Climbing in Spain

Since a couple of years has the iberic peninsula turned into one of the famous climbing regions for climbers from climatically bad regions in Europe. During wintertime a lot of europeans from the northern part of europe travell to Spain to enjoy the smooth climate and the rocks with their good qaulity.

The 7 provinces with the best rock potential and quality are Andalusia, Valencia, Castilla La Mancha, the south of Mallorca, south of Aragon, Catalunia and Basque Country in the North.

Between Valencia and Alicante is it too hot for middle Europeans. The best time is between Oktober and Mai.

In the northwest layed Provinces Asturia, Cantabrien and Galizien is the best time between April and June ore in Oktober.

On following Links you find further informations about rock climbing in Spain such as Maps of various rock climbing areas around Spain and specific details to spots like Costa Blanca, El Chorro, Andalucia, Malaga, Granada, Mallorca, Barcelona, The Pyrenees, Montserrat, Albarracin and Madrid.

Following video shows the impressions of 4 climbers practicing deep water soloing on Mallorca. Water soloing is climbing without rope. And if you fall, you fall in the water.

Resources:

http://www.kletterphoto.de/Zu_den_Galerien/Spanien/Allgemeine_Kletterinfos_zu_Spa/allgemeine_kletterinfos_zu_spa.html

http://www.abseilacht.de/Spanien/mainFrame.htm

http://www.climb-europe.com/spain.htm

Alhambra

The Alhambra, also known as red castle, is a important castle on a hill of Granada, Spain. Inside its very old walls is a citadel located, the Palacios Nazaries, the palast of Karl the fifth and other buildings like a church, a monastary and a Parador-Hotel. Beside its walls are widespreaded gardens located.

The name “red castle” comes from the red colouration of its outer walls. The Alhambra is one of the wolrds most visited tourist attractions in Europe and since 1984 world cultural heritage.
The ground area from the castle is 13 hectare.

In the mediaeval times lived the aristocratics, the militär and higher townsmen, important traders and important craftsmen in its walls. First mentions are going back to the 9th until the 12th century.
After the Caliphate of Cordoba, an islamic state during 925 and 1031 on the iberic peninsula took the berber leader Zawi ibn Ziri authority over the castle and made it and its ambience independent. Berber dynasties ruled until 2.Jan of 1492 over the castle. But on this day the katholic kings of Spain re-conquered the castle back. This was the last bastion of the moors in Spain.


Following video shows a reportage about Alhambra.



Recources:
http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alhambra
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Caliphate_of_C%C3%B3rdoba

Flamenco

Flamenco is the term for a group of songs and dances from Andalusia in which the guitar is the main instrument along with others. It is considered as traditional spanish music and its development is inseperable connected to the historical, social and cultural development of Andalusia. The traditional music culture of this province is verbally transmitted almost without any written verification.

For the Flamenco artists is the most important element the vocals. This “cante” is a bitter orientally apeared plaint. The importance of the dance, el baile, rised during 1850 and 1936 while special flamenco cafes, the cafés cantantes, gained popularity.

The playing of the flamenco guitar, el toque, is verbly passed. This is, why even some important flamenco guitarists cannot read music notes.

The following video shows a flamenco guitarist and dancer.

Following video shows Paco de Lucia, one of the most famous falmenco guitarists with his song "Entre dos aguas".

Recources:

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flamenco

http://www.planet-wissen.de/

Wind Energy in Spain and Germany

Due to the energysituation in theese days, the trend goes more and more from conventional energy sources to renewables. A study by the Global Wind Energy Council, Brussel, shows that from the point of installed power world-wide, Germany is on place two with 23.903 MW directly followed by Spain with 16.754 MW at the end of 2008.

More than 60% of the spains produced windenergy comes from the provinces of Castilla-La Mancha, Castilla y León and Galicia. In Germany the three biggest producer of windenergy are the states Niedersachsen, Brandenburg and Sachsen-Anhalt.

Both countries also have big companies, which produces wind power plants. Beside other companies are in Spain Gamesa and in Germany Enercon one of the biggest.

