Most-read articles of 2016: Part 1
As this extraordinary year for news draws to a close, we look back at the highlights from the English Edition
In the year that saw Brexit, a Donald Trump presidential victory and a seemingly endless list of celebrity deaths, it was a crowded stage for news stories. But there was plenty going on of note in Spain and Latin America too, and the EL PAÍS English Edition was there to cover it. Here is the first part of our top-20 most-read stories of 2016, covering 11-20.
20. The prostitutes of the Rio Olympics
EL PAÍS follows a group of Brazilian women who left their studies and families temporarily behind in the hopes of making fast money during the Games.
11. How poor is Spain’s poorest town?
This article tells the tale of Zafarraya, in the province of Granada, which officially has the lowest per capita income in Spain, sustaining itself through agriculture and government subsidies.
19. Day six of the Running of the Bulls
Love it or loathe it, the Running of the Bulls at the Sanfermines fiestas attracts thousands of visitors every year, as well as armchair viewers for those not brave enough to hurtle through the city’s streets chased by six angry animals. Day six of this year’s fiestas attracted the most readers on the English Edition.
18. Spain’s nudist beaches: a niche market with more appeal to foreigners?
Catalonia’s 50 naturist areas are mainly used by visitors from Germany, France and the Netherlands, this article explains. When it comes to naturism, the mantra of Catalonia’s tourist industry seems to be: “There’s so much still to be done and so much to be gained from doing it.”
17. This is the milk! Why is Spain obsessed with ‘leche’ expressions?
Non-Spaniards are often nonplussed by the rich variety of ways in which Spaniards use the word. This article sets out the origin of some of the stranger idioms and the way in which they should be used.
16. How celebrity chefs destroy classic Spanish dishes
The sudden ubiquity of chorizo across the globe has sent overseas chefs bonkers, coming up with things like chorizo meatballs, chicken and chorizo paté, chorizo pizza and even chorizo jam, complete with a label bearing the words “Oink. Olé.” And all of it marketed as “Spanish.”
15. Ten Spanish cities where the tapas are free and plentiful
Arguably one of Spain’s most significant contributions to global gastronomy, the tapa comes in all shapes and sizes, from the humble olive or a few potato chips all the way through to miniature banquets. Here are 10 Spanish cities where tapas are offered free with drinks.
14. The Juan Carlos documentary that Spanish state TV refuses to air
French state television ended up broadcasting a documentary about Spain’s former monarch that Spanish public network TVE has so far refused to air. Yo, Juan Carlos I, rey de España (or, I, Juan Carlos I, King of Spain) was broadcast during primetime, but Spanish viewers were left unable to ponder the life of their one-time king.
13. Spencer Tunick gets down to bare essentials in Bogotá
The American photographer gathered together more than 6,000 people, who braved the cold in the Colombian capital for a nude group shot.
12. The ‘Freddy Krueger’ of Barcelona strikes again
This curious story is about an individual spotted in Barcelona who was trying to attack passersby with blades he had attached to his hands. The same man was later seen in the historic neighborhood of El Raval, blandishing a large sword and attempting to conceal his identity with a motorcycle helmet.
Click here to read Part 2.
