Why We Love the Spanish

We enjoy gazing at the stunning Spanish architecture of Antonio Gaudi's Casa Batllo (pictured) and Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia in Barcelona.

We enjoy sipping a glass of wine and eating thinly sliced jamón serrano, a type of dry-cured Spanish ham.

We love Spanish actors who've made it to Hollywood, including Javier Bardem and his wife Penelope Cruz.

We can't forget about the Spanish explorers who became the first to discover the Mississippi River (pictured), the Amazon River, Antarctica, Puerto Rico and many other places around the world.

Gazspatcho is a tomato-based, raw-vegetable soup that originated in the southern region of Andalusia, Spain. We love this cool and refreshing summer dish.

We marvel at the culinary skills of Spanish chef Jose Andres, who owns Café Altantico, Zaytinya, Jaleo, Oyamel and Minibar by Jose Andres. His restaurants serve a variety of delicious cuisines.

Tapas, appetizers or snacks in Spanish cuisine, have become a part of the US dining experience, and it's another tasty reason why we love the Spanish.

Sangria is a mixture of red wine, sliced fruit, brandy and triple sec. Eating a mid-day meal with a tall glass of sangria encourages a nice siesta.

Spain has a variety of tasty wines and vineyards, but Priorat, a comarca or county in Catalonia, is one of the best and most beautiful wine districts in Spain.

It's the fast and furious! Motorsports have become very popular in Spain. The country has hosted 3 Grand Prix motorcycle races. Race-car driving also gained 1,000s of new fans after Fernando Alonso Diaz won the Formula One World Driver's Championship 2 years in a row.

We love the spectacle of a bullfight and how the matadors skillfully dodge the horns of a charging bull.

What traveler doesn't dream about relaxing on a beautiful beach in Spain? Paradisiac Beach is located on the coast of Ibiza.

We enjoy topping off a big dinner late at night by ordering the flan, a popular Spanish dessert.

Spanish-Mexican tenor Placido Domingo is just one of several talented voices that inspire us to sing -- even if it's in the shower. And we can't forget about other famous singers like Jose Carreras, Julio Iglesias, and for the young pop music fans, Enrique Iglesias.

We enjoy visiting opulent castles in Spain, including Alcazar in Segovia (pictured), Palacio Real in Arajuez or Alhambra in Granada.

We enjoy watching the intense passion between two Flamenco dancers. The dance originated in the southern Spanish region of Andalusia in the 18th century.

Women love fashion designer Manuel 'Manolo' Blahnik Rodriquez and his designer shoes, which have increased in popularity after several guest appearances on the TV show 'Sex in the City.'

We appreciate Pablo Picasso's artwork, as well as other Spanish artists including Salvador Dali, El Greco and Francisco de Goya. And travelers from around the world head to Spain to experience these museums: the Picasso Museum in Barcelona, the Museo Thyssen-Bornemisza and the Museo del Prado in Madrid, and the Dali Museum in Figueres.