How many public holidays does Spain have?

Today is a public holiday in Madrid. (Or as my British friends say, a 'bank' holiday.)

It's Father's Day and Saint Joseph's Day. (Or as my Spanish neighbors say, Día del Padre / Día de San Jose.)

This is a regional holiday, not a national one.

A family member back in Louisiana commented recently that Spain sure had a lot more holidays than the USA. It seemed that way to me, too, so I thought I'd tally them up and compare. Well, it turns out that this year there are 10 federal holidays in the USA, but only 8 national holidays in Spain.

Still, that doesn't quite tell the whole story.

First of all, here are the US federal holidays for 2015:

Thursday, January 1	New Year’s Day
Monday, January 19	Birthday of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Monday, February 16	George Washington’s Birthday / Presidents' Day
Monday, May 25	Memorial Day
Saturday, July 4	Independence Day (Observed on Friday, July 3 this year)
Monday, September 7	Labor Day (Always on the first Monday in September)
Monday, October 12	Columbus Day
Wednesday, November 11	Veterans Day
Thursday, November 26	Thanksgiving Day (Always on the 4th Thursday of November)
Friday, December 25	Christmas Day

Now here is the list of national holidays in Spain for 2015:

Thursday, January 1	New Year’s Day
Tuesday, January 6	Kings Day / Epiphany
Friday, April 3	Good Friday
Friday, May1	Labor Day
Saturday, August 15	Assumption of Mother Mary
Monday, October 12	Spanish National Day
Tuesday, December 8	The Day of the Immaculate Conception
Friday, December 25	Christmas Day

Notice that because the USA's July 4th holiday falls on a Saturday this year, it will be observed on Friday July 3rd, but that in Spain there is no such compensation for the holiday that falls on Saturday August 15th. This is because Spain actually considers Saturday a work day. Thus, people like me who work Monday through Friday won't get that holiday off this year.

This year we in Spain are also missing a holiday that falls on a Sunday: Constitution Day, December 6th. When a holiday falls on a Sunday, the Spanish sometimes do what the Yanks do, and observe the holiday on the subsequent Monday. Although Spain is not doing that with this year's Constitution Day, some of the country's Regions have come to the rescue and christened the Monday a holiday. 

Therefore, it looks like the USA actually has more public holidays than Spain – especially when you consider that in the USA both Saturday and Sunday holidays are always compensated for.

Wait, though—there is another factor to consider. Each of Spain's 17 Regions have their own holidays. For example, there are four Regional holidays for the Community of Madrid this year:

Thursday March 19 - Saint Joseph's Day
Thursday April 2 - Holy Thursday
Saturday May 2 - Community of Madrid Day
Thursday June 4 - Corpus Christi Day

And the other Regions are just as  generous, with almost all having four other public holidays falling Monday through Friday. (Only the Canary Islands Region has fewer: three.) In fact, this year several of the Regions have elected to give their citizens back the Constitution Day some in Spain are missing by observing it on the Monday. (Scroll down below for a list of all the Regional holidays in Spain.)

Now back in the USSA, many states also observe their own holidays, but most have only one or two of these. Nevertheless, only two of the 50 states seem to have matched the Spanish regional norm of four: Indiana, which observes Good Friday, Primary Election Day, General Election Day and Lincoln's Birthday and North Carolina, with Good Friday, the day after Thanksgiving, Christmas Eve and the day after Christmas.

So, if we consider the fact that added to the 8 (usually 9) national holidays there are four regional holidays almost everywhere in the country, it looks like overall Spain pulls ahead on the total number per year.

Then we can throw city and town holidays into the mix. In Spain most of these have multiple local holidays and even small towns and villages often have one or two. For example, in the City of Madrid there are 3 in 2015:

Friday, May 15 - Saint Isidro Day (Patron Saint of the City)
Wednesday, September 9 - Santa Maria de la Cabeza Day (Saint Isidro's wife)
Monday, November 9 - The Virgin of Almudena Day - (Patroness of the City)

Barcelona has two:

June 1 - Saint John's Night
September 24 - Día de la Merced

Valencia also has two:

January 22 - Saint Vincent The Martyr's Day
April 13 - Saint Vincent Ferrer's Day

And Seville has two, too:

Wednesday April 22- Wednesday of the Spring Fair (Replaces the usual May 30th Saint Fernando holiday, which falls on a Saturday this year)
Thursday June 4 - Corpus Christi Day

Now, I don't know of too many American cities that have two or three local public holidays.

