Meeting in Hellín - Spain (VII)

APRIL 17th, 2013: On local TV

Flowers of Anatolia

COMENIUS PROGRAM A LOSONCI ISKOLÁBAN

Polish Phrases - Daily Expressions

Earth Day 2012

Earth Day is a day early each year on which events are held worldwide to increase awareness and appreciation of the Earth's natural environment. Earth Day is now coordinated globally by the Earth Day Network, and is celebrated in more than 175 countries every year. In 2009, the United Nations designated April 22 International Mother Earth Day. Earth Day is planned for April 22 in all years at least through 2015.

Moving

Krakow (Poland)

Dobrich, Bulgaria

Earth Hour 2012

This Earth Hour 2012: 8.30pm, Saturday 31 March, celebrate your action for the planet with the people of world by switching off your lights for an hour, then go beyond the hour.

From its inception as a single-city initiative -- Sydney, Australia - in 2007, Earth Hour has grown into a global symbol of hope and movement for change. Earth Hour 2011 created history as the world's largest ever voluntary action with people, businesses and governments in 135 countries across every continent coming together to celebrate an unambiguous commitment to the one thing that unites us all -- the planet.

Tamborada of Hellin

Not for the faint hearted, The 'Tamborada’ of Hellín, is a very noisy event and is one of the most famous and well-known celebrations in the province of Albacete, where adults and children take to the streets of the town, their number exceeding 20,000 drummers, wearing black tunics with a red neckerchief or a black hood. The first drumming session takes place on the night of the Friday before Palm Sunday, when they celebrate the Via Crucis of the Torches. As a preparation and in order to warm up the drums, an increasing number of drummers head towards the Calvary without their black tunics, in a pilgrimage that lasts until the wee hours of the following day. The Wednesday right before Holy Thursday , at three pm, begins the second big drumming session. All the people flock to the streets, wearing their tunics and carrying their drums and, in groups of friends, they walk through the streets of town until 11 pm, which marks the beginning of the procession of the Oración del Huerto [Prayer in the Grove].

Comenius Picnic in Outurela-Portela

Comenius Picnic... celebrating the arrival of the Springtime...

Easter in Hellin

Easter week is one of the most heartfelt and deep-rooted fiestas celebrated in Spain. This commemoration has centuries of history and tradition, remembering the passion and death of Jesus Christ. The streets of the majority of Spain's cities, towns and villages become the stage for religious fervour and devotion, combining grief and meditation in memory of Christ's death. Music, art and colour come together in magical processions - solemn parades in which crowds of people accompany religious images on their route through the street.

Comenius Carnival in Outurela-Portela

Comenius Carnival in Outurela-Portela, EB1 c/ JI Amélia Vieira Luís, Portugal, under the theme "Our Amazing reasure Nature".

The Magi (and The King's Cake)

The Magi, also referred to as the (Three) Wise Men, (Three) Kings, or Kings from the East, were a group of distinguished foreigners who visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. They are regular figures in traditional accounts of the nativity celebrations of Christmas and are an important part of the Christian tradition.

Western Christianity celebrates the Magi on the day of Epiphany, January 6, the day immediately following the twelve days of Christmas, particularly in the Spanish-speaking parts of the world. In these areas the Three Kings ("los Reyes Magos de Oriente", also "Los Tres Reyes Magos" and "Los Reyes Magos") receive letters from children and magically bring them gifts on the night before Epiphany. In Spain, each one of the Magi is supposed to represent one different continent, Europe (Melchior), Asia (Caspar) and Africa (Balthasar). According to the tradition, the Magi come from the Orient on their camels to visit the houses of all the children; much like Santa Claus with his reindeer, they visit everyone in one night. In some areas, children prepare a drink for each of the Magi. It is also traditional to prepare food and drink for the camels, because this is the only night of the year when they eat.

In Spain, Argentina, México and Uruguay there is a long tradition for having the children receive their Christmas presents by the three "Reyes Magos" (the figure of Santa Claus only appeared in recent years) on the night of January 5 (Epiphany Eve). Almost every Spanish city or town organises "cabalgatas" in the evening, in which the kings and their servants parade and throw sweets to the children (and parents) in attendance.

KING'S CAKE

"Roscón de reyes" or "rosca de reyes" (kings' ring) is a Spanish and Spanish American king's cake pastry traditionally eaten to celebrate Epiphany. Although the name indicates that it should be round, the “rosca de reyes” generally has an oval shape due to the need to make cakes larger than 30cm across for larger parties. Recipes vary from country to country. For decoration, fig fruit, quinces, cherries or dried and candied fruits are used. It is traditionally eaten on January 6, during the celebration of the "Día de Reyes" (literally "Kings' Day"), which commemorates the arrival of the three Magi. In Spain "roscones" bought in cake shops hide in their interior a figure - either of Jesus or others like little toys for kids and a dry faba bean. Whoever finds the figure is crowned and becomes the "king" or "queen" of the banquet, whereas whoever finds the bean has to pay next year's roscón.

Basic Translations: English to French

Neujahrskonzert: The Vienna New Year Concert (Radetzky March)

Radetzky March, Op. 228, is a march composed by Johann Strauss Sr. in 1848. It was dedicated to the Austrian Field Marshal Joseph Radetzky von Radetz, and became quite a popular march among soldiers.

When it was first played, in front of Austrian officers in attendance, they promptly clapped and stomped their feet when they heard the chorus. This tradition is carried over today when the march is played in classical music venues in Vienna, among members of the audience who are familiar with the tradition. It is almost always played as the last piece of music at the Neujahrskonzert, the Vienna New Year Concert.

In 2009 the orchestra was conducted by Daniel Barenboim:

Twelve Grapes

The Twelve Grapes (Sp. Las doce uvas de la suerte, "The twelve grapes of luck") is a Spanish tradition that dates back from at least 1895 but become consolidated in 1909. In December of that year, some alicantese vine growers popularized this custom to better sell huge amounts of grapes from an excellent harvest.

The tradition consists in eating a grape with each bell strike at midnight of December 31. According to the tradition, that leads to a year of prosperity. In some areas, it is believed that the tradition wards away witches and general evil. Each grape is eaten with each beat of the bell.

The twelve grapes are linked to the Puerta del Sol tower clock, where this tradition started and from where the change of year is always broadcast.

This tradition was adopted also by places with a broad cultural relation with Spain such as Mexico and other Latin American countries, as well as Hispanic communities in the United States. Countries as far as the Philippines have adopted the tradition.

White Christmas

"White Christmas" is an Irving Berlin song reminiscing about an old-fashioned Christmas setting. According to the Guinness Book of World Records, the version sung by Bing Crosby is the best-selling single of all time, with estimated sales in excess of 50 million copies worldwide. Following its prominence in the musical Holiday Inn, the composition won the Academy Award for Best Original Song. In the film, Bing Crosby sings "White Christmas" as a duet with actress Marjorie Reynolds, though her voice was dubbed by Martha Mears.

I'm dreaming of a white Christmas 

Just like the ones I used to know 

Where the treetops glisten and children listen 

To hear sleigh bells in the snow 

 I'm dreaming of a white Christmas 

With every Christmas card I write 

May your days be merry and bright 

And may all your Christmases be white 

 I'm dreaming of a white Christmas...

Feliz Navidad (I wanna wish you a Merry Christmas)

Christmas tree

 

The cake was baked by our student Sima Trepenaityte

Merry Christmas from Spain

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