The Way of Saint James, or the Camino de Santiago as it's called in Spain, is one of the oldest and most famous Christian pilgrimages, probably right behind Jerusalem. Ending in Santiago de Compostela and starting from any number of spots, though usually in France, the pilgrimage requires a commitment of months.
In 1884, Leopold Alas, better known by his pen name of Clarín, wrote a massive novel which would eventually be regarded as one of the 19th century's best. La Regenta is a fictional account of the life and loves of Ana Ozores, a noblewoman who marries a man far older than herself, but allows herself to be pursued by two other suitors: the town's resident heartthrob and a priest. Scandal!
It's a butt! A huge, shiny butt, right next to the Teatro Campoamor. And what's more: it's a double butt.
I love living in Spain for a lot of reasons: siestas, wine, crazy parties, friendly people, the beautiful language. Also, I'm fascinated by history, and Spain is full of it. The Spanish Civil War is of particular interest; the ultimate left-right clash, the workers against the privileged, the cohesion of the Francoists and the suicidal splintering of the liberals, the cowardice of the world's democracies, the brutality shown by foreign fascist powers, the self-sacrifice of the International Brigades and of course the war's terrible, soul-crushing end. In this movie, the bad guys won. It's utterly captivating.
Columbian artist Fernando Botero has an instantly recognizable style. Plumpness, I suppose it could be called. Plump animals, plump objects, plump prisoners and, above all, plump women.
Oviedo is bounded on the north by Mount Naranco, which stretches over five kilometers in length and reaches 634 meters in altitude. 634 meters? Pfah, that's nothing... let's climb it!
King of Asturias for 51 years, from 791 until his death in 842, Alfonso II el Casto had an impact on Oviedo that has barely diminished over the course of the centuries.
Oviedo is renowned for the statues which have been graced its streets since the early 1990s. From classic sculptures to modern art, a walk through Oviedo is like strolling through a giant open-air museum. A few really stand out, none more so than El Regreso de Williams B. Arrensberg, by Eduardo Úrculo, in the Plaza de Porlier.
