Culture club

Hola Bloggers,

We didn´t manage to get tickets to the Catalan version of A Midsummer Nights Dream but instead we went to the National Theatre to see a performance of Fuente Ovejuna (in Castellano - yeah!). I can´t remember who wrote it which is really naughty because he is apparently the Shakespeare of Spain (Every country reckons it has a Shakespeare doesn´t it - well what I want to know is how come we have never heard of their´s but they all know who Shakespeare is? Hmm. Different League. Thats what I say to that). I am pleased to say that I understood enough to enjoy it - because it was in old poetic Castellano (I suppose like Shakespearean language - not that I am drawing any comparisons).

Its the first time I have seen bare female breasts in a serious production ! Two pairs! The Continent is oh so free..............

It was a joy to visit the National Theatre not only for the performance but also because it allowed me to see some of Jose´s work. He is an architect and the theatre itself is one of his projects. ......and very impressive it is too. It is also virtually oppposite the new tower in BCN which is very much like the Norman Foster Egg in Liverpool Street, London. The BCN one is also Jose´s work. He doesn´t actually design the cosmetic look of buildings. Once that has been done, by architects on the more artictic side of things, he works out how the hell it can be done technically - and whether or not it can be done. So, basically, if it falls down its his fault!

I have also attended an Andalucian festival since my last correspondence. Yes I know I am in Catalunya but at this time of year in all the big cities there are Andalucian festivals for all the Andalucians that live there. The festival consisted of far too many marquees to count which were each set up with bars and dance floors and packed with flamenco dancing revellers. Many were in full costume, they were of all ages and of various stages of drunkardness. I did my bit and danced as well as I could with rose in mouth, silly hat on head and aided by mucho traditional Andalucian wine (drunk from shot glasses for some reason). Two of our gang are children of parents of Andalucia so they have each grown up dancing the traditional dances in their homes. The rest of us were therefore able to (try and) copy those two - much to their amusement. It seems that Andalucian dancing involves lots of stamping of one´s feet. I found that bit quite easy and couldn´t work out whether I was remembering the days when I spent a month in Seville on a Spanish school exchange at the age of 14 ...............or whether I was just remembering being 14!

Most of this week has been spent on the sofa because I have had a really bad cold and sore throat. Although it is never nice to be ill, its nice to be able to be ill without worrying about what is going on at work and constantly fretting about when you should go back.

Well done Liverpool last night. I know there was no score but at least they held Chelsea off. We can´t let Chelsea take the League and the European Cup! I have got more friends who are Chelsea fans than who are Liverpool fans and they are probably cursing me now, but listen:
1. I have always had a soft spot for Liverpool ever since my Dad got me Ian Rush´s autograph when I was about 5 years old, 2. I went to Uni in Liverpool, 3. Chelsea knocked Barcelona out, 4. Liverpool is up North and Chelsea is down south - say no more.

S xxx