People and places are unique: all of them have stories. One of the things I found really interesting about Spain was the way story and folklore are woven into daily life. Symbols abound reminding locals and visitors of these stories. These are a few of the most popular stories I learned about during my visit.
the bat of aragon
Bats can be found in the heraldry of Spain (which I never knew) and used to be often displayed on flags and in crests (and the Bacardí logo), especially in towns that belonged to the crown of Aragon. The photo above shows the detail of a streetlight topper in the Eixample area of Barcelona: the bat is over a crown. As you may guess, the story involves a bat and a king. Our local guide, Sonya, explained: legend has it that the king was awakened by a bat the night an opposing army was mounting an attack. Thanks to the bat, the king was able to defeat the enemy. Needless to say, the bat is considered a symbol of good fortune.
saint george and the dragon
Sant Jordi (Saint George) is the patron saint of Catalunya. There are a few versions of this story but one thing is for sure: it involves Saint George battling a dragon and winning. The dragon threatened a village and poisoned the air. The princess was to be sacrificed to the dragon. Saint George slayed the dragon and saved the princess. Saint George has been venerated in Catalunya for centuries and it was easy to spot dragons throughout the city during the visit.
don quixote
Miguel Cervantes' novel Don Quixote is the most translated book second only to the Bible. The story is of a Spanish nobleman from La Mancha that reads so many novels about chivalry and knighthood that he loses his sanity and sets out to revive chivalry and right wrongs using the name Don Quixote. Traveling with him is a farmer, Sancho Panza. Their journey is a comedic one that echoed the political climate of Spain at the time. (I've not read it but it's now on my list!)
ferdinand & isabella
Growing up in the United States, the story of Christopher Columbus is well known... he discovered America. It was interesting to be in Spain and see the monument to Columbus in Barcelona. King Ferdinand and Queen Isabella were the benefactors of Columbus' travels... that I knew. I wasn't aware that the uniting of Ferdinand and Isabella was a significant event in Spain's history, uniting the kingdoms of Castile and Aragon, making Spain a major European power. Madrid was centrally located between those kingdoms and benefitted from the union.
our storyteller
People remember stories. One of the things that most impressed me on the Rick Steves tour was the quality of the storytellers that serve as guides during the journey. The guides we had on this trip love their country and are proud to share the stories, both good and bad, that make Spain the place it is today. I was fortunate to have Federico Garcia Barroso as the primary guide on our tour. Federico is a resident of Madrid and is an outstanding guide, storyteller, pickpocket identifier, problem solver, logistics expert, and vocalist.
Throughout our visit, Federico explained customs, traditions, and the history of meaningful people, places, and art. Dynamic and caring, he painted the pictures of Spanish history for us and allowed us to see and understand through the stories he told. To me, he is what set this tour apart and made the Rick Steves tour experience rank above and beyond other tours. I was absolutely hooked and am excited to visit Spain again... and take another Rick Steves tour in 2015!
If you want to hear and see more of Federico, check out his guide interview here. I recommend getting the Rick Steves Europe app and listening to the podcasts that Rick has created with Federico. Additionally, you can check out a video from the 2014 Reunion/2015 Test Drive a Tour Guide event that took place in Edmonds, WA. You'll be able to hear Federico sing... just as we did our final night of our tour.
Throughout our visit, Federico explained customs, traditions, and the history of meaningful people, places, and art. Dynamic and caring, he painted the pictures of Spanish history for us and allowed us to see and understand through the stories he told. To me, he is what set this tour apart and made the Rick Steves tour experience rank above and beyond other tours. I was absolutely hooked and am excited to visit Spain again... and take another Rick Steves tour in 2015!
If you want to hear and see more of Federico, check out his guide interview here. I recommend getting the Rick Steves Europe app and listening to the podcasts that Rick has created with Federico. Additionally, you can check out a video from the 2014 Reunion/2015 Test Drive a Tour Guide event that took place in Edmonds, WA. You'll be able to hear Federico sing... just as we did our final night of our tour.