Expat Living 101.com Blog » fiesta

November 5 – Guy Fawkes Night

Paul Allen — Thu, 05 Nov 2009 14:49:52 +0000

November 5 doesn’t mean much to most people around the world. Here, in our home in Spain, it’s just another workday.

However, in the UK it is one of the major events of the calendar – Guy Fawkes Night (also called Bonfire Night).

It commemorates the discovery of the Gunpowder Plot in 1605, when a group of leading Catholics planned to blow up the Houses of Parliament in an attempt to assassinate King James I and replace him with a Catholic monarch. Guy Fawkes was supposed to execute the plot, but was discovered in a cellar underneath Parliament along with the gunpowder.

Ever since November 5 has been celebrated with large bonfires and firework displays – nowadays some are huge public spectacles; others are private celebrations in people’s back gardens. As a child in particular though it is a night of high excitement.

It’s one of the things I miss about living abroad, the gatherings with family and friends, the chance for our children to share in the excitement the night brings. Spain certainly has its own share of wonderful fiestas. But it’s still hard to beat the traditions of home.

Immaculate Conception

Paul Allen — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 18:46:42 +0000

It’s a fiesta today here in Spain, the feast of the Immaculate Conception (Día de la Inmaculada Concepción). It’s a Roman Catholic holy day, which marks the conception of the Virgin Mary, a point from which she started and remained throughout her life free of the Original Sin that stains the rest of us. Or so the Catholic doctrine says.

Having been brought up in England in a Protestant household – albeit with a Roman Catholic father (although that is another topic in itself) – it’s not a holiday I was familiar with until moving to Spain. But then so much of Roman Catholic theology and practice remains something of a mystery to me, despite it’s communality with the UK’s ‘national’ religion. Which I suppose is what makes living in Spain – or for that matter any other country – so interesting.

And I have to say, I quite like the idea of squeezing another public holiday in before Christmas too …

A Midsummer Night’s Dream

Paul Allen — Fri, 27 Jun 2008 18:16:05 +0000

It was the festival of Sant Joan (St. John) this week in Catalunya. The celebrations start at sunset on June 23 and run through until sunrise on the 24^th (which is the feast day marking the birth of St John the Baptist), and are popularly known in this region as the Nit del Foc, meaning “night of fire.”

It is also the noisiest night of the year. Fire, with its purifying qualities, is one of the three symbols of the festival. As such it is traditional to light bonfires, as the flames are supposed to scare off the imaginary creastures that come out at night, and to ward off bad luck for the remainder of the year.

And along with the bonfires come huge organised firework displays, as well as a general and continuous explosion of rockets and firecrackers from every quarter, which lasts right through until dawn. Of course, you can imagine what licence for uproar this gives to the local kids.

A second symbol associated with Sant Joan is water, which is supposed to have curative powers on this night. According to the Barcelona city council’s website (http://www.bcn.es/santjoan/en/simbols.html), it is also customary to collect thyme, rosemary and verbena, as the powers of medicinal plants are thought to increase during this period.

Taken together, the Christian religious festival and these pagan Midsummer symbols that underlie it speak of purification and health, of rebirth. Not that many of the celebrants looked all that rejuvenated on the feast day itself I noticed, having been up most of the night. Nevertheless, the fiesta seemed to me a fitting reminder to all of us to make the most of the passing year.

To this end, it should mean celebrating our health and summer’s blessings. And also to seek out our own form of “rebirth,” in the sense of creating a better life for ourselves, whatever form your goals may take.

10 Reasons To Move To Spain

Paul Allen — Thu, 15 May 2008 14:24:22 +0000

According to a study by Currencies Direct, Spain continues to top the list of retirement hotspots for Brits who actually want to enjoy some sun in their sunset years. And it’s not hard to see why.

But Spain’s allure is not limited to pensioners. Rather, it consistently ranks as the second most popular destination for British émigrés of all stripes. So here are 10 reasons why you might want to consider it too.

1) Sunshine

Let’s face it, a plentiful supply of sunshine is always more appealing than endless days of rain (unless you’re an Australian farmer). And Spain, by and large, receives a bountiful supply of those golden rays throughout the year. Plus you won’t even have to leave home for your summer holidays anymore.

2) Outdoor Activities

Sunshine and warmth – perfect ingredients for enjoying the Great Outdoors, whatever your interests: sailing, cycling, golf, painting, or simply paddling around at the beach. And in the winter there’s decent skiing in the Sierra Nevadas in the south, or the Pyrenees in the north.

3) Natural Beauty

Unfortunately Spain has become synonymous with overdevelopment and tawdry beach resorts. But for those that want them there are still plenty of low-key towns and unspoilt stretches of coast to be found.

And once away from the Mediterranean there is a surprising diversity of landscapes: from the wilds of Galicia, to the lush forests of the Basque country, and the majestic Picos de Europa or Aigüestortes national parks.

4) Cost of Living

Spain has become noticeably more expensive, especially since the euro came into effect. Nevertheless, prices for food, alcohol, petrol and property – to name just a few items – are still lower than in the UK.

5) Food and Drink

Spain may not be a gourmet capital like France or Italy, but its cuisine is not restricted to paella and tortilla either. And if you doubt it, take a visit to the Basque region, where the food has a deservedly high reputation. As for the wine …!

6) Pace of Life

While the pace may be picking up in big cities, Spain in general continues to adopt a more relaxed approach to the clock. Siestas remain commonplace too. Great if you have time to go with the flow!

7) Health Care

Spain’s health care system was rated seventh in the world by the World Health Organization when it compiled a report on the subject back in 2000. And in my experience (having had two children here, one with severe allergies) its reputation is deserved: the staff are well-trained, and facilities are modern, well-equipped and clean.

Family Life

Spanish families tend to be close knit, with plenty of contact across the generations. They are also children oriented, with kids the centre of attention for doting family members and strangers alike (which is great if you happen to have some yourself).

9) Fiestas

Fiestas are a central feature of Spanish life. Famous ones like the bull-running in Pamplona (San Fermín) or Sevilla’s Semana Santa are well worth a visit if you can get there. But each village, town and city has its own catalogue of saints’ days and feast days too, which can be just as entertaining and intoxicating (in every sense).

10) Cultural Riches

Spain’s glory days as a world force may be long gone, but it carries with it a wealth of history and culture: from the magnificent art galleries of Madrid and Barcelona to architectural jewels such as the Alhambra in Granada, the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela and Bilbão’s Guggenheim museum. Or you can simply soak up the atmosphere with a stroll around one of its many beautiful cities: Salamanca, Toledo, León, Girona, Sevilla …