Celebrating la Virgen del Pilar

Amigos de la Jota celebrate la Virgen del Pilar One of my very first blog posts written a few years ago for The Huffington Post was about celebrating the Fiestas del Pilar in Zaragoza, Spain. Every October, Zaragoza celebrates with a massive fiesta in honor of their patron saint, the Blessed Virgin Mary, Nuestra Señora del Pilar. It…

Feria de Orihuela del Tremedal

  Aragón: Orihuela del Tremedal In a small Aragón village with only 570 habitants during the winter months, Orihuela del Tremedal is known for its agriculture, livestock and logging industry. During La Guerra de la Independencia Española (1808-1814), Napoleon and his troops destroyed much of the village. In 1815 to revitalize the economy and the people, King Fernando VII authorized the…

The Curious Love of Isabel & Diego

La Partida de Diego, Los Amantes de Teruel, 1212 From 3rd to 5th of October 2014, Teruel (Spain)   I´m sure that I´m not the only one to be curious about the relationship between Isabel and Diego before he departs Teruel to seek his fortune in order to marry his beloved Isabel. It´s not until his emotional…

Holy Week: How Easter is Celebrated in Spain

  While Americans dress up in their finest, go to church, share a family meal, paint Easter eggs and then hunt for them, Spaniards celebrate this time much differently. Forty days before Easter Sunday, Spaniards give up eating meat on Fridays as well as prepare and ramp up their drum playing until the final week of…

Revisitación Las Bodas de Isabel 2013

Lori Needleman´s Pregón: 15 de febrero 2013 Mujeres y hombres de Teruel, gentes que llegáis de todos los puntos del Reino y aun de más lejos, en nombre de la Villa os doy la bienvenida a las Bodas de Isabel de Segura, para vivir de cerca la mayor historia de amor que jamás haya sido contada.…

Plethora of Festivals

What are your Favorite Festivals in Spain? Spain has a plethora of festivals. Almost every weekend there´s something being celebrated. Through exploration and with the participation of guest writers, we will explore and learn about each region´s customs and festivals. Join us on this journey… Popular Festivals January 6th: El Día de Los Reyes Magos (The…