What an incredible experience Valencia was! This was the first trip for me to the coast city of the autonomous region of Valencia with a population of nearly 1,000,000 - with all of the visitors in town we might have hit that number.

Las Fallas is not for the faint of heart, marching bands and daily firework competitions can wear on the ears. Though, once night fell on the town the streets were filled with "ooh´s and aah´s" over the colorful displays.

Friday night, the last night, all of the incredibly detailed and fantastic ninots are burned to the ground as operatic anthems are sent out through enormous speakers. Watching the flames rise 3-5 stories set to music was - awesome. 

Recommendations for next year: comfortable shoes as many streets are pedestrian only, ear plugs, and extra batteries for your camera.

Cheers!
(good close up of mortar tubes)

Last Friday, March 12th, at his home in Valladolid, author Miguel Delibers lost his battle with colon cancer, he was ...   more »

Learn to speak Spanish with don Quijote this summer.  Independent of age or education level, classroom time with intense instruction ...   more »

On the east coast of Spain, gracing the Mediterranean shores, you will find the bustling city of Valencia. The metropolitan ...   more »

We are very proud to announce that “La Gaceta de Salamanca,” a local newspaper in Salamanca, recently published in November 2009 a letter written (in Spanish!) by a don Quijote student.

Here’s the letter as it appeared (in Spanish) in the newspaper.
(No corrections has been made to the Spanish; an English translation is provided at the bottom)

Hope you find it as amusing as we did!

A mi ladrón de bicicleta… ¡Muchas gracias!

Estimado director,

Llevo un mes estudiando español en Salamanca (en la esuela Don Quijote) y me he llevado un pequeño disgusto que me gustaría contarle. Vengo de Suiza para mejorar mi español en la ciudad más famosa del mundo por su idioma. ¡Y aquí estoy, en Salamanca!

Hace algunos días alquilé una bicicleta a “los amigos de la bici”, la dejé en la entrada de mi edificio… Pero el otro día desapareció.
Es extraordinario como un acontecimiento desagradable con los que en una situación normal nunca hubiera hablado. Pregunté a Miguel, lleva una librería no lejos de mi casa, si había visto una persona en bici, es tan raro en Salamanca… Hablé con la escuela donde estoy estudiando, y finalmente lo denuncié a la policía. De repente, me di cuenta de que nunca había hablado con tantos Salmantinos! No olvidarlo, estoy aquí para eso, practicar la lengua de Cervantes, de Contador (vencedor del último “tour de France”), del rey Juan-Carlos (esto tipo me gusta mucho, tiene clase) y también de Franco (éste está bien donde está).

Querido ladrón, le agradezco de todo corazón su estimada ayuda en mi aprendizaje. Espero que usted haga un buen uso de esta bicicleta. Hay un paseo que puedo aconsejarle: Empieza en el barrio de Pradillo, enfrente de la comisaría, bordea el río Tormes, cruza el puente romano, y se dirige hacia el parque de la Huerta de Otea ¿Quizás nos encontremos? Hago regularmente esté paseo… corriendo.

Cordialmente,
Marc SCHWITTER

_______________________________________________

To my bicycle thief... many thanks!

Dear editor:

I’ve been studying Spanish in Salamanca for a month (at the Don Quijote school), and suffered a small displeasure which I would like to tell you about. I come from Switzerland to improve my Spanish in a city famed around the world for its language. And here I am, in Salamanca!

I had rented a bicycle from “los amigos de la bici” a few days ago, left it at the entrance of my building… but discovered it missing the other day.
It is remarkable how this unpleasant event - which in a regular situation I would not have spoken to anyone - led me to ask Miguel, who runs a library not far from my house, if he had seen anyone riding a bicycle, an unusual sight in Salamanca… I also spoke with the school where I am studying at, finally reporting the robbery to the police. Suddenly, I realized that I had never spoken to that many Salmantinos before! Don’t forget, I am here for that, to practice the language of Cervantes, of Contador (winner of the latest “tour de France”), of King Juan-Carlos (I like this guy, he’s got class!) and also of Franco (this guy is better where he’s at).

Dear thief, I appreciate with all of my heart your esteemed help towards my learning. I hope you make good use of that bicycle. There’s a route I would like to recommend to you: Start off in the Pradillo neighborhood just in front of the Police Station, follow along the border of the River Tormes, cross the Roman bridge and head towards the park of Huerta de Otea. Perhaps we shall meet as I regularly make this route… running.

Sincerely,
Marc SCHWITTER

Image credit: http://bellavistapego.files.wordpress.com/2009/09/salsa.gif

Although many Spanish speakers out there will recognise this word as meaning "sauce", it is more widely recognised for its other use, which is to describe a music and dance genre. Salsa music has taken the world by storm and is recognised by its up-tempo beats and fast-footed dance steps. Although some argue that it is a type of music in its own right, others claim that it is a generic term for a number of Latin American dances, including the mambo and the cha-cha-chá. It is a "tag that encompasses a rainbow assortment of Latin rhythms and styles, taking on a different hue wherever you stand in the Spanish speaking world" (Sue Steward, world music author).

