Gary J. Kirkpatrick Art and Travel Blog
Expressionistic art
Gary Kirkpatrick My father Frank died in 1993 and his cremated remains have been in a funeral home until my sister discovered them and then arranged for a military burial. He was a WWII soldier, in the Quartermaster’s unit as I recall, a T-5 meaning he was a vehicle mechanic.
Here is a video of the event. It is a very touching moment.
In March we went to the Consulate to get a document notarized in connection with my effort to obtain dual citizenship. Someone had posted a notice from a bar where you could exchange English and Spanish. We went to that bar. There we met Husan. Husan had learned to the play the piano after moving from Korea as a 10 year old to the Canary Islands. The Canary Islands did not fall into the sea so therefore Husan could finish her training,which took her to Vienna. Therefore she was able to take a job in Valencia 18 years later. She invited us to see one of her students perform.
Here is the video:
Husan Park accompanies Carmen Romeu, soprano.
This is Carmen’s last performance at the school. She is already working and should become successful as an opera singer. This is a highly competitive field and relatively few people find steady work. She has a fighting chance.
This event as so many others was sponsored by the Valencian government. As usual there was no admission charge. Here’s a bit from a Hungarian Roma group. Click below.
My notes written as we waited:
What is the Spanish cuisine
Tapas
Tackling this topic is difficult because of the immense breadth and depth of the Spanish cuisine. There are regional dishes and variations, ingredients galore and a long history. But I’ll be taking my cue from what you encounter as you walk around Valencia.
Probably the first thing you notice are the tapas. Tapas (the word for cover or lid) are everywhere in bars and restaurants. More than anything else, this is what Spaniards order when they go out. The servings are modest in size so you can eat multiple varieties in the course of an evening. Not that it’s a cheap way to eat anymore. Let me give you an example or two.
Peg and I went out with a group a couple of weeks ago. We went to a nearby spot. They decided as a group what to order. In a while, out came chicken croquettes (always deep fried), marinated mushrooms, patatas bravas (potatoes in a mildy spicy red sauce, about as spicy as anything gets here), some sort of chicken fingers, and a couple of other dishes. You can get slices of manchego (sheep cheese) marinated in olive oil, anchovies, calarmi frito (fried), red peppers, green peppers, tortialla española (potato omlette), patatas alioi (potatoes in a garlic mayonnaise sauce), various ways of stuffing eggs eg with tuna. The list is endless. These are run between 3.50 ($5.00) and 8.00 euros ($11) a pop. Our modest repast with our friends cost us 20 euros ($28) including beer, which runs about $5 a pint. It is not exactly a cheap night out and we were not exactly full either, but was fun- it is always fun. Another night went to a bar near our first apartment (we call it the green bar, near the Torres Serrano) and we spent 40 euros for 4 although this included a bottle of wine for 8 euros ($11).
We remember it being cheap in Madrid when we were living there, late 1998-May 1999. They’d give you some olives with your beer. The beer was maybe .75, now over $2.00 for a caña, which is about 8 oz so, very small, and $5 a pint. I am talking ordinary beer, nothing fancy. And at that time in Madrid you could get an order, una raciòn, of say patatas bravas for maybe $1, as much as $2 in a fancy place. In one place where we used to go for a beer in Madrid they gave you a small plate of paella. We do not get much free here, although there are a few such places still.
Tapas and the cuisine in general are heavy on the olive oil and often on the garlic as well (noticeable but never biting). There are a lot of deep fried items amongst tapas, but less so in the other meals.
Because we are close to the sea here, there is perhaps a greater prevalence of seafood. In the tapas bars you see gambas (shrimp), bocarones (small fish) and sardinias (you can figure this one out) and octopus usually in a vinegar based sauce but perhaps fried also. These days you find fish all over Spain, even fresh, of course, but there is more and greater variety on the coasts.
Tapas are about having fun as much as eating. You sit in bars, outside on the sidewalk as much as inside, for the weather permits outdoor seating year round. Your friends join you and you talk about your week, the economy, politics. Or whatever.
Processions on St. Vincent’s day feature an effeminate Vincent flinging his index finger skyward. Curates in procession wore the bishop’s red or plain black for the rank and file. Women joined in, dressed in black, middled aged and older women, with veils and a little rigid curved piece on the back of the head from which fell more black lace. They looked quite somber and dignified. A military contingent marched in goose step and bands played. Sparse crowds watched as the city’s patron saint rolled pass, some clapping as he went by. How odd, i thought, to clap for a statue. I guess if you can believe in magic bread you can clap for a statue.
