Europe’s fourth-largest economy, Spain was reported as having a median 25 percent chance of needing a bailout that would amount to billions of euros. This is significantly better than economists previously feared, Gulf News reported.

Spanish Government Earns Praise for Budget

The numbers come from a recent poll of 29 economists. Experts cited the Spanish government’s improvement in handling the economic crisis as one of the biggest reasons for the good news.

“Having had the experience of Greece and other countries, the Spanish government is being quite nimble in taking early action,” said Alan Clarke, a British economist at Scotiabank. “They know how bad things could get, so I think they’ll be more nimble, as will the European Central Bank.”

Another factor in not including Spain on the bailout list is the Eurozone’s recent success in raising their combined lending ceiling in bailout funds to 700 billion euros.

“Putting that firebreak in place should help at least calm the pressure that’s been on the Spanish and Italian bond market in recent days,” said Investec economist Victoria Cadman. “We also think some of the fears over the need for the Spanish government to turn to international authorities to recapitalize its banks are overdone.”

Spain Cuts Healthcare to Ease Budget Concerns

Spain took early measures in guarding against economic disaster, having implemented harsh austerity measures within their own government.

Just this week, for example, the Spanish government announced that Spaniards would need to start paying more for prescriptions as part of a sweeping cut to healthcare. This includes pensioners who have been receiving their medications for free, Reuters reported.

The cuts are estimated to save the Spanish government seven billion euros annually.

Education Faces Cuts in Spain

Another aspect of the welfare state on the chopping block is education, with Industry Minister Jose Manuel Soria telling media outlets that plans are in place to save three billion euros a year in that department.

“It’s time we end the culture of everything for free,” Soria told Spanish state television Wednesday.

Soria is part of the conservative government of Prime Minister Mariano Rajoy, who took power in December. Rajoy has promised to cut the deficit to 5.3 percent of gross domestic product by the end of 2012.

There is a lot of speculation about the origin of Carnival. Some people believe that the word Carnival means, “Farewell to the flesh”. This is in reference to a higher-than-usual consumption of meat prior to Lent; when people had to give up meat for 40 days. Other people believe that the party was a festival of Saturnalia, the Roman solstice. In some places it is rumored that the seven days of Carnival are the only time during the year that God closes his eyes and anything goes.

Regardless of the origin, Carnival is a much-anticipated party in Spain every year. This year it will be held February 16-22. The party will take place in multiple cities throughout the country but the most famous celebrations are usually in Andalusia, Canary Islands, and Catalonia.

In Andalusia the celebration is called the Carnival of Cadiz. The costumes in this town follow a theme, usually based on recent events in the news. For example, during the bird flu epidemic, people dressed up as chickens. Rather than specializing in glamorous costumes, people in Andalusia like to have costumes that are more comedic, sarcastic, and clever.

The Carnival in the Canary Islands is held in the capital city: Santa Cruz de Tenerife. This party is one of the “Most Important Carnivals in the World”. It is the first Carnival ever to earn this distinction. The Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife has been a popular tourist attraction since the early 1980s.

Catalonia actually has a few Carnival celebrations; the Carnival de Solsona being the longest one. These carnivals involved outdoor parties and concerts every night. There is a legend, which says that the towns’ people hung a donkey from a tower bell because the donkey wanted to eat some grass growing on the top of the tower. As a tradition, a stuffed donkey is hung from a tower bell every year during Carnival.

Attending a Carnival celebration this month should definitely be put on your to-do list. If you are lucky enough to be in Spain around that time, you’ll have dozens of awesome parties to attend throughout the week.

This vacation destination in Spain was not always so popular or accessible for tourists. In the early 1900s, people began to explore the caves. Some groups even competed to see who go the farthest into the Coves de Sant Josep. A few people died in these attempts; mostly while trying to pass the Boca del Forn.

In 1936, electric lighting was installed in the caves and they became safer and more convenient to explore. The Boca del Forn was widened and in the 1950s, boats began to pass through it. Over the next few decades, more areas of the caves were widened; allowing visitors to pass through and explore further. Some specialists began to make maps of the extensive cave system.

