Madrid Teacher

Ethically created fat geese

2007-11-04T14:32:00.000+01:00

I can now continue on my path to contract gout ethically thanks to the morally driven farmers from Badajoz.

Guilt-free foie gras has been developed in Spain, so while bulls may have their ears set on fire and forced to run around the pedestrian free town centres (Vila Real), hens can get their heads pulled off (was told this happened in Basque Country) and goats get thrown from the tops of towers (probably an urban myth), geese are fattened then slaughtered sensitively. The article reports that the geese are fed free range so that there bellies can scrape along the floor, "They feast on figs, acorns, lupins, grain and olives left in piles around the 30-acre farm until, after 14 days of gorging, their bellies touch the ground and their livers are deemed big enough". They really eat well.

The image of fat bellies running around the fields of Badajoz reminds me of a queue of taxi drivers waiting out side the airport at Barajas.

What a laugh

2007-10-27T12:28:00.000+02:00

Although I am a guirri I am a crap Guirri not only do I live about 20 miles away from any other northern european, but at the Giggling Guirri last night in madrid I only knew the people I went with whereas all my friends seemed to know everybody else in the room, it was like been a member of a club but knowing no-one in the club. There was a great commedian who entertained us with his views on guirris and foreigners abroad, his foot and general observations on life. He was playing to a packed out audience at TEATRO ALFIL. My brother had told me about this guy he has seen him on Paramount comedy in the UK, Adam Hills.

He has a very good take on languages and national characteristics.

Its the first time I have seen a comedian in the last 7 years in Spain (well a standup one anyway). And the great news is that there are plenty more to come at this theatre.

Comedy in Spain Site is well worth a look, its great that the people who run the Giggling Guiri comedy club have such enthusiasm and energy. I hope they realise that they make a difference for foreigners living in Spain and that people appreciate it.

Here are some clips of him I found on youtube.

I just hope he comes to town again, and I must try and get to know more people

a quick link

2007-10-01T12:10:00.000+02:00

This made me giggle this morning it is about a Labour minister who was photoshopped in on an NHS photo . Here is a take on this

Recessmonkey1

Recessmonkey2

I really need to start understanding Spainsh politics, it was a task I set myself to do but still haven´t got round to it.

Some good Humour of the satirical type at south of watford here

What words are these pictures painting

2007-09-30T15:25:00.000+02:00

The picture burnings of the King and Queen are a total disgrace. I think it is the most infantile method of showing opposition to something. The TV pictures I saw had the photos of the King and Queen upside down while being set alight by a protester with the rest of the crowd cheering him on. I know that it is only a couple of thousand people so it really is not worth worrying about, but if they finally achieve what they wish who would want this lot in charge. The politics aside, the Queen does many good works and I think that it demonstrates a lack of respect for the person rather than the institution. They will probably do their cause no favours, as I think that many people in Spain will be horrified.

They will be burning efigies next.

The say a picture paints a thousand words, well I daredn´t think what this paints.

Election - UK It might be worth sorting out very quickly any voting rights, I read that there will be a cut off date very soon. I contacted my local council in the UK.

How to save 868,000,000 euros

2007-09-19T21:36:00.000+02:00

The Air force is buying 87 Euro fighters and according to El Pais each one costs 124,000,000 million euros. Why don´t they just buy 80 and save 868,000,000 euros. One of the justifications is that 22,000 jobs are involved. It seems quite an expensive way to keep down the numbers of people claiming the paro. Funny how an election is around the corner as well.

Another incentive to keep practicing Spanish

2007-09-18T23:26:00.000+02:00

I have just found another incentive to continue with my epic adventure of trying to develop my Spanish, being bi-lingual keeps the brain sharp according to the BBC. This is quite handy because I need to phone Jazztel tomorrow to explain to then it is the router NOT our tele that is on the blink.

Don Limpio´s private life

2007-09-10T13:02:00.000+02:00

Whenever we stay in a saturday R makes me sit through about 17 hours of salsa rosa programmes. Sometimes they are enjoyable sometimes unbelievable. Usually the guest end up crying and being overly melodramatic when I think many of their problems would easily be solved in they just bought tamazapan on a regular basis. However I think I have found who would be the perfect guest, Don Limpio, while he flirts with the housewives on the TV and leads them up the wrong path he must have deep seated issues with his own sexuality. I have never seen a cleaning product advertised by someone so obvioulsy gay.

Gran Hermano - last night the new series started, two sisters who were guests met for the first time, and the tackiest of the two when confronted by a long lost sister, who she obviusly had no idea about , instead of been emotionally overwrought just asked for a light. Amazing!!

Cameras can save lives

2007-09-05T13:57:00.000+02:00

I visited many places in the UK this summer as part of my interest in my family tree. My father did the driving as I am afraid I have become acustomed to drving in Spain and tend to find that every unmarked junction in the UK causes massive palpatations in my chest not remembering which way to turn. I was shocked by the amount of speed cameras in the roads. At the V festival in Chelmsford they had placed a very crafty one , the road drops from 50 to 30 and then a speed camera is situated just at the corner, out ancestors must have been guarding us because the camera didn´t flash. This journey made me change my mind on the usefulness of these cameras. Before I felt a pang of happiness when they had been smashed (see the roads near Jabalquinto in Jaen for series of smashed velocidad monitors), however I now see their usefulness and the DGT should place more of them. The road deaths this summer highlight the urgency of this. I have little sympathy for the lunatics driving like arseholes but for every innocent death on the road there are dozens of families who have to live with the aftermath.

I thought the points system on the licences would have an impact but obviously not, so speed cameras with large fines might tone down the number of fatalities. Some of my friends argue that people wouldn´t pay the fines or take any notice, but this does not need to be the case, I am sure that the government using technology can capture the money from bank accounts.

I used to find driving a pleasurable experience, but to be honest I find I am beginning to dread driving. My swearing in Spanish reaches new highs when driving on the motorway or around Madrid.

Benidorm - the pearl of the med

2007-09-02T22:39:00.000+02:00

Just had our holiday in Benidorm. We love it, English breakfast for 2.75 euros, tetley´s bitter and sticky vicky who does stuff with razor blades you can only find in peep shows, beautiful beaches and its the only place where I actually look trendy (not wieghing 25 stone and having to buy XXXXL t-shirts). R who is Spanish just thinks that all we do is drink ourselves legless but I actually got him to try Bitter and he asked "do you think they have it in Carrefour?", however he just couldn´t face the belly buster full english

Our hotel was 17 stories high and the views were amazing, its our Las Vegas.

Sunset

Just look at the state

Explaining to R why my mother has not visited yet

2007-07-19T12:36:00.001+02:00

This video succinctly explains to R why my mum has not visited. This video operates on so many levels. She lives in Pudsey, I have a jumper like the one in the video and I hate the food they mention.

Why men should be able to use fans

2007-07-19T11:36:00.000+02:00

In a metrosexual Madrid (see how many men have their legs shaved) why can a male not cool himself down with a fan without drawing the opprobrium of other their fellow citizens. In a place where Beckham gets away with being the gayest gay icon and men can cluck around the aftershave counter at El Corte Ingles like viejas around the olive shop in the local mercado, do male fan users get stared at as though they possess lepracy. Spanish machismo bravado society in my experience only exists when they are safe behind the car door and protected by changing traffic lights. I think its time for a new formation the MCUFWBSALF (males can use fans without being stared at liberation front). A fan is much more use when dealing with 38 degrees than wafting a 20euro note on the face while queuing

Flowers

2007-07-18T15:09:00.000+02:00

My attempts at being Percy Thrower have been quite limited although the roses on the balcony are just about surviving and the avacado plant is showing healthy adolesent growth as the before and after pictures below show.

Before

Current state of affairs

However, a more impressive array of flowers can be found in the parks of Madrid and Alcala through out the summer. I was really impressed with the rose garden in the Retiro. It was interesting to see the names of the roses such as French Revolution (red obviously) and Cosmos (white which triumphs over the rest because its the symbol of Yorkshire). here are a few of the pictures taken yesterday in the park.

One of my first memories of Spain was walking at about 5:30 am in benidorm of all places back to a rented Villa in about 1994, the car pollution had subsided and the smell of the flowers and shrubs was in the air. Every so often I sometimes regain a sense of that aroma when returning late and walking through the park near our flat

Siesta

2007-07-13T14:19:00.000+02:00

I read an interesting article in last fridays Independent (a friend brought it over for me from Scotland) It contained a story about hotels letting out rooms for a siesta. Not the usual room for the hour type serivce but one which allows all those who live miles away from their place of employment, to take a nap and therefore not miss out on their Spanish brithright. I only ever have a couple of siestas a year, don´t know why just dont need them. What was quite typical is that the employers association in Sevilla said that they are against it because it would mean that their members would have to work more. I don´t actually see how because the people in the rooms would be sleeping.

A big thankyou to the Doctors and Nurses in Alcala hospital. I have just come home after a operation and they were brilliant. How anybody can argue against a socialised health service I cannot understand. Still feeling quite high on the drugs though so will have to stop writing.

Summertime and cooking programmes

2007-07-08T11:47:00.000+02:00

I once read that the murder rate drastically increases in Spain during the summer, I presume due to the heat. A physicist friend of mine told me that in Valencia a persons brain swells due to the humidity so is this the reason why?

However I find that people seem much more jayquilo during the summer. I have experienced functionarios actually being polite and useful this week, I would go so far as to say that one of the education civil servants I met this week, went the extra mile and directed us to the correct building. The whole Dr House persona evaporated in the ministry of education this week, and although we still had to savour the queing, I actually left the building with a big cheesy grin on my face satisfied that my objectives de jour had been met.

