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Number 022 - December 2015
NÂş 022 December 2015 Christmas for Everyone - December fiestas - Constitucion Day - Holiday Bookshelf - Sunburn or Sun art - APANEE - Port - left or starboard Recipes for Christmas - Angels, demons etc. - Chestnuts - Advent calendars - Remembrance - La EspaĂąola- Town shopping - Kids ideas RASCALS - Fat One - Cantabile & Carols - Interview with Shani - Concert updates - Calendar a gift
We wish all our readers a very happy, healthy, peaceful and holy Christ Mass
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Christmas is for everyone by Andy Ormiston
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Our cover photo taken by Keith Nicol shows Torrevieja's living nativity scene when the three kings arrive in town. The idea is to help put Christ Mass in perspective. It's a joyful season starting on 1st December with the opening of Advent Calendars. It's a time when we are in the woes of winter, although not so much here on the Costa Blanca as, though a bit chilly, we are not exactly huddled around open fires.
In this edition we would like to offer readers ideas for giving, ideas for celebrating, but also ideas what is it all about. Giving to others is one of the common mandates among most religions. I know some of you will cringe at the word, but you have the company of billions of others who believe in some form of religion. To reach out and touch others requires a certain faith in ourselves and our own abilities. Giving is self loving in a way, as we have a certain satisfaction in doing something good for someone else. To love others is to love ourself, aware of our good points and our bad ones and in doing so we become better persons and better neighbours. Especially look out for those who live alone. No matter what your creed or none, Christmas is for everyone. aormi@icloud.com
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On this, the last month of the year, the focus is on Christmas, New Year and the arrival of the Three Kings in January. Torrevieja is among those towns celebrating the patronal fiestas of la Inmaculada on the 8th. On New Year’s Eve at midnight most towns have a firework display to welcome in a new year. This year we have a long weekend with Saturday 5th until Wednesday 9th spanning two feasts. The annual presentation of the Diego Ramirez Award is made on 7th December to a group and/or individual who is recognised as working to make Torrevieja known and a better place. This year it has been awarded to Vicentina Juårez who is well known as a busy and caring midwife delivering babies, and also to the association Vicentina Juårez Adiem Vega Baja that supports those with mental problems and their families. . 2 - 4th December or the weekend nearest to the 4th fiestas in Sella. Sunday nearest to the 3rd is the fiesta of San Mauro Martyr in Alcoy. 6th is a national public holiday - Constitucion Day which this year falls on a Sunday so some places may put the holiday to the Monday or another day. 5 - 8th Dec. 5/6 Dec.
Patronal fiestas of la Inmaculada in Torrevieja. Santa Barbara miners fiesta by Asturians in Torrevieja.
5 - 9th Dec.
Moors & Christians in Montforte del Cid.
Asturians in Torrevieja celebrate the patron saint of miners Santa Barbara this month
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6th - or weekend nearest, Santa Barbara fiesta in Altea. 6th Dec.
Los Montesinos celebrates International Community Day.
8 - 9th Dec.
Fiesta of the Fadrines in Torremanzanas. 10th Dec. la Venida de la Virgen de Loreto is held in Santa Pola. This is the precursor to the city's main fiestas of the Asumpta in August. 13th Dec. or weekend nearest, the fiesta of Santa Lucia is held in Banyares de Mariola, Ibi, Dénia and Xàbia. 23rd December El Belén de Tirisiti, a live representation of the events of Bethlehem is held until 4th January in Alcoy. 24th Dec. Nochebuena or Christmas Eve: Another live crib scene on alternate years is held in Benimassot: similarly in El Verger.
Els Fatxos is held in Onil. 25th Dec. Christmas Day - a public holiday. Albatera holds a procession. From this time on until 6th January when the Three Kings fiesta is celebrated. Rafal has a Zarzuela Pastoril about Christmas and shepherds. 26th Dec.
Les Danses del Rei Moro are held in Agost until New Year’s Day. El Cabildo is celebrated in Sax.
27th Dec.
Catral celebrates the day of St. John the Evangelist.
28th - 30th The 28th is the Day of the Innocents when Herod slaughtered the children of Bethlehem. In Spain the innocents are those who have been tricked in some way, rather like April Fool’s Day. Ibi holds the ‘festa dels Enfarinats’ and has typical dancing. 28 - 29th Elche celebrates the Venida de la Virgen, a traditional horse ride by a coastguard, resulting in a pilgrimage from beach to town centre. aormi@icloud.com
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One of the most active groups in Torrevieja in recent years has been the Asturian club made up of residents who originally come from the mining area of Asturias. This is a colourful association that holds several events throughout the year but the principal one is on and around the 5th December in honour of St. Barbara, the patron saint of miners as the region has a long tradition of mining various products from the earth. Incidentally, she is also patron saint of the Torrevieja salt workers who also mine salt from Mother Nature and at one time was a principal fiesta in the town. Formerly every year the salt workers carried an image of the saint round the town centre and part of that was later incorporated into another bier used during Semana Santa processions. Thanks to the Asturian integration this feast day has taken up a prominent position once again with several events in the first week of December, especially the procession carrying the small St. Barbara statue by men wearing boiler suits and hard hats. They always bring at least one bagpipe band from Asturians and as it coincides with Torrevieja’s patronal fiestas on the 8th December add an extra dimension to the floral procession with their colourful costumes, music and traditional dancing. In the gardens of the railway station there is a miniature copy of the Oviedo cathedral as Torrevieja is a twin to the town of Sierra del Polo. Of course, it is also the name of the Alicante fortress Santa Barbara, that dominates the city's landscape because it was on this day that the fortress was captured by Jaime I.
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Immaculate Conception in Torrevieja
During the week prior to 8th December Torrevieja celebrates the patronal feast of la Inmaculada. This week long fiesta will be condensed to four days next year according to the plans of the present town council ruled by five parties. The streets of the town centre set the scene of festivities with gaily coloured fairy lights lighting up the night as people scuttle around choosing and buying presents for two of the most important feast days Christmas 25th December and January 6th - the Three Kings. In addition the district of El Acequion holds its own agenda of events including children’s games, races, bike race, music and dancing and a large marquee is erected next to the local college of El Acequion. There are many social and religious events held during the week prior to the 8th. The Town Hall normally supply the ingredients for a paella competition, so that everyone has a fair crack at the whip, but the cooking utensils and fires are the responsibility of the cooks. Twice a day at the end of school hours, Lily and her Bigheads entertain the schoolchildren. These figures date back to the middle of the 20th century when the film with Leslie Caron became a hit and Torrevejenses adopted their Bighead as Lyly, the title of the film. These are based on medieval figures that are popular in many of the old Valencian region towns such as Alicante where they appear during the June Hogueras. In Torrevieja twice a day at midday and early evening out of school hours the group of Bigheads with musicians patrol around set streets rather like the Pied Piper of Hamelin
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and are soon followed by cheering children accompanied by adults enjoying it more than the little ones. The Torrevieja la Inmaculada Church also has a series of lectures devoted to some aspect of Marian theology. One of the most impressive processions in this period is the Ofrenda or flower offering. In recent years groups have tended to make up the procession carrying bouquets and baskets of beautiful flowers to lay them at the feet of the image of the la Inmaculada just outside the main church door. Over 80 groups take part, including bands of the town and co-incidentally pipe bands from Asturias who have come to join the large Asturian community who live in Torrevieja for the fiestas. This procession starts from the Plaza Oriente and wends its way towards the main plaza. After the 8th December, there is a novena of nine Masses, each one for a different intention. Among these is one for the foreigners of the town and ministers of other denominations take part in a massive representation of the foreign community. At each Mass people bring non perishable goods or toys for the poorer members of the town.
Torrevieja plaza An annual gift to Torrevieja is a tree from Scandinavia that is hoisted into a prime position in the main plaza and festooned with lights, adding another element to the Christmas festivities. Most churches have crib scenes and many towns, including San Javier and Torrevieja, have large nativity displays in the town square showing not only the birth of Christ, but a large part of his life with flowing water and windmills among other mobile parts. Also in Torrevieja in a side room of the church of the Sagrada Corazon in the Plaza Oriente, there is a large crib scene with many working models made by the local club of Belenistas, dedicated to making figurines associated with the life of Christ. In the Alicante Province an association of Belenists was founded in 1959 and it is largely due to their work that the Christmas scene has become so popular locally. This year the large crib scene will be displayed in the Indoor Market in Alicante. aormi@icloud.com
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Look out for the cagon figure in Spanish crib scenes; you will know him or her by a squatting figure. A figure which is found only in Spanish cribs is the “cagon” whose origins are found in the Catalan word caganer. Most cagon figures are of a person squatting and doing what comes naturally. In Cataluña there are even museums dedicated to this figure who has been personified as an angel, demon, monk and even as the Pope, but mostly politicians. He represents the unbeliever who was so busy doing his own thing that he missed the message of Christmas and, therefore, the opportunity to follow Christ. Torrevieja is not the only town with a large crib scene in the main square. On 3rd December San Javier town celebrates their patron saint - Saint Francis Xavier. who ended his life in an island off the coast of Japan, which he had wanted to convert to Christianity. He had already made his mark in other countries in the area but wore himself out. The San Javier celebrations go on to the 7th December, but are held several weeks prior to this date, with many activities for all ages and the many associations of the town. Once they are finished work begins on setting up the large crib scene. Obviously this is a good lead up to the Christmas season when several towns, including Torrevieja, hold villancicos or carol concerts and competitions. Several towns also have open-air crib scenes in the main plazas. The Torrevieja one is set up in the plaza Constitucíon showing the main events surrounding the birth of Jesus from the announcement of the angel Gabriel to the Flight into Egypt. Many symbolic elements of the town are included in this crib scene, such as the windmill, the tower, the quay. The shops are decorated for the season and the local commercial association hold a competition open to everyone who purchases from one of their associates.