Conclusion: I think we can safely say that, yes, Spain does have more public / bank holidays than the United States.

Or to put it in sports terms: Spain 14, USA 10.

Happy holidays!

Carlos

Here are the 2015 public holidays in Spain's Autonomous Regions.
Andalusia
February 28th: Andalusia Day
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Aragon
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 23rd: Saint George’s Day
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Asturias
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
September 8th: Asturian Regional Day
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Balearic Islands
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 6th: Easter Monday
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Basque Country
March 19th: Saint Joseph
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 6th: Easter Monday
July 25th: Saint James
Canary Islands (Only 3 holidays regional holidays in the Canaries!) 
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
May 30th: Canary Islands Day
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
Cantabria
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 6th: Easter Monday
September 15th: Patron Saint of Cantabria (Virgen de la Bien Aparecida)
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
Castilla-La Mancha
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 6th: Easter Monday
June 4th: Corpus Christi
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Castilla y León
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 23rd: Castile and León Day
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Cataluña
April 6th: Easter Monday
June 24th: Saint John's Day
September 11th: The Diada, Catalonia Regional Day
December 26th: Saint Stephen's Day
Ceuta
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
September 25th: Festival of Abraham’s Sacrifice
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Extremadura
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
September 8th: Extremadura Regional Day
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Galicia
March 20th: Day after Saint Joseph's Day
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
July 25th: Saint James, Galician Regional Day
November 2nd: Monday after All Saints Day
La Rioja
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 6th: Easter Monday
June 9th: La Rioja Regional Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Comunidad de Madrid
March 19th: Saint Joseph's Day
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
May 2nd: Community of Madrid Day
June 4th: Corpus Christi Day
Melilla
March 19th: Saint Joseph's Day
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
September 25th: Festival of Abraham’s Sacrifice
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Murcia
March 19th: Saint Joseph's Day
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
June 9th: Murcia Regional Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day
Navarre
March 19th: Saint Joseph's Day
April 2nd: Holy Thursday
April 6th: Easter Monday
July 25th: Saint James
Valencia
March 19th: Saint Joseph's Day
April 6th: Easter Monday
October 9th: Valencian Regional Day
December 7th: Monday after Constitution Day

Trying to solve the mystery of murdered poet Federico Garcia Lorca's burial site / Madrid soccer team to help widow evicted from home

My latest Newsvine articles:

Mystery of murdered poet Federico Garcia Lorca's burial site may finally be solved by new archaeological effort

Seventy-eight years after he was assassinated by Fascist forces during the Spanish Civil War and buried along with other victims in an unmarked grave, the remains of poet, playwright, and theater director Federico Garcia Lorca may be about to be uncovered. Yesterday…

Madrid soccer club vows to help 85yo widow evicted from home near stadium

Spanish soccer club Rayo Vallecano de Madrid made a commitment Saturday to "step forward" and "lend a hand" to a stadium neighbor who was evicted from her home of five decades. Carmen Martinez Ayuso, 85, was evicted on Friday after her son defaulted on a loan which he had used h …

Exploring Spain’s Mediterranean Coastline

For those who are unfamiliar with Spain, outside of the occasional trip to one of the touristic hotspots like the Costa del Sol, you may actually be surprised and amazed at the cultural delights and magnificent natural landscapes that can be found around this vast and beautiful country. From the lush green forests of Galicia and Asturias to the breathtaking oasis of Ruidera, there are and endless amount of places to explore, with each new location offering you something new.

Spain’s Mediterranean coastline stretches for an amazing 1660km and a trip along it will offer you more adventure and captivating sights than you ever imagined. If you like to travel in style and comfort, and have your trip laid out for you, perhaps one of the best ways to explore the southern coastline is on a Spanish cruise holiday as this will afford you all of the luxury as well as the sights and sounds of Spain. Some of the best attractions along the southern coast are actually the old ports such as the magnificent harbor at the old Roman city of Cartagena, and you will get to get the full experience as you sail into the port and dock up. 

