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I need Spain
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I need Spain
Spain
via IneedSpain.com
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Almería, Eden under the sea
The waters of the province of Almería conceal an underwater world of sublime richness. Off its coast, the Mediterranean marine life meets the Atlantic species of all kinds that live together in a spectacular amalgam of biodiversity, undoubtedly fed by the reserves and nature parks in the province. Lobsters, sunfish, rays, pollock and, if we are lucky, the odd visits from turtles, tunas and dolphins, make the enclave a magnificent spot for divers all year round. Can you imagine going into the water in the sun and looking back over your shoulder at the snowy peaks of the Sierra de Gádor? On the Almeria coast you can. From Roquetas de Mar to Villaricos, AlmeriaI need Spain
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The elevator and the castle
Opposite the Postiguet beach in Alicante is a cave that penetrates the depths of Mount Benacantil. It is not a cave to use, rather it is a narrow corridor cut into the rock. Finally there is an elevator that leads us to other times. At the other end of the lift, 165 meters up, stands the castle of Santa Barbara, a rocky fortress overlooking the bay of Alicante. 'Impregnable' is perhaps the word most commonly used to describe it. But the castle has been the scene of many battles that have not always ended well for its defenders. This bloody past together with its use more as a prison than a palace has fuelled its fame as an enchanted castle. Many have been the lovers of the ocI need Spain
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In Pan's footsteps
Some years ago, the people of San Rafael in Segovia saw how the modest clothing and military uniforms of the post war returned to their small town for several weeks. At that time, the young Ofelia escaped through the woods to let her imagination race while hiding from Carmen, her sick mother, and Vidal, her stepfather, a ruthless Francoist captain. There she plunged into the pines to meet Pan, a fantastic creature that led her in a parallel world in which she had to prove her bravery as a princess. These events occurred at the site located in the Sierra de Guadarrama, because this was the place was chosen by the Mexican director, Guillermo del Toro, as the stage for the movI need Spain
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The small Compostela
To reach Villafranca del Bierzo you have to follow a fence about two kilometres and continue to gradually venture into the past. This is a village of just 4,000 inhabitants that seems straight out of the Middle Ages, full of green walks and vertical relief. On your arrival, the first thing you see is the castle, known as the Palace of the Marquises of Villafranca, which to date is still inhabited. Among the vineyards, this dilapidated building from the sixteenth century, a residence occupied by these nobles until the seventeenth century, and later used as a prison. It is perhaps one of the most representative monuments of the character of a place that seems to resist change over tiI need Spain
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Treasure white in the Serra de Tramuntana
Among its virtues, the landscape of the largest of the Balearic Islands hides a corner that seems designed for poets, musicians and artisans. On the northwest coast of Majorca, Serra de Tramuntana rises imposingly above the Mediterranean, making a natural barrier for the island against the northern winds, winds that formerly came laden with snow. For centuries, this idyllic spot was a huge ice factory and important economic activity for its inhabitants. In spring, when the last snowfall ceased, the 'nevaters' went up to the highest areas of the mountain, about 900 meters above sea level, to collect and store what the clouds had left during the winter. Armed with shovels and bI need Spain
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Bibs for adults
An old Spanish proverb says "spring alters the blood." However, not only does it alter the blood, but also our diet. Spring is full of fruit and vegetables that give their best with the first rays of sun. One is the modest 'calçot', a type of fine onion with a delicate flavour. Eating it is a kind of ritual to start the spring in the warm areas surrounding the Ebro River as it passes through Catalonia. Beware, like every initiatory ritual, it has its rules: of course you can eat it in private but it certainly does not taste the same. Tradition has it that calçots should be eaten in the town square at a table with one’s neighboI need Spain
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The Picos de Europa mountains to the sea
They occupy a total area of 64,660 hectares with heights exceeding 2,500 meters and their northernmost point hardly 15 kilometres from the sea. The Picos de Europa, the most widely visited national park in Spain after the Teide National Park, are true giants just a step away from the coast. When one considers visiting these high rocky mountains covered with snow that lasts almost into the summer, people usually think of their popular cable car, climbing or mountaineering, but not of enjoying the sand, sun and the crystal clear water of the sea. However, this area of the Bay of Biscay governed by the great peaks offers travellers the chance to explore the coast on foot or byI need Spain
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The island within walking distance
Presiding the San Simon opening in the Vigo estuary, there is an island of the same name. Connected to its neighbour San Anton by a bridge, the two islands together measure 250 metres wide and 84 long and, according to tradition, when the tide is very low, a brave man can walk without the water reaching his neck to this piece of the history of Galicia. A Cultural Asset since 1999, San Simon’s character made the island a place not much recommended for a lot of recent history. Although until the 19th century several monastic orders inhabited the island, which was the scene of battles between the Portuguese and the Spanish, it was from 1838 when San Simon entered contemI need Spain
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The turnip, a healthy delicacy.