San Javier crib scene in plaza
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Torrevieja main plaza becomes a huge Christmas crib scene that incorporates not only the birth of Jesus, but elements of the whole story with the shepherds, wise men, angels singing, the flight into Egypt. But the scene also encompasses many of the symbolic monuments of the town such as the columns representing the civilizations of the Mediterranean, or the windmills from the past, or the salt extraction from the lakes, the tower, and even the wine making of La Mata vineyards. Do visit and see how many you recognize.
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Hogmanay or seeing out the old and bringing in the new is on a Thursday this year with the 1st January on the Friday, so expect a lot of people to make a long weekend of it. Red underwear is a custom. Shops will still be open over the weekend as people will still be preparing for the arrival of the three Kings and buying gifts, food and booze. The Three Kings parade is on the evening of the 5th January and prior to that some pages will be in the plaza to accept the children’s wish lists.
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December 6th - Spanish Constitucion by Dave Stewart The importance of a national flag was underlined by the terrorist attacks on Paris on Friday 13th of November 2015 as sympathizers took to the social media with their faces imprinted on a backdrop of the French flag. Likewise the Spanish flag is no doubt the most important element and symbol of this public holiday as in each main plaza throughout the land the flag is raised and unfurled on the flagpole and saluted as the breeze catches and makes it flow. Last month we looked at flags and the meaning of flags: the Spanish flag has an interesting history, so this month a look at the flag of Spain. The 6th December is one of the most important flag days of Spain as the country has a public holiday celebrating the Constitution. One of the events is the flag raising ceremony as the yellow and red flag unfurls in the wind. Most countries have a constitution shield or coat of arms, but Spain has a "constitutional flag " dedicated to the 1978 Constitution.
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Throughout the centuries flags have played a crucial role in Spain, denoting regions, military and naval outfits and as a rallying cry for the nation. Towards ends of the 1981 the Spanish Parliament approved the laws 33/1981 and 39/1981 that remain registered in the BOE. These laws define the morphology of the new shield of Spain and the area of its use. This change was motivated, since it is obvious, to avoid the negative connotations that were associated with the shield of the eagle of San Juan used in Franco’s regime. Practically its the same shield divided in four main sections of the principal historical kingdoms that used to form Spain, a small lower part in which the kingdom of Granada is included, conquered in 1492. In the centre is the shield of the Bourbons, composed by three fleur-de-lyses gilded in field of azure with bordure of gules (Anjou's House, as minor branch initiated in Philip V: because of this it is different from the old French emblem). Hercules' columns are always present; in turn they have a gilded base on waves of the sea symbolizing the wealth of the maritime empire and both of the pillars are crowned. On the shield we find the normal monarchic crown and in the top part of the same one, a papal cross on a blue ball, the latter element represents the time when Christianity was extended through the whole world, emphasizing the idea of the divine power and that this power does not have human limits (historically speaking, clearly).
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Hercules' Columns were included for the first time in the royal shield of Spain by Carlos I and refer to the legendary elements that Hercules placed in this monument. The phrase that was applied in antiquity to the promontories that flank the entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar. It is possible that the origin of the symbol of the dollar can have the same origins, provided that the real was a currency that remained in use until 1857 in The United States and that in the back of it had the two Hercules' Columns wrapped around bundles of dollars as a tape with the motto " Bonus Ultra " this symbol might be an explanation with regard to the origin of the symbol of the dollar. The Spanish constitution of 1978 regulates the national flag in the article 4.1.: " The flag of Spain is formed by three horizontal striping, red, yellow and red, being the yellow one of double width that each of the red ones. " It was in the 16th century when there appeared one of the most important elements in the history of the flag of Spain. In the year 1496 the Infanta Juana of Castile married the Archduke of Austria, Philip the Beautiful. This matrimonial link was an alliance between the families of the Hapsburg and the Trastรกmaras and it was the one that introduced an element of partially foreign origin, since they are the Arms of Burgundy (more concretely, San Andrews's cross that already had been used by some militias in the north of Spain), that became the principal element of the Spanish flags during more than two centuries. aormi@icloud.com
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During the reign of Carlos I of the house of Austria the modern concept of national flag (the real national symbol was the royal shield) did not exist. The military units used the leader’s own particular flag, being a common element in many cases the Arms of Burgundy. On land, this flag unfurled for the first time probably during Pavía's battle in 1525 and over the years suffered light variations, for example the king Philip II established the substitution of the white cloth where the cross places, for one of a yellow colour. The principal design of the current flag dates from 1785 when it was used as flag of the sea of Spanish warships. King Carlos III was a young king who came from Naples, and is an important figure in Spanish history and that of Torrevieja. He was one of the Bourbon families that reigned in several European countries. Naples and the “two Sicilies”- Sicily and Sardinia had been part of the Spanish kingdom for some time, the islands going back to the time of the first Catholic Kings as it came under the Aragon flag. Italy did not become a united country until July 1871. Carlos III granted free trading rights to all Spanish ports with the Americas, rights that up to then had been jealously guarded by Cadiz and Seville. One result was that within a few years ships were taking salt from Torrevieja to as far away as Buenos Aires and Montevideo. Seeing the opportunity to increase the imperial coffers a Royal Order, dated 17th November 1779, put a surcharge on the salt to raise funds Turing the war with England.
The House of Valois owned the Dukedom untill 1482. The last Duke of Burgundy, Charles I the Bold had only 1 surviving daughter, Mary. After his death Mary became the Duchess of Burgundy. In 1477 Mary was made to sign the charter of rights,called the Great Privilege.. According to the charter the provinces of Flanders, Brabant, Holland and Hainaut (major parts of Burgundy) retained all the local and community right. Basically the Dukedom of Burgundy stopped existing ever since. Below: flag of two Sicilies 1816 - 1860 note white background.
Carlos also introduced a flag signal system into the Spanish Navy and a new national anthem that was written by his aormi@icloud.com
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Prussian relative, Frederick II, who loved marches and composed a grenadier’s march in 1770 that Carlos III adored and adopted for his new kingdom of Spain. The anthem only has music and no words although there have been attempts to do so. Carlos III eventually introduced a new national flag: previously the white flag of the Bourbon family was in use, but this led to carnage in many battles as other Bourbon countries such as France or Italy used the same colours and the English Ensign flag was also predominantly white at this time and led to confusion. An English fleet returning from the Indies attacked and sank some Spanish ships at the Canaries under the impression that they were French, with whom England was at war. The Spanish ships were sunk and the English admitted their mistake and paid compensation. The yellow and red striped flag was used by the Papal States until 1808 and incorporated into several flags. The senyera pattern is nowadays in the flag of four Spanish autonomous communities (Catalonia, Aragon, the Balearic Islands, Valencia), and is the flag of the historically Catalan-speaking city of Alghero in Sardinia. It is also used on the coat of arms of Spain, the coat of arms of Pyrénées-Orientales and of Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azur, the flag of Roussillon, Capcir, Vallespir and Provence in France,
This is what made Carlos decide to change the flag and as King of Spain and the Two Sicilies (Naples) he based the new flag on the bars of the Catalan-Aragonese flag of Naples. There were ten alternative designs presented and on 28th May 1785 the new flag was introduced for the Spanish navy. The army continued with the white Bourbon flag, which led to more battleground mistakes during the first Carlist War as both sides flew the same colours. After this, Isabel II in 1843 decreed that the Spanish Navy’s flag be used for the whole country. Today’s flag comes from this with horizontal red and yellow bars, with the yellow bar double the width of the two red ones.
At the time of the Second Republic the flag was altered again introducing a purple colour and doing away with any connected with royalty. After the Civil War Franco once again introduced the yellow and red flag with his eagle insignia on it. So today we have it with the King’s coat of arms plus aormi@icloud.com
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lots of the other insignia such as the Pillars of Hercules. Today there is a lot of discontent in Spain as voices are raised in several regions for an end to the monarchy and independence. More people are shouting for a Republic, but with two attempts before that have failed, it is a subject that has to be handled with the full approval of ALL Spaniards and not just independents. The present Constitution was a magnanimous document thrashed out by the politicians of the time, some of them still in exile and brought in from the cold. This constitution was a real feat of dialogue and democracy and should not be thrown aside lightly even though Spain has moved on. As I write this the Catalan parliament has announced that it will go ahead with plans for a secession from Spain into a separate nation. A referendum had been called but was split almost in half among voters and interpreted by both sides as a victory. In December we have general elections in Spain with the whole country voting, so we will wait and see what happens as it may change the whole political ball field...or battlefield. The Constitution is not a ream of dead rules, but brings alive the hope and aspirations of the people who had come through a tragic civl war, followed by a dictatorship that had exiled many of Spain’s most competent politicians, artists, musicians, writers and film makers. This new constitution brought together adverse groups that offered a fresh hope and purpose of a nation that has benefited form it since then. Dialogue - which is needed today once again. There are general elections on 20th December in Spain with several more political parties throwing their hats in the ring, which means that the amount of votes will be divided and less among the larger parties.
