Category: let’s learn spanish

animals · beach · catalonia · fiestas · let's learn spanish · Majorca · Mallorca · menorca · spain

Sant Joan Festival

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

It’s that time of year again! Sant Joan festival in Spain. Many different versions around Spain – tonight in my sleepy Mallorcan town we will be heading to the beach for some BBQ, lighting LOTS of candles around us and possibly dip our toes in the ocean. This is all to celebrate the summer solstice.

BUT the best one to experience is in Menorca. The Sant Joan festival in Ciutadella. Which is CRAZY! Looks super cool but I would rather have the tamer version of it. And it allowed me to come into full contact with the horses! Something I doubt would be possible for me at the Sant Joan festival.

Check out these pics from the Sant Joan festival in Ciutadella. Insane in the membrane.

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and this …..

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Wowzers. That is A LOT of people. But that is the Sant Joan fiesta. Es normal.

The smaller festival that I attended the other year in Menorca was in Es Mercadal and called Sant Marti. The horse is the common hero of all the local saint’s day festivals celebrated in all the Menorcan villages during the summer and clearly shows how authentic the island customs are. The drivers and horsemen, dressed up in the outfit called “de just” (of the just man) in a combination of black and white and they ride Menorcan-race stallions in a long procession or parade (qualcada) which goes through all the main streets and squares of the town.

During the two days of the holiday, strict protocol is observed, mixing religious acts which are closely observed, with moments of collective fun especially during the “jaleos” which take place in the main square and where the horses, horsemen and public take part to an equal extent in the show.

And this Jaleo is what we went to on Sunday morning at 11 am in the Plaça Constitució. It was, in a word, fantastic. First, the riders rode in a procession through the street showing off themselves and their gorgeous horses. And then the fun begins! They ride into the public circle in twos while the spectators (me!) try to touch the horse while it rears up. This went on for about an hour. I am allergic to horses. Seriously, all I have to do is look at a horse and I start to get welts on my face and arms. But after 15 minutes I was ready to get into the game. Screw allergies! It was so much fun.

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and

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and

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If you get a chance to go to the Sant Marti or the Sant Joan festival I highly recommend it. And make sure you wear clothes that can get dirt, sand, horse slobber and more on it. NO HIGH HEELS! No. Muy ridiculo – and don’t think I didn’t see it.

Happy Summer Solstice! xo

catalonia · food · france · let's learn spanish · new york city · restaurant · Road Trip · spain · yum

Restaurants I Want To Go To

GOING NINETY MILES1 Comment

With the holiday season coming up it all really turns to food. Am I right? What’s on the menu for Turkey Day? While obviously Spain doesn’t celebrate it, Felix and I always try to make a nice dinner on the weekend after. I’ll remember to do a weekend update to let you know about it. Gonna try a new side dish – something with potatoes! And of course, I will need to make my favorite of favs – deviled eggs.

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So, food. The World’s 50 Best Restaurant Awards just came out and wouldn’t you know but number 2 is in Girona, Spain – El Cellar de Can Roca. Putting this on my list of restaurants to try.  Plus I have always wanted to check out the medieval city of Girona.

I’m only sharing the top 10 here (three are in Spain!). Click on the link above to read the full list. And congrats to numero uno – Osteria Francescana in Italy. Gotta get back to Italy soon too.

So many places so little time!

1. Osteria Francescana (Modena, Italy) *best restaurant in Europe*
2. El Celler de Can Roca (Girona, Spain)
3. Mirazur (Menton, France)
4. Eleven Madison Park (New York City) *best restaurant in North America*
5. Gaggan (Bangkok) *best restaurant in Asia*
6. Central (Lima, Peru) *best restaurant in South America*
7. Maido (Lima, Peru)
8. Arpege (Paris, France)
9. Mugaritz (San Sebastian, Spain)
10. Asador Etxebarri (Axpe, Spain)
.
architecture · catalonia · do ~ mallorca · go ~ mallorca · hike · just do it already · let's learn spanish · Majorca · Mallorca · planet · S'estanyol

Hike to Torre de Estellella

GOING NINETY MILES1 Comment

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Some people call them torres, which is Spanish for tower. Some people call them the watchtowers. But the real cool people in the know, call them atalayas. I will call them watchtowers…. even though I’m still cool. 🙂 At least I think I am and that’s half the battle, right?

