6. Jamon serrano, the famous cured ham of Spain. Comes in varying quality, with the most expensive - the jabugo, pato negro - costing up to 200 euros per kilo or more. It is lean, low in salt, utterly delicious, and ubiquitous. Sadly, it cannot be exported, I understand. Whole legs of these prized hogs hang behind nearly every bar in Spain, and many families buy an entire ham, taking paper-thin slices as needed; there is even a special culinary device to hold the ham in place to be sliced.

7. Bread. No Spaniard will sit down to a meal without loaves or slices of fresh bread bought that morning, or very commonly, both that morning and evening. Bread is sufficiently indispensible here that even on Sundays, when all the supermarkets and shops are closed, every panaderia in town will be open until at least 1 p.m. A Spanish barra (long, thin loaf) comes in many varieties, from a French-style baguette (called by the same name here) to my favorite, the gallega - a long, thin oval with a durable crumb and a rich, fermented flavor that stays fresh until the next day - to cracked or whole wheat, seeded, even rye. Good bread here is a birthright. I will miss it.

8. Tempranillo, quince paste: a sweet, vitamin-C-packed firm jelly that is exquisite with either an aged manchego cheese or a slice of jamon.

9. Asparagus. Bottled. Fat, thin, white, green, a multitude of varieties and brands can take up an entire three-foot section of supermarket shelving, top to bottom. I can’t say why the Spanish are so crazy for bottled asparagus - they also love their bottled and canned wild mushrooms, precooked beans, corn, and green beans - but once in a while, it’s nice, chilled, with mayonnaise liberally seasoned with freshly cracked black pepper. By the way, the Spanish assert that mayonnaise, that quintessential French preparation, actually originated in the Balearic Islands, not far off the Barcelona coast, in the town of Mahon. It has a ring of truth.

10. Aioli, or allioli in Catalan, means ‘garlic and oil.’ It’s essentially a thick mayonnaise fortified with industrial-strength amounts of fresh garlic. Spread it on grilled breads or meats, stir a spoonful into a hearty soup, or dip your french-fried potatoes in it. Just don’t breathe on anyone for the next 24 hours unless they’ve shared your meal.

11. Last, but never least: wine. I don’t pretend to know much about wine, although I’ve tasted some incredibly complex, deep and well-constructed Spanish vino tinto. But give me a good table wine for every day, and I’m perfectly happy. There is an amazing abundance of wine in Spain, much of it very drinkable and cheap. I’m talking under 5 euros per bottle - in fact, in my local supermarket, any wine 6 euros or over has an anti-theft device attached to its neck. I even found a very drinkable house-brand rosado (rose) at one supermarket chain for the unbelievable bottle price of 75 centimos! If this could be duplicated in the U.S., it would put Two-Buck Chuck out of business.

This is a random and woefully incomplete list. If you want to know more, come to Spain and find out why its cuisine and wine and gastronomical bounty are beginning to conquer the world of food. Originally: A few good things no respectable Spanish kitchen would be without Images: Justin Metz and markeveleigh

The final of the 13th European Championship between Germany and Spain kicked off at 8.45 pm on Sunday with Iniesta, Puyol and Xavi in Luis Aragonés’s starting XI.
Right from when Roberto Rosetti got the game underway both sides were looking to get forward, though Germany had the best of the play in the first 15 minutes with Casillas being forced to make fine save from Schweinsteiger.

Spain strikes

Then Spain started to get more into the game with Torres hitting the post, Capdevila having a shot and a drive from Cesc which tested the German’s goalkeeper, Lehman. Then in the 32nd minute Torres made it 1-0 to Spain, latching onto a superb pass from Xavi into space and using strength, speed and skill to get past Lahm and chip the ball over Lehman into the German goal.
Casillas tested

Spain began the second half with a wave of attacks which the Germans did well to repel. Then they went on the offensive themselves with half an hour left, and both Ballack and Kuranyi tested Iker Casillas.

Xavi and Iniesta crucial

Even though the Germans were pushing forward, the Spanish continued to create chances with Xavi and Iniesta playing a key role. Xavi took a superb free-kick which Ramos was about to put away when Lehman intervened, while Iniesta had fine chance to make it 2-0 only for the German keeper to save again.

Xavi, Iniesta and Puyol win Euro 2008

Neither side was prepared to sit back and accept the result, with the Germans desperately trying to equalise and Spain seeking the goal that would put them virtually out of sight. In spite of the efforts of the Germans, Spain created lots of chances playing excellent football and Joachim Low’s men were unable to get the goal they needed. After 90 intense minutes of attacking football, Spain won the European Championship for the first time in 44 years, marking the end of a tournament in which Iniesta, Xavi and Puyol have given fine performances.

Externally, it is the only perfectly-finished Catalan Gothic church. Its outer walls display the features which differentiate Catalan Gothic from European.

In the Catalan style, there is a predominance of horizontal lines, of solid panels over empty spaces, of flat terraces without roofs, and a preference for large bare surfaces. The buttresses are swithout flying buttresses as in the European Gothic cathedrals, and the towers are octagonal and flat-topped.

The interior of the church is of an extraordinary beauty and has exceptional acoustic conditions that make it an ideal space for concerts, usually of classical and Oriental music but occasionally of jazz.

Barcelona, the city of progress, design and architecture will soon extend this vision to the district of Les Corts in the form of the British architect’s new design for the football stadium. The new Camp Nou will reflect the past, present and future of Barcelona, Catalonia and modernity’s architectural identity.