Constitution Article 92 states that only the King and his parliament can call a referendum and this is the stumbling block that Catalunya has, because they have forged ahead blindly quoting Scotland referendum as a signpost. aormi@icloud.com
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Christmas Bookshelf by Pat Hynd
Often the most easy and simple gift suggestion for a Christmas present is buy a book, or even a book token so that the person can choose what they want. Nowadays most books are available on internet at reduced prices, but there is nothing to beat a browse through a large bookshop. Amazon is opening a bookshop in Seattle in a move it described as a "physical extension" of its business. It will stock the most popular books from Amazon.com, and the prices will be the same as those offered on the website. Rival bookseller Waterstones said it hoped the venture "falls flat on its face”. Reading is something that is a bit of a personal taste so here are some suggestions.
The Accursed Kings is a series of seven historical novels by Maurice Druon about the self-destruction of the Capetian dynasty in France. The books are very accurate historically speaking. Published between 1955 and 1977, the series has been adapted as a miniseries twice for television in France. American author George R. R. Martin called “The Accursed Kings” the original game of thrones", citing Druon's novels as an inspiration for his own A Song of Ice and Fire series.
The Accursed Kings has it all. Iron kings and strangled queens, battles and betrayals, lies and lust, deception, family rivalries, the curse of the Templars, babies switched at birth, she-wolves, sin, and swords, the doom of a great dynasty … and all of it (well, most of it) straight from the pages of history. And believe me, the Starks and the Lannisters have nothing on the Capets and Plantagenets,
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Agents of the Empire by Noel Malcolm might sound as if it was a Star Wars epic, but in fact is a brilliantly told tale of Spies, knights, corsairs and Jesuits. The result of years of archival detective work, Agents of Empire brings to life a vibrant moment in European and Ottoman history, challenging our assumptions about their supposed differences. Malcolm's book guides us through the exchanges between East and West, Venetians and the Ottomans, and tells a story of worlds colliding with and transforming one another. In the late sixteenth century, a prominent Albanian named Antonio Bruni composed a revealing document about his home country. Historian Sir Noel Malcolm takes this document as a point of departure to explore the lives of the entire Bruni family, whose members included an archbishop of the Balkans, the captain of the papal flagship at the Battle of Lepanto where Miguel Cervantes lost the use of his hand. Oliver Rackham, OBE, FBA (17 October 1939 – 12 February 2015) was an academic at the University of Cambridge who studied the ecology, management and development of the British countryside, especially trees, woodlands and wood pasture. His books included Ancient Woodland (1980) and The History of the Countryside (1986). The Ash is one of the commonest trees in the British Isles – there are nearly as many ash trees as there are people. Perhaps this is why we take them for granted. Poets write of oak, yew, elm, willow, but rarely ash. No books have been written about ash trees before, but this author has done an excellent job in The Ash Tree.
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The Ash Tree is Oliver Rackham’s call for a radical shift in our attitude to trees - how we plant them, how we care for them after they are planted. There is no more urgent message for our times as the clamour for looking alter our environment grows with the voices of the three main religions – Jewish, Muslim and Christianity, as well as Buddhism, Hindu and of course American Indians from South and North. From Litttle Toller Books. Jimmy Burns's 'Spain: A Literary Companion' is the perfect travel partner, a book that will open your eyes and allow you to view the country afresh - and introduce you to aspects of Spanish life you never knew existed. Jimmy Burns is an award winning journalist and author, as well as a fanatic football fan. His books include the internationally acclaimed 'Hand of God: The Life of Diego Maradona' and 'Barca: A People's Passion', and a book about his father in Madrid Embassy “Papa Spy”. Born in Madrid, he has reported for the Financial Times, London Observer, BBC and the Economist, and was the FT correspondent in South America in the early 80s and his book on Argentina and the Falklands War, 'The Land That Lost Its Heroes', won the 1988 Somerset Maugham Award for non-fiction. “In Spain” is part personal travelogue, part anthology, this literary companion will surprise, entertain and, on occasion, move the reader. It is a wide-ranging and incisive portrait of a country and its people: starting with the Roman poets, it journeys through Cervantes to Orwell and Hemingway. Highlights include: the enduring nature of regional identity; the joys - and pitfalls - of Spanish food and wine; tributes to Spain's three cultures - Christian, Jewish and Muslim; the passions of flamenco and bullfighting; battlefield experiences from Wellington to the Civil War; and the changes to the country wrought by tourism.
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Fiction and the best of NY Bestsellers
The winner of the Author’s Club prize this year for the best novel was “A Song for Issy Bradley” by Carys Bray (Hutchinson) It is set in a Mormon community in Lancashire and is funny, sad, warm, serious and marvellous. Carys Bray's debut novel tells the story of the Bradleys: Ian, zealous head of the house, "Superman in a Burton suit." In some ways the Bradleys are ordinary, if perhaps poorer than most: they shop at Asda and Primark, eat chicken nuggets and cannot afford double-glazing. In other ways they could not be more different from the materialistic western world, because the Bradleys are Mormons. The novel is not devoid of humour, either; there are some wonderful one-liners: "the eternal consequences of football-related immorality"; "porn is everywhere, online and in the Next catalogue"; "the dangers of the dark", "hazard of the horizontal" and "perils of privacy". The Bradleys see the world as a place where miracles are possible, and where nothing is more important than family. This is their story.
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ROGUE LAWYER, by John Grisham. (Doubleday.) The attorney Sebastian Rudd is a “lone gunman” who hates injustice and the system and defends unpopular clients. Sebastian Rudd is not your typical street lawyer. He works out of a customized bulletproof van, complete with Wi-Fi, a bar, a small fridge, fine leather chairs, a hidden gun compartment, and a heavily armed driver. He has no firm, no partners, no associates, and only one employee, his driver,
CAREER OF EVIL, by Robert Galbraith. (Mulholland/Little, Brown.) In the third novel about the private investigative team of Cormoran Strike and Robin Ellacott, the pair pursue a psychotic stalker; by J. K. Rowling, writing pseudonymously. It is preceded by The Cuckoo's Calling and The Silkworm.
THE MARTIAN, by Andy Weir. (Crown.) is a 2011 science fiction novel.Abandoned by his crew, an astronaut embarks on a dogged quest to stay alive and the story follows an American astronaut, Mark Watney, as he becomes stranded alone on Mars and must improvise in order to survive. The Martian, a film adaptation directed by Ridley Scott and starring Matt Damon, was released in October 2015.
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THE SURVIVOR, by Vince Flynn and Kyle Mills. (Emily Bestler/Atria.) A counterterrorism operative must control the damage from a leak of C.I.A. documents. A blistering novel that picks up where The Last Man left off, The Survivor is a no-holds-barred race to save America…and Mitch Rapp’s finest battle. When Joe “Rick” Rickman, a former golden boy of the CIA, steals a massive amount of the Agency’s most classified documents in an elaborately masterminded betrayal of his country, CIA director Irene Kennedy has no choice but to send her most dangerous weapon after him: elite covert operative Mitch Rapp.
THE LAKE HOUSE, by Kate Morton. (Atria.) A London detective investigating a missing-persons case becomes curious about an unsolved 1933 kidnapping in Cornwall. ‘…Morton’s plotting is impeccable, and her finely wrought characters…are as surprised as readers will be by the astonishing conclusion.’ Publishers Weekly, starred review
THE GIRL ON THE TRAIN, by Paula Hawkins. (Riverhead.) A debut psychological thriller set in the environs of London is full of complications and betrayals. Rachel takes the same commuter train every morning. Every day she rattles down the track, flashes past a stretch of cozy suburban homes, and stops at the signal that allows her to daily watch the same couple breakfasting on their deck.
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ALL THE LIGHT WE CANNOT SEE, by Anthony Doerr. (Scribner.) The lives of a blind French girl and a gadget-obsessed German boy before and during World War II. MarieLaure lives with her father in Paris near the Museum of Natural History, where he works as the master of its thousands of locks. When she is six, Marie-Laure goes blind and her father builds a perfect miniature of their neighborhood so she can memorize it by touch and navigate her way home. When she is twelve, the Nazis occupy Paris and father and daughter flee to the walled citadel of Saint-Malo, where Marie-Laure’s reclusive great-uncle lives in a tall house by the sea. With them they carry what might be the museum’s most valuable and dangerous jewel.
MAKE ME, by Lee Child. (Delacorte.) Jack Reacher pries open a missing-persons case that takes him across the country and into the shadowy reaches of the Internet. “Why is this town called Mother’s Rest?” That’s all Reacher wants to know. But no one will tell him. It’s a tiny place hidden in a thousand square miles of wheat fields, with a railroad stop, and sullen and watchful people, and a worried woman named Michelle Chang, who mistakes him for someone else: her missing partner in a private investigation she thinks must have started small and then turned lethal.
Go Set A Watchman, Harper Lee is is a companion novel to Harper Lee's To Kill A Mockingbird. The largely unedited manuscript is a little rocky, and not all the surprises in store are pleasant – the depiction of Atticus is sure to break a few hearts – but the novel has nonetheless been praised for its "humour, humanity and lovely turns of phrase".
