This is yours truly with another episode of some news from Spain !!! Lots of things going on , and summer weather is very hot temps all over This is Spain, let me tell you my latest news chosen by yours truly, By the way CLXIII is old Roman numeral for 163, Hope you enjoy this post as I.
According to the figures on the cinema handled by the Ministry of Culture in its 2023 report, Navarra and La Rioja are the autonomous communities with more rooms per inhabitant, with 9.4 and 9.3 per 100,000, respectively. However, they are an exception, the rest of autonomies with lower population density are those that have fewer movie theaters per inhabitant. In short, removing the cases Navarra and La Rioja, emptied Spain is also empty of cinemas. In fact, Extremadura occupies the red lantern and is the community with fewer movie theaters per inhabitant, followed by Aragon and Castilla-La Mancha on the contrary, those that have more population density such as the Basque Country, Madrid or the Valencian Community, are the ones with the most rooms. In Madrid and Catalonia, each spectator spent an average of 7 euros every time come to watch a movie. On the contrary, the expense in La Rioja only reached 5.5 euros and in Navarra at 5.8 euros. Madrid was where the most spent per inhabitant in 2023: 15.9 euros for each in the entire years (that is, the sum of the times that person has gone to the cinema).Almost triple the collection per inhabitant that is collected in Extremadura, 5.5 euros, and more than double than in other communities that also suffer from depopulation such as Asturias, Galicia or Castilla y León. Yes indeed many of my cinemas in Madrid are gone now or use for something else, sadly,
An interesting fact ; the Spanish language, also known as Castilian, is full of linguistic curiosities. Among them, one of the most intriguing is to determine which is the most used letter in daily communication although the letter “A” is the most common in the Dictionary of the Royal Spanish Academy (RAE), it is the letter “E” the one that It predominates in daily communication. The predominance of “E” is remarkable and, together with the “A” and the “O”, forms the most used trio of letters in spoken Spanish. Approximately half of any Spanish text is composed of vowels, underlining its importance in the structure of the language. A complete classification of the ten most used letters would be: E, A, O, S, R, N, I, D, L and C. At the opposite end, the less used letters in Spanish are the “X”, “K” and the “W”. Another letter that, although very representative, is little used is the “ñ”. This letter originated in the medieval era, when the copies abbreviated the words with double “n” using a tilde on the letter. Yes indeed and if you know 21 Republic and Spanish is a bit different in all ,even in regions within a country ! Diverse melting pot !!! Webpage of Spanish academies : https://www.asale.org/
The “Monumental Eurocup” organized by National Geographic travel, which has had the participation of several of the most iconic monuments in Europe. In the quarterfinals, Neuschwanstein (Germany) faced the Alhambra de Granada (Spain), the Palace of Versailles (France) , the monastery of the Jerónimos (Portugal), Santa Sofía (Turkey) against the mills of Kinderdjik (Netherlands), and Chillon Castle (Switzerland) , Stonehenge (United Kingdom). The semifinalists included the Alhambra of Granada, the Palace of Versailles, Santa Sofía and Stonehenge, offering a tough competition. However, the final of the Monumental Eurocup was played between the Alhambra of Granada and Santa Sofía de Istanbul. The Alhambra de Granada won a resounding 98% of the votes, highlighting not only for its architectural beauty, but also because of its rich cultural and historical heritage. Located in the Albaicín neighborhood, this palatial and fortified set of the Nasrid era, The official National Geographic on the winner Alhambra : https://viajes.nationalgeographic.com.es/a/ya-semifinales-quien-ganaria-eurocopa-monumental_20755
Big news in Spain when Juana de Aizpuru donates to Queen Sofía Museum 55 works (40 of Spanish artists from the 90s and first of the 2000 and 9 of foreign artists), The donation of the veteran gallery owner are added the photographs of the Japanese Yasumasa Morimura ,and the personal archive of the artist Darío Villalba, among the donated works are a series of sculptural facilities of Ana Laura Allah that come to complete its representation in the musuem collection. Hombre Rana 1995, White Chocolate Lipsticks, 1999 and Lipsticks 3, 2001, are sculptural groups of great interest in their chronology and very representative of the production of a key artist in recent decades in Spain. The artist Yasumasa Morimura (Osaka, Japan), which was formed in Fine Arts at the University of Kyoto (1978) and soon experienced great interest in the work of Cindy Sherman, has also donated to the Reina Sofia museum Pinacoteca 17 works among them , images of the series’ Requiem for the XX Century ‘and’ An Inner Dialogue with Frida Kahlo (2001). webpage : https://www.museoreinasofia.es/en/visit
