tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-87070348574436985322024-03-06T03:05:06.034+01:00This curious thing called Catalonia...A blog about Catalan language and cultureAnnahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.comBlogger54125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-56291319536119744312012-09-20T21:30:00.001+02:002012-09-20T21:33:03.127+02:00A historical turnover?<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on">
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<span style="font-size: small;">Some things have changed in Catalonia. In the last 10 years independentism has been growing from a rough 30% to a 51%. Besides, there are people who, despite not believing in Catalonia as a separate country, feel Catalonia should receive better financial treatment from Spain. But how have we have come to that? Why people who've never been independentists before are joining the cause? Why Catalonia uneasiness with Spain is growing and becoming unbearable?</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1osbwGJQUndng3RM5CxiJbg2fvWcqEnzfRRcjFXw4ANcOlDLX6m3dcbzW9A6Xa94G0bzERlGgd2eSubJrQ9JUMGzSlfJQHxbGKCl-AISE6_aEkwnGIExzBHLSXi1fQbhlMZlcxlXut2Mz/s1600/vista_aeria_mani.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="217" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi1osbwGJQUndng3RM5CxiJbg2fvWcqEnzfRRcjFXw4ANcOlDLX6m3dcbzW9A6Xa94G0bzERlGgd2eSubJrQ9JUMGzSlfJQHxbGKCl-AISE6_aEkwnGIExzBHLSXi1fQbhlMZlcxlXut2Mz/s320/vista_aeria_mani.jpg" width="320" /></a></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: xx-small;"> </span><span style="font-size: small;"><i><span style="font-size: xx-small;">View of the rally</span></i></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">This is really a complicated issue to explain and of course, as a Catalan (and coming from a family of Catalan origins on both sides), I cannot be impartial. I was at the demonstration. My aim is explaining things as I see them without falling into disrespect, and of course I'd also like to allow room for discussion.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">I will set some topics as background information, which I'll try to develop during the next few days (let's see if in this way I also can impose myself the habit of writing). I will be dealing with:</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">1. Overview of Spain's political organisation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">2. Overview of Spain's economical organisation.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">3. Historical and recent events </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">4. Reasons for independentism growth</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">5. Potential consequences</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">As per now, I leave you with some interesting links from the English and American press about this turnover.</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>From the BBC:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19564640"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19564640</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19566838"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-africa-19566838</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19565464">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-19565464</a> (pictures)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>From <i>The New York Times</i>:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/world/europe/12iht-barcelona12.html"><span style="font-size: small;"></span></a><span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.blogger.com/blogger.g?blogID=8707034857443698532">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/12/world/europe/12iht-barcelona12.html</a> </span></div>
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<a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/world/europe/14iht-catalonia14.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.nytimes.com/2012/09/14/world/europe/14iht-catalonia14.html?pagewanted=all&_moc.semityn.www</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>From <i>The Guardian</i>:</b></span></div>
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/12/catalonia-independence-barcelona-demonstration?INTCMP=SRCH"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2012/sep/12/catalonia-independence-barcelona-demonstration?INTCMP=SRCH</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/13/catalonia-million-march?INTCMP=SRCH"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/13/catalonia-million-march?INTCMP=SRCH</span></a></div>
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<a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/11/catalan-independence-rally-barcelona"><span style="font-size: small;">http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/11/catalan-independence-rally-barcelona</span></a></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/11/catalonia-independence-march-barcelona-tweets">http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/sep/11/catalonia-independence-march-barcelona-tweets</a> (pictures)</span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><b>From <i>The Economist</i>:</b></span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.economist.com/node/21563347">http://www.economist.com/node/21563347</a> </span></div>
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<span style="font-size: small;">If you have more links, please share. And of course share your opinion too!</span></div>
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Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-51096437596808021192011-10-05T20:19:00.013+02:002011-10-06T18:55:41.264+02:00There's not only one Catalan<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">If you are learning Catalan don't panic with the title! It only means that, as any other language in the world, Catalan has different accents and dialects. I particularly find this subject amazing; I already found it interesting when I was at high school and I barely had heard any other dialect or accent other than the one in my area. However, on my arrival to Barcelona at 18, my ears filled up with different Catalan varieties and I was listening very carefully to all the new people I met to catch up all the details that, up to that moment, I had only read in school books. I was an avid listener. Now, at 27, I still do it. I can't help it, I love it. And I think it is wonderful to have such richness and explore it. And here is what I will do today: setting the basics of Catalan dialectology!</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family:arial;"> <span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">Catalan-speaking areas</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Catalan is not only spoken in Catalonia. In fact it is spoken in other regions of Spain, namely: La Franja de Ponent ("The Western Strip", Aragon), the Balearic Islands, the Valencian Community and in one place in Murcia called El Carxe). And, furthermore, it is also spoken in "Catalunya del Nord" (Southern France); Alghero, in the Italian island of Sardinia; and Andorra. Together, this make a rough total of 9 million of speakers and 2 more million more who do not speak Catalan but understand it. And there also a few learners around the globe :).</span><br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-v5pYT4DZs_GQ1nP3mbpU7fcdm0KI4Xn6GUjNeE6vobamsYVxhIUedsnRbtBHsO-refe7JmcpbKLaZFDXdNx7q38GkzY1C_uflFbyr1jzh8VWjOcfZaumYpbtNY0rVkFiMDB7MSCkUJth/s1600/paisoscatalans.gif"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 284px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi-v5pYT4DZs_GQ1nP3mbpU7fcdm0KI4Xn6GUjNeE6vobamsYVxhIUedsnRbtBHsO-refe7JmcpbKLaZFDXdNx7q38GkzY1C_uflFbyr1jzh8VWjOcfZaumYpbtNY0rVkFiMDB7MSCkUJth/s320/paisoscatalans.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660088862252995618" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Catalan-speaking areas</span></span><br /></div> <div style="text-align: justify; font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Western and Eastern</span><br />Mainly, there are two dialects in Catalan: Western and Eastern. This division is based on a very tangible difference: lack -Western- or presence -Eastern- of the schwa vowel (the schwa is also found in English, for example, the way the "e" is pronounced in "computer"). In other words: if "a" and open and closed "e" are turned -Eastern- or not turned -Western- to schwa in weak syllables.<br /><br />There are other differences of course, but the most obvious and easily heard is this one<span style="font-weight: bold;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">More useful: the main 6 dialect distinction</span></span></span></span></span><br />Using the Western and Eastern dialect distinction only would be really simplistic and poor to describe all Catalan varieties. The official rules for oral Catalan are based on 6 Catalan dialects: Northern Catalan, Central Catalan, Balearic, Northwestern Catalan, Valencian and Algherese.<br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYN8RssRNxqHo44qvqwajtlWDOST4VD0qMFl99Qk5VGPTGn7EhHk0t1KB-BcQ85oQ-WSY7S6cyEFbzDRgg-E29ji5WDNPCrlgtAVPAlGZUgaw13s0jT61TDZ-rl9QeLBXnxszApwFa155p/s1600/Dialectes.JPG"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiYN8RssRNxqHo44qvqwajtlWDOST4VD0qMFl99Qk5VGPTGn7EhHk0t1KB-BcQ85oQ-WSY7S6cyEFbzDRgg-E29ji5WDNPCrlgtAVPAlGZUgaw13s0jT61TDZ-rl9QeLBXnxszApwFa155p/s320/Dialectes.JPG" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660422189552389378" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">The official 6 dialect distinction<br /></span></span></div><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family:arial;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: justify; font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">Let's make it more real: the 12 dialects distinction</span><br /><span style="font-family: arial;">Drilling down we even find that the 6 dialects distinction can't fit all purposes. This was what drove some professors of the Autonomous University of Barcelona (UAB) to publish a <a href="http://books.google.es/books?id=ojvxoKC-Cp4C&pg=PA14&dq=guia+fon%C3%A8tica+per+a+les+televisions+locals&hl=ca&ei=_tyNTt2OEIXasgaIscQL&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=1&ved=0CDAQ6AEwAA#v=onepage&q=guia%20fon%C3%A8tica%20per%20a%20les%20televisions%20locals&f=false">book</a> with the specificities of 12 subdialects to help language assessment in the media. This distinction is more real, but still, in my opinion, it is too general in some cases and a bit misleading in the terminology. </span><br /><br /></div> <div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZm8f7pmu-050e_Vu8zl5aHG9lryCSVPgslwr2-PLLMfwPdig6oQm33f5Ew0ai1udw7Z9zGGT-Uf07jLy49aBCuEYb96IDVeQwOmZAJ9VK4GA9bmq0VDBSUfJooVzOOdShbatdQhZEuqKe/s1600/subdialectes.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 231px; height: 348px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhZm8f7pmu-050e_Vu8zl5aHG9lryCSVPgslwr2-PLLMfwPdig6oQm33f5Ew0ai1udw7Z9zGGT-Uf07jLy49aBCuEYb96IDVeQwOmZAJ9VK4GA9bmq0VDBSUfJooVzOOdShbatdQhZEuqKe/s320/subdialectes.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5660098392758391298" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The 12 accents map</span><br /></span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">I like to include myself somewhere in-between "olotí" (or transitional northern Catalan) and "the Catalan of Girona (not in the maps, part of Central Catalan). And my boyfriend is from Andorra, thus, his is a Northwestern dialect (he says "Andorran" :P). Schwa and not schwa in the same flat. He's one of my objects of study haha!<br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /></div><div style="text-align: left;"><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">And with this variety... isn't it difficult to understand each other?</span><br />Not at all.<span style="font-weight: bold;"> </span>Though some varieties might be hard to pick phonetically at the beginning (especially Balearic), after you get used to it, no one really needs to change their pronunciation much. Maybe some words are changed from a local to a standard form... but not big deal.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">Accent and dialect</span><br />The concept of "dialect" in Catalan is not really the same as in the case of German or Italian, where their dialects are much more different among each other and a standard is really needed to make people from different dialects understand each other. In Catalan, there is one standard variety (and substandards in the Valencian Community and the Balearic islands), but there is not really needed in casual speech in a conversation with people who speak different dialects.<br /><br />Accent is only restricted to phonetics, whereas dialect includes lexical and morphosyntactical characteristics. Thus, you could argue that Western and Eastern are accents and dialects at the same time, that there are 6 main dialects, 12 subdialects and many local accents.<br /><br />I leave you with a test. Could you guess if these singers are Western or Eastern? (Catalan readers... don't tell :P)<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Number one:</span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/79foFSDoOxY" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Number two:</span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/km6Hg1eaKmA" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">Number three:</span><br /><br /><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/OPy5bHmVdeo" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div><span><span style="font-style: italic;">Number four:<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span><iframe src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/5SwbBPQVOrE" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" width="420"></iframe></span><br /></div><span style="font-weight: bold;"><br />Hope you enjoyed it! Next posts real examples with Catalan people. Any Catalan-speaker wants to help me make an accent map? Drop me a line :)<br /></span></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-17289664906253471582011-06-29T19:59:00.012+02:002011-06-29T21:21:58.648+02:00Crisis! - The sharp view of Aleix Saló<span style="font-family:arial;">As you all know, Spain (and thus Catalonia) is one of the EU countries which is most affected by the crisis, together with Portugal, Ireland and Greece. We have not got to the point of needing economical rescue, but we have the highest unemployment rate in Europe and the end of the tunnel is still far away. But why Spain has reached this dramatical situation?</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Whilst countries like Germany is overcoming crisis with efficient policies, in Spain problems keep growing. The two main political parties are devoted to criticise each other without even venture proper measures to leave the crisis behind.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Spain is different, they say. After years of basing economy on land and real state speculation, the bubble exploded. So simple yet so complex. To understand what led Spain to this severe crisis, you can't miss a brilliant video in Spanish called </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family:arial;" >Españistán</span><span style="font-family:arial;">, created by who I think is one of the greatest Catalan cartoonists, <a href="http://aleixsalocat.wordpress.com/"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Aleix Saló</span>.</a> I think he deserves a whole post for himself, so I'll keep you with the mystery of who this person is...By now, just get a taste of his sharp humour by watching the video (English subtitles). Enjoy and learn!</span><br /></div><br /><iframe style="font-family: arial;" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/PSGp2Hh1jQ4" allowfullscreen="" width="520" frameborder="0" height="349"></iframe><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Note: There are quite a few cultural references in the video (marked with a number after some words which appear in the subtitles). Please refer to <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PSGp2Hh1jQ4&playnext=1&list=PLCDC316F0E2265D8D">Youtube</a> for a full explanation. And if you know a bit of Catalan or Spanish, don't miss him!