Tres Reyos (or Three Kings), for those who don't know, happens on the 6th of January, in Spain this is the day when children receive presents, as three kings arrived bearing gifts for baby Jesus, and there was no fat man who came down the chimney as the stables (or where-ever it was) that baby Jesus was born in, didn't have a chimney anyway.
So living in a beautiful hypocrite Catholic country called Spain you are supposed to know these things. The local councils go out of their way to prepare something special for the day, as Spanish really love children (except of course when they cry), however the same councils can not advise you when exactly the celebrations take place, so waiting is obligatory.
Also on this marvelous occasion, there is this special cake, that they sell in every shop the box that the cake comes in bares the images of the three kings (or wise men if you like) and looks
quite amazing. The decorations on the cake are bright coloured and the fluffy appearing cream seems to be bursting from every corner. However don't be fooled by this crazy delicious impression. The cake is dry, the cream is anything but fluffy, and those decorations could break your teeth (they appear like jelly unfortunately the appearance if rather confusing), yes still you migh be lucky and injure your gums by finding the golden almond or even better a black king.
Please keep in mind that I am not a racist, it is simply what I found when I ate my piece of that revolting thing.
We spent Tres Reyos eating lamb with red wine, and kept this sickening cake for desert... I must admit dogs rather liked it. But if you want to go to Spain to eat some lovely cakes forget it.
A lovely surprise in the post come yesterday. It was the October edition of the Spanish Sun newspaper, with my own article "Telefonica - the new Spanish inquisition" in the sixth page. I knew the editor sent me a copy of her paper, but I never was aware that the paper contained my own article, unfortunately as no-one locally sells this paper I was not aware that I got published in another English newspaper (OK it's in English but located in Spain the point is, it's a good start!).
Along with the pleasant surprise of the newspaper I also received a Christmas card from my brother and his family, it was his wife who wrote the card, and I am over the moon with this, as it just shows how really grown up we are! My brother has a lovely little girl called Emma (note the English way of spelling the name as she was born in Ireland!) and once I ask for my brother's permission I might write more about her in the future!
Magick Moments (or www.MagickMoments.co.uk) is a project I have spent the last ten days working on. Magick Moments is an online shop specializing in witchcraft / pagan / new age goods. It also sells amazing blossoming tea, and much much more, it is going to expand probably this year, depending whether my business partner and I can find the investors. While talking about Magick (with K that's how it's meant to be because this is the way witches spell it) I have a confession to make.
I am a witch. In witchcraft terminology I can be called a hedge or an eclectic witch as I do not worship any deities (and do not intend to) I simply respect nature and practice some magick, spell casting, healing and other witchy stuff. My current subject of interest is herbology, and I have collected a fascinating collection of books on the subject. However I am not spreading my "religion" and do not intend to convert any of my friends. I simply want to be accepted for who I am, and firstly I am a writer and only then a witch. My writing style is not influenced by my "beliefs" it just seems natural to me, that as a person who is interested in protecting environment, I should be more in tune with nature and that is exactly what witchcraft provides me with, a connection with natural forces and everything that surrounds me.
I had some really amazing adventures this morning, luckless for me mostly unpleasant adventures...
Outside our house there is a lot of action going on, firstly there was a water supply cut of with no warning for two days, then the whole road was dug up, and we were left to climb mountains of mud, with two dogs on their leads and hands full of shopping, now they finally buried the new pipes underneath the old dirt and the road is being concreted... There was more, but I am pretty confident you get the idea. So they have been concreting the street patch by patch up to our house daily. All the properties in the street are holiday homes, the house we live in is the only one that is occupied, so we were not too bothered, when the rest of the street behind us was blocked off, as we had nothing to do in that side of the village.
Today they started doing the rest of the road that is in front of our house and basically that road is the only thing that connects us to the civilized world. We went off early this morning to catch the lazy postman, to fill the car with petrol and to get our weekly shopping.
When we got home, or as close as it was possible to our home, we were pointed to the wet cement and told that we have to find another way home, then they directed us to an olive grove that is just a steep hill up to the left of our house. Imagine carrying your weekly shopping, for two adults, as well as two adult dogs (who eat a lot) about 300 meters and then try to get it down the steep hill as well as two dogs that have to stay on their lead. Impossible or very close to it...
Me being the optimist in the family, and knowing that moaning won't help as I am not Spanish, I simply accepted it for what it is, walked through the olive grove with two dogs and an out of breath husband. I knew Graham will only be able to come down that hill once and hopefully will not have a heart attack in the meantime, shopping (half the stuff being frozen but defrosting slowly) was my responsibility. I gave the dogs leads to Graham and asked him to hold them while I get down, then he can let me get them once they run down the hill. Stupid idea.
I was standing like an idiot waiting for the dogs, but the free spirits that they are, they simply decided to go for the wet cement rather than their mummy. All the Spanish amateur road makers went mental and started swinging their shovels at my dogs. My dogs have never been hit in their life, so it does not have any affect on them, but shouting does, and they started barking like mad. The amateur road makers obviously do not know that the louder the dog barks, the less it bites and they panicked. I can't blame them because the dogs have the strength in their jaws to bite your arm (or leg) off, but that doesn't mean they would.