Recources:

• http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Energ%C3%ADa_e%C3%B3lica_en_Espa%C3%B1a
• http://www.wind-energie.de/

Running of the bulls

One thing, which every year attracts the worlds attention on Spain, is the running of the bulls. Normally it appears on the television news telling that people have been hurt during practicing it. But what are the roots? How does this event work? This article wants to give an short overview about one of the worlds most knowing events about Spain.

The encierro (from the verb encerrar, to lock/shut up, to pen) is a costum which is held in towns and villages around Spain, some cities in Mexico and in the south of France during the summer. The most famous encierro is held in Pamplona (Spain).

The origin of this custom is the transport of the bulls from the off-site corrals where they had spent the night, to the bullring where they would be killed in the evening. Youngsters would jump among them to show off their bravado.

Before the running of the bulls, a set of wooden or iron barricades is erected to direct the bulls along the route and to block off sidestreets. There may be a double row of barricades along the route to allow runners to quickly exit in case of danger. The gaps in the barricades are wide enough for a person to slip through, but narrow enough to block a bull.

A group of large oxen are released at the end of the run to pick up any stragglers and a run is considered good if the bulls flow swiftly. Whenever a bull gets separated from the herd, it can be very dangerous because it becomes disoriented and often attacks anything, or anyone who attracts its attention. Unlike bullfights, which are performed by professionals, anyone may participate in an encierro.

The bullruns are dangerous. From time to time participators are catched up by the bulls and gored ore get trampled by their hooves. But this danger is one of the biggest appeals for the people to join this event. Some aspects are advised to potentional runners:

• Don´t drink before participate a bullrun
• Warm-up before the run
• Beware a good distance to the bulls
• On straight ways run on the outer side of the street
• Take curves only on the inner side
• If you fell down, only stand up, when the bull went away. If you are on the ground stay as tight as possible to the ground, so the bull cannot pick you up with his horns.
• Take something like a newspaper with you to deflect the bull if it is necessary

The following video shows a short reportage about the San Fermin festival in Pamplona and what can happen, when you are on the wrong time at the wrong place….

Recourses:

http://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Encierro_(tauromaquia)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Running_of_the_Bulls

http://de.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stierlauf

Nature

One of the most different elements between countries is nature, or at least as I perceive it. I would like to describe what is different for me in a case of nature between Spain (represented by Valencia) and Slovakia (represented by my hometown Piešťany).

From my country I´m used on lot of green wherever you look. Always you have a lot of trees or at least lower vegetation. It is very rare that soil is visible without green coverage. If some bare soil apears it is mostly on steep slopes or in high elevations. Generaly it is typical continental vegetation with lot of forests.

As opposite seems to me a vegetation in Valencia region. Real nature is not so dense so you can see lot of bare soil or naked stones. Also you can notice high level of soil erosion, even in small slopes. For me erosion is in Valencia very visible. I was always wondering when I saw a quite deep channels going through slopes.

It is very visible that in country is not enough of water and it si very dry. And also I think that if there is any water in form or rain, it is quickly gone, because nothing stop and hold it in country so it simply flow away.

But I like this mediteranean vegetation with lot of aromatic plants as rosemary, lavender and with pine forests. It is very sad that lot of this forests were damaged and now when people are travelling around coast can see only bare mountains. I was so surprised to see it. And of course I like a lot palm (Phoenix canariensis, Trachycarpus fortunei, Chamaerops humilis) and tropical trees and here in Valencia, contrary to my country, I can enjoy them.

And this two cities has in a case of nature something very similar ... and it is water area. Near Valencia is Albufera National Park to which correspond in Piešťany water area named Sĺňava. Both are refugium for plenty of the bird species, important recreational area and important landscape element.

Countries fact sheet

As I´m comparing countries it will be useful to know a some basic information about each of them. So I prepared short fact sheet about them, which shows their general characteristics.