</span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Please do not doubt to write your thoughts about it! And if you have ideas to change what was the disastrous basis of the Spanish economy and save the country, prepare a campaign and become a presidential canditate ;-) (just kidding). </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And to end this post, I could not resist to post one of Aleix Saló's</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> cartoons (in Catalan), appropiate for the occasion :P</span>.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax1iIREXV16f6wIApdHO0ucdRFIiM8lmupaulaXHfVm79yYmsIF8cFu4bY23TwVcch9UaKpkp_mcdkLVqAY8GloKSYWVbhtVkBMzPOjDiFWDztz6b8XYi-vCccKJRjHKu9hfpG-w3aa56/s1600/aleixsalo564.jpg"><img style="display:block; margin:0px auto 10px; text-align:center;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 320px; height: 246px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgax1iIREXV16f6wIApdHO0ucdRFIiM8lmupaulaXHfVm79yYmsIF8cFu4bY23TwVcch9UaKpkp_mcdkLVqAY8GloKSYWVbhtVkBMzPOjDiFWDztz6b8XYi-vCccKJRjHKu9hfpG-w3aa56/s320/aleixsalo564.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5623720902155958546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Young man: "Oh, here comes my shit salary."</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Shit: "No. Your shit salary is there. I am your future pension."</span></span><br /></div><br /></div></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-20796745961556840112011-03-24T19:42:00.010+01:002011-03-27T22:10:18.924+02:00Code switching<div style="text-align: justify;">In linguistics, code switching means changing the language (or code) in the same discourse. That is, when a bilingual o multilingual person is speaking they may switch the language in which they are talking. Everyone who knows more than one language can do that, but it may not be a usual thing for them. But what happens in a society, like Catalan society, who is bilingual by default and two languages are part of common life? What happens is that code switching is the meal of every day, a daily constant, and most people living in Catalonia do it all the time without even noticing or caring.<br /><br />And what is more interesting, we can have a conversation when people speak in Catalan and other people speak in Spanish all the time and no one is amazed. It was not until an English asked me how we could do that and not finding it strange, that I did not realise how shocking this could be for a foreigner.<br /><br />We are switching the code all the time! If I had to think how many times I changed from Catalan to Spanish and back to Catalan today, I could not be able to tell. I don't know...maybe like five times an hour depending to whom I spoke. Or even more. Haven't got a clue. However, if I have to say which is the language I speak most, I would say Catalan. A few years ago it was the only language I used, but since I came to live in Barcelona, I began to use Spanish and now I use about Spanish about 20% of the time.<br /><br />But how code switching works? I have tried to think why do I switch code and about the different scenarios. Basically, in my everyday life I find myself doing this:<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">1- My colleague Judit is Catalan and we always talk in Catalan to each other. So that is one situation in which there is no code switching.<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_gle2aRCJKgBl9l3GlPp4xHVmCInit6hKFs1O_Rt8OEh9-GJuu_OI9DuG4E90SnuN5Hj453QIoFr08pV8cVACAuBQtGCZPjHMjVqWkwvkSMCmCHwCht1a91EeAukqNFAoujNVXeTSn16/s1600/catala.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi7_gle2aRCJKgBl9l3GlPp4xHVmCInit6hKFs1O_Rt8OEh9-GJuu_OI9DuG4E90SnuN5Hj453QIoFr08pV8cVACAuBQtGCZPjHMjVqWkwvkSMCmCHwCht1a91EeAukqNFAoujNVXeTSn16/s320/catala.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587747873385437778" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">2- My colleague Marta is from Bilbao and Spanish is her mother tongue. She's been living in Catalonia for a few years and she understands Catalan, but we spoke in Spanish since we met and we always speak in Spanish to each other now. In this situation, as a Catalan native, I switch the code to Spanish, but there is no code switching in the conversation.<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrva5OrDU8Cqpt3jx0JqDrqF7WZWvhTAHILrbNvfzhdOxucKXfmOfV3imfoCoJi1xHFIWXfPT1XSNLkHIk5T-TdGYhuTRsZpjpdwwHhg7mRVymK_RFFZxx3O9B1zlWn0REKzX1Mrnxpn_/s1600/castella.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvrva5OrDU8Cqpt3jx0JqDrqF7WZWvhTAHILrbNvfzhdOxucKXfmOfV3imfoCoJi1xHFIWXfPT1XSNLkHIk5T-TdGYhuTRsZpjpdwwHhg7mRVymK_RFFZxx3O9B1zlWn0REKzX1Mrnxpn_/s320/castella.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587747874838809538" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">3- My colleague José is from Galicia and he came to live in Barcelona last year. He speaks Spanish at home and Galician with some of his friends. He learnt Catalan at university, he understands it perfectly and asks me to talk in Catalan to him so he keeps on learning it, but he feels a bit insecure still and replies in Spanish. In this situation, there is no verbal code switching, but our brains are processing the messages in two languages at the same time!<br /></div><br /><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNhiy57XOKfJLDZE9VitimrlNTYHnnkI9iLUIm5-csx46g9iEoUaYoEyDn2HL1WLzA5K8r0vHw2eXBS83fQXJzQB4HlUtNDwZkTshPSqtsbS0p4fFGixdq3FIIZJbhp0n1eFmxUQ7ofI5/s1600/catala+i+castella.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEizNhiy57XOKfJLDZE9VitimrlNTYHnnkI9iLUIm5-csx46g9iEoUaYoEyDn2HL1WLzA5K8r0vHw2eXBS83fQXJzQB4HlUtNDwZkTshPSqtsbS0p4fFGixdq3FIIZJbhp0n1eFmxUQ7ofI5/s320/catala+i+castella.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587747881292780418" border="0" /></a><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;">4- My colleague José sometimes tries to talk in Catalan as he wants to gain confidence. On my side, I sometimes forget that he wants me to talk in Catalan to him and we are moving from Catalan to Spanish all the time. This means that we are switching the code all the time!<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGAKhNZ-f89vHec1CNQ56bEa9C8J7R3lRMocYjkTjNaX2LTfebJiAZEDZ8RWjbVkiAh47-OEOPm9jlj27ShrgQX-hsAhfRayMReCYNjm6nKCJhbXsOwl8LZzFCmgLZOAVlkg6lAGMqUIV/s1600/mix.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjXGAKhNZ-f89vHec1CNQ56bEa9C8J7R3lRMocYjkTjNaX2LTfebJiAZEDZ8RWjbVkiAh47-OEOPm9jlj27ShrgQX-hsAhfRayMReCYNjm6nKCJhbXsOwl8LZzFCmgLZOAVlkg6lAGMqUIV/s320/mix.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587747880768680722" border="0" /></a>5- In a conversation possibilities multiply, but the most usual thing in my everyday life is that some people always talk in Catalan, some others always do so in Spanish and some other switch the code depending on the person they talk to, even in the same group conversation.<br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgosf1LAyzVm0kh2qYluAFDNsMjdZ8ccA61xhB_8tjLB5FGvRkDtpZXHpp4Lavqt5KrSPNjOkmEJUTxdZPTaCkXc5sd7S2IerVzho14c9V_90pFPF1d71ln9oEE8F5lpWh-CRMGQiAKJK/s1600/conversa+a+tres.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 180px; height: 170px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgVgosf1LAyzVm0kh2qYluAFDNsMjdZ8ccA61xhB_8tjLB5FGvRkDtpZXHpp4Lavqt5KrSPNjOkmEJUTxdZPTaCkXc5sd7S2IerVzho14c9V_90pFPF1d71ln9oEE8F5lpWh-CRMGQiAKJK/s320/conversa+a+tres.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5587751256476637858" border="0" /></a>I usually do not mind to change the code and, as I pointed out I don't even realise I do so. On the other hand I also think that code switching can be a trap. Does it really means language command? What are the negative effects? It is always positive?<br /><br />For me, code switching, its pros and cons. It is indeed enriching to have this phenomenon, but it can show lack of language command. Typical code switching means occasionally introducing words and syntactic structures from Catalan into Spanish and the other way round. If the speaker is aware that they may do so and is able to know what belongs to what language, then it is ok, nothing happens! It is very difficult to speak perfectly all the time, managing two language in the same casual conversation! On the other hand, it is indeed a problem if the person does not know it, because they will reproduce these errors in writing and in speaking all the time. And this can be very annoying, because it is no longer code switching but lack of linguistic competence and it can be very annoying both for native speakers of Catalan and of Spanish.<br /><br />I am not really feeling to go deeper into this today as my aim waysjust explaining what happens with code switching in Catalonia and how I, as a Catalan, experience it as a real fact. Pondering about it will be a topic for another post.<br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com6tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-51544018227487764942011-03-16T21:18:00.011+01:002011-03-17T15:36:27.106+01:00Back again<div style="text-align: justify;">Welcome back!<br /><br />How are you?<br /><br />First of all, I'd like to apologise for not having written since April. Believe me, it was not because I was uninspired. Neither because I had lost interest. Nothing could be further from the truth as these things. There have been several things that have forced me to put off the moment to sit down and write a post.<br /><br />Last year was not the happiest of years. Personally, I had to face problems with friends and health problems in the family, which, fortunately, ended well. This would be the negative side, but there is a good one too! During the summer I worked as an English teacher on a camp for kids for a couple of weeks, I had to work a lot in the office and I went to India with a very good friend. By the beginning of autumn, I made up my mind and applied for a postgraduate course which I am currently finishing. This course, on Catalan language assessment on the Media, has been, for the last five months, the reason which has been holding me from writing. Juggling with a 40 h per week translation job, 8 h per week university lessons, a 1 h per week guitar lesson, guitar playing practice, doing homework and studying, as well as fulfilling home tasks results in complete chaos sometimes!<br /><br />But I must confess I chose this myself. I love the postgraduate course, it's one of the best decisions I have ever taken and I'm really enjoying it, even though it is a very demanding. It covers a wide range of language-related areas: the use of references for proper language assessment, writing style, terminology, syntax, orthotypography, punctuation, dubbing, subtitling, foreign anthroponomy and toponimy in the Catalan language, and oral language assessment. I have learned and am learning a lot of new and useful things, sometimes through a bit of pain (but which at the end of the day has made me some good).<br /><br />I have changed completely my view on language, and I find the oral-related aspects of language amazing and complex: a challenge I'm willing to take some day. I have already tried the written language challenge, so it's time for oral language now! The day is coming: when lessons finish in May, I will have a 100 h internship on the Catalan public TV station, I can't believe my luck! I'm eager to begin!<br /><br />I could speak for hours about everything related to the postgraduate course, but I would end up being annoying...So time for focusing on the blog now.<br /><br />As you see I have changed the layout, I thought it would be a way to say I had resumed the blog. Besides, I wanted to try the new hundreds of templates available now! I hope you like it and that colours do not make reading difficult. If so, please let me know.<br /><br />Now that I have more free time, I will try to set myself to writing regularly at least once a week; that will be my aim now. I will start by a brief summary of relevant things that went on last year in Catalonia, because diverse things such as the biggest snowfall on the coastline since 1986 or a change in the autonomic government occurred and these cannot be left unexplained.<br /><br />This said, I only have to say that I am very glad to be back here :).</div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-11147022856239743362010-04-23T23:30:00.003+02:002010-05-15T20:26:52.668+02:00Sant Jordi 2010<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">After my birthday on April 18th a very special day comes: Sant Jordi on April 23rd. For me one of the most beautiful celebrations we have in Catalonia. This Sant Jordi was half rainy, but this did not stop people going out and lingering on the streets, buying books and roses for friends, family and lovers.</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br /></span> <div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Last year's St. Jordi I talked about the </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://allaboutcatalonia.blogspot.com/2009/05/sant-jordi-legend.html">legend</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> behind the day and </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://allaboutcatalonia.blogspot.com/2009/05/sant-jordi-real-day.html">how the day is celebrated</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> (with some pictures). This year I will add some more pictures of roses, books which filled up the stalls and people crowding the streets of Barcelona, enjoying the day.<br /><br /></span> <div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-weight: bold;">Roses</span><br /></span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdv7EMqsxMUaE6sJE2wVglcb69C7D23ewyAK_d9c6IrZII-jkTLkIKHye0bE4kY1jBF2m2A5zkW-iwvhQuxsLgpnu0BuVnoH8__jeENkXB8bz8SfU1w18LIr8NnwraI-Qb4bz6ljN6AVl/s1600/roses_combo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 234px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgSdv7EMqsxMUaE6sJE2wVglcb69C7D23ewyAK_d9c6IrZII-jkTLkIKHye0bE4kY1jBF2m2A5zkW-iwvhQuxsLgpnu0BuVnoH8__jeENkXB8bz8SfU1w18LIr8NnwraI-Qb4bz6ljN6AVl/s320/roses_combo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470808159603465138" border="0" /></a></span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" ><br />Llibres (books)</span><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPrw-PGMGyL-ELTGIqJNXNJXHNPByb_lPuUtTsbGaS41tMZGbNCYroSmaz0nYtIiFhX31ihKEf2_cbgwCX4AWyU8xZrgQrKbfkckgUlm5Hu_g2gdZOToRJ6pJT2g00oDrNIy-X2Sc-vOc/s1600/llibres_combo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 241px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEisPrw-PGMGyL-ELTGIqJNXNJXHNPByb_lPuUtTsbGaS41tMZGbNCYroSmaz0nYtIiFhX31ihKEf2_cbgwCX4AWyU8xZrgQrKbfkckgUlm5Hu_g2gdZOToRJ6pJT2g00oDrNIy-X2Sc-vOc/s320/llibres_combo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470808152026813202" border="0" /></a></span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Gent (people)</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6GJ4cADNNZqPEX3qlOqeMNVTrXDfq2WoXnjfOrTtsgW2skJ5N8rOBW-frm1ELvrUGMNm3qLZ2oBYtrd7jcH1ZJFMs59A0Qq6wtAt9JllgHcWovlKM2MjQso-3Zrvc0wiEn2KDOWSHPGs/s1600/gent_combo.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 302px; height: 204px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiS6GJ4cADNNZqPEX3qlOqeMNVTrXDfq2WoXnjfOrTtsgW2skJ5N8rOBW-frm1ELvrUGMNm3qLZ2oBYtrd7jcH1ZJFMs59A0Qq6wtAt9JllgHcWovlKM2MjQso-3Zrvc0wiEn2KDOWSHPGs/s320/gent_combo.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5470808145209592162" border="0" /></a></span><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Well-known personalities sign their book<br />(eg, second row left, Quim Monzó, and third row right, the famous cook Carme Ruscalleda) </span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />If you ever happen to be in Catalonia for Sant Jordi, don't miss it, enjoy it! :)<br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family:arial;"> <span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsQVHxaYvmnxH7r6_RQJyBhkY9m1ndwmMV_W8rnm58vYoAeWgbFSlFZvsnPpOJwpMmEFMwg5KS5J-N_QrywThTyAyeC9axOTwIF1ICx7B6IG2iCzEOwW_aSNwgNyHB3vvFcBWSRD7W3jT/s1600/llibre+i+rosa.jpg"><img style="display: block; margin: 0px auto 10px; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 241px; height: 180px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjnsQVHxaYvmnxH7r6_RQJyBhkY9m1ndwmMV_W8rnm58vYoAeWgbFSlFZvsnPpOJwpMmEFMwg5KS5J-N_QrywThTyAyeC9axOTwIF1ICx7B6IG2iCzEOwW_aSNwgNyHB3vvFcBWSRD7W3jT/s320/llibre+i+rosa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5471560635771593154" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" >Xavi and I with the traditional St. Jordi's gifts, a book and a rose</span></span></span></span></span></span><br /></div> </div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-89880268674848836702010-04-10T20:43:00.008+02:002010-05-11T21:01:34.823+02:00The great football classic<div style="text-align: justify;">As I became a fan of football last year, missing the great classic Madrid-Barça today would be sacrilege.