It is also possible to travel along much of the coast by train: from Barcelona (or you could start in Perpignan, located in French Catalunya) to Valencia to Malaga. RENFE is Spain's national train service. If you want to travel to Gibraltar from Malaga, you can buy a commuter train ticket as far south as Fuengirola, then you will have to either take a bus to La Linea, which is the town on the Spanish side of the border, or you can rent a car and drive into Gibraltar. A taxi from Fuengirola to Gibraltar is also a possibility, which would take about 1 hour, 15 minutes. At the time of this writing, the fare would be about 80 euros. 

If you prefer to tackle the vast expanse of coastline by car, you are likely to be in for a whole different experience, including some rather hot and sweaty days spent in the car in summer, unless you have air-conditioning! Taking the road option does give you much more flexibility on your destinations and timing, and it also allows you to fully explore the real hidden gems of southern Spain. Here are some of the finest locations to visit along the coast, starting from Andalucía in the west and ending up in the dramatic coastline of northern Catalunya.

Andalucía and Almeria

Malaga is an ideal start point if you are taking a road trip as it is easy to fly into and there are lots of places to find cheap car hire. If you want to get the ‘traditional’ Spanish holiday experience, you could head to the touristic beaches of the Costa del Sol to soak in some rays and indulge in some sangria. Heading east from here, you can discover the ‘pueblo blancos’ which are the white villages of Axarquia. There are lots of quaint little Spanish villages in the region which are all made up of immaculately painted white buildings. Salobrena is a particularly interesting location as it is home to an Arab castle from the 10^th Century, which sits overlooking the sea. As you head further east from here, you will enter the much forgotten about region of Almeria, which is home to some spectacular sights such as the Cabo de Gata, and the only recognized dessert in Western Europe, Desierto de Tabernas.

Murcia and Levante

Murcia is a relatively small, but very interesting region of the coastline, which is home to the aforementioned historic port of Cartagena as well as some beautiful beaches and even a set of hot springs. The seaside town of Mazaron is a great place to stop off if you are looking for some comfort and time to relax on the beach, and from here you can head on up the coast towards the famous Levante Español which is where some of the most popular seaside resorts (Benidorm, Torreveija, Gandia) in Spain are situated. If these locations do not take your fancy, there are plenty of great alternative destinations to visit, including the 21,000 hectare freshwater lagoon at Albufera de Valencia. This is a wildlife haven that is home to huge numbers of birds and fish, and is a great place to stop off and relax.

Catalunya

To the north of Levante is the Spanish ‘Golden Coast’ which is called Costa Duarada, and although the beaches in this region are extremely busy during the summer months, there are some great places to visit inland a little way including the spectacular national parks of Poblet and Sierra del Montsant, and the largest wetland region in Europe, the Ebro Delta. There are also some lovely little villages and towns in these regions which have not been invaded by mass tourism, but instead go about life upholding many of the old traditions.

Just 90Km further north is one of the most fascinating places in the whole of Europe, Barcelona. If you really want to get the full Barcelona experience, you should put by at least four days to spend in this magnificent city as there is just so much to discover. Although it is a huge and vibrant city, popular with tourists from all over the world, there are still some untouched seaside locations just a stone’s throw from the main city. Tamariu, Llafranc, and Calella are some worth investigating.

By Melissa Hathaway (mostly) and Carloz (a very little)

Barcelona's April Fair To Be More Andalus, Less Latino This Year

"It's the festival of the rebujito, not the caipirinha"

Francisco Garcia Pietro, chairman of the Feria de Abril de Cataluña, has said that the 42nd edition of the popular fiesta, opening today in Barcelona's Parc del Forum, will have more of an Andalusian flavor and less of a Latino presence among its 'casetas,' the colorfully decorated marquee tents temporarily set up on the Forum fairgrounds each year at this time

'It's the festival of the rebujito, not the caipirinha,' García Prieto declared after announcing the return of four Andalusian entities organizations absent in recent years, the expansion of the main caseta, the removal of one political party's stand 'for budgetary reasons' and the debut of another group of politicos serving chamomile tea -- the Democratic Union of Catalonia and the Citizen's parties respectively.

In total about 60 casetas and stands will be open to receive thousands of visitors from today until 5 May. As always, entrance to the casetas is free. Visitors have the opportunity to hear live music, see dance performances, and purchase food and drink. There are also plenty of opportunities for the public to join in the flamenco dancing fun, with locals showing visitors how to do a fandango, a granadíno, a malagueña, or a sevillana. This year scheduled performers include Guadaljarafe, Brisas, Zaira, Aromas, Azaila el Ballet Clasico Español, el Ballet Oficial de la Feria de Abril and more.

