Bite Sized Fun Fact - "Canelita en rama"

The phrase "Canelita en rama" translates literally to "little cinnamon stick" in Spanish. However, in some Andalusian dialects, it's used as a colloquial expression to describe something very good, excellent, or the best choice. It's similar to saying "top-notch" or "the real deal" or "very cool".

Here's a breakdown of the words:

Canela: Cinnamon.

En rama: From the branch, or in its natural, unprocessed state.

Canelita: A diminutive of canela, meaning little cinnamon.

So, while literal translation refers to a cinnamon stick, the phrase "canelita en rama" can be used figuratively to express high quality or desirability, particularly in the context of food or drinks.

This is typically used to convey an agreement with a suggestion. When something is a prime choice, you use this phrase.

Here's an example of how the phrase could be used:

“Estaba pensando que podríamos ir a Plaza El Salvador a tomar algo a las 10.” (“I was thinking we could go to Plaza El Salvador to have a drink at 10.”)

“Canelita en rama.  Te veré entonces.”  (“That’s perfect!  I’ll see you then.”)

I can only assume that Andalusians have a high regard for cinnamon sticks. 😅

“Nobody ever lives their life all the way up except bullfighters.”

 

“Bullfighting is the only art in which the artist is in danger of death and in which the degree of brilliance in the performance is left to the fighter's honor.”

– Ernest Hemingway

This quote, attributed to Ernest Hemingway, highlights the inherent danger and artistry that Hemingway associated with bullfighting, elevating it to a level beyond typical sporting activities.  Another quote, attributed to Marlene Dietrich, emphasizes the combination of courage and grace in the bullring:

"Courage and grace is a formidable mixture. The only place to see it is the bullring."

A few days ago, our Seville AirBnb host casually mentioned that the city’s famous bull fighting ring was located “just across the street, about five minutes walk from the apartment”.  The Plaza de Toros de la Real Maestranza de Caballería de Sevilla is a 12,000-capacity bullring in Seville. During the annual Seville Fair in Seville, it is the site of one of the most well-known bullfighting festivals in the world!

 And, it’s as close to home as the neighborhood grocery store or gas station, except that it’s… a famous Bull Fighting Ring!

Such is the nature of the bull fighting tradition in Spain.

Bullfighting in Spain, known as corrida de toros, is a traditional spectacle involving a matador (bullfighter) and a bull, typically lasting around two hours. The event is highly ritualized, with the bullfight divided into three distinct stages, each marked by the sound of a bugle. While a cherished Spanish tradition for many, it is also a subject of controversy for others due to animal welfare concerns.

A traditional corrida involves six bulls (two for each of the three matadors). Each bullfight is broken into three stages represented by three different roles:

1.       Picadores: Lancers on horseback weaken the bull with lances.

2.       Banderilleros: Flagmen who place barbed darts (banderillas) into the bull's shoulders.

3.       The Matador: The final stage where the matador confronts the weakened bull with a cape and sword, ultimately attempting to kill it.

Bulls used in corridas are specially bred and must meet specific age and weight requirements (at least four years old, and a minimum of 460 kg). A bull may be spared (“indultado”) if it demonstrates exceptional bravery and fighting prowess.

Bullfighting is important in Spain due to its deep-rooted cultural and historical significance, representing tradition, artistry, and even a symbol of national identity. While controversial, it remains a popular spectacle and an economic contributor in some regions.

From the standpoint of cultural significance bullfighting is a deeply rooted tradition that has been a part of Spanish culture for centuries, with historical ties to ancient Roman gladiatorial contests and later, Moorish influences.

Additionally, many view bullfighting as artistic expression and theatrical performance, a dramatic interplay between man and animal, where the matador's skill and courage are on display.   The bull itself is a powerful symbol in Spanish culture, representing strength, virility, and even the nation itself.

Bullfights are even often integrated into festivities honoring local patron saints, further embedding them in the social fabric of communities.

Unfortunately the bull fighting season will be finished by the time we arrive, but I’m sure that we’ll find some time to stop by the arena for a tour and another cultural experience.

AVE: A very expeditious… train in Spain!

With it’s inaugural route going from Madrid to Seville opened in 1992, the AVE (meaning Alta Velocidad Española, which translates to “Spanish High Speed”) is a high-speed rail network that consists of multiple similar trains that go as far south as Malaga and all the way up to the basque region and northern coast. With fares starting at €29 and top speeds of 310 km/h (193 mph), it offers a fast and efficient method of transportation across the nation that is the size of Texas.

