Plaza Mayor

One of the most breathtaking sights Salamanca has to offer is undoubtedly the Plaza Mayor, it's a must see for anyone visiting Salamanca, and is incredible both by day and by night. I thought I would write a little bit about the history of the square and about its uses in the modern day.

The construction of the Plaza Mayor was ordered by king Filipe V and began in 1729. The square was designed by the Churriguera family, famous for their baroque style architecture which can be seen in many cities throughout spain,  and was first overseen by Alberto Churriguera between 1729-35. Then with the second phase of building came Alberto's nephew Manuel de Larra between 1750-1755. The City Hall was also added in 1755 by Andrés Garcia de Quiñones. Similar to many buildings in Salamanca, the square was built in sandstone. Due to this Salamanca has been nicknamed 'the golden city' due to the golden hue many of the buildings give off when hit by the sunlight, and when lit up by the nigh time lights.

The Plaza is an irregular square, designed this way on purpose out of respect for the church of San Martín. None of its facades have the same height, though each side has three floors aside from the main facade. The Plaza has six entrances leading off to different streets in the city, and has a clock tower on the main facade which in the original design was supposed to have two towers either side of it. However due to fears that the building would not support the weight of these towers the plans were shelved. The city hall is also located within this main facade, and on its face you can see medallions of famous Spanish people, such as Charles I, Cervantes and St. Teresa.  Surrounding the plaza are some 88 arches and more than 200 balconies, which are now home to hotels and private residences.

The Plaza was originally used for bullfighting, and continued to host bullfights for a 100 years after the plaza was built before the more popular circular bullrings came to Spain. It has been a meeting place for people of the city for many years, and when the city's commerce was based around the trade of farm animals and produce people used to meet in the Plaza to sell their goods. Nowadays the Plaza is still a very popular meeting place for people of Salamanca. It is lined with cafés, bars, restaurants and shops and often hosts live concerts. One café that is worth a visit is the 'Café Novelty' as it has been in the same place in the Plaza Mayor for over 100 years and has some of the best ice creams in the city on offer! From the 8th to the 15th of September Salamanca holds one of its biggest festivals of the year, and during this time you can find live music, theatre acts and craft stalls filling the Plaza with people for the whole week.

So if you do come to Salamanca, make sure you come to take a look at the Plaza Mayor, why not sit and enjoy an ice cream during the day watching the world go by, or come and have a drink and sit outside at one of the many bars there, you might even catch some live music if you're lucky!

Sangria

One of the most famous Spanish drinks is Sangria, and you can find it in pretty much any bar you go into in Spain. The word 'sangria' comes from the word 'sangre', meaning blood due to the dark red colour of the drink.

The history of sangria is quite a simple one. As the Romans were extending their empire through the Iberian Peninsula over 2000 years ago, they planted vineyards along the way. Due to the unsafe drinking water at the time it was common practice to fortify it with alcohol to make it ok to drink and kill off any bacteria. The first Sangrias are thought to have been a heavily watered down mix of water, wine, herbs and spices.

Modern day sangria is more of a wine/fruit punch. Usually made with a mixture if different fruits, wine and spirits. However there is no standard recipe for sangria in Spain, and you can find many different varieties of the drink, including versions with white wine or cava! Other popular variations of the drink include 'tinto de verano' (red wine, ice and lemonade or sweetened tonic water) and coming from the Basque region of Spain 'calimocho' or 'kalimotxo', which is basically a mixture of red wine and cola (it tastes a lot better than it sounds!)

Sangria is really easy to make, and a great addition to a party. Here is a simple recipe that I used a couple of weekends ago for a party:

Ingredients:

•        Fruit: I used apple, orange, peach and pineapple, but pretty much any fruit will do!
•     Red Wine: We had a lot of people coming over, so brought 3 litres of red wine, you can alter the amounts of everything depending on the size of the sangria you want to make. The better quality the wine, the better quality the sangria, and the better your head will fell the day after.
•          Soda water: use to dilute the drink a little and give it a bit of fizz.
•         Sugar: many people use sugar to sweeten the drink a little, again this can be done to personal taste, I also heard that the more sugar you use, the more the alcohol affects you, and the worse the hangover is the next day! As an alternative to sugar you can use lemonade or fanta in place of the soda water.
•      Spirits: I used brandy and liquor 43, however a splash of most types of spirit will help to give your sangria a little bit of an extra kick! Common spirits used are rum, triple sec and brandy, or a combination of different ones!

