Happy New Year! Feliz Año! Godt Nytt År!

Thanks to all Spanish Language students and other guests to Jerez in 2010! Also a big thank to our Leonardo da Vinci students/apprentices, hope you had a good time! Look forward to more in the future.
Looking forward to 2011 and new Spanish Language courses and new students and guests arriving in Jerez, you are always welcome!

Leonardo Da Vinci - Lifelong learning programme

Camilla, Mari & Morten, thank you very much for your contribution!
It was extremely nice getting to know you through the Leonardo Da Vinci Lifelong learning programme, wish all of you all the best in your future work! We will always be here for you, looking forward to seeing you again.

III Ruta del Mosto de Sanlúcar

We have tried it, why not try it yourselves? Several bars in Sanlucar open their doors to try the Mosto 2011 with a tapa, price 60 cents for a "copita y tapa"!
Visit our area, feel the athmosphere and learn Spanish where Spanish is spoken.

ZAMBOMBAS DE JEREZ DE LA FRONTERA, 8/12 - 31/12

Al llegar diciembre, Jerez de la Frontera se convierte en el escenario de una de las costumbres culturales y festivas más auténticas del folclore andaluz: las zambombas.

Desde el siglo XVIII, en la víspera de la Nochebuena, amigos y familiares se reunían en los patios de las casas de vecinos y gaanas para cantar villancicos. Hoy como entonces el espritu entregado, alegre y desenfadado de la celebración hace que cualquiera pueda arrancarse y unirse al grupo.

Llegando diciembre en Jerez hay zambombas por todas partes, especialmente los sábados. Centenares de zambombas. En cada calle, plaza o plazoleta resuena la ronca zambomba y el coro de improvisados tenores.

En ellas se forma un corro alrededor de las hogueras y de forma espontánea, se cantan y bailan villancicos mientras se reparte vino, anís, ponche y dulces navideños para todos. El instrumento fundamental: la zambomba, de ahí el nombre de la fiesta. Se suman el almirez, la pandereta y la botella rayada de anís.

De entre todas las que se celebran en Jerez, destacan las que tienen lugar en las peñas flamencas jerezanas los sábados de diciembre anteriores a la Navidad.
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In December, Jerez de la Frontera become the scene of one of the cultural and festive most authentic Andalusian folklore: the zambombas.Since the eighteenth century, on the Christmas Eve, friends and relatives gathered in the courtyards of neighboring houses to sing Christmas carols. Today as then, the spirit given, anyone can join the group.
Arriving in December in Jerez, you can experience Zambombas everywhere, especially on Saturdays. Hundreds of Zambombas. In every street, square or plaza resonates Zambomba hoarse and improvised chorus of tenors. They form a circle around the bonfires and spontaneously, carols are sung and danced as they share wine, anise, punch and Christmas cookies with everyone. The main instrument: the zambomba, hence the name of the party.
Zambombas also that take place in the Jerez flamenco peñas all December Saturdays before Christmas.
  
Come to Jerez, do your Christmas shopping, experience the Zambombas and Learn Spanish!

Touring Tarifa and Gibraltar with Leonardo Da Vinci apprentices!

The Rosenhof choir from Norway visiting Jerez this weekend/Rosenhof-koret fa Norge besøker Jerez i helgen!

Another Norwegian Choir visiting Jerez this autumn, what a coincidence! They give a concert in Sala Compañía on Friday 15th October at 21.00.
Sammentreff! Nok et kor fra Oslo besøker Jerez i høst, de holder konsert i Sala Compañía fredag 15. oktober kl.21.00

The HUM Choir from Oslo, Norway, visited Jerez de la Frontera!

Thank you for visiting us in Jerez, it was a great experience spending 4 days with you! We had lots of fun, first of all a "speed-Spanish-language-lesson" accompanied with tapas and vino tinto. Next day was dedicated to different activities, such as The Dancing Horses of Jerez, scuba diving in Tarifa, swimming in Chipiona or just strolling Jerez. The following day was dedicated to a bodega visit at the Fernando de Castilla winery and to your great performance at Dama Juana, a local café/bar in Calle Francos. Your concert was thrilling! Next morning we all went by bus to Sevilla for a daytrip, some preferred shopping while others preferred visiting the Cathedral and Alcazar and a lunch in Barrio Santa Cruz. In the evening we all enjoyed a stunning flamenco performance at El Laga Tio Parilla. Welcome back!

