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THE RAINBOW VILLAGE
Most European cities have their own gay neighbourhood, but there are few villages in the world that have it. Sitges is one of these, although, rather than talking about a neighbourhood, we could speak of a whole town. This town has spent decades specializing in gay tourism. The beauty of its beaches - Sant Sebastia was selected by the New York Times as the best urban beach in Europe-and the openness of its people might have helped. Also its proximity to Barcelona has made it a meeting place for the young, open cosmopolitan. Rainbow flags wave in the windows, male couples stroll holding hands peacefully, the atmosphere is similar to London's Soho, but, instead of gray buildings an -
Euroyeye: Northern Spain becomes mod
The arrival of August means the transformation of the identity and the current schedule of Gijón. This city in Asturias, in northern Spain, becomes mod. The Euroyeye festival fills the streets with collectors’ Lambretta and Vespa scooters and people dressed as they did in 1960s England. They come from all around the world and probably have spent months meticulously preparing the suits, jackets, boots and hairstyles that will complete their look on this first weekend of August when, for the last 18 years, the event has been held. They are fans of the music and cultural movement that was born in London in the late 50's and that now you can relive in the music of The Wh -
Night in the historical heart of Valencia
Valencia is much more than beach, paella, tigernut milk, fallas and monuments by Calatrava, the architect behind the City of Arts and Sciences. It is still has much more to offer. It has one of the richest and largest historical centres in the country, although many do not know its history. During the times when the district was rebuilt, it was not surprising to see works held up because under the foundations they had found remains with centuries of antiquity. The area where the present city was built contains Roman buildings, Arab walls and, of course, mediaeval architecture. The ancient city was surrounded by a defensive wall of which only two witnesses remain, the Quart -
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Dance Pop in the 19th century
Throughout the peninsula there are hundreds of old casinos, places so unlike the idea we have today of the casino such as those of Las Vegas. We refer to these elegant buildings that were also called art circles, scientific circles, forums and theatres. In Águilas, in the province of Murcia, on the shores of the East Coast, the old building is not only still standing, but has become the centre of nightlife at the weekends. Built over a hundred years ago, in the afternoon the association opens its doors and offers sessions of cultural activities in beautiful rooms with wide ceilings. With names from another time (the hall of mirrors, the cellar) and a white -
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Desert, stars and rock and roll
In this case, the pirate flag points to the treasure, and not to the ship. The maps locate its position between the western Mediterranean sky and the arid desert in the southeast of Spain. Here is El Bar de Jo, a picturesque premises (to describe it in some way) for drinks, which gathers motorcyclists, rock 'n' roll fanatics with tattoos, allergic summer-goers and the crowds and lovers of legendary dawns. It all started about 20 years ago when Jo, a French motorcyclist, decided to set up in Los Escullos, a setting between the sea and the Cabo de Gata hills on the eastern coast of Almería. Here he built a small beach huts between ficus trees, -
Sevillana Lesons
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The sun from a rooftop in Lavapiés
Lavapiés was originally the Jewish quarter of the Spanish capital and today is a multicultural area, maybe the most multicultural area in the city whose twisted district streets give us the former Escuelas Pías de Madrid, a school run by the religious order of the Escolapios which now belongs to the National Distance Learning University. Its rooftop houses a very curious cafe that serves as a bubble to isolate one from the urban bustle. This is the Gaudeamus Café, a premises whose main sign of identity is the large terrace that can take you away from everything while you gaze at the adjacent district from above. The Gaudeamus is a destination for all kinds of you -