Method:

•          Cut the fruit into small to medium sized pieces and place in a bowl
•          add the wine, spirits and sugar to the bowl and stir the mixture together (use as much or as little spirit as you like)
•          leave in the fridge for 24 hours for the flavours of the fruit to mix with the alcohol and wine
•          before serving, add ice and the soda water
•          enjoy!

There are now many different versions of sangria across Spain, and even the world. Have a look here  for some recipe ideas such as white wine peach sangria and watermelon sangria. I hope you enjoy your sangria experience and make a great summer drink!

Skateboarding in Salamanca

I have been skateboarding for many years in England and as I'm sure you all know, the weather in England is far from perfect, and living in a small rural town in the north of the country there aren't any skate parks within skating distance (the best I get is a smooth driveway/car park at our village hall) Therefore when I knew I would be coming to Salamanca to study and work here at Tía Tula language school I was really excited to explore what the city had to offer in terms of skate spots. I'm sure I still have a lot more to discover but will try and fill you in on my findings so far!

Naturally the first difference to skateboarding in Salamanca compared to back home in England is the weather. Even if it does rain (which is rare) the weather changes quickly enough in the summer months that within a couple of hours everything is dry. Another benefit of being here is Salamanca is a small city, therefore most things are only a 10-15 minute skate away from each other. Further to this many of the streets are paved with smooth concrete or marble like slabs which make for a smooth roll around the city. I came with a cruiser board (mindless 24/7) which is such a great way to get around and see the city, as well as a normal set up to take to street spots and down to the parks.

Now, the skate parks that they have here are nothing like the ones you can find in some of the bigger Spanish cities such as Barcelona and Madrid, there are also many superior parks in England, however there a good crew of skaters in the city who can make any session into a fun one. The main skate park in the city is situated next to the river just next to the start of the 'Puente Romano' bridge. The park has some small metal features-a fun box, a manual pad and two small kickers, one of which is moveable and the other crosses a gap. They also have a grind rail and a couple of grind boxes, as well as a covered area with small stair set and down-rails leading up to it. Though it might not seem like much, I have never been bored skating here, and the obstacles are both good for learning tricks and for pushing your skating. Some are easy, such as the 2 set up to the covered area, whilst others are hard to skate-a steep flat bank next to the fun box and a bigger stair set near one entrance to the park. There are also some good skaters here, and I've already seen some good stuff thrown down (hard flip off the kicker and over the gap, blunt stall flip out on the flat bank...) The skaters who frequent this park are all very friendly and helpful, and there is no feeling of intruding on their session. Games of skate are a common thing at the park, I've played countless games against different people since I've been here, so get learning some strange tricks to catch people out with! The location of the park next to the river means it stays slightly cooler than other parts of the city, and with the water and some greenery it really feels that you have got out of the city (despite the park only being a ten minute skate from the centre). This is definitely the place to come to meet other skaters in the city, however don't expect it to be full all day. Due to the heat and the general Spanish way of life people don't usually start showing up until around 6 or 7 in the evening at the earliest, however due to the floodlights and the cooler temperatures sessions can go on late into the evening.

There is also another park I have found set in the lower end of one of the bigger parks of the city 'el parque de los jesuitas'. This park is smaller than the main one by the river, but has concrete features and some transitions so if you are more into ramps than street skating this could be a better option for you. The park has a couple of quarter pipes, a small concrete launch pad and some flat banks linked to one of the quarter pipes to act as a kind of fun box. This isn't the easiest park to skate which makes any tricks landed that bit more impressive. This park is generally quieter than the main skate park, though I'm sure with the right crew a good session could go down there. There are also basketball and football pitches right next to it, and a bar in the middle of the park if you feel like you need a bit of refreshment!

One of the best street spots I have seen is on the main shopping street of Salamanca, the 'Calle Toro' by the side of the church of 'San Juan de Sahagun'. Though right next to the church I have never seen skaters get any trouble skating here. The spot consists of consecutive 2 and 3 sets with well waxed ledges next to each one. This is a good spot for learning new tricks down stair sets and for trying to put lines together down the stair sets or with the ledges. This spot is easy to find and right next to a supermarket. Not that I've tried but I would imagine Sundays to be a no go as Spain is a very religious country, but I can't say for sure!

There are many other waxed ledges of varying heights dotted around the city as well. One I've spotted is on the Rua Mayor as part of a statue/monument. It has both a tall straight ledge and a curved one to try some tricks on.