<br /><br />So just before the match begins at 22:00 h, here I leave you Barça's hymn (karaoke version for you to sing).<br /><br />Go Barça!<br /></div><br /><object width="450" height="385"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/8b8cGhxhAsY&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/8b8cGhxhAsY&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="450" height="385"></embed></object><br /><br /><table> <tbody><tr> <td>Tot el camp, és un clam<br />som la gent blaugrana<br />Tan se val d'on venim<br />si del sud o del nord<br />Ara estem d'acord, estem d'acord<br />Una bandera ens agermana<br /><br />Blaugrana al vent<br />Un crit valent<br />Tenim un nom, el sap tothom<br />Barça, Barça, Barça<br /><br />Jugadors, seguidors,<br />tots units fem força<br />Són molt anys plens d'afanys<br />Són molts gols que hem cridat<br />I s'ha demostrat, s'ha demostrat<br />que mai ningúno ens podrà tòrcer.<br /><br />Blaugrana al vent<br />un crit valent<br />Tenim un nom, el sap tothom<br />Barça, Barça, Barça!</td><td>The whole stadium, loud cheers<br />We’re the blue and maroon supporters<br />It matters not where we hail from<br />Whether it's the south or the north<br />Now we all agree, we all agree,<br />One flag unites us in brotherhood.<br /><br />Blue and maroon blowing in the wind<br />One valiant cry<br />We’ve got a name everyone knows:<br />Barça, Barça, Barça!<br /><br />Players, supporters<br />United we are strong.<br />We’ve achieved much over the years,<br />We’ve shouted many goals<br />And we have shown, we have shown,<br />That no one can ever break us.<br /><br />Blue and maroon blowing in the wind<br />One valiant cry<br />We’ve got a name everyone knows:<br />Barça, Barça, Barça!<br /></td></tr></tbody></table><br /><br />Ten o'clock...FOOTBALL TIME!!!Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-442172226686545092010-03-28T14:24:00.005+02:002010-04-04T19:51:50.513+02:00Barça, Estrella Damm, Catalonia or everything? - Explanation<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;">A few weeks ago I left some pending questions and explanation about a current beer ad which I posted precisely because it is, for me, much more than a mere beer ad. Let's look at the questions more deeply.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- What do you think of the ad?</span><br />Like MaryMoon and Isabel, I like the ad. I think that it is the job of good publicists and really creative. And the more I watch the ad, the more I see that it has multiple techniques that I could not appreciate at first sight and that make me think that it is not such a simple and ordinary ad.<br /><br />Pretty interesting I found the comparison Derek makes. As he says, American beer ads seem to have a very particular structure and particular targets is a format we rarely see. Of course, there have been ads in this mood, like Budweiser ads during late nineties or early two thousand. But still, Budweiser is not an Spanish/Catalan beer and most time they had no spoken words or they were subtitled (the videos Derek linked on the comments made me think of them).<br /><br />With this, I am not saying that Spanish/Catalan beer ads do not have an structure or a target. Indeed they have, but it is not the same as American beer ads. When I watch a Spanish beer ad, I do not feel it is targeted at 21-30, I rather feel anyone in the age of doing so can enjoy it. And more that being funny, I think they try to be original and ever-lasting, giving beer moderate consumption a high status. I wouldn't say something reserved to intellectuals though, I am more inclined to think that they try to appeal everyone. And this is the case of this particular ad.<br /><br />I think it is targeted as everyone on legal age, using Barça to do so. The link appears so simple to me: lots of people like Barça, lots of people will like this beer. Barça is something great (the best team in the world!), this beer sponsors Barça, this beer MUST be great. I could go even further to give the nationalist sense I find in the ad, but this is answered in other questions and the link then can be easily established ;).<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Do you think it is a good beer ad?</span><br />Here I find divided opinions.<br /><br />Well, I think it is a good ad and very original in its construction. It does mention the brand "Estrella Damm" but it gives more weight to Barça images and the poem, which I think is a good technique. You get the idea of the ad uniqueness (nothing of the kind before) and you can establish a connection with the brand it announces. Strictly, the product appears in the end, but the imprint of the ad is so deep that it makes you remember which brand did it and what it announced. This is, mostly, what Isabel pointed out.<br /><br />I do not know if it is a good beer ad, though. Because...what is a good beer ad?<br /><br />Other campaigns by "Estrella Damm" have been equally good and successful, like last summer ad with the song "Summercat" by the Swedish group Billie Vision & The Dancers, filmed in the Balearic Island of Formentera. The ad is the videoclip by this group and it incorporates images of Estrella Damm bottles. I recommend you watch <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1VRZlSSIrwY">it</a>.<br /><br />This summer ad used a complete new ad formula and it was successful. The ad I posted follows the same style and has been equally successful. So then...it must be a good beer ad...I think...<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Do you think it tells something to the (Catalan) audience?</span><br />Indeed. The poem tells people (Catalans) can achieve their goals, that nothing is impossible. I do not remember the Generalitat's campaign MaryMoon mentions, but I do see the positive turn the ad gives it.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Does it tell something more to you, rather than just advertising beer?</span><br />It does tell something more if you can give it a context which allows interpretation.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Do you like the ad text?</span><br />I agree to all of you. It is a nice lyric poem, craftily built. And combining it with music gives it a nice rhythm.<br />Isabel said that she liked he different accent it showcases. Well, she's come to my favourite subject :D and I feel the need to comment something about it.<br /><br />The poem showcases differents accents but not dialectal accents. The general dialect is spoken standard Catalan. Most of the actors in the ad are professional actors or TV presenters and they speak in a quite neutral accent. Well, with the exception of the two cookers, which have the characteristic accent of Barcelona.<br /><br />Probably, what Isabel noticed is the accents of non-Catalan people speaking Catalan, namely the young man working with wood and the boy in the skateboard. The young man is probably from Northern Europe (his way of pronouncing "r", his blue eyes and fair hair make me think it) and the boy is South-American (I would even venture Argentinian...)<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Do you think it is a nationalist ad?</span><br />There is a very good point that Anna made. She mentions that these ad might use football to convey national feelings. Indeed Catalans, may easily interpret it as such, but it is not the typical "we're good and the others aren't"; to use Isabel words, it tries to raise the spirits of Catalans. It is very easy to understand the poem as somehow nationalist and it make sense in a nationalistic frame.<br /><br />On the other side, it could also make sense in a non-nationalist context (and hence, the "could be" in MaryMoon's comment. However, I am inclined to think the ad is indeed nationalist, and what is more, it represents, for me, an "inclusive" nationalism: some of the speakers are Catalan well-known actors or TV presenters and an also some non-Catalan people appear. Besides, there are all those images of Pep Guardiola and Barça players. The ad uses all this to convery that Catalans not only accept plurality, but also integrates it in the culture. And there is the music, which integrates more instruments every time and become more joyful. The feeling you have when you finish the ad is: Wow, WE are great! But you do NOT feel that others are not great as well.<br /><br />Maybe I wouldn't agree with Isabel when she mentions that it can imply that independence can be reached, as I think the ad does not go so far and deep, as I said before I think it is not a separatist ad (note that I make a difference here between nationalism and separatism/independentism). But her interpretation makes perfect sense.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">- Do you think it seems to mix things up?</span><br />No discussion on that ;). It mixes things up: football, beer, Catalan pride in its people and nation. And it does so in a positive way. And what is more: it has been craftily manipulated to seem "natural". Here I have a negative criticism on the ad: it can seem to build on the tendency to mix everything up. In Catalonia, as I said many other times, everything can have a sociopolitical turn. Look for example, at the insight MaryMoon does about Joan Laporta, current Barça president, who, taking advantage of Barça's achievements and position, has launched an independentist political campaign. I might agree to some ideas Laporta may have, but I do not approve his way of speaking them by mixing football and politics. Talking about it requires another post!<br /><br />Well, I think this is it. I probably skipped some of the appreciations in the comments (hope you can forgive me :)...). Thanks for your collaboration!<br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-90059408995043117002010-03-03T19:25:00.002+01:002010-03-03T19:27:44.614+01:00Barça, Estrella Damm, Catalonia or everything?<span style="font-family:arial;">Today I'd like to share this ad with you:</span><br /><br /><object style="font-family: arial;" height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/iLtGMkN8mgk&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/iLtGMkN8mgk&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Here is the translation:</span><br /><table style="font-family: arial;"> <tbody><tr> <td>Un equip de futbol<br />va ser el centre del món.<br />I quin és el secret?<br />Es preguntava tothom.<br /><br />La velocitat, el control?<br />Anar sempre a l'atac?<br />Buscar sempre el gol?<br /><br />És el joc en equip?<br />no serà la humilitat?<br />Sense protagonistes,<br />ni cap divinitat.<br /><br />Un equip de futbol<br />va ser el centre del món.<br />I quin és el secret?<br />Es preguntava tothom.<br /><br />La feina ben feta,<br />qui no ho recorda<br />una cosa molt nostra<br />en els moments de més glòria<br /><br />Estimar el teu ofici,<br />vigilar cada detall,<br />va cantar en un poema<br />Joan Maragall.<br /><br />Tot està per fer,<br />podem aixecar el vol.<br />Tot és possible,<br />escrivia Martí i Pol<br /><br />Salvador Dalí,<br />Pau Casals,<br />Antoni Gaudí,<br />Des d'aquí universals.<br /><br />La Ruscalleda amb la cullera,<br />amb la ploma el Monzó,<br />tu amb el teu martell<br />i jo, amb el meu ordinador.<br /><br />Metges, periodistes,<br />mecànics, pintors,<br />fusters, lampistes,<br />músics i escriptors.<br /><br />Un equip de futbol<br />va ser el centre del món.<br />I quin és el secret?<br />Es preguntava tothom.<br /><br />La passió, la dedicació,<br />l'atreviment, la curiositat,<br />i estimar la feina<br />és la nostra creativitat.<br /><br />Són les ganes, treballar fort,<br />Desperta company,<br />és millor que anar sol.<br /><br />No ens hem de reinventar<br />Hem de seguir essent qui som,<br />fer les coses com sempre,<br />que no ens venci la son<br /><br />Un equip de futbol<br />va ser el centre del món<br />I quin és el secret?<br />Es preguntava tothom<br /><br />Si fem les coses<br />com nosaltres sabem<br />Hi ha res impossible<br />ho aconseguirem<br /><br />I el que facin els altres<br />tant se val.<br />La feina ben feta no té fronteres,<br />No té rival.</td><br /><br /><td>A football team<br />was the centre of the world.<br />And which is the secret?<br />Asked everyone<br /><br />Speed, control?<br />Be always striking?<br />Always aiming at the goal?<br /><br />Is it team game?<br />can't it be humbleness?<br />No protagonists,<br />no master gods.<br /><br />A football team<br />was the centre of the world.<br />And which is the secret?<br />Asked everyone.<br /><br />A job well done,<br />who can forget,<br />a thing of our own<br />in the most glorious moments<br /><br />Love your trade,<br />Care for every detail,<br />sang once in a poem<br />Joan Maragall.<br /><br />Everything's to be done,<br />we can fly up.<br />Everything's possible,<br />wrote Martí i Pol<br /><br />Salvador Dalí,<br />Pau Casals,<br />Antoni Gaudí,<br />From here, universal.<br /><br />Ruscalleda with her spoon,<br />with his fountain pen, Monzó,<br />you with your hammer,<br />and I with my computer.<br /><br />Doctors, journalists,<br />mechanics, painters,<br />carpenters, plumbers,<br />musicians and writers.<br /><br />A football team<br />was the centre of the world.<br />And which is the secret?<br />Asked everyone.<br /><br />Passion, dedication,<br />Audacity, curiosity,<br />and loving our job<br />is our creativity.<br /><br />Being eager, working hard,<br />Wake up fellow,<br />it's better than being alone.<br /><br />We mustn't reinvent ourselves<br />We must still be what we are,<br />do things as we always do,<br />do not let sleep defeat us.<br /><br />A football team<br />was the centre of the world.<br />And which is the secret?<br />asked everyone<br /><br />If we do things<br />as we know<br />Is there anything impossible?<br />We can do it.<br /><br />And what other may do<br />it is not essential.<br />A good job has no borders,<br />It is unrivalled.</td> </tr> </tbody></table><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Now I'd like to ask you some things:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- What do you think of the ad?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Do you think it is a good beer ad?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Do you think it tells something to the (Catalan) audience?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Does it tell something more to you, rather than just advertising beer?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Do you like the ad text?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Do you think it is a nationalist ad?</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- Do you think it seems to mix things up?</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I am interested on how you see the ad, especially if you are not Catalan (but Catalans are welcome too!). If you wish to do so, just comment on the post. Then, I will explain it and give my opinion on the next post. I hope you participate :)!</span>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-11864478739023102402010-01-23T12:53:00.011+01:002010-02-01T20:56:45.025+01:00La gralla<span style="font-family:arial;">It was lying there, on the table. It was years since I last played it, and as I was not using it anymore, my father had lent it to a friend of his, and she had given it back to him. And yesterday I saw it lying on the table.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">When was it that I last played it? Regularly, more than seven years. Occasionally, perhaps four or five. So, this morning, I picked it up again. I took it out from its hippy leather case and I saw it again. My </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">gralla</span><span style="font-family:arial;">. It was a present for my (16th?, 17th?) birthday. My father had bought it for me because he had liked what it was made of: olive tree wood. I can remember that when I first took it out of the case it smelled like olive oil and wood mixed together.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmRvjq40v8CCRfQsa0jfS7m5ToBqWlMSA3omQEMtR8LyAJB0hKF8cNoJFVvv6Wrc9MeNikwreWVG1l609qucOepAAdQqZLDzWdo1iYO4QGVvRjbOn0de2TZAJSfgg0yht3vT2Fn2Ddc2T/s1600-h/gralla.