Spain nightlife: it really doesn’t get any better!

by Abha Malpani on

Ever since I’ve moved to Spain, I go out till the wee hours of the morning at least 4-nights a week, I drink way more than I ever used to, yet work better and feel healthier. Be it a Sunday night or a Monday night, for Spaniards there is no excuse not to head out.

The country is built around a culture of cañas (half-pints), elaborate menus of the day and tapas at night alongside the inborn need of Spaniards to talk (a lot!); the result — a long long life.

The average life-expectancy in Spain is 78.79 years, higher than China which stands at 72.88 years. Also, Spaniards have the general mentality of spending everything they earn on eating / socializing / partying: “what else do we work for!?” I often hear them say. This also explains why the number of people going out drops drastically in the last week of the month as their money starts running out!

So, it was no surprise that according to Country Brand Index, Spain is the hottest country for nightlife, followed by the US and Mexico. So if your plan is to party when you travel to Europe — Spain should definitely be your high on your list.

Spain’s bullfighting craze resurfaces

by Abha Malpani on

The first (and last time) I saw a bullfight was early morning in a cafe in Valencia. I felt so sick watching I couldn’t even finish my coffee, even though I was watching it on a screen across the room. I sat there perturbed as I saw multiple spears oscillating in the bull’s back and a crowd cheering as the animal bleeds profusely whilst running to the swooshes of a red cloth swooned dramatically by some hero torerro.

Culture, tradition, art, amusement, call it what you want – how could anyone take pleasure in watching the slow death of an animal?

As I spoke to Spaniards about this ghastly game, whilst many were neutral, the majority strongly opposed it. With the “sport” legally banned in Barcelona and otherwise predominantly showcased only in tourist season, it thankfully seemed to be on the verge of obsolesce.

Until the legendary matador Jose Tomas decided to spring back into action. Local news channels and the general population seem to be rejuvenated with his comeback. Perhaps the pure ‘hero’ value he left lingering when he abruptly retired in 2002 has overwhelmed people and made them forget that the brutal killing of innocent animals is also at stake with this revival.

This mix-up and mess-up of tradition, art, bravery, and fame, with hypocrisy and human morality leaves me disappointed and confused; and I don’t like it.

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India: Now at The Newark Museum

by Kelly Amabile on

There’s a really unique look at India on exhibit at the Newark Museum right now. India: Public Places/Private Spaces is devoted to contemporary art and photography from 28 Indian artists. A cornerstone program running in conjunction with the exhibit is a two-day symposium taking place Oct. 27-28: India: Changing the Way We See will include lectures, readings and film screenings by a select group of internationally renowned scholars, writers and artists as they explore the impact of a rapidly changing India on the global art scene. There will also be an art workshop about Bollywood on November 17 and a family Thanksgiving program celebrating the arts and culture of India on November 23. The art exhibit runs through January 6, 2008.

The Newark Museum has over 80 galleries, including African, American and Asian collections. They have a really nice museum shop too. The Museum is located in the downtown arts district, not far from the New Jersey Performing Arts Center.

It’s Not Horrifying If You Can Eat It

by Abha Malpani on

Ever since I ate fried cockroaches in Thailand and rotten kangaroo tail in Australia, I love bringing up the ‘what’s the weirdest, most disgusting thing you’ve eaten’ topic; I normally beat everyone. It’s funny though how I can eat cockroaches, but I think caviar is disgusting.

The grossest thing I’ve eaten is eel. UGH. It was in a Korean restaurant in Wollongong (Australia) where we went with Korean classmates and (over) confidently asked them to order. UGGGHHH.

The most stomach-churning Spanish food which I haven’t had the courage to try yet is bull testicles.

Anyway, after looking at this recently published list of World’s Most Terrifying Food, bull testicles seem as good as eating grapes. Among the more, um, unusual foods are:

  • Escamoles (Mexico): Eggs of a giant ant that have the texture of cottage cheese.
  • Cazu Marzu (Sardinia, Italy): Sheep cheese infested with ‘cheese fly,’ in an advance stage of decomposition. It’s even illegal in Sardinia!
  • Lutefish (Norway): It’s a fish marinated in lye — a strong industrial chemical used to clean drains and kill plants; and apparently when the fish is drenched long enough in this lye thing, it can dissolve silver cutlery.
  • Baby mice wine (Korea): Beats the eel on a scale of grossness 100:1. This is a health tonic where baby mice are stuffed into a bottle of wine while alive! (I think I am going to throw up).
  • Pacha (Iraq): Boiled goat head. Well, in the Arab world fried goat brains and tongue is not uncommon, so this one didn’t gross me out.
  • Balut (Philippines): Duck eggs incubated until the fetus is almost a duck, but not quite; it’s then boiled alive and served out of buckets of warm sand.

Now let’s try and keep in focus that this is daily food of people around the world, and is not gross to them, let alone terrifying. I wonder if it’s unthinkable for people in Korea and China that in India some eat only vegetables grown above the ground — i.e. their food cannot have potato, onion or garlic. What must the rat-cat-eyeball eating people think of vegans?

The world is filled with unusual foods. What’s the strangest thing you have eaten on the road?

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India’s Sticks and Dance Festival in Modern Times

by Abha Malpani on

In India, the concept of BYOB (bring-your-own-beer) is unheard of, but BYO Sticks is commonplace. I can’t believe I’ve called one of India’s most fun and celebrated festivals one of ‘Sticks and Dance,’ but truth be told, that’s exactly what it is.

During these nine-nights of Navratri (this year 12-20 October — depending in the moon), huge tents are set up throughout the country and people get together to dance ‘dandiya’ (dance with sticks). If you have watched any Bollywood films and wondered if we dance like that in India, the answer is yes — in weddings and in this festival.

As with most Hindu festivals, hundreds and thousands of people go to pray on the occasions; stampedes happen and people die, (in a country of over a billion, these things are unfortunately commonplace) but in general they are happy celebrations. People get together in traditional outfits or fused-modern ones, and as long as you have two foot-size wooden sticks and are willing to hit other peoples foot-size wooden sticks to the beat of drums, you are more than welcome.

This festival is probably India’s most joyous; attendance levels at work and educational institutions are low and political campaigns take a step back as they know people are too busy hitting each others sticks till the wee hours of the morning; except in Mumbai perhaps where open air fiesta has to shut at midnight. I laughed out loud when I read that in Mumbai, dancing is only permitted until midnight because of the noise levels, but dandiya venues managed to overcome that problem by offering guests headphones to wear while they dance!

Great time to visit India if you want enjoy rocking to Indian music and want to experience the cultural partying scene of the Indian youth.