The fame of tapas is now worldwide; you can eat tapas from Alaska to Oz. Yet their origins are surprisingly mysterious; men with claims to the invention range from royalty to peasantry. What we do know is the tapas were invented by one of three men. The question is: was it the wise king, the […]
The correfoc, or fire run, takes place at festivals throughout the Spanish summer. Fire-throwing devils fuse with eager crowds in apocalyptic processions. It is particularly popular in Catalonia, where hundreds gather in the narrow streets to play with fire. Unlike in the US and UK, Spanish crowds don’t stand behind red tape at “a safe […]
Learning a language can be boring as hell, but it can also be simply hilarious. The difference between one letter can lead to some fantastic sentences. (Think “ship” vs. “shit” in English; the beautiful “shit” sailed across the sea). But funny as it may be, if you genuinely manage to order deeply fried penis by […]
Living in Spain, many friends suppose that I spend my days asleep and my nights drinking sangria and dancing the flamenco. Sadly, my response would be a definite ‘No way’ rather than ‘Olay!’ In fact, many Spanish stereotypes are about as true as the idea that all Scots wear kilts and drink whisky – i.e. […]
All over the world, Christmas is a time to eat, drink and be merry – and Spain is no exception. Throughout the various regions of the country, including Catalonia, the bakeries overflow with the following traditional treats. Torron / Torró / Turrón This is without a doubt the most popular Christmas sweet. Originating in Arabic […]
When you stop and think about it, Father Christmas seems a little odd, but that is nothing – literally nothing, compared to the Catalan Christmas poopers. In Catalonia, rather than rosy-cheeked Santa, the Catalans celebrate Caga Tio. Caga Tio means Poo Log or Uncle Poo – and that’s quite literally what he is: a pooing […]
Catalans frequently pitch themselves against Spain, saying that “Catalonia is not Spain”. But if it’s not Spain, you may be wondering, well…, what is Catalonia? And if Catalonia is against Spain then how does Catalonia size up versus its rival? Power: Region vs Country Catalonia is 1 of 17 regions in Spain, each of which […]
Everyone knows the British have their quirks. And being British, these aren’t just casual whims, British quirks are written into law. It is illegal to handle a salmon under suspicious circumstances. The law was passed just 31 years ago. Unfortunately, no-one is quite sure what counts as ‘suspicious circumstances’ so it’s best to avoid anything […]
At its heart, the battle between Spanish and Catalan powers is a battle of laws. Spanish politicians defend themselves with the shield of the Constitution while Catalan politicians attack with newly passed laws. The Spanish government has been under pressure for years from the Spanish region of Catalonia’s wish for more autonomy. The battle has […]
At 9.55 every night, the tension mounts. In every household across the land of Catalonia, matriarchs stare at the clocks, waiting. And then the moment arrives: 10pm. The matriarchs hurl their battle-cries: ‘Once more unto the breach, dear friends – and bring the pots’, and families dart to the front-line of the balconies to wage […]
Jem in Girona 