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEmRvjq40v8CCRfQsa0jfS7m5ToBqWlMSA3omQEMtR8LyAJB0hKF8cNoJFVvv6Wrc9MeNikwreWVG1l609qucOepAAdQqZLDzWdo1iYO4QGVvRjbOn0de2TZAJSfgg0yht3vT2Fn2Ddc2T/s320/gralla.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433360995900332626" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">My gralla and its case</span></span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;"></span></span></span></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span></span></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">My memory went back to 1997, when I first set my fingers on a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">gralla</span><span style="font-family:arial;">. In the village, there were other people that had been playing it for one or two years and they patiently taught me the basics. Later on, I took private lessons until I did not feel like playing it anymore (as a teenager, sometimes it felt like an obligation).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">We rehearsed in what had been the old nursery school of Vilafant once a week, Saturday from 3 pm to 4 pm, just after lunch. We were not professionals and did not aim at it, but we liked to play.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">Without the company of the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">timbal</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> and the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">caixa</span><span style="font-family:arial;">, the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">gralla </span><span style="font-family:arial;">felt lonely. So, these two percussion instruments were also essential in the music played. So, there was always a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">timbal</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" > and a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">caixa</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">playing with us</span>. <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />We rehearsed to prepare street parades that took place mainly in the spring and the summer. We were part of a bigger group of people called </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">COLLA GEGANTERA</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (literally, "The giants group"). A </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >colla gegantera</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" > is a group of people that carry and accompany the two </span><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">gegants</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (giants): two big papier-mâché figures up that usually represent the traditional life of a specific village. But this is a whole post in itself... so for now, let's focus on the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">gralla</span><span style="font-family: arial;font-family:arial;" >.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">gralla</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> is a traditional and typical Catalan music instrument. It doesn't have a translation other languages, not in Spanish either. It has been speculated that its origin has a connection with snake enchanters who play that special flute that seem to cast a spell on snakes. But I do not know if this is possible or not. What is certain is that it is often confused with a very similar instrument called </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">dolçaina</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (in fact my first step into the </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">gralla</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> world was playing a </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">dolçaina</span><span style="font-family:arial;">).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The</span><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;"> gralla</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> was named after a bird (in English, the name for the gralla bird is "jackdaw"), as its strident sound reminds the song of this bird. Indeed, the instrument has a very peculiar loud sound and it should be this way, as it is a street instrument.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br /></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnheJ_CSgS9qb2jZgm1PiXdezRrahpS2MuIbHo2yYem6mKcANNz_3t6jHnDdbJD-m9UmYi8p5kPz8f7KbGKpUKTQ2nfpRUWUTYkyOELH2X5Mthurn6q-3SwFlbmOPcfbfqwEQcY6VCLBm/s1600-h/gralla.gif"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 228px; height: 278px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxnheJ_CSgS9qb2jZgm1PiXdezRrahpS2MuIbHo2yYem6mKcANNz_3t6jHnDdbJD-m9UmYi8p5kPz8f7KbGKpUKTQ2nfpRUWUTYkyOELH2X5Mthurn6q-3SwFlbmOPcfbfqwEQcY6VCLBm/s320/gralla.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5433360990386482466" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">Different </span><span style="font-family: arial;">gralles</span></span><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Technically, it is a wind instrument and the playing mechanism is that of a flute: it has 6 holes on the front and one hole at the back, plus two extra holes at the bottom sides that only used to let more air out. Playing music with it consists in opening and closing holes using the fingers. To blow it, you need to use an "inxa" (a reed).</span> <span style="font-family:arial;">To prevent the reed from breaking lips are pushed slightly to cover the teeth (how many reeds did I tore learning how to blow it properly!).<br /><br />After playing the instrument is usually humid and it needs to be cleaned, which is easily made with a special feather duster (like the ones that come with a flute) and the inxa and the reed holder, called "tija" (a kind of holding-tube) can be separated from the main body to dry.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />One of the first difficulties for beginners is that the gralla is tremendously difficult to blow and it is easy to run out of breath. The lips also hurt after a while and begin to tremble, making a funny sound which sounds like a fart. But if you insist a little bit and don't get discouraged, you can easily play for 1h-1h 30 without having much trouble.</span><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dyq4iUsHoHWhGHiO9K_YFLoGSZLoM6oe4jvL8CLr8TlKFfHRfTEaMmx9vwEl6pNt2ToMYy0QXiUqLnYiYY-mw' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Playing the traditional song "El ball de la civada"<br />(after not having played the gralla for a long long time)<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-weight: bold; font-family: arial;">Bonus videos: the <span style="font-style: italic;">gralla</span> is not that easy to blow :P</span><br /></div><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" ><br /><br /></span></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxXAQrsmPV0ZQlYbcVpqxet2JMEPGW_rrGZq9S6VxVgntEXGPKe07n58jcGGMANS7PZc1kehI0IFw8eRCvmzQ' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-family: arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">I can't believe there was a time when I could play this for 1h 30...</span></span><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;"><br /></span></span><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dysHZNxvtmMOmSiUjhL1QNVy8MSXO-4vnEVcBtDj1wibe5T0zPVEGOm3fudqpiBHKqwPCXiA5aWOzwMwUHn6Q' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic; font-family: arial;">Keep on trying and maybe you'll get the note...</span></span><br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com8tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-63572970478275268612010-01-19T22:43:00.008+01:002010-01-20T22:53:29.598+01:00The eternal discussion<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">So far I have avoided politics as much as I could, mainly because a) I do not want to create trouble and conflict, b) I do not want to bore you, and c) I do not want to write a political blog. But I think I need to write lines on the sociopolitical discussions between Catalonia and Spain. Not saying a word without it would be like lying, denying a truth that exists and is very present -even in daily life. On the other hand it is a very delicate issue in which I have my own opinions, as everybody has in this country. Therefore, carefulness is needed to avoid offence.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The "battle" between Spain and Catalonia began long ago and will be still here for long. But why so? What happens exactly? Why these discussions exist?</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9fr1JaL5U22zj1F94gnYyb_qPw5conkYUY8R41eIq91qaQ2_HeKW7qxgm2i9TAVUa508QPkkxEf5IPGe21HOe5xy-vq1i_nQUCfRr4LEYCBfWbrnmN2JRZbk_zlZMqCngB2Qpsg-S1N_/s1600-h/catalunya-espanya.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 237px; height: 152px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhC9fr1JaL5U22zj1F94gnYyb_qPw5conkYUY8R41eIq91qaQ2_HeKW7qxgm2i9TAVUa508QPkkxEf5IPGe21HOe5xy-vq1i_nQUCfRr4LEYCBfWbrnmN2JRZbk_zlZMqCngB2Qpsg-S1N_/s320/catalunya-espanya.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428576424893769170" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">For me the whole Spanish-Catalan question boils down to</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">1- Identity and feelings</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">2- Language</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">3- History</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">4- Miscomprehension</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It seems easy when put into 4 points, but it is really complex!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I do not want to go further into detail today, but if you agree and you wish to learn some more things about it, I will give some insights from time to time, as objectively as I can. </span><br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com9tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-73053659395499035712010-01-17T21:19:00.012+01:002010-01-19T11:15:44.796+01:00Frankfurter Buchmesse, October 2007<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">Two years and a half ago Catalan culture and literature was the centre of one of the most important Book fairs in the World: the Frankfurter Buchmesse. This fair was an excellent platform for Catalan writers to expand to the European -and world- market. It also was a good opportunity to show the world our culture, our language, our traditions.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zWV9xLtd9WI9BDQMa3VArw2ZRYgTpJjwdx1CJgI8Jikm8jusVh6u8v0lixQRSa4FgZb29JAY6oHo-QKQ4_0I43zHyVKTHzhutMY3_OQJAJv0duP8VPWsPEsLSevIOSEWs9QBH-o_U1Wm/s1600-h/frankfurt_2007.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 225px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6zWV9xLtd9WI9BDQMa3VArw2ZRYgTpJjwdx1CJgI8Jikm8jusVh6u8v0lixQRSa4FgZb29JAY6oHo-QKQ4_0I43zHyVKTHzhutMY3_OQJAJv0duP8VPWsPEsLSevIOSEWs9QBH-o_U1Wm/s320/frankfurt_2007.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5428174233506572018" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >The poster that was used for promoting Catalonia in Frankfurt's book fair.</span><br /></div><div face="arial" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" >The text reads: "Catalan culture, singular and universal".</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Within Catalonia this was conceived as a great event and cultural organisations became really involved in it. Since it was publicly known that Catalan culture would be the guest of honour in Frankfurt's fair, great broadcasting of the event began. And also debate and discussion. Which writers would go to the fair? Only Catalan writers who wrote in Catalan? Catalan writers who wrote in Spanish? Both? As always, the never-ending sociopolitical discussions on language exploded. These are so recurring that I do not even remember how they ended.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Time passed by and the day arrived. The square outside the fair's facilities were the scene for parallel cultural activities, as for example, human towers exhibition, traditional music, theatre, etc. The things that were culturally and linguistically origianl were highlighted, like for example, in writing, characters like <span style="font-style: italic;">ny</span> (read like Spanish <span style="font-style: italic;">ñ</span>, Portuguese <span style="font-style: italic;">nh</span> or Italian gn), <span style="font-style: italic;">ç</span> (which also exists in French and is read as <span style="font-style: italic;">s</span>) and <span style="font-style: italic;">l·l</span> (two <span style="font-style: italic;">l</span> pronounced together).</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Inside the building, Quim Monzó, a great contemporary Catalan writer was the chosen one to perform the inaugural speech. He build a sublime ironical text about Catalonia and Catalan.s It is so brilliant and well-structured that the best thing one can do is reading it to get an idea of how modern Catalan society thinks. And to have a great great laugh (it is something Catalan usually do: laugh at themselves...yes strange sense of humour, but really funny). It is absolutely hilarious. The text was translated into four languages: Catalan, Spanish, German and English. I strongly recommend you read it. And they say the translations are really good, specially, they praised the German translation of a very typical Catalan tongue twister. Click </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.frankfurt2007.cat/arxius/discursinaugural.pdf" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> to read it. At the end of the pdf you will find information about Quim Monzó in German and in English.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Here you have the video of the inaugural speech (so you will know how it sounded like):</span><br /><br /><object style="font-family: arial;" width="425" height="344"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/YT-HTkUwO-M&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/YT-HTkUwO-M&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" width="425" height="344"></embed></object><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">And finally, you can find all sorts of information related to the event </span><a style="font-family: arial;" href="http://www.frankfurt2007.cat/" target="_blank">here</a><span style="font-family:arial;"> (in Catalan, Spanish, German and English).</span><br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-41022862880025560562010-01-17T18:33:00.012+01:002010-01-17T21:03:12.733+01:00"Garbo, the man who saved the world"<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TNo-ejpoT5CVcyfSlPuvVtfmPt8jWlSLp5RhIbTSRwa62QWFRbjuigDfCfK9kKrOtKZPwWSohXP8ZRjrZM-pMdsttleDI9gXlF59EUA8H6z6MbFysgHrOeMms4_fDUVAXvZrNnlSfsxI/s1600-h/cartel-garbo-el-espia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 331px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7TNo-ejpoT5CVcyfSlPuvVtfmPt8jWlSLp5RhIbTSRwa62QWFRbjuigDfCfK9kKrOtKZPwWSohXP8ZRjrZM-pMdsttleDI9gXlF59EUA8H6z6MbFysgHrOeMms4_fDUVAXvZrNnlSfsxI/s320/cartel-garbo-el-espia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427791369936397042" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">This is the title of a documentary film I saw yesterday. A film that I definetely recommend if it happen to be in cinemas of your area. It tells the story of a double agent spy whose strategy was crucial in the result of World War 2. He, together with the British espionnage system saved the world from fascism. The weapon: deception. He fooled Hitler and the nazi regime. Who was then this man who embarked in such a dangerous mission?</span><br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">It was him:</span><br /><br /><a style="font-family: arial;" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzzl3VzrPqUM1AsTmeFx6M0DadrKajJijK-oG0B-7xgXXc4ADCNbzSb6nTXcpWIHyIAto0t9S_rYoMh7SQ3h9rDJsYsjfN65GA3unlxkYdh0D0TkdmG1_AACybJq9McUgTLENkbexgjo6/s1600-h/joan_pujol_garcia.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 185px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhEzzl3VzrPqUM1AsTmeFx6M0DadrKajJijK-oG0B-7xgXXc4ADCNbzSb6nTXcpWIHyIAto0t9S_rYoMh7SQ3h9rDJsYsjfN65GA3unlxkYdh0D0TkdmG1_AACybJq9McUgTLENkbexgjo6/s320/joan_pujol_garcia.