CARNIVAL CELEBRATION IN MADRID

In Madrid, Carnival festivities is remarkable for their brilliance and dramatic flavor consisting of choruses, fancy-dress processions, jokes, disguises and float parade, flagrant procession, fancy-dress parades, and groups of street musicians, all reaching a climax on Wednesday. During the days of Carnival you would find yourself enveloped with an unsubduable spirit of love and gaeity. If you're thinking about visiting Madrid in February, during Carnival, you will notice the city is busier than normal. Madrid is a city that loves to party and in this time you will have your fair share of bars, clubs and parties to attend.

Carnival has been celebrated in Madrid since Medieval times. However this tradition of merry making was quashed in 1938 and banned for about 40 years by General Franco, who banned the carnival since the Civil War. With the establishment of democracy in 1976 this ban was lifted and ever since, the popular event is celebrated every year.

Madrid carnival may not match up to the standards of the one in Canary islands, but it sure finishes in style. A number of fancy dress competitions are held in different parts of the city and an evening concert is organized in the Plaza Mayor. The main event is a huge parade along the Paseo de la Castellana. Here you can see some of the pics I took of it last Saturday evening.

Cibeles Fountain

On the last day i.e. on Wednesday of Carnival the pre-Lenten party culminates on Ash with the Entierro de La Sardina, the Burial of the Sardine. This is a Spanish tradition that ridicules the ancient ecclesiastical tradition of burying the fat to mark the beginning of Lenten fasting. The traditional "Entierro de la Sardina" (The Burial of the sardine) is held with the participants all dressed in black carrying a cardboard sardine in a coffin which is theatrically and mournfully buried at a famous fountain (Fuente de los Pajaritos), marking the beginning of the fasting and reflection associated with Lent .The "fun times" are buried because of la Cuaresma (the Lent) - a time of fasting and praying takes over. The sardine is a symbol which reminds the people that now they will be eating fish instead of meat.

The most popular and fanciest of the fancy dress parties (costume parties as we would call them) takes place at the Círculo de Bellas Artes. This party features a masked ball, as well as live music and DJ performances. Everything is allowed: Humans transform themselves into animals, males become females, peons strut like kings, social station is scorned, decorum is debunked and blasphemy goes unblamed.

People tend to use Carnival as a time to transform themselves...... into anything.

People dress up as animals, men dress up like women,

and it all adds up to one big spectacle.

Out of curiosity, which fancy dress would you choose

to wear in Carnival?

Sources:
http://www.asiarooms.com/
http://www.blogonetravel.com/

HAPPY 2012 TO EVERYBODY!

I haven't had much time in the last days to keep updated this Sangria, Sol y Siesta blog (as you probably know, I have three blogs more to look after and care too and besides, Christmas holidays take up a lot of my time jejeje....) but I don't want to let this year go without sending you all my best wishes and tell you that I have enjoyed this year posting and having you as visitors or followers, I hope it will continue like this next year!

I hope this year brings peace

and happiness to everyone, I wish everyone

the strengh to get through any problems they may have,

going into the New Year with hope and positive thinking,

wishing you all the best.

HAPPY NEW YEAR!! 

And I leave you here a youTube video with a song of one of my old favourite groups: ABBA

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL!

From this blog I want to congratulate to all  who come here, to casual readers, to the faithful followers bloggers, to non-bloggers visitors but who stroll here daily, to real friends, to the virtual friends, to those who love Christmas and to those who get sad on these holidays .... to all of you, I wish you a very Happy Christmas to you and your loved ones!

DON JUAN TENORIO, PERFORMED IN ALL SAINTS' DAY

All Saints' Day is a feast day celebrated on 1st November. The first thing you will notice are the graveyards to be unusually full of flowers. The Spaniards remember their dearly departed on All Saints' Day and bring flowers to the graves and pray for them.

Although Spain's celebration of Halloween is having strong draft in the past few years, there is a very traditional celebration in this country whose date coincides with All Souls' Day and is the theatrical representation of Don Juan Tenorio (the very famous and mythical character from which so many versions have been made) that takes place during the first week of November.

Don Juan Tenorio performed by Errol Flynn

and another version performed by Johnny Depp in Don Juan di Marco

The story is based on a book written by Jose Zorrilla in 1844. And it chronicles the adventures of Don Juan Tenorio, a young gentleman delivered to a wild life of gambling, womanizing and duels. The beginning of the plot is actually a bet between him and another young man to see who will do more harm in a year. This fact triggers another bet most outlandish if possible that consists of Don Juan to get to seduce a young novice, Ines, and the fiancee of the other young man. Don Juan is getting everything that he has proposed very skillfully, but each time his soul gets lost more and more. At the end of the play he must literally face his ghosts and only the love that the young Inés feels for him will be able to save him to perish eternally in hell.