Jerez, Churches will be visited with a guide on 2011

One of the main problems that many tourists have in Jerez is that the churches can be visited but without a guide and not always knowing exactly when does it open or close. Since now all the churches can be visited with a guide during 3 hours every day.

San Miguel, San Marcos, San Dionisio, Catedral and Santo Domingo will open during this month. On 2011 will San Juan de los Caballeros, San Lucas, San Mateo and  Basílica de la Merced. This chance of knowing better the culture, the importance of the religion in the town as well as the diferent cultures that have been here, is something that you will never forget. We are waiting for you, we provide you accomodation as well as spanish lessons. Call us now.

Eva Dons, Under Iskanten CD, music for your soul

Last July Eva Dons, a famous actress and singer in Norway, visited Jerez to learn Spanish. Lessons were great for her and her daughter Siri and, among other topics, we talked about her music. Under Iskanten was released in 2006 but is still a really nice record to feed your soul as well as to clear your mind up of the daily routine problems.

Norwegian as language can be a handicap for the listeners from all over the world, but this is not the case. Melodies, ambients, production and Eva´s voice are the perfect mixture to listen a really nice work done with feelings that are on the air even if you don´t get the meaning of the lyrics.

It´s a great pleasure to us advice you this lovely record with songs like Under iskanten, Strender or Han Tarzan. For further info you can click here. You can listen a song here.

Festival de Jerez 2011

Flamenco Festival de Jerez will come back from the 25th of february to the 12th of march. Courses can be booked now and the shows will be announced in a few weeks. Teachers like Mercedes Ruiz, Joaquín Grilo, Matilde Coral o Pilar Ogalla will make you enjoy, and learn, flamenco culture. Book your spanish lessons and your accommodation now!

Check the program here.

Taxi Tour, new choice in Jerez

Surely you know the Touristic Bus way of knowing a new city. In Jerez, a smaller city, this vehicle can´t go inside the real core of the Flamenco area or show you special places. Now, for just 25 euros, you can have a Taxi Tour, 40 minutes, and visit the special places of Jerez, listen the funniest anecdotes of some artists and know the real core of the city.

At the moment these tours are focused on the Flamenco topic. The tour starts at the hall of your hotel and takes you to the Real Escuela del Arte Ecuestre, after this you´ll be driven to Santiago neighbourhood and then to San Miguel neighbourhood to enjoy the places where Flamenco were born. Hope you enjoy these tours.

U2 will play in Sevilla the 30th of September

U2, after some problems, will play in Sevilla the next 30th of September. The concert will be one of the best choices to enjoy such a band playing live. The irish band is at its best moment and this tour is being one of the best of their carreer.

Tickets are being sold at Ticketmaster. We remind you that Jerez is just 100 kilometres away from Sevilla, we provide accomodation and spanish lessons as well. Book your apartment and lessons now!

360, sail the Bay of Cádiz

This summer, sail from only 10€ per person / hour!

360 puts this exceptional new (2010) yacht at your disposition throughout the year. Impressively spacious and seaworthy it has an ample and comfortable cockpit for up to eight people. Its high quality finish offers an agreeable interior atmosphere. Let the wind take your sails and savour the unique pleasure of sailing a Sun Odyssey 33i. Escape the routine and enjoy the cruise. The sun odyssey is the ideal length for PER holders. Take the helm and enjoy. Happy sailing!

Come in for a quote or to ask about the experience you are searching for, we’ll be sure to find it!You can find us in Puerto Sherry, an ideal harbour to enjoy sailing out of and around the Bay of Cadiz.

Check their web here!

Get Around Golf Cádiz

Cádiz is probably the best province in Andalucia. The perfect combination of mountains and coast always have been its biggest attractive. Aside of enjoying gastronomy, wine, culture and learn spanish you can also play golf. Maybe you think that is difficult to rent the place, to find the way to do it. Today we present you a brand new web dedicated to do all these things for you. Get around golf Cádiz is a company based in Arcos de la Frontera that will taylor made your golf experience in the area. Best prices and choices can be checked on their website. Enjoy the experience!

Blåseran, norwegian big band

Thanks to the visit of one of the members of Blåseran, that came to Jerez to learn spanish with us, we could hear about them and about their music. Polkas, Waltz, as well as another rythms are good enough to enjoy their instrumental CD Ein Prosit. More than 60 tunes will make an unforgettable evening if you decide to enjoy their music. Here you have some of it.

