VALENTINE'S DAY

VALENTINE'S DAY

In these dates people celebrate not only the love between couples, boyfriends, spouses; but also love and friendship between family members, friends, colleagues.

One of the things that makes this date so special is that in all parts of the world except some parts, it is celebrated.

For this reason we will see how it is celebrated in different parts of the world.

ECUADOR

FOOD

In Ecuador at the time of eating we usually opt for simple things like fast food such as salchipapa, hamburgers, hod dogs accompanied by a soda; now if we want to surprise our company the best option we have is a restaurant that is not very expensive but that looks elegant and according to the situation. In which we can order:

• breaded shrimp
• fried corvina
• ice cream
• meat or chicken with wine
• milkshakes...

TRADITIONAL COSTUMES

Valentine's Day, a February 14, accompanied with roses, a special date, a walk along the coast, an unexpected gift or the proposal of spontaneous love that you could have. They are some of the examples of this romantic day where lovers show their love with different surprises for their partners.

Each couple chooses how to celebrate it since each one has their tastes, their traditions and their ways of living it. What is clear, is that on this day it is important to show your loved ones, as friends, family and couples that are relevant in your day to day and you want them to remain part of it.

MUSIC

As far as music is concerned, it is somewhat complicated to know the type of music that each one likes to listen to or the favorite artist of each person, but to classify people in some easier way we have these two kinds of people:

• People who listen to sad music

Here we find people who usually hear short veins songs because of the fact that they have no partner to celebrate Valentine's Day with.

With extreme cases there are people who take the foolish decision to commit suicide.

Here is a tip, if you do not have a partner, do not worry. You can celebrate with your family.

• People who listen to happy music

Organized people who know when it's time to celebrate with your boyfriend, girlfriend, family and friends. The music they choose in these fehas are romantic styles, sometimes movable and other times as slow as a ballad; the important thing is the essence of a good letter.

SPECIAL CURIOSITIES

In Ecuador, it is celebrated on February 14 with roses, cards, serenades, evening dinners among married couples, couples and friends.

The first appointment usually defines everything; if you project yourself, you are fun and your conversations are interesting, you may have some luck with that person. Romantic dating sometimes goes very well, like in a Disney movie for teenagers. But sometimes not. Sometimes they are a complete disaster. And it has happened to all of them that, due to their own clumsiness or due to the force of circumstances, what was supposed to be a dream encounter, it ends up being a nightmare.

SOUTH KOREA

FOOD

November 11 (11/11) Papero Days is celebrated. This day the boys and young girls exchange Papero cookies. These are cookies in the shape of a stick, hence the date is said because the 11/11 are sticks. They come in different flavors, but the most common one that is given for this day is chocolate. It is said that the idea was of several young people from Busan for the year 1994. Others say that it was an advertising strategy of Lotte (conglomerate distributor of cookies). The good thing about this date is that it is not only given to the groom but also to the people you want as friends, teachers, mothers and fathers etc.

TRADITIONAL COSTUMES

Your custom for this date is different. On February 14, women are the protagonists. They are the ones that are given to men. The most traditional gifts are chocolates and little cards, especially the chocolates made by themselves. It must be super fun to see their faces when they receive the gift. Respectable men or boys only accept the gift if it is from the girl he likes or if it is from his girlfriend. There will always be a rogue who will get many chocolates that day. Not counting all the girls who left them anonymously without them knowing who it is.

MUSIC

At the time of music the boys dedicate themes of their favorite drama and the girls will respond to this song with their favorite dorma to show that they love the boy too much.

https://youtu.be/WaFyoyqFxI0

https://youtu.be/rb3iprAoGBM

SPECIAL CURIOSITIES

WHITE DAY

This is celebrated on March 14. This day men are the protagonists. Men give them to their girlfriends, wives or they declare to the woman they like. The most popular gifts are candies, white chocolates and marshmallow. They also give away more expensive things like jewelry and designer purses.

BLACK DAY

April 14. This day single men and women who have not received any gifts gather and eat black noodles (Jajangmyon). Many would say that this is not to celebrate, but believe it or not it is celebrated in a big way. In addition we all know that the most that Koreans enjoy is food.

WELSH

St Dwynwen’s Day is celebrated in Wales on 25 January. But who was St Dwynwen?

St Dwynwen is the Welsh patron saint of lovers, which makes her the Welsh equivalent of Valenine's Day.

FOOD

On this side of the globe the day of "Dwynwen" savor some sweet little things and other goodies to lead a sweet life with your partner and family.

