FASHION #108 Paella is Arabic, leather is Italian, city was founded be ancient Greeks

Spain’s cuisine, culture and architecture play homage to the country’s rich Moorish past.

For 500 years until the 13th century the Arabs ruled vast areas of Spain, including the Alicante and Costa Blanca region.

They bought exotic spices such as saffron and cinnamon. They cultivated citrus fruits, vines and rice which play a very important part in Spain’s gastronomy today.

Did you know?
1. Alicante has a mountain in the middle of the city center. It's called Mount Benacantil with the castle of Santa Barbara.

2. Alicante's present mayor is Luis José Barcala Sierra (since april 2018). Before Mister Barcala was Gabriel Echávarri the mayor (2015-april 2018). And before him was girl power: Sonia Castedo Ramos (september 2008 - december 2014). She is the first woman to occupy this position. ...

3. Why almond trees? (The king asked his poet who said the Queen was longing for winter so that she could see snow. The Sultan, realising how impractical this would be in sunny Spain, ordered for thousands of almond trees to be planted around his castle. When the trees blossomed they looked like the land was covered in snow.)

4. Alicante has a leather factory... (I did not find it yet. Only one in Milan, Italy (www.samanta.com))

5. Alicante's main street is called La Ramba. From the hotel, hostel and restaurant with terras area you can walk to the beach in 6-7 minutes.

6. Local people love Alicante. Esther (who showed me the route to my hostel) said: "I don't like snow. 17°C. T-Shirt at 8pm. in december. Wonderful feeling. What is your first impression about my city?"

7. University of Alicante hosts Biblioteca Virtual Miguel de Cervantes. It is the largest open-access repository of digitised Spanish-language historical texts and literature from the Ibero-American world.

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