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

I’ve decided to title this post “Merry (ongoing) Christmas.”  You may be asking yourself why I’ve put the word “ongoing” in the title and the answer is [...]]]>

As part of the Christmas festivities in Burgos, a "Christmas Fair" was set up in the Plaza Mayor in which people purchased crafts from local vendors.

I’ve decided to title this post “Merry (ongoing) Christmas.”  You may be asking yourself why I’ve put the word “ongoing” in the title and the answer is really rather simple: in Spain, Christmas is not over yet.  In fact, I’ve discovered that the Spanish love to “make the most” of their holidays — no matter how big or how small they are — and that’s exactly what they’ve done with Christmas (you’ll see what I mean in a moment). 

In the USA, Christmas is usually celebrated on the 24th and 25th of December with a large dinner, the exchanging of gifts, and the arrival of Santa Claus.  Later, we typically celebrate the coming of the New Year; but, once January 2nd arrives, the holiday season is pretty much over for us.  In Spain, on the contrary, Christmas is “stretched” from the 24th of December to the 6th of January.  How can this be?  The answer to that question lies in two very important words: the Epiphany. 

You see, here in Spain gifts are exchanged on the 24th and 25th of December much like in the USA; however, people then celebrate New Year’s Eve and New Year’s Day and then celebrate the Epiphany.  As a result, the whole Christmas season becomes a bit “blurred” and stretches from the 24th of December all the way to the 6th of January, which is the day that the Three Kings visit children’s homes to deliver gifts (much in the way that Santa visits homes in the USA). 

Personally, I have mixed feelings about this “stretching” of Christmas.  On the one hand, I think it’s a bit unfair that most Spanish children get to receive gifts from Santa on the 25th and then again from the Three Kings on the 6th — I wish I had been that lucky when I was a kid.  Also, because Christmas isn’t really over in Spain until the Epiphany, it seems to me that Christmas here is a bit perpetual – today is the 31st of December and I’m still hearing Christmas carols on the radio and people are still in stores doing Christmas shopping for Kings’ Day.  On the other hand, of course, I think it’s really nice that people in Spain have such a long holiday to relax and spend time with their families. 

In any event, I’d like to hear what you think about all this.  How much Christmas is “too much?”  Whether you’re from Spain, the USA, or some other part of the world, please leave a comment explaining your thoughts on the subject and your personal Christmas traditions. 

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

The winter has finally arrived to Burgos. The days are darker, the temperatures are lower, and the people of the city are [...]]]>

During the winter, churros stands like this one begin to crop up all over Burgos. It’s easy to eat these delicious delicacies; however, it’s somewhat more complex to order them.

The winter has finally arrived to Burgos. The days are darker, the temperatures are lower, and the people of the city are sporting their “Eskimo attire” to combat the cold. Of course, if you don’t like bundling up to stay warm, you could try another “heat-seeking” technique: eating freshly made churros.

Since the weather has begun to get colder, churros stands (like the one pictured above) have been popping up all over the place around the city. For those of you who don’t know what churros are, they’re basically rod-shaped pieces of fried dough that are covered in sugar — the Spanish version of the doughnut. The truth is, nothing quite warms you up on a winter day like some freshly fried churros along with a little hot chocolate to accompany them.

Despite their delectable goodness, ordering churros from a street vendor posed a bit of a problem for me when I first moved to Spain.  It turns out that ordering churros is more difficult than you might think.   

You see, before coming to Burgos last year, I had never seen a churros stand anywhere. I had eaten churros in various bars and restaurants before; however, the whole “street churros experience” was something new to me.

When you’re in a bar and you want churros, the “norm” is to tell the waiter or waitress that you want “churros for one person” or “churros for two people.” In other words, you tell the waiter how many people are going to be eating the churros and then let the staff in the kitchen decide exactly how many to give you (they typically allot three or four churros per person). At the stands on the street, on the contrary, churros are ordered by the piece. The first time that I went to a street vendor to order churros, I applied my “bar logic” and asked the employee for “churros for one person.” Of course, the worker promptly responded with a puzzled look. He later asked me exactly how many churros I wanted.

Since my first “churros mishap” last year, I have ordered churros from street vendors many times. After so much experience ordering them, I have come to realize that the “norm” for buying churros off the street is to ask for them by the dozen or by the half-dozen.  I wish I had known that last year when I visited my first churros stand — maybe I could have saved the churros guy his puzzled look.

In any event, I’d like to dedicate this post to the discussion of Spanish snacks. What is your favorite Spanish snack for a cold (or warm) day?  Leave your response below.

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

Not too long ago I wrote a post about the exterior of the Cathedral of Burgos, a thirteenth century Catholic Cathedral.  As far as cathedrals in Spain go, this [...]]]>

A spectacular view of one of the largest altarpieces in the Cathedral of Burgos. Whether you’re Catholic or not, it’s impressive to look at.

Not too long ago I wrote a post about the exterior of the Cathedral of Burgos, a thirteenth century Catholic Cathedral.  As far as cathedrals in Spain go, this one is a bit on the famous side — and it’s no wonder why.  The building itself is beautiful. 

Just the other day I paid another trip to the Burgos Cathedral and I decided to expand upon my last post by taking some photos of the interior of the building to share with you.  As you can see, the interior is very ornate and beautiful.  Still, what’s really amazing to me is the fact that practically all of the art housed in this cathedral (sculptures, statues, altarpieces, etc.) dates back centuries.  To put it in perspective for you, work on this cathedral began before the continent of America was even discovered by Christopher Columbus — that’s a long time for a bunch of “old statues” to survive. 

The "Golden Staircase" links the interior of the cathedral with the outside world by serving as a point of entry.

If you like the above photos, you may wish to check out my complete collection on Picasa.  If you’re going to be in the Burgos area, I’d recommend that you visit the cathedral.  The building is open to the public seven days a week (hours vary by season) and the cost for tourists to enter is around five Euros.  The visit is definitely worth the price. 

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

As most of you who read this blog probably already know, I recently took a trip to the Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos.  What you probably don’t already know is that I made another stop on that trip in addition to visiting [...]]]>

La Yecla is a narrow pass that many rare birds call home.

As most of you who read this blog probably already know, I recently took a trip to the Monasterio de Santo Domingo de Silos.  What you probably don’t already know is that I made another stop on that trip in addition to visiting the “singing monks.”  That other stop was to a nearby natural park known as “El Desfiladero de la Yecla.”

As you can see from the photo above, La Yecla is basically a very narrow canyon which happens to have a path constructed right through the middle to allow visitors to explore its depths.  The interesting thing about La Yecla is that it is home to many rare bird species — especially vultures.  I didn’t manage to see any vultures during my recent visit; however, I did enjoy the rock formations and the various man-made fountains that are fed by the river which runs through the bottom of the canyon. 

If you’re ever in the Santo Domingo de Silos area of Castilla y León, I would recommend a trip to La Yecla.  It’s something that is really quite unique to this region of Spain and you probably won’t find too many other places like it throughout Europe. 

Hasta luego,
Chris
http://abroadinspain.com