In terms of equipment there are 2 main skate shops in Salamanca, both close to each other in between the 'Calle de Toro' and 'Gran Via'. 'First Love' seems to be the main skate shop, stocking everything you need to get set up and with a range of clothing from brands such as Element, DC and Vans. Check out their website here for more information and some videos and pictures. The other skate store nearby is called 'K-Lab'. Compared to 'First Love' it seems more of an all round outdoor extreme sports shop selling snowboard equipment and clothing as well as skate stuff. See their website here for more info and an idea into the kind of things they sell. A bit further out of the city you can also buy complete skateboards, penny style cruisers, long boards and skate clothing from brands such as DC and Hurley at the 'Corte Ingles' on 'Calle de Maria Auxiliadora'. This is a big department store and the sports section is on the 5th floor.

I hope that this gives you a good introduction to skateboarding in Salamanca. If you are a skater and are debating whether or no to bring your board, do it! Maybe I'll see you down at the skate park for a game of skate some time this summer!

Radio interview of three students from Tía Tula

As we recently posted on our Facebook page, three students of Tía Tula, Colegio de Español took the opportunity to participate in a programme on Radio 5 (RNE), the national Spanish radio station, in which they shared some of their experiences about being Spanish students in Salamanca.

If you would like to know more about what makes Salamanca the perfect city to come to for learning Spanish, watch the video that we recorded during the interview:

We also have a podcast of the whole programme, which includes a talk between Enrique Clavero (the joint director of Tía Tula), Ricardo Ortiz (the director of 'Lingua Globe') and Carmen Ballesteros (the director of 'Salamanca City of Spanish'):

And for you? What do you like the most about Salamanca?

Spanish version

Surfing in San Sebastian

Last weekend I decided to take a break from city life in Salamanca to visit the coast and do some surfing in the beautiful Basque region of Spain. I had been up to visit Paddy (the manager) at the stoke travel surf camp in June, and knew  straight away I would be back at least a couple of times whilst spending the summer in Salamanca.

The camp site is just up the hill from the small town of Zarautz (about 10km from San Sebastián) set with beautiful views over the beach and the coastline. The journey into the area is very impressive, with the green rolling hills of the Basque region you get some amazing views from both the bus and the train. 

A typical day consists of surf lessons, skating, table tennis, basketball, tight rope walking, cliff jumping, horse riding, eating good food and partying through the night! So plenty to keep you occupied aside from the main thing of learning how to surf.

If you are looking to visit some of the towns in order to experience Basque costal life, Zarautz is a great place to start! It is a popular tourist destination for both foreigners and Spaniards alike, with its population doubling in the busy summer months. The town is most famous for its 2.8km beach, the longest in the Basque region of Spain. At the end of the 19th century the popularity of Zarautz as a luxury tourist destination grew, with famous people such as Queen Isabella II visiting the town. A number of lavish buildings and mansions were built here around this time, though throughout the 70's and 80's Zaurautz became a more affordable holiday destination, with many of the grand buildings becoming public or being demolished.

Now the town is known worldwide as one of the best surfing destinations, with such a long beach there is plenty of room for surfers, and swell to suit all levels, from beginners to professionals, they even hold a leg of the world surfing championships here. You can find many great restaurants in Zarautz as well, with one of the top chefs in Spain (Karlos Arguiñano) having his own restaurant here.

Just 10km away lies the famous city of San Sebastián (or Donastia in Basque) Despite its relatively small size, San Sebastián is one of the most famous and popular tourist cities in Spain, holding events such as the San Sebastián International Film Festival, and it has been granted the European city of culture for 2016. One of the main attractions of the city is it's coastal location. San Sebastián has one of the best beaches in the region, and is also surrounded by impressive mountains and hills perfect for hiking!

The city is also famous for cultural events, holding the longest running jazz festival in Europe (Jazzaldia) in the last week of July, in which you can find many free concerts at different locations around the city. They also have a contemporary art and film festival called 'Street Zinema' as well as the 'Surfilm Festibal' showing impressive surfing footage, often in the form of shorts.

San Sebastián is perhaps most well known for its gastronomy. It has been said that it is the city with the most Michelin star restaurants per square foot in the world. Being close to the sea the seafood is naturally amazing here, and it is also renowned for having some of the best tapas, or 'pintxos' in the old part of the city.

As well as surfing, San Sebastián also has a top level football team, Real Sociedad, who formed part of the founding members of the top Spanish football division 'La Liga'. Aside from this San Sebastián also hosts the 'Clásica de San Sebastián' cycle race in early August each year, which is part of the world cup circuit.

