I don’t normally get political here as I can only vote in municipal elections, but you have to admit this is quite wonderful. Thanks to the Noneuclidian Party, Spaniards will have another option this Sunday. 🙂
Vote for Cthulhu! Why choose a lesser evil?
Check out the Vota Cthulhu Website for videos and more.
Sevilla has been inundated with Tunas recently, from all over Spain.
It seems there have been a few national competitions going on lately, and so Tuna sightings of late are not just of the usual youthful university students decked out in their strolling minstrel attire, hanging out at bars to make a bit of beer money and attract some attention of the female persuasion.
These days there has not only been an increase in the number of Tunas, but many of them include more mature members (university profs?) and have a much more professional look about them. I ran into one such group having tapas last Saturday while out on Tapeo Extremo II and found out they were from Málaga.
And last night while I was out on a Tapas Tour we came across a rather large group of Tunas taking up at least four tables outside a bar near the cathedral. So of course I had to ask what was going on, as they didn’t seem like the typical Sevilla Tunas – and sure enough, it turned out they were from Granada.
Then this morning I came across a rather swish looking group of Tunas coming down my street and I had to stop them and ask what was going on. They were on their way to the Facultad de Derecho for today’s competition and seemed very excited and I am sorry to say I forgot to ask them for a photo.
But here you can see last night’s group. A bit wobbly in parts as I only had my iPhone on me, but they were lovely guys and you can see how much fun they were having. I love the Tunas.
[youtube=”http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vizLblyxjpw”]
So this is what I’ll be doing over the next three days – attending the Andalucía Sabor Fine Food Exhibition – which kicks off this morning with a jamón slicing competition. Though in fact it began yesterday evening with an interesting and entertaining round-table discussion with three of Spain’s top chefs (Juan Mari Arzak, Carme Ruscalleda and Dani Garcia) about the Mediterranean diet and why eating locally and in season is so important.
Last year I had wangled an invitation to the Best New Chef competition so I guess I was still “on file” because of that, and so I was happy to receive an email a few weeks ago inviting me to attend this year’s Andalucía Sabor as Press or, more accurately, one of the bloggers that will be not only be allowed entrance (normal admission price is 75 euros) but also will have a blogger’s area with access to tables and plugs for laptops, etc. This would be an ideal moment to use the iPad I still don’t have. So I will just be armed with my iPhone as both laptops are too heavy to lug around all day, especially as I’m still having to wear the “faja” to hold my operation incision together.
And as if attending a three-day conference wasn’t enough I also have Sevilla Tapas Tours tonight and Thursday night, plus a presentation meeting with a prospective social media client tomorrow evening (another instance where an iPad would come in handy). Meanwhile I still have my daily work with my other clients to keep up with…
Speaking of which, best get that done while I down another cup of coffee, then I’ll have to hit the shower and get out of here. The conference centre is way the hell out near the airport, about half an hour on the bus, but at least there is a direct route there with the stop just five minutes from my house. So gotta run – expect a full report once it’s all over!
In the cultures of Spain and Greece, and in the countries of Latin America, Tuesday the 13th is considered unlucky, and there are still many people who have a phobia about this day (trezidavomartiofobia), and who will not travel anywhere on this day because of the superstition. It is also common for planes to have no row 13, as it is assumed that passengers wouldn’t buy tickets. And many buildings “skip a floor” from 12 to 14 so they won’t have a 13th floor.
The negative associations of Tuesday, 13 have no scientific basis, and it should be clear that it is only a myth. Indeed, many people regard it rather as a day of good luck, to the extent that on that day, gamblers often bets are made on that number. The associations are similar to those of Friday 13 in Anglo-Saxon cultures or Friday 17 in Italy.
Why the 13th?
The number thirteen has been considered ill-omened from antiquity because there were twelve apostles at the Last Supper, and Jesus Christ was the 13th, and he died. The Kabbalah, like the Norse legends, lists 13 evil spirits, and Revelation Chapter 13 is about the antichrist and the beast. In the Tarot, this number represents death.
Why Tuesday?
The combination with Tuesday is thought by some to have its origin at the end of the Middle Ages, as it was on Tuesday May 29, 1453 that the city of Constantinople fell to the Turks.
An even older possible reason is that Spanish martes (Tuesday) is derived from the name of the planet Mars (marte), which in the Middle Ages was called “the little evil” and represents will, energy, tension and aggressiveness. Mars (Ares in Greek) is the god of war, and Tuesday being ruled by Mars, is associated with destruction, blood and violence. Finally, legend says that the confusion of tongues at the Tower of Babel occurred on Tuesday 13th (or perhaps Friday 17th).
Not being superstitious I’ve never worried about these things. But even if I were I reckon that because I’m not Spanish this doesn’t apply to me, and because I’m living in Spain I’m also safe from unlucky Friday the 13th. Win-win. But just in case…
Churros are a fried dough snack that is made throughout Spain and much of Latin America. The dough is squeezed through a nozzle and deep fried in a special vat of hot oil. There are two basic types, a fat round spiral, usually known as “porra” but commonly known as “masas” in Seville, and a thinner, ridged version called “papas” (for years I thought these were made from potatoes, but no). In Seville they are normally eaten with a thick hot chocolate drink as a breakfast or mid-morning snack, and are also served in the early evening for “merienda”. They are also a popular as a “hangover cure” and some churrerías (also known as calenterías) open as early as 6am weekend mornings to catch all-night revellers on their way home.
Below is a short list of some great places to find churros in the centre of Sevilla. Do you know of any others that you’d like to recommend?
Continue reading “Churros & Chocolate”