SLOVAKIA
Area: 49 500 square km
Population: 5,2 million inhabitants
Capital: Bratislava (426 000 inhabitants)
Neighbours: Czech Republic, Poland, Austria, Hungary, Ukraine
Highest peak: Gerlachovský štít (2 655 m)

GERMANY
Area: 356 910 square km
Population: 80,6 million inhabitants
Capital: Berlin (3 396 990 inhabitants)
Neighbours: Denmark, Netherlands, Belgium, Luxemburg, France, Switzerland, Austria, Czech Republic, Poland
Highest peak: Zugspitze (2 962 m)

SPAIN
Area: 504 780 square km
Population: 39,2 million inhabitants
Capital: Madrid (3 228 359 inhabitants)
Neighbours: France, Portugal
Highest peak: Pico de Teide (Tenerife, 3 719 m)

References:
http://www.destinacie.sk
http://www.sispain.org/
http://www.wikipedia.com
http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com
http://www.funbumperstickers.com
http://www.prezident.sk
http://www.bratislava.sk

Weather

I would like also compare and write some notes about weather. But not for a whole countries but only for cities what I know. Because weather is very diverse as for whole Spain as for whole Slovakia. So I will compare it between Valencia and my home town Piešťany. Generally is weather better and nicer in Spain but there are some but...

And in Valencia one of them is humidity. I cannot get used to it. It is so high, even in winter. So it makes feeling of cold even worse. Although is about 15°C, what is in my home town very nice temperature, I still feel cold as it is 4-5 °C. And I´m not talking about all clothes, when I want to put them on me, it is as I took them directly from the water. They are so wet and cold. This is something very different in comparation with my town. And I do not want to see it during summer months, when it will increase because of higher temperatures. But it will not be so cold, and that is much better for me. I don´t like this wet winter. Normally I´m used to - 10 or -15 °C (as sometimes fall temperatures in my hometown), but in our conditions with dry air. It is not a problem for me to manage it. But to have in Valencia 5°C with its humidity is for me much more worse. And is no snow here ... :(

But I like more summer than winter and when sun is shinning in Valencia it is very nice and there is no doubt that weather is better than in my hometown. But I expected more ... it was very nice to go to the beach on the middle of march and do sunbathing but the nice weather always last so short. And also unlucky is that the weather during this year, as more people from Valencia said me, is not typical and normally is nicer. So after all I´m not surprised that in these days is weather much more nicer and temperatures are higher in Slovakia ... 

And I have something more what have relation with weather. Especially during winter. It´s heating in houses. I really dont understand how it is possible that some of the houses don´t have inbuilt heating. I know that summers are here very hot and long but as I was here it was cold from mid october until february. And electric heaters really aren´t solution. Thats magic of our winters in Slovakia when is outside - 10°C and inside of house nice warm. To come home from freezing air to nice warm room. And not to come from chilly weather to the flat colder than outside temperature ... 

Food and dishes

I will change a topic a little in this article. It will not be anymore about sport. It will be about traditional dishes, food and eating. Until now we were doing sport, now we have to gain some energy :) So lets see what are the countries offering to us. 

Paella, tortilla, seafood, fish ... that all offer to us Spain. I really like paella, prepared on the any manner. It is always tasteful, with seafood, only with vegetables, with any kind of meat, etc. So it is not so surprising that it is one of the most popular and known dishes in Spain. Tortillas are not so known but they are also delicious. I like the habits here in Spain, where people are cooking this meals together almost at any occasion. It is so nice when people from neigbourhood, work or school meet and do parties with home cooked or at place cooked meals as paella or tortillas. And yes... I cannot forget on drinks. Spain is famous for its wines and especially the red wines are very good. Here in Spain I like them much more than white wines, although normally I prefer white alternative. On the other hand beer is not so good. I´m used to softer taste of beer and all spanish ones seems to me too strong in taste.

Don´t be surprised by strange names of meals, but now is turn of typical Slovak meals. National food is "bryndzové halušky". It is meal prepared from the potatoes.  From mixture of the potatoes and flour are made small dumplings. These dumplings are eaten with "bryndza", what is special type of sheep cheese. This cheese is made mainly in Slavic countries or Rumunia. The real halušky are always served with roasted bacon, cutted to small pieces. This meal is delicious and for me the best. But for the foreigner taste can be for the first time little strange. Second most known meal is "guláš" - or in english goulash. It can have two forms. First one in form of soup eaten with bread, or second one, more consistent, eaten with big dumpling cutted to smaller ones. It is prepared from beef, vegetables, paprika and potatoes. Also is very popular variety of goulash named "paprikáš", which is more creamy and beef is substituted by chicken meat. From beverages is most popular beer, more often czech ones (from slovak marks are popular Topvar or Zlatý Bažant - Golden Pheasant), or white wine. In Slovakia are white wines better than red.

