Camino Barcelona Blog

 Hi everyone

On Wednesday the 30th, to coincide with turning on the Christmas lights, the Amazing Passeig de Gracia is going to offer all kinds of activities and will stay open until midnight.

This is an event that should not be missed! We’ll give you a quick summary of the best events right here.

Go into the most luxurious hotels in Barcelona and drink cocktails, see live music (in Hotel OMML), try haute cuisine specialities (in Hotel Alexandra, Hotel Condes de Barcelona and Hotel Mandarín Oriental). Enjoy a glass of cava in the Hall (in Hotel Avenida Palace) or watch concerts while sampling the gastronomic menus designed especially for this night (in Hotel Claris, bosanova en directo). You can also try the most fashionable cocktails in the world in the five star Hotel Mandarín Oriental, or sip them while you admire pieces of art from the world of fashion in Hotel Majestic. Or if you have a sweet tooth, why not try biscuits dipped in the very best chocolate in Hotel Alma.

The shops are offering DJ performances and discounts of up to 70 per cent, in Custo and Berska for instance. So pick up some Christmas shopping along the way, with more discounts on offer in Calcedonia, Mango and many more!

Everywhere promises to attract celebrities, offer music, drinks, presents and great discounts.

There is a grand tour of luxury fashion, and the design school of Barcelona will be giving workshops and putting on catwalk shows in the street.

It is sure to be a great night, and it all kicks off at 8pm.

I’ve already cancelled everything in my schedule! I can’t wait to try the marvellous food and drinks, and see all the glamour. Are you going to let yourself miss out, or will we be seeing each other amongst all the lights and all the surprises?

You can see all the information at: http://www.theshoppingnight.com

Cheers,

Anita

Hi again,

I am sure many of you have seen long queues close to lottery offices here in Barcelona these days.

The reason is the Spain’s beloved Christmas lottery which gives out the biggest lottery worldwide - 2,520,000,000 Euros this year!

Yes, that’s 2.5 Billion Euros!

On 22nd December, most of Spaniards are glued to the TV watching the Christmas lottery (Lotería de Navidad in Spanish), also commonly known as “El Gordo” – the  ‘ fat one ‘ or the  ‘ big one’.

This draw is called el gordo because it is the most money played in Spain in the whole year.

The Spanish lottery dates back to 1812 and it is the oldest in the world.

Lotería de Navidad works differently to most lotteries in the world. Tickets are very expensive, but you do not have to buy the entire ticket. But, if you don’t buy the whole thing, you can’t get all the winnning!

Spanish people play the “gordo” as an old Christmas tradition. Everyone gets at least one lottery ticket like the one in the picture (decimo). They cost 20 euros each, and if you buy ten of them, you have the billete which is for “el gordo” and its cost is 200 Euros.

The day of the draw, people  gather around the TV or radio to watch if for the whole morning. The children of a school in Madrid sing the winning numbers. They have been practicing during all the year for this day. The children who sing the “gordo” become famous for one day!

According to reports in the press, about 98 per cent of all Spanish people hold at least a small portion of a lottery ticket in the Christmas Lottery each year.

You do not have to be a Spanish national to play el gordo. You can get Christmas lottery tickets in different places: If you want to get a ‘decimo’, you would have to go to the Lottery offices. If you just want little ‘participaciones’ on different numbers, you can get them in bars, restaurants, shops, and other public places.

Spaniards are very superstitious when it comes to picking the lottery numbers. Last year the number 11710 was sold in two hours and it was symbolic because it is the date when Spain won the World Cup in South Africa on 11th July 2010 – as the number 11710.

There are some lottery offices which become famous for ‘giving out’ the number of the ‘Gordo’ or other big prizes in a certain year. In Barcelona, there is a very popular Lottery Office just off Plaza Cataluña where a lot of people get a ticket from: ‘El Gato Negro’ (The black cat). On Saturday I passed nearby and the queue was up to Pl. Catalunya!!!

And there is a very popular village in Lérida, near Barcelona, called ‘Sort’ (Luck), where lots of people from all over Spain go every year to get their lucky lottery number in ‘La Bruja de Oro’ (The Golden Witch)! It is said that this ticket office is the luckiest one in Spain…

Why not try el gordo this year???

Suerte!!!!
Genta

Hi folks,

Today I would like to write a blog about a special Catalan tradition: Caganer

Caganer is a particular Catalan figurine commonly seen in the nativity scenes. This figurine is not wearing pants and appears to be defecating ..

“Cagar” means to poop in Catalan, so “el caganer” is the pooper or the pooping man, also known as the man doing his duty!

The caganer is usually placed under a bridge or behind a haystack, hidden, somewhere on the nativity scene since it is a lack of respect if this figure were situated in the landscape visible for everyone. It has a playful purpose, which is for the children to find him amongst the other more traditional figurines that compose the Nativity scene.

It is said that the caganer brings luck because his stools fertilize the earth; therefore he is a symbol of a good harvest for the following year. Putting this figurine in the nativity scene brings luck and happiness. Not doing it brings misfortune.

Traditionally, the caganer was a peasant in Catalan dress which the latest years is often the image of famous people such as politicians as Batack Obama, Silvio Berlusconi, Angela Merkel, Vladimir Putin, Nikolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni, Queen Elizabeth, Prince William and Kate Middleton, José Luís Rodriguez Zapatero etc:

Or sportspeople as Messi, Pep Guardiola or Cristiano Ronaldo, Jose Mourinho:

The caganer of the year is chosen every year. Last year was Nikolas Sarkozy and Carla Bruni. This year seems to be Piqué from FC Barcelona and Shakira.

Caganers are easily found in Christmas markets markets such as Fira de Santa Lucia in front of the Cathedral in Barcelona. Join our Christmas course starting on 19th and 26th December which includes a special Christmas activities program where one of them is a visit to Santa Lucia market.

Come to Barcelona and meet this typical figurine! You’ll love it! Take your favorite politician “pooping”!

Cheers,

Genta