Viva Espania!

Pictures from Spain

Who hasn't heard of bullfighters and bullfighting? Today, Spain is faced with a great problem, the halls of the bullfight are closed, animal protectors are speaking. And corrida is a very important aspect in the Spanish tradition, although the way of fighting should be changed so that the bulls do not suffer so much. In this case it is impossible to make both the wolf and the sheep satisfied. Now some of the performances have simply been moved to the south of France. Bullfighters are associated with macho, with typical Spaniards - male, brave, brave. After the bullfight, flamenco stands in line, then Don Quijote, created by Cervantes, known here as Don Quixote, asks for his Sancho and windmills in Castile. Castile, probably, is very picturesque, H. Popławska mentions it in Spanish romance, writing "Castile ... the strongly beating heart of Spain, under a sky so bright and clear that when you look at it, you fear the infinity of the universe". Besides, when we say "Spain", we see an image of the homosexual director Almodowar and former prime minister Zapatero. That's it… Is there anything more to Spain, which has recently been hit by an economic crisis? Of course !!!

Vicky, Cristina

In 2008, the film entitled "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" had its premiere. It was directed by Woddy Allen. As in the newer one, "At Midnight in Paris", one of the advantages is the beautiful presentation of the title city. You can feel the atmosphere of Barcelona, get to know the most famous buildings and less known streets. You can feel the delight especially when watching a movie is a kind of reminder of a trip, a trip to Gaudi's city. Even if it is not for the plot itself - the narrator present in the film may not be to everyone's liking, and the romance novel as well - it is worth borrowing "Vicky ..." to show Barcelona - and thus get an incentive to go to Catalonia.

Ah, that Gaudí

Gaudí is inspiring, curious. The life of an Art Nouveau architect is not fully known. Although Antonio's beatification process has been underway for over twenty years, there are suspicions that Gaudí lived a double life; he was supposed to be a Freemason. Sagrada Familia, one of the most famous temples in the world, was not completed during Gaudi's lifetime - he died in 1926 - indeed, it has not been possible to this day. But there is plenty to admire. From the outside, the figures shown on the temple are not chosen by chance - there is a certain logic in this, the figures tell a story. There is a specific atmosphere inside. The Sagrada Familia is a basilica, right? But no one of the zanatto cares that he is in the temple. Sagrada, open to the public, serves primarily to perpetuate it. Does anyone ever pray in this church? Is Anyone Kneeling Before God? Rather, everyone is sitting at the benches, talking, taking a walk ... and taking photographs.

Like Sagrada, so is Park Guëll

Park Guëll can be a place of relaxation - you only need to move a bit away from the key places where tourists are drawn to, find a piece of free space on the grass. The monuments look like from a fairy tale - colorful, strange, full of magic. The author must have had a truly vivid imagination. It's best to go to the park as early as possible to be able to take a photo with the salamanders, with which thirsty tourists are constantly wandering around. It would be a sin not to see Casa Milà, located five steps from the Park, and Casa Vinces, located a bit further - you must go inside, however. Only half of the beauty is shown from the outside.

Four Cats

Something is wrong, if in two, randomly selected books, I come across references to Four Cats - cafe "Els Quatre Gats", which in Catalan means "Four Cats". Please stick to the Catalan name strictly and not change it to the Spanish 'Los Cuatro Gatos'. This cafe is mentioned by Zafón in the popular novel "The Shadow of the Wind" and by Martín from "The Shadow Painter" (in "Vicky Cristina Barcelona" there was also a scene in this place). The cafe has already experienced its brilliance, celebrities, including Pablo Picasso, used to visit it, representatives of Spanish modernism met there, and literary evenings were organized there at one time. The prices are somehow not too high, spending a few euros for a Coca Cola consumption in such a pleasant place is not a pointless expense. The decor inspires the imagination. Pictures from bygone times, tasteful tiles, huge glass doors, a multitude of plants and glasses ... You will leave and you will already start missing.

Capital city

Madrid has a completely different climate than Barcelona, there is more noise, more traffic jams, more people. It has an area approximately six times larger than that of the provincial capital of Catalonia. The must-see points are the Museo del Prado - but let's pay a few pennies and go there with a guide who will tell you some interesting facts, for example about the well-known work of Velazquez's "Court Maids" and minor, perhaps even seemingly uninteresting works - and besides: "Palacio Real". In the Royal Palace of Madrid you can get nystagmus from the amount of gold and purple. When it comes to Madrid, so does shopping. You have to look carefully, the inscriptions "rebajas" - that is, reductions - are visible everywhere, but you need to have a bit of feeling to know where it is really worth entering. It is cheaper in stores of respected Spanish brands such as Zara, Stradivarius.

Smaller, smaller!

Tired of the crowds in the capital, they can go to the small village of Calatañazor - but without exaggeration, not only there, because driving more than 200 kilometers to see the village - interesting, admittedly - does not pay off. Calatañazor is different; we will not find a place similar to Calatañazor in Poland. Streets lined with centuries-old huts. Inside the houses there are shops with local products - residents also have to earn their bread. We have clothes, honey, soaps, all kinds of canned food, but also "civilized" ice cream. Ruins of the castle. Wonderful landscapes. Nice people, willing to chat - but only in Spanish, most of the natives are elderly people. There is something about Calatañazor that makes a smile appear on your face that you will remember it for the rest of your life. The larger town, but also with the atmosphere of the past, is Soria. It is located near Calatañazor. Soria is primarily poets, the spirit of Antonio Machado is simply felt. The town seems to be talking about the unhappy love between Antonio and his muse, the inspiration of Leonor, who did not live long in this world.

Costa a Tossa

Costa Brava is one of the places tourists dream of visiting. As the name says - "brava", meaning "noisy". This coast is incredibly popular and you will hardly find peace here. The water, however, is warm, the weather - perfect, parties - above all. A picturesque town on the Mediterranean coast is Tossa del Mar. Rising waves, rocky cliffs and a handful of locals. Over time, Tossa has transformed into a place madly known among tourists, but to see it is a must. The western coast of Spain has a completely different character. They are less visited, perhaps due to worse bathing conditions - the waters are cooler, oceanic and the dominant coasts here are cliffs. Looking for peace - let's choose the western part.

La variedad

Spain can be described with one word - variedad - diversity. Each of the provinces of Spain is very different. Here we have an isolated Basque Country, there - the famous Catalonia, here - Castile with windmills, and elsewhere - Madrid, and there - Gypsy Andalusia. It is impossible to get to know every taste of Spain, it is certain that these flavors are extremely intriguing and it is worth knowing at least some of them.