More about AVE:

They offer comfortable seating, air conditioning, and on some trains, free WiFi and power outlets at each seat. A cafe-bar car is available for snacks and drinks, and premium fares include at-seat meals. 

The AVE network connects major cities like Madrid, Barcelona, Seville, Valencia, Zaragoza, Malaga, and Alicante, with some routes extending into France. AVE also operates international routes, connecting Spain with France, with services like the Madrid-Marseille line. 

Renfe, the owner of the AVE is so confident in the punctuality of AVE trains that they offer compensation for delays exceeding 15 minutes. 

El estudiante and “Don Quixote” will be using the AVE on their trip, and while far from the main attraction of the trip, we can’t wait to be back on high-speed public transportation!

Bite-sized Fun Fact - Algebra

Thousands of Arabic words and Arabic-derived phrases have been absorbed into the Spanish language. Words beginning with “al,” for example, are derived from Arabic. Arabic words such as algebra, alcohol, chemistry, nadir, and alkaline have all entered the Spanish language.

The word "algebra" originates from the Arabic word "al-jabr" (الجبر), which translates to "the reunion of broken parts" or "restoration". This term is derived from the title of a famous book by the Persian mathematician Muhammad ibn Musa al-Khwarizmi, "Kitab al-Jabr wa-l-Muqabala" (The Compendious Book on Calculation by Completion and Balancing). The book is considered a foundational text in the development of algebraic theory. In the context of the book, "al-jabr" referred to the process of simplifying equations by moving terms from one side to the other and combining like terms.

Moor of this, please

 

“I pray you, in your letters,/ When you shall these unlucky deeds relate,/ Speak of me as I am; nothing extenuate,/ Nor set down aught in malice: then must you speak/ Of one that loved not wisely but too well” (Othello, 5.2).

These are dying words of Shakespeare’s Othello, his final utterances.

It is not until the end of a tragedy that the hero discovers the error of his ways. By which time it is often too late to save himself. The hero is chasing something and ‘in the pursuit of it, he destroys himself and wreaks general havoc’. Othello in his dying soliloquy recognizes that it is his pursuit of love that has led to his undoing.

But what significance do Othello’s dying words have in the context of our trip through Andalusia?

Well, Othello, from Shakespeare's play, "Othello, the Moor of Venice", is arguably the most famous Moor in history (literary history, anyway).  And the history of Andalusia is in many ways, defined by it’s Moorish past.

The term "Moors" generally refers to the Muslim inhabitants of al-Andalus, the region of the Iberian Peninsula (modern Spain and Portugal) under Muslim rule from 711 to 1492. The Moorish occupation of Spain began in 711 AD when an African army, under their leader Tariq ibn-Ziyad, crossed the Strait of Gibraltar from northern Africa and invaded the Iberian peninsula ‘Andalus’ (Spain, as it was known then, under the Visigoths).  Historically, Moors were primarily Berber and Arab peoples from North Africa who invaded and conquered the region, leaving a lasting impact on its culture, architecture, science, and language.

The term "Moor" is derived from the Latin "Maurus," referring to the people of Mauretania, a Roman province in North Africa.  The Moors' conquest of the Iberian Peninsula in 711 AD marked the beginning of Al-Andalus. They established a sophisticated civilization known for advancements in various fields, including:

• Architecture: The Alhambra in Granada is a prime example of Moorish architecture.
• Science and Mathematics: They introduced advancements in algebra, astronomy, and medicine.
• Agriculture: They introduced new crops like oranges, lemons, and rice.
• Language: Many Arabic words are still incorporated into the Spanish language.

The Moors, who ruled Spain for 800 years, introduced new scientific techniques to Europe, such as an astrolabe, a device for measuring the position of the stars and planets. Scientific progress in Astronomy, Chemistry, Physics, Mathematics, Geography and Philosophy flourished in Moorish Spain.  Historians have recognized and declared that there were no lands at that time (the eighth century) “more admired by its neighbours, or more comfortable to live in, than the rich African civilization which took shape in Spain”.

At its height, Córdova, the heart of Moorish territory in Spain, was the most modern city in Europe. The streets were well-paved, with raised sidewalks for pedestrians. During the night, ten miles of streets were well illuminated by lamps. (This was hundreds of years before there was a paved street in Paris or a street lamp in London.) Additionally, Cordova had over 900 public baths!