‘Grelos’ are turnip shoots or tops and a staple food in Galician cuisine. A delicacy when they are tender, these leaves should be harvested just before flowering, when they present a smooth, shiny and spotless appearance. In Galicia, this activity is called 'grelar' and the best times to do it are in winter and early spring; although thanks to greenhouse techniques they can be found throughout the year. The origin of this plant is not very clear. Some place it in Asia, others in Europe, but the truth is that in Spain they were only consumed and cultivated for many years in Galicia. What I have discovered is that turnip greens can help prevent cancer. In the studI need Spain
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There were once some hanging houses...
The city of Cuenca is high. Very high. At more than 900 metres above ground level, its profile is a block that rises above the ground. Marked by incredible buildings that had the old city declared a World Heritage Site in 1996, among all of the buildings the hanging houses stand out for their originality and mystery as structures built on a cliff that make one feel dizzy by just looking at them. Although it is said that in times past much of the cliff was full of this type of construction, now only three survivors still defy gravity every day. With an uncertain origin in the centuries of the Reconquest of the Iberian Peninsula, it is not known whether they are Arab or Christian but iI need Spain
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Dolphins of the Galician estuaries
In Galicia dolphins are called 'golfiños'. In the Galician estuaries, one of them named Gaspar gained such local fame that it had its own page on Wikipedia, after visiting the port of Cangas do Morrazo. There is a resident population of dolphins living off the coast of Galicia, with the peculiarity that they coexist happily with humans. "We have identified about 300", explains biologist and director of the NGO Coordinadora para el Estudio dos Mamíferos Marinos (CENMA), Alfredo Lopez, "but we estimate that the total population is about 600." Identified by photos of their fins, these cetaceans of the Galician estuaries have been seen to have opI need Spain
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Aigüestortes. Wateeeeer!
In a privileged and breathtaking location, it is the only Spanish Pyrenees Nature Park, bathed by the lake of San Mauricio. Presumably the reader cares little about what happened in the Quaternary. Until they get to Aigüestortes, of course. Once there, you will marvel and wonder how it is that this mountain was carved with such dizzying peaks over 3,000 meters high, almost cut with a knife. The blame lies with the Quaternary. At that time, glaciers cut stone like a knife through butter and nothing stopped them. They made way for the streams and reservoirs that have later given the park the name of Aigüestortes, meaning no more than "crooked water", thanks to the tI need Spain
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‘Torrijas’
"Torrijas’, like every simple dish is delicious. Torrijas are nothing: pieces of fried bread with milk and sugar dressing." This is how Antonio Diaz-Cañabete described torrijas in a chapter devoted entirely to them in his Historia de una taberna. In this work, written in the '40s and focused on Antonio Sanchez’s tavern in Madrid, the writer praises this typical Spanish sweet that is eaten during Holy Week and the days of Lent that precede it, but which also enjoyed unconditional success in the most traditional taverns, accompanied, of course, by a glass of wine. Like many traditional dishes, torrijas reveal their humble originI need Spain
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The Kings "roscón"
The Roscón de Reyes is a donut-shaped bun which is never missing from the Spanish tables on January 6, the Epiphany. It is started in the morning with a cup of hot chocolate or coffee, and continues throughout the day. This bun with milk, flour, sugar, eggs and orange blossom water can be served filled with whipped cream, vanilla cream, truffles, marzipan and chocolate, and usually has sugar, candied fruits and nuts on top. The special thing about this dessert is that hidden inside there is a figurine and a dry bean: he who finds the figurine in his piece of roulade will be lucky for the whole year, he who finds the bean, however, will have to pay for the roulade. ThI need Spain
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Missing the beach, Planning a trip to Fuerteventura, mix of African & Tropical beaches with Spanish culture and food
I need Spain
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via @esantist
