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Category Archives: About Spain
2015 Christmas in Madrid
In Madrid, and in Spain in general, the Christmas holiday lasts roughly two weeks. Some families celebrate Santa Claus “Papá Noel” on the 25th of December while other families celebrate the Three Wise Men “Los Reyes Magos” on the 6th … Continue reading
The Spanish Siesta: Fact, Fiction – or Envy?
Go ahead. Admit it. You wish you could take a long, refreshing nap in the middle of your workday, right? Sure you would. Who wouldn’t? The fact is, most Spaniards would LOVE to have a long nap after lunch, too. … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Food, Health
Tagged afternoon nap, business hours, closing hours, envy, fact, long lunch, myth, nap, Siesta, Spain, Spanish, Spanish siesta
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2014 Semana Santa Madrid Holy Week Processions
Religious or just “cultural“, anxious spectators prepare for the 2014 Semana Santa Madrid Holy Week Processions – and everyone hopes the weather cooperates. The majority of onlookers of the seemingly countless Holy Week Processions in Madrid are people of faith, … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain
Tagged 2014, Carmen, costaleros, Domingo de Ramos, domingo de resurreccion, Easter, easter sunday, holiday, Holy Week, Jesucristo, jesus christ, la macarena, Madrid, Nazareños, Palm Sunday, paso, Plaza de la Villa, plaza mayor, Procession, Puerta del Sol, Semana Santa, virgen, virgin
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Assimilate or Perish as an Expatriate in Spain
If you’re in an environment created by you, like your own house where you control everything, be happy as a hermit crab. But if you live outside in the real world, be prepared for things that rock your psychological boat, … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, General
Tagged charms, community, country, culture, customs, environment, expatriate, flaws, habits, infringement, living, norms, personalities, rights, Spain, Spanish, Spanish culture, Spanish customs, study abroad, working
5 Comments
Madrid Tours with MadridMan
Tour Madrid with MadridMan! MadridMan®, an American expatriate and Spanish resident, offers 2 to 2.5-hour walking tours of Old Madrid via MadridTours.com. Discover the hidden corners of Madrid and learn of Spain’s capital city’s colorful and often bloody past. We’ll … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Travel
Tagged book Madrid Tours, culture, customs, excursion, history, Madrid, Madrid Tours, MadridMan, Old Town, Plazas, Tour Madrid, tours, Tours of Madrid, walking tour
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2013 Spain’s Christmas Lottery El Gordo
They say Spain’s annual Christmas Lottery is the richest in the world, distributing more than 2 Billion Euros, or 3 Billion U.S. Dollars, all taking place this coming Sunday, 22nd of December. TVE1 coverage starts at 8am and the whole … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Money
Tagged 2013, Christmas Lottery, décimo, décimos, el gordo, España, lotería, Loteria de Navidad, loteria nacaional, Lottery, Madrid, navidad, Spain, Spanish Christmas Lottery, The Fat One, winning
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No More Self-Serve Olive Oil Dispensers in Spain
In many ways Spain is still a very quaint country, retains many old-world charms, and puts higher value on quality of life rather than the quantity of life or the size of your bank account. But this is sadly changing. … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Food, Health, Money
Tagged aceite, aceite de oliva, aceitera, aceiteras, aceiteras rellenables, European Union, extra virgin, olive oil, olive oil packets, olive oil pitchers, packets, pan tostado con aceite, single serving, Spain, Spanish breakfast, typical breakfast in Spain, typical Spanish breakfast, virgin olive oil
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Tortilla de Patatas Recipe by MadridMan
The following is a tortilla de patatas recipe by MadridMan™ himself. I’m not saying it’s the BEST recipe, but my Spanish eaters seem to like it, bringing me ever-closer to winning the Best Non-Spaniard Spanish Cook award in this house. … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Food
Tagged best, cebolla, cook, cooking, eggs, food, fotos, home made, huevo, patatas, photos, potato omelette, potatoes, receta, recetas españolas, recipe, sal, salt, Spanish, spanish cook, Spanish cooking, spanish food, Spanish omelette, Spanish recipe, Spanish tortilla, tortilla, tortilla de patatas, tortilla española, traditional, Video
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2013 Madrid Gay Pride Parade Route Change
Today at 6pm starts Madrid’s 2013 Gay Pride Parade! The annual, blockbuster “Orgullo Gay” event is a Gay-Pride Celebration, attended by Gays & Straights alike, and one of the biggest in all of Europe and definitely the biggests in Spain. … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Entertainment