So if you like the sound of giving surfing a try or experiencing the Basque region of Spain then get yourself up to Zarautz for some surfing and partying! Maybe I'll see you there to try and surf some waves and have a beer on the hill watching the sun set in the evening!

¡Buenos Días!

Hi there! My name is Joe and I have just started the intern programme at Tía Tula in Salamanca, and have had a great time in my first few days! I am undertaking the intern programme here as part of my year abroad for my 3rd year of university studies. As well as gaining experience working in a different culture and in an office environment, I am here to improve my communication, marketing and of course my Spanish language skills!

I arrived on Sunday evening and was met at my student flat by the landlord and introduced to my other flatmates. All were really friendly and welcoming and I instantly felt at home. The flat is perfectly situated behind the church of 'San Juan de Sahagun,'  just off the 'Calle de Toro' (the street of bulls) which is the main shopping street in the city centre and less than a ten minute walk to the language school!

Tía Tula is a fairly small language school with small class sizes, and for that it reason it has a close 'family' feel to it. With lots of young teachers and students of all ages it's easy to meet new like-minded people! Everyone is very friendly and helpful and always willing to stop what they are doing to give you a hand if you have any problems. I haven't once felt bed for asking a question, even if it's something as simple as 'where's a good place to get breakfast?' (there is a great little pastry shop just across the road from the school that sells all kinds of amazing croissants!)

Though I have been here less than a week I already feel settled in Salamanca. It is a small city, thus easy to get everywhere on foot, with lots of impressive architecture, a rich history and a great nightlife there are all kinds of things to explore and discover here! The people here are very friendly and easy to talk to, and will always try and help if they see you struggling with a word or phrase. Further to this Salamanca has the purist form of spoken Spanish in Spain with no regional accent to confuse you!

I will be here for the next three months and will do my best to give you an insight into some of the fun things to do Salamanca that has on offer, as well as a bit of Spanish culture and history. Until then, ¡hasta pronto!

International Day of the Book

As every year, we’ve celebrated the International Day of the Book (23 April), we’ve taken the opportunity to ask the school staff which book of the Hispanic literature they will read again. The literary works could be of any genre but originally written in Spanish.

The purpose of this poll was to create a list of our favorite books, by Spanish or Hispanic authors, to recommend to students and of course, enjoy ourselves. Throughout this work, we were able to confirm what we were already suspecting: the school staff has an exquisite literary taste!

Here is the result of this small public opinion poll (in strict alphabetical order, though...):

Aline : ‘Sin noticias de Gurb’  by Eduardo Mendoza.

Ana Andreu : ‘La tabla de Flandes’ by Arturo Pérez-Reverte.

Ana Cortina : ‘El manuscrito de piedra’ by Luis García Jambrina.

Ana Fernández : ‘El maestro del Prado’ by Javier Sierra and ‘La verdad sobre el caso Savolta’ by Eduardo Mendoza.

Ana Sáenz : ‘Retahílas by Carmen Martín Gaite.

Beatrice : ‘La sonrisa etrusca’ by José Luis Sampedro .

Carmen : ‘El tiempo entre costuras’ by María Dueñas and ‘Como agua para chocolate’ by Laura Esquivel .

Cristina Martin : ‘Cien años de soledad’ by Gabriel García Márquez, and ‘Retrato en sepia’ by Isabel Allende.

Cristina Ramos : "La Celestina" by Fernando de Rojas.

Elena : ‘Poesía completa’  by Alejandra Pizarnik .

Enrique : ‘La ciudad y los perros’ by Mario Vargas Llosa, and ‘Olvidado Rey Gudú’ by Ana María Matute .

Javier : ‘Los renglones torcidos de Dios’ by Torcuato Luca De Tena.

Lourdes : ‘Espantapájaros’ by Oliver Girondo .

Macarena : ‘La sombra del viento’  by Carlos Ruiz Zafón.

Montse : "Bichos" by Miguel Torga .

Nela : ‘Poeta en Nueva York’ by Federico Garcia Lorca.

Rosa: ‘La Tía Tula’ by Miguel de Unamuno, and ‘Marianela’ by Benito Pérez Galdós.

 

We’ve also included the list of the 100 best novels in Spanish published by El Mundo newspaper in 2001, in which they’ve taken into account the opinion of both 20,000 critics and readers:

Top  100 novels in Spanish by “El Mundo” - 2001

We hope you come over just as well as us with these magnificent works. In addition to, we'd love to know your opinion. What book of Hispanic literature would you like to read again?