March 22, 2011
Photos/slide show from Barcelona, Figueres and Tarragona
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After Fallas we drove to Barcelona, about 350 kilometers to the north. There were 6 of us in the van. Four of our good friends are here for a visit.
Barcelona is Spain’s second largest city and among the most gorgeous of Europe in large part due to the architectural style called Modernismo. Antonio Gaudi, an architect whose flamboyant style is to be found nowhere else, makes a visit here obligatory for those who want to see in person what they have marveled at in photos.
We were there just two days and in that short a time you have to see La Sagrada Familia, the Holy Family, a cathedral whose height dwarfs its footprint. The structure gives meaning to the phrase ‘over the top’: it is over the everything.
The Gothic quarter has many small streets, not haphazard as in most medieval quarters, but laid out on a grid that is left over from the Romans. On one edge you find a Roman wall. Within the quarter there are a few Roman era buildings, some medieval, others modern, including a Gaudi apartment building. This was his first apartment building, as I recall, which we stumbled across while looking for a bar for an early beer with Neal. We were returning from a visit to the Maritime Museum.
Since we came by car we had a few adventures in parking. When we first arrived we tried a garage. It was so cramped that not only was making a turn difficult, it was claustrophobic as well. We finally found a spot on the street. Parking is free between 2 and 4 pm and after 8 pm until 8 am, otherwise we tried to feed it from the parking ticket dispenser, which accept coins, bills or credit cards.
We drove to Figueres after visiting Gaudi’s park. Figueres is known for the Dali Museum. The Dali mansion is 30 kilometers outside town. The famous Cadillac that showers the mannequin occupants is gimmicky in my book, as are some of Dali’s dual image paintings, which, unlike the Caddy at least needed great skill to do.
But the man could draw, so I spent time lots of time on his drawings.
He can also paint what he wants, in various styles. A rare example of the diversity of his skills was the exhibit of his Disney movie work. It was never completed as the agreement with Disney fell apart.
I have been wanting to see this museum for years and I would not mind going again.
We left the mom and pop hotel/restaurant bar, I think it is called the Gallego, to start our return. We stopped off in Tarragona, another Roman era town perched on a cliff with gorgeous views of the Med. There’s a small excavation in the town center. They have uncovered the Forum.
Spanish restaurants can be disappointing, despite having some of the best ingredients to work with. But today we were certainly not disappointed with our experience at Peregrino (the Pilgrim).
ADATA, an alliance of ecological groups in the Chiriqui Highlands, in the western part of Panama, has opened a “Cabana Turistica” near Rio Sereno (the Serene River), a small town on the border with Costa Rica and on the edge of the Biological Corridor. The Biological Corridor runs between South America and Canada.
The cabin is available for those wanting to visit the area. Birders, hikers, naturalists and other groups visit this area regularly. Now you can do so and support the environment. ADATA supports the environment by supporting ecologically sustainable economic activities such as organic farming including organic coffee, restaurants, tourist activities, as well as direct support for the Parque Internacional La Amistad.
$25 per person per night, $120 for groups of six or more. Ktichen, full bath, 2 bedrooms, 2 sofa bed (doubles), maximum 10 people.
For further information, contact: phone, email.
Primer proyecto 23 mayo 2011 gary
ADATA, (Alianza para el Desarrollo Ambiental de Tierras Altas), una alianza de 13 organizaciones ecologicas de Las Tierras Altas de Chiriqui, Panama, ya ofrece a turistas y grupos la posibilidad de alojamiento en Rio Sereno, en las bonitas y frescas montañas de Panama a la frontera con Costa Rica. Muy cerca se encuentra el Corredor Biològico, donde viven mas de 250 especies de aves y otros animales como el puma, y una tremenda variedad de flora tambien. La cabaña es disponible para la gente que quiere visitar esta zona, el Parque Internacional La Amistad, y el Parque Volcan Baru (nombre exacto?).
Hay sitio para 10 personas. Las ganacias apoyan …… ? Vea abajo para mas informaciòn.
Un link al email aqui.
This is a short video of the wonderful free concert at the Plaza de la Virgin April 9, 2011
