A lifetime of encounters with Spain.
Posted in Reflexiones en Español on Mar 12th, 2008
Hace un tiempo pasé un par de meses en una academia de idiomas en la ciudad de Cádiz intentando mejorar mi español (¡una ardua tarea para mí!) Mi estancia coincidió con los preparativos de la ciudad para la celebración del día de su Patrona, Nuestra Señora del Rosario. Decoraban las calles con alumbrado, montaban escenarios [...]
Posted in Reflections on Spain on Mar 12th, 2008
For over a thousand years, life was conceived as part of a cycle of seasons, rather than something that progressed to an end. First Advent, then Navidad, Tres Reyes, Carnaval, Lent, Semana Santa, Pascua, Pentecost, then Advent again. That tradition encouraged people to celebrate their birthdays on the day of the saint whose name they were given in baptism, rather than the day on which they were born. In addition everyone in the local community would stop work to celebrate the day of the patron saint of their town. You can see remnants of this tradition in the many national and local holidays that the modern Spanish calendar retains.
