Right now as I’m writing this, the Queen song “We are the Champions” is blasting from speakers on the street below my house.  No, Spaniards don’t just [...]]]>

A large screen was put up in the Plaza Mayor of Burgos this afternoon so that soccer fans could watch the final match of the World Cup.

Right now as I’m writing this, the Queen song “We are the Champions” is blasting from speakers on the street below my house.  No, Spaniards don’t just really like Queen — the song is being played over and over again because Spain won the World Cup this evening.  It goes without saying that, since the win, there has been some massive celebrating going on here in Burgos.  It’s safe to say that these Spaniards really know the meaning of the phrase ”party hearty.”

The afternoon started peacefully enough with almost everyone in the city heading to the Plaza Mayor to watch the final match of the World Cup on a large screen that had been set up just for today.  As you can see from the picture above, there was a big turnout of red-clad, Spain-supporting, Burgos-dwelling people.  The afternoon turned out to be a tense one: it was a really close game.  Still, Spain won in the end.

When Spain won, what did those watching the game in the Plaza Mayor do?  They went to the Plaza España, of course.  Why?  To jump in the fountain and celebrate the victory.  Now, I’m no soccer expert and I could be missing something, but I don’t really see the connection between “victory” and “jumping in a city fountain full of cold water to celebrate.”  Of course, that’s just me.  In any event, the celebration started about two hours ago and it’s now 1:00 a.m. and still going strong.  I have a feeling it will last well into the night.

In any case, I send my congrats to Spain’s team.  This is the first World Cup that Spain has won and it deserves the victory.  ¡Enhorabuena España! 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

After living in Spain for more or less two years now, I thought I’d seen everything… I was wrong.  Just the other day I was in Madrid and happened upon this “headless” street performer out to please the crowd [...]]]>

A headless, umbrella-wielding street performer does his thing in the Puerta del Sol in Madrid.

After living in Spain for more or less two years now, I thought I’d seen everything… I was wrong.  Just the other day I was in Madrid and happened upon this “headless” street performer out to please the crowd of people who were passing through the Puerta del Sol.  Seeing him made me reflect a bit on some of the acts that I’ve seen on the streets of Spain – not only in Madrid but also in other cities.   

Indeed, the streets of many of the Spanish cities in which I’ve lived have, at times, looked like the audition line for American Idol.  I’ve seen singers, dancers, musicians, clowns, jugglers, acrobats, and –today– a headless man.  Some of these acts really are quite impressive — especially those on the streets of Madrid — but there are always a few “duds” as well.  You know, the typical homeless guy banging a bongo drum to no recognizable rhythm and trying to earn a few céntimos in the process. 

In the USA people try to do all sorts of things on the street to earn a living too and I’ve often wondered if any of them –American or Spanish– are ever successful.  I’m sure that if you have a good act and you perform in a larger city like Madrid or Barcelona you could be successful, but I really don’t think any of the “human statues” that work the streets of smaller cities like Burgos are going to be quitting their day jobs anytime soon.  Of course, I could be wrong….

Let’s dedicate this post to street performers in Spain and elsewhere.  Leave me a comment answering one (or all) of the following questions:
     a) If you worked as a street performer, what would your act be?
     b) Do you think any street performers make enough money to be able to quit their day jobs?
     c) What is the strangest and/or most unique street performer you’ve ever seen?

I look forward to reading your comments!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Have you ever woken up in the morning and had a hankering for ham?  If you answered affirmatively to that question and you live in Spain, [...]]]>

The butcher shops here in Spain come complete with hanging "legs of ham" to entice customers to buy (especially look where the red arrow is pointing).

Have you ever woken up in the morning and had a hankering for ham?  If you answered affirmatively to that question and you live in Spain, you’re in luck: a nice “leg of ham” is waiting for you just around the corner at your neighborhood deli.  Yes, you heard right… here in Spain “ham legs” like the ones pictured above are suspended from the air and sold in places like grocery stores and delicatessens. 

As an American, I was a little put off the first time I saw one of these ham legs literally “hanging around” in a grocery store.  In fact, I remember asking myself how these things don’t go bad after being stuck in the middle of the store with no refrigeration whatsoever for days (or even months) on end.  I later learned that these patas de jamón are cured much like beef jerky and thus don’t require refrigeration.