Everyone seems happy in Alcala, there has been more drunk revelers but less car beeping at 7 in the morning, which demonstrates energies are being diverted in preparation for the August break and the fiestas.

Even the bulls in Pamploma have been generous this July only a couple of gorings so far.

To top the last week, R won a holiday in a four star hotel for us after he appeared on a cooking program. Things can only get better, soon I will be able to find parking outside my flat when everyone else goes on their holidays.

I love summer in Spain and not just because of the weather, everyone and everything feels content. Just watch out for the swollen brains!!!

Banging to the sound of dance

2007-07-01T15:06:00.000+02:00

Yesterday the streets of Madrid were taken over by a manifestation which did not comprise of the usual malcontents bleating on about anything which this government does, or cause trouble and upset in the name of conspiracy theories. Although Rajoy was missing which means he is either ill or on his holidays because that is a man who is present at every march in Madrid or so it seems. Yesterday was a celebration of everything that is gay, but also more importantly to me a place where people of every sexulaity come together and celebrate diversity. It is fun, good humoured and for me it illustrates that labels are not important.

Here are some of our photos the rest are on our facebook

When you have been away from England for too long

2007-06-28T22:39:00.000+02:00

I was just catching up on the BBC site to see what was happening in the UK. What struck me was that I only recognise about four or five of the cabinet members announced so far. It will be interesting to see how Gordon Brown does, it is always quite exciting when there is a new Government (even if he wasn´t elected by the people). With luck he will do well and hopefully withdraw from Iraq (or any other conflict which Blair might get the UK into now he is some kind of international peace maker). I have been out of the UK for six years now and was a little bit suprized at my lack of recognition of who the current political leaders are. With Spanish politicians I really wouldn´t have a clue apart from the leaders and the presidents of Madrid and Valencia, but I am happy with this situation because it doesn´t allow me to develop obsessive anger rages when they mess things up. However as part of my political education my objective de semana will be to find out who the ministers are here in Spain and over in the UK.

Why is there always some retard at the front of the queue

2007-06-27T22:15:00.000+02:00

Sometimes when I can´t be arsed walking to Ahorra Mas I go the Dia which is round the corner, and at 37 degress this afternoon I just couldn´t face it.

DIA always has long queues but the food is cheap and foot leather is saved, but 9 out of 10 times there is always a dithering fool pissing about with money at the front of the line. My solution is cattle prods that will get them moving.

Interesting to see today that Spain is pushing forward green technology. Its excellent news and hopefully the hub of these projects will move to Alcala and make the mayor think a little bit more about the environment here.

My technology news is that I have joined facebook, I read recently that it is middle class and I want to be a social climber, soon it will be no more DIA for me , I going to El Corte Ingles for my Jamon

Not a bad earner

2007-06-25T23:01:00.000+02:00

Victoria Beckham just recieved an extra cash bonus for being insulted, she was called "picky demanding and rude", she won undisclosed compo.

She is surely without shame, there are people starving and she makes a court case out of words which I have been called often and worse.

I know someone who met her while working and they said a lot worse than that about her. I wish she would just piss off from Spain.

Only a few days left in my job and looking forward to the next chapter, I have the feeling I had six years ago in valencia when I knew that anything is possible.

How many more soldiers have to die and get injured on these so called peace keeping missions? I have family out in Bosnia at the moment, although they wouldn´t agree with me I just don´t agree with UN intervention because I can´t actually remember any success stories.

Also I can´t really see the advantage for a settlement in Israel when certain groups strap people up in dynamite. It is a one sided peace? process but images like this do not endear people to a cause for freedom and self determination.

How to have empty roads outside a puente?

2007-06-18T19:41:00.000+02:00

Move to a city where the football team wins the league. It happened a few years ago in Valencia. Only downside is that you can´t get to sleep the night before

Pure theatre

2007-06-16T12:21:00.001+02:00

Soon I will be leaving my job, and I will miss the discussions I have with my pupils. we oftem debate politics amongst other things, however I feel disheartened, not because of the fact that we have some amazing indepth discourse about the future and present circumstances of Spain, but in the fact that the disdain these pupils hold for elected representatives. For the first few years in Spain , I put it down to their age, but when I reflected back to my experinece in the UK, many children had ambitions to be politicians, or work for the Government out of a sense of public duty or to better the world. I worked at both Middle class and Working class schools, but there was a sense in both of these institutions that people can make a difference. So it wasn´t their age or the fact that it was in Spain, it is I believe that politicians have wasted the chances they were given thirty years ago to develop a new Spain and improve the lot for its people.

Spanish politics has become pure theatre. In thirty years of democracy when a new deal could have been found, it has been turned into a self serving process for politicians. There are marches against gay marriage and marches which attack the personalities of politicians from opposite view points, marches which seem to me to play light of terrorism, while ignoring that something should and could be done to stop it, but there seesm to be a lack of protests against issues which effect the social and economic welfare of the people. I was reading yesterday on South of Watford that the only question that Rajoy asked of the prime minister was, what is he doing at the weekend? Is this somesort of Joke, or is it a reflection of the contempt in which politicians hold the people

Beaucracy and paperwork stiffle any attempt at economic liberalisation, friends of mine have told me that in paperwork alone it can cost up to 30,000 euros to set up a restaurant or cafe, unless it is set up illegally. This same beaucracy hinders people from going around their daily business, and living their lives simply, recently in the legalisation of papers department for non-nationals I was informed by the information desk in the legalisation department that they cant give out information about legalisation of papers. The only reasons I have ever heard for poeple becoming civil servants here is that they can´t be sacked and it will help them find a good mortgage, this is not to say it doesn´t exist but I have never been given the rationale of public service as a choice for this career path. When Spain joined Europe, money flowed and whilst there might be nice trains and shiny new roads, many people still have to survive on less than a 1000 euros and on contracts which are not really worth the paper they are written on. What has the present Government done about this, when it had a chance? Very little, in the last three years the circumstances of many workers has not improved

The housing market is in crisis or at least on the cusp of one and the Government reply is basically don´t worry (see the potential implications here on The Big Chorizo)

In Alcala, industry is relocating to other areas which results in job losses, while any attempt at developing new skills is answered by the authorities "send people on some cooking training courses with the unemployment office". What about a debate about public education, rather than the teaching of religion in schools. Spanish public schools are seen as some of the worst in Europe, there is money available to improve them and the morale of teachers, why for example in Valencia a few years ago did the Valencian speaking schools get new ICT suites before the others, is this not politicians playing (bad)politics?

Legalised sexual slavery is visable on many salidas from towns or at the sides of the motorways, and again I have seen no marches in protest at this dispicable act against women, who come here with the promise of work in a disco, but end up becoming future AIDS victims.

Immigrants are vilified, although many blogs hold out the hope that it will be better in the future, my friends who are black still see it has a them and Spanish situation, how can it be argued that all will be fine when a professional friend of mine still gets her basket checked every single time she goes to the self service checkout at a famous Spanish supermarket, she pays taxes does not wrong and is still viewed as a thief. I have argued before that immigration is the poker that prods the economy to keep it burining away at over 3% growth.

Certain sections of the population are literally disenfranchised, and although I am not in agreement with the cause of the basque nationalists, if they have no way of expressing their desires they feel at liberty to find alternative processes, there was a chance for a peace treaty and the politicians did not move far enough, and when Zapatero did, he was vilified as a supporter of terrorism. The conspiracy theories about 11/M still abound, do these people have no shame or respect for the people who died and were injured?

Politicians use nationalism in Catalunia, Valencia and Galicia to feather their nests, offer them referendumns, let them put their money where their mouths are, after the results are known they will still be part of Spain. Turkeys dont vote for Christmas

In my job there are several pupils who could have the ability to be high ranking politicians, when I say to them, go for the top, not one of them sees any virtue in being a politician, I might as well be saying aim to be on the checkout at Ahorra Mas. Is this the state the country is in when the next generation see being a politican as a not worthwhile job, in fact see it has a negative career development. It is a shame over the last 6 years I have taught many wonderful pupils who really could make a difference, but unless the current political game is changed for the better they will be turned away from public service.

telefonicaised

2007-06-15T19:09:00.001+02:00

I now feel like a proper expat, we have had three days of the runaround by telefonica: I have been telefonicasriseated. Threatened them with a denunciation and hey presto workmen came around tonight. On monday in the hospital again I was asked to queue for the registration for the second time in a month because the first time after queing for an hour and half, they made a mistake, I refused to and held my ground for half and hour or so, and then they let me push in. I have the key to bad customer service, dont move and hold your ground don´t threaten a reclamation and again hey presto problem solved. Although it can lead to a headache lasting for a couple of hours after. My new philosohpty is reply with the bad attitude and they will give in.

Some update on the ETA from two other great sites.

The Bad Rash
South of Watford
It seems to me that it is either black or white with regards to the ETA issue. If people are blocked from voting in a democracy, and today is the 30th anniversary of the return of democracy, where do people turn to. If you cut out a tongue the person must find another way of communicating and its not always hand signals.

On tele 5 breakfast programme this morning they interviewed several of the old party leaders at the start of the democracy, the Communist seemed really really happy and quite content, does this tell us anything?