At tonight's opening the Federation of Andalusian Cultural Entities in Catalonia (FECAC) will be collecting items to donate to the local Food Bank.  In addition, during the 10 days of the fair Food Bank 'solidarity tickets' will be available for 50 cents a piece. Ticket holders will be entered into a raffle for Andalusian products.

The Feria de Abril is one of the largest annual public events held in Catalonia 

Additional Information:

Website: La Federación de Entidades Culturales Andaluzas de Cataluña FECAC

Photo page: Feria de abril de Cataluña - Galeria de Imágenes

Spain's Intangible Cultural Heritage

UNESCO has been keeping track of the world's tangible, or physical, patrimony through its World Heritage Site list since 1972. Then in 2003 the Convention for the Safeguarding of Intangible Cultural Heritage was signed, which authorized UNESCO to identify non-physical cultural expressions, too. This was to include such things as music, drama, arts, crafts and more. On this 10th anniversary of the convention, the Representative List of the Intangible Cultural Heritage of Humanity has a total of 257 'cultural practices and expressions' on it, 13 of which are in Spain. These join the 44 physical places on the World Heritage Site list as globally recognized masterpieces of humanity.

Below are Spain's treasured thirteen:

Cant de la Sibil · la - Majorca, The Balearic Islands

The Song of the Sibyl is a musical liturgical drama with roots in Gregorian chants that was widespread in Europe in the Middle Ages. The Apocalyptic piece was banned by the 16th century Council of Trent, but continued to be performed in Majorca. It is performed during Christmas midnight masses in Catholic churches throughout the island.

• Mallorca Tourism
• www.lluc.net

Castellars - Catalonia 

These human towers, which range from six to ten 'stories' tall, from the pinya at the bottom to the l'anxeneta at the top, can be seen at events all over the region of Catalonia. Each is a collective effort of solidarity, often 'built' as part of a passionate competition among castellar groups. 

• Sixty groups operate throughout the region all year long, but most frequently from April to November. 
• The Casteller competitions held during the Festa Major de Sant Felix in Vilafranca del Penedès every August 30 and at the festival of Santa Ursula in Valls, observed on the Sunday following October 21, are the events with the deepest roots.
• www.castellersdevilafranca.cat
• www.castellersdebarcelona.cat
• Coordinadora de Colles Castelleres de Catalunya 

Center for Traditional Culture – a Pedagogic Project of The School Museum of Pusol - Elche, Valencia

Stared at the one-teacher rural public school of Pusol in 1968, the project has successfully integrated heritage into formal education by using teachers and external collaborators to guide children to explore, in a play atmosphere, Elche's rich heritage. The children do fieldwork data collection, museography, and they teach one another and visitors not only about heritage, but about studying and exploring heritage. The project has trained almost 500 schoolchildren and has resulted in a school museum with more than 61,000 inventory entries and 770 oral files, preserving everyday life heritage and promoting the cultural mapping of local heritage resources. Between 1968 and the mid 1980s, the project remained within the boundaries of the rural district of Pusol, where the school was based, but as knowledge of the project’s values and achievements spread, the project’s operational scope grew larger, first involving the remaining rural districts of Elche’s countryside (mid 1980s) and later the city of Elche (1990s).

• www.museopusol.com

Cultural Association of the Lime Kilns of Morón - Morón de la Frontera, Andalusia

The traditional practice of lime-making was a source of employment for Morón de la Frontera and a marker of its identity. When production was eclipsed by industrial lime, kilns fell into disuse and transmission of knowledge ceased. The project’s primary goals are to raise awareness of the practice and importance of lime-making and to improve living conditions for craftspeople. To this end, the Cultural Association of the Lime Kilns of Morón was established, and gave birth to an ethnographic centre and a living museum that displays the craft process in situ. Kilns have been restored and the project actively promotes transmission of techniques to new generations. Outreach activities in cooperation with lime craftspeople focus on recovering expertise and techniques for use in sustainable construction.

• museocaldemoron.com

Festival de los Patios - Cordoba, Andalusia

Every year in May fifty-five homes located in the historic center of Cordoba opens their doors to every traveler who wishes to enjoy the floral splendor of their courtyards.