Running and swinging shovels increased, only to rise my dogs temperament, during all this my darling husband started looking for another way to get to the house and I was left with two angry dogs and a bunch of even angrier and scared Spaniards.
I tried calling the dogs and nothing would work, they were too busy protecting their territory and their ego. Then in slow motion I saw one of the cowards swing his spade look alike tool, and hit Charlie's head. God knows how but I ran up that steep hill and through the olive grove knowing that this is not going to end nice.
As I was approaching the spot another slow motion of Millie being hit on her head, fearless little thing didn't even twitch, then another swing and I cried STOP at the top of my voice, shouting at every idiot that these dogs are not dangerous they are simply silly, they did not attack anyone, they just barked, after a lot of effort I calmed the dogs on caught them. This time I literally risked my life and dragged the dogs down the hill with me. Then some shopping and then helped my sixty year old husband to descend the slippery muddy hill.
The pictures that you see have been taken at the end of the exercise when most of the shopping was indoors. Afterwards I had the first Gin and Tonic in my life that was consumed before lunch time. Dogs are fine, no visible injuries at all, however I do intend to take them to the vets to have them checked thoroughly tomorrow.
For those who don't understand why Spanish are so petrified of dogs, I will explain, when they have a dog they beat the shit out of the poor thing for everything and anything, turning them into vicious creatures, when they are fed up with them they throw them out in the streets creating uncared for, angry and very likely unhealthy dogs that are feared, because they are by then vicious.
My dogs are reasonably obedient, but once someone attacks them in any way they defend their selves by barking. They never have bitten anyone, but each other while playing. They are not vicious but they simply are dogs, they listen to their instincts, and remember when a dog barks all it means is that it is afraid and is trying to frighten off it's foe.
It as lesson everyone should be taught at Spanish schools, to heal this sick and hypocrite mentality.
I am calm and no longer furious as my anger doesn't hurt anyone but myself, there is no point. I can not change these people, but I can certainly stand up to them, and show just how stupid they really are.
The photograph bellow is for those who don't believe what I wrote about violence against dogs in Spain. Yes there are people who love dogs in this country, but violence against animals in general is public, starting with bull fighting ending with dogs. It comes as no surprise to anyone to see a dog being beaten, by it's master in the street, the photograph bellow shows a dog that has been punished for misbehaving this greyhound was made to stand on it's back legs and the had a rope put round it's neck, the moment the dog got tired it ended up strangling itself. What Charlie and Millie experienced this morning was barely a pat on their back...
To see more vile pictures or to find out more information please visit these websites, if you will not be convinced after visiting those websites you never will. Violence against animals is ground into their culture, but there are people who are trying to change this!
SOS GALGOS - this website specializes in gray hounds. The page you will be taken to, will show extremely vile pictures.
ACE - this website has also a few very disturbing photos. It is a shelter in Costa Del Sol (very close to where I live) for cats and dogs.
There more websites promoting shelters for stray and abused animals in Spain than in any other country, to find more you can google search for them
Along with the pleasant surprise of the newspaper I also received a Christmas card from my brother and his family, it was his wife who wrote the card, and I am over the moon with this, as it just shows how really grown up we are! My brother has a lovely little girl called Emma (note the English way of spelling the name as she was born in Ireland!) and once I ask for my brother's permission I might write more about her in the future!
Magick Moments (or www.MagickMoments.co.uk) is a project I have spent the last ten days working on. Magick Moments is an online shop specializing in witchcraft / pagan / new age goods. It also sells amazing blossoming tea, and much much more, it is going to expand probably this year, depending whether my business partner and I can find the investors. While talking about Magick (with K that's how it's meant to be because this is the way witches spell it) I have a confession to make.
I am a witch. In witchcraft terminology I can be called a hedge or an eclectic witch as I do not worship any deities (and do not intend to) I simply respect nature and practice some magick, spell casting, healing and other witchy stuff. My current subject of interest is herbology, and I have collected a fascinating collection of books on the subject. However I am not spreading my "religion" and do not intend to convert any of my friends. I simply want to be accepted for who I am, and firstly I am a writer and only then a witch. My writing style is not influenced by my "beliefs" it just seems natural to me, that as a person who is interested in protecting environment, I should be more in tune with nature and that is exactly what witchcraft provides me with, a connection with natural forces and everything that surrounds me.
I had some really amazing adventures this morning, luckless for me mostly unpleasant adventures...
Outside our house there is a lot of action going on, firstly there was a water supply cut of with no warning for two days, then the whole road was dug up, and we were left to climb mountains of mud, with two dogs on their leads and hands full of shopping, now they finally buried the new pipes underneath the old dirt and the road is being concreted... There was more, but I am pretty confident you get the idea. So they have been concreting the street patch by patch up to our house daily. All the properties in the street are holiday homes, the house we live in is the only one that is occupied, so we were not too bothered, when the rest of the street behind us was blocked off, as we had nothing to do in that side of the village.
