[Pazcat]

Heard this this morning and thought I'd share, I quite like Anthony Bourdain and I'm guessing this was taken from his show on CNN.

1. There are many Spains
2. Bulls are a unifying force
3. Spaniards don't eat when you normally do
4. There's coastline beyond the Costa del Sol
5. It snows in the olive groves
6. Life is just a series of fiestas
7. Under every church lurks a mosque
8. Easter is more important than Christmas
9. There are many layers of ham
10. Catalonia may not be part of Spain much longer
11. You can stay in monasteries -- without taking vows

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/18/travel/spain-travel-bourdain/index.html

You can read the explanations on the website above, clearly he is spreading his hand to more travel writing and is talking up Spain which isn't a bad thing but I don't know, is he being misleading or just misguided especially with comments like No.2?

 

[Alcalaina]

Can't argue with most of this, though these days bulls are a divisive force rather than a unifying one, at least if comments from my Spanish friends on Facebook is anything to go by.

I would add:
12. There is more to Spanish cuisine than paella and gazpacho.
13. Most Spaniards don't sleep all afternoon.

 

[thrax]

14. It isn't true that all Spaniards hate the British...

 

[Alcalaina]

14. It isn't true that all Spaniards hate the British...

But Bourdain is American, so why would he care?

 

[Brangus]

But Bourdain is American, so why would he care?

Fiona Dunlop might care.
(She wrote the article, not Anthony Bourdain.)

 

[Alcalaina]

Fiona Dunlop might care.
(She wrote the article, not Anthony Bourdain.)

Oh, beg pardon. I thought she was just quoting from his TV show.

Which, incidentally, is on YouTube:

 

[dunmovin]

Can't argue with most of this, though these days bulls are a divisive force rather than a unifying one, at least if comments from my Spanish friends on Facebook is anything to go by.

I would add:
12. There is more to Spanish cuisine than paella and gazpacho.
13. Most Spaniards don't sleep all afternoon.

Yep....they got ham & cheese as well

 

[thrax]

I still see references in certain internet press reports that many Brits think of Spain as a third world country. Oh dear. And whatever happened to second world countries??

 

[GUAPACHICA]

I still see references in certain internet press reports that many Brits think of Spain as a third world country. Oh dear. And whatever happened to second world countries??

Hi - well, I've been surprised at hearing, from Spanish friends (usually when conversation veers, yet again, to the subject of corrupt politicians or poor customer service in Spain,), the following; ''You have to remember that here, in S.W, Andalucia, we're actually much nearer to Africa than to the rest of Europe…!''

The implication's clear and reflects, IMO, commonly- held current negative attitudes towards N. Africa and its population; there's also, of course, an implied reference to the Moorish influence on Andalucian culture.

As a point of Geography, my Spanish friends' statement would seem to be factually correct, as the N. African coast can certainly be viewed, across the Straits of Gibraltar, on clear days - but, what about Portugal, which is not that far distant from W. Andalucia, at least..?

BTW, in case anyone here takes umbrage over the conversation topics cited above - it's those same Spanish friends who'll often raise them for discussion and they'll also provide examples! They're as aware, as any foreigner, of such matters - after all, they too are customers; they, too, are very aware of local, regional and national news stories and they also travel abroad; so they're as interested in comparing and contrasting aspects of life in different countries as we immigrants and expats are, in Spain!

Concerning corrupt politicians, the UK has had its own share - but I can't imagine we Brits. could explain away the tendency by claiming a geographical proximity to a neighbouring country or continent - so, what excuse, I wonder, could we offer, in such a discussion within an international group of friends, LOL?

Saludos,
GC

 

[Pesky Wesky]

Heard this this morning and thought I'd share, I quite like Anthony Bourdain and I'm guessing this was taken from his show on CNN.

1. There are many Spains
2. Bulls are a unifying force
3. Spaniards don't eat when you normally do
4. There's coastline beyond the Costa del Sol
5. It snows in the olive groves
6. Life is just a series of fiestas
7. Under every church lurks a mosque
8. Easter is more important than Christmas
9. There are many layers of ham
10. Catalonia may not be part of Spain much longer
11. You can stay in monasteries -- without taking vows

11 things to know before visiting Spain - CNN.com

You can read the explanations on the website above, clearly he is spreading his hand to more travel writing and is talking up Spain which isn't a bad thing but I don't know, is he being misleading or just misguided especially with comments like No.2?

