Immediately when we think of skiing in Europe our minds turn toward the Swiss Alps and their famous hot chocolate. However, I’m going to let you in on a secret, the skiing in Spain and café con leche make for a fine combination on the Iberian Peninsula. With shorter lift queues and generally lower prices, Spain’s Pyrenees and Sierra Nevada mountains are begging to be added to your repertoire.

Barcelona Football Club was founded by Hans Gamper on November 29th 1899, when the game was still relatively unknown in that part of the world. It is the second most successful Spanish football club after its long-time rival, Real Madrid FC. It is said that about 26% of the Spanish population support the club; it was recently claimed to be the most popular club in Europe with about 44.2 million fans. It has a long history of success in Spain, being one of only three clubs never to have been relegated from La Liga (Spanish football league). Its most recent success came in the 2008-2009 season, when the club won the treble (La Liga, La Copa del Rey and the UEFA champions league), making it the club’s most successful season to date. FC Barcelona have dominated national football competitions over the years, winning the Copa del Rey 25 times, which is more than any other club has managed, and also winning 19 Spanish league titles.

Dictionaries exist all over the world and provide us with an indispensable source of information. Many dictionaries have now adapted to modern-day technology and have online versions so that we can access all types of linguistic information whenever we need it. In learning a foreign language like Spanish a good language dictionary is vital so that we can fully understand the sometimes varied meanings of the same word. There are many different Spanish language dictionaries, but probably the most well-known is that of the Real Academia Española, who published their first dictionary, the “Diccionario de Autoridades”, in the 18^th century.

Apart from those who actually like it, it can definitely be said that there are those of us who hate it: grammar. It is the foundation of the learning and teaching of a foreign language and the one thing that second language learners find the most difficult. Being instructed in grammar is somewhat different to acquiring the grammar of our native language. It compromises rules which we have to follow to be able to form sentences and thus express and actually speak in a second language; with the added help of vocabulary.

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 salsa 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).

For many people learning a language is a feat. Many find it hard to grasp the concept of grammar as well as to get over the hurdle of pronouncing new sounds in another language without feeling embarrassed about it in the process. Even though it may seem dull it shouldn´t be. Learning a language is exciting and you are opening yourself up to a new culture and its people.

Ever fancied whipping off that raincoat and living “la vida loca” for a little bit? Why not take the opportunity to do some Spanish travel and visit the beautifully varied regions of Spain, whilst brushing up on your Spanish knowledge at the same time? Whether your Spanish skills stop at “una cerveza por favor”, or you are already a competent student, nothing can help you improve more than being fully immersed in the Spanish society culture. Experience the language, the people, the sites, the tapas… the list is endless!

In Spanish cuisine tapa is the name given to a wide variety of snacks and appetizers eaten in between meals; these saucer-sized bites, as much a part of Spanish culture as the siesta and the fiesta, come in infinite varieties with no counter of a Spanish bar seen without them.

On Saturday 12^th September 2009 Salamanca welcomed Rosario Flores, Spanish singer and actress, to its annual ferias. Rosario performed on the stage that has been erected in the Plaza Mayor specifically for the week long festivals that are taking place in the city. Her fame and reputation for vibrant and exciting performances attracted a huge crowd that filled the plaza entirely. And she didn´t disappoint! Rosario´s enthusiasm and joie de vivre was highly contagious and soon the whole crowd were dancing and singing even if, like me, they didn´t know the words!

Think of the world’s greatest fashion cities…Paris, London, Milan, New York. But Madrid? Hmm, didn’t think so. The traditional Spanish dress is often associated with Flamenco, originating from the gypsy culture in Andalusia in the south of Spain. Yet as a style city, Madrid, and indeed Spain, is breaking away from its stereotype of ruffled dresses and setting its own fashion agenda which is becoming increasingly well known. Even before the rest of the world caught on to the “size 0” debate, in 2006 the organisers of Madrid Fashion Week, the Pasarela Cibeles, forbade the participation of any model whose BMI (Body Mass Index) was below 18, arguing that the purpose of the event was to showcase a healthy image. This meant that models who were 5ft9in (1.75m) had to weigh a minimum of at least 8st11oz (56kg), which led to almost a third of models being banned. The organizers of the show promised that a nutritional expert would be on hand to check every model, and those with a BMI below 16 would receive medical treatment. They also banned models aged under 18, causing uproar in an industry which relies on young teenagers to cruise down the catwalk wearing designers’ latest collections.