One of the most popular and most produced for this date is:

Bara Brith

It is a sweet bread prepared with yeast, enriched with nuts, raisins and orange or apple peel. Traditionally, it is considered cultural heritage.

TRADITIONAL COSTUMES

The traditional gift of the Enamorados Day in Wales is a spoon of love that, according to the design, can mean several things, such as good luck, support, or keys to the heart of a man.

MUSIC

TO SAINT DWYNWEN O Blessed Saint Dwynwen, you who knew pain and peace, division and reconciliation, you have promised to assist lovers and to watch ...

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ccYoThZx6QI&list=PLmOltEM6J941GXLzOiw3_EGuHRr5EczlL

SPECIAL CURIOSITIES

It is celebrated in honor of Dwynwen, the Welsh Saint of love so that date is the day of the San Dwynwen festival.

Throughout Wales, children and adults write their letters to each other in a celebration of their love, or sometimes without a name in order to attract the other person in love. Much of the history of Wales is based on stories and songs, since it was considered a virtue not to write these stories and verses, but everything was oral. As such, the original story has been mixed with elements of Celtic stories and popular tales.

LINKS:

http://www.expressnews.uk.com/texto-diario/mostrar/300350/san-valentin-costumbres

https://aminoapps.com/c/k-pop-es/page/blog/como-se-celebra-san-valentin-en-corea-del-sur/5BKS_VuLJxgwdw7bYMQ5oxXoWaqGWJw

https://www.absolutviajes.com/el-dia-de-san-valentin-en-gales-dydd-santes-dwynwen/

https://www.vix.com/es/imj/mundo/126685/6-tradiciones-de-san-valentin-alrededor-del-mundo

https://www.vero4travel.com/2017/10/comida-tipica-gales-gastronomia-postres-galeses.html

CARNIVAL PARTIES

CARNIVAL PARTIES

Carnival is a festivity in which thousands of people know what it means superficially: fun, fun and more fun; but few people know that in certain places expect this festival with somewhat different objectives and, this time we will see how it is that the Carnival is celebrated in:

1. Ecuador (Ambato)
2. Brazil
3. Spain

1. Ecuador (Ambato)

The celebration of the Carnival of Ambato is different and special because the celebration is combined with the Feast of Flowers and Fruits, in the province of Tungurahua.

FOOD

In this celebration as the name itself says the main food are the great variety of tropical fruits that Ambato contemplates, with mentions also of small stalls that go out to sell typical Ecuadorian food as it is tradition in any part of the country.

COSTUMES

There are customs that up to now do not lose and they go if or if in each ambato carnival

• Election of the Queen of Ambato 
• The Blessing of the Flowers the Fruits and the Bread 
• The Parade of the Feast of Fruit and Flowers 
• The Folklore Festival 
• The Verbenas
• Gastronomic Festivals

DANCE

The Parade of the Confraternity is one of the most important events that takes place during the holidays. Thousands of young people from different educational establishments participate with their war bands and their comparsas, in a random order. It highlights the participation of political and institutional authorities. The parade takes place one Sunday on the main streets of the city.

MUSIC

In these festivals popular music is used and popular dances are practiced such as La Pera Madura, La Rondaría Ambateña and La Fiesta Retro that take place in front of the cathedral where it is decorated with flowers and fruits from Ambato.

 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BbmL18epECY

SPECIAL CURIOSITIES

The nocturnal round, like the parade of the confraternity, is an event that runs through the streets of Ambato and takes place at night the day after the fellowship parade, where there is a parade of allegorical cars that they are decorated with flowers, fruits and bread.

Months before the festivities begin, from the allegorical cars the queens of Ambato and the different cantons of Tungurahua greet the public and the authorities and give fruit to the thousands of people attending the parade.

2. Brazil

Carnival is a profane celebration that welcomes religious deprivation. It is a tradition that finds its first origin in ancient Rome, where this festival had the goal of welcoming spring.

FOOD

Made with black beans and lots of pork, this dish allows the 'carnival' can be for hours without eating anything. In addition, it is accompanied by citrus fruits that allow its better digestion. Brazilian fricassee is another typical dish that is eaten during carnivals.

As for the drinks, the caipirinha is inevitable. This typical Brazilian cocktail is made with cachaca (a liqueur made with sugar cane), lemon, crushed and sugar. It is usually presented with straws, since the secret of the caipirinha is to drink the liquid from the bottom of the container, because all the juice of the lime and sugar are placed at the bottom.

COSTUMES

Brazilians also have one of the most intense, colorful and popular carnival parties in the world, the famous Rio de Janeiro carnival. In Brazil, the carnival is a celebration that is experienced as a true national holiday, in which everyone dances to the rhythm of the samba schools, from the smallest to the largest.