But what is the real origin of the custom of this theatrical celebration of Don Juan Tenorio the eve of All Saints’ Day? A review of the history and tradition tells us that the representations were not unusual in funerals services. In Greek and Roman times the origins of the theater were the religious rites of representation. And in Spain and elsewhere in Europe there were the 17th allegorical religious play. They were liturgical forms which are held in the church, but that little by little after the clergy grow and a liturgy for clergy is created, they are pushed into the porch of the church first, and then away from it. Inevitable, because the story increasingly grows being too profane and scurrilous to be inserted in the sacred drama, and they are incompatible with the dignity of the temple.

The processions of the dead in the name of this day to bury the unburied dead (usually executed exposed to the entrance of the village to notice and warning residents and outsiders), with all the paraphernalia that accompanied them, including some dances with skulls, had a dramatic deep-rooted.

In ancient Rome there were sang the glories of the deceased and extolled their virtues. This drama was part of the funeral, which was one of great intensity: the chorus of mourners paid, the more numerous the higher the status of the deceased, who accompanied the funeral procession of pain screaming, demanding the return of the deceased, clawing at their faces, tearing their hair, tearing clothes and writhing. And the great Roman families offered to people within the funeral of their dead, the representation of a play, usually a moral one.

So to mix All Saints’ Day with theatre was nothing new. And that is why Don Juan Tenorio drama permeated so deeply, besides part of the drama unfolds in the cemetery.

And this is the reason this play keeps on to be performed in Spain every year during this date. Anyway, I wish a Happy Halloween to all visitors, friends and followers of  Sangria, Sol y Siesta!

¿Truco o trato?

(trick or treat?)

and the sweet thing about All Saints' Day:

Saints'  Bones.......... and Saints' Buñuelos!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!!
 

GRAPE HARVEST FESTIVALS IN SPAIN

La "Vendimia", known in English as “vintage”, refers to the process of picking the grapes and creating the finished product, that is, the WINE. Most grape harvests in Spain begin on the 21st of September, the day of Saint Matthew, though the actual vintage (grape collecting process) often starts a week early or late, depending on the weather conditions of the year and lasts around one month. This year the vendimia harvest season has come in advance in Spain, due to a warm spring, cool temperatures in July and to a very hot August. Every year, the harvest signals the end of the grape-growing season and after the work is done it is time to celebrate the good crop in style.

But how is the process of grape harvest about?

The process of harvesting is done by hand when the grade, colour and acidity of the grapes have reached the optimum level and individual grapes are selected based on their ripening estate.

To detach the grapes of the vine, it has to be used “corquete” (curved knives). During the harvest the grapes picker have to be very careful with all the material that comes into contact with the grapes, to be very clean and in perfect condition to prevent the grapes to be in touch with any agent which would alter its quality.

The fruit collected is placed in wicker baskets (with capacity 15 to 20 kg.) and wood containers (80 to 120 kg). These containers are loaded on trailers vintage tractors, making sure that the volume of grapes does not exceed 50 inches so that the grapes reach the winery whole without the fermentation process begis earlier than necessary. Once the grapes arrive at the winery, inmediately the long process of winemaking starts.

The grape harvest festivals that are held in many places in Spain offer a sample of what the work of wine is like and of its typical popular customs. And you can have the chance to see first-hand some of the tasks involved in the winemaking process. These include the traditional treading of the grapes and the tasting of the first must. Wine related events are often organised as well, such as tasting sessions, "al fresco" (in the open air)  meals or open days at wineries. The Rioja Grape Harvest Festivals and the Autumn Festivals are among the most famous ones, however you will find that these celebrations are held in many locations in each of Spain’s winemaking areas.

You will find many very good, quality wines in Spain which enjoy international prestige. A special time to enjoy this typically Spanish product is in early autumn and the festivities of the grape harvest are a great opportunity to participate in the traditions and ambience of the winemaking culture.

La "Vendimia" is also celebrated in other places such as France and Latin America, for example, in Argentina it is a national holiday and one of the most important.

SANLUCAR DE BARRAMEDA BEACH HORSE RACES

The Sanlúcar Horse Races are one of the biggest sporting and social events of the Andalusian summer, declared of International Tourist Interest. These days it will focus once again, thousands of residents and visitors on the beaches of Bajo de Guía. They attract horses, riders and spectators from all over Europe. It is estimated that somewhere in the region of 50,000 spectators assemble on the beaches to enjoy the races.

There are two race meetings about a fortnight apart with the dates depending on the tide timetables for August. This year it will be held from 10 to August 12 and 25 to 27 this month. They take place on the beach at Sanlúcar de Barrameda near Jerez de la Frontera (Cádiz) in Andalucia. Officially these famous horse races have been taking place since 1845. This year 2011 celebrates the 166th edition of the races. You can check this year's races dates on the official Sanlucar Horse Races website (press HERE).

These races are considered the oldest in Spain and also hold the title of the ancient world held at beaches rather than a racetrack. Riders wear traditional colours and caps and the races are run over distances ranging between 1.2km and 2km. Prize money over the meeting amounts to several million euros, with winnings for each race ranging from a few hundred to several thousand. The biggest prize goes to the winner of the 'Gran Premier Ciudad de Sanlúcar' which takes place on the final day of racing over a 2km course.

