If someone were to shout out that the mayor of your town was a corrupt so and so, and should be investigated for syphoning public funds into his Swiss bank account what would be your reaction? Would it be to call for a thorough investigation into the accusations or would it be to call up the accuser and ask why he had not had his shoes cleaned recently? Would it be to interview the mayor about the foreign bank account or would it be to question the accuser about his choice of haircut? Then, were his replies about hair styles not to your satisfaction, you would be forgiven for dismissing his claims against the mayor, because, after all, anyone who walked around with dusty shoes couldn't possibly speak with authority about serious issues.
Well this, to many, is how Spanish Politics are being conducted right now. As new political formations are being formed and new calls for regional identity the Gazachomonk goes in search of answers and comes up with not only an insight into why Spain is in so much in pain right now, but also a handy remedy for dusty shoes too.

Speaking of Dreams: Podemos and It's Absence of Answers

Chapter One from the Slow Route Home: Narrated by Paul Read. 
Miguel has sold his truck and bought a mule. Everyone in the village believes he is crazy, but Miguel follows a wisdom far greater than those that mock him. Miguel's neighbours, his dog and the strange neighbour with the burnt trees are about to learn the benefits of going slow. 

This short story is based on Gandhi's desire to 'live the change you wish to see in the world' and takes place amongst the Olive Groves of Andalusia. Miguel's desire to live the way he thinks the world should be may confound his neighbours, but his simple philosophy and way of life symbolise another path open to us all.

Want the whole story - now on Amazon for just 99c or less:

The Slow Route Home: Episode 19

www.speakingofspain.com: What was the relationship between George Orwell's writings and Spain in 1936? How far was Animal Farm and 1984 his final attempt to tell the story of the lost revolution in Spain? And why are the seeds of that revolution sprouting once more in Spain today? Visit the website for posters, podcasts and more.

George Orwell and Spain: 1984 and the Spanish Civil War

This is an update on the podcast for 2014 with an explanation of where it is going for the year ahead. Its also a reminder to come over to Youtube channel: Speaking of Spain with the Gazpachomonk to see the spain history series as well as future videos.

The past and the future

Part 2 of the Forgotten First Republic series. See last episode for Part 1. 

150 years after the first Republic was declared in the heart of Andalusia, the Gazpachomonk replays the original resurrection canoeing across the lake of Iznajar, and hiking thought the desert landscape with a group of misguided historians in search of meaning in an otherwise meaningless era. Discover the ordeals and absurdities, discover the truth about the king's moustache and listen to the music, the poems that accompany this historic walk in search of Spain's republican past.

Resurrecting the Republic in Spain: Episode 16

Many students of Spanish history will know of the 2nd Republic in Spain, some may have indeed heard of the 1st republic, but few will have heard of the Forgotten First Republic of Bread And Cheese.
Now, Cuba, China and Russia may spring to mind when the word 'revolution' is bandied about in street demonstrations, but rarely did the name of Loja ever come up in one of Fidel's, Hugo Chavez's or Putin´s marathon speeches. It appears the world has never heard of the 'Bread and Cheese Revolution' of 1861.

The Forgotten First Republic in Spain: Episode 15

Has Spain lost its capacity to protest any more? Has it been reduced to passively taking whatever Brussels and Rajoy throw at it? Today on Speaking Of Spain, the Gazpachomonk digs dip and finds out where the Spine in Spain really is...

Oh Where oh Where is the Spine in Spain? Episode 14

Yes, summer has arrived and with it, deancing sown the high street hand in hand comes the Spanish heat. When I say heat, I should clarify what I mean: I don't mean warmth, I mean HEAT.

Imagine, if you will the oven has been on all day and you didn't realise. "Is that oven still on?” You ask yourself as you cross the kitchen and spot a small red light that shouldn't be on. You open up the oven door to check that it's not just a faulty switch and...too late! A wave of scorching, eye-brow-removing-heat smacks you across the face

Or imagine, if you will, it's mid summer and you are lying drowsily in bed, the sound of crickets chirping in the distance and the gentle sway of a palm leaf sends cooling shadows across the wooden beams of the bedroom ceiling. Sunlight, tip-toes gently across the room, caressing your spring wardrobe, suggesting it may be time to pack away the socks till autumn. Then, in the very same instance, some trickster sneaks up to you and super-glues two steaming hot water bottles to your face. Well, that's what the arrival of a spanish summer is like. 

In Today's Episode of Speaking of Spain…what to do when you live inside the oven..the Gazpachomonk presents his dastedly 9 point plan to surviving a summer in Spain...