• Competition for best patio, concerts and flamenco performances. From 8 to 19 May 2013.
• www.patiosdecordoba.es
• www.amigosdelospatioscordobeses.es

Falconry - Spain

Spain is the ideal destination to observe or participate in this traditional activity, which involves breeding and training falcons and/or other birds of prey to hunt in their natural environment.

• SpainInfo.com
• AECCA - Spain's Falconry Association
• Cetrero.com

Flamenco (Andalusia, Extremadura and Murcia)

¡Flamenco! Flamenco is an artistic expression fusing song, dance and musicianship. Although Andalusia is the heartland of Flamenco, it also has roots in the regions of Murcia and Extremadura. 

• The Badasom Festival in Badajoz (Extremadura) from 10 to 13 July, with flamenco as well as Portuguese fado.
• Festival Internacional del Cante de las Minas in La Unión (Murcia), the first week of August, .
• And November 16th is the Day of Flamenco in Andalusia.
• www.fundacioncantedelasminas.org

Irrigators' Tribunals of the Spanish Mediterranean

Traditional tribunals dealing with local irrigation matters. The Council of Wise Men of the Plain of Murcia, dates back to the 9th century, while the Water Tribunal of the Plain of Valencia is the oldest institution of justice in Europe. Their oral proceedings are fast, transparent and impartial. Their decision is final. In addition to their legal roles, these courts contribute to the oral transmission of knowledge derived from centuries-old cultural exchanges. They have their own specialist vocabulary peppered with Arabic borrowings. In short, the courts are long-standing repositories of local and regional identity and are of special significance to local inhabitants -- and they are something to see.

• Can be seen on Thursdays at Murcia City Hall and at the Gate of the Apostles entrance to the Cathedral of Valencia, respectively.
• www.tribunaldelasaguas.com
• www.juntadehacendados.es 

La Patum - Berga, Catalonia

During the holy week of Corpus Christi, townspeople dress as mystical and symbolical figures and dance through the streets to the beat of a kettledrum called a tabal. Among the things to be seen are turcs i cavallets (Turks and knights), maces (hell), guites (mules), àligas (eagles) vells nans i nans nous (old dwarfs and new dwarfs), gegants (paper mache  giants) and plens (with burning fuets on). This event has origins in pre-Christian summer solstice celebrations of the, which were adapted by the Catholic Church. Today it is not religious, but rather more a bit of popular street theater. 

• From May 29 to June 2 2013
• www.lapatum.cat

Mare de Deu de la Salut - Algemesi, Valencia

The Festival of Our Lady of Health dates back to the 13th century and involves theatre, dance, music and street processions. Three processions are held, one on 7 September and two on the 8th. They include Muixeranga, which are human towers similar to the Castellers but which include the performance of a dance. There are seven dance events, 63 musical compositions, street depictions of historical and biblical characters, scenes of martyrdoms, living tableaus, etc.

• www.museuvalenciadelafesta.com

Mediterranean Diet - Spain

The main ingredients of the Mediterranean diet include olive oil, cereals, fruits, vegetables, a moderate amount of meat, fish and dairy products, seasoning and spices, accompanied by wine or infusions.  UNESCO mentions Soria, in Castile-León, as a prime example of a city that is committed to the Mediterranean diet, but this glorious food can be enjoyed all over Spain.

• SpainInfo.com - Soria
• TastingSpain.es 

Misteri d'Elx - Elche, Valencia

A two-part liturgical drama dating from the Middle Ages commemorating the Dormition, Assumption and Heavenly Coronation of the Virgin Mary. It is sung in Valencian and Latin and performed in the Basilica de Santa María. Dress rehearsals can be seen on some days before the events, with part one performed on August 14th and part two on the Feast of the Assumption, August 15th.

• www.misteridelx.com
• www.visitelche.com

Whistled Language of La Gomera - La Gomera Island, Canary Islands

The Silbo Gomero replicates the islanders’ vocal language (Castilian Spanish) with whistling. Handed down over centuries from master to pupil, it is the only whistled language in the world that is fully developed and practised by a large community -- more than 22,000 inhabitants. The whistled language replaces each vowel or consonant with a whistling sound: two distinct whistles replace the five Spanish vowels, and there are four whistles for consonants. The whistles can be distinguished according to pitch and whether they are interrupted or continuous. With practice, whistlers can convey any message. The language takes advantage of the peculiar topography of the island, reverberating across its deep ravines and narrow valleys. Messages can be heard up to five miles away.