This little town lies on the estuary of the River Guadalquivir overlooking the Doñana National Park. Even without the horses Sanlúcar is a charming place to visit. Historically, it served as the setting off point for the expeditions of Columbus in 1498 and Magellan in 1519 and is well known as part of the famous "Sherry Triangle" along with Jerez de la Frontera and El Puerto de Santa Maria. Visitors should head down to the riverside at Bajo de Guía where there are some superb restaurants offering local seafood delicacies which you can enjoy with a glass of manzanilla as the sun goes down over Doñana.

To see more about these races, click on this link:

http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/spanish-festivals/sanlucar-horse-races.htm

Source:

http://www.carrerassanlucar.es/index.html

http://www.spanish-fiestas.com/

SNAPS OF SAN ISIDRO CELEBRATION, THE PATRON SAINT

If you fancy to read and learn more about this celebration, please click on the link of the post I wrote last year about it: San Isidro celebration.

THE CHOTIS DANCING:

And to finish this post so "madrileño" today, I am linking a video of the traditional madrileño dance: the "chotis", but firstly I am leaving just a few words about its origin:

The term "chotis" is a Castilianization of the word "schottisch", that means "Scottish" in German. To dance a "Schottisch" meant a slow Polka. In Madrid the chotis dance was first performed in 1850 at the Royal Palace, and so it was called "German Polka", shortly after it became the most traditional and popular dance in Madrid. Since then chotis has been performed in all the traditional feasts in Madrid (San Isidro, San Antonio and La Paloma).

Please pause the Ipod first  (sorry, the image quality

is not perfect but I haven't found a better copy)

see the man's feet.........

¡FELIZ SEMANA SANTA! HAPPY EASTER!

Since this year I haven't had enough time to post something new about this celebration, please allow me to leave here some posts about Easter in Spain which I wrote last year and where you can get to just clicking on the link. With some words explaining about this celebration in Spain, with some photos taken of a procession (a religious parade) and with a yummy recipe about the most typical  dessert we enjoy on these Easter Holidays: las torrijas.

Easter Week in Spain

Photos taken of a procession

How to make yummy torrijas

I hope you enjoy the three posts!

And Happy Easter for all the bloggers friends

and friends and new visitors!

THE FALLAS VALENCIANAS CELEBRATION, A GREAT OUTBURST OF LIGHTS AND FIRE

The Fallas are a Valencian traditional celebration in praise of Saint Joseph (the patron saint of carpenters) in Valencia, Spain (in the middle of the Mediterranean coast). They celebrate the final days of the winter and the arrival of spring with spectacular fires and pyrotechnics.

The term "Fallas" refers to both the celebration and the monuments created during this celebration and it means "fire", "torches". It is Valencia's most international festival. From March 15 to 19th (the feast of Saint Joseph) the city fills with huge cardboard monuments called "ninots" (these are as puppets or dolls), for a competition that is marked by art, ingenuity and good taste.

There are different theories regarding the origin of the Falles Festival, One of them suggests that the Fallas started in the Middle Ages, when artisans put out their broken artifacts and pieces of wood that they sorted during the winter then burnt them to celebrate the spring equinox. At first they would make them look like human forms by decorating them with old clothes, in the mid 19th century they began to increase in size and height and to improve their forms, becoming huge decorative statues (some of them are created in excess of 30 meters).

During Fallas many people dress in the regional and Valencian costumes from different eras of Valencia's history, mainly in medieval clothing.

Most Valencian people...... dress up in Fallas Celebration

The "ninots" and their "fallas" are developed according to an agreed upon theme that was and continues to be a satirical jab at anything or anyone unlucky enough to draw the attention of the critical eyes of the fallers (the celebrants themselves).

Footballer Iker Casillas and

his journalist girlfriend, Sara Carbonero

Each day of Fallas week begins at 5 am with "la despertá" (the wake up call). Brass bands appear from the casals and begin to march down every road playing lively music.

yummy "buñuelos" (fritters) with hot chocolate

The "mascletá" is an explosive display of coordinated firecracker and fireworks barrages, that takes place in each neighbourhood at 2 pm every day of the festival, the main one takes place in the County Hall square.

There is also an offering of flowers to the Virgin, that occurs all day on the days 17th and 18th of March. The Virgin's body is then built with these flowers. They create a mountain of flowers 14 metres high.

And on the final night of Fallas, around midnight on March 19th, all the "Fallas" are burnt as huge bonfires and this is known as the "Cremá" (the burning) and this is of course the climax of the whole event  and the reason why the constructions are called "fallas" . The "Cremá" is a fascinating spectacle of light, music and fireworks. All of the fallas are burnt except one ninot which, elected by a popular vote, is saved from the flames to form part of the collection at the Fallero Museum (the local Museum of ninots).

Undoubtedly the Fallas is one of the most unique and amazing festivals in Spain. I have to admit that I have never been to these celebration, but I have promised myself I'll go to visit it one of these years, though when I go I will remember to take with me a big box of earplugs!