Getting a Feel of Pamplona's San Fermin festival

Image via WikipediaAuthor: Ash Ford

San Fermin is Spain's original and most popular fiesta with the locals and tourists. It is celebrated for as long as a week with plenty of noise and merry-making. There are plenty of activities that comprise the San Fermin festival with the famous local bull runs and all night merrymaking.

A local tradition

This famous festival, also called ‘Sanfermines' by the locals, sees the town totally vibrant in its merrymaking in Pamplona from July 6 to July 14 every year. It is celebrated in honor of Pamplona's saint, San Fermin. This festival is not only famous in Spain; it is world renowned as foreign tourists drop into the town by the thousands each year. The most exciting activity in this festival which has brought acclaimed fame to this place is the ‘Encierro,' otherwise known as the ‘Running of the Bulls.' This tradition is a dangerous activity for thousands of locals who would run with the bulls released on the streets. Each bull weighs about 6.5 tons and runs about 800 meters down the street in quite a frenzied manner.

San Fermin was first celebrated in September but now is celebrated in July from 1591 due to weather conditions.

Learn Catalan Cuisine at These Cooking Classes in Barcelona

Image by Jen SFO-BCN via FlickrBy M Ottersen
Madrid has recently become one of the most exciting culinary destinations in Europe. But we love the cuisine of Catalonia. Just as Barcelona has unique language, art, and architecture, the food there is also fresh and original.
The sunny climate means there's wonderful produce in abundance, and plenty of Mediterranean seafood and shellfish. And, of course, plenty of good wine to accompany your meal.
One of our favorite beverages in Barcelona was sangria made with Cava, the Spanish version of Champagne. Lighter and cleaner than the traditional red wine sangria, Cava sangria is made with lemons, limes, oranges, and occasionally strawberries. It's delightfully refreshing on a hot, summer day.
Cooking is an integral part of Catalonion culture and many of their traditions are based around food and enjoying good meals. Taking cooking classes in Barcelona will acquaint you with not only the cuisine, but also the culture, which the Catalonians fiercely try to preserve.
Romans, Jews, and Arabs have all been the dominant culture at one time or another, and each has left a mark on the local cuisine. Delicious and healthy, it makes the most of local ingredients, especially seafood.

Barcelona is blessed with one of the best food markets in Europe - La Boqueria - and many of the cooking classes in Barcelona start with a visit there. It's a great place to gather ingredients for a feast or simple picnic lunch. And it's a fun spot to grab a churro and hot chocolate for breakfast.
One of the most popular cooking classes is taught by Cook & Taste, which has taught more than 4,000 students. They offer 3-1/2 hour classes at 11AM and 5PM every day of the week. Following a trip to the market, students learn to make traditional dishes like paella, gazpacho, tortilla Espanol, and assorted tapas. Students with more time can take a three-day advanced class.
Another good choice is Catacurian, which has general classes, as well as classes that focus on tapas, paellas, or other specific dishes. Meals are served with wine from Priorat, cava, coffee, and brandy. The cost depends on how many people sign up.
GotoLearn offers both half and full-day classes from their school near the Placa San Jaume. Because classes are limited to a dozen participants, students receive personal attention.
Travelers staying in an apartment with a kitchen in Barcelona can call CatalanCooking. They'll come to your apartment and give you a cooking class there. Classes can be taught in English, German, or French, and you can choose from several three-course menus.
Find cooking classes in Florence, or Rome.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=M_Ottersen


http://EzineArticles.com/?Learn-Catalan-Cuisine-at-These-Cooking-Classes-in-Barcelona&id=5267653

Master the Tango While You Learn Spanish In Buenos Aires

Image via Wikipedia

Many students who have attended a Spanish school in Argentina have found that there are a variety of side benefits to spending time in this country. Any trip to South America is guaranteed to be a culturally enriching experience, not to mention a full social calendar. However, when you add learning the tango to the mix this makes the entire trip all the more memorable.

Spanish immersion programs have substantial advantages over learning the language in a university setting. One major benefit is that classes are limited to just 4 to 7 students. This is dramatically smaller than many university Spanish classes, which can sometimes have more than thirty students. Classes are 20 hours per week and typically run from one to four months and encompass skill levels ranging from beginner to advanced.

Look for a program that allows you to Add on tango courses when you learn Spanish in Buenos Aires. What would a typical dance schedule look like? Receive tango instruction during two or three weekly lessons. And beyond that you will want to leave time for 3 or 4 nights per week at the milongas, which are the famous tango clubs.

If you are worried about costs, Argentina will have a relatively light impact on your wallet. With a cost of living much lower than in the United States almost everything will be cheaper including food and rent. With that currency exchange leverage you should not be afraid to pay a bit more for quality, for example when you are seeking a place to stay two great neighborhoods to consider are Recoleta and Palermo. While living in these neighborhoods may be $20 or $30 more a week, it is well worth the extra cost to live in one of these beautiful and convenient locales. Getting around is cheap and easy, as inexpensive taxis are everywhere.

Buenos Aires is a vibrant and sprawling metropolis with so much to offer. In between your Spanish and tango lessons, there is a world of activities to explore. The MALBA, widely considered South America's best art museum, is a must see. Of course, as a world-class city, Buenos Aires is also full of great restaurants, European style cafes and theaters.

Nina Degiacomi, an attendee of Spanish school in Argentina from Switzerland stated, “I took a one month Spanish Course and to be honest, it was one of my best experiences I have ever had. All the teachers are absolutely great, you can learn a lot in just a few weeks. And the school organized great events everyday, like dancing lessons, city tours, weekend trips…I will never forget this time.” There is no doubt that it will be educational, fun and culturally rewarding to learn Spanish in Buenos Aires. The experience of studying and living abroad not only expands personal horizons, but also can lead to new career and life paths. Now just imagine adding, “I learned the tango,” to that already impressive list of accomplishments.


----------------------------------------------------
ECELA Buenos Aires arranges language and tango classes at its Spanish school in Argentina. Located in a modern building in comfortable Recoleta and certified by Cervantes Institute, it is considered Argentina's leading Spanish school. For more information => http://www.ecela.com/loc_bsas.php