Spain Rediscovered (1966)

one brief moment of glory and who knows what remains for the future for Spain is a land of invasions today's Invaders are friendly tourists wealth of Spain and her people the visitors come to bathe in the Mediterranean to look at the remains of other Invaders a moish fortress a Roman [Music] aqueduct a Royal Palace built by an alien borbon king to our rival versailes Spain has ever attracted visitors 3,000 years before Christ Berber Tri men arrived from thirsty North Africa the water of Spain so delighted them they called it Iaria land of rivers the carthaginians also from Africa claimed the land in the 4th Century BC they gave Spain its present name meaning land of rabbits later Roman Invaders came and it took them two centuries to drive out the carthaginians and subdue do the fierce iberians under the PA Romana Spain enjoyed four centuries of peace and prosperity the most tranquil period in her entire history from the north the vandals and vizigot invaded Spain in the fifth century The vizigot christianized Barbarians ruled as overlords for 300 years after the fall of Rome but there was rest in the land the vizigot fought among themselves and with the iberians and in the 8th Century United under the banner of Islam the Moors invaded sweeping all before them like the E varians who had preceded them from thirsty Africa the Moors found Spain and Oasis but unlike the iberians they transformed it into a paradise the magnificent alhamra reflects the beauty of Mory Spain a level of civilization was achieved that surpassed all others of its day cities flourished and the entire population [Music] prospered but in time the Moors became divided and the descendants of the bzigo and Romans United to drive them out castle by Castle town by town the Christian armies Advance finally in 1492 the last morish strong hold Granada with its pleasure Palace the alhamra was occupied by their Catholic majesties Isabella and Ferdinand 700 years of fighting the Moors had finally produced the Spanish Nation it is fitting that a woman should preside at that birth Isabella of Castile had United her house with Adam Aragon in 1469 and there United Spain ferand of Aragon makaveli's perfect Prince of intrigue extended the power of Spain throughout Europe he believed a lie in a good cause Justified his Ambitions to export Spain's new might into other Realms 1492 was that wonderful year in Spanish history to this Castle Columbus came to report on his discovery of the new world flushed with the success of their explorers and Liberation from the Moors Spaniards now accomplished prodigious Feats for once Spain was The Invader not the Invader Cortez with less than 500 conquistadors subjugated all of Mexico isaro with less than 200 took Peru it has been said in Spain the cross is in the sword Christianity welded the Berber catic Celtic Roman Nordic conglomeration of peoples into the Spanish Nation the greatest nation of the 16th century gold and silver from the new world tripled the total supply of Europe but Spain kept very little of the wealth that flowed into her much was squandered on European Wars and much was consumed in the construction of magnificent edifices like the es Corel built by Isabella's great great grandson Philip II it was Philip who launched the Spanish Armada against England when the Armada sank so too did Spain's fortunes after one lown century of greatness life in Spain is like guitar music sweet and Melancholy sweet in remembrance of her romantic past and her moment of Glory Melancholy because of what might have been and was not because of a people suppressed by Tyran iCal rulers and not too long ago devastated by a bloody Civil War in which more than a million lives were sacrificed but the swed and Melancholy life continued with hope imprisoned behind the Pyrenees is it any wonder that Spaniards have become cynical and [Music] philosophic they say that when God created Spain he allowed the Spaniards three wishes they chose buried climate beautiful women and delicious foods and fruit and God agreed but when they came back seeking a fourth wish a good government God said that is too [Music] much the Spanish patiently endure multiple government bureaus and their conflicting decisions yet throughout their history they have remained proud and individualistic this is after all the Spanish [Music] way the countryside and its people have not changed greatly over the centuries many communal Villages still scratch of bare living from wasted lands around them a common well is still found in the center of many VES and daily tasks are performed in the same primitive way of past [Music] ages change has come slowly challenging custom escaping poverty is hard but now another Invasion the friendly tourist Invasion may give Spain the incentive and the inflowing riches to move out of her lethargy and isolationism away from stale custom a carrot before the donkey of Spanish reluctance revealing a modern new [Music] world today Spain is on the Move centuries of poverty Neons of custom may not be able to stop her this time New Economic policies have brought in millions in outside Capital modern buildings are under [Music] construction automobile assembly plants [Music] hung reforestation program and the upgrading of olive Orchards have added wealth and Scenic Beauty [Music] all along Spain's Riviera likee Coastline fine new hotels lure the [Music] tourist when Philip II moved his Capital to Madrid in the 16th century he decreed that the second story of every new building be donated to the purposes of government for centuries thereafter only one-story buildings were erected but Madrid is no longer flat today it has the look and feel of a modern European city [Music] but Spain is ever a land of contrasts and contradictions sheep Grays nearby as Jets from Madrid's International Airport soar overhead [Music] roots are deep Barcelona like the rest of Spain is linked to a glorious past she is named after the carthaginian family Barka the family name of the great General Hannibal Barcelona has been described as a Hispanic blend of Paris and Vienna though commercially prosperous her people are as proud of their artistic and cultural Traditions as of their material Prosperity the love for water is part of the Romantic Spanish heritage [Music] tradition custom have been the cement of Spanish Society present C but today a new era of social freedom is emerging political rights are broadening and Spaniards in the cities are learning to enjoy unaccustomed easing of life's hardships other freedoms may [Music] follow today education like everything else in Spain is freshening and on the rise in new University buildings better facilities for the young at the time of the reconquest Antonio the nebria presented Queen Isabella with a copy of his castian grammar the first of any European tongue he explained language your majesty is the ideal weapon of Empire and so it proved to be as Spanish became the basic language of much of the new world poverty is an inflexible Master permitting little time for recreation but in today's Spain avocations are becoming possible to those outside the aristocracy a gathering of stamp collectors in Madrid's Plaza mayor is a familiar site [Music] every town and city has its Bull Ring where any boy Rich or poor can aspire to wear the suit of Lights Aristocrats started bull fighting from horseback but they turned it over to the common people who fought a foot but taste change soccer football and other forms of sport have caught the spaniard's interest that great moment in Spain's history is not forgotten that great 16th century when she was the leading country of the world proudly commanding the march of civilization Spaniards remember that greatness that golden age in their museums and monuments to the past that interval of world dominance brought by Columbus the comic wisdom of cvan's observation about them through Sancho pansa and Don kote the well- intended in a world gone mad the Spaniard also knows of the riches of the great Masters like Vasquez who was ennobled by a grateful monarch [Music] the El Greco Museum in Toledo reminds him of the Mystic Brilliance of that painter alreco painted some of the most dramatic canvases the world has ever known with inner fire illumining and transcending the characters of his subjects Goya recalls the beauty of which Spain was then capable and still is today [Music] it has been said that pride is Spain's true wealth the pride is still there but the true wealth of Spain is her people today's Spaniard works hard and he has reason to hope this hope May grow to certainty the certainty that life can be full and [Music] Happ how strong is custom How firm is resolve age old yoke of Pride and tradition is yielding to the new spirit growing in Spain today a rebirth