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5427777442613883906" border="0" /></a><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">He was known as </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Garbo</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> to the British and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Alaric</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> or </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Arabel</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> to the German. But his real name was </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Joan Pujol Garcia</span><span style="font-family:arial;">. Joan was born in Barcelona on February 14th, 1912 within a burgeois, liberal family. His father was apolitical and believed in individual freedom so that is what Joan grew up it. As a young men in his early twenties he was a dandy (I guess he could afford to) and used to walk around Barcelona all the time. The Spanish Civil War was a blow for him. He, as many other, was called to fight on the Republican side (Barcelona was one of the last cities to fall under Franco's troops, so it was Republican most of the war). He actually responded the call but he deserted, with the risk of being shot. He hid during some time, but unable to stay closed in the house any longer, he finally went to war with one objective: passing on to the the fascist side. He did so not because he was a fascist but because he wanted to be left alone and Franco was winning the war by then. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">After the war he married and moved to Madrid. There he felt he should help somehow in WW2, he wanted to help in fighting fascism, something which he had not done in the Civil War. But he did not want to get hurt. He went to the British embassy in Madrid asking for a job. He was disregarded. He then moved to Lisbon and there he contacted the German </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Abwehr</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> and began providing information to them. Germans trusted him and his alledged agents: they did not know this information was false and fake. After some time he went to the British embassy again and this time he was given a chance. So he became a double agent. He was a virtuous actor and, as I said gained full trust from the Führer himself. They trusted him so much that he even was award with the Iron Cross and of course, given funds to continue his spy job. Money which, ultimately, was used by the British MI5 (the British secret service) to spy on the nazis. So Hitler was, in fact, paying to be spied on. </span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The crucial event was Normandy disembarking on 6 June 1944, the D-Day. Joan, well, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Garbo</span><span style="font-family:arial;">, totally fooled Germans by telling them Normandy was a diversion manoeuvre and that the attack would be somewhere else. And he was believed, and thus, D-Day was a success. This was the definite blow to change the course of the war. When asked for an explanation on why the supposed attack did not take place, he simply said it had been cancelled as Normandy had been a success for them. And they, again believed him and even after nazis lost the war thanked him for his "valuable service".</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">After D-Day, he lost his power position and he mysteriously disappeared and reported death.Until they found him. He had faked his death and he really moved to Venezuela, where he began a new life. Once knowing he was alive he was awarded, on D-Day 40th anniversary, with an MBE, a British condecoration which grants membership in the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Most Excellent Order of the British Empire</span><span style="font-family:arial;">.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Joan Pujol Garcia died in Venezuela on October 10th, 1988. He has been the only man who has been in the two sides of two crucial wars in contemporary Europe. And, without shooting one shot, he was a hero.</span><br /><br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;">The documentary film talks about all his life. I gave you the main lines of his life, but the film tells with detail the whole story. Simply amazing. The film is mostly in English, but also there are some German, Catalan and Spanish, so the best option is subtitling. The following trailer is in English subtitled in Spanish (though in the cinema I saw it subtitled in Catalan...except for the Catalan and Spanish bit of course :P).</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen='allowfullscreen' webkitallowfullscreen='webkitallowfullscreen' mozallowfullscreen='mozallowfullscreen' width='320' height='266' src='https://www.blogger.com/video.g?token=AD6v5dxoreHlXfmE4O3qZHNJVlZ27CU-uvdUuR0wuiZK7Z3n6eE8Fjg5PM-TUG98W4hJdQDvWYliSw3urrR59RdewA' class='b-hbp-video b-uploaded' frameborder='0'></iframe><br /></div></div><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: right;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: more info on Garbo found in:</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;"> - </span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juan_Pujol">Wikipedia</a><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=Garbo+the+spy&search_type=&aq=f">Youtube</a><span style="font-style: italic;">: simply write "Garbo the spy"</span><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">-</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.garbothemovie.com/">Film's website</a><span style="font-style: italic;"> (in English</span><a style="font-style: italic;" href="http://www.garbothemovie.com/EN/homeEN.php"></a><span style="font-style: italic;"> and Spanish)</span></span><br /></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-38003663385152715752010-01-06T12:00:00.006+01:002010-01-13T20:32:18.685+01:00Smell of Christmas (XI)... - Reis<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">This is the day that children wake their parents up at the cry "Han vingut els reis! Han vingut els reis" (The Three Wise Men have been here tonight!). They just can't wait to see which presents the Three Wise Men left for them during the night and unwrap them.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If they have been good, they will get nice presents, though not always everything they had asked for. They might get angry, but then their parents tell them that every boy and every girl must have toys and that they shouldn't be so selfish.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">If they have been bad, they will get a... coal!!! This wasn't such a punishment for me, in fact I remember asking for coal, as I always knew it would be delicious sugar coal...</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;font-family:arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wuuxd1XFnBBYmPiPTr8Og22WetOXNlCMLvfGR1Ab-lRm66zPWyr5goQT9KowELY6JqKuG-ZoCwFVXezWp02Q7-yWu-Em_C-YnTaBstGPa8vMJkY1EyhytesCrItDgmxLfgutMfH_jNuu/s1600-h/carb%C3%B3.jpeg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 150px; height: 154px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg0wuuxd1XFnBBYmPiPTr8Og22WetOXNlCMLvfGR1Ab-lRm66zPWyr5goQT9KowELY6JqKuG-ZoCwFVXezWp02Q7-yWu-Em_C-YnTaBstGPa8vMJkY1EyhytesCrItDgmxLfgutMfH_jNuu/s320/carb%C3%B3.jpeg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426305458903860402" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ13rM_JXK4VzlpTc6PD3Mt6bWeC_wBDO3yHfu85dmhwkXeGQUGvrtJiT0rrkOazDXCKV4zLi2BT4_5UBPfWu8u68QGV8sCfirnjDOEXjHsnTMq36xFSAGYkjLbcW5EPdfvOTOgjFoBCcU/s1600-h/regals.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 199px; height: 141px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgJ13rM_JXK4VzlpTc6PD3Mt6bWeC_wBDO3yHfu85dmhwkXeGQUGvrtJiT0rrkOazDXCKV4zLi2BT4_5UBPfWu8u68QGV8sCfirnjDOEXjHsnTMq36xFSAGYkjLbcW5EPdfvOTOgjFoBCcU/s320/regals.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426305473060956674" border="0" /></a></div><br /><div face="arial" style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Naughty or nice? </span></span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Usually, on January 6th a last family meal is held. More, more food, as if we had not had enough! But delicious anyway! Traditionally, for dessert, we eat the </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Tortell de Reis</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (or </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >Roscón de Reyes </span><span style="font-family:arial;">in Spanish). Though being eaten in the whole of Spain, there are local differences in the traditions related to it. In Catalonia, a broad bean and a little king china figure are hidden inside the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >tortell</span><span style="font-family:arial;">. The </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >tortell</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> is cut into pieces and one piece is given to each member of the family. If you get the piece with the broad bean inside, you have to pay for the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >tortell</span><span style="font-family:arial;">, and if you get the piece of the figure, you are crowned king with the paper crown that is usually placed in the centre of the tortell.</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-_-IA6m3X7kx_5SvBaMlM197aAlP_QAgpZK9htQ8fGyAc04wpwnLD_xMwm_GZcVA5neXxIU-y6KPdhVfVfkWO2xPcCrsed58L-AHosDq3zBh0_yRRbhZQJZRzVB8QJzOcBgxiGnu4I1s/s1600-h/tortell_de_reis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 248px; height: 186px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj2-_-IA6m3X7kx_5SvBaMlM197aAlP_QAgpZK9htQ8fGyAc04wpwnLD_xMwm_GZcVA5neXxIU-y6KPdhVfVfkWO2xPcCrsed58L-AHosDq3zBh0_yRRbhZQJZRzVB8QJzOcBgxiGnu4I1s/s320/tortell_de_reis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5426305274986862546" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">This is the </span>Tortell de Reis</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I do not like tortell very much, I think it is because of the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >cabell d'àngel</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (a kind of jam made of pumpkin) and the </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >fruita confitada</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (glazed fruit), and when I was a child I didn't want to eat it also because I was afraid I might find the broad bean and I would cry at the thought of spending my savings on a </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >tortell</span><span style="font-family:arial;">. But then I also ran the risk of not being crowded queen...</span><br /></div><br /><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">One funny thing I remember about the 6th January family lunch is that usually the tortell box included a small cardboard with the same poem in Spanish and Catalan and my father would have us children read in aloud in both languages, but making special emphasis in correcting our Spanish reading. That's how I learned, my Catalan accent would always be with me when speaking Spanish, but I also learnt that it was very important that I should read Spanish without my tongue twisting at every word :P.<br /><br />The Reis day, or Epiphany (if we talk in religious terms), are the end of Christmas festivities. So that is the last of the Christmas series of posts. I have liked writing them a lot, as I discovered and learnt new things. Now you might say...no more Christmas series next year? Yes of course! While writing the posts I realized I could not talk about everything, so I had to leave some things for next year! So more on this from December 2010. Thanks for sharing Christmas with me by reading the posts ;).<br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-26564651306943360452010-01-05T18:00:00.018+01:002010-01-10T01:07:02.923+01:00Smell of Christmas (X)... - Nit de reis<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Wrap yourself up and go out on the street. See the illuminated, happy wondering faces of little children as they pass by throwing sweets at the crowd. Do not forget your paper lamp while you are waiting for them. Why?</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><br />Because...ARRIBEN ELS TRES REIS D'ORIENT!, The Three Wise Men are here!. Melcior, Gaspar and Baltasar are here to bring presents to all children!<br /><br />Prior to Wise Men arrival, children write letters saying they have been very good children, done well at school and helped their parents so they would be really pleased if the Wise Men brought them some presents. And they list the presents they would like to have. This letters have to be ideally given to a royal page that comes to the place some days before. If not, last minute letters are also taken in.<br /></div><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">January 5th is the D-day for children. After seeing the Three Wise Men parade, they will have to face the Wise Men: they will sit on one of Wise Men lap and he will ask them if they have been good children. Obviously they will say yes, I've been good and they will get a little gift. Occasionally, a little toddler will cry because he will be scared but his/her parents will smile and tell him, the Three Wise Men are very good people and that he should trust them.</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7qxJsyHmsak4VCI5JQgYsawpzmDEIgom23NY8dUnRSJn2WRmKZhYFl9IA0_6mkel43izIeTC4RnEzxA3F_3KFCDcPb4tTbj4zIlZdSKnMEqe8eQahKhhflRzihWFZq62EADn5zT3cKe4/s1600-h/els_tres_reis.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 283px; height: 399px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjO7qxJsyHmsak4VCI5JQgYsawpzmDEIgom23NY8dUnRSJn2WRmKZhYFl9IA0_6mkel43izIeTC4RnEzxA3F_3KFCDcPb4tTbj4zIlZdSKnMEqe8eQahKhhflRzihWFZq62EADn5zT3cKe4/s400/els_tres_reis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424867652818076162" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Poster announcing the royal page coming to get the letters<br />and the Three Wise Men 2010 parade in my village, Vilafant.<br />I love this poster! :)</span><br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fkQVq4RBl76edDoz675t-0a5zIhmYCaOkX_yd39bEqia4r3c3c_yogMPDyWN2rjoUQ0Tbpvt486hShywQ8SAWYhei_8Rg2EVAXCIwMMfDwkes9omdMQf7kXqRXgv6fu-acQVrzgRjQ2l/s1600-h/reis.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 205px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh9fkQVq4RBl76edDoz675t-0a5zIhmYCaOkX_yd39bEqia4r3c3c_yogMPDyWN2rjoUQ0Tbpvt486hShywQ8SAWYhei_8Rg2EVAXCIwMMfDwkes9omdMQf7kXqRXgv6fu-acQVrzgRjQ2l/s320/reis.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424880038500929698" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVP0qk4kzCPEzBjSC173Y8EVXmOqHmCvYNiJVHHLqZINVDEdw_We_jSmHItGG8g-faqkeCUfOcj85j1b_tE1GvoWOAOZ1qB6snXL9oqHEvNABjY06emPcaNpy5RoBJP9tA5c8bdDBUnr3/s1600-h/patge.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 166px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhGVP0qk4kzCPEzBjSC173Y8EVXmOqHmCvYNiJVHHLqZINVDEdw_We_jSmHItGG8g-faqkeCUfOcj85j1b_tE1GvoWOAOZ1qB6snXL9oqHEvNABjY06emPcaNpy5RoBJP9tA5c8bdDBUnr3/s320/patge.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424880038130589794" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_2RrHNjfCIA-pvKI5L8E8w8uMnwUeFl__z0WpT0mJXaOMjjeqCvc0Z5CjSCZ8xHdvX2wJpPtLt4D8kKQQzZQvctmWkWPnH3UEcjm6dERZZgi2t9hrHf8Z7HGfRw2TDS7aPabT3oDXApi/s1600-h/una_carrossa.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 221px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjf_2RrHNjfCIA-pvKI5L8E8w8uMnwUeFl__z0WpT0mJXaOMjjeqCvc0Z5CjSCZ8xHdvX2wJpPtLt4D8kKQQzZQvctmWkWPnH3UEcjm6dERZZgi2t9hrHf8Z7HGfRw2TDS7aPabT3oDXApi/s320/una_carrossa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424880033871538418" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:85%;">Images of the Wise Men parade in my village, January 2009.<br />In order: the Three Wise Men, a royal page and one moment in the parade.<br /></span></div><br />After the parade and the talk with one of the Wise Men, children must have supper, prepare their shoes (so the Wise Men knows where they have the presents for him), leave some food and drink for their camels, and go to bed early. During the night, the Wise Mean will come to the house (they are magic, so they will be able to come in) and leave the presents.<br /><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaFsNS8dx2p5KxP3wu5izOIzX9F2KNWLcxQJK5KkBhSzYOFi5sUj9UC9ImaEPm7pg6eKWHAr49Jxa-6kbbuKLt9HG5H_rz2c-P8QeBc_-ngV3Dbw93oSaPFNgi86sdopUEUV7Ezg9_GJM/s1600-h/nuria_reis93.