Huerto de Calixto y Melibea.

Huerto de Calixto y Melibea. Love, passion, life and death. The complexity and greatness of the human soul and its relations. The well, the walk, the garden are images that make you speak with a low voice, to meet the messages.

If it is true that we are living to be happy, I want to be forever
by your side. 

The story
The story is about Calisto, who is an employee of Pleberio, the father of Melibea. Calisto is deeply in love with Melibea and enlists the help of a matchmaker. The matchmaker, Celestina, is also the owner of a brothel. Celestina links Malisto and Melibea by saying her that a man is seriously ill and may recover only by the attention of Melibea. Celestina arranges a meeting between the two in the garden of Pleberio.

Two servants of Calisto do not trust Celestina and therefore try to convince Calisto to not accept her help. If the servants, however, find out that Calisto is not changing his mind, they decide to create a pact with Celestina. They decided to help Celestina in exchange for a share of the money, received from Calisto. However, the two servants find out that Celestina does not intend to share the money with them. The servants go therefore to the brothel of Celestina and murder her, however, they are caught and also the two servants were executed by one of the prostitutes.

In the meantime, another drama takes place in the garden of Pleberio. Out of desperation Calisto tries to climb a ladder to get to the window of Melibea, when he falls from the ladder and dies. Melibea can not live without him and tells her father about the love story between her and Calisto. After telling him, she jumps from the tower. 

The garden
It is the garden of the house where Melibea lived in the story called La Celestina. La Celestina is a love story with a tragic end, the spanish version of Romeo and Juliet.

A lot of couples and also friends immortalize themselves
by locking a padlock to a wrought-iron well in the garden

The garden is located in the old town of Salamanca and is 2500 square meters. The garden was opened on June 12, 1981. The garden is built on part of the old city wall and offers a beautiful view over the Río Tormes with its Roman bridge. 

On the other side, the garden offers a view of the old town and the beautiful old cathedral. The garden has in summertimes a large diversity of colorful flowers. It´s an ideal place to unwind and enjoy the tranquility, the views and the romantic atmosphere in the garden.

When you haven´t been there yet, you should definitely visit this beautiful place!

Activities 25/11 - 29/11

Monday, 25th of november, 18:30: Bowling. Bowling at Star Bowl, Avenida de los Cipreses. Price: bowling shoes included (€5), Meeting place: Tia Tula, Duratio: +/- 1h30

Tuesday, 26th of november, 20:00: Dancing Class: Flamenco. With dancing school Raquel Gómez. 8 students needed to guarantee this activity. Price: €4,- , Meeting place: Tia Tula, Duration +/- 1h30

Wednesday, 27th of november, 20:00: Movie: HECTOR. De gracia querejeta. (2004) Price -, Meeting place: Tia Tula, Duration: +/- 1h30

Thursday, 28th of november, 18:30: Exposicion. In memorian of the artist: Miguel Iribertegui. A demonstration of his written work at Santo Domingo de la Cruz. Price: -, Meeting place: Tia Tula, Duration: 1h

Friday, 29th of november, 20:30: Route de Tapas. Eat tapas with us in Calle van Dijck. Price: your consumption, Meeting place: Tia Tula, Duration: +/- 1h

Remember to sign up for the activity at the reception beforehand (the minimum number of people needed for each activity is 3). If the cost is not stated then the activity is free. We recommend that our students participate in the activities so they can get to know other students in the school, so they can broaden their knowledge of Spanish culture and to practice and improve their Spanish in a fun way.

Small get together

Friday night Josh (another intern at Tia Tula) organized our own intercambio activity. At 9/10 o clock we got together in his apartment with students from the Spanish and ELE courses.

ELE courses are for professors (whether native or non-native Spanish speakers) who want to improve their Spanish and their teaching skills.

Intercambios are activities involving a mutual exchange of knowledge. Normally an intercambio exists of speaking Spanish half of the time and the other half of the time the conversation will be in English.

However in this case we had the chance to practice Spanish with the ELE students all the time, in the case that they are not here to learn English. At the beginning it was a little awkward, but soon the students were mixed and trying to keep the conversation up in Spanish. This was a perfect opportunity to practice Spanish in a pleasant and natural way, in combination with homemade Sangria. We finished the night in the centre.

Liane - Student Tia Tula

Salamanca and surroundings. Discovering Bilbao!

Since quite some time has passed since I'm in Salamanca, last weekend I decided to visit one of the many beautiful cities that are nearby: Bilbao. Many of the people I spoke with recommended Bilbao, as well Salamanca has good transportation links with other surrounding cities so it was very easy to get there. I decided to go by train because it was very fast and very affordable.