The Cavia 2024 Awards, Don Felipe (king) has presided at the ABC headquarters the delivery of these centenary awards the ABC Mariano Cavia Journalism, Luca de Tena and Mingote awards, who with more than one hundred years of history are the most prestigious old awards of Spanish journalism. The winners in the 104th edition have been the filmmaker Rodrigo Cortés, with the Mariano de Cavia award; television reporter Rosa María Calaf, with the Luca de Tena award; and the photojournalist Said Khatib, Mingote Prize. Webpage : https://www.newmyroyals.com/2024/07/spains-king-and-queen-attended-2024-abc.html
The Monumental bullring of Las Ventas, last Thursday, July 18, 2024 on the Fourth night bullfight of the contest ‘Cénate Las Ventas’. With El Cotillo steers, well presented. obedient as a whole, with 1st and 2nd options. Participants : Manolo Vázquez, of Grana and Gold.From Seville. Medium crossed and several unhappy. Notice (silence). In the room, short lunge (silence). Fabio Jiménez, from Rioja and Gold.Stocking that made guard and several punctures (greetings). In the fifth, lunge (greetings).and Mario Navas, Blue Soraya and Gold.Half a half (silence). In the sixth, puncture and lunge (greetings). Wonderful tradition me think, webpage Madrid tourist office : https://www.esmadrid.com/en/whats-on/cenate-ventas-ventas-bullring
The Sorolla museum closes its doors temporarily until 2026 to expand its rooms ! The museum will close its doors on October 1, 2024 after registering its best years of public visits. For the first time in the more than 110 years of history of the building, an integral performance of this type is undertaken, since in the 40s, 50s, 80s and 2000s, partial interventions had been carried out the Sorolla Museum faces a technical challenge : Prepare the disassembly, packaging and transfer of the entire collection of the museum, formed by about 9,000 cultural goods, of which 1,400 are Sorolla paintings. Yes closes for the better, this is a little must to see museum in Madrid and Spain, love it, Webpage Madrid tourist office : https://www.esmadrid.com/en/tourist-information/sorolla-museum
Something challenging to see more of my dear Spain : The churches of the Serrablo (province of Huesca), a mixture of influences between the Romanesque Lombardo that began to arrive from Europe and the local Muslim art that enlightened a new style, the Mozarabic, of which the churches of the Serrablo are one of their best exponents. They highlight those of Santa María de Isún de Basa, Satué, San Juan de Busa or that of San Bartolomé de Gavín. Although the most beautiful and worked from all the churches of the Serrablo is that of San Pedro de Lárredo. See more at the Association Friends of Serrablo: https://www.serrabrab.org/ and the Aragon region tourist office : https://www.turismodearagon.com/en/ficha/ruta-iglesias-serrablo/
Another nearby is Montañana (province of Huesca), The historic region of La Ribagorza, one of the foundational pieces of the kingdom of Aragon, one of the most unique is Montañana, the medieval City center with the most charming of all the low Ribagorza, a town whose streets, full of arches and sharp corners are not accessible by car. On the rock that dominates the place, the prison tower stands out, which belonged to the old fortress, and the Church Nuestra Señora de Baldós, whose fortified air evidence that before temple was bastion. Webpage Aragon region tourist office : https://www.turismodearagon.com/en/ficha/montanana-huesca/
The Burgos province town of Peñalba de Castro welcomes Clunia Cultural , which offers classical works, courses, guided tours and archaeological workshops. It was one of Hispania’s main colonies for more than 20 centuries. During the reign of Tiberius, in the first century, being administrative capital of northern Iberia and an archaeological enclave of great interest, in which the forum, the hot springs, the basilica and the acropolis stand out, not forgetting the magnificent Roman theater, with capacity for about 10,000 spectators , whose restoration has been awarded multiple occasions. Two hours from cities such as Madrid or Valladolid, the Festival will count this year from August 9 to 17 2024 with a program of five plays. Among them stands out Pandataria, directed and choreographed by Chevi Muraday (National Dance Award in 2006) with Laila Ripoll text, which mixes theater, urban dance and artistic languages, and has Cayetana Guillén Cuervo as the protagonist. The unpublished work with text by Lope de Vega Marqués de Las Navas, is inspired by real events and historical characters. It is a supernatural drama, with sword duels, flights, dead and spectra. The cultural proposal of the event is completed with theatrical visits where archaeological and historical reality is combined with the dramatic vision of the theater.
