But not only in the economy, but also in many other spheres of life, Spain is in the first position. Everyone knows the films of Oscar-winning filmmaker Pedro Almodovar and the postmodern projects of architect Ricardo Bofill, who, by the way, will build one of the new Moscow towers. Finally, the world–famous and also popular clothing brand Zara in Russia is also a Spanish brand. Spain has obviously become a very fashionable country.
There is a strong influence of traditionalism behind all this. Spaniards have a strong sense of national identity, and strive even within the framework of the European Union to preserve their individuality. The same applies to many regions of Spain – residents of Catalonia and Andalusia have already voted in their referendums for greater independence of their regions within the state. Individualism is generally highly valued, but the main value for a Spaniard is his family.
Most visitors to Spain quickly adapt to the slow flow of local life. In fact, it is not difficult at all to get used to eating a little more often and a little slower and taking walks in the early evening. Not so fast, but foreigners are adapting to the fact that shops close for two hours in the middle of the day, and to evening lunch, one of the latest in Europe, and to the traditional word "manyana" – that is, the habit of rescheduling all business for tomorrow.
The busiest cities are Madrid, Barcelona and Seville. There are many theaters, museums and galleries in each of them, clubs close only for breakfast, and trendy bars are crowded with insomniacs. But wherever you are, learn from the locals – they love to relax and do it perfectly.
Fashionable country
Image in Spain is given great importance. Women dress to make an impression. Everything is aimed at this – from clothes and accessories, for example, red shoes and handbags, to hair and skin care products. The Spanish fashion industry has never looked so convincing. Many of the local fashion designers have won worldwide success and are fighting for a buyer not only in Madrid and Barcelona, but also in Milan, London, New York and, of course, in Moscow.
The Galician Zara clothing brand, designed for representatives of the middle class, has long been represented in all major cities of the world. Another fashion brand is following in her footsteps – Mango, the face of which recently became Mila Jovovich, who also developed her own author's collection under this brand.
The Custo Barcelona brand counts on young, energetic residents of cities. In the 1980s, he became famous for custom-made T-shirts, but since then he has risen to a new level and produces exclusive, daring collections. The time-tested brands Lydia Delgado, Camper and Agatha Ruiz de la Prada have ardent adherents not only in Spain, but also abroad.
As for shopping, when you are in any major Spanish city, be sure to take the time to go to El Corte Ingles – hypermarkets of Spain's largest retail chain, which certainly feature famous national brands. But do not miss the small boutiques where you can find really original things.
Holiday in Spanish
Spanish cheerfulness is contagious, and it is not surprising that many assume that holidays last all year round in this country. This is, of course, a clear exaggeration, but there is also some truth in it. It's amazing how organically fun combines with Spanish Catholic traditions. Many cheerful and, at first glance, frivolous holidays have a deeply religious significance, and processions remind of special church dates.
Christmas and All Saints' Day are the culmination of national holidays. Celebrated more lavishly than in other European countries, Holy Week is an event that is eagerly awaited. From Palm Sunday until the first day of Easter, processions can be seen on the evening streets of towns and villages, the participants of which are dressed in costumes depicting people from Nazareth.
However, for foreigners, some regional holidays based on folklore traditions may be even more interesting. They show the complex roots of modern traditions, in which Christian canons are organically combined with echoes of the times of Moorish rule. It is always interesting to visit fairs and festivals of seasonal and agricultural origin. The three best of them are considered to be Jerez de la Frontera – a holiday in Seville dedicated to sherry; spring Las Fallas in Valencia, which attracts up to 2 million curious people every year; and, finally, for people with strong nerves – Fiesta de San Fermin, that is, the bull run in Pamplona.
In the flamenco rhythm
As you know, Spaniards love dancing more than anything else in the world. It is with dancing that the rich past of Andalusian classical and folk music is connected, the most vivid variety of which can be considered flamenco. Folk groups still often perform in dark local taverns, and in their emotional dances depict love, death and internal conflict; every clap of the hands and every note of the guitar echo in the hearts of listeners. Even on the streets of small towns, you can still see improvised competitions between women performing flamenco.
Bolero in Mallorca is a smooth, rhythmic, group dance accompanied by guitars, castanets and violins. But the Aragonese hota is not much different from the waltz, but it has more variations. The Catalan dance is the sardana, or circular dance, known since the 16th century. His cheerful, fast rhythm is usually accompanied by a small brass band and a double bass. The northwestern provinces of Galicia, Asturias and Cantabria are characterized by their traditional bagpipe players and monotonous singing.
Sports Therapy
Bullfighting, which dates back to pagan times, is much more than just a spectator sport – it is an inseparable part of the Spanish tradition and individuality. Having now become a professional sport, she has not lost her flavor. Her main characters are matadors, real macho men who combine qualities such as dexterity, presence of mind and acting skills. Animal rights activists may like this, but for Spaniards bullfighting and its traditions are inviolable.
Football has the same cult status as bullfighting. Millions of Spaniards follow the weekly football battles with almost religious fervor. Many people see collective trips to football as a kind of therapy option that requires low costs and helps to confront the problems of everyday life. The intensity of the rivalry between the best teams in the country – Barcelona and Real Madrid – is huge. At the same time, in addition to fighting on the Spanish fields, they are constantly finding out who is stronger, and in international duels.
The most serious competitor of football is cycling. Cycling teams exist in almost every Spanish city. The dedication of the racers and their excellent physical shape are some of the features of this sport that are always admired by fans.
The most important sporting event of the year is the Vuelta multi–day race. It is one of the three largest European cycling races, which takes place over three weeks throughout Spain. Every day, the whole country follows its events, how they go stage by stage. Thousands of fans stand along the streets to support their heroes rushing by. This year the competition starts in Asturias and finishes, as usual, in Madrid.