DANCE

As far as the dances and the traditional dances of Brazil are concerned, in the first place, we have to mention capoeira, considered by many to be a work of art. In fact it is a very peculiar type of martial art, also known as "the dance of war".

Capoeira mixes different elements of martial arts, dance, sports and body expression. Historically, it was practiced by the former slaves, who gave origin and developed different techniques of one of the most important traditional dances in Brazil.

MUSIC

Among the main types of songs of Iberian origin are Fashion and Modinha. Modinha is a form of urban song of a loving nature.

• Samba (rural)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9YALL1IHpjk

• Samba (urbana)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P136J2Js_kw

The samba is danced during festivals and popular celebrations such as Carnival. Some of the most popular versions include: carioca, a baion, conga, mesemba, a batucado and carnivale.

SPECIAL CURIOSITIES

It is an annual celebration that takes place in Brazil with a variable date between February and March depending on the year. The party lasts four days and ends on the eve of Ash Wednesday (which marks the beginning of Lent).

3. Spain

The Carnival in Spain is an ancient festive celebration documented since the Middle Ages and with a rich personality of its own from the Renaissance that has been collected in Spanish literature and other arts located in the different towns that make up the Spanish State.

FOOD

Castilla and León: orejuelas, huesillos and perronillas

The desserts star in the gastronomy of Castilla y León in Carnival. We can start with some apricots (or leaflets), followed by carnival tiles, flowers (especially in Zamora), huesillos and perronillas.

Murcia: Buñuelos of Águilas

Buñuelos are one of the most popular carnival desserts in Spain but we dare to say that some of the most famous are those of Águilas, a municipality that preserves the most emblematic carnival in the Region of Murcia.

Balearic Islands: ensaimadas de tallades

In the Balearics they have ensaimadas of all kinds and could not miss an exclusive of "Don Carnal". It is the one of tallades that instead of being stuffed, it has sobrasada and candied pumpkin on top.

Extremadura: soup of antruejo

The bread-based soups are characteristic in Extremadura and at this time it was not going to be less. The Antruejo soup -with knuckle, chorizo, boiled eggs, onion and bread- is usually eaten on Sundays during Carnival, especially in Aceuchal (Badajoz). Do not think about the typical spoon soup because it comes in layers simulating a kind of lasagna.

COSTUMES

The "Burial of the Sardine"

Once the week of Carnival is over, the Spaniards celebrate "The Burial of the Sardine". This parade, which is a parody of the funeral procession, ends with the burning of a sardine, Ash Wednesday, to symbolically bury the past and welcome spring and renewal.

The Humorous Chirigotas of Cádiz

In the Carnival of Cádiz, you can entertain yourself with the famous "chirigotas". They are groups that sing satirical and humorous songs about the themes of society on the streets.

DANCE

In many places in Spain you do not choose to dance but in certain places if you do; One of the best known and easiest dances is the "Carnaval del Toro"

The Carnival of the Bull is the big party in Ciudad Rodrigo: bullfights, bullfights, bullfights, charangas, costume balls ... It is the only carnival in the world where the mask and the bull meet. Therefore it is a unique and different party.

MUSIC

What most puts the atmosphere to the musical style are the murgas that give rhythms of all kinds of styles of music and dance: folkloric, salsa, cumbia among others.

https://youtu.be/avNdFM1KulQ

SPECIAL CURIOSITIES

• The Queen is one of the most important personalities of the party since her presence is required in all the carnival events.
• The winning queen of this year is Adtemexi Cruz Hernández, with a fantasy suit called "Aurea".
• Since 1980 it is a Festival of International Tourist Interest and is currently postulated to be an Intangible Cultural Heritage of UNESCO. If successful, it would be the first carnival in Spain to have this recognition.
• It has an appearance in the Guinness Book of Records that certified as record the presence of more than 200,000 people in a dance held outdoors. The year was 1987 and was attended by Celia Cruz and Billo's Caracas Boys.
• The carnival party was banned by Franco during the dictatorship, but continued uninterrupted changing its name to the "Winter Festival."

