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Travel -
Spain
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You may wonder what you are going to do with your time this November or if there are any days when the shops/businesses will be closed for national fiestas. If you want to know more about what's going on in Spain this November please read on.
Traditionally, this is a day to honour one’s ancestors. It’s based on the belief that there is interaction between the living world and the world of spirits. On Día de los Muertos, the spirits of the dead, are said to come back for family reunions. Many celebrate by setting up ofrendas (altars) in their homes to honour the memory of loved ones and to welcome their visiting souls. Others visit their loved one’s grave and decorate it with flowers, candles and food. The holiday is celebrated with family and community gatherings, music, and feasting, and the festivity acknowledges death as an integral part of life. The Cantabrians fervently await the Fiesta del Orujo every year. It takes place in a small village called Potes in Cantabria in Northern Spain on 11-13 November 2011. This village of just 600 inhabitants is invaded by people from all over Cantabria and other nearby regions who want to take part in this fiesta. The Fiesta del Orujo features the gastronomic delights of the area, specifically the schnapps-like liquor Aguardiente made from Orujo (the pith and pulp of the grape left over from the wine making process). This liquor is frequently sold under the name of orujo or aquardiente de orujo and is available in a number of flavours. The villagers parade through the town in traditional mountain clothing and then, in accordance with folklore, name the best Orujero (the maker of the Aquardiente). The Great Orujero then lights the alquitaras (traditional homemade stills) in the enclosed fairground and the distillation of the Aquardiente begins. During the following days the streets come alive with traditional music and you can learn to distill and cook with this liquor or simply taste it and immerse yourself in the atmosphere of this friendly and popular fiesta. |