The Great Mosque of Córdoba (La Mezquita) is still one of the architectural wonders of the world in spite of later Spanish disfigurements. Its low scarlet and gold roof, supported by 1,000 columns of marble, jasper and porphyry, was lit by thousands of brass and silver lamps which burned perfumed oil.

Here are some other notable facts about the Moorish rule in Andalusia:

• Education was universal in Moorish Spain, available to all, while in Christian Europe ninety-nine percent of the population were illiterate, and even kings could neither read nor write. At that time, Europe had only two universities, the Moors had seventeen great universities - located in Almeria, Cordova, Granada, Juen, Malaga, Seville, and Toledo.
• In the tenth and eleventh centuries, public libraries in Europe were non-existent, while Moorish Spain could boast of more than seventy, of which the one in Cordova housed six hundred thousand manuscripts.
• Over 4,000 Arabic words and Arabic-derived phrases have been absorbed into the Spanish language. Words beginning with “al,” for example, are derived from Arabic. Arabic words such as algebra, alcohol, chemistry, nadir, alkaline, and cipher entered the language. Even words such as checkmate, influenza, typhoon, orange, and cable can be traced back to Arabic origins.
• The most significant Moorish musician was known as Ziryab (the Blackbird) who arrived in Spain in 822. The Moors introduced earliest versions of several instruments, including the Lute or el oud, the guitar or kithara and the Lyre. Ziryab changed the style of eating by breaking meals into separate courses beginning with soup and ending with desserts.
• The Moors introduced paper to Europe and Arabic numerals, which replaced the clumsy Roman system.
• The Moors introduced many new crops including the orange, lemon, peach, apricot, fig, sugar cane, dates, ginger and pomegranate as well as saffron, sugar cane, cotton, silk and rice which remain some of Spain’s main products today.
• The Moorish rulers lived in sumptuous palaces, while the monarchs of Germany, France, and England dwelt in big barns, with no windows and no chimneys, and with only a hole in the roof for the exit of smoke. One such Moorish palace ‘Alhambra’ (literally “the red one”) in Granada is one of Spain’s architectural masterpieces. Alhambra was the seat of Muslim rulers from the 13th century to the end of the 15th century and is today, a UNESCO World Heritage Site
• It was through Africa that the new knowledge of China, India, and Arabia reached Europe. The Moors brought the Compass from China into Europe.

King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella, known as the Catholic Monarchs of Spain, played a pivotal role in the Reconquista, the centuries-long Christian effort to reclaim the Iberian Peninsula from Muslim rule. They completed the Reconquista in 1492 with the fall of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold.  The completion of the Reconquista and the subsequent focus on religious unity also paved the way for Spanish exploration and colonization in the Americas.

However, the Moors' influence on Spain and Portugal is still evident today in their architecture, language, cuisine, and art.  We are so fortunate to be able to still bear witness to the Moorish legacy as we travel through modern-day Andalusia!

Don't forget to pack your castanets!

While we’re in Seville, one of our planned activities is a visit to the Museo del Baile Flamenco.  Flamenco originated in the Andalusia region of Spain, particularly in cities like Seville, Jerez, and Granada. While the art form has spread and is appreciated throughout Spain and the world, Andalusia is widely considered its birthplace and remains the heart of flamenco culture.  Ole!

But what exactly is flamenco music and how did it evolve?

Flamenco originated in the Andalusia region of southern Spain, evolving from a fusion of diverse cultural influences including Gypsy (Roma), Moorish, Jewish, and Andalusian folk traditions. The Roma people, arriving in Spain around the 15th century, are considered a key influence, bringing with them a rich musical and dance heritage. This, combined with the existing musical traditions of the Moors and Sephardic Jews, and local Andalusian folk music, led to the unique art form known as flamenco.

Flamenco is known for its emotional intensity, proud carriage, expressive use of the arms and rhythmic stamping of the feet, unlike tap dance or Irish dance which use different techniques. As with any dance form, many different styles of flamenco have developed.

To truly understand flamenco, we delve into its three core elements: toque, baile, and cante. Each component holds its own magic, but together they form the heart and soul of flamenco.

Toque: The Technique of Flamenco Guitar

The flamenco guitar lays the musical foundation for the performers, with its sharp strumming and intricate fingerwork. Flamenco guitarists use a technique called “rasgueado” (a rapid strumming of the strings) to produce a unique rhythmic sound. This rhythmic pulse creates the fiery backdrop against which the dancer and singer perform.