Even though the caves did not become a popular tourist attraction until the 20th century, human traffic in the caves dates back 17,000 years. The walls of the Coves de Sant Josep are covered with wall paintings dating back thousands of years. Remains of an Iberian settlement nearby indicate that these people knew about and explored the caves. There is even evidence to suggest that the Romans knew about the underground river.

Tourists who visit the caves today make most of the 800 meter trip by boat. As they float down the river, electricity lights up the way and display the man-made and time-made wonders of the Coves de Sant Josep.

Expansion and further exploration is still being done in the caves. In the future, more galleries and waterways will become accessible. In the meantime, tourists who visit the Sierra de Espadan Natural Park will experience a small, but staggering glimpse of the wonder that is the Coves de Sant Josep.

What to See

According to usnews.com, Barcelona and Madrid are in the top ten among the best European vacations. The article says that “Barcelona is an eclectic destination and makes for a very fun and cultural experience.”

Some of the more popular attractions in Barcelona are the works and architecture of Antoni Gaudi. A must see in Barcelona is Gaudi’s “Sagrada Familia,” which is a large Roman Catholic church located in the heart of the city.

The architecture is rich in Madrid as well. The nation’s capital is home to the Royal Palace which is the official residence of the King of Spain. Make sure you bring your camera because there is a lot of interesting architecture in Spain.

What to Eat

Spain is known for their cookies and pastries. Madrid has mantecado which is a cookie with almond that literally melts in your mouth. Do not leave Madrid without trying one. Barcelona has its own sweet treats. For candy, make sure to visit Papabubble and for pastries, head to Escriba.

Barcelona is a coastal city which means lots and lots of seafood. Even if you are not a seafood person, you have to try the shrimp, fish and even oysters from Barcelona. Madrid has your more traditional roasts and suckling pig. Also, the lamb is to die for.

Finally, treat yourself to world famous wine in one of the many outdoor bars and cafes.

Where to Have Fun

It’s hard to walk around Barcelona or Madrid and not find something that draws your interest. If you like taking pictures, there is always something around the corner for your lens to capture. If you like to shop, there are designer stores and tourist gift shops in every ally. If you like to party, keep an eye out for the constant festivals they have going on. No matter what your interests are, you will enjoy Spain.

History

The most popular Encierro, or running of the bulls, is the Pamplona Bull Run. This takes place annually from July 6-14 at the San Fermin Festival. Beginning on the second day of the festival, there is a bull run every morning for the remainder of the festival. Each evening, the bulls from the running are then used in a bull fight.

The bull running began after the San Fermin festival was already taking place. While the bulls that were to be used during that evening’s bullfight where guided through the streets into the bull pens, people would run along with the bulls. Over time, this turned into trying to run in front of the bulls. As popularity increased, it turned into a highlight for the people of Spain.

Qualifications

There are some qualifications that a person must meet in order to participate in the running of the bulls. No one under the age of 18 is permitted to participate in the run. People who are tired or have been drinking alcohol are also not permitted to participate. Most of the participants are usually younger males, but females are also permitted to participate. Runners usually dress in a white shirt and trousers with a red waistband and neckerchief. They often carry a newspaper in one hand that they can use as a distraction for the bulls.

Running

Wooden barricades are set up along the route of the run where there is room. In some areas, buildings are used as the barricades. These wooden barricades have spaces that are big enough for a person to slip through, but not a bull. When runners get tired or feel they are too close to danger, they can slip through these barricades anywhere along the route.

Before the running begins, all of the runners sing a benediction where they ask Saint Fermin to guide them and give them his blessing. They sing it both in Spanish and Basque.

A firework is set off at 8:00 am to alert everyone that the bulls are being released. A second firework goes off to notify everyone that all of the bulls have been released (usually about 6 bulls and 6 oxen). A third and final firework is set off once all of the bulls have reached the bullring and are in their pens.