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The Shepherd's Crown, Terry Pratchett Published posthumously after Pratchett succumbed to Alzheimer's disease earlier this year, the final novel in his beloved Discworld series was always going to excite his legions of fans. Written in the knowledge that the novel would likely by his last, The Shepherd's Crown revisits favourite characters and themes from the fantasy satire for a final send-off. Critics concluded that The Shepherd's Crown lived up to the hype, providing a fitting grace note to Pratchett's prodigious career. Den of Geek awarded the book five out of five stars, saying "Some beloved elements of the world we’ve come to know over the last thirty-two years come to a close, while others are left to walk on into a world we won’t get to see."[4] The Guardian said "This is not a perfect example of Pratchett’s genius, but it is a moving one." In its first three days on sale, it sold 52,846 copies
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Health Warning In November we put together a Torrevieja Outlook Skiing supplement - http:// issuu.com/andyormiston/docs/021a_november_skiing_supplement/1. Here is a warning from the Skin Cancer Foundation as in Spain, and in the clear mountain slopes, the sun can prove to be too much for some. One aspect of sunbathing is that often we may have a nice tan, but underneath we have sparked off a cancer effect. Winter sports enthusiasts spend ample time outdoors, often hitting the slopes for skiing and snowboarding. Despite cold temperatures, clouds and dreary weather, winter sports lovers are still at risk for sun damage and skin cancer. In fact, about 86 percent of melanomas and 90 percent of non.melanoma skin cancers are associated with exposure to the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. Snow reflects up to 80 percent of the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays. As a result, the same rays can reach the skin twice. Additionally, up to 80 percent of UV rays burn right through the clouds. Skiers and snowboarders are at an even greater risk, as these sports take place at a higher altitude, where the thinner atmosphere absorbs less UV radiation. "Frostbite and windburn are common concerns during the winter, and people often don’t realize that the sun’s UV rays can be just as damaging on the slopes as they are on the beach,” said Perry Robins, MD, President of The Skin Cancer Foundation. "That’s why
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it’s so important to practice proper sun protection year-round, even in cold or cloudy weather.” The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends the following tips to stay sun-safe during outdoor winter sports: • Use a broad spectrum (UBA/UVB) sunscreen with an SPF of 30 or higher whenever spending extended time outdoors. Apply sunscreen to all exposed areas, and reapply every two hours or after excessive sweating. • Don’t forget the often-missed spots: This includes the ears, around the eyes, the neck, the underside of the chin and hands. • Use a moisturizing sunscreen with ingredients like lanolin or glycerin. Winter conditions can be particularly harsh on the skin. •
Protect the lips by wearing a lip balm with an SPF 30 or higher.
• Cover up with clothing: Look for sunglasses or goggles that offer 99 percent or greater UV protection and have wraparound or large frames, which will protect your eyes, eyelids and the sensitive skin around your eyes— all common sites for skin cancer. In addition, consider a ski mask for even more protection.
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A dangerous new behavior is trending on social media given its recent gain in popularity among young people. “Sunburn art” is a type of body art created by exposing certain parts of the body to the sun without using proper sun protection. The result is a sunburn in the shape of a particular image, design or pattern. In response to this growing trend, The Skin Cancer Foundation has released the following statement:
Sunburn Art? I think not.
The Skin Cancer Foundation strongly advises the public to avoid sunburns at all costs. A sunburn is not only painful – it’s dangerous, and comes with consequences. Sunburns cause DNA damage to the skin, accelerate skin aging, and increase your lifetime skin cancer risk. In fact, sustaining five or more sunburns in youth increases lifetime melanoma risk by 80 percent. On average, a person’s risk for melanoma doubles if he or she has had more than five sunburns. The Skin Cancer Foundation recommends adopting a complete sun protection regimen that includes seeking shade, covering up with clothing, including a broad-brimmed hat and UV blocking sunglasses, in addition to daily sunscreen use. New York, NY (May 15, 2015) — Australian researchers recently released a study abstract revealing that Nicotinamide, a form of vitamin B3, significantly reduces the incidence of non-melanoma skin cancers among people who have had a previous basal cell carcinoma or squamous cell carcinoma. The researchers conducted a year-long study of 386 people, who averaged 66 years old. Half of the people in the study took 500 milligrams of Nicotinamide (Vitamin B3) twice a day and the other half were put on a placebo. The researchers found that people who took vitamin B3 twice a day cut their chances of developing new skin cancers by 23 percent. aormi@icloud.com
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HAPPY ANNIVERSARY TO APANEE
The Association of Parents of Students with Special Educational Needs (APANEE) of Torrevieja, presented the association's 2016 charity calendar early in November. The photos that make up each of the pages of this calendar have been made by Justo Gil. The presentation ceremony was attended by the president of APANEE, Ana Garcia; Vice President, and Secretary Fina Gomez, Isi Albaladejo. 3,000 copies have been published which will go on sale from today at the centre of APANEE in collaboration with parents, family and sponsors. In the same week APANEE celebrated its 20th anniversary and co-founder Jesus Christ Riquelme, and board members and associates and children celebrated with a meal. During the party the current president, Ana Garcia, handed out plaques in appreciation for the cooperation and work of several people. APANEE was founded by families of children with special needs and provides an array of psychologiical and therapeutical support for children and families. The centre of the Association is located at Calle Rafal 19. Any queries can be made on the phone 965 706 277 or a personal visit.
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Port - to Left or Right and the Bishop of Norwich by Pat Hynd
Last year at Christmas we highlighted Spanish cava and it uses http://issuu.com/andyormiston/docs/ 010_torrevieja_outlook_december_201/1 so this year we are looking at Port and its use at Christmas. Port is one of many gastronomical delights of the Iberian peninsula. It’s amazing the variety and quality of wines produced here and in this edition we have mixture of Mediterranean and British cuisine Christmas suggestions enriched with Port. One of my most pleasant memories in catering is being thanked for preparing an extra special Christmas dinner. Normally kitchen staff is busy behind the kitchen doors so diners rarely see either them or the frenzied preparations going on in the heat of the kitchen. So it was nice to be recognized and asked to sit at the top table at the end of the meal and enjoy a glass of liquid honey – a most expensive glass of port that helps the digestion and the gives a feeling of well-being.
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Of course the age old question was asked, “Do we pass the port decanter to the left or the right in the table.” Some people are convinced that it was a navy tradition as the port side is on your left if facing the bow of the ship. Others maintain that it was to the left to keep your sword hand free. I say decanted as a really good vintage port should always be decanted because of the high level of sediment in bottles. Vintage port is aged for two years in a barrel but can age in the bottle for up to fifty years. LBV or late bottled vintage port is aged for four to six years in the barrel. Tawny port comes from different vintages, aged from 10 – 40 years and drunk soon after bottling. So pass the port around the table to the left and there is an etiquette involved. Should someone hold onto the decanter for some reason then it is considered bad form to ask for it directly. The person desiring another glass should ask, “Do you know the Bishop of Norwich?” I still don’t know why the bishop comes into it but an alternative proposal is, “The port’s with you, sir.” The reason that the port should circulate until it is finished is that although vintage port benefits from decanting a couple of hours prior to the dinner, it rarely keeps well for more than 24-hours after decanting. Port became popular in the 18th century in Britain and was marked out as a Whig drink, while the Tories preferred claret. It is one of those Oporto rarities in that it is claimed it causes gout, yet at the same time is good for gout sufferers. It became a favourite tipple for many and is made exclusively from grapes grown in the Douro Valley in the north of Portugal. Sometimes called Oporto after the city of that region it is a fortified wine. In its aormi@icloud.com
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native land it is popular as an aperitif with ice, but in England was served with dessert. However, today we have port produced in many other countries. Under European Union Protected Designation of Origin guidelines, only the product from Portugal may be labelled as port or Porto. The wine producing Douro region is the third oldest protected wine region in the world after the Tokaj-Hegyalja region in Hungary, established in 1730, and Chianti, in 1716. The alcoholic strength is around 20% as brandy is added during fermentation when the sugar level is at its highest and stops the fermentation process.
Tawny ports are wines, made from red grapes, which are aged in wooden barrels, exposing them to gradual oxidation and evaporation. A tawny port from a single vintage is called Colheitas. Garrafeira is an unusual and rare intermediate vintage dated style of port made from the grapes of a single harvest that combines the oxidative maturation of years in wood with further reductive maturation in large glass demijohns – in Spain we have garrafas presumably the same word origin. Ruby port is the cheapest and most extensively produced type of port. Reserve port is a premium ruby port approved by the IVDP's tasting panel, the Câmara de Provadores. Rose port is a very recent variation on the market, first released in 2008 by Poças and by Croft, It is technically a ruby port, but fermented in a similar manner to a rosé wine. White port is made from white grapes and can be made in a wide variety of styles, although until recently few shippers have produced anything other than a standard product. Ordinary white ports make an excellent basis for a cocktail while those of greater age are best served chilled on their own. Sweet white port and tonic water is a
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commonly consumed drink in the Porto region. There is a range of styles of white port, from dry to very sweet. Late bottled vintage (often referred to simply as LBV) was originally wine that had been destined for bottling as vintage port, but because of lack of demand was left in the barrel for longer than had been planned. Over time it has become two distinct styles of wine, both of them bottled between four and six years after the vintage, but one style is fined and filtered before bottling, while the other is not. Crusted port is usually a blend of port wine from several vintages, although single vintage crusted ports have sometimes been made in the past. Unlike vintage port, which has to be sourced from grapes from a single vintage, crusted port affords the port blender the opportunity to make best use of the varying characteristics of different vintages. Vintage port is made entirely from the grapes of a declared vintage year and accounts for about two percent of overall port production. Not every year is declared a vintage in the Douro. The term vintage has a distinct meaning in the context of vintage port. While a vintage is simply the year in which a wine is made, most producers of vintage port restrict their production of year-labelled bottling to only the best years, a few per decade. If a port house decides that its wine is of quality sufficient for a vintage, samples are sent to the IVDP for approval and the house declares the vintage. In very good years, almost all the port houses will declare their wines. Single quinta vintage ports are wines that originate from a single estate, unlike the standard bottling of the port wine houses, which can be sourced from a number of quintas. Different producers use single quinta bottling in two different ways. Most of the large port wine houses have a single quinta bottling, which is only produced in some years when the regular vintage port of the house is not declared.
