Siesta: Spain's Quick Slumber in the Afternoon

My sister and I once visited Madrid and we were shocked to see an empty street and closed business firms. We wondered what happened to the small metro because we thought that people should be very busy that time of the year since there were numerous tourists who visited the location. Our tourist guide elaborated to us why the metro was quiet that time of the day and she said that it was siesta time.

We understood that during siestas, businesses closed down because very little people go to firms. A common form of rest in the country is taking a short slumber to regain the people's energy from working. The climate is also a key factor for this Spain habit. Since it is too hot in this country, it is best to cloak from the heat and take a break from a very tough morning and to prepare for another tiring late afternoon and night. My sister and I thought if the same thing happens in offices in the country and our tourist guide just cracked. She said that in the departments, of course, people cannot take a slumber, otherwise they will get fired.

I understood a lot from visiting Spain and now I know that the perfect time to roam around the country is not during siesta when the whole location is asleep.

A Mountainous Division in the Iberian Jetty

Certified Kingdom of Spain, Spain is a country in Southern Europe fenced by the Mediterranean Sea, Cantabrian Sea, and the Atlantic Ocean. Spain also slices its confines with Morocco, Portugal, Gibraltar, France, and Andorra.

Spain is part of the Iberian jetty and is engrossed in mountain ranges and high plateaus. Because of its conspicuous position, Spain has four climatic zones: Continental climate with a proper declaration by Spaniards as nine months of winter and three months of hell; Oceanic climate with its famous sunny weather and summer drought; Mediterranean climate with its mild winter and varied summer; and Alpine climate with its mountainous weather.

In general, Spain's climate is very composite, depending on the summit of the mountains. There are occasions when the temperature is really high in one area, particularly Seville, and another place pretty wet, eminently the north part, all at the same time. Inland Spain, on the other hand, is very vulnerable to cold weather as rainfall is low, the sun only shines for an average of three hours a day, and winter heavy with snow.

Despite these obvious differences in climate, Spain is still a distinguished place to visit because it offers its best beaches in Ibiza and art in Madrid.

A Mouthful of the Unequaled Paella

Being the third most widest European country, Spain encompasses a complete fusion of Greek, Phoenician, Carthaginian, and Roman heritage. This seamless fusion of neighboring European culture paved the way for the emergence of a incomparable Spanish identity that can be perceived on the Spanish way of living.

I myself literally got a taste of this large-scale cultural diversity when I decided to go on a spontaneous food break on Spain. This desire to visit Spain was probably rooted when I chanced upon a used travel magazine at my friend's house. It featured the varying travel places in Spain, but my attention was held captive by a double-page photo layout of a paella dish. Its swanky colors speak of lively festivity while its mouthwatering form entices me to take in a spoonful of its flavorful serving. It was 2 years after this eventful day when I finally decided to go on a plane and visit the attractive land of Spain. Once the plane has landed, I quickly found myself braving the nostalgic streets of Spain in search of the famous Paella. I chanced upon this charming looking restaurant and I found out that they were serving the Paella I'm yearning for. The same mouthwatering paella was served to me a few minutes later which looks almost exactly as the one that I've seen on that used magazine from my friend's house. After literally devouring the whole thing, all I can say that my incidental trip to impressive Spain was truly worth it.

The Catch of Unsung Spanish Designers

The rule of thumb when shopping in Spain or in any other countries for that matter is to root items that are created by the most famous brands that are, more often than not, known worldwide. However, for bona fide wise shoppers, purchasing amusing items made by unknown designers should be the case because this is their key towards getting the best of the best from the particular country that they visited. Carrying an attitude that is not centered on branded pieces is helpful, especially when you are coming by Spain where many not-so-well-known designers make the top pieces among the crop.

For once, forget about Custo Barcelona of the famed tandem of brothers Custodio and David Dalmau, ZARA chains of the High Street, and Inditex of Amancio Ortega because those that belong in the small-scale category like Josep Font, Lydia Delgado, Miriam Ocariz, Juan Martin, Roberto Diz, Amaya Arzuaga, and Hannibal Laguna are intent to make waves with their diversified, inventive, and dynamic styles. They were schooled well in the many fashion schools around Spain, from Andalusia to Galicia, and the kind of teaching that they got is noticeable on the kind of lavish designs they were able to churn out.

Delight in the Superb Treatment at Hotel Landa Palace

Everybody wants to be valued as special, most especially when they are in a place completely foreign with them. However, more often than not, you only get this "superb" treatment in first-class resorts. Whenever I'm visiting a foreign country, I really make it a point to set up a reservation in a five-star resort. It's not that I'm capricious, but I just want to secure that I'm going to get the best customer service and accommodations around.

For those of you who wanted to be valued like high society, the Hotel Landa Palace in Burgos, Spain is your kind of hotel. A superb 14th century manor just 4 kilometers south of the town center, Hotel Landa Palace provides easy and convenient access to several of Burgos's breathtaking landscapes and fascinating tourist attractions such as the wine country of Rioja Region. With extravagant rooms draped in sophisticated decorations and lavish furnishings from floor to ceiling, this hotel will make you feel like a princess for every day of your stay. However ancient it may look from the outside, Hotel Landa Palace is actually endowed with modern amenities and facilities for your convenient stay. Add to that a courteous and helpful staff and you have one of Spain's superb luxury resorts.