 

Although it is different than Salamanca, Bilbao is a very interesting and there are plenty of things to do! When I arrived on a Saturday I walked around the old town, where there are shops of all types. The streets have that style that is typically Spain: very narrow houses, closely built next to each other with small balconies where tenants had hung flowers of different colors.

 

There are many old stone churches and museums. I visited the most famous, the Guggenheim Museum. Despite the long time it took to get in as it was quite crowded, it was worth the wait! The exhibition is contained on three floors, and where there is displayed modern works and movements by Pop Art Andy Warhol (with the famous image of Marilyn Monroe) with Breton and Surrealism, Picasso and many others ... On leaving I also saw the famous sculpture that looks like a spider, with many tourists waiting around to get a chance to take a photo with it.

 

Another museum that I visited and which I recommend is the museum of local traditions, showing dances suits, dresses old fishermen, found objects belonging to the Paleolithic period.

 

On Sunday at midday I decided to eat in the main square, under the arcades where you will find there are many places that offer snacks and tapas of all types. What I loved most was the city at night, many places open late and the streets are all lit, creating a special atmosphere, a mixture of an ancient and modern city.

Before returning to Salamanca on Sunday via train, I took some final moments in the city to take a walk near the river and cross the famous bridge build by architect Santiago Calatrava. On the platform that runs along the river there are many tourists and locals who take advantage of the views to either take a walk or bike

Bilbao is a city suitable for anyone who is interested in going somewhere that is easy to get around on foot, has a festive nightlife, it’s cultural and I’m certain you will have fun! I did!

 

Valeria, student internship in Tía Tula.

Extra-curricular activities 12th - 16 August, 2013

Monday 12 August, 18:00:  Visit to the Convento de Las Dueñas.  Come with us to visit the courtyard of the Salamanca Nunnery, an Order of Dominica. You can also buy sweets manufactured and sold directly by the nuns of the convent Price: € 2. Meeting point: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 45 min

Tuesday 13 August, 19:30: Cooking Class. Arroz Negro(with squid). You will learn how to make this Spanish dish and then you can eat it. Price: € 7 Location: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1H

 

Wednesday 14 August, 19:30: Tapas route. Come with us for Tapas in the city center. Price: + - 6 €. Meeting point: Tia Tula. Approximate duration: 1:30

 

Thursday 15 August: Festival: Dίa de la Asunciόn. (Ese dίa hay clase pero no hay actividad).  It is the belief, according to tradition and theology of the Orthodox Church and the Catholic Church that the body and soul of the Virgin Mary, mother of Jesus Christ were taken to heaven after finishing her days on earth (known as Assumption Day).

 

Friday 16 August, 11.00: Movie Alatriste (2006) by Agustίn Dίaz Yanes. In Imperial Spain in the seventeenth century, Diego Alatriste, a fierce soldier fighting for the Spanish cause in Flanders returns to a drastically different Spain to fulfill the dying wish of a fallen friend  Location: Tia Tula - Movie length: 140 min.

 

Remember to sign up for the activity at the reception beforehand (the minimum number of people needed for each activity is 3). If the cost is not stated then the activity is free. We recommend that our students participate in the activities so they can get to know other students in the school, so they can broaden their knowledge of Spanish culture and to practice and improve their Spanish in a fun way.

Getting familiar with Spanish Food terms!

As a newbie in Spain and with a long way to go in terms of speaking the language, one of the most intimidating things for me was trying to figure out the menus when ordering food.I would initially get pretty confused, as did some of my classmates, but my confusion has cleared up. What helped me to understand were the explanations given to me by Aline, who works at Tia Tula. Thanks Aline! 

 

In many of the bars and restaurants are menus written mostly on blackboards and they would have above the food offering the terms - Tapas, Pinchos, Raciones etc.  Apart from understanding that they were priced differently I had no clue as to what makes them different. Here´s what I found...

 

 A 'Pincho' (also known as Pintxos) comes from the verb 'pinchar', which is 'to pierce'. Pinchos for example Jamon, are traditionally pierced with a cocktail stick to attach it to a piece of bread. However, as Basque cuisine has evolved, the food is now less likely to be pierced to a piece of bread than before.

Tapa which comes from the Spanish verb ´Tapar´ which means to cover and a tapa, sometimes just a piece of bread, was used in olden days to ´cover´ one´s drink and prevent flies etc. from getting into it.