• Demonstrations can be easily be observed on a visit to the island.
• The Whistle
• www.silbogomero.com.es

Life On Mars? No, but here's a spot in Spain that's the next best thing

Rio Tinto, Huelva, Spain

By Dale Fuchs:

There are...sites in Spain that have an other-worldly feel. Consider those Darth Vader lookalikes atop Gaudi's La Pedrera in Barcelona, or the lava-made moonscapes in Tenerife.

Even some Marbella mansions might qualify for extraterrestrial status. 

Iron in the rocks makes the water red.

But a red-tinted river basin in Huelva tops the alien lovers' list. It's called the Rio Tinto, or Red River, and this stretch of rosy rocks and soil in southern Andalusia appears so extra-terrestrial that it resembles a Spanish outpost of Mars.

Tourists joke about its Martian credentials as they photograph the rust-coloured water and craters, carved by centuries of mining. 

A bridge dating from the Roman Empire still spans the Rio Tinto.

But scientists take the Rio Tinto seriously. For them, this hostile turf tinged by oxidised iron is a convenient substitute for the Red Planet. In fact, it boasts so many Martian properties that two space agencies even conducted a "mission" there last month, including a simulated Mars walk.[...]

The Rio Tinto basin is...one of about 20 strange sites around the world – from the Arizona desert to the volcanic Krafla region of Iceland – where scientists can test their equipment on unearthly landscapes. 

The Rio Tinto area looks like the red planet because it contains a high concentration of the minerals that are abundant on there, such as iron, sulphur and copper.

"Iron is what gives the Red Planet its colour – a lot of the surface of Mars basically rusted away," Mr Groemer said.

The rich ore has attracted miners since pre-Roman times. In the 19th-century, large British mining companies began extracting copper, silver, sulphur and gold from the Rio Tinto on a large scale, leaving an unearthly crater in their wake – as well as a village with well-trimmed gardens built for British employees. The mines have closed, and the only trace of human activity is the turn-of-the-century tourist train that chugs by the old rail lines, and a museum, housed in the employee hospital, that recalls "5,000 years of mining history".

The river itself is extremely acidic, with a PH of 0.7 compared to the neutral 7 of ordinary water. It springs from the ground and is isolated from other water sources by a geological fault.

Signs warn not to drink the water. "You don't even want to wash your hands in it," Mr Groemer said.

But a special form of bacteria has managed to thrive there. Last year, laboratory tests by scientists in Madrid showed that the bacteria could survive in extreme conditions similar to those found in the Martian subsoil, fuelling hopes of life-seekers.

Read more in The Independent.

Huelva Tourist Information (English)
Minas de Rio Tinto Mining Museum (English)
Parque Minero de Riotinto (Spanish)

Carmen Amaya: the Greatest Flamenco Dancer of All Time

 The 100th birthday of Carmen Amaya, one of the legends of flamenco dance and song, will be observed in 2013. Barcelona, the native city of the legendary 'Queen of the Gypsies,' is already beginning to celebrate the centennial with the opening this weekend of the 1st annual Carmen Amaya Festival, organized by the Tablao del Carmen, one of the venues in the city's open air museum Pueblo Español. The event features guitarist Tomatito, singers Remedios Amaya and Montse Cortes, and flamenco dancer Manuela Carrasco, winner of Spain's National Dance Award in 2007.

Amaya never formally studied dance or voice, but began from the age of 4 as a street performer with her father. From the streets of Barcelona, she went on to perform on the city's stages before moving on to conquer the nation's capital, Madrid. When the Civil War broke out in 1936 she left Spain and began traveling and performing in the great cities of the world, including Lisbon, London, Paris, Rio de Jainero, Buenos Aires, Santiago, Caracas, Bogotá, Havana, Mexico City, and New York, where she debuted at Carnegie Hall. She went on to appear in Hollywood movies and in 1944 performed at the White House for President Franklin D. Roosevelt. After a decade abroad she returned to Spain as a wealthy international star. She continued to perform and travel the world over, including one more visit to the White House, this time at the invitation of President Harry S. Truman in 1953. Ten years later Amaya died of kidney failure at only 50 years of age.

Speaking to the newspaper El Periódico about this weekend's tribute, Tomatito, who is a world renowned musical artist himself, said that he hopes to demonstrate the 'connection' his playing has with the wild fury of Amaya.

"My guitar is connected to her. I am a Gypsy, just like Carmen."

