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Benamaldena 
Salamanca 

39,2 million inhabitants

National Anthem

• Although Spain is in a moderated zone, its broken geography bring a great diversity of climates.

• The Cantabrians mountains mark the first climatologically zone of division. To its North, in the narrow straight of the North, where the Basque Country, Cantabria, Asturias and Galicia are located, is what one can call the rainy Spain, with its maritime climate par excellence. This one is characterized by the little change of temperature; soft winter and fresh summer, sky almost continuously cloudy and frequent rains, although less repetitive in summer. To the South of the Cantabrian chain extends dry Spain, with its extremely varied climate, but always characterized by its rare rains and its pitilessly extreme sun in a intensely blue sky, occasionally crossed by short and violent storms.

• Spanish

• Castillan is the official language of the State. However, it is not the only Spanish language. Currently, there are others which form a particularly rich linguistic inheritance.

• The Spanish languages officially recognized by the statutes of the autonomous communities are: Euskarien (Country Basque and Navarre), Galicien (Galice), the Catalan (Catalonia and Balearic Islands) and community of Valence where, as it is written in the dictionary of Academia Real, this variety of Catalan is called Valencien. Other statutes protect in particular the following Spanish languages: the dialect of Asturies and the linguistic diversity in Aragon.

• Voltage : 220 volts

• Driving : To the right

• National parade : October 12th.

• Country motto : Higher Still (Plus ultra) 

 Euro

Canadian visitors please consult this handy site Travel information and advisory reports
For all other nationals please consult your Spanish embassy or consulate in your country of origin.

In addition to the most significant holidays such as Christmas, Easter and All Saints' day, all the cities and villages, as well as the districts and professions have their patron saint of which the festivals last several days. These significant festivals do not prevent the celebration of other festivals in the honour of other saints. The majority of the festivals are held during the summer and the autumn, after the harvest. It is the justification of the various festivals such as the " Sanfermines " of Pamplone, Fallas de Valences, Ferias of April of Seville and San Isidro of Madrid.

In addition to these popular events, the various celebrations of the Holy Week in much of the Spanish cities will have to be mentioned, particularly those of Seville.

let the festival be cultural or religious, the bulls are always present. Adult bulls in the large arenas and the younger (novillos) in the small ones.

The national festival, as is called the bullfight in Spain, knows an unexpected revitalization, with a greater number of witnesses and the appearance of a new generation of bullfighters who succeed the large Masters of the art. The bullfights were carried out, in the beginning, on horse back and were reserved for the aristocracy. They were practiced in two different ways; either the knight and his mounting were put vis-a-vis the bull, or they avoided the animal while trying to transpires it with a blade during the attack. The vassals or assistants were present only to tighten the swords of their Masters or to help them get back up on their horse if they had fallen during the attack.

A radical transformation took place in the world of the bullfight when FelipeV prohibited noble from practicing it, considering this sports a bad example for the education of the people.

Since this time, the assistants of the aristocrats, ordinary people, took it again and started to fight the bulls without weapon, by dodging them, jumping over them, while stabbing them with small swords, origin of the current " banderillas ", but also by using objects or rags in order to avoid the animal. A master key time which took as well width and became so popular as eminent researchers such Thebusen and the Count of mow Navas, started to call it " more national " festivals.

The change between the Portuguese bullfight and the combat took place in about the year 1724. At that time, the posters did not exist and the bullfights were announced by the rural announcer.

The democratic consulting of the cities played a dominating role in the re-establishment of the festivals and traditional festivals. The " Romerias " (celebrations held close to a place of pilgrimage), the carnivals of Fatty Tuesday, particularly those held in the Canary Islands and in Cadiz, the dances and processions were reanimated mainly thanks to the local governments. At present, the public recovered a large variety of national folklores. The " sevillanas " are à.la.mode in the night clubs, and the groups of " will muneira ", " sardana", " aragonese " and de"castilian jota " abound a greater number of peoplefilled with enthusiasm for " flamenco " and " lays jondo ". As it arrived with other traditions, the dances and folk musics seem to have benefited from a modernization of the habits.