Baile: Footwork and Grace in Flamenco Dance

Flamenco dance is an electrifying spectacle of emotion and athleticism. Dancers communicate their passion through powerful footwork (zapateado), graceful arm movements, and expressive hand gestures (flores). Every stomp and twirl tells a story, as dancers channel deep emotions and respond to the music and singing.

Cante: The Heart of Flamenco Singing

Cante, or flamenco singing, is the raw emotional core of the performance. With deep, soulful tones, the singer narrates tales of love, loss, and joy. There are various styles (or palos) of cante, each with its own mood and rhythm, ranging from deeply sorrowful to joyously celebratory.

No exploration of Andalusia would be complete without attending a flamenco performance.  We might even be lucky enough to find the time for a few dance lessons along the way.  Which reminds me… let’s not forget to pack our castanets.  Ole!

The Ingenious Gentleman Don Quixote of La Mancha

 As the two of us prepare to set off on our modern-day Andalusian expedition, I can’t help but to be reminded of another pair of Spanish traveling companions who preceded us over 400 years ago.  Their story comes to us courtesy of one of the seminal works of literature, the classic Spanish novel – Don Quixote.

Here’s a quick summary:

Don Quixote, is a Spanish novel by Miguel de Cervantes. Originally published in two parts in 1605 and 1615, the novel is considered a founding work of Western literature and is often said to be the first modern novel.  The novel has been labelled by many well-known authors as the "best novel of all time" and the "best and most central work in world literature". Don Quixote is also one of the most-translated books in the world and one of the best-selling novels of all time.

The plot revolves around the adventures of a member of the lowest nobility, a “hidalgo” from La Mancha named Alonso Quijano, who reads so many chivalric romances that he loses his mind and decides to become a knight-errant (caballero andante) to revive chivalry and serve his nation, under the name Don Quixote de la Mancha. He recruits as his squire a simple farm laborer, Sancho Panza, who brings an earthy wit to Don Quixote's lofty rhetoric. In the first part of the book, Don Quixote does not see the world for what it is and prefers to imagine that he is living out a knightly story meant for the annals of all time.

And here’s a little more detailed version:

"Don Quixote" tells the story of Alonso Quixano, an aging Spanish gentleman who, fueled by his obsession with chivalric romances, loses touch with reality and adopts the identity of Don Quixote, a wandering knight-errant, complete with armor and a noble steed (his old donkey, Rocinante).

Accompanied by his pragmatic squire, Sancho Panza, Don Quixote embarks on a series of misadventures, often mistaking reality for the fantastical tales he's read.  He sets out to revive the ideals of chivalry, right wrongs, and win the favor of his idealized love, Dulcinea (a peasant woman he elevates to a noble lady). His adventures are often comical and filled with misinterpretations. He battles windmills (which he believes are giants), attacks a flock of sheep (mistaking them for an army), and clashes with innkeepers and others, all while attempting to live out his knightly fantasies.

Meanwhile, Sancho, a simple farmer, serves as Don Quixote's squire. His grounded, practical nature provides a counterpoint to Don Quixote's romantic idealism.

The novel explores the tension between reality and illusion, the nature of sanity and madness, the clash between idealism and practicality and the power of imagination. It also satirizes the chivalric romances of the time.

The enduring legacy of "Don Quixote" is that it is still considered a seminal work of literature, widely read and adapted in various forms, and continues to be relevant for its exploration of universal themes.

Don Quixote's unshakable belief in his chivalric ideals reminds us of the importance of dreaming. Although his quests often end in failure or ridicule, his unwavering pursuit of a higher ideal demonstrates the transformative power of imagination.

One lesson to be drawn from the novel is “Dare to dream, even when the world dismisses your vision.”  And so we will continue to dream on as we explore what lies ahead for us over the next few weeks.

What's in a name? And how do you spell it, anyway?

Before we get much further into this blog I suppose that a little historical context is necessary to set the stage for what lies ahead over the course of the next couple of days.

Me:                    "How about we call the blog 'Andalusian Adventures'?"

El Estudiante:    "What's Andalusia?"

Me (thinking):    "I know what our first blog post is going to be about."

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Let's start with the name Andalusia itself. What does it mean and where did the name come from?

While we don't have the time or the space to go into the rich history of this region here are a few things worth noting about this part of the world. I would, however, highly encourage you to spend some time on your own exploring the rich history of this region on your own. There is no end to the available resources available to help you understand the significance of this little region and it's impact upon world history.

