Culture, Madrid

In Spain, there's no need for a special reason to go out and celebrate, it's seems like the city is always prepare to go out and have good time.
In Madrid, the official fiestas , by calender , are all through the year.
It is different from city to city, but basically , you can find everything almost everywhere.

I, aged 72, was impressed by the difference in attitude to here in England when I went into what was plainly a young people's pub,

In England I have often encountered an atmosphere that could be cut with a knife and occasionally I have encountered insults.

In Madrid, without ever asking, I was found seats in pubs crowded with people in their twenties and thirties and invariably somebody would get into conversation. Whereas I don't seek cocessions t age, it was a very welcome change.

Madrileños eat both lunch and dinner later than in other countries (at least from where I've been to yet). Lunch is usually between 1pm and 4pm and dinner is served between 8:30pm and 11:30pm. What do people do between meals? They go tapas bar hopping, or "van de tapeo".

In Spain (and many other European countries), the drinking culture is quite different from that of the US. The drinking age is lower (either 16 or 18) and the bartenders are not that strict either. However, it is not every person's goal (even young people) to get drunk whenever they go out for a drink. I went to spain and stayed there for about a month last year. I was 16. I was used to the american mentality of --the purpose of alcohol is to get drunk. And I believe that our laws and some influential figure's agendas are counterproductive are major contributing factors of this distorted mentality. However, during my stay in spain, my view of alcohol totally changed because I saw how much more logical and healthy the drinking culture in spain (and france, i went there too) is. It's also very relaxing and a great way to socialize. Just drink a beer during lunch time (especially in the summer when it is so hot). Sangria is really good. Have wine or beer with tapas. Nothing else goes with tapas as well. So, if it's your first time going to spain or another south european country, don't make a fool of yourself by getting extremely drunk at a tapas place or bar...
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An independant cinema in Madrid, La Enana Marron, organizes between 15 and 31 march together with ATA films as part of the international film exchange. 25 short films as well local favorites are shown. its mainly alternative art house movies.

The festival is from August 6 till 15 th in La Latina. There are free live concerts and in the night there is fireworks. A lot of tradintional folklore can be seen and you can see the Madrilenian dance called Chotis. La Latina is just like a village where you can forhet the rush of the big city.

Entierro de la Sardiena is a feast wher they celebrate the end of abstinence of eating during the 40 days before Eastern. It is a dress competion lead by members of the Burial of the Sardine Brotherhood who are dressed in funeral clothes and lead the procession. The feast originates in the 19 th century, started by a group of students.

Madrid has siesta time between 2 and 5 pm. Then the shops are clsed. Not all of them, the big shops like Court Ingles are open all day. The siesta is used to have dinner and to do house hold tasks, so not everyone is actually sleeping during the siesta. And workers, such as construction workers don’t take a siesta at all.

If you are in Madrid go watch a game of Real Madrid, a club who has won the Europe Cup several times. The club is very popular amongst the madrilenes and the football stadium is hughe and cool looking. Another club in Madrid are Atletico Madrid who plays in the Calderon stadium. Real Madrid is located at the Avenida de Concha Espina

Flamenco comes from Andalusia. its a part of the gypsy culture. The best groups, however, are to be found in Madrid. Allthough flamenco is a performance, the most pure form of it is done by a singer and guitar player. Flamenco is performed in the evenings and goes on till deep in the night. Casa Patas is the best place to see flamenco.