October 12, 2010: National Day In Spain

October 12 that is celebrated in the US as Columbus Day, with its sometimes controversial connontaions is also celebrated in Spain for the same purposes but with a different mindset. The day is celebrated as Fiesta Nacional or National Day in commemoration of Columbus arrival in the Americas.

Spain has marked the day with different emphasis over the year, since 1957, it has been celebrated as Dia de la Hispanidad, day of the hispania, which emphaized their connection to the entire hispanic world spanning Asia, Africa and the Americas. Pre-1957, along with other hispanic communities around the world the day was celebrated as ¨Dia de la Raza¨.

October 12 and the Constitution Day celbrated on December 6 are the two national day celebrations in Spain. The celebration was marked with aerial military manouvres, parades led by the military corp, diplomatic observers and general merriment. But the mood this year seemed a bit sombre perhaps because of the tight economic situation the country is going through at this time. The pubic even had occasional bursts of disapprovals against officials in venting their frustration on the economic situation.

I took the relaxed atmosphere to tour and take in sites of Madrid starting with the Royal gardens called Los Jardenes del Buen Retiro, then important buidlings and boulevards like the Spanish central bank, Banco de España, the Puerta de Alcalá, the various neighborhoods af Sol, Chueca, Gran via, Atocha and the rest of the central parts of Madrid.

The pictures below were taken at different locations.