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Andalusia is the autonomous region of southern Spain, one of 17 of the country's such self-ruling states. It's capitol is Seville. The area that Andalusia now occupies was under Muslim rule until the late 15th Century (1492 to be exact). Andalusia (spelled "Andalucia" in Spanish) is the largest of Spain's autonomous regions and it's the one which evokes the most powerful images of a country famed for its flamenco, fiestas, bullfighting and raw passion.

The region’s name Andalusia is derived from the Arabic word Al-Andalus (الأندلس), which in turn may be derived from the Vandals (the Germanic tribe which colonized parts of Iberia from 409 to 429), the Goths or pre-Roman Iberian tribes. The toponym al-Andalus is first attested by inscriptions on coins minted in 716 by the new Muslim government of Iberia.

But why Arabic?

The Moors (Muslims) ruled Andalusia for roughly seven centuries, from the early 8th century to the late 15th century (1492, to be exact). They initially arrived in 711 AD and their presence in the Iberian Peninsula, including Andalusia, marked a significant period in European history, leaving behind a lasting cultural and architectural legacy.

Here's a really brief timeline of the Moorish rule:

• 711 AD: The Muslim conquest of the Iberian Peninsula began with the landing of Tariq ibn-Ziyad at Gibraltar, arriving from Africa.
• 711-718 AD: Within a few years, most of the Visigothic Kingdom, including Andalusia, came under Muslim rule.
• Early 11th Century: The Spanish Umayyad dynasty collapsed, and Al-Andalus, the Muslim-ruled territory, began to fragment into smaller kingdoms.
• 1492 AD: The Kingdom of Granada, the last Muslim stronghold in Spain, fell to the Catholic Monarchs, marking the end of the Reconquista. When they weren’t busy supporting the exploits of Christopher Columbus, Queen Isabella I of Castile and King Ferdinand II of Aragon, known as the Catholic Monarchs, played a key role in the Moors' departure from Andalusia, which concluded the Reconquista.

The influence of the Moors’ culture reached out far beyond Spanish borders, with the mighty cities of Sevilla, Córdoba, Granada and Cádiz being recognized throughout Europe and North Africa as centers of great learning, renowned for magnificent art and architecture, and homes to eminent scientists and philosophers. In the countryside, they also left behind sophisticated irrigation systems, testament to their skilled agriculture, and many pueblos blancos – white-painted hillside villages.

It's no wonder, then, that that allure of Andalusia continues to draw explorers, travelers, and historians to this day. So let’s get started on our adventures together, shall we?

Welcome to Andalusian Adventures!

 

Welcome to Andalusian Adventures - your passport to stories of our adventures in Spain’s Andalusian region.

Whether you’ve been invited to join us on this journey or just landed on this blog by mistake, we’re happy that you’re here and look forward to (virtually) sharing with you our experiences while we travel through the Andalusian region of Spain for the next couple of weeks.

Our mission with this blog is to educate, inform and entertain.  And if we do a really good job, then perhaps we will also inspire you to pursue your travel dreams as well.

In the weeks leading up to our departure, our excitement grows, particularly as we continue to learn more about the history, traditions and culture of this important corner of the world.  Being able to visit many destinations on our agenda (some of which we’ve heard and read about for decades) will be experiences that I’m sure will last for a lifetime. 

As with all trips of this kind, we’d love to have all our family and friends enjoy the experience together, which would make it so much more meaningful.  But since that’s not practical, our hope is that this blog will serve to give you – our family and friends – a sense for what we’re seeing and doing throughout the journey.

From sightseeing in Seville to castle hopping in Castile, the blog will cover:

• Practical tips and tricks: Information on preparing early, packing efficiently, and using all forms of local transportation.
• Unique destinations and hidden gems: Discover places, from bustling markets to serene landscapes.
• Cultural insights and connections: Learn about new cultures, local customs, and connect with history dating back to Roman times.
• Food and adventure experiences: Savor new and delicious foods and visit breathtaking historical treasures, covering experiences that make travel enriching.

To help us get started, we've prepared a handful of blog posts for you even though it's still a couple of weeks until we officially depart.  There's just so much to learn and look forward to that we had to get a head start on posting a few things about our upcoming travels.

So get ready to be inspired. Let’s start the journey.

 

PS.  We’d love to hear from you as we travel and would also welcome your comments after reading each of our blog post “stories”.