Tagged 2013, atocha, Calle de Alcala, Carrozas, desfile, gay, gay parade, Gay Pride, heat, hot, Madrid, orgullo, Orgullo Gay, parade, Paseo del Prado, Pride, Puerta de Alcala
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UPDATE: Spanish Residency with Home Purchase
NEW DEVELOPMENTS! A lot of interest has been generated since I wrote “Permanent Residency in Spain with Home Purchase” back in November 2012. Because of it, I’ve received numerous emails and questions/comments on that previous blog entry, everyone wanting updates. … Continue reading
2013 San Isidro Festival in Madrid’s Pradera
Today, the 15th of May, is Madrid’s Patron Saint’s Day, “El Día de San Isidro Labrador“. It’s a day for the city of Madrid to come together and celebrate its history and traditions, costumes and music, and of course, its … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Entertainment, Food, Photos
Tagged Baile, catholic mass, chotis, Chulapas, Chulapos, dance, El Chotis, ermita, ermita de san isidro, Ermita del Santo, fair food, food, imagen, Madrid, mass, Patron Saint, Pradera, pradera de san isidro, san isidro, San Isidro Labrador, Spain, Video
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2013 Madrid San Isidro Festival Preview
Yesterday, the 10th of May, was the official start of the 10-day 2013 Madrid San Isidro Festival and it lasts until the 19th of May. The 15th of May is THE BIG DAY, San Isidro Labrador Day, Madrid’s Patron Saint, … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Entertainment, Food, Photos
Tagged 2013, bullfights, ermita, ermita de san isidro, events, feria, feria de san isidro, fotos, Las Ventas, las vistillas, Madrid, photos, Pradera, pradera de san isidro, san isidro, San Isidro Labrador, toros, Video
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Spectacular Madrid Puerta del Sol Rooftop Views
Last week I had the distinct pleasure of enjoying some INCREDIBLE views from a Madrid rooftop – IN THE PUERTA DEL SOL! Sometimes I think to myself, “I really am blessed to have such good friends and good contacts.” My … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Photos
Tagged azotea, Casa de Correos, hora azul, horizon, Madrid, observation deck, Oso y el Madroño, Plaza, Puerta del Sol, rooftop, rooftop views, sundown, sunset, twilight, Views
9 Comments
2013 Semana Santa in Madrid Holy Week
Today is Easter Sunday in the world of the believers – and that’s a pretty large percentage of the population. It also marks the last day of the week long Holy Week festival of Semana Santa in Madrid and throughout … Continue reading
Rain Threatens Laundry in Madrid
As those of you who know, here in Madrid it’s either hot and dry OR it’s cold and dry. So whenever it rains, snows (like MAYBE once a year – and only a “dusting” at that), or even gets cloudy, … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Environment
Tagged clothes, clotheslines, hanging clothes, laundry, Madrid, rain, rooftop, weather
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Doing Neighborhood No-Car Shopping in Madrid
Wasn’t it great living in the USA, driving from pillar to post, parking less than 50 meters away from any given store, leaving all your multi-stop purchases in your trunk while going out for more? Ahh… THOSE were the days … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Food, Money
Tagged car, car ownership, city shopping, daily shopping, garages, groceries, grocery, grocery shopping, Madrid, neighborhood, parking, parking spaces, shopping, shopping bags, shopping carts, shops, Spain, Spanish supermarkets, supermarket shopping, supermarkets, walking
2 Comments
2012 Spain Christmas Lottery – El Gordo
It’s that time of year again. “El Sorteo de Navidad“, Spain’s Christmas Lottery, and “El Gordo“, is upon us – which, frankly, makes it a bit hard to breathe. (ba-dum-dum!) It’s hard to breathe because the lottery is on everyone’s … Continue reading
Only American in my Madrid Neighborhood-Until Now
Seven years I’ve been living in the same working-class neighborhood in Madrid, Spain. For the first six years I have somewhat proudly proclaimed myself as “The American of the Neighborhood“, never finding evidence to refute this. Times change. No, I … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain
Tagged american, anti-american, Madrid, neighborhood, stand, Ugly American, working class
8 Comments
Madrid Stores Can Stay Open 24/7/365
The USA Shopping Experience comes to Madrid! Want to buy your groceries at 3am? Now you can do it. Want to get new shoes on a Sunday evening? Now you can do it. Want to shop for new furniture at … Continue reading
Posted in About Spain, Money
Tagged 24 hours, 24/7/365, 365, always open, chain stores, consumerism, culture, hours, neighborhood, open, shops, stores
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