Ghost Hunting in Belmez Day Trip
Gypsies and Bullfighters Night
Madrid’s May San Isidro Festival
Capea de Toros Bullfight and BBQ in Madrid, Spain
Every year the Canterbury Club celebrates the great tradition of bullfighting in Spain with the annual Capea de Toros. The Club goes to the ranch, Las Palmeras (twenty minutes outside of Madrid) of the famous bullfighter on horseback (rejoneador), José Miguel Callejón. Last year the Club met on a Saturday at 12:30pm in the Plaza España in the center of Madrid. We arrived at the ranch to set up the tables and chairs on the outdoor grass, fire up the barbecue and put on flamenco music while enjoying the warm sunshine of a beautiful weekend afternoon in Spain. The lunch consisted of traditional Spanish barbecue favorites comprised of grilled chorizo, morcilla and panceta among more “western” fare. Naturally, there was also an unlimited supply of sangria to help get your courage up for the capea later on!
After lunch, there was a tour of the ranch encompassing the bullring, barns, horse stables and bull pens. Later the club played various games in the bullring including the three-legged races, a tug of war and the egg toss. Finally it was on to the main event! The vaquilla was released into the bullring and now was the time to try out your “bullfighting” skills. The people, who preferred to watch, were up in the grandstand, watching the action whilst drinking sangria and placing bets.
Oh course, it’s difficult to amaze your friends back home or have stories to tell your grandchildren from the grandstand…
La Tomatina Tomato Fight In Buñol, Valencia, Spain
What would you think if you could sling ripe tomatoes at people and they enjoyed it? What would you think if you could do so with no holds bar? Are you up for it? WAIT!!! You thought that we´re kidding?! NO WAY! We´re talking about the Tomatina. This has nothing to do with the killer tomatoes movies. As a matter of fact, the Tomatina has existed before even the idea for such a movie occurred! Since 1944, each year on the last Wednesday of August in the little town of Buñol, in eastern Spain (thirty km from Valencia) between 11:00am and 1:00pm people flock for the tomato war called the Tomatina. “Why?” you may ask. Well, the answer is simple, JUST FOR THE HECK OF IT!! This is a war were there are expected to be no winners, but where all have fun…
So the Canterbury Club chartered a private bus, and after a traditional Spanish breakfast, left Madrid bright and early at 8:00 am this past August 25th to join in the fun! After the Tomatina, everyone showered and we continued on to Valencia, where we enjoyed an outdoor lunch at a beachside restaurant and spent the remainder of the day relaxing at the beach and swimming in the Mediterranean Sea. We returned back to Madrid at 12:00 midnight.
The Retiro Park (in Madrid) Picnic and Football Match
Every June the Canterbury Club closes out the school year with the annual picnic and European football match at the La Chopera football fields in the Retiro Park in Madrid. This is a time for family, friends, teachers, students and staff alike of Canterbury to enjoy a beautiful Saturday afternoon in June and welcome in the coming days of summer.
The day begins at 2:30pm with a picnic beside La Chopera, in a refreshingly shaded area with many trees and a small waterfall. The picnic lunch consists of many summertime favorites including Spanish tortilla (omelette), gazpacho (cold vegetable soup), fried chicken, ensaladilla rusa (Russian salad), various cold pasta salads, jamon serrano (Spanish ham), watermelon and horchata (delicious drink made from chufa nuts). As always, there is the world famous Canterbury sangria to help quench the thirst of the rigged football warriors to come! Thus, the culmination of the day (and year!) is the 5:00pm heated football match of the Teachers vs. the Students. Last year the Canterbury Club Teacher Team defeated the Spanish Student Team 7 – 1.
Who will win the bragging rights of 2005?
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