Google Earth

2007-06-12T18:08:00.000+02:00

Quite an interesting article on Dizzy Thinks blog today about the possibility of terrorists using google maps. He quotes from an article in the New York Post

It was argued that terrorists can use Google earth to find targets. This balance between the positive aspects of technology and the negative downsides always seems to cause problems. Should the internet be a place for freedom and a tool for developing knowledge? For example I frequently use google earth in my family history research, to compare what life was like then using old maps and comparing the place to present day times. Its useful for identifying churches, streets, areas and the farms where many of my ancestors worked.

However I can also understand the other side of the argument, could Google Earth be used by criminals or terrorists to plot targets? My own particular problem with any curtailment of uses of technology on the web is that it could destroy the fundemental objective of the web, a free exchange of ideas and views and a superb resource for developing understanding of issues, history and society. I remember reading an article many years ago when I studied law about who guards the gate keepers, it seems to me that this is still a moot point.

X factor naming conventions

2007-06-11T23:01:00.000+02:00

The three groups all have english names, which I would think in the UK would ensure at least top 97 or an entry in Eurovision rounds where still they would be 97 in the final if they arrived there. They are firstly Lady´s, very original seeing as they are all ladies, the second group is called United who have the talent of Leeds UTD rather than Manchester (big sorry for this to my cousins (this is a pre action forgive me clause)), and Sometimes which is just a shit name for a band.

The panel of Judges are stil going strong, the straight guy is just a bit boring, the female panelist gets more glam every time the show is on, and The Joker look a like is trying to be like a less camp Smon Cowell and flirts with all the girls. The flamenco guy is on now it is a shame cos he will not win, but the rest of tonights performers were constantly reminding me of when I worked at the Mainline social club in Armley, Leeds, I felt as though they should have been a break for the Bingo snowball rather than the Fiat ad. It was The Wheel Tappers and Shunters club but in Spanish

Bob Monkhouse and Spain

2007-06-11T21:27:00.000+02:00

After many years of not visiting the doctor or needing madical help except for broken bones, I have literally spent the last year in and out of my doctors after a series of minor illnesses, the bacterias have finally caught up with me. It has given me loads of conversation starters with my Spanish family and as brought me closer to them, we now have lots more to talk about. Theres nothing like a good illness to get people fussing over oneself, and the cred it gives me with my Spanish reli´s is well worth the pain and medicines.

I know that our medicine box is truely Spanish because I have even offered to give medicines to our friends, and it take one whole shelf in the Kitchen.

What as this to do with Bob Monkhouse you may ask. I am reading his diaries and in one of his chapters about Larry Grayson, he states " Larry Grayson, blessed with just enough ill health to satisfy his demanding hypochondria", this year I can fully relate to this. My other X files link to Hypochondria is that it as often been commented that I smoke like Dot Cotton.

Sea of olives part 1

2007-06-10T21:41:00.000+02:00

Just spent a wonderful weekend in Jaen, we stayed where we usually stay with R´s family in Menjibar (more on Menjiibar in the next few days and why it is worth a visit when driving through Andalucia), but paid a visit to Jaen capital. We often visit this provincial capital but usually a night because although blessed with Olives and the best people, it doesn´t have the greatest nightlight except in the capital. We have been to Jaen castle in the past which has been renovated and possesses an excellent visitor sentre with a google earth type computer which allows you to focus in on the houses in the town (this must break EU privacy law).This time we visited Jaen Cathedral. It was magnificent. It has a beautiful, well maintained borroque facade which enters into a Cathedral which is unlike another in Spain which I have seen, it is ornamental but not fussy. The stone work is a browny sandy colour which reflects the lighting well, so it seems to be a more jolly rather than sombre religious monument. The alter table is actually quite plain, but the backdrop the Main Chapel is a neo classical delight. In fact every chapel in the Cathedral is a unique example of Church art.

We drove back through the old town by mistake but we couldn´t have made a better error. It contained several churches and convents, a jewish quarter and lots of lovely traditional houses. Apart from the cars it could have been from fifty years ago. We had already eaten in Menjibar so we just has coffee and ice cream at La Columbiana, which had an amazing variety of gout bombs.

We had only intended to go shopping so I didn´t have a camera, so here are some stolen from the Internet

The facade

The Cathedral (I assume photo taken from the castle where the views are spectacular)

The Dome

Donating to charity and gaining a stomach ulcer at the same time.

2007-06-07T18:09:00.000+02:00

This is the last time I ever comment on Spanish Customer service because I literally cannot take anymore, gradually over the last six years I have become more accustomed to it and just accept it as that it is how it is, but today and yesterday I have been flabbergasted and more by the incompetance.

Firstly it took two days to get the account number and arrange a reciept from the charity, but I can accept this because its probably volunteers which run the phonelines and they obviously have other things on their minds such as the charity they are invovled in. However I finally found myself with the required details to continue with the transaction.

We bagged a lot of the money into those little plastic cases for coins and the notes could easily be counted at the bank. However the "problem" was that we had about 40 euros in assorted coins, none of them in enough quantity to fill the plastic cases, so I thought that we could count them at the bank, at the most with two of us and a bank teller it would take a couple of minutes at the most. We arrived at the bank, I wont name it but they recently bought an English bank, the office was on Avenida America. I immeadiately said to the teller when he had finished on the phone (probably to his friends if the sad prat had any), that this money was for XYZ charity, he looked at the bag of mixed coins and said NO. I replied that we could count them, he continued but they are not in plastic containers, I responded by saying it was for a charity which helps poor children in the developing world and here in Europe, he still refused. I was so angry that I just said how pathetic it was in Spanish and called the sad excuse for a worker a "gillipollas".

After 6 years, this is the worst customer service I have seen, he was too lazy or stupid to spend a few minutes counting money for a charity. What is the point of complaining to the HQ of the bank, if they do anything it will be his boss saying, "why did you do it?" and the reply will be , "because I did", then it will be "well thats Okay"

This is one of the infuriating things about people. How can somebody in a position of responsibility not give a shit, all he had to do was count the money, which I thought is what a bank teller does.

I just hope that Karma was working today.

Lets just hope that there isn´t an earthquake or something in his barrio and money can´t reach them because the bank tellers in doner countries can´t be arsed counting money and doing their job properly.

just a final word, he was such a gillipollas.

Grrrrrrr

Marketing Budgets

2007-06-06T18:09:00.000+02:00

Many years ago I worked part time for a marketing company in York, it was a great place to work, loads of fun and because I was basically at the bottom of the pile very stressless. I came to the conclusion that marketing is often money for old rope. Before I worked at an Art College and marked dissertations on corporate ID. So I have found it quite interesting reading the comments about the London olympic Logo , now it can cause fits as well as looking like japanese cartoon porn. I would have just had the five rings with London underneath in an exciting font on Word, maybe a bit of Word Art. I remember years ago when working for a Government department which changed to an Agency, there was a competition for all staff to design the Logo. we had the letters H and A to play with so many people including by boss at the time had a big H representing a bridge and the A underneath it representingthe road going off into the distance. It was too simple for HMG to award the prize to one of its employees so the final design was farmed out to an agency and suprize suprize it was an H representing a bridge and an A representing a road underneath it. Can´t remember the cost but it was a lot.

Spanish corporate ID is often simple i.e. telefonicas is the word telefonica, Endesa is a spark of energy and Don Simons is well Don Simon in red and yellow. Simple but surely as effective.

ETA

2007-06-05T20:55:00.000+02:00

Having been near two terrorist acts in my life one in Israel when a bomb was discovered on my bus going into the airport and another when I was young in London on Oxford street, I am a peace process person, I believe that while people are talking no-one is being killed or maimed. So my view on the ETA announcement is that it is sad. The bombs in Barajas were a sign of a lack of seriousness on the side of ETA. Here is what the well respected English speaking blogs in Spain have said so far.

Notes from Madrid

Big Chorizo

Iberian notes

I don´t think that the Government has given into ETA since they were elected, I genuinely believe that Zapatero wanted a peace process, but it takes more than one side to reach anagreement.

400000 pounds well spent

2007-06-05T20:42:00.000+02:00

I have just read that it looks like Lisa Simpson giving head. It is.

Well thats a different perspective on the London Olympics Logo

family research

2007-06-04T22:57:00.000+02:00

This summer i am going to put my family tree history online. While searching for pictures to upload during the summer I found these. One is a boat on which my ancestors emigrated to the USA, next are the buildings in Leeds where my grandfather lived and finally Prince Edwin Street in Liverpool. This street was a Catholic street and the street next to it had graffiti which was not complmentary to the Pope at that time.

the SS Alaunia

Gouldens Buildings in leeds

Prince Edwin Street, Everton, Liverpool

Weekends in Spain

2007-06-03T11:18:00.000+02:00

Weekends in Spain (WIS) have often been the non prozac prozac (NPP) to get me through the week when its been one of those weeks. Currently with end of term and also the fact that I am leaving my job in one months time, with nothing signed for next year yet, I have really needed my weekends.

Sometimes during the week the Weekends in Spain are the Las Vegas on the horizon.

R is away so although I had plans for the weekend in the end I just stayed in and watched DVDs apart from the odd excursion to the park for Nova. It was nice just chilling on the sofa and eating Chinese. The excitement came from my friends adventures starting the Camino de Santiago ( I know that there is a book or play in this trip)

Back to the main point, I have always found weekends here amazing, no matter what the week has been like it seems to me that WIS´s are quite magical , they can be like a rebirth, they can take you down any path and redirect you. The variety of a WIS and the options open to you are numerous. When I first arried in Spain, I really saw it has a place where all can happen, maybe not a rags to riches story such as Ellis Island in New York where many of my ancestors arrived for a new life, but where you can walk freely without fear of crime, stay out having fun until well into the following day, eat good food and so far smoke where you want.