Due to the varied nature of salsa and what it encompasses, it is extremely difficult to pinpoint its origins as so many countries claim the honour of having created it. However, the basic structure of a salsa song is based on the Cuban "son", beginning with a simple melody and followed by a "coro" section in which the performers improvise. They key staples of salsa´s origins were "the use of a trombone as a counterpoint to the vocalist and a more aggressive sound than is typical in Cuban music; the trombone carries the melody while rhythm is generally provided by bongos, congas and timbales" (Ed Morales). This has been adapted and influenced by almost all Latin American countries, and even some places in North America, meaning that no two salsas will ever be the same.

Alongside the uncertainty of its origins, there is also a certain degree of mystery surrounding the use of the word "salsa", which actually means "sauce". Some people accredit the Cuban musician Ignacio Piñeiro with coming up with the term after his song in 1933 entitled "Échale salsita" (Throw a little sauce on it), which introduced the trumpet for the first time. Or perhaps it was the 1930s vocalist Beny Moré who would shout out "salsa" during his performances to "acknowledge a musical moment´s heat and to celebrate the "hotness" or "spiciness" of Latin American culture" (Morales). However it began, salsa has become a word metaphorically associated with taste, happiness, and force of life.

 It seems that the popularity of Salsa rose in New York in the 60s and hit the spotlight in the following decade, developing in the Hispanic areas of the cultural and economic capital of North America, New York. Although it may seem strange that a Hispanic phenomenon would spring out of New York, we have to bear in mind the continuous musical relationship that existed at the time between North America and Caribbean music, especially and notoriously Cuban music. During the peak of the Big Bands during the 40s and 50s, artists had been keen to accept and incorporate the new rhythms born in Cuba into their music. Even the blockade could not put a stop to the Cuban influence on music in New York, and so the music that arrived in the Big City or even Miami contributed to what we now know as Salsa. The Havana was full of North American tourists in bars and hotels run by Mafia clans looking to avoid taxes. At the same time, fans of Latin music flocked to their Mecca, the Palladium Dancehall on 52nd street New York, which also attracted many famous Latin American dancers and singers. Salsa became a "representation of Latin identity in New York" (Morales).

 In the early 70s Salsa rapidly expanded to Puerto Rico, Venezuela, Columbia, Panama, Ecuador, Peru, the Dominican Republic, and Mexico among others! The trend was also influenced by Latin rap and expanded to Europe and Japan, where it was made popular by the famous Orquesta de la Luz, "Orchestra of the Sun". In the 80s a new form, the "salsa romantica" developed in New York, involving slow melodies and lyrics based on love, dreams and pleasures. This soon evolved into "salsa erotica" which involved a more melodic salsa with lyrics that contained abundant references to love and eroticism. However in the 90s this new thread began to decline in popularity, mainly due to the strong influence of other Caribbean rhythms such as the Dominican meringue and the bachata.

 Nowadays salsa is a rhythm recognised by people all over the world, and has been adapted into many forms so that everyone has a chance to move their hips to the addictive Latin beat!

 Cities: Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, Tenerife, Valencia, Alicante, Granada, Marbella, Sevilla and Guanajuato (Mexico)
 Duration: 2 weeks
 Discount: 50% off on accommodation price in double room, shared flat
 Enroll before: 17 December 2009

Conditions:

• - Accommodation in shared flat. Double room only.
• - Offer valid on reservations for 2 people only.
• - Offer not cumulative with any other offer.
• - Offer must be requested at time of booking.
• - Offer subject to availability. Expires 17 December 2009.

Request information (free brochure!)

Sign up now!

 
Conditions:
- Offer only applies to one: Enrollment fee OR Accommodation fee, NOT both.
- Offer not valid for phone registrations or bookings done by post/mail.
- Offer not cumulative with any other offer.
- Offer not applicable to changes from one school to another.
- Offer subject to availability. Expires 27 November 2009.

* Enrollment fee savings: 65€ (Alicante, Marbella and Sevilla) or $100 (Guanajuato)
** Accommodation Fee saving: 30€ (Barcelona, Granada, Madrid, Salamanca, Tenerife and Valencia).

Request a free brochure too!

don Quijote is offering an exclusive discount for our members:
When you book a Spanish course with us, we´ll waive your enrollment fee saving you 65€/USD$100!!!
It’s our way of saying thank you for being a member!

This offer is valid for Spanish courses in the following don Quijote schools in Spain and Mexico: Barcelona, Madrid, Salamanca, Granada, Valencia, Tenerife or Guanajuato.

To benefit from this special discount you must log into your member account and book your course online.

Contact your Course Counsellor now for information about our courses.
(Remember to request the member’s offer)

Book this offer online now! (Must sign in first!)

Conditions:
- Offer not cumulative. Cannot be combined with any other offer
- Offer available upon request
- Offer expires 27 November 2009

Would you like to study Spanish this spring on the shores of the Pacific Ocean or on the warm waters of the Caribbean?

Now’s your chance! Learn Spanish and get to know Mexico at an exceptional price!

Plan your 2009 Spanish course to stay between now and December 28 of 2009 in: Guanajuato -- and get a 15% discount when you sign up before November 27!

Mexico's awaiting! Don’t wait to sign up!

Request a FREE brochure and shout “¡Viva Mexico!”

Conditions:
- Offer cannot be combined with any other offer.
- Offer must be requested at time of booking.
- Offer subject to availability. Expires November 27, 2009.