The official Clunia : https://clunia.es/
A beautiful City of my dear Spain, Zaragoza is for many a place of passage.(indeed for me for many years) It is just three hours from other great capitals such as Madrid, Barcelona, Valencia or Bilbao, so whoever visits it usually does it as a stop on a longer trip or as a day, fleeting just some of its charms. The Plaza del
Pilar is the largest pedestrian square in Europe, the place where all the public holidays of Zaragoza are held and so busy that the locals call it the city hall !! The Basilica de Nuestra Señora del Pilar is one of the two active cathedrals of the city, something exceptional. It is a colossal building between Baroque and neoclassical whose interior is decorated with paintings of three universal Aragonese: Ramón Bayeu, his brother Francisco Bayeu (Court painter of Carlos III) and his brother -in -law, the famous Francisco de Goya. A few steps the other cathedral stands, the Seo del Salvador (Savior) 12C, in the space that first
occupied the forum of the Roman Cesaraugusta and, later, the main mosque (in its bell tower is still preserved part of the minaret ). Next to it, the Museo del Puerto Fluvial de Cesaraugusta or river port museum, which recounts the importance of the city as Roman port of the Ebro river. The Fuente de la Hispanidad or Hispanicity fountain, dedicated to the arrival in America of Christopher Columbus, currently under renovation. Just behind, together with the remains of the Roman wall and the central market, it features the sculpture of César Augusto, first emperor of Rome, under whose mandate Zaragoza was founded and given by the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini to the city in 1940. In the rear of
the Plaza del Pilar, is the Museo de Goya Colección Ibercaja Museo Camón Aznar or Goya Museum Ibercaja Collection Camón Aznar (Calle Espoz and Mina, 23). Located in a beautiful Renaissance palace, it seeks to spread the figure of the painter and engraver born in Fuendetodos, province of Zaragoza. It does it through 500 works that include the complete collection of their engravings and several of its paintings, including its first self-portrait. How were the bakeries pastry shops at the end of the 19C in Fantoba, calle Don Jaime I, 21 ; founded in 1856, it still retains the decoration with Egyptian motifs, fashionable at
that time, the result of the dazzling archaeological discoveries in Egypt. In 1995 it was bought by Alejandro Molina, a painter and sculptor who kept the recipe book. Today his daughter, Ivana,
continues to prepare traditional sweets such as Aragon fruit, etc, The Parque Grande José Antonio Labordeta, the lung of the city, a set of gardens, small forests and walks that still does not meet a century, has already opened in 1929 on the occasion of the Spanish-American exhibition, and that talks about the city. Although the city is full of parks, the local Zaragozanos choose this to walk, practice sports, and meet, The Canal Imperial de Aragón, or imperial channel of Aragon passes by the park, one of the most important hydraulic works in Spain in the 17C. It is a 110 -km of irrigation channel between Fontellas (Navarra) and Ebro Fuentes (Zaragoza). Today you can no longer travel in a boat, but there are routes to walk with it and observe the fauna and flora that has been developed in its environment. The Zaragoza tourist office : https://www.zaragoza.es/sede/portal/turismo/ver-y-hacer/destacamos?locale=en
An interesting article not related to Spain but worth mentioning it here as it does tell of something many do not think so but I do I do, The Skytrax organization prepares a list with the preferred airports for passengers. The list is based on a series of experiences that give them a unique uniqueness. In order from top to bottom are ; Doha Hamad International (Qatar), Singapore Changi, Seoul Incheon (South Korea), Tokyo Haneda (Japan), Tokyo Narita (Japan), Paris Charles de Gaulle (France), 6th place ok !! Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Munich (Germany), Zurich (Switzerland) and Istanbul (Turkey)
Choices choices despite many publications that Madrid emptied out in August not true many places are open and if hungry these are some of my choices ok
Frankie Burger in the new location (the fifth already in Madrid) of this chain of hamburger, inspired by those traditional born in the 20’s, Named Better Burger in Spain in 2022. 100 % minced cow meat every day, the menu includes three entrants and two desserts: cheese and chocolate cake. Calle Lagasca, 33, webpage : https://frankieburgers.es/madrid/