I remember once walking with my friend and her dog down the Gran Via in Valencia, it was night time and all the lights were on , they were white not yellow as they are in the UK, the park through the centre of the Gran Via was full of people enjoying themselves, walking to the next bar or disco. I started to cry and she said why are you crying, it was because I had this wave of blissfulness and contentment ride over me. The point is that when you are spending a weekend in Spain, this blissfullness is never far away.

Gate

2007-05-30T20:22:00.000+02:00

Having just read that Cherylgate has ended , this was about a spat between Lily Allen and Cheryl tweedy from Girls Aloud, I was wondering what *gate* is in Spanish in relation to a scandal. I tend to christen all the work politics scandals a gate such as kettlegate and poogate.

Now it seems that Watergate was the first and truly one of the last political scandals that was a gate, and the word has become part of celebrity linguistics but it would be interesting to know.

I remember hearing once that Portillo means littlegate in Catalan, so maybe a small scandal could be called a Portillo or a Michael.

Visit to the Vets:

The vet said that we have to shave Novas hair off for summer, we think that she will end up looking like a canine version of Mr Biggles in Austin powers

technological things that baffle 1

2007-05-29T21:58:00.000+02:00

A while ago I blogged about Spanish tin openers and how I couldn´t see how they were supposed to function, my latest bafflemento is how is a person supposed to clean a car using a vacum cleaner in a petrol station.
There is a funnel linked to a machine however the funnel is about 10 centimetres in diameter which makes it impossible to clean anywhere in the car except the seats and the pedals. My ciggy ash deposits itself down the side of the seat next to the brake handle etc.. So using this piece of (what can best be described as reverse sandblasting equipment)tube it is impossible to reach the places where the irritating dirt is. I had to sit down on the floor and blow between the seats looking like some coke addict on saturday night in town. Does anybody know of any cheap car valets?

The chicken didn´t win

2007-05-28T18:29:00.000+02:00

The green english speaking chicken didn´t win here in Alcala and to be honest I really can´t understand why, obviously people like the extra traffic, fumes, dust and new buildings popping up every hour on the hour.

The mayor patted me on the back in the voting station and I didn´t have the heart to tell him I wasn´t voting for him, but my colleague at work told me that he got in anyway.

The voting system is amazing here, it was very different in Valencia a few years ago. The voting forms were laid out on a table so anybody could see the list you picked up before placing them in the envelope. Also finding the room where I supposed to vote turned into a trek around the school. Still it was nice to be part of something important, and I am sure that in four years time, when we have to walk around Alcala in face masks with automatic asthma inhalers while dodging traffic looking for the last tree, the green chicken will win.

There´s space for at least two blocks of flats and a road here.

Spewlet Slackard

2007-05-27T22:07:00.000+02:00

The company that sounds a bit like the one above are a bunch of thieves. They take your money for buying a printer, then you pay for a guarentee and then they do nothing when it breaks, it costs 30 cents a minute to ring them, they pass you more times then a ball in the UEFA cup final, then do absolutley nothing. I am taking it to my local PC shop and pay for it fixing again. Plus all this takes you 4 months to end up in the same position as you were before i.e. with a printer which doesn´t work. Grrr Grrrr Grrrr Grrr I hate them.

Companies who I would love to see go bankrupt:

Sleazy jet
Spewlet Slackard
A certain cafe in Plaza Mayor

And if any of the owners of these excuses of organizations came to me for English lessons after they go bankrupt I would say yes then teach them french or something.

Garlic Bread

2007-05-27T19:35:00.000+02:00

Myself and a friend visiting from Valencia had a real pheonix nights garlic bread moment. Pizzas in a cone. A cone with a pizza. I was about to say only in Spain and then we spotted a sign for franchises which said that they are already available in the UK, and they were designed by an Italian.

You probably couldn´t write a restaurant review of them, but they seemed popular one couple next to us were eating six of them. What will they think of next yorkshire puddings on a lolly stick?

Weather devil

2007-05-25T18:49:00.000+02:00

I am going to seriously be dissappointed with the weather devil. He seems to have spent all year in the Madrid Community, with only a few days break. Notes from Spain discusses the weather

Still I have felt really English at work discussing the weather.

The rain is a good excuse to visit museums and shopping centres (something we never do in Summer)

Interesting story on BBC : US 'sex addict' sues over firing

Found this about the Greatest Spaniards

Voting - la fin

2007-05-22T21:03:00.000+02:00

I have enjoyed this Spanish election, because the last time I voted in Spain I was influenced by the Americas Cup, so I voted PP in Valencia (probably a big mistake). This time we both decided long ago that we would vote Green, and yesterday I found an extra reason for placing my cross next to them, well two reasons really. One the Greens candidate in Alcala anglicanised name is Julius Caesar (one of my favourite historical figures), secondly because yesterday while in carrerfour, a man dressed as a chicken came up, although in Spanish I always say duck after several times I have pronounced Pollo the wrong way, I once informed R´s mum that I really really love cock, and the Duck man spoke English. Who could not vote for a English speaking green duck? I must admit though, I did feel a bit guilty driving past them when leaving the store pumping who knows what into the air.

My friend Alison also saw the Chicken in the Plaza los Santos Niños in Alcala (click here)

Los verdes website
Apart from environmental concerns the Greens sign is a Sunflower, my friends in valencia own a bar called Girasol on Calle Turia, its the best bar in valencia, so if you are there call in say hello to Nicolas and have a smoke ( they sell tea as well. Super).

Seriously, it has been amazing to see how blogsphere in Spain has viewed the elections. I think it shows that Spain has made people welcome and people feel attachment to the country in such a way that they want to partake in the political process to build a better Spain.

Fiesta groupies

2007-05-20T13:23:00.000+02:00

We went to our first fiesta this summer last last. We are fiesta groupies. Every town village and city has fiestas throughout the year but the summer ones are the best, they are free mini open concerts. It is not that we are cheapskates but R seems to have family in at least 1 out of every ten villages ( a slight exaggeration but not by much), so we feel it is our duty to go. Last night we saw Soraya (cheated out of winning OT two years ago). She has a brilliant voice and is much more prettier in real life than on the tele. An added benefit for me was that most of her act was in English, she used to be an air hostess and I was saying to R that when we are old duffers she will still be around and we can foxtrot to her in the Plaza in the Alcala fiestas like the pensioners do now to pasadobles. The photos came out dodgy again.

These fiestas are a great way to see bands and singers upclose, and if not alergy striken by the tons of pollen in the air, you can try local food and enjoy the particular customs which apply to the town or village.

My favourite fiestas are what I call the daddy of them all, Fallas. I believe that once you have seen this none can match. I lived through three of them in valencia and have yet to feel the same about any other, my joint favourite in the Romeria in Menjibar in Jaen, this is R´s village. There is a fun fair, loads of booze and food and Andalucian people. It isn´t as extravagant and camp as Fallas, but it encapsulates, fun, spirituality and friendship all in a period of a few days.

Fame game and emotion

2007-05-18T23:30:00.000+02:00

Watched the X factor last night. Why is it that the entrants always seem to shed a load of tears whether they pass through to the next round or not? Spain is without doubt an emotionally charged experience and I tend to release my emotions much more than I did in the UK. You only have to watch saturday night television to see a catharsis of built up pressures from the rich and famous, and a visit to Andalucia or the local Ahorra Mas will provide a window of everyday purging of people feelings.

Last night several contestants seemed to breakdown once they were informed of the results, my main thought was that those who didn´t pass fell into the following catgories,,,,,,,, 1. they couldn´t sing, 2. they dressed like prostitutes who have no style and 3. they looked like people who nick lead from Church roofs. Those who did pass, well , looked like the contestants on OT. However my favourite who demonstrated that bad style and emotional breakdowns can lead to some success, they are what is best described as a cross between fat man but with female private parts ( I know that she is a woman because they said nerviosa), she was great, they told her she dressed like a grungy meth ( my bit of artistic license but I am sure that what the judges meant in a round a bout way) but she went to the next round. When I track down her name she will be my favourite to win, she might do it the McManus girl won pop idol in the UK.

How bloody scary is that judge on the left??? He looks like the Joker

Voting part 3

2007-05-17T22:42:00.000+02:00

Some monsters who call themselves Alcala Habitable two days ago put a poster on the door of our building, Informing us not to be ostriches. I read further, it told us basically that immigrants are bad and indiginous population are good, and I assume that they believe Alcala would be a much nicer place to live if immigrants all left. Do these people not understand the irony of the fact that the reason Alcala is HABITABLE is because of immigration, the buildings, the growing economy , the new fushion of cultures. If they would have bothered in look further into the inhabitants of our building, there is a real mix of cultures, no problems, and now the idiot neighbours next door have gone, everyone is friends again. Needless to say I ripped the poster down and will definately not be voting for them.

The PP theme tune is really irritating me now, I would have thought handing out leaflets quitely and explaining the issues to the voters face to face might be more successful in helping them get their vote out. The Council did find time to clean the pirates mask that had been drawn on Esperanza in the park, her picture in the bus stop has a speech bubble now but my linguistic skills do not stretch as far as scribble, so I will never know the political intentions of the culprits. Maybe it was a couple of biddys waiting for the bus and they found that they were a little bit bored.

Who says Egyptology is dead

2007-05-16T18:31:00.000+02:00

Spotted on the web. You really couldn´t make this up.