Now that I’ve been living in Spain for close to two years I have to admit that, despite their bizarre appearance, I’ve acquired a taste for these delectable “ham legs.”  In case you are curious, this type of ham comes from a special Iberian pig that is native to Spain and these ham legs are sold with much success throughout the Iberian Peninsula.  In fact, most families here in Spain buy a pata de jamón once or twice a year and slowly shave ham off of it with a special knife until nothing is left but the bone.  The ham from these legs can be used in recipes or in sandwiches.

Let’s use the comments of this post to talk about ham and other foods that are “typically Spanish.”  Please, leave me a note below describing both the strangest food you’ve ever eaten in Spain and the best food you’ve ever eaten here.  I look forward to hearing from you!

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

Here in Spain there are two major sales per year (known as rebajas in Spanish): one is set in January and another is set in July/August.  During these sales, people pretty much go crazy trying to buy up [...]]]>

A shop window is decorated to advertise the "rebajas" (sales) in Spain, which began on January 7th.

Here in Spain there are two major sales per year (known as rebajas in Spanish): one is set in January and another is set in July/August.  During these sales, people pretty much go crazy trying to buy up anything and everything that they could possibly need — at a bargain price, of course.  Think of it as a month-long version of the USA’s well-known “Black Friday.”  Long lines, shot nerves, and more than one overwhelmed, crying store employee are all common traits of the rebajas of Spain. 

As a foreigner I don’t really understand where Spaniards get the money to buy things during these sales.  You see, the winter sales begin on January 7th, which just so happens to be the day after the infamous Three Wise Men visit children’s homes to bring them presents (like Santa Claus in the States).  In the USA, most people are pretty much broke after Christmas from buying all the gifts.  In Spain, on the contrary, people go out and “shop till they drop” the day after Wise Men Day, their biggest gift-giving holiday.  Logical from an economic standpoint?  Not for me, at least. 

In any event, if you’re Spanish and you’re looking for a deal during these rebajas, I wish you the best of luck.  If you’re not Spanish, well, I guess you can save your money this January. 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com

I have memories from when I was a child of helping my mother set up the Christmas tree and the Nativity set in our home.  I never really liked doing the task that much because there were always so many lights to put on the tree [...]]]>

Visitors view the humongous Nativity of the Burgos Cathedral.

I have memories from when I was a child of helping my mother set up the Christmas tree and the Nativity set in our home.  I never really liked doing the task that much because there were always so many lights to put on the tree and so many little figures to put into the Nativity set.  In fact, I’m sure my mother would tell you that I complained quite a bit about having to do the chore. 

It turns out that I probably shouldn’t have complained so much.  Why?  My mother’s Nativity set was nothing compared to the monstrous ”Nativity on steroids” of the Burgos Cathedral.  In fact, I think my mom’s Nativity contained a Joseph, a Mary, a Baby Jesus, the Three Wise Men, and a couple of camels… it probably had no more than ten pieces.  The Nativity set of the Burgos Cathedral, on the other hand, contains over 1,200 pieces.  How’d you like to be the guy who has to put that thing up?  

All joking aside, it’s not all that uncommon to put up a very large Nativity set here in Spain.  They are usually put up around Christmas Eve or Christmas Day and remain up until the 6th of January — the day that the Three Kings visited Jesus.  In fact, Nativities like these are so common that I have seen them in several other churches (not just the Burgos Cathedral) and have even seen them proudly displayed in people’s homes (of course, you have to remove everything but the sofa from your living room to get one of these Nativities to fit). 

The very last scene in the Cathedral's Nativity depicted the death of Jesus.

As you can see from the above photos, the quality of these sets is amazing and they typically depict the life of Christ from just before his birth to his death.  In fact, the Burgos Cathedral’s set was laid out so that the visitor could “walk through” the various stages of Jesus’ life from birth to death.  Located at each stage was a small plaque explaining exactly what was being depicted.  It was a very interesting visit. 

If you’d like to see more photos of the Burgos Cathedral Nativity, check out my Nativity photos on Picasa. 

Hasta luego,
–Chris
http://abroadinspain.com