The length of the run is 826 meters, or about a half mile. The average speed of the herd is 24 km/h, or 15 mph. The length between the first and last firework is only about 4 minutes.

If a runner happens to trip or fall, they are told to stay on the ground and cover their heads to avoid getting gored by the bulls.

Watching the Running

Watching the Running of the Bulls is an extremely popular attraction. Even though the run does not begin until 8:00 am, in order to get a good viewing spot, a person has to arrive between 5:30 and 6:30 in the morning.

Many people who live along the running route rent out their balconies to spectators to get a better view of the run. Two national television channels also broadcast the event live.

Injuries

Around 200 to 300 people are injured during the run each year. However, most of these are minor injuries due to falls. Since 1910, 16 people have been killed.

A diamond ring.

Two years ago, 6 million euros worth of jewelry once owned by Argentinian firth lady Eva Perón were stolen from Valencia, Spain. Today, those jewels were recovered by the police in Milan, Italy. Among the jewels stolen was the diamond tiara presented to Eva Perón “Evita” by the King of Holland during the 1950s, which is valued at 4 million euros by itself. The jewels were found in a luxury hotel where the robber was registered under a false name.

According to the Italian press, the robbery was preformed by a band of seven Serbians, who saw the collection of jewels in an exhibition in Valencia in the Fall of 2009. The robbers contacted the jewelers in charge of the exhibition, paid them an amount of money, and then took the jewels. Throughout the past 2 years, the investigation has been continuous. A few supposed culprits have been caught previous to today’s actions, but it wasn’t until today that the jewels themselves were recovered.

The jewels that were stolen were purportedly a pair of diamond earrings, two diamond rings, and the diamond tiara, all of which are said to be recovered now. Eva Perón was the First Lady of Argentina from 1946 until her untimely death at the age of 33 on 1952. The love the Argentinian people had for Eva Perón as she inspired the people during her combat with cancer is the inspiration of the Broadway musical Evita.

Now the numbers have changed somewhat. Woman have 14 weeks now of on demand abortion, and only 22 weeks to abort if the baby appears to have birth deformations, or if the pregnancy is detrimental to the mother’s health.

Sales of the morning after pill have increased since the passing of the law. 115,000 reported abortions took place in 2009, most of which took place not in public hospitals, but in private clinics. Most of these abortions had claims that the pregnancy was terminated because it posed psychological risk to the woman.

Reports are saying that since the new law, abortions have been carried out on average earlier on in the pregnancies than ever before in Spain, though it appears less women are having the procedure. Perhaps there are less unwanted pregnancies because the women are being more careful about safe-sex practices. Perhaps some are waiting too long, and are required to keep the baby. Whatever the reason, this is an interesting twist for Spain. Let’s look and see how these trends change over the upcoming year.

The Alhambra

Located in the south of Spain, this “red castle” is as much a palace as it is a fortress. It was built right around the 1350s, so if you’ve ever wanted to walk through a piece of history that’s almost 800 years old, here’s your chance. The Alhambra has changed hands with the current ruling power throughout history: the Moors, Charles V, the Spaniards.

The Great Mosque of Cordoba

If 800 years seems old to you, wait until you see the Great Mosque of Cordoba, which is giant. The Mosque was begun 600 A.D. and is one of the major religious sites in the world, as well as a World Heritage Site. It too has switched hands time and time again through the centuries. Today, it is a Catholic cathedral, although Muslims continue to petition to be allowed to pray at the once-Islamic site. In 2010, two Spanish Muslim visitors were forcibly restrained from praying in the cathedral and were arrested after a fight with security guards.

El Rastro

Arguably the biggest flea market in the country, El Rastro de Madrid is a must see, and you’ll probably go home with a bag full of treasures. Featuring 3,500 stalls, the market convenes every Sunday, as well as public holidays, for a massive festival of buying and selling. Several streets are dedicated to certain items, such as a street full of domestic animals and another comprised of only paintings.

There’s tons more to see Spain, and you really should go. For real.