I think its them wot dun her in

Working in Spain part 1

2007-05-16T18:23:00.000+02:00

Here is a story Mr A works near the centre of Madrid where it is possible to park, it is a place which has probably not fallen foul of the Councils parking bye law through the convention of continued usage. The owner of the establishment concerned asked the Council to stop his workers parking there. Now Mr A and others have to spend at least 30 minutes looking for parking or pay. Now I have my moments but b*gger me.

X Factor

2007-05-14T22:01:00.000+02:00

X factor has come to Spain on Cuatro. The programme ID is the same as in the UK but for sure the format will be very very different. Spanish Stars in your Eyes nearly satisfies the format criteria except for the panel they have who spend a good 40 % of the programme pronouncing and denouncing. Personally I feel anybody who is prepred to sing in front of millions deserves to be a famoso. The programme is about to start, they have just introduced the Judges, two of them look like the stereotype showcase inquisitors, the other looks very wierd, still will be able to catch up on his picadillos on Dolce Vita. Supposedly I am still sounding like Vera Duckworth with my throat problem, so I won´t be appearing for at least a while.

Walls have ears

2007-05-13T23:37:00.000+02:00

While strolling through Toledo yesterday with a friend we noticed that one of the magnificent entrances to the Cathederal has been obscured by netting. We assumed it was to protect the masonary from Pidgeons. My friend said where is the logic in covering a beautiful piece of architecture. I replied that there is no logic in Spain, this was in earshot of a couple of fellow tourists, the problem was one of them was Spanish and understood English, "thanks mate" he replied. My get out of difficult situations emergency button was quickly pressed, laughing I meekly said "ohhh its a joke my partners Spanish". I think its my first "slagging of Spanish" faux pas. Should I develop a code or even learn Klingon???

family scandal

2007-05-13T02:42:00.000+02:00

As I have mentioned before I having been researching my family tree. I uncovered a bit of a scandal tonight. In 1821 my great great great great grandfather was up before the magistrates for drunkeness. I have just discovered he was a higgler, that is someone who bartered goods from one farm or village to another. However his son and one of his daughters later became farmers so they salvaged the family name.

1821.4 PLATTS James (Lea, Ww) Higgler [Drunk] t.i.c. (Blakiston)
1821.4 PLATTS James (Lea, Ww) Higgler [RTO: 17] fine: 20/= (Blakiston)

A twenty shilling fine. In this I am following the tradition, my fines so far have amounted to 420 euros for driving fast and about 60 in parking fines. I will update on the value of this 20 shillings in due course.

This is the view from the town where he lived. I wonder if he stumbled home a few times across here

Museo de Zarzuela

2007-05-12T01:39:00.000+02:00

Teatro Victoria on Calle Pizzaro is the most romantic liitle theatre I have ever had the pleasure of visiting. Tonight there was a performace of Zarzuela but with attitude. The caprici Arte y Musica group entertained us with "un asesinato en el museo de Zarzuela" tonight. It was excellent. The singing was literally honey in the ears, the libretto was funny and quaint at the same time. The setting is the most dreamlike theatre. Over the last 30 years I have seen many a opera in various places in the UK and Europe, tonight was in my ideal place. I was transformed back to 18th century europe with the setting. However the Zarzuela itself fulfilled all criteria, the songs were performed with pasion and talent, the storyline is exceptional ( R who is Spanish flinched, which is a good sign that it broke the parameters defined by traditional Zarzuela). I have had a few too wines to give the performance credit but you must go see it if you can. I give you a guarentee you will enjoy it. There are twists and turns and even a competition of which I am sworn not to divulge the answer.

Teatro Victoria , 12, 14 May at 9 pm, 13 and 15th May at 8 pm

Tickets from El Corte Ingles, entradas.com, atrapalo.com or call 915228834

GO GO GO

Voting part 2

2007-05-10T18:49:00.000+02:00

Esperanza´s face has been covered up by opponents posters on my bus stop. All thats left of her is a mouth which uncannily resembles an upsidedown mooncat from the 1980´s childrens programme.

Blair - good riddance

2007-05-10T18:13:00.000+02:00

When he was elected in 1997 it was fanfared as a new Jerusalem, he believes it was and that he created one. I was one of the only people amongst my friends who didn´t seem pleased. Today I have been trying to think of positive things I believe he could leave as a legacy. I thought of two main ones, the minimum wage, once the lowest in Europe but now one of the highest , due to market led forces in my opinion, what business was prepared to pay based on productivity and efficiency in the economy. Although philosphically I dont agree with tax credits, they have brought benefit to many many people, and they are a good legacy. The Northern Ireland pece settlement I believe he pushed along but the current stage in the peace process is down to the energies and compassion of the people of Northern Ireland.

However, I believe sincerely, that he has left the UK in a much much worse condition than when he arrived. During his tenure, we have had an illegal war which has costs tens of thousands of lives and has changed geopolitics for the worst. Corruption at a low level is rife at various levels of Government . Wistleblowers have been "got rid off" when they try to tell the truth, and this is followed by whitewashed Government reports. He has developed a cruel cancer at the heart of british political life (or continued it at least). Spin has nearly replaced all political dialogue The gap between the rich and poor is wider. His ministers vilified single mothers. The far right is on the rise and in powerful positions in some areas of local government. Genuine refugees have been found sleeping homeless on the streets. Crime is at record levels (or at least the perception is). Old people still die waiting for hospital treatment. Schools are still failing many many people. University education is no longer free. The United Kingdom is gradually developing into the disunited Kingdom, even in England the calls for a separate Parliament are becoming louder. Civil liberties have been eroded and his efforts on the environment have been words matched by very little action.

He has had ten years to heal the wide divisions which exsited in British society and I genuinely believe that they are now wider and he is resposible ultimately for this.

I am glad he has gone. Good riddance to bad rubbish.

As an example, his "legacy" still breathes poison into political life. http://www.theliberati.net/quaequamblog/2007/05/10/blairying-bad-news/

Spiderman tres

2007-05-09T23:24:00.000+02:00

Just Come back from seeing Spiderman in English, but using headphones which is fine once you can find the on button.

I enjoyed the film although it is primarily an action film attempting to tell the tale of how our inner dark side only surfaces if we choose it to do, although I must admit it was quite amusing seeing Peter Parkers geeky dark side , however he could probably carry off his travolta style swinging down the street much better than I could. I am a bit geekyish so it is nice having a few moments of thinking that we geeks can throw away our Politics in 18th Century France books and dance spiderman fashion in a Jaaaazzzz bar. This was one of my favourite scenes in the film, where he dances with a gorgeous blonde and all the bar cheer and applaude him on, hoping to make his ex (at this stage) girlfriend rush back to him. The action scenes are good and there is a nice slice of physics at the beginning of the film. Infact it is understatement the action scenes are fantastic especially the one at the beginning of the film.

If you want a down to earth action film with a tiny bit of good verses evil theory then its worth seeing. Although my friend Ali said that Buffy deals with dark side undercurrents better, my reply was that it doesn´t do it in two hours though.

I would love a pair of those web spraying hands mind, it would make getting to work a awful lot quicker

Voting part 1

2007-05-08T18:44:00.000+02:00

We are trying to work out who to vote for in the elections. We will weigh up all the positives and negatives of each party. At the moment the PSOE van is belching out fumes and informing us through incredibly loud speakers that someone called Simicas is coming to town. They are telling us about the environment in Alcala while simultaneously polluting the air with carbon and noise, so thats a tick in the negative column there then. My bus stop has a lovely picture of a blonde Joan Collins asking us to have confidence or faith in the future, someone has drawn a lovely protruding nose on la Esperanza can´t decide whether she should be in positive or negative column. I bet her Avon lady makes a mint with her order.

UPDATE

I have seen him on the Posters, Simicas is PSOE.

Salamanca

2007-05-07T17:31:00.000+02:00

Last wednesday I visited Salamanca with my dad and a friend, so far out of all the cities I have been to in Spain it was the most beautiful, even more so than Cordoba. It remnded me a little bit of a larger Alcala. We did get caught out my an hailstorm and downpour but it was actually quite nice to see the city without the sun bleaching all the walls. The Palacio Monterry was an architectural delight, although the truely square plaza was impressive. However for me the pearl of the city was the Cathederal, it was the most beautiful and serene religous site I have ever had the pleasure to enter. From the outside it was superb and even fussy, but inside it felt calm and spiritual. One of my students said the Cathederal in Burgos can beat it so I will have to ensure that I visit. During my last 6 years in Spain I have neglected the North except Catalunia and have concentrated on the South and Valencia. I think many of my future excursions will be Northwards.

Coming back from Salamanca I thought that this is a place where I could live. I studied in Maastricht in Holland as part of my degree and Salamanca reminded me of why these Old University Towns are really worth a visit.

Again my camera was broken so some of the photos are a bit wonky.

These shells were a sign of love ( I wish I had a Valentines present like that)

This is beyond words.

Entrance to the Cathederal

My favourite Palace

The Plaza Mayor with rain

Family tree

2007-05-06T21:58:00.000+02:00

I have recently started researching my dads side of my family tree, his father and his ancestors were miners all the way back to 1820s and maybe before, its on my list of places to visit, Durham, Warwickshire and Bally Robin when in the UK this summer. Here is a clip from the film brassed off reminding me of when I played in several brass bands in Yorkshire (although I was no where near as good as these) and thinking about what happened to the miners. During the strike my dad was living in a pit village outside Leeds, I just wish I had understood the issues of the strike then.