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A word of warning. A friend of mine got hooked on port a few years ago enjoying a port that came out of a local bodega/café. He decided to put it in a small barrel at home, and after the proper cleansing process he poured some of the port from the bodega into it and enjoyed it for a short while. But within a few months he couldn’t pour it from the tap, as it had become so thick and sticky and had to pour it all away.
Cheese is commonly linked with port especially Stilton or other ‘blue’ cheese. . Contrasting flavour is just one part of this wonderful experience and this section aims to suggest some taste, pairing profiles that will make this most incredible style of fine wine really sing for its supper. Blue Stilton was first sold at a coach stop in the village of Stilton in the early 1700s in Cambridgeshire, although it was most likely produced in nearby Leicestershire, Nottinghamshire or Derbyshire. Stagecoach routes from London to Northern England passed through Stilton, and soon the cheese became popular. Initially, Stilton was a hard cream cheese that had a reputation for quality, perhaps due to the use of whole milk to which cream was added. In 1936, the Stilton Cheesemaker's Association was formed in order to protect the quality and origin of Stilton cheese. In 1966 Stilton became the first British cheese to receive the certification trademark offering a trademark protection. It must be produced in the counties of Derbyshire, Leicestershire and Nottinghamshire. One of the quirks is that the village of Stilton is not permitted to produce the cheese, because it is not in any of these counties but in Huntingdonshire.
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Some people maintain that Stilton should have port added while others think that this is a blasphemy as both are good enough to stand on their own Rights. I’ve tried both and like both without preferences. To add port you need a whole Stilton, cut the crust off the top then use one of two methods. Using a spoon scoop out some cheese from the centre and pour in a glass of port and leave to stand allowing the wine to soak into the cheese. The other is to use a skewer and pinch it towards the bottom of the cheese without breaking the bottom skin. Then gently pour the port into the holes made.
Christmas Port Cocktails
Suburban This dark, rich and masculine pre-Prohibition classic comes from the bar of the old Waldorf Astoria hotel, on the site where the Empire State Building now stands. It was named, not after the hordes of commuters who use nearby Penn Station, but rather after a horse race, the Suburban Handicap, that was run every June at Sheepshead Bay (these days, they run it at Belmont). Stir well with cracked ice: 1 oz. Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port 1/2 oz. Appleton Estate Reserve Rum 1 1/2 oz. rye whiskey Strain into a chilled cocktail glass and twist a swatch of thin-cut lemon peel over the top.
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BIN 27 MARTINI During the Martini's heyday in the 1960s, the Rat Pack, James Bond and Madison Avenue exec's downed multiple rounds at lunch. The current retro appeal of Mad Men has helped make the Martini cool again and Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port adds a new twist to a classic cocktail. 2 oz. Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port 1 oz. Vodka 1/2 oz. Cranberry juice Combine all the ingredients into an ice filled shaker.Shake and strain into chilled martini glass. Garnish with olives.
TAWNY CRUSHED Probablu the easiest cocktail to prepare. The young, fresh aromas and flavors of Croft Fine Tawny Port are rendered in a new way when served over crushed ice. Croft Fine Tawny Port (to taste) Crushed ice Fill a highball glass with crushed ice and cover with Croft Fine Tawny Port. Garnish with a lemon wheel.
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RUBY SPARKLER Here, the general motif of a Kir Royale is given 'the Port treatment,' and spicy, red berry flavors of Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port are lifted by the brut sparkling wine. 1 part Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port 2 parts brut sparkling wine (well-chilled) Fonseca Bin 27 Ruby Port into a well-chilled Champagne flute and top with brut sparkling wine. Garnish with a fresh blackberry or strawberry.
Some Port recipes for Christmas Cranberry Sauce with Port There’s nothing that goes better with your roast Turkey at Thanksgiving or Christmas than homemade cranberry sauce with Port and this simple to make recipe gives an edge to your cranberry sauce that will have your friends and family begging for more. Turkey recipe to follow. You can make this recipe in about 20 minutes, and it will keep for about a month in the refrigerator. Ingredients: 500g (3 cups) of Fresh/Frozen Cranberries 100g (3/4 cup)Light Brown Sugar 250ml (1 cup) of Ruby Port (Fine Ruby or Select Reserve) Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and gently heat to simmering temperature. Try not to boil the cranberry sauce to help maintain the fabulous flavour of the cranberries and the Port wine. Simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes, or until your sauce has reduced to the right consistency. Leave to cool before storing in an airtight jar in the refrigerator. aormi@icloud.com
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Spiced Red Cabbage with Port Prep time: 10 mins
Cook time: 45 mins
Red cabbage makes a colourful and tasty alternative to the ‘love-or-hate’ Brussel Sprout and this recipe adds a spicy new dimension. Ingredients (Serves 4): 1 red cabbage 25g butter 1 onion Zest and juice of an orange 1 Cinnamon stick 200 ml of Port (Fine Ruby or Select reserve) 1 tbsp of Red wine or cider vinegar Salt & Pepper Cooking instructions: Melt the butter in a saucepan and gently fry the onions, taking care not to brown them as this will make them bitter. Once the onions are soft and translucent and the cinnamon stick and orange juice and bring to a simmer. Add the red cabbage, Port and Balsamic vinegar, cover and simmer slowly for about 45 minutes or until the red cabbage is soft. Season to taste and
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Steaks with Port Sauce SAUCE 1 tablespoon butter 1/2 cup minced shallots (about 4 ounces) 1 cup dry red wine 3/4 cup ruby Port 1 cup canned beef broth 1 sprig fresh rosemary or 1/2 teaspoon dried FOR SAUCE: Melt butter in heavy large saucepan over medium-high heat. Add shallots and sautĂŠ until tender, about 3 minutes. Stir in wine and Port. Boil 5 minutes. Add broth and rosemary sprig and boil until liquid is reduced to 1/3 cup, about 12 minutes. Strain sauce and set aside. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and refrigerate.) FOR STEAKS: 1 tablespoon olive oil 4 1-inch-thick beef fillet steaks (about 6 to 8 ounces each) 3 tablespoons chilled and unsalted butter 1 teaspoon chopped fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried You could add crushed pepper Heat oil in heavy large skillet over medium-high heat. Season steaks with salt and pepper. Add steaks to skillet and cook to desired doneness, about 4 minutes per side for medium-rare. Transfer steaks to platter. Tent with foil to keep warm. Add sauce to skillet and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Remove from heat. Gradually add butter, whisking just until melted. Stir in chopped rosemary. Season to taste with salt and pepper. Spoon sauce over steaks and serve.
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Turkey Broth 1 tablespoon vegetable oil 1 pound turkey wings, backs or necks Neck and giblets from 14- to 16-pound turkey 1 large onion, chopped 6 cups water 2 celery stalks with leaves, chopped 3 fresh parsley sprigs 1 bay leaf
Turkey 1 14- to 16-pound turkey 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh rosemary or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried, crumbled 1 1/2 tablespoons minced fresh tarragon or 1 1/2 teaspoons dried, crumbled 1 1/2 teaspoons salt 1 1/2 teaspoons pepper 1/2 large onion, cut into chunks 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter, room temperature
Gravy 6 tablespoons all purpose flour 1/4 cup whipping cream 3/4 teaspoon minced fresh rosemary or 1/4 teaspoon dried, crumbled 1/4 teaspoon (generous) minced fresh tarragon or 1/4 teaspoon dried, crumbled 1/4 cup Port Salt and pepper
PREPARATION For broth: Heat oil in heavy large saucepan over medium heat. Add turkey wings, neck and onion. Cook until brown, about 15 minutes. Add giblets and remaining ingredients. Bring to boil, skimming surface occasionally. Reduce heat to low, cover partially and cook until liquid is reduced to 5 cups, about 3 hours. Strain. (Can be prepared 1 day ahead. Cover and chill.) For turkey: Preheat oven to 425째F. Pat turkey dry. Combine herbs, salt and pepper in small bowl. Rub some of herb mixture in large cavity of turkey; place onion in cavity. Place turkey in large roasting pan. Tuck wing tips under turkey body. Tie legs together to hold shape. Rub butter onto turkey skin. Rub remaining herb mixture onto turkey skin. Roast 45 minutes. aormi@icloud.com
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Reduce oven temperature to 350°F. Continue roasting turkey until thermometer inserted into thickest part of thigh registers 175°F., basting every 20 minutes with drippings, about 1 1/4 hours longer. Transfer turkey to platter, reserving pan juices. Let turkey stand while preparing gravy. For gravy: Pour turkey pan juices into large measuring cup.Skim off fat pan juices, reserving 1/4 cup fat (do not wash roasting pan). Add enough turkey broth to juices to measure 3 1/3 cups liquid. Pour about 1/2 cup liquid into turkey roasting pan. Set over medium-high heat and bring to boil, scraping up any browned bits. Add to liquid in cup. Transfer reserved 1/4 cup turkey fat to heavy medium saucepan. Add flour and stir over medium-low heat 2 minutes. Gradually whisk in turkey broth mixture. Bring to boil, stirring frequently. Cook until thickened, about 2 minutes. Add cream and herbs and simmer until slightly thickened, about 2 minutes. Stir in Port. Season gravy to taste with salt and pepper. Cranberry Sauce with Port: • 500g (3 cups) of Fresh/Frozen Cranberries • 100g (3/4 cup)Light Brown Sugar • 250ml (1 cup) of Ruby Port (Fine Ruby or Select Reserve) Recipe instructions: Mix all the ingredients together in a saucepan and gently heat to simmering temperature. Try not to boil the cranberry sauce to help maintain the fabulous flavour of the cranberries and the Port wine. Simmer over a low heat for about 15 minutes, or until your sauce has reduced to the right consistency. Leave to cool before storing in an airtight jar in the refrigerator and will keep for about a month in the fridge.