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 239px; height: 160px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtaFsNS8dx2p5KxP3wu5izOIzX9F2KNWLcxQJK5KkBhSzYOFi5sUj9UC9ImaEPm7pg6eKWHAr49Jxa-6kbbuKLt9HG5H_rz2c-P8QeBc_-ngV3Dbw93oSaPFNgi86sdopUEUV7Ezg9_GJM/s320/nuria_reis93.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424889056636052994" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Núria, my sister, is almost ready (year 1993)</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7L-RTlhtXLK6tDNrQdNprebouKLNf_6VHGq9-fiq6qZen0I7HBDxi5LdACedFbTY0d4PRrqd9Aazk0p6UeFVFSMOmISASZwqy8cUnIrbOHPpchywk1TzYIO9UJ2wvjBNG8gpAcqz-6FU/s1600-h/reis_93.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 173px; height: 269px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjJ7L-RTlhtXLK6tDNrQdNprebouKLNf_6VHGq9-fiq6qZen0I7HBDxi5LdACedFbTY0d4PRrqd9Aazk0p6UeFVFSMOmISASZwqy8cUnIrbOHPpchywk1TzYIO9UJ2wvjBNG8gpAcqz-6FU/s320/reis_93.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424889050403950402" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">The three of us are almost ready (1993)</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1r5DXP28jb1EWV_44g_UKT14xlfLOCmcOClkzcpYuWFyI55GB60c7KPvM5T9KOwKOhdjCXcIFhAc4C4O19J_BAW43xZnHF8LD7HFVOq8AUbw7irH3HI0feEpmpfvGnakt-Sy6xWLEXTH/s1600-h/llest_reis93.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 186px; height: 238px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhV1r5DXP28jb1EWV_44g_UKT14xlfLOCmcOClkzcpYuWFyI55GB60c7KPvM5T9KOwKOhdjCXcIFhAc4C4O19J_BAW43xZnHF8LD7HFVOq8AUbw7irH3HI0feEpmpfvGnakt-Sy6xWLEXTH/s320/llest_reis93.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424889045088791570" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:85%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Food, drink and shoes...all ready for the magic night!</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> (1993)</span></span><br /></div><br /></div></div><span style="font-family:arial;">I hope you have been good or else... (you will learn what on the next post) ;)!</span><br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-21024337806058620222010-01-01T15:00:00.004+01:002010-01-09T22:21:13.517+01:00Smell of Christmas (IX)...Feliç any nou!<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family: arial;">Well...I guess New Year is pretty much the same for those who use Gregorian calendar: either you sleep the whole morning after a long party night or you do not party and get up early to do some kind of activity without the annoying crowd. Since January 1st I take the second option and go skiing in Andorra...there is almost no one going down the slopes! Magic!!! And after a whole morning of ski...delicious shower, delicious lunch, delicious chilling out in the sofa. </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><br />And you? How do you spend your New Year? Is there any special tradition on that date in your country?<br /><br />I can not finish without wishing you...<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflYsfKYywp_85ac6fo1421Rr2OHXkyNMiCsZt8A4kfJw4_scP8MnYJVT5Gvxxe-V2JUDt1zN3VGKqhwpGrKBY5BHHZrlZT2ZlQvQ40JWUO64JuCBAdssR-kVG7uh6Mz51WKFeSRIauG4x/s1600-h/bon2010.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjflYsfKYywp_85ac6fo1421Rr2OHXkyNMiCsZt8A4kfJw4_scP8MnYJVT5Gvxxe-V2JUDt1zN3VGKqhwpGrKBY5BHHZrlZT2ZlQvQ40JWUO64JuCBAdssR-kVG7uh6Mz51WKFeSRIauG4x/s400/bon2010.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424851532490972962" border="0" /></a><br />I hope that this new year brings you health, happiness and achievements! :)<br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-32713656334522631992009-12-31T08:00:00.011+01:002010-01-09T17:04:23.029+01:00Smell of Christmas (VIII)...L'home dels nassos<span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >- Desperta't, desperta't, o no veuràs l'home dels nassos! (Wake up, wake up or you won't see "l'home dels nassos"!)</span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >- Com que t'has aixecat tard, ja no has vist l'home dels nassos! (As you have got up late, you haven't seen "l'home dels nassos")</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">When I was a child every 31st December my mother would give us her good morning with one of these two sentences -in other words, she would urge us to get up early or she would reprimand us for having got up late. She always said she had seen </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >l'home dels nassos </span><span style="font-family:arial;">when she had gone out to buy bread and she wanted us to see him too. Literally, </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >l'home dels nassos</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> is "the man of the noses" and he has as many noses as days the year has.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I desperately wanted to see a man with 365 (or 366) noses on the face but the truth is that I never saw him. I thought my mother was lucky and every year I said the following year I would get up earlier so I could see him, but was never successful.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">Then I learnt the trick: "</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >l'home dels nassos</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> té tants nassos com dies té l'any" (the man of the noses has as many noses as days the year has). How many days does the year have? On December 31st, the year has only one day, as there is only one day left! Everyone is l'home dels nassos the last day of the year!</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">In some cities, </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >l'home dels nassos</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> is represented as a </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >capgròs</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (a papier-maché figure which has a big charictaturesque head with a big nose).</span><br /><br /><div face="arial" style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAocyzgHN1yeO2FIY8qDs4MJVUtW17NF3WtJHGrtVCHPSPmIslUPBC-b6ZckqWRzUhyBoNp2HkEQsOFmK7ikeGhsJ5NfFvLjj-KK-g6YEaXsF-dBWzuC6Ev1vj5TVdkQbxKD923HuBd1a/s1600-h/HomeDelsNassos.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 87px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCAocyzgHN1yeO2FIY8qDs4MJVUtW17NF3WtJHGrtVCHPSPmIslUPBC-b6ZckqWRzUhyBoNp2HkEQsOFmK7ikeGhsJ5NfFvLjj-KK-g6YEaXsF-dBWzuC6Ev1vj5TVdkQbxKD923HuBd1a/s320/HomeDelsNassos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424767781770923186" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4pB9SlIUIurmlItsTScO3HXoHIX7bLsLV1-zqoG9GFAADMKYeNRqWRL7RmgHIHb-T9M3zjv3qftDC82w4rPdyD5qpwmXLpPRNCNIwwDNEd2s277iwWDtBVQrfwAdatc-aTabDOSqaTGv/s1600-h/homedelsnassos_pk.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 103px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhe4pB9SlIUIurmlItsTScO3HXoHIX7bLsLV1-zqoG9GFAADMKYeNRqWRL7RmgHIHb-T9M3zjv3qftDC82w4rPdyD5qpwmXLpPRNCNIwwDNEd2s277iwWDtBVQrfwAdatc-aTabDOSqaTGv/s320/homedelsnassos_pk.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424767785403723826" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg1055r58lBZflbxqVRSJrIWQeAN5b2lCo0LfBe8U_iqypq7qmPA5RYXCyOz8Rt-ics2rjR4IxrvhzK9ky2cFwAh76CZo6ch5FPCGg4685Xq3iofbtKVykLsL7_KkBrxFcAUV801pDCnU/s1600-h/2008-01-01+L'home+dels+nassos.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 85px; height: 126px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEimg1055r58lBZflbxqVRSJrIWQeAN5b2lCo0LfBe8U_iqypq7qmPA5RYXCyOz8Rt-ics2rjR4IxrvhzK9ky2cFwAh76CZo6ch5FPCGg4685Xq3iofbtKVykLsL7_KkBrxFcAUV801pDCnU/s320/2008-01-01+L'home+dels+nassos.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424767773525726674" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpOyrDP07SlrZ0Dbjsj5R9TlKtMKgCTbxxbTxIbNMKzJqH_AwBjmcLvjopt4IuWzl1i6X_IsZaTEJfKdx_5b5gZFQR_r5CmYhSp_TYNo8pB7l0Uv6X4eaR8_hClHlMXBIEf8Lvt1pQKfg/s1600-h/Home+dels+Nassos.png"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 146px; height: 127px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiCpOyrDP07SlrZ0Dbjsj5R9TlKtMKgCTbxxbTxIbNMKzJqH_AwBjmcLvjopt4IuWzl1i6X_IsZaTEJfKdx_5b5gZFQR_r5CmYhSp_TYNo8pB7l0Uv6X4eaR8_hClHlMXBIEf8Lvt1pQKfg/s320/Home+dels+Nassos.png" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5424767778707769010" border="0" /></a><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Different representations of </span>l'home dels nassos<span style="font-style: italic;">, from creativity to tradition<br />(the third from the left is a</span> capgròs<span style="font-style: italic;">)</span></span><br /></div><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ></span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" ><br /></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Note: this tradition is also found in other regions of Spain<br />like La Rioja, Teruel, Navarra, Burgos and Álava.</span></span><br /></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-39044611908958499222009-12-28T23:58:00.007+01:002010-01-05T21:33:20.020+01:00Smell of Christmas (VII)...Sants Innocents<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;">Who believed the news about the change of the National Day? Well, I have something to tell you...: INNOCENT!. You were "victims" of an <span style="font-weight: bold;">innocentada</span> and, of course, the piece of news is not true.<br /><br />An <span style="font-style: italic;">innocentada</span> is a joke or hoax one makes on December 28th. This day is called "Sants Innocents". Does it ring a bell to something you might know? April Fools' maybe? Yes, our "April Fools'" is in December!!! It is strange that in Catalonia, Spain and some Hispanoamerican countries this day is celebrated on December 28th when in many other countries in Europe it is done on April 1st. I must confess that when I learnt about that, it made no sense to me. "Why on earth do they have to celebrate on April 1st?" I thought. Then I realised that the different ones on this were us.<br /><br />The origin of Sants Innocents is religious and it comes from an episode in Saint Matthew's gospel. This episode narrates how Herod ordered his soldiers to behead all children younger than two years of age (not guilty, innocent human beings -from here the name "Sants Innocents") so he could also kill the newly born Jesus, and thus the child could not dethrone him as the king of Jews. Many children were killed but Mary and Joseph could save their baby, as they were warned by an angel in a dream and they fled for Egypt to hide.<br /><br />You probably might be thinking that there is nothing to joke about this. Sure, there is not. But the relationship with jokes and hoaxes with this infanticide lies in that while Herod's soldiers were executing their cruel order, parents would try to mislead them, so their little children would not be killed.<br /><br />Nowadays, the tradition of making <span style="font-style: italic;">innocentades</span> is very common. On 28th December there are always hoaxes about recent news (usually very obvious to avoid panic) on national newspapers, local radio stations and, within the family and groups of friends, all kinds of jokes are made. My mother is very keen on doing <span style="font-style: italic;">innocentades</span>. How many 28th Decembers she suddenly awaked me very early to tell me there was someone asking for me on the phone...! She always caught me. I am really really naïve :P. But this year I was in Barcelona as I had to work and I escaped the threat :D!!!<br /><br /><a style="" onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyKIrkfL6zApmbrAxvuTTIvy7_Ohv8nCCtMt301iJFiLWadS6e2kAr4UuzE5dTbimfV4glX891Qcy5ATJcQ5ZUxQhPCGSbQi0JoaUZJQ7QjqQq9r50uRZXQngSCIaABd1fffwsjb8c-OJ/s1600-h/llufa.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 115px; height: 133px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjxyKIrkfL6zApmbrAxvuTTIvy7_Ohv8nCCtMt301iJFiLWadS6e2kAr4UuzE5dTbimfV4glX891Qcy5ATJcQ5ZUxQhPCGSbQi0JoaUZJQ7QjqQq9r50uRZXQngSCIaABd1fffwsjb8c-OJ/s200/llufa.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423354306898883666" border="0" /></a>And, finally, as Catalans (I think that this is not done elsewhere) are not satisfied with joking we hang <span style="font-weight: bold;">llufes </span>on people's back. <span style="font-style: italic;">Llufes</span> (or <span style="font-style: italic;">llufa</span> in singular) are simple paper dolls usually made out of newspapers' paper. As I have just mentioned, they need to be hung on people's back. The only rule in doing this is that the hanging has to be unnoticed by the target. As a child I used to cut <span style="font-style: italic;">llufes</span> and try to hang them on my mother's back as revenge, but as being like the invisible man is not one of my skills, I usually had to content myself by sticking them on the walls. All this explains why, after clicking the link on my last post, you found one virtual <span style="font-style: italic;">llufa</span>. A picture of it stands for "Innocent, t'ho has cregut!" (You fool, I have mislead you!). Nowadays the tradition of <span style="font-style: italic;">llufes</span> is losing a bit of track. I do not really know why, as it is a funny way to call you: "innocent!".<br /><br />With nothing more to say today, I leave you this "happy" man and his <span style="font-style: italic;">llufa</span>. Watch your back out!<br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYIhurLow0tpXwHibjJ5SRqSwtqidZS0WvhrfopCtd7FoUIj8XbS7l31Ik42eWBQ_9-4isqnsSOvFt08HlZmxwoJPDWQjXi2II4EyPJpOcKMYHWXyc-hObTkkj-78T1GUQBbVaXNpS-4L/s1600-h/llufa_home_enfadat.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 274px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyYIhurLow0tpXwHibjJ5SRqSwtqidZS0WvhrfopCtd7FoUIj8XbS7l31Ik42eWBQ_9-4isqnsSOvFt08HlZmxwoJPDWQjXi2II4EyPJpOcKMYHWXyc-hObTkkj-78T1GUQBbVaXNpS-4L/s320/llufa_home_enfadat.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5423354607248789762" border="0" /></a></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-65913919421405232602009-12-28T22:21:00.008+01:002009-12-28T23:07:16.322+01:00Urgent piece of news<div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;">It is everywhere today. Next year, Catalonia's National Day won't be September 11th any longer. It has been unanimously approved in the Catalan Parliament that it is high time for change: from now on our National Day will be on December 19th, the day Barça achieved perfection by winning the sixth of the six trophies in play for the team.<br /><br />Click <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjE4V_mdgYdZHxuHzpXg1FaHqRf_InhOUmo8CBB9ZhjwAkGL9HqD1WsCHoyP86bw1_2ogO1Rbgz6HdrQNJQKok_mJVhKrlEGaEahEu9znvi4YRx5exF8gKXxn1bXg9aE_Nu8mD2LOpTIMo/s400/llufa.jpg" target="_blank">here</a> to learn more about this. It will surprise you.<br /><br />My personal thoughts on this tomorrow. I am still too shocked to think.<br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-8194507642611236982009-12-26T11:36:00.007+01:002010-01-09T17:11:09.850+01:00Smell of Christmas (VI)... - Sant Esteve<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;">Empty a corner in your stomach, because there will be another familiar lunch today. That is what is done on 26th December in Catalonia, Valencian community and Balearic islands. In Catalonia we called it <span style="font-weight: bold;">Sant Esteve</span>, as it is St. Stephen's Day today. In Valencia, it is also "Sant Esteve" or " Segon dia de Nadal" (2nd Xmas day) and in Mallorca, it called "Segona festa de Nadal" or "Sa mitjana festa" (The middle feast). <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boxing_Day">Browsing on the Internet</a>, I learned that in the United Kingdom and other Commonwealth countries, St. Esteve is also celebrated and known as<span style="font-style: italic;"> Boxing Day</span>. However, as far as I have read, the festivity's celebrations are different from those of St. Esteve in Catalan-speaking areas.<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center; font-family: arial;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlwgq5gX1uMyuu5GSSw3QI5Lda8BRtmDQEi0VX1COQL9N1yFdtIOEdR2RH-QoKDb4xvo1dXISHs7riIiNtP_dGP6x9mXB3vMPoQOgBQ0slG30rRmdm8R5kE7Xe1KWSjJdclJBzrQrpDKe/s1600-h/canelons.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 147px; height: 147px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgvlwgq5gX1uMyuu5GSSw3QI5Lda8BRtmDQEi0VX1COQL9N1yFdtIOEdR2RH-QoKDb4xvo1dXISHs7riIiNtP_dGP6x9mXB3vMPoQOgBQ0slG30rRmdm8R5kE7Xe1KWSjJdclJBzrQrpDKe/s400/canelons.