Shocking I know but on Monday we celebrated the return of the prostitutes to the provincial capital of Salamanca. A tradition that seems to have spread to our own little town - we did it by going down to the river and having a picnic the main element of which was a local pie stuffed full of bits of pig. Actually we ate our hornazo in the kitchen but we were by the River Águeda in spirit and we did go to stare at the picnicers a little later in the afternoon to show solidarity.
Apparently, back in the 16th Century Philip II (the one who got his beard singed by Drake) decreed that the prostitutes from the town brothel in Salamanca should be shifted across the river Tormes for the whole of Lent to ensure that the menfolk remained chaste. The women were put under the care of a priest, un Padre, who became known as Padre Putas (Father Whores) - it's quite amusing in Spanish but it loses something in the translation I feel. The women were allowed back into the city on the second Monday after Easter Sunday and the students went to meet them with plenty of food and drink as they were rowed back across the river.
Randy students no longer have to wait for the Lunes de Aguas for sex and as most of the prostitution in Spain is now run by Eastern European and Latin American gangs I suspect the work routine of the prostitutes is pretty much unaffected by Lent. Nonetheless, the feasting still remains, at least symbolically.
The day is called Lunes de Aguas which only seems to translate as Monday of Waters and I can't find out why - maybe it's to do with crossing the water of the River Tormes.
This item is copied directly from my blog, the address of which is at the bottom of my forum posts, or you can find it with googling life in ciudad rodrigo.
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ssadmin1
said:
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Is it legal? Do you know if prostitution is legal in Spain? It seems to be very evident along any main roads. I read recently that up to 30% of Spaniards employ the services of prostitutes(putas)on a regular basis. I drove down to Dolores the other day. I took the more scenic route through fortuna and was shocked to see the working girls out in the country lanes just after mid-day. I assumed it was just a night time job. |
Culebronchris
said:
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... I copied this from the expatica.com website. Despite some claims that prostitution is legal in Spain the truth is that prostitution exists in a legal vacuum. Sex workers are not penalized, instead the pimps are the ones who are punished. With 90% of prostitutes in Spain said to be illegal immigrants, brought into Spain through illegal human trafficking, the circumstances of many prostitutes leave them in legal limbo. Men who use prostitutes are not currently punished for their actions, though there are moves for prostitute users to be targeted. Brothels have been illegal since 1956 (according to worldsexguide.org), but the vast majority of brothels are loosely disguised as whiskerías or 'clubs' and are left to function as normal. On the other hand, prostitutes are able to practice their trade freely and advertise frequently in the 'Relax' section of the classifieds in newspapers and magazines written in thinly veiled sexual jargon. Prostitution in Spain doesn't have the stigma that it has in other countries. According to another Expatica.com article for the Spanish, going with a prostitute "damages a marriage far less than an affair." In a recent survey, it was found that one in four Spanish men has paid for sex. However, prostitution in Spain is not the regulated wholesome affair that it is in, say, Holland and prostitutes in Spain should be avoided. Many double up as pickpockets, especially in busy areas like Gran Via in Madrid and Las Ramblas in Barcelona. So keep well away. |
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