Three sources of inspiration

In the words of Norman Foster himself on the day that the model of Barça’s new home was presented, three main elements inspired his restructuring project: the club’s history, the stadium itself and the link between Barcelona, its city and its country. Taken together, this inspiration is manifested in the form a Gaudi-esque mosaic on the façade and roof that will offer dramatic effects at night and pleasant, bright colours by day.

Local influence

Foster’s intention was for the new Camp Nou to be an icon, and at the same time a tribute to Catalan architecture in the form of an allegory to Barcelona and Catalonia. Foster’s inspirations are a synthesis of different traditional and modern influences taken from constructions that already exist in the city, and that help ensure that the Camp Nou will remain an essential part of any sightseeing tour of the city of Barcelona.

In this sense, the international recognition acquired by Barcelona as a result of the Olympic Games in 1992 is particularly worthy of mention. Since the city was announced as the host, Barcelona pulled out all the stops to seduce the world. It has been mainly since then that Barcelona, through such buildings as the Torre de Collserola and the Torre Agbar, among many others, has transformed as it continues to hold major events. The city and its main thoroughfares have been transformed as a result of these events, although its icons are not the cause of this transformation, but rather the consequence.

Challenging that premise, the Chic and Basic company (chicandbasic.com) gives travelers three low-cost options: hotel, hostel and rental apartments sprinkled across downtown from Born (carrer Princesa, 50;, 34-93-295-4652) to Plaza Catalunya (Calle Tallers, 82; 34-93-302-5183) to Gotico (Calle Estruch, 20;34-93-200-2588.). Hostel rates start at 75 euros for a double; 55 euros for a single (about $102 and $75 at $1.36 to the euro); the hotel goes up a notch to between 110 and 210 euros per night. All rooms are very bright, very white — with an eye to sound design (iPod docks and television music channels) and basic needs, which in the jargon of Euro-travelers means bottles of water, plasma televisions and Internet access. In the hotel and hostel, there are small shared kitchenettes. Just down the street from Chic and Basic Born, Ciutat Barcelona (Carrer Princesa, 35; 34-93-269-7475; ciutathotels.com), has minimalist rooms with tall French windows that begin at 95 euros with free high-speed Internet connections and plasma TVs. A roof deck has an itty-bitty pool. A few new apartment rental companies provide Ikea-basic apartments for two to four people in high-end locations. At the newcomer Decimononico (Calle Pescatería, 1; 34-93-319-1661; decimononico.com) apartment rentals in Born begin at 65 euros a person for a double.

TINTO DE VERANO

One-half liter of cheap red wine
One-half liter of sparkling lemon or lemon-lime soda, or tonic water, or sparkling mineral water
Dash of red Vermouth (to taste; optional)
One lemon, sliced

Mix ingredients and serve over ice.

CALIMOCHO

Pour half a glass of cheap red wine; top with Coca-Cola. Add lemon slices and ice and serve cold.

Thanks barcelonajane.blogspot.com

The local police, Red Cross and a station of rescue and evacuation only give service during the summer period, as the lifeguards.

La Nova Icaria has the Blue Flag. There is also a seafront promenade with chiringuitos and restaurants.

Equipment and services: this beach has special handicapped persons facilities, renting from water crafts, red cross, walloways, restaurants, chiringuitos, beach umbrellas and hammocks, rest rooms, camping, lifeguards, parking, public phones, bus stop, cleaning service and waste bins.

You can practice here windsurfing, jet skiing and sailing.
 

     
Type: Urbanized
Size: Small (400 m)
Abarcelonage width: 40 m
Type surface: Fine golden sand
Surge: Calm

Barcelona is blessed with a benign, Mediterranean climate. Spring and fall are ideal times to visit, especially May to June and September to October. Even in the winter, days are crisp to cold (due to its proximity to the mountains) but often sunny. Snow is rare and never lasts more than a day or two. Most of the rainfall occurs in April but some quite spectacular storms, as is typical of the Mediterranean, can occur year-round. July and August are hot and humid, even at night, as the temperature often only drops minimally. The surrounding sea is warm enough to swim in from the end of June to early October. Inland the temperatures drop slightly, as does the humidity. North on the Costa Brava, a strong wind known as the tramontana often blows.

August is the major vacation month in Europe. The traffic from France, the Netherlands, and Germany to Spain becomes a veritable migration, and low-cost hotels along the coastal areas are virtually impossible to find unless booked well in advance. To compound the problem, many restaurants and shops also decide it’s time for a vacation, thereby limiting the visitors’ selections for both dining and shopping. That said, Barcelonese also head out of town for cooler climes, leaving tourists to enjoy the city for themselves. Barcelona is also a major international trade fair and conference destination. These happen throughout the year so if you plan to stay in a mid- to high-range hotel it should be booked well in advance. Barcelona is officially Spain’s most popular destination, and tourism is now year-round. The only time you may not be rubbing shoulders with fellow travelers is Christmas!

Catalan and National Holidays

Holidays observed are January 1 (New Year’s Day), January 6 (Feast of the Epiphany), March/April (Good Friday and Easter Monday), May 11 (May Day), May/June (Whit Monday) June 24 (Feast of St. John), August 15 (Feast of the Assumption), September 11 (National Day of Catalonia), September 24 (Feast of Our Lady of Mercy), October 12 (Spain’s National Day), November 1 (All Saints’ Day), December 8 (Feast of the Immaculate Conception), and December 25 (Christmas) and December 26 (Feast of St. Stephen).

If a holiday falls on a Thursday or Tuesday, many people also take off the weekday in between creating an extra-long weekend. While this only really affects those doing business in the city, you should book hotels well ahead of time on these popular puentes (bridges).

Opening hours: Tue-Sun 10.00-20.00