Describing her as the greatest of dancers, Tomatito recalled stories that when people from his native Andalusia learned that unlike them she did not originate from the birthplace of flamenco, but rather from the northern region of Catalonia, the bemused attitude was usually one of, "Well, we all have skeletons in our closets." 

Video clips:

Clips from the documentary "QUEEN OF THE GYPSIES, a Portrait of Carmen Amaya"

Carmen Amaya in "Follow the Boys" - 1944

Carmen Amaya y su troupe por Bulerias - 1961

Barcelona's April Fair - Feria de Abril

Today is the last day of the 37th edition of Barcelona's April Fair. Some of you may be thinking, “Why does a so-called April fair happen in May?” – and those of you who know Spain may be asking, “Isn't the April Fair held in Seville each year?”
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Well, the original April Fair, which was first held in 1847, is the one that occurs in Seville each year. It usually starts two weeks after Semana Santa (Holy Week). There are also smaller April Fairs held in several Andalusian cities and towns at around the same time.
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In 1971 immigrants to Barcelona from Andalusia, and their descendants, began their own version of this rite of spring. Today Barcelona's is the second largest April Fair in Spain, rivaled only by the one in Seville. This fair typically runs from the last week of April through the first week of May.
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So, just what is an April Fair? Well, first and foremost, it is fun. Secondly, it's an opportunity to revel in Spanish, especially Andalusian, culture – flamenco, sevillianas, rumbas, boleros, pienetas, mantillas, shawls, riding jackets, castanets, cantaores, bailaoras, Jerez sherry, manzanilla wine, tapas, gazpacho, ham, and, my favorite, the Spanish confection churrrrrrrrros!
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In Barcelona's version, the April Fair is also a celebration of multiculturalism. This is in recognition of the fact that Catalonia absorbed hundreds of thousands of “internal immigrants”from Andalusia, Murcia and Extremadura during the 50s, 60s and 70s and is now absorbing a new wave of immigrants, but this time from Latin America, Morocco, Pakistan and Eastern Europe. Indeed the current President of the Catalan government, José Montilla, was one of these “immigrants” from Andalusia, having relocated with his family to Catalonia when he was 16.
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Because of all this, aside from the typical pavilions (casetas) dedicated to towns in Andalusia, you can find others like the Casita Latina, the Centro Cultural Gitano La Mina (The Gypsy Cultural Center of La Mina) and the Moroccan pavilion, with food, drink and gifts on sale in support of El Colectivo para la Defensa y la Protección de las Constantes Sagradas del Reino de Marruecos (The Collective for the Defense and Protection of the Sacred Attributes of the Kingdom of Morocco). In addition, visitors to the festival are a mosaic of people from around Spain and the world. However, there are usually not very many tourists. For that last reason, I find it a particularly authentic experience.
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Another difference between the events in Seville and Barcelona is that in Seville the pavilions are privately owned and one must be an insider of sorts (e.g., a family member or friend, a member of an organization or willing to pay a lot of money) to gain entry. While in Seville members of the public can walk around and “press ones nose to the glass,” metaphorically speaking, at Barcelona's more egalitarian event anyone can walk into a pavilion, sit down and, if they dare, dance! In Seville, the pavilions are decorated, but tend to all look similar from the outside. In Barcelona pavilion interiors and facades are colorfully, often cleverly, decorated -- and in Barcelona, there is a even a contest for best decor!
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Each year the sponsoring organization, FECAC (Federación de Entidades Culturales Andaluzas en Cataluña = Federation of Andalusian Cultural Groups in Catalonia), chooses the top three pavilions, as well as the best interior and best facade. This year there were 58 pavilions and the prizes went to:

• 1st Prize – La Casa de Andalucía de Cerdanyola
  
• 2nd Prize and Best Facade - La Hermandad Nuestra Señora del Rocío-Los Romeros de Barcelona
  
• 3rd Prize & Best Facade - Centro Cultural Colonia Egabrense de Santa Coloma de Gramenet
  
