Category: Notes from Spain Podcast

Siguenza – Notes from Spain Podcast 50

Post author By Ben
Post date November 13, 2006

Siguenza

A quiet night in Siguenza, a very quiet town at the top of which sits an even quieter Parador. Today’s podcast comes from a field just below the Parador, an ancient castle first built by the Romans, with a view across the rolling Manchegan plains. Details of the Great Madrid Escape (everyone welcome!) can be found here. And Marina wanted me to point out that this podcast is not sponsored by the Parador chain, even if we do go on about them a lot! The photo is of the Parador/castle on the top of the hill.

Addition – Here’s a short vid taken from the spot where we made the podcast:

http://video.google.com/googleplayer.swf?docId=8869108730651007861&hl=en

Notes from Spain Podcast

Notes from Spain Podcast 49 – Living in Spain, Alan and Brian

Post author By Ben
Post date October 16, 2006

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Many of you will know Alan (AKA ‘El listo’) and Brian (AKA ‘Greytop’), from the forums, and here they are in reality! Brian talks about the good life in Pego, on the Costa Blanca, whilst Alan tells us how to turn up in Valencia with not much idea what to do, and end up having the month of your life…

Discuss in the forum

Notes from Spain Podcast

Notes from Spain Podcast 48 – The Rastro Market

Post author By Ben
Post date October 2, 2006

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Rastro Market, Madrid

The Rastro takes place every Sunday morning in Madrid, and is one of the Spanish capital’s most lively spectacles. All of Spain is on display here in the middle of Madrid, why did I wait 8 years to go back for another look?! More photos here, and comment in the forum as ever!

Notes from Spain Podcast Spain Travel Spanish Culture and News

Chris Stewart Interview – NfS Podcast 47

Post author By Ben
Post date September 11, 2006

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Chris Stewart

This weekend we headed deep into the Alpujarras, a mountainous region south of Granada, to interview Chris Stewart, author of Driving Over Lemons, A Parrot in the Pepper Tree, and the Almond Blossom Appreciation Society. After a rather fine lunch overlooking his valley farm, we sat down to discuss topics including:

– The history of the Moors in Spain and the Alpujarras
– The Moorish influence on his lifestyle and farming techniques, including Moorish irrigation techniques
– Olive trees and olive farming around Jaen
– The similarities between the Alpujarra and Morocco
– The writing process
– Moroccan immigration in Spain and El Ejido (a town in Andalusia where many Moroccan immigrants end up working in intensive greenhouse farming).
– The African immigration problem facing Spain now, and the treatment of Moroccan immigrants in Andalusia
– … and finally, a great recipe for Gazpacho!

Hope you enjoy it! Discussion and questions are welcome in the forum.

Notes from Spain Podcast Spain Travel

Notes from Spain Podcast 46 – Vallecas

Post author By Ben
Post date September 1, 2006

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Vallecas Market

Not many people put a trip to Vallecas at the top of their birthday list, but it really appealed to me! Another wonderful market lies at the centre of a very traditional Barrio Madrileño. More photos are up on Flickr.

Comment on this episode in the Notes from Spain forum.

Notes from Spain Podcast Spanish Culture and News

Notes from Spain Podcast 45 – Fiestas in Madrid

Post author By Ben
Post date August 14, 2006

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Ourense Market

Ben and Marina head down to the center of Madrid to check out the August fiestas and find a wild mix of music, circus and unpalatable tapas (anyone for entresijos?)

The photo above highlights the wonderfully multi-cultural nature of the barrio (enlargement).

Discuss the show on the Notes from Spain forum.

Notes from Spain Podcast

Notes from Spain Podcast 44 – Ourense Market

Post author By Ben
Post date August 3, 2006

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Ourense Market

Ben and Marina visit the wonderful market in Ourense to do some much needed shopping before heading back to Madrid from Galicia. See more photos of the market on Flickr.

Discuss this episode in the Notes from Spain Forum

Living in Spain Notes from Spain Podcast

Notes from Spain podcast no. 43 – Moving to Spain

Post author By Ben
Post date July 17, 2006

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In response to Steve W’s post about moving to Spain, we add our two pennies worth on the first things you’ll need to sort out once you hit these sunny shores. Good luck to Steve, Pepino and all the rest of you that make this fantastic decision!

Some of the sites we mention in the podcast: for info on getting things sorted in Barcelona, try Barcelona Connect. We recommend Open Bank for on-line banking, Loquo for flat hunting (and much more!), Infojobs for jobs, and Asisa for private medical care.

Discuss this podcast in the forums.

Notes from Spain Podcast Spanish Culture and News

Notes from Spain Podcast no. 42 – Ramblings from Gandia

Post author By Ben
Post date July 6, 2006

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Heat stroke may account for these random ramblings from the beach. Sometimes we wonder if we should release a podcast or not, oh well, here goes 😉

Notes from Spain Podcast Spanish Food and Drink

Notes from Spain Podcast no. 41 – Spanish wine

Post author By Ben
Post date June 21, 2006

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Vines by catavino.net

Ben chats to Ryan from Catavino.net about Spanish wines, and discovers that it isn’t all just Rioja, Rioja, Rioja… Ryan recommends La Venencia if you are ever after a glass of sherry (Fino) in Madrid, and you can find out all about the Madrid wine dinners here, and check out his podcasts here.

Comment on/discuss this podcast in the forums.
Thanks to Ryan for the photo, Budbreak.

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