OUR COUNTRY, CATALONIA

If you are reading this springs want to know what Catalonia?

Catalonia is a small country and millennial situated at the northeast of the Peninsula Iberian.

In Catalonia are quite a lot of talkers and traders. And we talk, in addition to the Catalan, the Spanish and the Occitan at Aran’s Vale.

We coexist, ell stacked seven million and half of inhabitants of origins and cultures very varied.

In fact, we have 41 regions and 946 townships, but the 95% of the populace live at only 300 of these townships.

Also there are 580 kilometres of coast that go since cliffs and the creeks of the Coast Brava until th beaches of the Golden Coast and the delta of the Ebre.

The tin of Banyoles is the more natural tin big of Catalonia and the symbol of the banyolins and banyolines.

It says the legend that, makes a lot and long, at the fund of the tin lived a fearsome monster that had scared the locals.

Another of our more singular rooms the delta of the Ebre, that has a diversity of only inhabitants.

Also it is a point of meeting, since here coexist beasts of every type: birds, fishes, invertebrates and human beings.

Among some very singular rocks, find the monastery of Montserrat.

Here, it lives the Moreneta, that is our master.

Monserrat gets every year more of two million of visitors of Catalonia and from everywhere in the world and is a point of indispensable meeting ok hikers and climbers.

At the Catalans likes us eat well and therefore we eat snails and onions roasted endlessly.

Of the pork, take advantage of it everything: the escudella, the meat of pot or the botifarra are some of the most typical dishes of the Catalan gastronomy.

And as also we are a bit claws, have invented meals as exquisite like the bread with tomato. Like this also we take advantage of the bread take of the previous day, that the peel is the peel.

Our cuisine has provided some of the best cooks in the world, that have accured more of 60 stars Michelin.

At base to combine tradition and creativity have reached to invent culinary technicians as peculiar like the “esferificacions” of Ferran Adrià.

In Catalonia also have formed big football players, and Messi, Iniesta or Xavi.

F.C. Barcelona is the more sportive institution important of Catalonia, and as tant se val d’on venim, founded it a Swiss, nicknamed Jan Gamper, the year 1899.

The New Area is Europa’s biggest arena.

The year 1992 organised the Games Olympic of Barcelona, an event that transformed the city and that situated us at thecentre in the world.

The mascot of those Games Olympic was Cobi, that is this so much nice dog and that practiced every type of sports.

Another illustrious Catalan, genial and sooner entrenched also has announced us all over the world.

The soft clocks or the landscapes and the impossible figures that futile pint from part of the universal culture.

At Portlligat, in addition to living, let a GIANT egg!

The Park Güell, the Quarry, the home Batlló or the Holy Family make that they come millions of visitants come us at viewing every year: Antoni Gaudí.

In Catalonia commemorate that the 11st of september of 1714 Barcelona fell at hands of the troops of Felip V, fact that marked the denouement of the War of Succession at the Spanish crown.

This date has converted at the Nacional Party of Catalonia as a symbol of the resistance against the tightness and of the vindication of our national royalties. And at this can reach being very perseverants.

Also it likes us read and want. The 23 of April celebrate the party of the love and the culture. Therefore we give roses and books and exit all at the street.

The legend says that Saint Jordi won at the dragon to save the princess and that of the blood of the futile monster born a well stuffed rosebush of red roses. The knight kacked one and gave it at the princess.

As we are persons of wisdom but also of rage, if we have to make party do not pose punch.

Therefore we take advantage of the night of Saint Jordi, that is the shortest of the year, to celebrate the arrival of the summer. We ignite bonfires, eat cake and throwfine firecrackes well late!

But Saint Jordi hardly commence:

during all the summer celebrate the main praties of each people with musician, “cercaviles”, giants and devils.

Or in the winter we scare us, and if we have welcomed at the cold with the panellets and the Castanyada, for Christmas and for Cape of Year neither are us af nothing.

There are a few personages that makes it to us very pleasant… The man of the noses that has have noses like the year and exits at the 31 of December, the Tió and the Caganer…

When the Carnival arrives, we disguise ourselves and add as if nothing to the groups. In Sitges, Vilanova i la Geltrú, Solsona or Torelló, we fill all the squares and streets.

Every year during the Corpus Christi festival, we also celebrate the Patum, which is the symbol of identity in the city of Berga.

The name comes from the drum beat, which is this huge drum that drives the party: Pa-tum! Pa-tum!

As it likes us arrive well aloft, the Catalans make human towers that can  make until ten flats of height.

Have more of 70 gangs castellers with a clear lemma:

“Força, equilibri, valor i seny.” Enough, balance, value and wisdom.

But also we touch of feet at earth looking of not to discount us and make us an entanglement!

We dance sardanes, that is our more emblematic dance.

There is more of 400 entities sardanistes that organise more of 3000 records every year.

But also we touch of feet at earth looking of not to discount us and make us an entanglement!

We dance sardanes, that is our more emblematic dance.

There is more of 400 entities sardanistes that organise more of 3000 records every year.

Places and glorious corners scattered by all the territory recall us whence come. Already you view it, Catalonia is a small country where fits everything this and much more…In fact, they fit  so many things how are capable to imagine. 

As it sings one of our more emblematic musicians:

“El meu país és tant petit
Que des de dalt d’un campanar
Sempre es pot veure el campanar veí “

Lluís  Llach

“My country is so small
That from the top of a bell tower
You can always see the neighboring bell tower. ”

Lluís Llach