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http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 1 Summer Course 2009 Powered by BEST MADRID SC09 Do your best, help the rest! SURVIVAL GUIDE 10th January 2009 http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 2 Summer Course 2009 INDEX 1. About Spain. page 2 2. And what about Madrid. page 3 3. Weather. page 5 4. Spanish food. page 5 5. Currency and prices. page 7 6. Electricity. page 7 7. Health. page 8 8. Emergency. page 8 9. Travelling to Madrid. The way to the meeting point page 9 10. The course and the lessons. page 10 11. Behavior. page 10 12. Don't forget to list. page 11 13. Contact BEST Madrid. page 11 14. Some tips about Spanish Language. page 12 15. Embassies. page 14 http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 3 Summer Course 2009 1. ABOUT SPAIN Most foreigners think about Spain as sun, good weather all year round, and beaches. However, Spain is much more than the Costa del Sol. It is drenched in the historical pageantry of empires and conquistadors, the artistic legacy of Goya, Velázquez, Picasso and Dalí, and the romance of Don Quixote. According to most guides about Spain, the best time to visit us is in spring or autumn because in summer it is so warm and in winter it is a bit cold. However, you will enjoy your visit all year around. In every season there is always something exciting to do or some cultural event to discover somewhere. Don't forget to enjoy our most known festivities...: Carnaval takes place throughout the country in late February; despite of the wildest is said to be in Sitges, the most known is set in Canarias and in Cádiz. In March, Valencia has a week‐long party known as Las Fallas, which is marked by all‐night dancing, drinking, first‐class fireworks and colorful processions. Semana Santa (Holy Week) is the week leading up to Easter Sunday with parades of holy images through the streets; Seville is the place to be if you can get accommodation. In late April, the Feria de Abril in Seville is a week‐long party counterbalancing the religious fervor of Semana Santa. The last Wednesday in August, the town of Buñol, in Valencia, goes bonkers with La Tomatina, a big huge fight inside the town, where the weapons are tons and tons of tomatoes. Some figures about Spain:  Area: ~ 500.000 km2  Population: ~ 50 million  Government: Parliamentary Democracy & Constitutional Monarchy  King: Juan Carlos I  Prime Minister: José Luis Rodríguez Zapatero (Socialist Party) http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 4 Summer Course 2009 2. AND WHAT ABOUT MADRID? Madrid is placed almost in the centre of the Iberian Peninsula and it is one of the highest capitals in Europe (650 m. above sea level). As a capital, Madrid is the biggest city in Spain (almost 4 million) and one of the most cosmopolitan. To be oriented once you get to Madrid we give you a few tips. The main north‐south artery is called Paseo de la Castellana (which turns into Paseo de los Recoletos and Paseo del Prado), and it connects the city's two main train stations, Chamartín and Atocha. The oldest quarters are squeezed in between Paseo del Prado (where you'll find the city's great art galleries) and the Palacio Real (Royal Palace) to the west. Royal Palace Midway, the barrios south‐east of Puerta del Sol leading to the working‐class district of Lavapiés are filled with seemingly endless restaurants, bars and cafes. Lavapiés is nowadays the most intercultural quarter in Madrid: there live people from around 90 nationalities. The densest concentration of accommodation can be found around Puerta del Sol, Plaza de Santa Ana and the neighborhoods of Malasaña and Chueca (for hostels, called pensiones and hostales), and along Gran Vía (hotels). These are also the main areas to enjoy the night life. Madrid's airport has been a working project for several years now. A new terminal has been recently added which makes a total of four terminals currently working. The airport lies 13km (8mi) north‐ east of the city. Metro (underground) is the best way to go downtown. It is 12 minutes away from Nuevos Ministerios station. Going by bus to Plaza de Colón (Colon Square) is also possible. We recommend you using the Metro. Although we have already said that the summer can be terrible because of the heat, most of the people are on holidays and you can enjoy the city without its typical traffic