The Summer Survival Guide for Spain

Laurie Lee name is synonymous with Spain and travel writing. But how much of what he wrote bears any relationship to the events and moments described in his works?
Part 2 of Did Laurie Lie concludes this mini investigation by the Gazpachomonk.

In the last episode we traced the background to Lee’s work’s and looked at the 3 reasons why we should question some of the authenticity of his accounts of travelling in Spain.
 
1. First was the time factor. When I walked out one midsummer morning was written 35 years after his experiences. Time plays games with memories, and the benefits of hind-site can too easily add weight to an otherwise uncertain instinct or impression. 

2. Secondly, Lee was a writer of fiction and poetry. He was not a writer of history.  

And finally there is the ongoing controversy surrounding his role in the civil war,  -  to what extent he participated and whether his book about participation, is really just a collection of others experiences. 

All these factors promoted me to look again at his writings on Almunecar. Find out the what the villagers had to say of the man who put their town on the map.

Laurie Lee Part 2

Laurie Lee is often cited  - amongst English Speakers moving to Spain - as one of the few writers on the country that have managed to portray the real Spain  -  Lee’s travel stories having inspired and often ignited a passion for Iberia previously unknown amongst Anglosaxons. Yet any cursory inspection into Lee’s autobigraphical travels reveal inconsistencies, inaccuracies and outright inventions. 

At some point, those of us still treasuring our battered copies of When I walked out one mid-summer morning - must ask ourselves - What if Laurie Lied?

Episode 11: What if Laurie Lied?

Gerald had bought into the Dream. He had been sold a fantasy for what appeared a bargain. With a small investment he could live the very dream that had been pumped out of the unpleasant orifices of British media since the mid 1990's.  And one guy called Gerald had not been immune to such pumping , who indeed had been? Who would not want to swap their 2 up/ 2 down for a ramshackle villa on the med.coast? Who would not want to exchange 9 months of cloud and drizzle for 9 months of sun and warmth? Who would not want to swap a luke-warm mug of Sainsubury's instant freeze-dried for a steaming glass of Cafe con leche?

Find out whether the move from the country to the town enabled Gerald to track down his dream, or whether the dream would be better off back there, beneath the olive tree.

Gerald's Jungle Part 2: The Move into Town

What possesses anyone to buy a house on the Internet, on top of a mountain, with only wild goats,  wild boar and wild hunting parties for company?

Who but Gerald would fall for the Spanish cliché of Living the Dream?

But Gerald, had other plans to fulfil.....

Follow the mind set, the mountainous life-style and the mysterious musings of Gerald on this weeks investigative 2 part serial: Gerald's Jungle


Grab the jungle sounds of the and accompany Gerald on this special 2 part podcast from the Gazpachomonk:

Living the Dream: Gerald's Jungle (Part 1)

George Orwell lived just 46 years, always ill, always poor. Always it appeared, under criticism and suspicion.  Yet in his brief lifetime he managed  - almost uniquely amongst those of his time - to deconstruct the newspeak of imperialism. Stalinism. And fascism. 

But more than this, orwell’s criticisms of the role of the intellectual left, the forces of Fascism in Spain and the blind adherence to party policy amongst Stalinist supporters, has a relevance and bearing for us even today, over 65 years later as Spain reels from pillar to post -  from EU policy cuts, to self-imposed austerity measures - like a headless corpse on the battlefield of the Ebro. 

No one today seems clear why we travel the roads we do any more, no-one seems any longer clear if the journey is worth the effort. For many look and see a failed and bankrupt system before their eyes. 
What steps should we take to initiate real change and is it even possible, Orwell asked back in 1937 and his croaking and bullet damaged voice echoes still unanswered from the past - is it even possible, he said -  to ever create fundamental changes by democratic methods alone?”

Has Orwell Got Something to Tell Us about Spain?

To coincide with the beginning of Spring, many towns celebrate in Spain by holding different fiestas. Here in Loja, we celebrate with the Feria de la Tapa. But what is a tapa? Where did the idea first come from and what can you expect from attending a feria such as this?

Find out this week on SPeaking of Spain with the Gazpachomonk.

The History of the Humble Tapa: Episode 7

Semana Santa, or Holy week in Spain is not only an expression of religious faith, it is also an expression of the passion and lust for life that this nation encompasses in all aspects of it's culture. 