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Wineries in the rocks of Borja
Borja is a small town in the province of Zaragoza with a huge wine tradition. The difference with other areas of vineyards lies in the peculiarity of its first winery, built centuries ago in the rock of the hills. 19th-century Borjan traders served from within the mountain and their offices were converted over time into family residences and holiday homes. In any case, wine remains a benchmark in the Campo de Borja region and the Moncayo, its neighbour. It is true that a few months ago the region’s, and the world’s, attention was drawn to the controversial restoration of the church’s Ecce Homo by a lady with the priest’s agreement. However, the worldI need Spain
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Mahon and mayonnaise
Take oil, egg yolks, vinegar and salt. Break the eggs and place the yolks in a bowl, add a little vinegar and salt. Proceed to beat well, steadily, and when you see that it is stiffening, pour the oil in a very thin jet to produce the emulsion and the mayonnaise. This is the simple recipe for the manual preparation of one of the sauces most used in the world and whose origin has been a major headache for scholars of these things since the early twentieth century. The prevailing theory on the origin of mayonnaise has one cardinal year: 1756. At that time France invades the port of Mahon, on Minorca, and the then Duke of Richilie, Louis François Armand du PI need Spain
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Waiter, some bravas!
‘Patatas bravas’ are one of the most traditional and popular tapas outside of Spain. The reason for such success lies in the potatoes, cut into small irregular pieces and then fried in olive oil until they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, but above all in the sauce that accompanies them: salsa brava, with as many versions as there are cooks. With onion, flour, sauce and red pepper, but without tomato; with tomato sauce and chilli, or; even in its less orthodox version, with mayonnaise, ketchup and Tabasco, the fact is that salsa brava is, first of all, a hot sauce. Hence its name and also its origin: the spicier the potatoes, the more beer was needed toI need Spain
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The place where a virgin emerges from the waters
In Asturias they like to repeat that their land is a natural paradise. One example that works better than any slogan is that of the views that can be enjoyed at the lakes that are part of the park of Covadonga, where peace reigns before an omnipresent virgin, submerged under the water. Let time stop, let’s allow the roundness of the landscape makes us feel somewhat smaller before the majesty of the Picos de Europa. From the Basilica de la Virgen as the park is named, a climb of about fourteen kilometres begins along a winding road leading to the Enol and La Ercina lakes. A third lagoon, El Bricial, forms when the snows melt. This unit, which forms part of the Picos de EuropaI need Spain
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The Rompido Arrow
On the coast of Huelva, just 15 kilometres from Punta Umbria, tidal movements have built up sand over hundreds of years and, between Piedras estuary and the Atlantic Ocean, have created a paradise of a golden beach 12 kilometres long. Some call it the Rompido Arrow, others New Umbria and it is more similar to the Caribbean coast than Huelva. Three Euros and four minutes get you there. Each day a boat crosses the few tourists who want to explore this virgin beach dotted with gorse. Here there are no bars, no showers, and no supermarkets. Only sand and sea. The surf is not very strong due to the river currents and many take advantage of the tranquillity of the area to do nudism. In theI need Spain
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Calella, a hymn to Havana
If there is a landmark event in the world of Habaneras, it is undoubtedly the Cantada d'Havaneres of Calella de Palafrugell. For 46 years, on the first Saturday of July, this small coastal village in the province of Gerona is adorned from top to bottom to pay tribute to a musical genre deeply rooted in the fishing villages along the Catalan coast. And if it is a tribute to a genre as strongly bound to the sea as the Habanera, the stage has to be consistent with the spirit and character of the sea. Port Bo beach, with its pristine white seafront buildings, arcades facing the sea, traditional fishing boats beached on the sand ... perfectly meets these requirements. And when the first noI need Spain
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