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Always prepare your Christmas pudding ahead of time. Cook time: 3 hours 30 mins This extravagant Christmas pudding recipe with Port is simply sensational. Soaking the dried fruit overnight in Port adds to the fruity flavours of the pudding and helps to ensure that the Christmas pudding stays light and moist. Enjoy! Recipe Ingredients: 350g sultanas 350g raisins or currants 150g dried figs, chopped 125g candied peel 100g dried apricots 75g dark glace cherries, halved 150ml of Port wine 100g ginger in syrup, chopped, plus 2 tbsp of the syrup 2 apples or quinces, grated 2 oranges, juice and zest 6 eggs, beaten 250 g shredded suet 350g soft muscovado sugar 250g fresh breadcrumbs 175g self-raising flour 1 tsp mixed spice
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Preparation method: For this recipe you will need two 1.5 litre (2½ pint) plastic pudding basins with lids. Soak the sultanas, raisins, currants, figs, peel, apricots and cherries in the Port overnight, giving it a good stir now and again. The following day, in a large bowl mix the ginger, syrup, apples or quinces, orange juice and zest with the eggs, suet, sugar, crumbs and flour. Butter the two pudding basins and divide the mix between them. Cut two circles of greaseproof paper to cover the top of the pudding and fold a pleat down the centre to allow pudding to expand. Put lids on the basins and steam puddings for 3½ hours. Let puddings cool before removing greaseproof paper and covering tightly with cling film and lid. The puddings can now be stored in a cool, dry place until Christmas. To reheat, steam Christmas pudding for a further 3½ hours, turn out and flame with brandy. Enjoy with a glass of Taylor's 20 Year Old Tawny Port.
Pears Poached in Port wine Prep time: 20 mins Cook time: 50 mins If you cant be bothered with traditional plum pudding try this refreshing, simple and very elegant dessert, perfect served with some thick cream or perhaps some vanilla ice cream. It does not have to be port wine, but some red wine that has to be reduced to make the syrup, but port does give a rich, rounded flavour. Nor does it have to be Christmas for this recipe as it is nice in summer. An alternative is to use creme de menthe and a touch of green coloring with a sprig of mint garnish. Ingredients: 4 Pears (I prefer Conference pears) 1 bottle Ruby Port (Fine Ruby or Select Reserve)
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½ cup sugar 2 cinnamon sticks 1 pod star anise 4 cloves
A good internet page for information can be found on Taylors Port Wines
½ tsp nutmeg 1 vanilla pod / 1 tsp vanilla essence ½ tbsp orange zest ½ tbsp. lemon zest Fresh ground black pepper ½ tsp salt Cooking instructions:
Combine all the ingredients, except the pears, in a saucepan and gently bring to a boil. Simmer the liquid gently for 5-10 minutes, whilst you peel and core the pears, leaving the stalk intact for decoration. Drop in the pears and continue to simmer for around 30 minutes, gently turning the pears occasionally to ensure they cook evenly. Remove the pears, and then reduce the remaining sauce by about half. Strain into a jug and pour generously over the pears. Serve immediately with cream or vanilla ice cream. An alterrnative, or in addition, try green pears using green colouring, creme de menthe and fresh mint sprigs.
For an extra touch use small flans, either sweet pastry of sponge, and place a drop of sauce on the bottom, add the pears and pipe cream round the pear and serve the sauce separate.
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I have a Spanish friend here just now who earns a bit of extra cash Olor of Christmas chestnuts by collecting chestnuts in her by Pat Hynd Leon pueblo that are bought for 80 centimos a kilo. She was annoyed to find that they sell here for up to three euros a kilo. These are processed in various ways, but probably the most popular way is roasted over a fire and in the Torrevieja plaza at this time of year you can find chestnut sellers with small packets of piping hot roast chestnuts that add a certain nostalgia to this period leading up to Christmas. Some of you will use chestnuts as part of a filling for your turkey. I have no doubt that most of us have memories of collecting chestnuts, but as kids we tended to treat them as conkers playing games against each other to see who has the best and strongest conker. European species sweet chestnut (Castanea sativa) (also called "Spanish chestnut" in the US) is the only European species of chestnut, though was successfully introduced to the Himalayas and other temperate parts of Asia. Unrelated, but externally similar species of horse chestnut are abundant around Europe. In some places a type of moth is destroying horse chestnut trees and in UK researchers believe conkers are getting smaller because of it, and now they want gardeners and walkers to send them pictures of infected leaves. Roast your own nuts: Preheat oven to 425째F with rack in the middle. Cut an X in rounded side of each chestnut with a small sharp knife. Roast chestnuts, cut side up, in a shallow baking pan until shells curl away from nutmeats, 20 to 30 minutes. Wrap hot chestnuts in a kitchen towel and squeeze gently to further loosen shells. Let stand, wrapped, 5 minutes. Serve immediately. note: Shells can be cut 1 day ahead and chestnuts kept in a sealable bag at room temperature. aormi@icloud.com
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Angels, devils and other things.. by Dave Stewart
I suppose one of the things we connect with Christmas is the idea of angels singing to the shepherds. If we think of angels its usually with wings, but in reality are probably more like shining pillars. Or are they a reality? Some people swear that there are extraterrestrials so why not angels. Some Spanish friends are visiting Scotland this month so I looked to see what what was going on for them. Among the many museums to visit is St. Mungo Museum in Glasgow. The award-winning St Mungo Museum is a haven of tranquillity in a bustling city. This museum is named after Glasgow's patron saint, who brought the Christian faith to Scotland in the 6th century. Its galleries are full of displays, artefacts and stunning works of art. They explore the importance of religion in peoples’ lives across the world and across time. The venue aims to promote understanding and respect between people of different faiths and of none, and offers something for everyone. You can find out more about some of the world’s major religions, and the story of religion in the west of Scotland. Or you can relax in the museum café, which opens out into the first Zen garden in Britain. Christian objects predominate through to the middle of the twentieth century, at which point the collection diversifies with collections of Buddhist, Islamic, Hindu, Sikh and Jewish material. Glasgow once had the largest Jewish community in Britain outside London, and now has the largest communities of Muslims, Sikhs and Hindus in Scotland. aormi@icloud.com
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Heavenly Creatures: Angels in faith, history and popular culture, an exhibition that opened at the beginning of October and goes on to April 2016. The exhibition features beautiful paintings, sculptures and a range of objects exploring the significance and the allure of angels. Glasgow’s South American collections are the second largest in Scotland and include perhaps the most important collection of South American archaeology in any Scottish museum. They include a representative sample of the major coastal pre-Colombian Peruvian civilizations. Two mixed media sculptures by contemporary artists the Linares family of Mexico were commissioned in 1993 and 1996 for the Gallery of Modern Art and St Mungo’s Museum of Religion. James' Bond new film SPECTRE starts off in Mexico on the 1st November with the feast for the dead. A ceramic sculpture entitled Devil rides over Mexico by Tiburcio Soteno Fernandez and Carlo Fernandez was commissioned in 1996. In the Gallery of Religious Life, see the Dancing Skeleton from Mexico which is part the Day of the Dead celebrations. It is a particular favourite with younger visitors and I would imagine more so with the James Bond connection! Glasgow’s most recent acquisition, purchased in 2002 from the Rhythm of the Saints exhibition, is a group of ten papier mache figures representing Orishas from the AfroCuban Santería religion by the Havana artist Filiberto Mora. aormi@icloud.com
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Shiva Nataraj (Lord of the Dance) At the far end of the Gallery of Religious Art you will find magnificent bronze sculpture of the Hindu god Shiva Nataraj (Lord of the Dance) The dramatic cast bronze sculpture of the Hindu God Shiva as Nataraja is used to interpret to explain the core belief system of Hinduism to an audience with little or no knowledge of the faith including school groups, and the statue is often decorated by the community, demonstrating their engagement with the collection.This leaded bronze statue of the Hindu god Lord Shiva, dating from the 1970s, depicts the Shiva in his incarnation as Nataraja, or ‘Lord of the Dance’, a representation whose origins lie in South India. The sculpture is hollow cast using a lost wax casting technique. The composition of the metal alloys used in South Indian casting varies but Glasgow's Shiva is made of a mixture similar to that of gunmetal. In contrast to the smaller solid cast icons destined for temple worship, the Shiva as Nataraja in St.Mungo's Museum does not have incised pupils and as a hollow cast image made in the 1970s was probably created for ornamental use. However, it is still regarded as a religious icon to Glasgow’s Hindu community who asked that the statue be raised on a stone plinth as a mark of respect.
