NeuroEnglish Jaén
By @NeuroEnglishMMP
A Local's Guide to Jaén
Sunsets, Sundowners & The Lizard Legends
"Buenas tardes, estimados alumnos. Ya se ha acabado la calma y ha llegado la calima. Jaén vuelve a ser el horno de hornazos. Hoy analizamos el maravilloso artículo de Begoña M. Rueda en The Guardian. ¡A trabajar!"
— @NeuroEnglishMMP (Thanks to Susana Cerezo & CEIP Castillo de Alhabar)
Selectividad Top 10 Glossary
Essential vocabulary for the exams. Click to listen, hover to translate.
Reading: Sunsets & Sundowners
Award-winning poet Begoña M Rueda reveals the best museums, bars and beauty spots in her quintessentially Andalucían home town.
Food
Jaén is one of the few cities in Spain where your tapaSmall food portion included with drink is included in the price of your drink – and if you want to eat well here, head to a tavern. My favourite is El Abuelo, which has amazing tapas: it is famous for delicious patatas alioli and alpargatas de tomate con bacon (toasted bread with tomato and bacon). Also good are La Manchega, founded in 1886 and the oldest bar in Jaén, Casa Gorrión, which has a mummified leg of ham dating from 1918 on display, and also La Barra and El Santo.
Inspiration
No visit to Jaén is complete without climbing all the way to the cross of the Santa Catalina castle. The vantage pointPlace with a good view gives a stunning view of the entire city and the endless olive groves that surround it. You’ll be hard pushed to find a more beautiful place to watch the sunset.
Check out the Museo Provincial: its archaeological collection includes prehistoric tools, statues, mosaics and fine examples of Roman, Jewish and Arab silversmithing. The museum’s fine art section has a noted collection stretching from the 19th century to the present day. As well as portraits of Spanish nobles, it has good examples of realist and romantic works, a Picasso drawing, and pictures and sketches by local painter Rafael Zabaleta.
Nearby, the modern Íbero Museo is, as its name suggests, dedicated to the ancient civilisations of the Iberian peninsula. Its collection, divided into sections called the Lady, the Prince, the Hero and the Goddess, gives a fascinating insight into the culture and daily lives of our ancestors.
Neighbourhood
Jaén has managed to preserve its traditional Andalucían feel and its neighbourhoods – even the centre – remain very untouristy. The barrios of La Merced, San Bartolomé and San Juan are all worth a wander. If you’re after a mix of tradition and leisure, try the San Ildefonso neighbourhood, with its bars and shops by the little church square.
La Magdalena is an unassuming, traditional barrio in the old town known for its statue of an enormous lizard. Why the big reptile? According to local legend, this giant lizard once terrorised the area, prowling around at night and devouring crops and livestock. Fortunately, one brave shepherd had the novel idea of stuffing a sheep’s belly with gunpowder and leaving it out to tempt the monster. The greedy lizard took the bait and was blown to pieces, to the delight of locals.
The legend lives on in the local lingo. If you’re from Jaén and want to wish someone ill, you say: “I hope you explode like the dragon of La Magdalena.”
Reading Comprehension & Grammar
Syntax Scramble
Reorder the sentence from the text:
Connector Match
Match the connectors found in the text (Left) with their synonyms (Right).
Listening Lab: The Legend (Extended)
Fill in the 10 gaps based on the audio:
Vocabulary Arena
Master the 25 words from the text
Postcard to a Friend
Convince them to visit Jaén!
Hey Sarah!
You have to come to Andalucia! I'm in Jaén right now. It's amazing. We watched the sunset with some , which the locals call "sundowners".
The bars are great! You get free with every drink.
Yesterday we climbed to the Castle to get a of the olive groves. It was stunning!
Also, did you know there is a legend about a giant that exploded because it was too greedy? A brave tricked it!
See you soon,
Me
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