|
|
|
All About Spain - This colorful, well-designed site is an excellent resource for information "all about Spain." Check the Regions section for a list and map of all the provinces, each of which includes a description and further links to some of the cities of that province. There's a searchable database of hotels, camping, country houses, and restaurants. Don't miss the Photo Tour of selected locations, which links to a page full of small pictures of the sites at that location. You can then enlarge each picture or link to a description of the site. The Culture and Popular Customs section has its own subsections, including a General section, where you will discover history, architecture, and tourist information. Other subsections in General include Flamenco, Fiestas and Folklore, and Gastronomy (food). Finally, a search feature lets you search the entire site.
Day of the Dead - In November, Mexicans celebrate the annual Day of the Dead. It's not a sad occasion. They make special foods and prepare a feast to honor their ancestors. They have picnics on their relatives' graves so the dead can join in the festivities, too. One of the special foods is called "Bread of the Dead" (pan de muerto). The baker hides a plastic skeleton in each rounded loaf, and it's good luck to bite into the piece with the skeleton! People also give each other candy skeletons, skulls, and other treats with a death design. The holiday has complex social, religious, and cultural meanings. Learn more about this celebration here.
Day of the Dead--Dia de los Muertos - Learn many of the traditions and rituals surrounding this Mexican holiday, when the dead pay a visit to their old homes and are welcomed with special foods and festivities. There is a rich section with links to explore, but parents should note that we didn't get to look at all of them.
Discover Spain - Of course this site is tourist-oriented, but don't let that keep you from giving it a visit. It has all the usual country facts, such as geography, history, and government. It also has really neat sections on people, social customs, transportation, communications, and things to do in the country. Be sure to check out the World Heritage in Spain section and the descriptions of the 15 World Heritage Site locations. For those really tough questions, there are even addresses for local tourist offices worldwide.
Hispanics in American History - Who is Marshall Bernardo de Galvez? Well, among other things, the city of Galveston, Texas, is named after him. He was a hero of the American Revolutionary War. This Web page says, "Between 1779 and 1785, Marshall Bernardo de Galvez... defeated the British in Baton Rouge, Mobile, Pensacola, St. Louis, and Fort St. Joseph, Michigan. These victories relieved British pressure on General George Washington's armies and helpedsupply lines for money and military goods from Spain, France, Cuba, and Mexico." There might not have been a United States of America if de Galvez hadn't helped. Learn more about this American hero at the Hispanics in American History page.
Hot Internet Sites in Espanol - This is an annotated list of Web sites in Spanish, appropriate for kids as well as their teachers. For those a little rusty on their language skills, the page offers a reminder to use the AltaVista Web page translator, Babelfish.
Mexico for Kids - Did you know that the ancient Mexicans may have invented popcorn? Read about the sweet treats consumed in Mexico, which boasts one of the world's highest rates of candy consumption. There are lots of things to do at this site, including watching a video about how to make braided bracelets. You can also listen to traditional music, read some folktales, and learn a lot about the history and culture of Mexico.
Si, Spain - This official site is from the Directorate General for Cultural Affairs at the Spanish Foreign Ministry. It not only covers the history and culture of Spain but also gives practical information for tourists, including online Spanish lessons. If you are looking for specific information on Spain and can't seem to find it, then try the internal search engines here. There's even a search engine just for fiestas!
Web Spanish Lessons - Sometimes it's tough to learn a new language if you don't know how it sounds. Here are some Spanish lessons, complete with pronunciations that you can hear. This page will also test you on translations of written phrases. It's like having your own built-in Spanish teacher!
Websparol - Did you know that English and Spanish share many similar-sounding and similar-meaning words? For example, the English "delicious" sounds very like the Spanish word for "tastes good"-- delicioso. Over a thousand of these are collected and explained at the Espangl s section of this page (look in the Cognates section). You can hear pronunciation sound files, puzzle over some riddles in Spanish, try some lessons and links, and even get a Spanish-speaking key pal here.
|