Opening times Monday: Closed Tuesday: 10am - 5pm Wednesday: 10am - 5pm Thursday: 10am - 5pm Friday: 11am - 5pm Saturday: 10am - 5pm Sunday: 11am - 5pm aormi@icloud.com
Contact St Mungo Museum 2 Castle Street, Glasgow G4 0RH 0141 276 1625
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Advent Calendars by Pat Hynd
My kids loved the advent calendar with windows that opened each of the 24 days and delivered a little chocolate figure. It is a great way for children to anticipate Christmas. An Advent calendar is a special calendar used to count or celebrate the days in anticipation of Christmas. Since the date of the first Sunday of Advent varies, falling between November 27 and December 3 inclusive, the Advent calendar usually begins on December 1, although many include the previous few days that are part of the season. The Advent calendar was first used by German Lutherans in the 19th and 20th centuries, but is now ubiquitous among adherents of many Christian denominations. However like all things connected with Merry Christmas it is now an excuse for over commercialism. Anticipation this year has turned out to be very expensive compared to a one pound advent calendar of yesteryear. Now selling are advent calendars that from make-up to candles to malt whisky. Boots is offering for a mere 38 pounds 25 days of beauty wonders with each box holding a product from their No7 make up range. Liberty’s luxurious calendar at £149 offers a top selection of Liberty products supposedly worth £400, from soaps, creams and body washes to lotions, polishes and more. It is beautifully presented in individual drawers covered in a Felix and Isabelle print, close the larger doors to reveal a picture of the iconic Liberty store front in the snow. Drinks by the Dram have a large range of Whisky Advent calendars. There is a Whisky Advent Calendar and Premium Whisky Advent Calendar, or for the connoisseur an aormi@icloud.com
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Liberty's Best Beauty Advent Calendar
addition to the range that is truly a thing of beauty. 24 Drinks by the Dram samples of Old & Rare whiskies to savour. The Old and Rare Calendar features a 60 Year old Single Malt Whisky (one of the oldest in the world), and whisky worth over ÂŁ2,000 per bottle. This is a mix of exceptional whiskies and the calendar is a mere â‚Ź1415.74. Apart from whiskies there are calendars for Gin, Rum, Armagnac, Vodka, Mezcal and Absinthe.
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An American idea with several alternatives. The Craft Beer Advent Calendar (ÂŁ74.99, craftbeeradventcalendar.co.uk) boasts 24 different beers from renowned craft breweries around the world. Buy this early present for the man in your life and Christmas should be very happy.
For the sweet tooth here is a nicely presented calendar, Pull open a drawer from the Christmas tree-shaped calendar to find a tasty chocolate truffle from Paul bakery. There was a shop in Barcelona but it has closed and I am told there is one in Madrid.
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Rows of numbered red and white wooden gable-roofed houses hide treats under their rooftops in a decorative John Lewis calendar (ÂŁ40, John Lewis) that the children can use over and over again.
Or make your own from an old cushion cover and stitch small pockets and number them. The kids have fun getting a dierent object each day which could be small drawing pencils, a chocolate, or something small they have said they would like.
However, these luxury items are a far cry from the original intention of the Advent calendar as up to the last century these were fasting days, like the Lenten period. Both are times set aside for the preparation of Jesus arriving amongst us at Bethlehem and the resurrected Jesus in Jerusalem. Times of fasting, abstinence and almsgiving. aormi@icloud.com
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Once again the Royal British Legion branches of Torrevieja and Orihuela Costa had great support from members, public and local dignitaries at the two remembrance services held this year. It was nice to see some young faces among veterans as it is important hat we remember not only two world wars, but the long list of battles ever since from Malaysai, Korea, to Afghanistan and the present military dying and being wounded on various fronts. Particularly poignant because of the terrorist attacks in Paris a few days later. It is important to remember the civilians affected by wars as they too are victims, some directly and others as family.
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La Española inglesa by Pat Hynd
In 2016 both Cervantes and Shakespeare have anniversaries of four centuries. Cervantes is renowned for his Don Quixote, the man from La Mancha, but he has written many other stories. La española inglesa is a set of romantic novels as Cervantes claimed to be the first Spanish author to write real imaginative original novels in the style that were already popular in other languages. Some people claim this particular novel is similar to Romeo and Juliet, but it is far removed from that in its format, language style and it has a very happy ending as any worthwhile romantic novel deserves. Between 1590 and 1613 Cervantes wrote a dozen novels under the general heading of Novelas Ejemplares. The novel La Española inglesa has been made into a film by Spanish RTVE television network and I’m sure it will be translated into English as it is the type of
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romantic period piece that is very popular. The tv version keeps to the storyline with excellent actors delivering the original lines of Cervantes. It is a tale of intrigue, plots, poison, beauty versus ugliness, sea battles, corsairs, slaves, beheadings and true love. The English/Spanish woman narrates Isabella’s kidnapping when the English raid Cadiz, and a seven year old Isabella is carried off to England. This is an act of rebelliousness on the part of Clotald, father of Richard, as they are secret Catholics who live in the then Protestant England. Richard and Isabella fall in love. Isabella is taken into the court of Queen Elizabeth who is delighted that someone has her name and she ends up holding the young Spanish woman in high esteem. So when old enough Richard asks for the hand of Isabella in marriage he is put off by the queen and ordered to sail as a captain in a ship for two years. Without boring you with all the details, during this time he spares the life of a Turkish captain and brings a Spanish couple, who were the prisoners on the Turkish ship, back to England as he suspects that these are the real parents of his beloved Isabella. As in Romeo and Juliet, another young courtier fancies Isabella and thinks she should be his and so ends up as Richard’s enemy. Isabella is poisoned, but recovers only to find out she is no longer beautiful because of the poison effects. So she puts off Richard and goes to live in a convent in Spain where her cousin is a nun. Meanwhile it is proposed that Richard should marry a lovely Scottish lass, but vows to escape to Spain and reunite with his beloved. Richard had said to Isabella that she should wait for him for two years. In this time, he was imprisoned in Algiers, a captive of the Turks and just as his head is about to be lopped is saved, then is shot by his enemy, but lives to meet Isabella as she is about to become a nun after two years waiting. And so they live happily ever after. The book is available in English as one of the dozen books in Novelas Ejemplares and you can download it free from Gutenberg Project. No doubt there will be a lot more in this coming anniversary year about Cervantes and Shakespeare. But do look out for the television adaptation, as it is a gripping tale.
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Town Centre Shopping by Pat Hynd
I expect that most people will head for the big shopping centres for their Christmas shopping, which is a pity as Torrevieja centre has many excellent shops with gift ideas. Here is a quick look at some outlets. The La Plasa indoor market has lost favor in recent years, but is still popular with locals for fresh fruit and vegetables, fish and seafood in general, meat counters, flowers and great (at this time of year) dried fruits and nuts. I regularly buy my fruit and veg from here and it is far better tasting and lasts longer, than I find in the local supermarkets. In La Plasa indoor market, there is a frozen fish kiosk run by an amiable couple that has excellent quality fish and wonderful gambas and prawns. Nearby another stop for me is a stall with fruit and veg direct from Murcia and lots of stuff in and out of season. Don't forget your tureen and grapes for the bells at the end of the year.
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At the market entrance is a pasteleria and a cafe, but within the adjacent streets there are many others including Monje one of the oldest bakers in town. Oral Gourmet is a new shop recently opened outside the market, but still in the plaza of Isabel, offers a great selection of ideas with very select wines and amazing fancy shaped bottles of gin, vodka etc. This shop specializes in all sorts of Spanish produce though I did spot a selection of some terrific English jams. In the main street a butcher I can recommend is Andres who is a real butcher who knows how to cut the meat, which is of excellent quality. He has a nice range of hams and doubles up as a delicatessen with many types of olive oil, cheese, and expensive up-market wines. Throughout the past year he has run a ham a month competition and I am sure he will have some other ideas for the festivity season.
Here too you can find three Riera perfume shops with lots of ideas for Christmas or the Kings. Of course there are several excellent clothing shops with some very stylish outfits for the ladies and men, not forgetting the customary red underwear for bringing in the New Year. A few streets away is the Oleoteca full of first class oils and gourmet produce as well as a selection of cosmetics. Among there Christmas fare is the almost mandatory Panettone
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Here are some simple ideas for keeping the kids quiet and getting them involved in the Christmas fun. aormi@icloud.com
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This season Rascals will be performing a Christmas Sing Along to raise money for APANEE a children’s charity for those with learning difficulties and in Los Montesinos another charity for children in that area. To get into the spirit of Christmas come along and join in. Performances are at the following venues:December 2nd
Wednesday
Carmens
3.30pm Saturday 9pm
5th Quesada County Club 2 course meal for 8.50 go to the venue to book
Sunday 1pm Saturday 2pm
6th
Los Montesinos Square
12th
San Luis Square
Sunday 13th The Emerald Isle 1pm 3- Course meal for 12.50 go to the venue to book
Come along and support them. aormi@icloud.com
Rascals programme does not stop here as they also sing at the Age Concern dinner, the Alzheimer’s centre , the Rosales residential home where presents are distributed to all the residents and at Alpe they give a party for all the students where Papa Noel comes along to give out the gifts. Both young and old are catered for in this season of goodwill.