In many cities in Spain, a large plate sized portion of, for example fried potatoes (Patatas) will be called a 'ración', with a half-size portion called a 'media ración' and a quarter-size portion a 'tapa'.

If you are in Salamanca you will also see the terms Sandwiches and Bocadillos/Bocatas. There is a difference: A sandwich is made with modern-day white bread, called pan de molde whereas a Bocadillo or Bocata is made with a rustic barra de pan or baguette-style bread loaf.

If you are in Salamanca and you come across food names that had you initially puzzled but you´ve since figured it out please feel free to spread the knowledge! In the meantime enjoy the food in Spain!

 

 

Debra, Student in Tia Tula
 

Origin of the University of Salamanca

The Public University of Salamanca is famous for its facade, but what is the history behind it? It started in 1130, which marks the year classes were first offered inside the Cathedral. The university was then officially founded in 1218 by King Alfonso IX. This makes the university of Salamanca the oldest in Spain. In 1254, the university was recognized by Pope Alexander IV as one of the four major universities in the world, with the universities of Oxford, Paris and Bologna. The building of "Escuelas Mayores" began in 1415.

 

In 1529, the Catholic Monarchs took advantage of this auspicious time to order the construction of the new facade that we know today. The most known thing of this facade is the frog represented over a skull. Legend says that in order to graduate, each new student must find the frog. If the student does not find it, it means bad luck for his studies.

 

Today, all the tourists who come to visit Salamanca look for the frog that has become a symbol of the city. This is evidenced by the large number of souvenir shops offering frog key chains, frog magnets etc. as keepsakes to remember Salamanca by.

 

In 1584, the number of university students in the University reached 6778. After that, the attendance had waned and in 1822, it only had 412 students. Throughout history, many famous people have passed through the halls of the university, among them Luis de Leon, Miguel de Unamuno, Miguel de Cervantes, Hernando Cortes, and Christopher Columbus.

 

According to the university website, it now has faculties of law, art, medicine and sciences.  Today more than 30,000 students pass through the university each year, participating in the 250 programs offered.

 

If you are currently in Salamanca, don’t forget to visit the university, a part of the rich history of Salamanca!

Claire, Intern at Tia Tula 

Flamenco….Bailar!!

I attended the Azabache Flamenco show in the Palacio de Congresos with some of the students from Tia Tula to view the Flamenco themed performance. We loved it!!  For me, it was the first time I’ve seen Flamenco performed in Spain and it was fabulous. The dancer performed with such a joyous expression and passionate movements you couldn’t help but be drawn into the performance. The singers and the band were excellent and we all had a great time!

 

The performance lasted for an hour and a half and at the end the lead singer’s two sons came on stage. Afterwards the lead singer and his two sons gave an impromptu performance together, with the younger son aged about 10 years, singing lead! We were captivated! He was excellent and the audience encouraged him with cheers and applause! It was a great moment.

 

I hope I can attend another flamenco performance during my time in Salamanca because I definitely enjoyed this one!

 

Debra, student in Tia Tula

Extra-curricular Activities 22nd - 25th July

Monday 22, 18:00: Card Game. Do you know the Spanish card game chinchón? Come with us to learn and play chinchón in the shade of a park. Meeting point: Tia Tula - Approximate duration: 1h

 

Tuesday 23, 19:30: Cooking Class You will learn to make Paella and then you can eat it. Price: € 7.

 

Wednesday 24, 17:00:  Cinema – Blancanieves (2012) de Pablo Berger Drama Spain / France. As part of the cycle of "a summer of Spanish cinema", Tia Tula accompanies you to the cinema to see this film. Price: 5,50 €. Meeting point: Tia Tula - Movie length: 90min.

 

Thursday 24, 18:30: Exhibition- Archivos de la Guerra Civil. We'll go to see the exhibition that has files of civil war and view a Masonic lodge. Meeting Point:  Tia Tula. Approximate Duration: 1H

 

Friday 25, 19:00: Tapas Tour. Come take a Tapas tour in the Centre. Price: + - 6 €. Meeting point: Tia Tula. Approximate duration: 1:30

Remember to sign up for the activity at the reception beforehand (the minimum number of people needed for each activity is 3). If the cost is not stated then the activity is free.

My experience visiting a Flea Market

One of the activities organized by Tía Tula last week Sunday was a short trip to a nearby pueblo to visit a flea market. Last week Sunday, I along with some friends of Tia Tula travelled to a nearby town named Holy Carbajosa to experience the flea market.

