The May Crosses of Cordoba

At the beginning of May, the tradition of the May Crosses follows a street parade called "the Battle of the Flowers" in which floats decorated with flowers are driven though the city to welcome the coming of spring.

In the May Crosses, huge crosses decorated with flowers, plants in pots and manila shawls, are put up in courtyards and squares, and the neighbourhood associations and local clubs set up a bar serving traditional tapas and drinks to the visitors. Traditional Sevillanas music is played and dance shows are performed by night.

To get the perfect image of Cordoba in May, just stroll round the districts of San Basilio, San Andrés, Santa Marina, San Agustín and the city centre during the May Crosses festival. (english.turismodecordoba.org)

MAY CROSSES FESTIVAL 2014: From 30th April to 4th May
2014 May Crosses' map & programme: Click here

The Brave Tin Soldier

“I thought the Germans were serious”

Lidia López and Nabil Kaddaure have a lot in common. They are both Spaniards from regions where being young and unemployed pretty much go together. The two signed up to the German government’s The Job of My Life program hoping to learn both German and a profession. After spending time at a hotel/school in Rostock, the two say that they feel cheated that the German government has suspended the scheme, which provided funding for young people from hard-hit regions of Europe.

Lidia, aged 25, has almost finished the program: German language courses in Spain; more language courses in Germany, along with on-the-job training; and finally, a three-year contract to continue learning about hotel management. But she says that the German authorities have delayed her payments and refuse to give more information about the scheme, which has been suspended for this year.

Nabil, aged 21, has been in Rostock for just two weeks, and is attending German classes eight hours a day. “Things began to go wrong a couple of weeks ago when I received a letter from my language school in Malaga saying that the German government was suspending grants because there was no money. I don’t know what I’m going to do now,” she says.

Nabil says that she’s not only disappointed at the haste with which the German authorities have suspended the scheme, but also with her experience of it so far, describing it as a “bungle”.

“There is a group of Italians and Spaniards here who have been told that they will have funding to finish their training, but the four of us from Málaga have not been told anything, either way. And we were here before the other groups. I thought that the Germans were serious, but now I’m not so sure.” (El País)

Gabriel García Márquez dies

Gabriel García Márquez, one of the world's greatest novelists, has died from a lung infection at his home in Mexico. He was 87. The Colombian writer won the Nobel Prize in Literature in 1982 and other top awards. Colombia's government announced three days of national mourning. It said García Márquez was, "a writer who changed the lives of his readership". His book ''Love in the Time of Cholera" is the best selling book in Spanish. He wrote many more classics. Critics say he is one of the most important writers ever. He helped develop a style of writing called "magical realism".

Barack Obama paid a tribute to Márquez. He said: "The world has lost one of its greatest visionary writers." Bill Clinton said: "I was always amazed by his unique gifts of imagination…He captured the pain and joy of our common humanity". García Márquez said he was a storyteller from a young age, saying: "I have often been told by the family that I started recounting things, stories and so on, almost since I was born - ever since I could speak." Peruvian author Mario Vargas Llosa said: "His novels will survive and will continue to find new readers everywhere." (Breaking News English)

7 portions of fruit & vegetables a day best

We are always told that five portions of fruit and vegetables are enough to keep disease away and to live longer. A new study now says people who eat seven portions a day are healthier. Researchers studied the eating habits of 65,000 adults over seven years. They said that there was a strong "inverse" relationship between eating fruit and vegetables and death with people who ate more fruit and vegetables.

The researchers said people who ate up to seven portions a day had a 42 per cent lower risk of death than those who had just one portion. They said schools should serve healthier meals and supermarkets should display cheaper fruit and vegetables where people can see them better. They said frozen and canned fruit was bad for you. A dietician said people who ate more fruit and veg were richer, so their lifestyles helped them to live longer. (Breaking News English)

 

Lisbon

          10 Reasons Why You Should Go to Lisbon

1. CULTURE: It's one of the world's great historical cities, with characteristic and surprising sights, cultural treasures, and a beautiful setting that make it a paradise for walkers and photographers.
2. VALUE: It's one of Europe's best values -- officially Western Europe's least expensive capital.
3. LOCATION: It's the closest European capital to the United States and just around a 2-hour flight from all the other major European cities.
4. CLIMATE: Its mild climate makes it an ideal year-round destination. Even in winter, when most other European cities are freezing, in Lisbon high temperatures rarely go below 10C (50F).
5. RESORT: It is the only European capital located so close to sandy beaches, enabling visitors to combine culture with fun by the sea.
6. SIZE: It's a compact and intimate city, ideal for a short city break or a longer romantic stay, with a lively café culture and a nightlife that is one of the most vibrant in Europe.
7. VARIETY: Its surroundings offer an incredible variety of tourist attractions, from fairytale palaces in one of Europe's most romantic towns (Sintra), to world-class golf and fun in Europe's largest casino in Estoril, to surfing in Cascais or escaping to a natural park in Arrábida, to dolphin-watching in Setúbal.
8. GATEWAY: It makes a perfect base to explore many of Portugal's most outstanding towns and villages, from Evora to Obidos.
9. SAFETY: It's one of the safest European capitals. Tourists are always automatic targets in all big cities and visitors should beware of pickpocketing in Lisbon, but serious random violent crime is practically unheard of in this city.
10. WELCOMING: It's a friendly city with a cosmopolitan population, welcoming to all visitors and families with children, and open to minorities and alternative lifestyles. (GoLisbon)