jams and big http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 5 Summer Course 2009 concentration of people in the centric areas. Quick downtown map: http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 6 Summer Course 2009 3. WEATHER The weather, in Madrid, is quite continental. In winter the temperature can be a few degrees below zero and in summer it can reach forty degrees while spring and autumn are the warmest months of the year. During April light showers are not unusual but the temperature stays rather warm. Maximum temperatures in July in Madrid are around 30ºC and minimum around 18ºC. In that month in Madrid we have around 360 sunny hours. 4. SPANISH FOOD Spanish people have their meals later than other Europeans. This is the Spanish meals timetable: breakfast may be between 8:30 and 9:30; lunch between 14:00 and 15:00 and dinner within 21:00 and 22:00. Of course, for social meals, the finishing hour can be very late (even 17:00 for lunch and 1:00 for dinners). Cuisine is an important key in the Spanish culture development; it is based in the famous Mediterranean diet. It means the usage of numerous fresh vegetables, and the indispensable: olive oil. Olive oil, also known as 'the liquid gold'. Spanish cuisine can't be conceived without olive oil. We use these as the only one grease o fat for frying or cooking. It tastes a little bit 'stronger' than other oils; it can be noticed when consuming it crude, for example in salad. It comes principally from Andalucía, the southern region of Spain. It's quite expensive, but it looks like there is no matter if the price rises and rises; people continue buying it. It's the healthiest fat, and doctors recommend it before any other one. There are many typical dishes depending on the year periods and the region where you are. Some of the main dishes you can find around Spain are: Paella: Although it is typical on the Mediterranean coast you can have paella everywhere. It is made of rice mainly, but you can also add shellfish, chicken, peas, beans or whatever you want. The definitive fact about paella is the pan where it's cooked. It's a short and flat pan, and it's obligatory to cook in a wood‐fire (or in a gas‐heater, that must cover all the surface of the pan). Gazpacho: It is the perfect food for the summer. It's a soup made from: tomatoes, pepper, cucumber, onion, garlic, olive oil... but the most important: it's served cold! It is used as refreshment http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 7 Summer Course 2009 during the hot days in July and August. You can even add a few ice cubes. Horchata: The best cold drink you can have. It is also typical on the Mediterranean coast but you can ask for it in any bar in Madrid. It looks like milk, but it tastes a little bitter. Cocido madrileño: This is the most famous food originally from Madrid. It is a heavy meal composed mainly of chick‐peas. It also has vegetables such as cabbage and different kind of meat. Tortilla: Maybe one of the most known dishes from Spain. It’s an omelet made with potatoes and eggs and sometimes you can add onion in it. It´s very typical eating it for dinner or like a TAPA. Jamón: It's a kind of cured ham that we use to eat with bread. Any time is good to taste such delicious meat. It´s one of the most appreciated meal for foreigners. A good one can reach very high prices. Tapas: You cannot forget the tapas. These are little portions of food that you get for free in some bars when you order a beer. Before lunch or in the beginning of the night, people go out from bar to bar drinking and eating tapas. There are many types of them and they are made of potatoes, fish, meat, cheese ... You can combine them. And of course... SANGRIA!!!! You can't eat sangria, but everybody drinks it. It's made with wine, lemonade and pieces of different fruits. It has a secret ingredient that you only know if you come here and taste it!!! :‐P 5. CURRENCY AND PRICES Since the first of January 2002, we are using the Euro. However, for those who are not familiar with it: • Bank notes fractions are: 500, 200, 100, 50, 20, 10 and 5 €. • Coin fractions are: 2, 1, 0.50, 0.20, 0.10, 0.2, 0.1 €. http://www.bestmadrid.org/web/ http://best.eu.org/ http://www.bestspain.es/ 8 Summer Course 2009 People coming from Eastern Europe might need to exchange money. There is no problem in exchanging money. uploads/Geographie/ survival-guide 9 .pdf