocene time spread over so large an expanse of the table-land.
^ Among the minor, areas occupied by them may be especially mentioned those which occur in the Trinssic districts, Of rocks included in the eruptive series the most abundant is granite.
^ To avoid a crisis at the time when the young king was about to come of age, the government yielded; and on the 10th of May Sagasta announced that a modus vivendi with the Vatican had been established.
.^ The power of Napoleon had been wrecked on the resistance of the Spanish people; Angoul~me had the active support of some Spaniards and the tacit co-operation of the majority.
.
- Despite being a Catholic majority country,
homosexuality is quite tolerated in Spain and
public display of same-sex affection would not likely stir
hostility.^ The pretender, in4eed, disclaimed any intention of stirring up civil war in Spain; his mission would be to restore order when the country fhould have wearied of the republican rgime whose speedy advent he foresaw.
^ All this also did not bear its full frOit till later times, but by the 17th century it had made Spain one of the two most beggarly nations in Europe the other being Portugal.
^ The immense majority of the people are professed adherents of the Roman Catholic faith, so that, so far as numbers go, Spain is still the most Catholic country in the world, as it has long been styled.
In fact, same-sex marriages are legal and recognized by
the government and provide legal benefits to same-sex couples.
.^ The same rule applies to their schools, which are, however, numerously attended, in Madrid, Seville, Barcelona and other towns, by children of Protestant families and of many Roman Catholics also.
^ At Barcelona the university had to be closed to stop the revolutionary agitation of the students; in April there were serious riots at Salamanca, Barcelona and Madrid.
^ In Andalusia the downfall of the Almorvides had War with opened the way to the Almohdes, or followers of theAlmothe Mabdi, an even more bigoted religious sect than hades, the other.
.^ As for the dynastic opposition, it was reduced to a rump of 66 members, a result so unsatisfactory from the point of view of the monarchy that the government offered to quash certain Conservative returns in order to provide it with more seats.
Regardless, violence against gays
is rarely heard of and should be safe for most gay and lesbian
travelers.
Cope
.^ All business was conducted by correspondence, and with a final reference to the king, and the result was naturally endless delay.
Spanish cities can be noisy in some areas. Be warned.
Some brands you may be used to in the US are not available in
Spain: Blend-a-Med toothpaste or Dirol (Stimorol chewing gum has
been available for years) Bring in enough for your whole trip if
you can't live without it. But Spanish and other European brands
are of good quality. Brands like Colgate and Orbit are very
extended.
Contact
When using a laptop in an outdoor location, always be aware of
your surroundings and the location of your belongings.
.^ Though at once denounced by Seor Moret as a democratic flag being used to cover reactionary merchandise,f the name of Canalejas was in.
^ Even this excuse was soon dropped, and by January and February 1808 the French Invasion had become clearly revealed as one of conquest.
.^ Under the influence of Maria Christina Ferdinand VII. formally promulgated it Isabella IL, at the close of his life, after some hesitation, and Queen, amid many intrigues.
^ After his return to Madrid the king showed himself in public less than usual, but it was clear to all who came in contact Death of with him that he was dying.
Topping-up is then done by
buying scratch cards from the small stores "Frutos Secos,"
supermarkets, vending points (often found in tobacco shops) or
kiosks -- recharging via the internet or via an ATM does not work
with foreign credit cards.
.^ Vith a protected home market, cheap power and cheap labor available, there is room for much industrial development.
Simply ask for a "tarjeta telefonica".
.^ The Spanish Roman and the Visigoth, so-called, of that epoch of poorness of spirit, accustomed as he was to compound with one master after another, saw nothing dishonourable in making such an arrangement.
By simply dialing an
access number before the number you wish to call you will enjoy
pretty cheap international calls.
.^ They are only the most conspicuotis example of a process which was common to all the Peninsula.
Please note
that these are different companies so their prices could
differ.
Work
A good way to start in Spain is to enter the tourism
labourmarket:
http://www.animajobs.com Job
search engine with vacancies in the touris entertainment sector.
Children entertainers, sportentertainers, dancers, aerobic
instructors, etc...
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