Spanish life is not
always likeable but it is compellingly loveable.
-
Christopher Howse: A Pilgrim in Spain.
I'm very short of time this morning - bloody visitor - so here's a series of unrelated citations:-
- More on the young lady who got a prison sentence for making a joke.
- A 93 year-old Ethiopian singing and piano-playing nun
- One of her songs
- The meaning of Brexit for Brits in Spain. Possibly.
- Sevilla's Feria de abril.
- The funny folk of Spain's Semana Santa processions.
- The world's best streetfood. Possibly.
- The best tapas bars in Bilbao. Maybe.
- Endorsement of my comment of yesterday ahout tourism.
And now for something completely different. My visitor-cum-guest has just given me this, as a suggested Guest Blog. I am considering it:-
Morning dear readers!
This entry is supplied by Professor Pedantry's English visitor,
Jack.
Galicia in the Spring
is a slightly different being to what I've been treated to. Evenings
drop colder quickly (expected), there are less [Ed. fewer!] people milling about
and no fireworks (I usually come during fiesta week).
Yesterday I took a walk
around the newer part of the town on my own. Professor Pedantry was
helping some potential new Pontevedrans look at houses, good chap
that he is, so I took the opportunity to get lost (he had suggested I
did something similar earlier in the day!) and explore. My
experiences of Pontevedra have been dominated by the old town, by
Castelao and flea markets so it was enjoyable to see everyday Spain.
One thing I noticed
were [Ed. was!] the number of elderly ladies and gentlemen, all well dressed in
lots of colour. Lots of people taking it easy; even businessmen as
they crossed the road almost nonchalant with the impending doom of a
lorry hurtling down the road.
I passed a
confectioners that were advertising chocolate with pimentón. I
remembered what my host had remarked once before, that Gallegos will
use it in everything. When I did smoked mackerel pate last year we
struggled to find a Spanish recipe without it.
Speaking of food, I was
surprised by the amount of packaged and processed food in a
supermarket yesterday. I was also surprised about the lack of choice
in a fruit & veg shop also. So many varieties of apples, many
shining brightly under fluorescent light. A few oranges dotted about
and a barrel of strawberries. Nothing else.
A [new] deli has opened up in
the town. It's good to see Spain embracing the continuing demand for
fine foods. I was immediately greeted by jamón being sliced freshly
and then vacuum packed; many types of bellotta jamón and one or two
in black sacks and the infamous black nail suggesting the best of the
best, pata negra. These pigs are fed purely on acorns throughout
their whole life and this is reflected in the nutty taste. It's the
jamón of the Spanish royal family and the price indicates this.
And finally, yesterday
we had the most wonderful lunch at a restaurant in the hills. San
Blas is a fine meat restaurant built over a well and has a ramshackle
country farmhouse feel. The speciality is ox meat[buey] served with kosher
salt and then griddled on a plate at the table. Served with peppers
and chips and a simple green salad, it was a joy to eat. Fantastic
conversation with my host's American friend and his family and washed
down with outstanding Rioja. It required an extra long siesta. Ahhh
what a schlep this life is!
A couple of Jack's fotos:-
Buey on the grill:-
My favourite, zamburiñas:-
Today's cartoon, on the food theme:-
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