Today they started doing the rest of the road that is in front of our house and basically that road is the only thing that connects us to the civilized world. We went off early this morning to catch the lazy postman, to fill the car with petrol and to get our weekly shopping.
When we got home, or as close as it was possible to our home, we were pointed to the wet cement and told that we have to find another way home, then they directed us to an olive grove that is just a steep hill up to the left of our house. Imagine carrying your weekly shopping, for two adults, as well as two adult dogs (who eat a lot) about 300 meters and then try to get it down the steep hill as well as two dogs that have to stay on their lead. Impossible or very close to it...
Me being the optimist in the family, and knowing that moaning won't help as I am not Spanish, I simply accepted it for what it is, walked through the olive grove with two dogs and an out of breath husband. I knew Graham will only be able to come down that hill once and hopefully will not have a heart attack in the meantime, shopping (half the stuff being frozen but defrosting slowly) was my responsibility. I gave the dogs leads to Graham and asked him to hold them while I get down, then he can let me get them once they run down the hill. Stupid idea.
I was standing like an idiot waiting for the dogs, but the free spirits that they are, they simply decided to go for the wet cement rather than their mummy. All the Spanish amateur road makers went mental and started swinging their shovels at my dogs. My dogs have never been hit in their life, so it does not have any affect on them, but shouting does, and they started barking like mad. The amateur road makers obviously do not know that the louder the dog barks, the less it bites and they panicked. I can't blame them because the dogs have the strength in their jaws to bite your arm (or leg) off, but that doesn't mean they would.
Running and swinging shovels increased, only to rise my dogs temperament, during all this my darling husband started looking for another way to get to the house and I was left with two angry dogs and a bunch of even angrier and scared Spaniards.
I tried calling the dogs and nothing would work, they were too busy protecting their territory and their ego. Then in slow motion I saw one of the cowards swing his spade look alike tool, and hit Charlie's head. God knows how but I ran up that steep hill and through the olive grove knowing that this is not going to end nice.
As I was approaching the spot another slow motion of Millie being hit on her head, fearless little thing didn't even twitch, then another swing and I cried STOP at the top of my voice, shouting at every idiot that these dogs are not dangerous they are simply silly, they did not attack anyone, they just barked, after a lot of effort I calmed the dogs on caught them. This time I literally risked my life and dragged the dogs down the hill with me. Then some shopping and then helped my sixty year old husband to descend the slippery muddy hill.
The pictures that you see have been taken at the end of the exercise when most of the shopping was indoors. Afterwards I had the first Gin and Tonic in my life that was consumed before lunch time. Dogs are fine, no visible injuries at all, however I do intend to take them to the vets to have them checked thoroughly tomorrow.
For those who don't understand why Spanish are so petrified of dogs, I will explain, when they have a dog they beat the shit out of the poor thing for everything and anything, turning them into vicious creatures, when they are fed up with them they throw them out in the streets creating uncared for, angry and very likely unhealthy dogs that are feared, because they are by then vicious.
My dogs are reasonably obedient, but once someone attacks them in any way they defend their selves by barking. They never have bitten anyone, but each other while playing. They are not vicious but they simply are dogs, they listen to their instincts, and remember when a dog barks all it means is that it is afraid and is trying to frighten off it's foe.
It as lesson everyone should be taught at Spanish schools, to heal this sick and hypocrite mentality.
I am calm and no longer furious as my anger doesn't hurt anyone but myself, there is no point. I can not change these people, but I can certainly stand up to them, and show just how stupid they really are.
The photograph bellow is for those who don't believe what I wrote about violence against dogs in Spain. Yes there are people who love dogs in this country, but violence against animals in general is public, starting with bull fighting ending with dogs. It comes as no surprise to anyone to see a dog being beaten, by it's master in the street, the photograph bellow shows a dog that has been punished for misbehaving this greyhound was made to stand on it's back legs and the had a rope put round it's neck, the moment the dog got tired it ended up strangling itself. What Charlie and Millie experienced this morning was barely a pat on their back...
To see more vile pictures or to find out more information please visit these websites, if you will not be convinced after visiting those websites you never will. Violence against animals is ground into their culture, but there are people who are trying to change this!
SOS GALGOS - this website specializes in gray hounds. The page you will be taken to, will show extremely vile pictures.
ACE - this website has also a few very disturbing photos. It is a shelter in Costa Del Sol (very close to where I live) for cats and dogs.
There more websites promoting shelters for stray and abused animals in Spain than in any other country, to find more you can google search for them
2 comments:
Hello Carra!
long time since I read you last but you always come up with something good and I regret not reading ur blog regularly all the more..
Congrats for your publication!
and thanks for the great advice regarding cakes and Spain.Hope you had all your teeth itnact!!
and yeah,you changed my perception of "witch" as previously I used to think of the word only in the negative sense..
cheers!!
Hi Jayant! Don't worry about following my blog, as I write these days rarely but more...
You're welcome for the advice, Spain is definitely not the country to go to for cakes.
The witch perception has been abused for centuries and if I was able to change one person's view that is more than plenty for me! We are not some vile creatures but rather people who love nature and fellow human beings in general.
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