Corrida de toros- Bullfighting by Spanish Style

Corrida is the most Spanish custom which fascinates and shocks people all over the world. I will try to present both sides of  the spectacle.

Corrida de torros or la fiesta takes place in Spain, Portugal, southern France, Mexico, Colombia, Peru, Venezuela and Philippines.
Bulls before fighting have an extremely good life. They spend their time grazing on the meadows, everybody takes care about them and gives them whatever they need. For Corrida's followers it is an honor for  a bull to die on the arena with applause of the spectators. They treat it as an art which connects in one perfect piece of music, dancing, horse riding and amazing costumes.



Opponents of bullfighting talk about animals rights, barbaric blood sport and torturous death. In many countries people vote against this kind of entertainment. In Spain in two provinces: Catalonia and Basque Country it is forbidden to organize it.

Spanish Corrida
Bulls are about four or six years old. There are three matadors and everyone fights with two bulls. Matadores are assisted by two picadores, three toreros and a mozo de espadas.  Picadores ride on a horseback with a lance. Horses are also protected by padded cover to prevent death by bleeding. Anyway many of these beautiful animals had died during bullfighting.

The toreros irritate the bull by yellow- pink capa (sheet). Next, one of the picador on the horseback hits his lanca into the bull's neck as well. Also banderilleros try to stick short lancas (banderilleros) into the bull's neck. The Lancas have colorful ribbons which have to annoy bulls as well. After that when animal is weaker and his head is lower  the matador comes. He has a red muleta and tries to make the bull tired. When animal is exhausted, he sticks lanca into his spinal cord. If matador kills the bull by first time, the audience will admire him with an applause. If  he does not kill it he will try again.

 Muleta

And this is over. Bull is dead. Matador can cut an ear of the bull. If the performance was fantastic the audience let matador cut other ear. Sometimes a tail.
The dead bull is covered by sheets and moved by horses and mules.



 Corrida's opponents picture

The largest Corrida takes place in Mexico City on the Plaza Mexico. The oldest one in Sevilla in Spain on the La Maestranza (from 1765).

Bonfires of San John

The biggest holiday in Alicante takes part between 19th and 29th of June. This is Hogueras de  San Juan (Bonfires of San Joan). It is celebrated around San John's eve on the 23 of the June.

 People make bonfires, drink hot chocolate and teenagers jump over the fires. Every district of Alicante prepares parades, wooden figures, fireworks, flowers, sports events, traditional garments and food. You can see corrida on the Plaza de Torros as well.

It is very important to organize this festival. Every district has their own group of people who prepare Hogueras. A barraca ( group of friends) raise money for drinks, food and music. Only people from the right district can participate in it. There are also commissions which make fires and take part in different events during the whole year. Relationship between people from district is very close and it is important to know each other.

During the Hougeras there's an election of Beauty and Infantil Beauty. It is very popular among Spanish from Alicante.



Many people from all Spain come to Alicante to see festival. It is also interesting for tourists from abroad who came for holiday.
24th the June is also celebrated in other Spanish regions (e.g. Catalan, Galicia). For citizens of Catalan is Catalan's National Day.

Visit Spain- Parque Huerto Lo Torrent

How to spend free time in Alicante? One of the best way is  to go to  a nearby town San Vicent Del Raspeig to visit Parque Huerto lo Torrent. You can get the directly form Plaza de los Luceros in Alicante by bus line 24. It takes about 20 minutes.

There is amazing park with fontaine, mediterranean trees, playground, playing field. You can relax there with your friends and family.
Many people come there because is very quiet. It is a typical place for Spanish siesta.

Blue sky and fontaine

Spanish children are playing football.

Spanish Sherry

Sherry (jerez, xeres) is Spanish wine which is produced in Jerez de la Frontera, Andalusia. It contains about 16- 20% alcohol and is produced from grapes.

The word Sherry come from Jerez ( Xeres). At the beginning the name was sack from Spanish saca. 

Sherry has been produced from 1100 B.C. when the Phoenicians came to Iberian Peninsula. Later the Romans and the Moors which occupied Jerez territory were continuing wine production. The Arabs introduced distillation which significantly improved taste.

From the 16th century Sherry has had renowned reputation  as the world's finest wine in Europe. Christopher Columbus took Sherry to New World and Ferdinand Magellan spent more money for Sherry than for weapons before his journey around the world.