A loooong time ago, Mallorca had a bit of a pirate problem. Who didn’t in the years 1200 – 1600s? Seriously. Especially with the famous Redbeard pirate (aka Hayreddin Barbarossa) hayreddin barbarossa and his brothers. In 1530 Barbarossa captured the castle of Cabrera and set up camp there to use as his base. They would storm towns in Mallorca and if you were lucky they would only steal your possessions and burn your home. Not so lucky, they were killed or taken as slaves. Due to the constant menace of pirate attacks a series of lookout and defense towers were built across the island.

There were 84 towers built in the 16th century on the island but only about 50 them still exist today. Some are in good to great condition and some are deteriorating rapidly. The majority of them were built without foundations, the towers generally had between two and four levels and can be square, rectangular or circular in shape. The entrance was several meters above land and was reached by a rope ladder.

Joan Binimelis from Manacor designed a simple communication system of smoke signals during the day and fires at night. With it, neighboring watchtowers could be alerted, and the information was passed from tower to tower to the Almudaina in Palma.

I see these watchtowers all around Mallorca and while I knew they existed to warn villagers, towns, etc of pirate attacks I love learning even more about how they worked and when they were built. You can usually check out most of them. Some you can enter but most are closed up and you can just walk around it. Kinda like the one I like to hike to in S’Estanyol. I wrote about my hike to the lighthouse here but you can extend that and hike about 20-25 minutes more and get to the Torre de Estellella. It’s a non-strenuous walk along the coastline and the end site is worth it. Think of the history! The pirates! The people watching for those silly pirates! Arrggghh.

Here is how to get there:

S’Estanyol is a small town in the southeast of Mallorca, to arrive you would follow the MA-6015 to the end (arriving at S’Estanyol) and turn right. Park at the end of the road, after the S’Estanyol Club Nautico and get ready for your hike. Walk along the beach and you can either stay on the coastline or walk on a path through the pine trees. They smell so good! Follow the FAR signs. FAR is lighthouse in Catalan (faro in spanish). Just keep following that and soon you will arrive at the rocky coast where you will find this beautiful lighthouse.

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We always like to stop here for a beer. A picnic is a wonderful idea too. To continue onto the watchtower just keep along the water walking away from S’Estanyol and towards Cala Pi. The path will curve to the right and soon you will have the watchtower in sight.

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And the view towards the sea ain’t too shabby either.

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If these walls could talk. I would love to hear the stories!

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And there you have it. If you are in my neck of the woods please stop by Torre de Estellella. We would love to see you. Don’t forget the camera and some sunscreen! See ya there.

Girls run the world · just do it already · let's learn spanish · lists

RESOLUTIONS 2017

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

hodgep

Resolution time, guys. Did you make one? Some?

How about these for you – 17 things to do in 2017

1. Travel somewhere you have never been before

2.  Learn a new recipe

3. Make a goal list – this month, next 6 months, this year, 5 years, life

4.  Take a social media break – a day, a week, a month!

5.  Go for a hike

6. Dance!!!

7. Go out of your comfort zone

8.  Go to or host a family or friend reunion

9. Go to a concert of someone that you have never seen before but you love

10. Throwing kindness around like it’s confetti

11. Learn a new language (that one I feel like I work on daily)

12. Laugh more!

13. Paint (ps – that’s my painting at the top!)

14. Give your place a full cleaning – organize and throw stuff out!

15. Find a nice dark place where there aren’t any city lights and star watch

16. Stop drinking soda. Drink more water.

17. Love the one you see in the mirror. That’s YOU, silly.

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happy holidays y'all · let's learn spanish · spain

Twas The Night Before The Spanglish Christmas

GOING NINETY MILES1 Comment

I thought this was muy adorable, I hope you do too!

(ps – I don’t know the author. If you do, let me know. gracias!)