Avila

2007-05-05T10:28:00.000+02:00

During the puente I visited Avila and Salamanca.

Avila is a city that could get any medieval history fans pulse racing, walking up the sloping road to the walled town can transform a person to the days of Sir Galahad. All of sudden you see the length of the walls as they snake around the town inside. It is impressive. Unlike the walls in Carrick Fergus where you can see Plastic Knights dotted around the walls trying to create a disney style historical perspective, the Walls in Avila let the mind do the thinking and the imagining.

The town inside the walls is pretty and contains the usual fare of palacios for the Dons and Duques, we had Nova so we could only peer around the door taking glimpses into the touristic sites. There are plenty of places to eat and drink, and the prices seemed reasonable, we had a lovely tortilla just outside the walls. The Tea Room (Coffee in reality) Run was acceptable, we didn´t see any bars that really stood out. Avila is a beautiful place, there was no reference to Cervantes being from there, and is a great place for an History buff. My only concern was that dogs can´t go up on the wall so we didn´t have a chance to see the spectacular views at their best.

The screen on my camera broke so all the photographs are taken blind, so they are a bit wonky, but they do give an idea of what Avila is like (I hope)

The impressive walls

Gateway

The Cathederal ( A bit wonky )

She couldn´t walk on the walls but she found a nice number plate to sniff

Shes going down

2007-05-03T16:00:00.000+02:00

What will happen to La Pantoja?

If my Spanish is not letting me down, she spent the night under house arrest, and has spent today in court

R is distraught, I am finding it hillarious and if I wasn´t in pain with my foot today, I am sure I could engender a few laughs.

Many years ago I trained in Law and used to beleive strongly in the rule of Law (until my court case in Spain which I won but recieved nothing in return), however it seems at the moment that those who act and think that they are above the law seem to be getting just deserts, two of the nobility Lord Browne and La Pantoja may soon be getting a taste of porrage rather than using avacado as margarine.

Will she soon feature in her very own bad girls series on tele 5

He will still makes loads out of his prison diaries

Photos of Avila and Salamanca tmw

A promise to myself

2007-05-01T12:16:00.000+02:00

Every year I write a letter to myself and open it the following new years eve. It alsways works and I usually acheive all my targets.
This entry is a promise to myself, I have already given intention to leave my job at the end of August and went through a panickky process of trying to get a job in September but what I have decided to do is actually do what I aimed to do when I came to Spain 6 years ago. In the last 6 years I have always worked fulltime and more i.e. extra classes, I am not going to do this next year. I am going to have a year off, teach a bit in the mornings but enjoy the year. Financially we should just survive, so yes I am doing what I came to Spain to do. I can always become head of department in a few years time, so now just have to sit out the next few moneths and year 2007/2008 is going to be my year.

I will look again at this entry in May 2008. What an opertune day . Workers of the world enjoy it.

Tmw I will put on my Avila photos, the ones which survived from my broken camera (somethings dont change, electrical equipment and me dont seem to have formed a lasting relationship

Worlds Apart

2007-04-29T21:49:00.000+02:00

A new princess was born today and as a somewhat royalist thats good news for Spain.
She is named Sophia after the Queen.

However the other news important to me today was in the Sunday times and related to something from my political days in the Liberal Democrats (I still prefer the term Liberal party, still dont accept these SDP upstarts, they are still labourites). However I digress. In a great multi-cultural ward in which many of my family live, a ward in which I have canvassed, delivered leaflets and used up tons and tons of shoe leather, the Labour Party have been accused of electoral fraud (see article in Sunday Times). Now I know it is not only labour who have in the past committed fraud, but this is a ward where the majority of the people work hard but much of the time life is a battle, in the last few years they have voted Liberal for a reason. This is a ward where there are high levels of poverty but people just get on with their lives do not turn to the far right for an easy way out, and they vote for councillors who work on their behalf. They have been neglected by labour for many many years and now Labour feel they have the right to basically view their democratic rights like crap. I sincerely hope that the culprits go to Jail, but like most politicians they will probably walk away scot bloody free. Grrrr

Property 2

2007-04-28T13:37:00.000+02:00

At my class this morning we dicussed the Property market fall and its implications. No-one seemed that bothered, so thats that sorted then. I love the laid back attitude and long may it last.

property

2007-04-27T18:47:00.000+02:00

In the financial times the other day there was an article of the end of the boom in Spanish property. This has no consequences for me, but many of my friends are mortgaged to the hilt. I rent and will always rent, when I owned a house it was an hassle and when I sold it it was more hassle and everytime I return home my friends tell me how much I would have made if i kept it, I reply yes but I would need a stress ball the size of Pudsey Asda. My own opinion is that there will be a decrease in prices in many areas of Spain but not in hotspots such as Madrid and Barcelona. My friends in Valencia tell me that prices are not rising, but thankfully they are not falling.

In the FT article it talked about the impact of several corruption scandals in Spain on the fall in property stock prices. This may be the case but it seems to me that the whole system in based on corruption, many friends have left spain with 100, 000 euros in bags when they have sold their properties here, many people seem to pay a part of the price with "black money". It would therefore seem axiomatic that a industry built on corruption with corrupt foundations will be destroyed by corruption and corrupt practices. The corruption seems to be practised at individual, local governmental and corporate level. I know it is not the same in every instance, but it seems to me that it is in a reasonable amount of cases

My car has been seriously grazed

2007-04-26T19:11:00.000+02:00

I am not the best driver in the world but today someone went into my car, I know its a taxi driver because someone took his mumber plate. It is amazing, infront of many people he went into my car trying to turn and badly scratched it. At the time when I found out he had driven off already. A colleague of mine said "its Madrid".

I did my arm waving and swearing in Spanish so let off a bit of steam.

I have now calmed down, but what annoys me is that I worked hard to buy this car and then they can´t even be bothered to leave their details. I still wonder whether in twenty years time I will still get angry about incidents like this or just put it down to "living in Spain", I cant even say its better in Valencia which is my usual response to "life in Madrid disaters", I was once at a traffic light at RED and someone drove into the back of my car, reversed and buggered off. I am beginning to think that my car has bad karma, when it was in sheet metal form did it fall on someone.

On a more positive note I made it through the traffic in one hour this morning and it was raining.

Just going to hospital R on another Baja, that should be fun!!!!

Tell me something I don´t know

2007-04-25T22:02:00.000+02:00

Saw this on yahoo españa

Ser inteligente no es suficiente para ser rico, según un estudio

To be intelligent doesn´t mean you will be rich - welcome to my life, only joking, I know my ONCE ticket will come up trumps one day.

Health schmealth

2007-04-24T20:32:00.000+02:00

I have to have an operation on my throat (the Spanish health system is the best in the world and even the door way at Alcala hospital is smoke free) so I am now officially a part of my Spanish family, we recieve regular calls for updates on my condition. I know the causes are shouting (which I do a lot of in my current job) and probably talking too much for the last 36 years. I love discussions of health in Spain because everyone has a story to tell. I must admit I am enjoying the cause celeb of all this.

One of my colleagues cut his finger today at 9 AM (well the top of his finger), by 4 PM he was having it amputated according to the grapevine which involves 240 humans at work, I phoned said colleague at 5 and it was back to cutting the top of his finger off. It was the topic of the day and the grape vine proved that in discussing health everybody has a story to tell it just might get changed a little has it does the rounds.

Bad for my health today was the crazy idea of tarting up the side of the motorway at rush hour. The head of motorway maintenance but really hate us commuters.

Tin opener chaos

2007-04-23T22:34:00.000+02:00

My hundreth entry is about a tin opener, tonight I bust the ring pull on a tin of tuna, so for the first time in 6 years I needed an everyday tin opener, I can´t ever remember buying one so I asked R. R showed me two pieces of metal joined by and hinge and said this will do the job. How? It is the most insane contraption I ever ever seen. So I resorted to my tool kit, my plastic headed hammer and screw driver and forced the bugger open, the tuna ended up everywhere except in the sauce mix.

A friend of mine was sacked today for the following heineous crime. In the words of Richard Littlejohn ( our very own UK fascist ) you couldnt make it up. Click here for the latest erosion of employee rights

How on this earth or fullers are these supposed to work?

These are the beauties I want for Chrimbo

Saturday in Alcala

2007-04-21T17:38:00.000+02:00

I teach English on a saturday morning to keep my hand in and for emergencies for example I leave or get sacked from my main job.

I really enjoy teaching english and do manage to get excited over demonstrating present passive and active grammar. It also means that I am up before three on a saturday which gives me time to catch up on things. Now summer is arriving I can also take Nova for a pleasent walk around Alcala. I have mentioned before that I still look foward to shopping in Spain but another of my plus points for living here is the bustle in a spanish town on a Saturday. The Calle Mayor is the perfect place to saunter even when Nova is upsetting the good citizens of the town by tangling their legs in her leed. Today we went to Plaza Cervantes which was chocabloc of people, old people chatting, kids playing and yobbos on their skateboards, although the cool thing about walking Nova is that the skatebaorders stop before crashing into me to save the dog (dogs are wonderful on so many levels). Its a nice little square surrounded by shops on three sides an part of the old university on the other.

