Spanish is spoken by over 450 million people in 21 countries worldwide; it is the second most spoken language in the USA (after English) and is one of the six official languages of the United Nations!
To celebrate this remarkable language, Spanish Language Day is being celebrated this Saturday, but for now here are some quirky facts about our closest Spanish speaking neighbour - España.
1. Spain has the longest coastline in Europe.
2. Real Madrid Football Club was the first team to win the European Cup in 1956.
3. Christopher Columbus is buried in Seville Cathedral.
4. One of the first every lotteries was held in Spain in 1763.
5. On New Year’s Eve crowds gather in city squares, and as the clock strikes 12, you are supposed to swallow a grape for every chime!
6. The German car designer Benz was married to a Spanish woman - they had a child called Mercedes - and the name of the car was born!
7. The Moorish palace in Granada - the Alhambra - is Spain’s most popular tourist attraction. The name means ‘red castle’ after the colour of the clay used to build the walls.
8. Paella is eaten all over Spain but the classic recipe comes from Valencia. For an easy-to-follow recipe check out: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/jamie-oliver/the-ultimate-paella-recipe/index.html
More details about Spanish Language Day can be found at: http://londres.cervantes.es/en/culture_spanish/spanish_language_day.htm
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