Tag Archives: Spanish Culture
Inventos “Made in Spain” Posted by Magda on Nov 4, 2010
De España han salido grandes inventos de las mentes de algunos personajes brillantes. Aunque son numerosos, me voy a centrar en los más sorprendentes, y también bastante útiles. Imaginemos a una mamá con su hijo bien vestido. De repente, al chiquillo le apetece un caramelo. La madre se pone nerviosa, pues conoce el resultado: el…
Don Quijote de la Mancha Posted by Magda on Sep 30, 2010
“Somewhere in La Mancha, in a place whose name I do not care to remember, a gentleman lived not long ago, one of those who has a lance and ancient shield on a shelf and keeps a skinny nag and a greyhound for racing (…)” When I think about chivalry, the first image that comes…
Los alebrijes Posted by Adir on Sep 28, 2010
Los alebrijes are Mexican folk art sculptures of fantastical animals invented by Pedro Linares López in 1936 in Mexico. They’re made of paper or wood and represent an imaginary animal, combining the form of two or more animals. Their structure is made of wood or carrizo and the outside part is wrapped in papier-maché and…
Sidra asturiana Posted by Magda on Sep 24, 2010
Llega el otoño, y con él se lleva a cabo en Asturias la elaboración de uno de sus productos más característicos: la sidra. Una vez recogidas las manzanas, y cuidado, porque no todas valen, se trasladan al lagar, o llagar, donde comenzará el proceso. Es en estos edificios donde se trituran las manzanas, ya que…
The Bogeyman, en español Posted by Adir on Sep 20, 2010
When we were kids we used to believe in the Bogeman, that legendary monster that comes to eat children who don’t want to go to sleep or who are crying for no reason. Here are some very common “lullabies” containing the bogeyman in Spanish. Duerme niño, duerme, (Sleep, kid, sleep) duerme, que viene el coco…
Bandoleros Posted by Magda on Sep 16, 2010
Historic events often facilitate the formation of social groups and characters that turn into either heroes or villains. When these become important, art, literature, and even music, all contribute to their immortality. This is what happened in Spain with the figure of the bandit. Just like in many other countries, bandits, criminals, and smugglers have…
Borriquillo Posted by Magda on Aug 26, 2010
There are many indigenous species in Spain, but donkeys are among the ones I love the most. Maybe it’s because I didn’t have just a dog or a cat when I was a child, but I also considered our donkey as my personal pet. Although this animal’s name is a synonym for stubbornness, donkeys are…