Today I also sat down for a bit to read the most interesting book about the Working Classes in London, it is based on the authors research into his family tree ( a hobby of mine but my tree not his). The book is full of anecdotes which have real relevance to my life here in Alcala. The book is The Likes of US - A biography of the White Working Class by Michael Collins

I find this passage relevant to the Pueblo, " friendly disagreements occurred outside the houses in summer, as neighbours sat and put the world to rights"

Another quote just amusing when he talks about Upper Class socialists such as one of the Mitford sisters living in Southwark as part of a social experiment, " Orwell had said that no matter what their views the upper classes still belived the working classes smelled"

Another thing about the sociological aspect of the book that it brought me back to days of studying A level sociology, I would never have expected to hear the term emborgeouisement again. See I still cant spell it.

Calle Mayor, Alcala

The working class

A bit of politics

2007-04-21T17:31:00.000+02:00

Is it me or does Zapatero look a tinsy bit camp, he looks at though he is taking her on a pasadoble.

Photo stolen from El Pais website

smoking update:

2007-04-18T23:18:00.000+02:00

Havent smoked today but used strong patch, and even better it was 27 degrees this afternoon in Alcala and 22degrees at about 10:00 summer has arrived.

There is a brilliant program on the proposed standard for blogs in UK. Link is through this link. Be quick cos I think its only on for about another 5 days. Interesting arguement of whether Blog code of practice shoudl exist, I think there are reports of cyber bullying and bad comments among some blogs in UK and elsewhere.

Personally, there is always a delete button and I don´t think blogging should be another area where Governments can further curtail our Freedom of Speech.

One of the things which makes blogging unique is the free market in blogs if you dont like it you can choose another. My favourite blogs are linked on the side of the screen, and they themselves contain lnks to many wonderful pages.

smoking

2007-04-17T22:46:00.000+02:00

I have smoked for the last two days after stopping for three and half months, I have thrown the rest of the three packets away and bought some more patches, starting to stop again tomorrow, my reasons for smoking I think were justifiable, but there will be no more money going to Camel incorporated from this house.

What is it with this rain? All my Spanish pals are saying "its like being in England" my response at this moment in time is ( bearing in mind my car is still in the garage two weeks after being in the same garage), that yes it is just like England oohh except you normally get your car seen to within 72 hours, or at least they phone you. See my new abstention from cigarettes is making me grumpy again

New bar

2007-04-15T22:35:00.000+02:00

Found a great little bar in Alcala today with a nice little court yard and a building which must be at least two hundred years old, but tastefully decorated, we arrived quite late so missed the paella but it looked rather gorgeous. Bar is called La Corrala on Calle Damas. They had good selection of drinks, cool waiters and thirty something clientele, we will need to try it out at night sometime, will try to talk R into it.

A little orange box of delights has opened infront of the flat, the protable icecream shop or whatever they are called, alternatively it is one big gout bomb.

Friday the thirteenth

2007-04-14T01:42:00.000+02:00

Car broke down and R broke the phone, is that not omenish, even worse is that because R doesn´t have any money this month and I have a bit and we need a new phone I will have a buy the phone to replace the phone which was my birthday present because its one without a cable ERGO I actuallly bought my birthday present. This following clip as cheered me up, its not Spanish but its funny.

counting game

2007-04-13T18:26:00.000+02:00

The car is back at the mechanics well at least our less than a year old car managed to last two weeks after its previous visit, but never mind I saw the most interesting game on the train back from Madrid, it involved pressing numbers in order on a touchscreen on one of those hand held computer type things, there were five students involved and they seemed engrossed. What happened to students smoking pot and being wacky.

They were shouting 1, 2, 3, 4, .....34, 35, 36.....67, 68 etc....

Is it me or do they need to get a life

Am i jumping the gun

2007-04-12T21:08:00.000+02:00

A nice picture of a nice drink

After a few false starts for better weather have we reached the promised clime, although raining today and tomorrow, I saw a picture of the sun on BBC weather and I know its coming, in preparation I have bought my first bottle of Horchata. If you are in valencia go to Horchateria Daniels in Alboraya. It gorgeous, although I still dont like dipping so called Fartons into my horchata. What a name!!

In summer there is nothing better than drinking horchata, I have it for my breakfast and if I am feeling devilsih for my supper as well, though its not the same drinking it Alcala as in Valencia.

Beach in Valencia ( Not Alboraya but you can legally drink horchata here)

the sun

Another olde worlde way of telling summers coming is that there seems to be an increase in flies buzzing around and generally being annoying

Jaen

2007-04-10T19:22:00.000+02:00

We had a wonderful time in Jaen although the procession in the village was rained off. But we saw loads of family and gained the obligatory 8 kilos.

Didn´t get many photos because of the weather buthere is one of one of the grape vines growing. One of the nicest things about easter is its the time for new change, new beginnings and new life.

Also look at these shoes, they are distgusting and a crime. I wouldn´t even wear them on lesuire suit sunday

And this is R´s roving reporter traffic jam in despeñaperros

Nice work if you can get it

2007-04-10T19:19:00.000+02:00

Look at this junxtaposition (think this is the right word)

Ex-Airbus boss pockets 8.5m euros (bbc)

France will be worst hit with 4,300 job losses. Germany will see 3,700 jobs go while the UK and Spain will see 1,600 and 400 jobs cut respectively (bbc)

And he is probably entitled to the paro!!

Turning spanish

2007-04-05T12:27:00.000+02:00

Not only do we have a window box, R´s 5 year plan in turning me Spanish takes another giant leap. I have been in Spain six years now, I have the window box, my family say that I shout rather than talk, I am seriously gaining weight and now this,

I bought a freezer box

Its sooo beuatiful, its first load will be a a great big salmon and fruit and veg for Jaen.

Soon to be full of lovely foooood

Vamos a Jaen

2007-04-05T01:38:00.000+02:00

We are going to Jaen for Easter tomorrow. I will put a few photos of the village, its beautiful, very andalucian and his inhabited by the most generous people you could hope to meet. Kindness does not go far enough in describing the people.

To get in the Jaen mood, listen to this . I love them and it is through this group that I am currently improving my Spanish. To me Los Chichos lyrics are passionate and very very Spanish. My favoutite Chichos song is about falling in love with a prostitute "amor por la noche".

This is "te vas me dejas"

Who will benefit

2007-04-03T11:55:00.000+02:00

E On withdraws bid (See article)

Several things come to mind.

1) Now we could end up with a Spanish/Italian monopoly on energy (so thats an increase in our bills)
2) Now it could be a three way split between several organisations an increase in costs even in the short term will have consequences (so thats an increase in our bills)(and also a potential increase in diseconomies of scale)
3) How can Spain be taken seriously has the fifth largest economy in the EU if it only really wants to follow the rules it likes.
4) When Zapatero goes begging for more funds at the next EU budget how responsive will other countries be i.e. why should we give you the money if you don´t follow the rules.
5)Oh and now the PP can do what they usually do and attack PSOE but the difference being this time being able to let the facts get in the way of a biased opinion.

I can´t really understand how PSOE cannot see the benefit to Spain in having a free market in Europe, if all countires felt the same then they wouldn´t have benefited from the expansion of Spanish banks in the relevant states.

They must get their heads out of the sand if Spain is to remain the fifth economic power, they can´t always rely on building and tourism.

Libreria

2007-04-02T23:10:00.000+02:00

Libreria or book shop I actually prefer the Spanish version it seems to have overtones of liberty which is what I believe reading brings (unless your reading Chairman Maos little red book).

There is a great little bookshop in Madrid for International books mainly English but also Spanish, Romanian and I think Chinese (so you may be able to buy Chairman Maos bestseller) amongst others. Its called Petras and is near the old santa domingo car park and the oprera house on calle campomanes. They have a great selection.- I couldn´t find a Rebus novel today so played safe and bought one about a British Gangster and the truth about the Angels and Demons book by the da vinci code guy. Theer are loads of cafes nearby and the sabatinni gardens and palace so its great in summer, buy and sit and read in the sun.

One of the things I miss about home is being able to have a bloody good saunter around book shops, but Petras allows me to do this on a smaller scale. I know that I could satisfy this urge by trapesing around the Spanish book shops but it doesn´t feel the same when I have top spend ten minutes trying to translate the blurb.

Even better is that there is a system which enables you to get a discount by collecting stamps on a card, although I must admit that I am always restarting the cards because I seem to lose them between visits. Now I only need to find a kiosko where you can buy a British newspaper for 45 pence not 8 euros 50 cents.

Not a brilliant photo but a great place to read

I am not a geek but this is funny

2007-04-02T13:26:00.000+02:00

Please believe me when I say I have no geek traits but this is funny.

Look how beautiful Liverpool can be

2007-04-01T10:51:00.000+02:00

I got the date stamp wrong again. And there is no Richard and Judy anymore at the Dock (even better) Now that is Karma

Its a disgrace

2007-04-01T10:46:00.000+02:00

I can´t belive that they are think of sending anybody here never mind someone who had helped unearth a scandal.

This is why I hate Labour. http://observer.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,,2047688,00.html

How does anybody expect people to come forward and stop sex slavery when the fools deport people. They should deport Blair to Crawford Ranch in Texas because thats where he really belongs

must now do a nice entry . Karma man!!!!

One of the reasons I came to Spain

2007-03-30T00:10:00.000+02:00

Many years ago I studies in Holland and this was when I first became interested in Spanish music, my room mate was Spanish and one of my best friends Javier studied in Holland at the same time and we still see each other and keep in touch. Javier and jose introduced me to Spanish Music, while I still cant seem to get to grips with Spanish Rock ( I am nearly there with bacalao), flamenco guitar is still one of my passions. I found this on You Tube. it is well worth a listen to, Also this link to a web for a bit of background information

http://www.gypsyflamenco.com/diego.html

We have become our mothers

2007-03-29T10:36:00.000+02:00

We have officially become our mothers. Look what we have put on our balcony.