TWAS THE NIGHT BEFORE (SPANGLISH) CHRISTMAS

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‘Twas the night before Christmas y por toda la casa,
Not a creature was stirring-Caramba! Que pasa?
Los niños were tucked away in their camas,
Some in long underwear, some in pijamas,
While hanging the medias with mucho ciudado
In hopes that old Santa would feel obligado
To bring all children, both buenos y malos,
A nice batch of dulces y otros regalos.
Outside in the yard there arose such a grito
That I jumped to my pies like a frightened cabrito.
I ran to the window and looked out afuera,
And who in the world do you think that it era?
Saint Nick in a sleigh and a big red sombrero
Came dashing along like a crazy bombero.
And pulling his sleigh instead of venados
Were eight little burros approaching volados.
I watched as they came and this quaint little hombre
Was shouting and whistling and calling by nombre:
“Ay Pancho, ay Pepe, ay Cuco, ay Berto,
Ay Chato, ay Chopo, Macuco, y Nieto!”
Then standing erect with his hands on his pecho
He flew to the top of our very own techo.
With his round little belly like a bowl of jalea,
He struggled to squeeze down our old chiminea,
Then huffing and puffing at last in our sala,
With soot smeared all over his real suit de gala,
He filled all the medias with lovely regalos-
For none of the niños had been very malos.
Then chuckling aloud, seeming muy contento,
He turned like a flash and was gone como viento.
And I heard him exclaim, and this is verdad,
Merry Christmas to all, y Feliz Navidad!

just do it already · let's learn spanish

Spanish lesson numero uno

GOING NINETY MILES3 Comments

Alright, how about a Spanish lesson for the blog today!? Dedicated to the Spanish verbs of “to be”, and I always seem to get it  wrong. Time to get it right mi amigo!

For our one verb of “to be” there are two Spanish equivalents/usage/translation/what the fuck have you. There is SER and  ESTAR. And for moi, it is difficult to remember when to use which one.

Though they both have the same meaning, they are used in different contexts. Remember that in English, this verb conjugates to is/are in the present tense (we are, they are, he is, etc). Even in english, this verb has different meanings, it just so happens that the same word is used. Take for example:

  • The dog is brown.
  • The dog is sick.

The first example indicates a basic characteristic of the dog, its color. The second, however, indicates its condition. In spanish, these different meanings each have their own verb:

  • El perro es marron
  • El perro está enfermo

In the first example, we use the verb ser because we are describing a basic condition of the dog which is fairly permanent (its color). In the second, we use estar because we are describing its condition, which is probably temporary.

Now, just so we all remember, let’s review the present tense forms of these verbs

Ser

  • soy
  • eres
  • es
  • somos
  • sois
  • son

Estar

  • estoy
  • estás
  • está
  • estámos
  • estáis
  • están

Now that we know the conjugations, let’s look more in-depth at when to use each. Note that this is not complete, but should give you the general picture.

Ser

  • the time
  • place of origin
  • occupation
  • nationality
  • religious affiliation
  • possession
  • relationship of one person to another

Estar

  • geographic or physical location
  • state or condition
  • progressive tense

Further rules

  • ser is always used when followed by a noun
  • the difference can change the meaning of an adjective (El profesor está aburido – the professor is bored, vs el profesor es aburrido – the professor is boring)

To try and help you remember, think of estar as being for temporary conditions (for example, health, mood, location are all things that will change) and ser for things that are more permanent (hair color, place of birth, etc).

And there you have it, happy conjugating!


2011 · catalonia · cool photos · do ~ mallorca · fiestas · happy holidays y'all · let's learn spanish · Mallorca · spain

Fire and very cold temperatures

GOING NINETY MILESLeave a comment

Fiesta de San Sebastian was last night in Palma. And dude, was it cold. It did warm up in the vicinity of throngs of people and fire but still, freaking cold for Mallorca. My first time to celebrate San Sebastian and it won’t be my last. Policia blocked off Paseo Maritimo and the parade took place there. Not really sure if the Mallorquins would actually call it a parade but it was quite a show.

The second I arrived to Paseo Maritimo this guy walked out from the shadows in full attire of the devil WITH a chainsaw. He started it up right beside me and I almost screamed. I tried to casually step to the side hoping this was part of the fiesta and not some mad psycho killer. But I did hear some screams when he stepped into the “parade”. Scary yo.

Check out the pics, unfortunately I couldn’t capture the hundreds of people running up the stairs to the cathedral, each with a lit torch in their hands. So cool. Then came the part where the bishop (San Sebastian?) fought with the dragon and somehow they projected the entire side of the cathedral with what looked like flying bat people. Seriously hope some of you can see San Sebastian 2012. Til then ….

Happy San Sebastian Y’all!! Peace.  -mallekk

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