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SPORTS |
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 Bullfighting is considered to be an art as well as a popular
sporting event. Although steeped in controversy, it is an
integral part of Spanish history and culture with bull rings in
all major cities.
Cycling is a very popular sport in Spain. The Vuelta a Espana
(Tour of Spain) is a three-week road bicycle race that is one of
the three "Grand Tours" of Europe, the other two being Le Tour
de France (Tour of France) and Il Giro di Italia (Tour of
Italy).
Spain holds the current FIBA Basketball World Championship,
Euro 2008 Football Championship, Wimbledon Championship, French
Open Championship and Tour de France Championship. |
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HISTORY |
 Christopher Columbus set sail from Spain under the patronage of
King Fernando and Queen Isabel in order to find the New World in
1492.
Under the reign of Philip II (1556-1598), and until 1640, Spain
ruled over an empire comprising Spain, the Spanish Netherlands
(most of present Belgium and Northern France), Southern Italy,
most of South and Central America (including Brazil), about half
of the present USA, the Philippines (named after Philip II), as
well as various smaller colonies in Asia and Africa such as Macao,
Malacca, Goa, Daman and Diu.
Spain did not participate in either the First World War (1914 –
1918) or Second World War (1939 - 1945). |
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FOOD |
 Tomatoes, potatoes, avocadoes, tobacco, and cacao, were all
brought to Europe (then spread around the world) by the Spaniards
from their American colonies. All these words were imported from
Spanish language into English, which explains why they end in
"-o".
Paella is an internationally known Spanish rice dish which
originated in Spain's Valencian region. Most Spaniards consider
paella to be their country's national dish.
Serrano Ham has Traditional Speciality Guaranteed (TSG) status by
order of the European Union. This means the ham has a certain
feature or a set of features, setting it clearly apart from other
hams belonging to the same category. |
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CULTURE |
 Flamenco is not just a dance, but an art form that includes
guitar, singing, dancing and 'palmas' (handclaps).
Despite the beret being associated with France, the Basques in
north-east Spain invented the beret.
Spanish author Miguel de Cervantes Saavedra's Don Quixote (1605)
is widely viewed as the first modern novel.
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SOCIETY |
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 Spain was one of the first European countries to ban smoking in
all workplaces, and bars and restaurants (from 2006), following
the lead of Ireland and Norway two years earlier.
Spain observes its national day on 12th October, because
significantly, on the same date in 1492 Columbus set foot in the
Americas.
Spain is famous for its festivals. A few of them include the
running of the bulls in Pamplona, the tomato fight of Bunol, the
fireworks of Las Fallas in Valencia and the mystique of Semana
Santa in Andalucia. |
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Hola! - Hi!Buenos dias! - Good morning!
Como te llamas? - What is your name?
Me llamo (Your name). - My name is (Your name)
Tanto gusto! – Nice to meet you!
Como estas? - How are you?
Estoy bien ¡Gracias! - I'm fine, thanks!
De donde eres? - Where are you from?
Soy de India - I'm from India.
Tengo un mes estudiando Español – I've been learning Spanish for 1
month.
Me gusta el Espanol - I like Spanish.
Como se dice "Opportunities Today" en Espanol? - How do you say
"Opportunities Today" in Spanish?
Espana es un pais maravilloso - Spain is a wonderful country.
Me falta práctica en Espanol - I need to practice my Spanish.
Hasta luego! – See you later!
Adios! – Bye! |
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The Taste of Spain |
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Paella (The Express Version) |
 Paella is widely viewed as the national dish of Spain. Its
countless variations embody the culture and history of the regions
from where they developed. An authentic paella offers a bouquet of
ingredients - white rice, green vegetables, meat, beans, olive oil
and seasoning – cooked with traditional methods and utensils. But
if you're simply too tired or busy to cook, here's a quick,
hassle-free recipe that will let you experience the allure of
paella.
Serves: 6
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: 30 minutes
Ingredients
1/4 cup (2 fl. oz) of olive oil
1 small onion- diced
1 medium green bell pepper-diced
1 large tomato, skinned and diced
1 1/2 cups (12 oz) rice
8 oz uncooked shrimp, peeled and deveined
3 1/4 cups (26 fl. oz) chicken broth
1/4 teaspoon saffron
1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
Freshly ground pepper, to taste
Lemon wedges, to garnish
Preparation
1.In a pressure cooker, saute the onion and pepper in the
olive oil until the onion is tender. Add the tomato and cook for a
further 5 minutes. Add the rice and saute until translucent.
2.Pour in the broth, shrimp, saffron, cumin, and pepper.
Close the pressure cooker. Bring to high pressure over medium heat
and cook for a further 3 minutes. Transfer to a paella pan
or serving platter, garnish with lemon wedges and serve |
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Spanish Omelette (Tortilla de Patatas) |
 Along with paella, the Spanish omelette is perhaps one of the
best-known Spanish dishes. As delicious as it is versatile and
simple to make, this Spanish staple lends itself to countless
variations according to personal taste. Each region, and each
tapas bar, will have its own variation of the traditional
tortilla.
Serves: 4
Preparation time: 35 minutes
Ingredients
1/2 pint olive oil
5 medium (40 oz each) baking
potatoes- peeled, sliced and
lightly sprinkled with salt
½ yellow onion- chopped, 3 cloves garlic- minced
5 eggs
Salt
Preparation
1.Heat olive oil in a 9-inch skillet and add potato slices
carefully because the salt will make the oil splatter. Try to keep
the potato slices separated so they will not stick together. Cook,
turning occasionally, over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the
onions and garlic and cook until the potatoes are tender. Drain
into a colander, leaving about 3 tablespoons of oil in the
skillet.
2.Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the eggs with a pinch
of salt. Add the potatoes, and stir to coat with the egg. Add the
egg-coated potatoes to the very hot oil in the skillet, spreading
them evenly to completely cover the base of the skillet. Lower the
heat to medium and continue to cook, shaking the pan frequently,
until mixture is half set.
3.Use a plate to cover the skillet and invert the omelette
away from the hand holding the plate (so as not to burn your hand
with any escaping oil). Add 1 tablespoon oil to the pan and slide
the omelette back into the skillet on its uncooked side. Cook
until completely set. Allow the omelette to cool, and then cut it
into wedges. Season it with salt and sprinkle with lemon juice to
taste (optional). Serve warm or at room temperature.
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