Divine drop

Off-location, but too exquisitely grisly to omit: In September, when the 13th of 27 condemned men was hanged, the rope snapped and the prisoner landed on the floor and shouted: “God saved me!” He lay on the ground praying and shouting while prison guards and the hangman discussed whether there had been divine intervention and…

Catalonia still in South America

It’s not that much more expensive to fly to Rio than to Madrid, so maybe Mr Quintanilla knows something we don’t about continental drift.

Immigrant working conditions

Re this: I met some Senegalese olive pickers in Jaén two winters ago living in disused pigsties next to a marvellous ranch. We didn’t discuss religion.

Barcelona is…

My favourite bodega, offering Polonium tapas at €2.10 a plate, geddit?! (That’s enough of that.)

Significance of Spanish playing cards explained

From William Pulleyn’s The Etymological Compendium, Or, Portfolio of Origins and Inventions (1830), via Google Book Search: It is generally believed, that Cards were invented for the amusement of one of the early kings of the line of Bourbon; but this belief is erroneous. Who the man was that invented these instruments of amusement and…

Culinary value of whipped pig and baited bull

GA Sala of Brompton says in Notes and queries in 1874 that “the Spaniards … have not yet arrived at the stage of excusing [bullfighting] on the score that it makes the beef tender. This idea seems borrowed from the old story … about whipping pigs to death. ‘Carne de Toreo’–bull-fighting beef–is usually looked upon…

Barcelona is…

Or was, early this morning, a six-foot tranny (6’6” if you include the shiny red plastic booties) in yesterday’s beard (black, of course), fishnets, and a rather fetching little gingham number, conversing with loved ones far away as she traipsed home. (Tranny trips.)

Extracts from the letters of Don Fernando to various kings and princes of the world

Zazie@Cocanha has scanned extracts from two versions of the highly amusing Cartas d’el Rei D. Fernando, O Catholico, a varios reis e principes do mundo, e suas respostas: colligidas e commentadas por Fr. Antonio Tarfan de los Godos, Commendador na Ordem de S. João de Jerusalem: the first bunch from a manuscript in the collection…

No room at the inn

A bunch of deranged Catalanista xenophobes are campaigning to drive out “foreign” Christmas symbols. Don’t anyone tell them that in Holland Santa Claus is believed to be a Spanish bishop or that current research suggests that Jesus was actually a teddy bear.