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419500493825039442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Canelloni, the traditional dish for St. Esteve</span></span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">By tradition, </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >St. Esteve</span><span style="font-family:arial;">'s lunch is celebrated with the family whom you haven't spend Christmas day with. In this way, all members will have eaten with everyone in the family of both the mother and the father's side.</span><br /><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">The food usually eaten in this lunch are </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >canelons de carn</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (meat canelloni) as main dish and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >pollastre farcit</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (stuffed chicken) or </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >tallrodó</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (a kind of veal stew). Like on Christmas day, dessert is</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" > torrons</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (a kind of candy) and </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >neules</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (rolled wafers).</span><br /><br /> <div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjJeAbnGvvrB_fB3wl6nKQX8aaG41BXtHnvmJNZiYapZNVBH02lIk9-UoPkxd16bF7OdfpJ93LWjW9A8kSblFjmfTUN6NH-1QNLD3tKGpjlZfTqj5O7id9RGu0y42_7O0nt_mLQqdVvV_/s1600-h/Neules.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 125px; height: 125px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhWjJeAbnGvvrB_fB3wl6nKQX8aaG41BXtHnvmJNZiYapZNVBH02lIk9-UoPkxd16bF7OdfpJ93LWjW9A8kSblFjmfTUN6NH-1QNLD3tKGpjlZfTqj5O7id9RGu0y42_7O0nt_mLQqdVvV_/s400/Neules.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419501326922880898" border="0" /></a><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidClzcHsCRW1YycgRANVk4EChgPWTMUA14wGdYMsZYmMCa7GCYwkJFxRaGiPHBiIQ3Xc_lhaKDgA6gQrMrzKz8lWZNOYj1Kw95QRbieh52YQ3XEBmHUt1GeVDL345EY6t_hfW2LmzH13qU/s1600-h/torrons.jpg"><img style="cursor: pointer; width: 235px; height: 124px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEidClzcHsCRW1YycgRANVk4EChgPWTMUA14wGdYMsZYmMCa7GCYwkJFxRaGiPHBiIQ3Xc_lhaKDgA6gQrMrzKz8lWZNOYj1Kw95QRbieh52YQ3XEBmHUt1GeVDL345EY6t_hfW2LmzH13qU/s400/torrons.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419501323516893202" border="0" /></a><br /></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" >Neules<span style="font-style: italic;"> and </span>torrons</span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Happy Sant Esteve!</span><br /></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-91149191746792063982009-12-25T19:49:00.011+01:002010-01-09T17:11:33.252+01:00Smell of Christmas (V)... - Bon Nadal!<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;">It is Christmas Day. Bon Nadal a tothom! I guess today Catalan tradition is not really special: it is a family day. There is a big family lunch where everybody eats until their stomach is so full that the only idea of eating supper is difficult to digest. What is special in Catalonia on Christmas day is the food eaten, a dish called <span style="font-style: italic;">Escudella i carn d'olla </span>(sorry, there is no translation for that). Well, at home, traditional as this dish might be, we do not eat it because it takes a long time to elaborate and my mother is not so keen on cooking and eating it -as far as I can remember I've eaten it only once.<br /></div><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />But what's </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >Escudella i carn d'olla</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> exactly? </span><br /><div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Escudella</span> is a kind of broth made out of carn d'olla, potato, cabbage and chikpea. Onion, leek, celery, carrot and garlic can also be added. <span style="font-style: italic;">Carn d'olla</span> is a stew made of black sausage, white sausage, <span style="font-style: italic;">pilota</span> (meatball), veal, lamb, hen or chicken and bacon. <span style="font-style: italic;">Pilota</span>, an important part of the <span style="font-style: italic;">carn d'olla</span> is a mixture of meat, egg, parsley, garlic and bread crumbs. <span style="font-style: italic;">Escudella i carn d'olla</span> can be served all together or also in three parts: the broth, the <span style="font-style: italic;">carn d'olla</span> and the ingredients used in the broth, as you can see in this picture:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_Odk1b1rbEq_8aLIWQbY10gpBIda6OiLdFLD1qy20Dmv-qHPZM0HbE_pyk-vyQIBq6f3ISoSl31pO5dXllWOr7e4uMn83sazbJNjeO1ALVj4iQIOdi3RGg43IJHv3eG0LrPlvhyphenhyphentydqw/s1600-h/escudella+i+carn+d%27olla.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 240px; height: 320px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgz_Odk1b1rbEq_8aLIWQbY10gpBIda6OiLdFLD1qy20Dmv-qHPZM0HbE_pyk-vyQIBq6f3ISoSl31pO5dXllWOr7e4uMn83sazbJNjeO1ALVj4iQIOdi3RGg43IJHv3eG0LrPlvhyphenhyphentydqw/s320/escudella+i+carn+d%27olla.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419256610278464546" border="0" /></a><br />Light dish, isn't it? hehe :D. And that is not all! <span style="font-style: italic;">Escudella</span> broth is also characteristic for the pasta added: a special soup pasta called <span style="font-style: italic;">galets</span>. There are small and big <span style="font-style: italic;">galets</span>, the special <span style="font-style: italic;">galets</span> for the escudella are the biggest one (they need to be cut to be eaten).<br /><br /></div><div style="font-family: arial; text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmV9le6mWf_K-I_wFzyKgSuva8-tGy0W_zLu8YRHAJTfguwGmyjpKV6odvKpYj2y3ziMKh0JX3ZToiPRpIlj7xi4mdAXe-GUFOwbCy0ZKunFj8EvHQ6mnohkwwT1H2CVJOySR5bPbvYSm/s1600-h/galets.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 207px; height: 142px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEihmV9le6mWf_K-I_wFzyKgSuva8-tGy0W_zLu8YRHAJTfguwGmyjpKV6odvKpYj2y3ziMKh0JX3ZToiPRpIlj7xi4mdAXe-GUFOwbCy0ZKunFj8EvHQ6mnohkwwT1H2CVJOySR5bPbvYSm/s320/galets.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419256616057704866" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Big delicious </span>galets</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><br />If you are brave enough to cook it, I found the recipe and some more interesting info in English <a href="http://www.cliffordawright.com/caw/recipes/display/recipe_id/815/" target="_blank">here</a>. Good luck :)!<br /><br />Another typical thing to do on Christmas day is reciting a Christmas poem. Well, this is usually left for little children who have to stand on a chair while reciting and making gestures in consonance with them poem, and finalise it by saying: BON NADAL A TOTHOM (I wish you all a Merry Xmas). As an exception, I did that on my family lunch today but I won't show you a picture :P. What I will do is to write down a poem (in the short version) that has survived time and is still inside my memory.<table style="width: 376px; height: 276px;"><tbody><tr><td><span style="font-weight: bold;">Cançó de Nadal</span><br /><br />L'escola és tancada,<br />hi ha llum al carrer,<br />la senyora Pepa<br />saluda el carter.<br />"Que tingui bon dia,<br />avui és Nadal,<br />estigui contenta,<br />Jesús ha nascut;<br />per dur-nos la joia,<br />al món ha vingut"<br />Bon nadal a tothom!</td><br /><br /><td><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">A Christmas carol</span><br /><br />The school is closed,<br /><div style="text-align: justify;">there's light on the street,<br /></div>Mrs. Pepa<br />greets the postman.<br />"Have a nice day,<br />it's Christmas today,<br />be happy,<br />Jesus is born;<br />to bring us joy,<br />he's come to the world"<br />I wish you all a Merry Christmas!<br /><br /></td></tr></tbody></table>And the most important thing:<br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L3E__5ehZE1LY5FFaEo7IAxk8ZGC6wwvSLna6cjznY1hEOxlORvnOD_tO0vnwV6aKtWpEDtYvhW_8cpguC2-dQ4L-9qaWw7hgnCmlJ3A3Na9vVymKT1L98wA3n9pUioCUDf3K4CjmKpr/s1600-h/bon_nadal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 400px; height: 302px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg1L3E__5ehZE1LY5FFaEo7IAxk8ZGC6wwvSLna6cjznY1hEOxlORvnOD_tO0vnwV6aKtWpEDtYvhW_8cpguC2-dQ4L-9qaWw7hgnCmlJ3A3Na9vVymKT1L98wA3n9pUioCUDf3K4CjmKpr/s400/bon_nadal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5419265774194408658" border="0" /></a></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-86886799274469262292009-12-24T21:03:00.019+01:002010-01-09T17:11:58.155+01:00Smell of Christmas (IV)... - El tió<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Let me be angry for one second: TAKE OUT YOUR SANTA CLAUSES OUT OF THE BALCONY! That does not mean I am against Santa Claus (or Father Christmas, called it as you like), but I am against him overtaking something genuinely Catalan. You might call me endogamic, but when it comes to our </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >tió</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> tradition I become very intransigent. I love this tradition because it is very curious. For me Santa Claus is a tradition elsewhere, I like it in its context and I enjoyed my visit to Santa's home in the Polar Arctic Circle some years ago. But once in Catalonia...I love the tradition of </span><span style="font-weight: bold;font-family:arial;" >tió</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> every Christmas eve with the family.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />You might be wondering what on earth the TIÓ tradition is. The tió is a log which</span><span style="font-family:arial;">...poops presents. So the TIÓ is...A POOPING LOG!!! Traditionally, they are consuming goods like food or drinks (usually related to Christmas time), but I dare say that this is no longer the case.<br /><br />"Per fer cagar el tió" (To make the tió poop) the first thing to do is to have a good thick log and carve a mouth and a couple of eyes into the timber to turn it into a proper tió (if you cannot do so, just buy one with a painted face and a barretina). If possible, have the same tió every year. At home we had the same for years and I came to like the tió that my father had carved...it was something special for me, this piece of wood with carved eyes, neck and mouth. I really believed it actually pooped presents until I was old enough to know the truth. So, strange as it may be, I was quite disappointed and sad when my father decided to chop it into pieces and use our beloved tió as fire wood :(.</span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK53X3JCGKvlmG_FGzvcY9t-TzFL3EnVAjETW4rSv_NSbJXB_P84Y2-8sUglCZNzUmqUK1hZK4tSqoKzIhqM_HHHeL2lp8VCX47wML4w4f1ei6izPEcHW4nMXkxoUpenmP7oSCSdOaD-8-/s1600-h/el_tio.gif"><img style="margin: 0pt 0pt 10px 10px; float: right; cursor: pointer; width: 195px; height: 195px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjK53X3JCGKvlmG_FGzvcY9t-TzFL3EnVAjETW4rSv_NSbJXB_P84Y2-8sUglCZNzUmqUK1hZK4tSqoKzIhqM_HHHeL2lp8VCX47wML4w4f1ei6izPEcHW4nMXkxoUpenmP7oSCSdOaD-8-/s320/el_tio.gif" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418949222743160898" border="0" /></a><br /><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />By the beginning of December, the tió is placed inside the house (it is very bucolic to place it near the fireside) and covered with a blanket, so it doesn't get cold. Then, it needs to be feed everyday to make it grow father with presents. As a kid, my father use to tell me that he had seen it eating and he would touch the tió's stomach and say it was fattening. I never wondered why I didn't see him eating...but I really believed it had and that it actually was getting bigger as the pooping day was approaching...:P<br /><br /></span><span style="font-family:arial;">Finally, when Christmas eve arrives... the tió is hit with sticks and a song is sung along the hitting. Many versions of the song exist: long versions, short versions, mixed versions... Mainly they all ask the tió to poop well and good stuff. I post one version from Xesco Boix, which my father use to put us for Christmas:<br /><br /><object height="132" width="353"><embed src="http://www.goear.com/files/external.swf?file=8d49f54" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" wmode="transparent" quality="high" height="132" width="353"></embed></object><br /><span style="font-size:78%;"> </span></span><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:100%;" ><span>To illustrate the tradition, I looked out for pictures in family albums. My father took some pictures of our first popping logs, but then he stopped. Thus the pictures I will show you are from Christmas 86, 87, and 88, i.e., when I was 2, 3 and 4 and my brother two years younger (my sister wasn't even born then).<br /><br /></span></span><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cH6DuTNwtIHuDHHAyEPVziubbFrKYGc7b1ZtDZm8hHs_iVdg3GYxJGlRAHyaGnT7Oey5HCWVoo714UkdHlz16lujW3lg81ME7Ls4UpGLlXxT87VkuusQpXw5O58TySlzS6BrZJ12IC7T/s1600-h/jo_tio_86.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 207px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5cH6DuTNwtIHuDHHAyEPVziubbFrKYGc7b1ZtDZm8hHs_iVdg3GYxJGlRAHyaGnT7Oey5HCWVoo714UkdHlz16lujW3lg81ME7Ls4UpGLlXxT87VkuusQpXw5O58TySlzS6BrZJ12IC7T/s320/jo_tio_86.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418949517452702882" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Xmas 1986: Mum is teaching me how to make the tió poop.</span></span><br /><br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqy7zvNQZxj5oW6PB1LNf0TsD6JdBhSNrBVZm0SHEhOVCnFRYbHBGluD0bML89yYaDmlMxV5dnIF3dePS7jDWAF2s0j98GrvRoH54mBYwH4Ofsqo0533BTEV9cLxH5ztMuap3W14firnQ8/s1600-h/jordi_i_jo_tio_87.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 203px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjqy7zvNQZxj5oW6PB1LNf0TsD6JdBhSNrBVZm0SHEhOVCnFRYbHBGluD0bML89yYaDmlMxV5dnIF3dePS7jDWAF2s0j98GrvRoH54mBYwH4Ofsqo0533BTEV9cLxH5ztMuap3W14firnQ8/s320/jordi_i_jo_tio_87.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418949525827477442" border="0" /></a><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-family:arial;">Xmas 1987: my brother Jordi and I hitting the tió. </span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">I am now master of the art of tió hitting and Jordi is my eager little disciple.<br /><br /></span><br /></span></span><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkg6ION7uI4f4c0kzvL-ZCHJ02YYXw8IU8IEPffyYpqhGXB-Bzo7u-NggrHblSUJrqIADEUEZR1-WDFyALPBOPUbW0mbdYxewPFo7LLmVlDOXpc0r_wu5tiQXxrFlsZsIivJMdwKVwXJY/s1600-h/mama_i_jo_tio_87.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 313px; height: 231px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhlkg6ION7uI4f4c0kzvL-ZCHJ02YYXw8IU8IEPffyYpqhGXB-Bzo7u-NggrHblSUJrqIADEUEZR1-WDFyALPBOPUbW0mbdYxewPFo7LLmVlDOXpc0r_wu5tiQXxrFlsZsIivJMdwKVwXJY/s320/mama_i_jo_tio_87.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418950760344820210" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Xmas 87: Mama, que ha cagat el tió? (Mummy, has the tió pooped?)</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmkSXEHdlNVuG9MtvR_lUS7hrfi3TlqYsqJ1_JJAbeZH-xBlb55AgmfbydQVx_GSZeNE3puKT3X-iQ-IeS_8lsoA-bVzn7ahcudMhu_T9iDhY5ka73GEnEWpmMmwCkrFzBh5VqFMdWC4X/s1600-h/enfeinada_amb_regals_87.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 153px; height: 266px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEirmkSXEHdlNVuG9MtvR_lUS7hrfi3TlqYsqJ1_JJAbeZH-xBlb55AgmfbydQVx_GSZeNE3puKT3X-iQ-IeS_8lsoA-bVzn7ahcudMhu_T9iDhY5ka73GEnEWpmMmwCkrFzBh5VqFMdWC4X/s320/enfeinada_amb_regals_87.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418949515044465154" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Xmas '87: Me organizing tió's gifts</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7ZpiPFgJd68KEheEru3LLuXJtcaD66uyW9sFKgjk2InfRhmcs6YAr8aveSdhmiXDgi_-822GU5ulRGZeQ5QsbtgLtcaq-oNv_vOWyGDbg6SzcHCyC3z4wLFNUZAOxSCbPyQTYFSLEqCo/s1600-h/obrint_regals_tio_87.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 228px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEid7ZpiPFgJd68KEheEru3LLuXJtcaD66uyW9sFKgjk2InfRhmcs6YAr8aveSdhmiXDgi_-822GU5ulRGZeQ5QsbtgLtcaq-oNv_vOWyGDbg6SzcHCyC3z4wLFNUZAOxSCbPyQTYFSLEqCo/s320/obrint_regals_tio_87.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418950766905987458" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Xmas '87: Jordi and I can't wait to see what's inside the wrapping paper!!