Sherry became popular in the United Kingdom in 16th century. Plenty of English gentry sponsored Spanish cellars from Jerez to produce wine.

Nowadays name Sherry is reserved for Spanish wine from Sherry Triangle (province of Cadiz, Spain). Only same producers from California, USA produce that kind of wine and they are allowed to use the name California sherry. In Australia they also produce wine but the name is Apera. However,  people still use the name sherry. Those wines can not be imported to the EU.

There are different kinds of grapes to produce Sherry:
- Palomino- dry Sherry 
- Pedro Ximenez- sweet wine
- Moscatel- similar to Pedro Ximenez but less common

Of course very important for the grapes is the kind of soil they grow (yellowish, dark brown or white) and precipitation quantity. All this factors are present in the province of Cadiz.

Sherry should be drunk from the a special tulip-shaped glass. Young people drink Sherry with lemonade and ice.

My favorite Sherry.  

Jamón

When you came to Spain you should try Spanish tidbits. One of the most popular all over the world is jamón (ham from Spain). 
It has a long tradition of consumption and is rather expensive. There are two types of ham: jamón serrano (ham from the "mountains") and jamón ibérico (ham from the Black Iberian pig). You can also meet different name of jamón and it depends of region of Spain. Pernil in Valencia, Aragon, Catalonia, xamon in Galicia, urdaiazpiko in Navarre and Basque Country.

Jamón ibérico
Jamón ibérico could be produced from a pig which contain at least 75% of Black Iberian pig. They live in southern part of Spain for example: Seville, Salamanca, Cordoba. They are fed by herbs, grass, acorns and roots. After slaughter they are salted and left for drying for two weeks. After that they are cleaned and left for four or six weeks. The usual process of ham maturation takes between ten  to twelve weeks but some farmers prefer it  up to even 48 months.

Type of ham:
- jamón iberico de ballota: pigs are fed only by acorns  a week before they go to slaughterhouse. They are bred  between Spain and Portugal. Ham is prepared by 36 months
- jamón ibérico de recebo: pigs are fed by acorns and grain
- jamón ibérico- they are fed by grain. Ham is prepared during 24 months

Jamón serrano:
Is served sliced or diced. It is not so expensive as a jamón ibérico and is produced from white pigs.  A Jamón lover from  Spain can recognize the taste easily and will not confuse  jamón ibérico with jamón serrano. 

The name of jamón serrano is connected with place where ham is prepared. Those places are situated on a higher elevation. That's why Spanish say "mountain ham".

Jamón is not so easy to buy abroad and only Spanish are allowed to use word jamón. 

Jamón in the Carrefour in Puerto de Alicante 

Holiday in Spain? Why not!

Every year thousands of tourists come to Spain to take rest. It is one of the best country in Europe for holiday. Why Spain?

The answer is easy and obvious. Because of good weather and sea. For people who like the seaside the best way is to head for east and south of Spain. The weather during the summer will never disappoint you. I recommend Alicante, Benidorm, Cartagena or Barcelona. For people who like smaller towns perfect place will be El Campello or Gran Alacant near Alicante. You can get to El Campello by tram from Plaza de los Luceros ( L3 about 30 minutes) in Alicante. To Benidrom also goes tram (L1) from Plaza de los Luceros.

To get to Gran Alacant you have to board on a bus (www.autocaresbaile.es) from Estasion de Autobuses. They departure on houry schedule from Alicante. Ticket costs 1,50 euro (2013 year). It takes about 40 minutes.
Beautiful beaches, warm sand, restaurants with Spanish cuisine, friendly people and service on the high level. This is what you will find in Costa Blanca and Costa Brava.

It is easy to get to Spain from most of countries in Europe. Thanks to different kind of airways you can get here without any problems.

Welcome to Spain!

So I live in Spain. Beautiful country with amazing history and interesting people. And Spanish language which sounds nice and that I love to learn!

This blog is dedicated to all who like travelling, getting to know different cultures and people. Spain gives all this possibilities and that's why I feel here well. 

In this blog I would like to present my point of view on Spanish lifestyle. Every day I can see loads of peculiar situations. Some of them surprised me and some of them I watch with high interest. It will be my personal opinion. Of course I 'm presenting my own style of perception and sensibility. 

Let's start it!!!  Vamos!!!