Journal Entries
Continuation of 31st December
Posted Jan 1, 2004
As all of the readers (no doubt you already know it az) are probably waiting with bated breath for the explanation as to why the Spaniards eat 12 grapes (Uvas de la suerte - lucky grapes)at midnight on New Year's Eve, here it is ...
Apparently at the beginning of the 20th century there was an extremely big grape harvest and the king decreed that all Spaniards should be given free grapes to eat on New Year's Eve. That was the beginning of this curious custom.
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Latest reply: Jan 1, 2004
31st December
Posted Dec 31, 2003
New Year's Eve or Noche Vieja (Old night) as it's called in Spain is celebrated in a rather curious way. First of all there's a slap up meal, usually with shellfish and plenty of Cava (Spanish champagne)and then just before midnight everyone gets ready with their twelve grapes. The idea is to eat one grape on each strike of the clock and this will bring good luck to the person for the next twelve months. Now this is not as easy as it sounds as some grapes have pretty tough skin and also lots of pips. One often ends up with a mouth full of half eaten grapes and not knowing what to do with them. A quick rush for the bathroom? There's probably quite a long queue by now, all with the same in mind. A quick swallow with the risk of choking to death? Or daintily try to take them out of one's mouth and hide them somewhere. No need to suffer anymore. One manufacturer has come up with tinned grapes which are minus skin and pips so now everyone can down their twelve grapes without any problems at all.
HAPPY NEW YEAR EVERYONE!
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Latest reply: Dec 31, 2003
24th June
Posted Jun 22, 2003
The Eve of the 24th of June (La festa de Sant Joan) is just about the noisiest night of the year in Barcelona. It's rather like the traditional bonfire night (5th of November) in the U.K. but much more dangerous. It's yet another festival to celebrate the coming of the summer solstice. It's easy to tell when the event is drawing near because little blue stands selling fireworks are set up all over the city. The favourites among children are the firecrackers which are thrown all over the place without any regard for the people who might be passing by. They are also thrown off balconies and out of windows occasionally, hence the danger! On the big night, bonfires are hastily built in the middle of crossroads. It's an excellent way of getting rid of old furniture as that is what they use to make the bonfires. They are then set alight and about ten minutes later the fire fighters arrive to put out the fire and dismantle the mountains of old furniture. Quite often the neighbours rebuild their bonfires two or three times during the evening until they get a stern warning from the firemen with the promise of a fine should they do it again! There are about 10 sites around the city where "official" bonfires are allowed to be built. Parents take their children complete with bag of fireworks to the nearest local park and proceed to let off firecrackers, colourful fountains and huge rockets that go off with an almighty bang. So if you can imagine every park in the city (and there are an awful lot!) turned into an amazing firework display, it is a sight that has to be seen. However, the noise is deafening, which usually gets all the dogs in the city (there are a lot of them , too) howling! Something that has always amazed me is the small number of children who are injured by the fireworks considering that you can see so many of them from eight and nine years upwards going round with fireworks stuffed into their pockets. The bars and terraces are packed with people drinking "Cava" the Catalan sparkling wine which is drunk on any special occasion. If you want to see an organised firework display, the local council has a beautiful one every year in Plaza España, near the Magic Fountain. The noise goes on until about 2am but even later you can hear the swish of rockets on their journey heavenwards and then it's a case of waiting for the BANG when they finally explode. Fortunately Saints John's Day on the 24th is a local holiday here so everyone can catch up on their sleep.
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Latest reply: Jun 22, 2003
23rd April
Posted Apr 22, 2003
The 23rd of April, as all we Brits know, is St. George's Day! Unfortunately, it really isn't celebrated as much in Britain as I think it should be.
Now in Barcelona, Spain it's another matter....
The 23rd of April is remembered for two reasons: Saint George's Day and the death of Miguel de Cervantes (23.04.1616), the greatest Spanish writer of all time - he was the one that wrote Don Quijote (co-incidentally William Shakespeare also died on the same day, but that's another story...).
The Catalonian people have managed to bring together these events and celebrate them by having what is known as a "Rose and book" day!
Magically, on the 23rd of April each year, the city of Barcelona is transformed overnight and by the time most people are on their way to work in the morning, the streets are filled with book stalls and flower sellers. Some of the main streets in the city like Paseo de Gracia, are lined with book stalls from one end to the other but in the other parts of the cities, each bookshop has its own stall in the street in front of the shop. Books are sold at a discount price on this day.
Likewise, the florists in the city put up stalls in front of their shops to sell their roses and some enterprising citizens just walk around with buckets full of red roses, trying to sell them. The individual roses are cellophane-wrapped and red is always the predominant colour. 
This celebration came about in the Middle Ages, when the aristocracy used to hold tournaments on horseback and each lady present was given a red rose. The custom nowadays is to give one's loved one, be it wife, mother, girlfriend etc. a single red rose and in turn, men are given a book.
It's quite a sight to see men of all ages sheepishly (doesn't go with the Spanish macho" image) walking through the streets clutching a single red rose.
But it's also a very nice way of keeping St. George's Day alive!
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Latest reply: Apr 22, 2003
dancinglady (Life's truest happiness is found in the friendships we make along the way)
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