 

The market was in the main square, which has a beautiful small old stone church in the center. On the church close to the bell, which is still rung by hand, there was a nest of storks, which although very often seen in Salamanca, always has the ability to charm and fascinate me.  

It was a small “mercadillo” and the items for sale varied from books, magazines, dvds, clothing to older collectible items. Some stalls sold clothing, jewelry, bags, shoes ... all the things which brought happiness to us!! I guess it was a little different for Sergio, the only guy who was with us in the group but he had a good time browsing through the many dvds and books on sale.

 

What caught my attention was seeing an old movie player with the projector and reels of film also offered for sale. I thought with the exception of the one my dad has, those had disappeared from the face of the Earth! My father is still keeping his, along with film of when I was a child.  Seeing this item in a little flea market in Carbajosa brought back good memories of my childhood.

 

Afterwards, we all sat on the terrace of a bar in the square for tapas and continued practicing our Spanish. After this visit, I can definitely say that there is always something new and interesting to be discovered in the activities organized by Tía Tula. It was a great way to spend my Sunday morning!

 

Irene D'Ambra, a student at Tía Tula

Jazz concerts - Part of the Second Edition of the cultural program “Plazas y Patios”.

Starting from last Saturday there will be concerts scheduled as part of Salamanca’s Second Edition of the Cultural program “Plaza y Patios.”  The concerts will be held at The Gardens of Santo Domingo de la Cruz and are carded to be held every Saturday, beginning on June 29 and ending on July 27. Time is 10.30pm and admission is free.  Modulating Big Band, Coda, Jose Luis Gutierrez, Cool Cats and Blues Trio, Laurent Lavigne,Ñaco&Goñi are the five groups scheduled to perform.
 

To give you an indication on the remaining performances, on Saturday, July 6, will be the Coda group, a Vocal Quintet, of five female voices a cappella.  Jose Luis Gutierrez, one of the most International Spanish Jazz musicians, will perform on July 13.  His performance is influenced by Iberian music and he has a style called "Iberjazz". On July 20 will be the group Cool Cats.They play swing on a blanket of samba, mambo, calypso and rumba. And to end, on July 27 will be the trio Ñaco, Laurent Lavigne & Goñi with a selection of blues standards with special emphasis on Chicago in the '50s and '60s.

Tia Tula encourages you to go out and take part in this activity as it is a good way to interact with others and practice your Spanish. 

Debra, Student at Tia Tula

Visit to the Monastic Craft Market, Plaza Anaya.

There is always something going on in Salamanca. A few days ago I got a glimpse of Sweets Heaven! My class mate and I visited the Monastic Craft Market held at Plaza Anaya and we were impressed with the offering of sweets!

 

The products were made by various Monasteries who came together to showcase their products and offer them for sale to the public daily from June 25th and 30th.  This market was part of the Second Edition of the cultural program “Plazas y Patios” that was mentioned in a previous blog article. See link http://spanishinspain.blogspot.com.es/2013/06/second-edition-of-cultural-program.html

 

There were different types of biscuits, tarts and cakes, all nicely packaged and displayed on tables under the tents in the plaza. It was a good time to indulge in a little treat and we walked off the extra calories by heading down to the Rio Tormes!

 

Debra, Student in Tia Tula

Extra-curricular Activities 1st – 5th July

Monday 1st, 19:30: Guided tour. A person from the school will tell you the history of the main monuments of Salamanca. Meeting point: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1h

 

Tuesday 2nd, 17:30: Museum. We will visit and view an antique collection of vehicles in the Automobile Museum of Salamanca. Meeting point: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1h.

Wednesday 3rd, 18:30:  Dance Course. Flamenco course with the academy Raquel Gomez. Minimum 6 students. It’s necessary to sign up before Tuesday 2nd 14:00. Meeting point: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 1h

 

Thursday 4th, 16:30: Swimming Pool. We will spend the afternoon in the swimming pool San Jose. Bring your swimsuit, towel and flippers. Price: € 3,30. Meeting point: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 3h

Friday 5th, 20:45: Theatre piece. We will watch a theatre play named “Suena que algo piedra” in the Salamanca cave. Meeting point: Tía Tula. Approximate duration: 30 minutes.


Remember to sign up for the activity at the reception on beforehand (the minimum number of people needed for each activity is 3). If the cost is not stated then the activity is free. We recommend our students to participate in the activities so they can get to know other students in the school, so they can broaden their knowledge of Spanish culture and to practice and improve their Spanish in a fun way.