For further info you can visit their website: http://www.blaaseran.no/

Croquetas de jamón Recipe

Many times, when you read the Tapas menu on a bar, you can find croquetas de jamón. This really easy to cook dish is delicious as well as cheap. Try to do this croquetas at home and please, send us a pic of it.

Flamenco Courses in Jerez, august 2010

We´re proud to inform you of these new courses in Jerez during August.

9th-14th of august:

Course A: María del Mar Moreno, guajiras with abanico.

Course B: Angelita Gómez, bulerías.

16th-21st of august:

Course C: María del Mar Moreno, coreography bulerías and soleá.

Course D: Angelita Gómez, Tangos.

Prices:

1 course: 220€, 2 courses: 395€ (10% discount), 3 courses: 560€ (15% d.), 4 courses: 700 € (20% d.)

Further info: Jerez Puro

Learn flamenco and spanish, we´re waiting for you.

Salmorejo recipe for Dummies

Salmorejo is the second most famous cold soup in Spain. During the whole summer we drink it every day and it´s a really healthy drink thanks to its ingredients: Tomato, pepper, bread, olive oil and garlick. Depending on the place of Spain you can find Gazpacho (less bread), Ajo Blanco (with almonds, garlick and bread), Porra Antequerana (like Salmorejo but with tuna) and many others. Here you have the recipe of the main base, the rest is up to you.

Vinoble 2010, International Wine Fair in Jerez

Jerez is really well known by its wine. Vinoble is a meeting celebrated once a year to discover the best wines in the world, enjoy gastronomy and also open some bottles of the best wines all through the world. This years edition will open a Pedro Ximénez bottle that was at a winery since 1910. Catas, where you can learn how to taste the wine, are the most special part of this meeting that´s also open for the main public one day. Here you have a video from this year edition. We remind you that this catas are also easy to do during the whole year at the differente wineries. Hope you visit us to enjoy!

Flamenco Courses in Jerez, summer 2010

Once again you can enjoy Flamenco Courses coming to Jerez during the summer. The best teachers and the best city to enjoy flamenco, culture, gastronomy and spanish. Learn spanish with us and learn flamenco too. We can provide your accomodation as well. We´re waiting for you.

Feria de Jerez 2010 and Moto GP in Jerez

After 2 weeks of total mayhem in Jerez we´re warming up for El Rocio. First was the Moto GP weekend, 150.000 bikers from all over Europe came to visit us and enjoy the area, the weather and our gastronomy. Here you have a video of the GP.



And about the Feria...

Feria del Caballo 2010 (Jerez)

Feria del Caballo is about to start in Jerez. After Semana Santa and just preparing the city for the Moto GP the 2nd of may will start the Horses´ Fair, a week to celebrate the arrival of the spring and enjoy the best horses of Spain, Sherry Wine, gastronomy, culture and flamenco.

But it´s not only that, González Hontoria park will welcome to all the visitors (one million last year) with absolutely no problem to go inside any of the 300 casetas (places where you can eat, drink and dance). Opposite to the famous Sevilla Feria de Abril, here all the Feria is open to whoever wants to enjoy of it.

Morning is the time to watch the horses walking, women in flamenco dress, colour and sound. By night you will be ligthed by 1.100.000 lamps that will take you to the sunrise on a unique trip to the core of the Jerez´s culture. Are you going to stay at home again? We´re waiting for you. Learn spanish and then enjoy of this experience.

AC/DC will play in Sevilla the 26th of June

AC/DC, the rock legends, will be playing on La Cartuja stadium the 26th of June. More than 60.000 fans will enjoy this hard rock experience and will dance to the rythm of the Young brothers guitars, the bass of Cliff Williams, the drums of Phil Rudd and the magic voice of the one and only Brian Johnson.

The choice of coming to Jerez to learn spanish during the week and then go to the concert is a perfect one. Sevilla is just one hour away by car, you can enjoy the concert and wake up the next day in Jerez or in Chipiona or Sanlucar in front of the sea. You are all welcomed. Here you have a preview of what you can enjoy if you come to Lengualuz and then to the concert.

GranTourismo and Jerez

Gran Tourismo is the personal project of writers Lara Dunston and Terence Carter. They have been during the Flamenco Festival in Jerez and they have written an awesome blog where you can read many details about the city.

