Talking
of words . . . Completing a Private Eye crossword last night,
I learnt that 'To frig' can mean 'To masturbate'. Who'd have thought
it? Just in case you're wondering, the relevant answer was fracking
rigs and there's a large monetary prize for the best clue to fit
it. Honest.
So,
David Moyes is leaving Everton to replace Sir Alex Ferguson. I knew
this, of course, quite some time ago, as David called me from time to
time for advice. I doubt we'll get anyone as good but, interestingly,
a Spaniard – Roberto Martinez – is said to be the favoured
replacement. I
guess it won't be long before he's seeking my advice.
Some
of you may have noticed it was Europe Day yesterday. Or Europaro
Day, as someone called it in El País yesterday. Paro
being the Spanish word for unemployment/dole. Anyway, this secular
holy day probably inspired the performance of Beethoven's 9th symphony
here in Pontevedra tonight. (The one with the Ode to Joy in it.) This
featured the Pontevedra orchestra and a 68-strong choir from North
Portugal, who were all well received. The
Only in Spain factor? The
chap standing in the aisle with a one-year-old child in his arms. Presumably none
of the grandparents could babysit.
I
recently suggested it was a fundamental dynamic of Spanish life that things took longer here than elsewhere. This is certainly
true of the latest portrait of the royal family, now in its 18th year
of production. The artist, Antonio Lopez, has been moved to the
palace to finish it before someone in it pops his/her clogs. Or
possibly is sent to prison. Or abdicates. Why has it taken this long? With engaging
honesty, López explained: "I didn't think I had the ability to
do it prior to now." He's 77, by the way. So I take this to
be either tongue in cheek or one of those excuses that readily spring
to the tongue of the Spanish. Like “My grandmother died, again.”
I
have to admit I didn't know there was a language here in Spain called
Aragonese, though I do wonder whether it isn't, like Valenciano,
pretty close to Catalañ. Be that as it may, I
was intrigued to read that the Áragon parliament yesterday approved
a new law that changes the names of two of the
region's languages. LAPAO (Lengua
Aragonesa Propia del Área Oriental
or 'Aragon's own language of the eastern area') will become the new
name for the Catalán spoken in the region while Aragonese will
henceforth be known as LAPAPYP (Lengua
Aragonesa Propia de las Áreas Pirenaica Y Prepirinenca or
'Aragon's own language of the Pyrenees and pre-Pyrenees'.) Languages
are a sensitive issue in Spain and the purpose of this law – God
knows how – is said to be to protect Áragon from encroachment by
next-door Cataluña. Opposition parties have attacked the development
but there's been just a shrug from Catatluña itself and the Áragonese
man in the street says it will make no difference to his day-to-day
activities. All a bit of a nonsense then.
Sometimes
artists simply brighten up your day. So it is with Cristina Lucas,
who's created this image of an adult Alice, trapped in the monastery
of La Cartuja. Enjoy.
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