Paella
Ingredients for 15-20 people
Time for preparation : 3 hours

• 6 chicken legs,

• 1 rabbit with liver,

• 2 porch filets mignon (700-800 g )

• 1 bag of frozen mixture squids, molds and others, or many small cuttlefish, or of the squid discs, and more shrimps (2 to 3 per person)

• 2 average sweet peppers green quite firm

• 3 onions.

• 1 garlic head

• 2 cans of tomato paste,

• 2 large peeled tomato cans

Bouillon

4 liters of water, 4 chicken bouillon cubes, thyme, bay-tree, 6 cloves.

Prepare the sauce
dice in small pieces then add the pepper and onions. Mix gently. Add the peeled tomatoes, tomato paste and garlic.
Prepare bouillon
Mix the ingredients in the given order. After having cut in small pieces all the meat, mix it in a little oil. put in the recipient with sauce. Cook the whole while pouring there the bouillon.20 minutes before serving, add rice, seafood, and the shrimps.

The Iberia peninsula is most Western of the three principal peninsulas of Southern Europe. It is made up of Spain and Portugal. It forms a significant octagonal headland in the extreme South-west of the continent. In the North, its borders border the Bay of Biscay, France and Andorra. In the East, the Mediterranean; in the South the Atlantic Ocean and the Mediterranean; and finally, in the West the Atlantic Ocean and Portugal.

One counts two major archipelagoes belonging to Spain: Balearic Islands and the Canaries. The first, located to the West of the Mediterranean, is composed of the islands Majorque, Minorque, Ibiza, Formentera, Cabrera and others of the same type. The second, located in the South, in the Atlantic Ocean, close to the African coast includesthe islands of Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Gran Canaria, Tenerife, Gomera, Palma, Hierro and some smaller islands. 

Madrid

Some data on the gastronomy of the area of Seville:

The cuisine of this area is as rich and varied as its landscape. It reflects the influence of the people and the cultures which have passed through the land, and which as a result had dishes as famous as the gazpacho and its multiple alternatives; Salmorejo, the ajoblanco... it is not the best alternative for hot days. The salads are also a constant of the meals, as it is logical in an area which gives exquisite vegetables and fresh and delicious fruits. We cannot forget the many dishes having meat for base, no more than the pork-butcheries, obviously, because on Costa of Suz-Seville, is where you will find the best ham in Spain; the ham of Jabugo. The villages of the littoral offer a thousand different manners of preparing their fresh fish, which you will be able to also find in the areas of the interior, but the indisputable dishes are the seafood in their delicious varieties. To accompany this vast menu, you can choose between the different wines of Condado, Jerez, or the refined manzanilla of Sanlucar, and.Barrameda.

Andalusia pork butchery has a capital, the mountain of Huelva. It comprises a unique natural resource, the Iberia pig, and an indisputable star attraction, the " ham of Jabugo ". The particular climate of the Sierra of Aracena, especially in Jabugo, Cumbres Mayores and Cortegana, are the secret of this exquisite product. In addition to mountain ham, the visitor will be able to taste other pork products, like the " Cana de Lomo ", the " Morcon ", the various chorizos, the sausage, the roll, etc., and also the fresh meat of the animal in succulent chops. The mountain of Cadiz deserves a visit for two reasons; the quality of its products and the beauty of its landscape.

Probably the best city of our area is Seville. It is there that are the cakes of the convents and the monasteries and many pastry makings. It is necessary to stop in Castilleja of Cuesta, cradle of the famous oil pies baked in wooden ovens.

In direction of Cordova, Carmona and Ecija are two good places to stop. Carmona has its own production of laminated and syrup cake. In Ecija, the cakes are famous " brad of Gitan ", " Yema " and " tocino LED cielo ".

In the Norte Sierra, we find Constina, where at Christmas are sold the " Alfajores " with honey and almonds, the nougats, the crowns and the massepins, all of great quality.

De Carmona to the south-east of Marchena , Moron of Frontera, Osuma, the convents open up their tours to us, and Estepa is famous for its " Polvorones " and " mantecados ". With the return, towards Osuma, we must stop initially at Utrera, cradle of the " mostachones " and then at Lebrija, where one can find various cakes based on almonds. From there we penetrate in an area where the most known cake is the " Tocino del Cielo ". We will begin our course with Sanlucar de Barrameda, where the convents will offer to us, in addition to the egg tarts, the " polvoron " and the " Pastas de Té "