Spanish stereotypes

1. The Spanish are lazy and love to sleep the siesta.

The Spanish have the longest working hours and they work very hard. You do not have the 9th highest GDP in the world by being lazy. Yes, the Spanish like to sleep the siesta, but only about 20% of them can do. Many people now live in the suburbs, quite far from

where they work, and do not have time to go home for lunch, what with the traffic. So they cannot sleep the siesta. They probably sleep the siesta on weekends, when they can.

2. Spain is the land of sunshine and beaches.

The beaches in Spain have a very wide variety, from the Mediterranean to the Balearic Islands and the Canary Islands to the waves along the North coast. So this stereotype is

true. Some beaches are monitored on a daily basis and there are high standards of cleanliness required to have the European Blue Flag, the sign of quality.

3. Spain is the land of bullfights.The bullfight is no longer considered a sport in Spain, but is described as a cultural

tradition. Yes, there are bullfights in Spain, but their popularity is decreasing .Today only 25% of the population supports bullfighting.

The majority of people who go to bullfights are middle aged and older people. In some communities, bullfights are no longer allowed. This tradition is entering a crisis because

fewer people attend the bullfights every year. Many politicians want the bullfights, especially if their communities enjoy the bullfights.

4. Spain is the land of flamenco

It is said that the majority of the population do not know how to dance flamenco. Flamenco is not an easy dance, and one has to go to dance school to learn it. Flamenco

dancers are very dedicated people and it requires constant practice.

5. All Spanish people have dark hair, dark eyes, and dark skin.

This stereotype is not true. Today there are many fair skinned people with light colored eyes and natural blond hair. It is said that the Celts, left Norht west Spain for Ireland, Wales and evertually Scotland.The dark skin is not natural, and people who live in the South or along the Mediterranean coast may have a deep tan, but that is because they

may spend a lot of time outdoors while the sun is shining. Also among all of the Spanish, a deep tan is a status symbol, meaning that one has the time and money to be

vacationing on the beach.

6. Spain: land of paella and sangria.Yes, this is true. The Spanish love paella and in almost every part of Spain one can find some sort of paella in the restaurants. In many parts of Spain, when people go out to the countryside to partake of nature, instead of a barbecue, they will cook a paella. There is one that looks black, because it is made with little squids and their ink makes the paella

look black.

The Spanish prefer to drink good red wine from nationally famous DOs. Red wine is drank with everything in Spain. In Spain they prefer to drink red wine.

Wine making is one of the principal industries in many parts of Spain, such as in La Rioja. The Spanish winemakers are modernizing their wine making facilities and planting better

varieties of wine. In the south of Spain, such as in Jerez, they produce sherry.

7. Spain is the land of partiesYes, this is true. Every city, town and village has a fiesta once a year. Many times it is to

honor their patron saint. People in Spain like to have fun and the fiesta is the time to have it. This is the reason that many foreigners come to visit Spain, to see and enjoy the fiesta.

Most of the fiestas are very colorful events and crowded of people.

8. The Spanish love their hamThis is true. The most appreciated ham among the Spanish is the “pata negra” from the

province of Huelva. The pigs from this region have black hooves, and that is the meaning of “pata negra”. The pigs eat acorns in oak forests. The acorns have very high contents of

antioxidants, so the ham from these pigs are quite lean and healthy. The ham has a slightly nutty taste and is considered a gourmet item in Spain.

9. The Spanish men are latin loversThe majority of Spanish men do not meet the stereotype of the latin lover. Many foreign

women succumb to these men, to their later anguish and regret.Because of the mixture of races, one can say that the genes Spanish are very strong and vibrant, and they produce very beautiful women and handsome men. One has to just sit

at a sidewalk café and observe the people passing by to see some physically very beautiful people passing by. This is one of the joys of visiting Spain!

FINISH!