Written by someone who obviously knows something about Spain
I would say that I agree with almost all of them although there are some subtle differences in what is written by the pictures and in the article. For example I agree that bulls are a unifying force (article), but not that bullfighting is a unifying force (photos) Don't forget those bulls that you see staring down at you from so many places on the Spanish roads. They are adverts for Osborne sherry as it says in the article, not for bullfighting (although the family probably did have something to do with bullfighting as well).
Life is just a series of fiestas (article). That's what many foreigners think and then make the conclusion that Spaniards don't know how to work hard - wrong!! I prefer what it says in the photos - Life is often a celebration. It's true that when they celebrate, they celebrate, but they also know how to work long hours too.
But my favourites are "There's more to Andalucia than shorts and t shirts" as I think there are LOTS of foreigners who genuinly don't know that, and last of all "There's room to roam" Sooooo true, be it in La Pedriza here in Madrid, on the beaches in Cantabria or along the cliffs in Asturias where you can walk for miles and not see a soul.

 

[213979]

Heard this this morning and thought I'd share, I quite like Anthony Bourdain and I'm guessing this was taken from his show on CNN.

1. There are many Spains
2. Bulls are a unifying force
3. Spaniards don't eat when you normally do
4. There's coastline beyond the Costa del Sol
5. It snows in the olive groves
6. Life is just a series of fiestas
7. Under every church lurks a mosque
8. Easter is more important than Christmas
9. There are many layers of ham
10. Catalonia may not be part of Spain much longer
11. You can stay in monasteries -- without taking vows

http://edition.cnn.com/2013/09/18/travel/spain-travel-bourdain/index.html

You can read the explanations on the website above, clearly he is spreading his hand to more travel writing and is talking up Spain which isn't a bad thing but I don't know, is he being misleading or just misguided especially with comments like No.2?

I would say that 2 is true. Have you ever realized how popular bulls are in Bilbao, even amongst some of the staunchest PNV members?

 

[Pazcat]

Now that I think about it you're right, my first impression re the bulls was bull fights but there is so much more to it than just that one aspect.
I knew about the sherry bull's thing too as it was an article that came in my wife's Spanish homework so we had to read it.
Never would of thought that was the reason the big bull's are everywhere.

 

[Pesky Wesky]

I would say that 2 is true. Have you ever realized how popular bulls are in Bilbao, even amongst some of the staunchest PNV members?

I know bull fighting is popular in Bilbao although I don't think I even know where the bull ring is. But I think nowadays in Spain there are just as many people against bull fighting as there are in favour, so I don't think bullfighting is a unifying factor, although would agree that bulls are.

 

[Alcalaina]

I've now watched the whole programme (on YouTube in three parts) and really enjoyed it. My only reservation is that because he only visits Granada (plus a beach BBQ in Almeria) his observations don't cover the whole of Spain. So to achieve Fiona Dunlop's point No. 1 (there are many Spains) he needs to come back and do a whole series!

 

[zenkarma]

Concerning corrupt politicians, the UK has had its own share - but I can't imagine we Brits. could explain away the tendency by claiming a geographical proximity to a neighbouring country or continent - so, what excuse, I wonder, could we offer, in such a discussion within an international group of friends, LOL?

There's corruption and greed everywhere in every country.

In the UK it's more subtle and secretive—done under the surface so no-one ever sees. It still goes on but you just don't see or hear of it.

In Spain it's more open because it's part of their culture and who they are. The thought of someone slipping an official a brown envelope to smooth the process of a business transaction is second nature to many Spanish businessmen. Sometimes it's the only way they can get things done. Perhaps Spain's heavy bureaucracy is deliberately like this for this very reason?

There are still parts of Spain that are very much third world. Franco's regime really held back Spain's progress and it's only since they joined the EU that they've even had serviceable roads in many parts of the country—paid for by EU grants.

 

[213979]

I know bull fighting is popular in Bilbao although I don't think I even know where the bull ring is. But I think nowadays in Spain there are just as many people against bull fighting as there are in favour, so I don't think bullfighting is a unifying factor, although would agree that bulls are.

I think its called Vista Alegre, but I could be wrong.