LINKS:

https://es.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fiesta_de_la_fruta_y_de_las_flores#Tradici%C3%B3n

https://www.carnavales-brasil.com/brasil/carnaval/

http://archivo.elcomercio.pe/gastronomia/internacional/lo-que-se-toma-come-carnaval-brasil-noticia-723949

https://www.vix.com/es/imj/mundo/2011/02/18/costumbres-y-tradiciones-de-brasil

https://sites.google.com/site/brasiliaencarnaval/dan

http://kilometrosquecuentan.com/platos-tipicos-carnaval/

https://laemadrid.com/tradiciones-de-carnaval/?lang=es

http://www.elalmanaque.com/carnaval/espana.htm

http://www.bloghalconviajes.com/15-curiosidades-del-carnaval-de-tenerife-2015/

Quito (December 6) and United States (July 4)

Comparison between parties

Parties are essential in every country or city. They are a small celebration as a tribute to pay homage to some historic event or the foundation of it.

Let's review two important dates in the history of Quito and the history of the United States.

PARTY OF QUITO (December 6)

Origin of the holiday

In the capital of Ecuador, four friends met: Luis Banderas, Alberto Valencia, César Larrea and Gonzalo Benítez. They talked about the festivities of Quito in November 1959, what should be done for Quito on the occasion of the anniversary of its foundation, since this date was approaching them.

When the night of December 5 and 6, bands and orchestras would have prepared to go out into the streets and tour their respective neighborhoods offering music with a gesture of gallantry.

Thus the festivities of Quito were consolidated, with their respective queens and musical groups.

Food

The typical food fairs of the capital, installed in the center, north and south of the city, offered traditional food of the capital like sweet dark, figs with cheese, hornado, fry and locro Quito. The prices are between $ 3 and $ 5.

In addition to treats and small snacks as it has been giving time ago such as pancakes, ice cream, salchipapas and an occasional drink.

Traditional Costumes

From this time the Quito people celebrate Quito with countless activities that have become a custom and tradition that year after year are repeated with great joy throughout the city.

• The traditional card game "40"
• Interbarrial Games
• Passacaglia Festival
• Canelazos
• Town Bands
• Tours in chivas

Dance

The dance is what is never missing in the traditional parade of the fellowship where we can see dances such as:

1. San Juanito                      https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NH8cGaUPpNg
2. Pasillos                            https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=glfy47u45Ok 
3. Pasacalle                         https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8FstNWT7sgo 
4. Marimba                           https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LWJFE3H9xS0

Music

https://youtu.be/AjNz6eMV2IQ

The musics set for these dates are traditionally from Quito, ranging from the most typical as is "the Chullita Quiteño" to flute instrumentals that blow with a harmonic simulating the beautiful breezes of the Andes.

PARTY OF THE UNITED STATES (JULY 4)

Origin of the Holiday

This day marks the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776 in which the country proclaimed its formal separation from the British Empire. It is usually celebrated with many outdoor activities such as parades, baseball games and fireworks shows.

Food

Food is one of the most outstanding traditions of the July 4th celebrations. Families gather to make a great barbecue and there are always main courses like hamburgers, chicken wings, beans with pork, coleslaw (typical US salad), popcorn and ice cream.

Traditional costumes

Families celebrate Independence Day by receiving or attending a picnic and taking advantage of the day off. In some years it falls as a long weekend and the time is used to reconnect with relatives. Decorations (such as balloons, flags and clothing) are usually colored red, white and blue, the colors of the American flag. Parades usually occur in the morning, while fireworks occur in the evening or at night in places such as parks, amusement parks, beaches or squares.

Fireworks shows are held in many states, and many fireworks are sold for personal use or as an alternative to a public spectacle. Security concerns have led some states to ban fireworks or limit the sizes and types allowed.

Dance

Square dance is a traditional dance with a long history. It emerged in the seventeenth century in England and came to the US through the settlers. It is part of American folklore and is the official dance of 22 states.

This dance is carried out with four couples, a total of eight people, and it is used so that the neighbors of an area get to know each other and socialize. A square must be formed, so each duo stands at one end.

https://youtu.be/Upu1l3eLid4

Music

The very list of Lana releases the single at this time along with a video that shines without shameless taboos yankees topics. We do not know how they will take it in their country, that they will ignore it a bit; What we have clear is that we will cheerleader style one of the best refrains of the year while a flag flutters in the background.

https://youtu.be/7daxzs-EK2A

Links:

http://www.elcomercio.com/sabores/quito-tradicion-mundo-fiestas-platostipicos.html
https://www.google.com.ec/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=2&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwj-zOrh2djYAhUyUd8KHQsiAcMQFggpMAE&url=https%3A%2F%2Fpanamausembassy.wordpress.com%2F2012%2F07%2F03%2Ffeliz-4-de-julio-comidas-tradicionales-de-estados-unidos%2F&usg=AOvVaw0S2h7Tr85w440xfqO-FdSC
http://musikorner.com/2012/07/04/top-10-musica-para-celebrar-el-4-de-julio/