</span></span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiyRqIYfd_JopXvNw7p0S_ADOf1Rlegx8_aZil1DV22GDl4ED_6wWvilYpCCvvr0eebBIugojp30o-tDzNwPVQNU1JYIJ_TJVKcM6QII-6v8sxAI6Tk-SwW5ATQarY6KvMvmGQe9IGqxu/s1600-h/jordi_tio_88.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 249px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhLiyRqIYfd_JopXvNw7p0S_ADOf1Rlegx8_aZil1DV22GDl4ED_6wWvilYpCCvvr0eebBIugojp30o-tDzNwPVQNU1JYIJ_TJVKcM6QII-6v8sxAI6Tk-SwW5ATQarY6KvMvmGQe9IGqxu/s320/jordi_tio_88.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418949527244128386" border="0" /></a><span style=";font-family:arial;font-size:78%;" ><span style="font-style: italic;">Xmas 1988: Look how my brother looks after the tió!</span></span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVqV_i2Qg27oE5eMP6dWqudff10KxjmEs8gWoISKs1KqF399vZw2WE_AvxG-DGExIsagqyrZ4YpY2qqhMpCuY7bgvArbAsvmBnPtnp22hDcsw8cIkCBKbIpJ-qkOYfzTUFKQm7hOhY1cU/s1600-h/jo_tio_88.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 203px; height: 194px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgBVqV_i2Qg27oE5eMP6dWqudff10KxjmEs8gWoISKs1KqF399vZw2WE_AvxG-DGExIsagqyrZ4YpY2qqhMpCuY7bgvArbAsvmBnPtnp22hDcsw8cIkCBKbIpJ-qkOYfzTUFKQm7hOhY1cU/s320/jo_tio_88.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418949522746250514" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:78%;"><span style="font-style: italic;">Xmas '88: "Tió, tió, caga turró..."</span></span></span><br /><br /><div style="text-align: right;"><span style="font-style: italic;font-size:85%;" ><span style="font-family:arial;">Note:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">This is my explanation of the tió. Of course, it is subjective and nostalgic. I had a good time remembering when writing. If you wish to read more things about the tió, see:</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- <a href="http://euskocat.blogspot.com/2009/12/olentzero-and-tio-de-nadal.html">http://euskocat.blogspot.com/2009/12/olentzero-and-tio-de-nadal.html</a></span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- <a href="http://ca.wikisource.org/wiki/Can%C3%A7ons_del_Ti%C3%B3_de_Nadal">Tió songs</a> (in Catalan)</span><br /><span style="font-family:arial;">- <a href="http://ca.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ti%C3%B3">Wikipedia</a></span></span><br /></div></div></div></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-48248695878206324312009-12-22T09:27:00.015+01:002010-01-09T17:12:28.920+01:00Smell of Christmas (III)... - La Grossa<div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;">I can become really really rich today. But the possibility is so small (1/85,000) that, as every 22nd December, I will say: "Bé, el que és important és tenir salut" (The most important thing it to be healthy) or "Bé, almenys tinc salut" (Weeeeeell, at least I am healthy).</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span><span style="font-family:arial;">Therefore, rather than National Big Lottery or "La Grossa" -Catalan- or "El Gordo" -Spanish- (literally "The fat one") it is the day of "Health" in Spain today.</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >La Grossa</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> is the most popular lottery in the whole of Spain.<br /><br />The first prize, <span style="font-weight: bold;">el Gordo</span> or <span style="font-weight: bold;">la Grossa</span>, is 3 million € per series of tenth share tickets (i.e.: 300,000 € per ticket). There is also a second prize, a third prize, two fourth prizes, eight fifth prizes and "la pedrea", worth 100 euro per ticket. There also other minor prizes. </span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><br />Considering that prizes are given per series, which are divided into ten </span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >dècims </span><span style="font-family:arial;">(CA)/</span><span style="font-style: italic;font-family:arial;" >décimos</span><span style="font-family:arial;"> (ES) (tenth share tickets) -which can be further divided into "participacions"- and that there are 195 series of each number imagine: a) the quantity of existing tickets in every draw and b) how much money the state gives away for the draw (2,142 million €) -in any case benefits are always higher for the State :P.</span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><br /><br />The draw's origin goes back to 1812, and it originally was a way for the state to increase its budget. Soon this became a tradition. In 1892 got its official Spanish name "Sorteo extraordinario de Navidad" (Extraordinary Christmas Draw) and from 1893 onwards it is celebrated every 22nd December. </span> <span style="font-family:arial;">The most curious thing about this draw is the way it is done. Students of the San Ildelfonso boarding school in Madrid aged 8 to 14 literally sing the numbers and the prizes. It is a very typical and characteristic melody and if you listen to it for the whole morning (like I did today) you can become crazy: <span style="font-weight: bold;">the draw lasts 3h 30 min</span>. Here you have a small sample from a previous year:<br /><br /></span> <span style="font-family:arial;"><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/BRgas3xBhYc&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/BRgas3xBhYc&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />How was it like? (hehe) And this ONLY two minutes...<br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">After the draw...</span><br /><br />This year, as every year, I did not win a single euro and I lost 20 € in buying a <span style="font-style: italic;">dècim</span>. 62,307 is not a lucky number...neither it was last year :P. Anyway...I am lucky because I am healthy :D. The only time I ever won anything was with some "participacions" my aunt gave me. I won 5,000 pesetas...so imagine how back in time that was...we still had pesetas, not yet euro. By the way 5,000 pesetas is the mega quantity of....30 euro!!! (I think I prefer to say it in pesetas...there are more zeros and it seems to be more money than 30 euro :P)<br /></span></div><br /><div style="text-align: center;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLUMz2ghtcm2pizk9WGAufeUUYtjsuCbTyEC75GAKR-7PiyglbNou53sDhR2ITO1fVsXCDa7U0E7KikC9qRO6W9kem_1MavLoroR3VhLceZt2X0fwSdOBkNZ7T6S24ilSI7zziaMpCheD/s1600-h/decim.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 242px; height: 144px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgNLUMz2ghtcm2pizk9WGAufeUUYtjsuCbTyEC75GAKR-7PiyglbNou53sDhR2ITO1fVsXCDa7U0E7KikC9qRO6W9kem_1MavLoroR3VhLceZt2X0fwSdOBkNZ7T6S24ilSI7zziaMpCheD/s320/decim.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5418880087955884146" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-style: italic;"><span style="font-size:78%;">Not a lucky number this year<br /><br /></span></span></span><div style="text-align: justify;"><span style="font-family:arial;"><span style="font-size:100%;">I think</span><span style="font-style: italic;"></span> next year I might buy the number in "La bruixa d'or" (The golden witch) lottery ticket shop in Sort, a small village in the Catalan Pyrenees. The reason? For two years they were the sellers of <span style="font-weight: bold;">la Grossa</span> and the village name, <span style="font-style: italic;">Sort</span>, is also the Catalan word for <span style="font-style: italic;">luck</span>. Curious, isn't it?</span><br /></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-33371512254107185782009-12-13T10:00:00.008+01:002010-01-09T17:10:31.453+01:00Smell of Christmas (II)... - La Marató de TV3<div style="text-align: justify;font-family:arial;">Today is a day of solidarity. Since 1992, the Catalan TV station <span>TV3</span><span style="font-style: italic;"> </span>collects funds for research on different diseases.<br /></div><div face="arial" style="text-align: justify;"><br />First of all I'd like you to think about what is a TV solidarity programme for you. And then, read about "La Marató de TV3".<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">What is </span><span style="font-style: italic; font-weight: bold;">La Marató</span><span style="font-weight: bold;">:</span><br /><br />For me, it is a great fund-collecting programme (I am amazed at the funds raised!). A special TV show is broadcasted, there are information campaigns on the chosen disease for the yearly edition, testimonials are recorded and invited to the programme, several activities all over Catalonia (and other Catalan-speaking areas) are organized, people in the Catalan public sphere get involved in it, and a book of short stories and an album with Catalan versions of English songs are published. So as you see, despite the fact that <span style="font-style: italic;">La Marató</span> is an idea born in a TV station, nowadays it has gone far beyond the mere TV show and it has really engaged people.<br /><br />It is possible to make donations by participating in the activities, buying the book or the CD, by making a bank transfer or by telephone. All the funds are given to research foundations.<br /><br /><span style="font-weight: bold;">2009 Edition</span><br /><br /><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBZSxjcf-ob4uAanETR35s2XsoKDhmUicTuIjGIcbpMPmrb_-GDub03t694V9f1RDBuHk7BersoEFurefsBMBcTP7c5_KqMEJONsASWUrc3oP_XvFEfsjoK1gcSVv8No7oAQBcvHZZ57m/s1600-h/marato_def.jpg"><img style="margin: 0px auto 10px; display: block; text-align: center; cursor: pointer; width: 320px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhnBZSxjcf-ob4uAanETR35s2XsoKDhmUicTuIjGIcbpMPmrb_-GDub03t694V9f1RDBuHk7BersoEFurefsBMBcTP7c5_KqMEJONsASWUrc3oP_XvFEfsjoK1gcSVv8No7oAQBcvHZZ57m/s320/marato_def.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414448943951862834" border="0" /></a>This 2009 edition is about minority diseases. As my boyfriend Xavi explains in his <a href="http://icientificats.wordpress.com/">blog about science</a> (in Catalan, so here you have the translation):<br /><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify;"><blockquote style="font-family:arial;">I'll only tell you that minority diseases affect very few people (<span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">one out of 2,000</span></span>, even less in some cases), but globally there are <span style="color: rgb(255, 102, 0);"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">400,000 people who suffer minority diseases</span></span> in Catalonia. This might explain the <span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">poor private investment</span></span> dedicated to these diseases, and therefore public investment to study them is necessary. Usually, minority diseases have a <span style="color: rgb(0, 128, 0);"><span style="text-decoration: underline;">genetic origin</span></span>; that is why they have such a low incidence: natural selection prevents transmission of the causing genes. You can find more information on the show and the many minority diseases that will be addressed (including personal stories) in <a href="http://www.tv3.cat/marato"><span style="font-style: italic;">La Marató</span>'s web</a> [<a href="http://www.tv3.cat/marato/en/">English version</a>] and their <a href="http://blogs.tv3.cat/marato">blog</a> [only Catalan]. You can also <a style="color: rgb(0, 0, 153);" href="http://www.facebook.com/lamarato">become a fan</a> in Facebook.</blockquote><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><br />Although <span style="font-style: italic;">La Marató</span> is held today, since the beginning of December, there have been sensitivisation campaigns mainly in the form of ads. I would like to share this year's ad, which clearly explains the goals of the show, although it does not have much relationship with minority diseases. The spot's slogan is "Hi ha persones que neixen per ajudar els altres" (There are people who are born to help other people).<br /><br /><object id="SVP1639459IE" height="277" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.tv3.cat/svp2/svp2.swf"><param name="scale" value="noscale"><param name="align" value="tl"><param name="swliveconnect" value="true"><param name="menu" value="true"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="FlashVars" value="VIDEO_ID=1639459&FD=1639459&WIDTH=320&HEIGHT=240&USE_LINK_TOCONTEXT=true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.tv3.cat/svp2/svp2.swf" id="SVP1639459" scale="noscale" name="SVP1639459" salign="tl" swliveconnect="true" menu="true" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="VIDEO_ID=1639459&FD=1639459&WIDTH=320&HEIGHT=240&USE_LINK_TOCONTEXT=true" height="277" width="320"></embed></object><br /><br />I would also like to share two ads of the 2005 and 2006 editions, which I specially like:<br /><br />2005 edition focused on Alzheimer and other brain diseases. The ad is just brilliant, with background music of the Catalan version of "All my life" by the Beatles. Two kids are recording daily life common sounds for their grandma who suffers Alzheimer to help her remember.<br /><br /><object id="SVP362359IE" height="277" width="320"><param name="movie" value="http://www.tv3.cat/svp2/svp2.swf"><param name="scale" value="noscale"><param name="align" value="tl"><param name="swliveconnect" value="true"><param name="menu" value="true"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><param name="FlashVars" value="VIDEO_ID=362359&FD=459699&WIDTH=320&HEIGHT=240&USE_LINK_TOCONTEXT=true"><embed type="application/x-shockwave-flash" src="http://www.tv3.cat/svp2/svp2.swf" id="SVP362359" scale="noscale" name="SVP362359" salign="tl" swliveconnect="true" menu="true" allowfullscreen="true" allowscriptaccess="always" flashvars="VIDEO_ID=362359&FD=529462&WIDTH=320&HEIGHT=240&USE_LINK_TOCONTEXT=true" height="277" width="320"></embed></object><br /><br />2006 edition addressed chronic pain. No need for translation.<br /><br /><object height="344" width="425"><param name="movie" value="http://www.youtube.com/v/CLBZxtHP02o&hl=en_US&fs=1&"><param name="allowFullScreen" value="true"><param name="allowscriptaccess" value="always"><embed src="http://www.youtube.com/v/CLBZxtHP02o&hl=en_US&fs=1&" type="application/x-shockwave-flash" allowscriptaccess="always" allowfullscreen="true" height="344" width="425"></embed></object><br /><br />To watch all editions' ads, click <a href="http://www.tv3.cat/marato/espot">here</a> and look at the section "Els espots de les anteriors edicions".<br /><br />Finally, if you fancy a taste of how Catalan versions of English songs sound like, follow this <a href="http://www.tv3.cat/marato/disc.htm">link</a>.<a href="http://www.tv3.cat/marato/disc.htm"></a><br /><br />What about your area? Are there things like <span style="font-style: italic;">La Marató</span> organised?<br /></div></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8707034857443698532.post-26213745253129517962009-12-12T20:00:00.002+01:002010-01-09T17:12:48.242+01:00Smell of Christmas (I)... - Aim<div style="text-align: justify;"><a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77vaCQUtw4h5f19ZWedFDBw6Vgln6KNu2vWfLWuM8bBzR1lvfyEBBSlliePcniMA3ptrIqVuM9j_xVsu7HrqnlU1uTCWK8t5hRIv4l69lssoGvlbiRNojfe0d0ms9vb26AcxkGmR3fPwV/s1600-h/ArbreNadal.jpg"><img style="margin: 0pt 10px 10px 0pt; float: left; cursor: pointer; width: 138px; height: 137px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh77vaCQUtw4h5f19ZWedFDBw6Vgln6KNu2vWfLWuM8bBzR1lvfyEBBSlliePcniMA3ptrIqVuM9j_xVsu7HrqnlU1uTCWK8t5hRIv4l69lssoGvlbiRNojfe0d0ms9vb26AcxkGmR3fPwV/s320/ArbreNadal.jpg" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5414429999796221234" border="0" /></a><span style="font-family:arial;">Again, December. Again, time for perfume, chocolate, watches, Nespresso (¬¬) and cava (the Catalan version of champagne), ultrafrozen seafood and toys ads. Again, decorated fir trees. Again, those typical street lights. Again, everybody seems to be happy. Again, tradition is the rule. Again, Christmas is approaching.</span><br /></div><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><div style="text-align: justify; font-family: arial;"><br />Catalonia shares many Christmas traditions with the rest of Spain, but it also have traditions of its own. My aim during these special dates is to write about all these traditions (both the shared and the unique ones). This will be my particular way to share my Christmas with you.<br /></div><br />I hope you like it :).<br /></div>Annahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08288216469730298652noreply@blogger.com3