• Best Interior - La Hermandad Nuestra Señora del Rocío de Rubí

All the pavilions of Barcelona's Feria de Abril are welcoming places where members of the public can rest from walking around the fairgrounds, buy a drink, eat a meal, snack on tapas, listen to music, watch dancers, or get up and dance. Most of the pavilions are sponsored by cultural associations created by and for Andalusian immigrants and their descendants. There are also pavilions sponsored by political parties from just about the entire spectrum. In addition to pavilions, there are stalls selling clothing, arts, crafts, and food items from around Spain. There is also a fun-fair for kids, with a Ferris wheel and other rides, as well as little stands selling hot dogs, ice-cream, cotton candy, drinks and, of course, churrrrrrrrros!
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Admission to the fairgrounds is free. Prices in the pavilions are regulated by the fair organizers, but prices in the stands and stalls are not. So, the best deals are on food and drink often in the pavilions.
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The entire thing is an 11 day feast of sight, sound, smell, touch and taste. And the joy is contagious – whether its that of the professional dancers on the stages, the colorfully costumed bands of singers & dancers who roam around the grounds or the civilians strutting their stuff on the pavilion dance floors.
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¡Viva la feria de abril!
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Carloz
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P.D. Y, ¡viva los churrrrrrrrros!

A Holy Week Confession / Una Confesión de Semana Santa

What's the confession? Simply that I find Spain's Semana Santa observances really boring.

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Well, having the week off I find interesting, but the Semana Santa celebrations held throughout Spain are sooooooooooo boring. The first time I saw one of the traditional processions, I initially found the phenomenon rather interesting. After the first hour or so, however, my mind started wandering -- and wondering what the big deal was about. I ended up feeling like I was at a slow motion, humorless Mardi Gras parade on downers.

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Despite the history, the color, the pageantry, the crowds, and the obvious effort put into the events by the organizing groups (called brotherhoods and fraternities / hermandades y cofradías), these are simply people traipsing about in somewhat frightening looking “penitential robes” (think KKK), carrying enormous religious tableaus (similar to those that can be seen in many Roman Catholic churches) and marching methodically to mind-numbing dirges. You almost expect to see self-flagellating footsloggers somwhere in all the fanfare. What fun!

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Maybe "ominously boring" would be a good way of describing such depressing extravaganzas. To me it's sort of like a bad dream that keeps repeating -- here comes another group of hooded men laboring under another massive platform that holds another brightly painted Sacred Heart / Virgin Mary / Crucifixion / Martyred Saint sculpture, followed by another group of robed acolytes, followed by another group of candle-carrying women in black, followed by another group of hooded men laboring under another massive platform that holds another brightly painted Sacred Heart / Virgin Mary / Crucifixion / Martyred Saint sculpture, followed by another group of robed acolytes, followed by another group of candle-carrying women in black, followed by another group of hooded men... All to the accompaniment of incessant drumming, mournful wailing, and/or brass instruments slowly blaring funereal hymns.

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I find Barcelona a good place to spend this holiday week because there are not very many Semana Santa spectacles, and, therefore they are easy to avoid. In many other cities, especially in Andalusia, they seem to almost completely take over the streets. I speak from some experience, because despite my negative reaction to that first Semana Santa scene, I have given it a try in various Spanish cities, including Alicante, Granada, Malaga and Palma de Majorca.

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Being in Palma was similar to being in Barcelona (i.e., no problems skipping the realtively few parades), so I enjoyed every bit of my time there. While I loved the cities of Alicante and Malaga, I did so despite visiting during Semana Santa. Alicante didn't have as many parades as Malaga and in both places I could at least head to the beach for a little respite when there were "festivities" droning on. In landlocked Granada, however, I was more or less trapped. Indeed, I remember feeling almost hounded by the city's seemingly non-stop processions!
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Instead of the memory of that experience fading, it has actually expanded to include fantastic images of myself being pursued by penitents down Granada's ancient streets, which in my mind seem to wind around in an Escher-like labyrinth. I try to get away from them and turn one corner after another only to keep stumbling upon more giant icons looming above throngs of mesmerized people wearing tunics, hoods and masks. As I am pushed and shoved around I sense that the participants are all trying to absorb me into the crowd so that I will be converted into one of the hordes of zombies condemned to an eternity of watching the monotonous marches go...by...so...very...very...slowly.

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(George A. Romero could have a field day with this “false memory” of mine – not to mention Freud!)
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So, having experienced traditional Semana Santa events in the past, when this time of year rolls around I flatly refuse to go to places like Seville and Cadiz, which are supposed to have some of the "best" celebrations. No, I prefer to be on a beach somewhere in Catalonia.
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Hasta siempre amig@s,
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Carloz