With the increasing effects of climate change looming, and a deep drought continuing to drain Spain of its water supply, classic Spanish sayings and idioms find themselves in danger of being rendered obsolete. Listen and learn more!
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon, Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
I recently read some articles about the same subjects I featured in a couple of episodes. One is about a famous wine heist that took place in Caceres in November of 2021; and the other retold the infamous story of a mid-air collision between a B-52 and a refueling plane that resulted in the avcidental dropping of 4 nuclear bombs on the coast of Spain. The consequences could have been apocalyptic but miraculously the damage was moderate at worst. Still, the area has yet to be fully cleared of the radioactive waste left behind. The authorities are inching towards this aim.
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon, Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
Some of the oldest and most venerable higher learning institutions in Europe (and the world, for that matter) are located in Spain. Many were founded as this country was initiating a rise to world power. Swords to engage in warfare with their traditional enemies the Moors were now being substituted for pens to take on intellectual endeavors. Listen to this brief rundown on some of Spain’s earliest universities. Enjoy!
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon. Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
November 9th is a holiday in Madrid and it’s in honor of the Virgin Mary of the Almudena, one of the two patrons of the city. It’s a very old tradition and a very old figure in the history of the city. Listen and learn where we get the name from and some of things that people do on this day. Enjoy!
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon. Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
It’s a long weekend here in Spain and that’s because August 15th is a public holiday. It’s also when the most fiestas are celebrated in the entire year. Some 1,200 parties will energize nightlife throughout the country. From big cities like Madrid to the tiniest hamlet, music and revelry (as well as a religious act or two) are the order of the day. Most mark the Feast of the Assumption, but in today’s podcast we’ll pay special attention to a lesser known figure, San Roque, or St. Roch, whose feast day is August 16th. Enjoy!
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon. Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
Juan of Asturias, only son of Isabella and Ferdinand, is an obscure figure in Spanish history who did little more to influence the course of this nation than die. But what a death! He left his world at the age of 19 in 1497, and because of that, Spain would never be the same. The stunningly beautiful tomb is the centerpiece of the church at the magnificent Royal Monastery of Santo Tomás, in Avila, Listen and learn more! Enjoy!
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon. Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
The painting we see in this podcast was the creation of Ulpiano Checa, from Spain, and it is a famous depiction of how the artist envisioned the arrival of the Germanic tribes around the Fall of the Roman Empire. It’s a fanciful image by today’s standards, but it has left an indeleble mark on our collective memory of those events. Spain was, indeed, invaded by several Germanic peoples (the Vandals, Alans and Suebi), and the finally the Visigoths, who would hang around for a few hundred years. This is a period of transition in our series on the History of Spain. Check it out and enjoy.
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon. Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
The coat of arms of the city of Avila has the curious image of a young king in a kind of castle/church. As you might be guess, there is a story behind it and one that is as fascinating as it is tragic. And it represents the complexity of the geopolitical situation in Spain during the early 12th century. History? Legend? Both? Listen and enjoy and let us know what you think.
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon. Apple and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, click on our PayPal donate button or check us out at Patreon at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
Every December 22, much of Spain braces itself for a 3-hour televised event that few people in the the world would associate with this festive season: a chance to make their Yuletide just a little bit cheerier by winning the annual Christmas lottery. This is a tradition that goes back over 200 years, believe it or not, and it is estimated that over 75% of the adult population in Spain plays; and with a total payout of 2.4 billion euros, many consider it the largest in the world. More than a celebration of gambling, it’s a deeply-rooted custom that not even the Spanish Civil War could stop. Learn more about its history in this week’s podcast. Enjoy!
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify, Amazon and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, check us out at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
For hundreds of years, cultures and civilizations from the other side of the Mediterranean made contact with the peoples from Spain, mainly the Iberians and Tartessos, and established a commercial relationship with them. They also founded Spain’s oldest cities and made many contributions that would impact Spain down the road, even to this day. Check out this latest podcast and learn more! Enjoy!
You can subscribe to our podcasts on Spotify and Castos. Or if you wish to support Brian’s Spain Domain, check us out at https://www.patreon.com/briansspaindomain
