Latest Blog Entry: "2011 Spain's Fiesta Nacional, Columbus Day, "El Pilar" "

Today is 12 October 2011, a National Holiday in Spain. Every October 12th here is the "Día de la Hispanidad", also known as "Fiesta Nacional de España" or "Columbus Day", the day Christopher Columbus discovered The Americas. (hey, didn't The Vikings already... nah, nevermind...)

Today is also "El Pilar", one of Spain's most important Virgin Saints. So if you know anyone named Pilar, or even María - which is short for "María del Pilar", wish them a Happy Saint's Day. The custom, in Spain, is for the person with that name to invite (i.e. pay) friends and family to a meal - but those attending are expected to bring gifts. And since today the saint's day falls on a Wednesday, there's no "Puente del Pilar" - a long weekend for the holiday - as in other years.
(Read on, McDuff...)

Saludos, MadridMan