We watch Dolce Vita, diario de patricia, our friends say we make too much food, and now flowers. Help!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But they are beautiful!!!

Read this from the BBC news, what a diamond geezer

First day of the holidays and the sun is shining. Ole

Viva España, Viva los reyes y viva ford

2007-03-26T20:37:00.000+02:00

I am still in delierious shock, I actually got my car back within five days. What is happening to the world. I love Spain, I love the Royals and what a company Ford is. Well my car is made in Valencia.

Great saying today about politics, "as poisoned chalices go it was like something rustled up by Lucrezia Borgia on one of her most vengeful days"

Ranter

2007-03-25T13:18:00.000+02:00

Although there is a picture to the testonomy that I rant like him on the wall at my work , hopefully there are no other similarities. Why does he just not take that one step further. see story

I know it is not very Madrid related but it does inspire hope that the ETA situation could be solved in the future, its just that it could be a long long process.

This is quite political for a sunday morning.

R overslept for work this morning forgot about change in time.

Park Life

2007-03-22T20:22:00.000+01:00

Had a friend and her daughter over from Belfast this weekend and during the weekend we visited two parks, the Retiro and my local park in Alcala.

I love both parks, the retiro for a sunday afternoon saunter especially in summer, just lazing under one of the trees in the shade does a lot more than 8 packets of St johns wort, I also like the crystal palace. Its like in Sefton but with windows.

My other favourite park is in Alcala not only is there a great bar where you can sit out in the sun and let my neighbours feed Nova (thus saving me a few euros), but the coffee is great too.

Here are some pictures can you guess which is which park. My favourite is the one in the twon where Cervantes was born

Car Wars

2007-03-21T20:03:00.000+01:00

My nearly brand new car wouldnt start this morning, I thought it might be because of the snow (In Madrid In late March, they never told me this at the interview).

So when the grua arrived the garage then couldnt let the car in , even overnight ) I was too stressed to argue with them, R thinks that I am being a neurotic English person again, however I had to remind R that the last time my car broke down it was missing for three months, until it was finally found in a car park in Valencia, so yes R I am completely flipping out about it.

To more positive stuff, found this website with some nice easy to cook Spanish recipies

http://www.cocinacasera.com/

See i am de stressing already. Though what has happened to my karma I dont know, two car problems in two years. i must have been bad in a past life.

three words

2007-03-19T23:48:00.000+01:00

I normally have a least a little bit of respect for elected politicians ( as I said a little for many and much for a few) , but this man can be summed up by three little words

self delusional buffoon

story (click here)

Happy St Patricks Day

2007-03-17T09:00:00.000+01:00

Hope evryone enjoys today.

europhobia

2007-03-16T21:35:00.000+01:00

Although I am not really a fan of mice the only real phobia I have is Europhobia, but only in the sense of the EU ( I know I benefit from it by living in Spain but I am sure I could still live here if the UK wasn´t in the EU ( and the paperwork could not be any different that is for sure))

The reasons are:

1) A single currency doesn´t work effectively when there are sovereign states I think interest rates should be decided by those they effect most or at least be decided by an organisation which is closely related to the people the interest rates will effect.
2) As a democrat I prefer decisions to be made as near to the people they effect as possible
2) What might be good for Spain might not be for Poland for example. Power distribution is un-balanced in my view in the EU
3) Although there arn´t as many Eurocrats as the Sun says, they are still unelected
4) I like my cucumbers bent (well that is a bit of an exagerration).

I like the four freedoms but not the 120 000 anti-freedoms which seem to have followed.

The story of Endessa therefore does not suprize me. Lowest common denominator barginning results in lowest beneficial consequences.see story I cant relate to the idea that you can be a member of a club but only follow the rules you like.

This is my first time in six years I am not going to Fallas, but have friend over from Ireland and she is a bloody firework!!!!!

Bon nit

24 degrees

2007-03-15T19:07:00.000+01:00

It was 24 degrees this afternoon in Alcala. So I decided to buy some strawberries, even after 6 years I still love going into a shop and buying fruit in Spain, when I think back to the days at Morrisons when it was a choice between Golden delicious and about 4 other members of the fruit family, I dont know how I survived.

Shopping in Spain is still one of those activities I love and everytime I do it there seems to be something new to amaze me.

Was reading in a church magazine today how we are supposed to mellow as we get older, I think that if someone said to me three years ago even that I would be content sitting in a park with strawberries, a dog and an Ian Rankin I would have laughed. I suppose I am now appreciating living my Spanish Dream.

I havent any pictures of the park near my flat or the "ahora mas" from whence said fruit was bought so here is a picture of the university in Alcala.

Bonkers

2007-03-14T22:45:00.000+01:00

I haven´t really blogged for a while but there have been some sad family reasons for this. In a few days I will get back to it.

But read some of these. This woman while very pretty is completely bonkers.Ann Coulter

have spent a few lovely afternoons in the Park with Nova, it was 24 degrees today and I divided up my two layer coat so summers very very nearly here.

lazy hazy crazy days of summer

2007-03-04T23:23:00.000+01:00

Yipeee

Summers coming again, the bar in the Park for my sunday coffee has put the seats out again.

All is well, it was 24 degrees today and I know this is it now until november. And he hasn´t put the price of coffee up either.

Places you´ve gotta go (well at somestage anyroad) 1

2007-02-22T17:59:00.000+01:00

Guadalajara is about a 20 minute drive from Alcala de Henares and probably an hour from Madrid.

If you want a very Spanish night out then Guadalajara is a good place to go although the nearest reasonable discoteca are in Alcala (reasonable !!! depends on taste), but in the fiestas the nights out are crazy, everyone is in fancy dress (unlike Alcala where only a few seem to be, it is getting a tiny bit more suburbian everyday)and the drink is cheaper than Madrid. The music is varied but you must like Spanish music to enjoy it apart form the rare twenty minute sets where there is a bit of dance.
There are a few nice restaurants.
However I recently went during the day and was suprized how tranquilito it is. there is a nice church (see above9 which is next to a park which has a duck pond in something I haven´t really seen in Spain.

There are a few nice bars and there seemed to be a few good restaurants to visit during the day (well they seemed full and the people were smiling)

I think Guadalajara is worth a visit for typical inland Spain fiestas epecially if you like fancy dress, and also a nice sunday day out for a bit of site seeing and relaxing. I would say May or early June just to laze in the park ( a few spliffs would be an asset)

You can catch the train from Madrid Atocha and Chamartin about once every half hour

It always catches up in the end.

2007-02-21T19:49:00.000+01:00

Those years of bad diet, smoking and drinking have finally caught up. I have to go on low fat diet and have been told absolutely no alcohol. I promise I am not an alchy although my Madrid Helathcards which my doctor printed out for me bare remarkedly close resemblance to those which an alcoholic would have.

Anyway I am now being introduced to the new world of low fat cooking, and I am really enjoying it (at the moment)

Made a low fat pisto sauce yesterday and even R said that it tasted full fat. I am gong to put a few of the recipies online hopefully with pictures. they are lower fat not low fat and I have had to training in nutrician so they could actually be all wrong.

The pisto is easy

a aubergine cubed, a courgette cubed, an onion chopped , I always use loads of Garlic but I reckon at least a quater of a whole clove. A red pepper chopped and cubed. I fried these in a little bit of olive oil. Remember that olive oil is still oil. I also added a bit of salt and pepper and the a couple of tea spoons of sugar (although in the past I have used saccarin and it tasted fine). I then added a tin of the tomatoe triturado, let in cook for a bit and then added chunks of chicken without skin. then I added a glass of water. I let it cook on a very low heat for over an hour.

There was enough for three and I worked it out that it was about 5 grams of fat at the most which is pretty low fatastic.

remember fridge pickers wear big knickers

A new Milli vanilli film

2007-02-15T13:39:00.000+01:00

This is thw web of the surviving member of milli vanilli

click here

I have the album and am hoping that in about 40 years it will be worth loads so I can retire comfortably.

Those immortal words "girl you know its true u u u u uooo"

Happy Valentines Day

2007-02-14T11:51:00.000+01:00

Happy San valentin.

I have had loads of my own in the past so I am allowed to be sickly today

things i have learnt today

2007-02-12T23:24:00.000+01:00

I have a sprained ankle so have spent the last two days on the sofa. It is funny what you can learn:

The British were awful to the Zulus
Tea is probably the best drink in the world
dont stand on a swollen foot
Pantoja is still going strong in Valencia
I still really miss valencia I used to live in front of the Palau de Musica and I have had to watch it continuously on TV
Nova actually spends a lot of the day sleeping
Jackie Mason´s new york jewish accent must be a at least a little put on
diario de patricia is not as good as trisha although she does have a better class of guest ( but only just)

Talking about politics

2007-02-10T21:56:00.000+01:00

Take a look at this.

Lies dammed lies and lie machines

2007-02-10T21:47:00.000+01:00

Why is it that all TV programmes in Spain seem to put all their guests on lie detector machines. Its unreal. There was even someone the other day using one to deny that he had had sexual relations with Pantoja. They should just inject these people with the truth drug they had on James Bond, it would be much quicker.

Talking about liars

I really like this picture.

I haven´t done it for ages

2007-02-09T20:29:00.000+01:00

I haven´t blogged for a while and these are the reasons why:

was in UK
have been ill

I am going to do a big catch up of things starting tomorrow.