Jen, the problem is that she is not interested on those "cultural" facts. She is looking for "weird stuff".
Listen, Spaniards are very proud of our country, it might not be the best in the world but for us is heaven so when someone tries to find a weak point, or a subject to laugh or something like that we just don't like it.

Exactly, Nuria.Margarita is seeking something bizarre or weird that would exoticize Madrid, or trivialize it. There are many 'strange but true' facts about Madrid and Spain that would get a reader's attention. How about the custom of kids being in bars at 1 am? It is a GREAT custom (brings families together, treats wine/food like a normal thing instead of a solitary vice for viejos borrachos etc). It would sound 'bizarre' to some, but accompanied w/ the right explanation, would show the true character of espanyoles: gregarios, sociables, parte de familias/grupos...

Vale, vale, tranquilos!! What the hell is wrong with you people? This very much reminds of the middle age when common ladies were burnt for being witches. Margarita didn´t say anything against Madrid nor Spain. Maybe she just wants to tell the story about Madrid that NOT everybody knows. I mean we all know that Madrid is the most asskicking town on earth, don´t we;-}} And we all also know that Madrid offers great museums, scenery, buildings, culture, food, wine,...
I don´t think that researching on some "weird" facts about Madrid would harm anybody.
Un cordial saludo

anybody who says, vale vale, tranquilos, and follows it up with 'what the hell is wrong with you people' has answered her/his own question! go back to reading the board long and large before jumping in w. a flame, dude/tte. y tu tambien, muy tranquilita, vale?

Yup. We've enjoyed peace, tranquility, and general happiness for too long. This was bound to happen sooner or later.

Although people should be respectful, I don't think they should have to go walking around on egg shells. People need to mellow out a bit and be open to more than one view of things. What's wrong w/ a little random trivia?

Nothing is wrong with trivia. It was the disrespect that Margarita showed in saying she didn't want any of the usual nonsense (historical/cultural info about Madrid) but instead wanted to highlight that which is bizarre or weird. She's welcome to do that, but cannot expect the Spanophile board's support! If she had read through the posts, she would have found lots of interesting and unusual info, if not exactly bizarre...

rgf, did you say.... "Spanophile"?? hehehee... I agree. What's a little trivia? I don't think anyone reading these tidbits of superflous information would make Madrid seem like it's a "strange" place.

Saludos, MadridMan

spanophile, y a mucha honra!!

Hey rgf, I understand what you felt when you read the message from margarita. I felt the same, but I guess that other people have a different point of view. I still think that margarita shouldn't ask those question because we (Spaniards) don't want bad publicity (we had enough already) and I feel that she wanted the real bizarre facts. I think that rgf and I answered in that way not because we don't want to keep the peace but because we WANT to keep the peace here. Anyway I am not against margarita and if she has other kind of questions I would be more than happy to help.
By the way, WDJunior, how old are you? You must be very old to remember the middle ages

[This message has been edited by Nuria (edited 09-18-2000).]