Popularity of sports

In previous article I was writting about football, strenght and comparation of national teams. It wasn´t random choice because usually football is most popular sport in majority of countries from Europe. But now I would like to compare the football from little different side. And that different side are fans, or popularity of whole football between people.

Because it is "little" different to go to see a match in Spain, Germany or Slovakia. Popularity of football in Spain and Germany is pretty high, so all clubs from first and second division have lot of fans and attendance on home matches is also high. It is normal to have 30 000 visitors in each of these matches. And then play is much more interesting and enjoyable as for players as for fans. But it isn´t normal in Slovakia at all. Yes, quality and performance of teams are not so good as in Spain or Germany. But to have 2 000 supporters on first division match is not very nice. Some of the teams have a good supporter basis (Slovan Bratislava, Spartak Trnava), but also biggest attendance are around 10 000 fans. What is not so bad, however it can´t be compared with 30 000 average attendance in Spain or Germany.

And how is it with other sports which are popular? I will compare only Spain and Slovakia how I see it. For me is in Spain except football very popular basketball, also in national and in club level. And from individual sports I think that most popular is tenis. It´s also because of succeses of spanish players in these sports (Rafael Nadal, Pau Gasol).

In Slovakia are also popular both of this sports, basketball as well tenis. But not so popular as ... hockey. That kind of sports miss me here in Spain - the winter sports. Hockey in Slovakia is popular almost as football, and during World Championship are all people watching matches of national team. I can imagine that this happens in Spain during any bigger football event (World, Europa Cup) and I hope that one time could be possible also in Slovakia, not only to watch hockey during championship but also football.

References:

http://www.szlh.sk/

http://www.slovanfutbal.com/

http://www.liga-acb.es/

Football - who is better?

In these days is football of national teams very actual. Now are the days when are the most important matches played and some teams can already now achieve promotion to World cup which will be played in South Africa. Also it was with teams of Slovakia, Spain and Germany. It is sure, that almost all of us know who is, or was last year on european continent the best. Yes, yes it is Spain, actual Champion of Europa Cup. But they also have to play qualification... And how are they playing? Well, very good, theoretically they are qualified for next World Cup. At 1.4. 2009 they won over Turkey 0:1 in Istanbul. This victory secured them enough points to be relaxed and start thinking about trip to South Africa. What a lucky players and also all fans ...


And how is it with other two teams? Well lets see national team of Slovakia. It was always on the other side than Spain. After year 1993, when the national team was formed, played couple of qualifications but without any result. Things little changed during qualification to World Cup at 2006 played in Germany. In this qualification team sensationaly won the second place and went to the barrage play. It was against... Spain. What a coincidence, that we have these three countries connected :). And result was not good for team of Slovakia - first match from two of them finished 5:1 for Spain. So after this, the second match, with result 1:1 didn´t change anything.
But in actual qualification of World Cup is position of Slovak team much better. After playing five of total ten matches is team on second position, only one point after Northern Ireland. But it has two played matches less than opponent. Very important was match with Czech Republic in Prague and it finished with result 1:2 for Slovak team. So press and all fans hope that this qualification will be finally succesful.

And German team? It always showed up the high performance and never had a problems to qualify to final tournament of World or European cup. Also nowadays the team is very strong and it is going directly to win a first place in it´s qualification group. Good performance and form of the team was confirmed by last victory over Wales 0:2 in Cardiff.

Let´s go to answer to question from the beginning. So who is better? From my point of view I would like to write Slovakia :). But it wouldn´t be a truth. Yes Slovak team will need couple more years to be able to compete with teams as Spain or Germany. And I think that from these two is better spanish team. Not only because of last year victory in European Championship but also because of their play, which is much more nicer than play of German team.


References:

http://www.vflnet.com/
http://www.profutbal.sk/repre/svk/?clanok=71154
http://www.rfef.es/index.jsp?nodo=39&ID=1242&verGaleria=true&imagenGaleria=11002
http://www.uefa.com/
http://www.sfz.sk/
http://www.kicker.de/home/artikelzoom/object/506070/picid/2

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