From the varied and iconic costumes, the driving music and the infectious aromas of incense, Holy Week represents Spain at its best. The fiesta embraces all ages, sexes and capabilities. It embraces all the senses and all rhythms of a country still in tune with its history, and it embraces something global as well as  local in its participatory and collaborative efforts.

It embraces the music and song, flare and feats of strength, it embraces uniformity and individuality and it embraces tradition as well as a contemporary stance.  

Follow the Gazpachomonk as he in turns follows the procession at the start of Semana Santa in the deep south of Spain, listen to the bands and the people as this week of celebration begins. And visit the web site to see a collection of images too... insidethetortilla.com

What is Holy Week/ Semana Santa all about? Episode 6

We live in an increasingly fast paced world. A world in which the time it takes to make an instant coffee in the microwave is still too tediously slow.
The world, moves too slow. It still takes 24 grindingly slow hours to simply turnaround once. 
Each hour still takes 60 long minutes to get through: Surely some bright techno 8 year old can program a new sort-of compressed minute - a Jpeg drink for those of us who find Time is still of the essence in today's turtle banished, terabyte hungry world.
Tourism is bravely responding to this shifting scenario and is, I am happy to report, encouraging a more concise and compact tour of popular destinations.
Spain, for example can now be seen and done in just a single weekend. Yes thats right, forget your fortnight package deal - who has time for that any more? Do more in less with our special Gazpachomonk Guided Tour of Iberia in just 48 hours.

See All of Spain in a Weekend

In this episode of Speaking of Spain....we look at four issues relevant to Spain in these difficult times:

1. The Italian results This remarkable election speaks to this country as well as to the Italian people. How so? 

2. Seasonal Change.  Spring is in the air and how to prepare for change.....

3. Corruption, beards and things that begin with R. (Rajoy etc)
 
4. Olives and marinating heaven.

Renewal, Renovation and Beards in Spain

Episode 3 of Speaking of Spain looks thgis week at the History of Black Monday in Spain, tracing the origines during th transition to democracy up until the present economic and moral crises.

Also on the podcast is the second App review, this week looking at Abbey TextGrabber - the OCR and translation tool.

Finally, as the weather still appears a tad grey, the Monk digs out an old classic warming recipe to keep our toes warm until the spring arrives.

Muisc by the excellent……."I dunno" by grapes
http://ccmixter.org/files/grapes/16626
Black Rainbow by Pitx
http://www.freesound.org/usersViewSingle.php?id=40665 is licensed under a Creative Commons license:http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

Black Monday and Satan's Footsteps: Episode 3

This week we review the changes to driving license regulations for foreigners in Spain, and ask what will become of the future for Spain's tourism and olive oil industries if the present trends continue.
We look back to Joe Strummer and his Paloma and we look forward to digital dictionaries and language apps for the mobile techno-mad of the 21st Century.

Finally, we interview Sylvie Matter, an international presence in Loja: Check out her web site on www.el-cyd.com. Also we offer a chance to download the new free photo epub :Shadows and Silhouettes in Spain.  All in this weeks episode of Speaking of Spain.....

Episode 2: Culture, Clash and UFO's in Spain

This episode is simply an introduction to the series and to give an idea of what future podcasts will  - in theory at least  - contain:

* 1. Las Noticias: (News)
* 2. Lessons from a Lapsed Linguist: (Language tricks and tips)
* 3  Integration issues: (The law and our status)
* 4  Cultural Corner: (Fiestas, food and flavours)
* 5  Other Insights: (The Illuminating Immigrant Interview) 

So, will it be a show about Coastal life and an opportunity to rent a rural villa with pool that sleeps 6 ? On the contrary, I shan't be peddling the coastal or tourist image of Spain, something that has been - and continues to be - promoted to the point of nausea. Instead, I shall be probing from just inside the interior, from the very geographical centre of Andaluisa. Don't expect tidal forcasts, blue flag reports or the state of the autovias towards Matalscanas on a popular puente weekend. Dont expect airport baggage handling updates, or or exposes on mis-treated donkeys. Instead, expect only the unexpected.

So, go now and subscribe to the podcast in itunes, download the episode each fortnight directly here on this web site or just listen to it using the player below. And, Join me in 2 weeks for the first full episode of Speaking of Spain.... 

Contact:
Keep up with all the weekly events by following gazpachomonk on Twitter, gazpachomonk on Instagram, and gazpachomonk on foursquare and of course by visiting the web site. Got a question or just want to give feedback, then email me directly GazpachoMonk@gmail.com

Speaking of Spain with the Gazpachomonk

Speaking of Spain with the Gazpachomonk

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