For example, about the prices on the supermarket, about the take-homes, recipes or the best places to eat. But the most important post for us is titled Why Jerez? Many people ask us the same, why should we go there?, why not Sevilla or Granada?. Well, Terence Carter explains it like this:

"With a lack of artifice and layers, a dearth of ‘must-do’ sights and an easily walkable town (although it’s probably a whole lot easier when they’re not having the most rain ever recorded), superficially at least, it’s easier to get to live like locals here than say in Seville. While for many people Jerez isn’t a ‘Top 5’ destination – often relegated to a one-hour sherry stop or horse show on a day trip – for the visitor who wants to get under the skin of a culture, you’re at an advantage in Jerez". Are you going to choose another city yet?

You can read the whole experience in Jerez here.

Festival de Jerez 2010 has finished

This year´s edition of the Festival de Jerez has finished. This year has been awesome, the quality of the shows, the artists, the public and all the little details have made this edition one of the best ever. Students from Japan and another parts of the word have been in our school learning spanish in a wonderful atmosphere where they could chill out before having their dancing lessons. They promised us to come back, will you come for the very first time?

Semana Santa, 28th of march - 4th of april

Semana Santa is about to come to Spain. In Jerez is a special week, you can visit the churches, where the day´s brotherhoods will go out during the evening, on the mornings, have a tapa and relax till´ the pasos (platforms where the religious images are exposed) walk all around the city centre. Of course, before going to the churches you can also learn spanish with us. A complete guide of activities and traditions will be taught on the lessons. In the meanwhile let´s have a look to this video. You can watch pictures of the city and then the pasos. Enjoy.

Flyniki will fly from Viena to Jerez until october

Last friday the airline Flyniki started to fly from Viena to Jerez. The company think that more than 5.000 passengers will enjoy their flights. The dates are easy to remember, every friday a plane will land in Jerez at 10.05 and will fly back at 11. On the planes, Airbus 320 for 250 persons, there will be all you need to feel like home. The company is owned by Niki Lauda and Air Berlin. This is your best choice to fly to Jerez, enjoy our culture and, of course, learn spanish in Spain. We are waiting for you!

Festival de Jerez 2010

Jerez is ready to host another Festival de Jerez. This year´s edition will remember the art of Fernando Terremoto, a famous cantaor that died on february the 13th. Once again the Teatro Villamarta will be the place that will host the world premieres of the best flamenco shows. For the very first time it´ll be posible to go to some concerts of flamenco rock with Los delinqüentes and Tomasito. Aren´t you coming this year?, we´re waiting for you. Enjoy the city,  Flamenco is in the air and...learn spanish.

Språk - Karins spanske språkskole. Interview on Norskemagasinet

Here you can read the translation of the interview made to Karin (manager of Lengualuz), published in Norske Magasinet (click here too to read the norwegian version).

Choose among sun-drenched beaches, spacious terraces, noisy cafes, shady patios or regular classroom when you want to learn Spanish.

Or how about combining language study with horse riding, golf, cultural excursions, tapas courses, wine tasting, or flamenco? Namely, the choice is yours!

For nearly four years, Karin Ulvestad Skarre, from Bærum outside Oslo, is the manager of her own language school - LenguaLuz - on the Costa de la Luz.

Together with the school's Spanish-born teacher, she offers tailored lessons and courses to students of all ages.

- We fix the most part, argues Karin.

Learning Spanish 2

Second podcast of the blog. You can learn how to say How old are you? and Where are you from? in spanish. Enjoy.

Learning spanish 2

David Lopez's Podcast

Russia Today broadcasting in Spanish

Russia Today, one of the most important TV channels in Russia, has started to broadcast in spanish. The importance of the spanish language is bigger and bigger as this new confirms. After chinese and english, the spanish language is the most important one for business, internet, travelling and more. Learning spanish is investing in your own future.  You can watch this channel clicking here.

Three Magic Kings (Los Reyes Magos) and El Roscón de Reyes (Kings´ doughnut)

The Three Magic Kings tradition is an important one in Spain. The 6th of January the kids receive presents from this Magicians that went to witness the born of Jesus. During the 5th of January evening you can see a lot of Cabalgatas (parades) where the Kings throw away tons of candies and toys. Santa Claus is still trying to get his place in Spain but 3 on 1 is always better. Here you can watch the whole parade of last year edition in Madrid.