Casa de Comidas/ Bikini Bar , The new image of the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding arrives accompanied by a gastro proposal. While at the Casa de Comidas the offer is based on the flavors that have marked the chef, there is a lot of seasonal product, fish, spoon dishes, in Bikini Bar is paid tribute to one of the iconic dishes of Sevilla. Here you play with the quantity, there are sweet and salty versions and a level cocktail menu. Calle Padre Damián, 23 webpage Bikini Bar : https://www.bikinibarandcocktail-madrid.com/en/
Also, Casa de Comidas : https://www.casadecomidas-restaurante.com/en/#location
And the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding hotel restaurants : https://www.nh-collection.com/fr/hotel/nh-collection-madrid-eurobuilding/restaurants
Club Financiero Génova, since it opened its doors to the general public, the club has refined its gastronomic proposal. The last thing they have set up the Familia La Ancha and Azotea Grupo has been a night brunch with delicacies such as the Roman txangurro, the Madrid club, the Galician veal stake, the red-maíz tuna and the chinesco bull tail. The portion of Pizza Madrid has brave ears. It is under reservation and is available every day from 20h30 to 22h30. Calle Marqués de la Ensenada, 14 webpage : https://www.clubfinancierogenova.com/
Abya, the eclectic restaurants located in the iconic Palacio de Saldaña has just launched a new proposal for the unconditional of the appetizer. Its all Day Aperitivo is designed to enjoy it at any time of the day and includes three dishes: Russian salad with tuna ventresque, eggplant backed with honey and one of the restaurant’s classics, croquetas, “the usual ones” of Nellota ham. All accompanied by a St. Petroni vermou. Calle Ortega y Gasset, 32 webpage : https://abya.es/en/home-abya-eng/
I dare go into this domain not really handle well but with my sons and the memory of their mom ,my dear late wife Martine, the Frenchie taught us well, We love lasagna and do it often at home, Some advice from the experts (not us) : Tips to prepare the best homemade lasagna, taking advantage of Lasagine Day (July 29 2024 !) First, this chef speaks of “choosing good quality ingredients” secondly, speaks of “letting the ingredients of the tomato sauce cook over low heat.” If not , we will not get everything as it should. A third advice has to do with the Bechamel sauce. “it must be at the exact point in which it covers a spoon” the fourth idea is that “we must not exceed the layers that are formed. It must be a perfect balance between the stew, pasta, bechamel and cheese “, finally, an advice for both those who prepare it and for those who taste it:” A good lasagna is a generous and comforting dish ” Yes indeed !! Bon appétit !
And one we do once in a while as per the recipe of our grandparents is the Fabada Asturiana or Asturian stew ! Love it, The night before, soak the fabes (special beans) with plenty of water since they swell a lot. Drain the fabes, discard the water, and place in the casserole where we are going to cook them. In a pot, we cook the fabes in water with the onion and the bacon; past 90 minutes. We put the chorizo and the morcilla (sort of black pudding). We continue to cook until the fabes are tender. Cut the onion. Once
peeled, leave in half. Add the onion and bacon.Put in the casserole with the cold fabes, with the fire still off. Wet the ingredients with plenty of water, and start with cooking. Cover and cook a minimum one hour. After an hour, scare the fabes: interrupt cooking with a glass of cold water. Cover, remove and continue cooking. In the last half hour of cooking, add the sausage to the fabada. And the black pudding after a couple of hours of cooking, rescuing the onion and putting in a blender glass. This step is optional, it looks very good since the onion disappears through the broth while thickening it a little. It will mix with the fabada leaving a chubby broth and with more body. Rectify salt. The fabada is presented with the meats apart. The bacon is cut. Cut the sausage and black pudding, so that each one serves to their liking. Serve, first the fabes and then the meat ,and is to accompany it with a good red wine, and better company. Buen provecho !!
There you go folks, another dandy tour of my dear Spain. It is time to enjoy my some news from Spain once again, Remember, Spain is everything under the Sun ! Again, hope you enjoy the post as I.
And remember ,happy travels, good health, and many cheers to all !!!
Paris1972-Versailles2003 