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The Christmas Fat
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The Fat One!
One everybody
22nd December Christmas Lottery – El Gordo is the most anticipated lottery of wants the year. Several associations by Dave Stewart sell tickets that brings a few more euros into their funds and at the same time hoping that windfall from a winning ticket may come their way. On the previous evening the huge golden cage balls are checked out to ensure they function correctly, dropping a numbered ball at random and one at a time. The lottery is organized and controlled by the Spanish government offering the largest lottery prizes in the world. This year there will 2,240,000,000 € euros in prize money. Introduced by Carlos III around 1770 as a wheeze to squeeze money out of the rich who could afford gambling in those days. Today 20% of the prize money goes directly to the government when the tickets are presented in front of a notary, who ensures that the government gets its share first. Children from Madrid’s school San Ildefonso have participated in this annual lottery since 1771 calling out the numbers and prize money connected to each number. Today 36 children take part either singing out the numbers or slightly behind them working
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the apparatus that releases only one ball at a time. This school is now a mixed one in the sense that they include both sexes and multiple nationalities. The auditorium is filled with expectancy as people avidly watch the draw, some of them dressed up bizarrely for fun or maybe to catch the eye of the television cameras. The most popular last number of the five numbers on each ticket is 4, 5 or 6. Partly because it is the capital Madrid sells more tickets than anywhere else with a corresponding increase in the number of times the winning ticket falls on Madrid’s citizens. But it has been won 9 times in Murcia region. Experts calculate that there is more chance of winning El Gordo than the Euromillion, the ONCE or the Quiniela - that is one in a 100,000 odds. Because there are so many prizes including the last number, the odds are quite high (15%) compared to other gambles. Two popular numbers are 15,640 and 20,297 as both of them have won top prizemoney on two occasions with lots of cava opened to celebrate. On average people in Alicante Province spend 90 euros on average buying decimos!
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A much looked forward celebration
CANTABILE
that is almost a tradition is the
female voice choir
annual carol concert in the plaza de la Constition. Once again the
presents
Carols are on Friday the 11th December, usual time - 5.30/6pm.
A Concert of Seasonal Songs
Song sheets will be handed out free by the Costa Blanca People
on Saturday November 28, 2015 at 7.00pm
newspaper nd a collection made for a charitable association. 
 Almost all the songs are in English
at La Siesta Church including works by
with a nod in the direction of other languages and a few in Spanish.
Elgar, Rutter, Peterson, Verdi
Local politicians will also participate. Afterwards for those
for further information, contact Cantabile MD, Jennifer on 966796866 email: jenmorton@hotmail.co.uk Free entry
who like, there is an ecumenical and international service in the church of La Inmaculada, also in the plaza.
Retiring collection in aid of Church
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Dave Stewart
interviews Shani Ormiston In November local singer and composer Shani Ormiston was on the receiving end of yet another nomination for her song “Brave” for the Hollywood Media Music Awards. We met her during a break in her busy life and had a coffee with her just after the awards. This recognition of your work must have given you great satisfaction. How does it feel? It´s a great satisfaction and recognition to be nominated to the HMMA awards. Its the third time they have nominated Brave and that must mean something, some people think its a very special song, but I didn't win. Just being nominated again among names like Jennifer Lopez or Meghan Trainor is an honor. I also hear that another surprise in November was that your latest album “Once Upon a Time” was chosen as the best pop album by the AKADEMIA that is located in the hall of country music – Nashville? What does this mean to you? Well, I always had great faith in the album "Once upon a time” - I put all my heart and soul in and tried to tie everything together to make sense, and everything was done the way it was for a reason. Its got the "pop" sounding style and I tell all my stories with music . The fact of having the whole album recognized makes me proud and gives me more confidence because it shows me that I am on the right track. You are fluent in Spanish and English. Shani you were born in England, but have lived most of your life in Spain – you were called a voz Salinera in a recent interview in the Spanish daily “La Verdad” – do you feel that you belong to Spain? You never forget your roots, where you come from, but it's true that I grew up in Spain and my mother is Spanish, so I guess that now I feel I belong to Spain. aormi@icloud.com
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Television, radio and solidarity are all part of Shani’s work, including Italian television interview.
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Is it helpful being bilingual or does it get confusing at times? Although I’m very fortunate to be bilingual, it can sometimes be confusing when approaching a public; I always feel that Im stuck in the middle. I have both, Spanish and English fans, so its hard sometimes to try to please both, but Its difficult. Sometimes I write in English and then translate it into Spanish and vice versa, it is also is much fun!!! ( giggles…) Much of your work seems to have a modern social connotation. Such as the disaster in the Philippines a couple of years ago which led to “Fill a heart with hope” (Philippines, you are not alone)” and sold to raise funds for this disaster. Is there anything in particular that inspires you when working on a new song? Any simple thing can inspire me, from a simple conversation with a friend to a shocking news such as the tragedy that occurred in the Philippines and that unfortunately happens in many parts of the world. The moment I saw the tragic news on the tv about the victims I went into my room and wrote the song in about 1 hour. You have done a lot more to show solidarity with those who are in pain, or need a helping hand, what is behind that philosophy of your life? aormi@icloud.com
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Just simply help each others without expecting anything back: be the best version of yourself, live each day like if was the last, and learn from the bad things to be a better person. It’s much more simple that what people think.
Hollywood nominations
What style of music do you consider yourself to be slotted into, if at all? I have heard you singing pop, rock, country, blues, jazz, gospel and spiritual - among other genres. I love all types of music and I'm lucky to be versatile enough so I sing in different styles. Sometimes this can create more doubt or can be confusing to find your own music style, your own sound, but in the end I think what I identify with more, as it comes out natural, is pop music in general. What has given you most satisfaction in your work – singing or composing? Both, it is true that the process of writing songs is much more relaxed and intimate, but singing is also a great satisfaction, though much more intense as It can be quite stressful sometimes‌
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What is your favourite personal composition? Well…. I could not choose one in particular, all the songs move me in some way otherwise I would not do them, but I have a great feeling with songs like "How do you know", “Angel of Life" from my first album and "Brave" or “Lucky” form the second album. Have you ever performed with other famous musicians or singers? I've shared the stage with many well-known singers of television programs such as The Voice, plus the legendary Joe Longthorne, Ricky Valance and one of the most influential artists of the 80s Cristina del Valle from the group “Amistades Peligrosas”. You are listed as an Indie. What does that mean? Is it difficult in the music business?
“Indie” means independent music. It could mean a music style and or an artist. There are people who don't fit me in this style as they say my music is more commercial than others independent artists, but in the end we are all in the same boat, we are artists we have no record label and therefore do the whole process aormi@icloud.com
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from the composition, image, distribution and promotion ourselves. It is very difficult because depending on your goals it can be very expensive, music industry is very difficult.
presenter of Scottish Gala
I understand that you are in the process of doing an EP. Why and EP and not a full album? The reason is simple: to make a EP is much cheaper as it normally has 4-5 songs, and as I said before I have to do it all by myself, I have no sponsors or anything similar, I have to work a lot to be able to get together with the best musicians and producers. Everything costs money, a video clip recording, image, advertising .... So if anyone is interested in helping (laughs ...) Call Me!!!! (laughs). You have a great webpage, do you do that yourself? No, my husband is a graphic designer and manages my webpage, Im very lucky to have him! By the way you can check it out on www.shaniormiston.com
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I saw you as one of the judging panel in a recent Torrevieja Television talent show for children of the town. Are you getting any satisfaction from that? Who else is on it? Wow! It is an amazing experience!!! Kids are amazing, so natural and so much fun to work with. I am learning a lot from them and hopefully I can help them with anything that’s in my hand to guide them in what I aormi@icloud.com
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think could be best for them. I share the judging panel with two talented singers form Torrevieja Pilar Paez and Antonio Quesada, they are both singers and teachers, so Its fantastic to share this experience with them. You seem to have a stunning set of photographs, do you have professional support with that? Would you call yourself a perfectionist? Thank you..!!!! ( giggles..) I have worked with many professional photographers and with amateurs too. I am a perfectionist in every way, but I try to be as natural as possible. I don't like when I have photographs taken that don't reflect who I really am, though photography is another world to experiment with! Have you achieved all your goals? No. Not a at all‌ I still want to achieve and do loads of things. Finally, what are you doing over the Christmas and New Year period? Or are you able to have a rest? I am doing some concerts, writing songs, staring to record some songs and also I will make sure to have some some free time to spend with my friends and family. Thank you Shani, lovely talking to you. Your music albums would make nice Christmas gifts, they can be bought on CD Baby, or through your internet page, that right? Yes. Just look up my webpage www.Shani Ormiston.com or also in the bookshop next to La Plasa indoor market in Torrevieja - Santos Ochoa. aormi@icloud.com
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Desiderata for 2016 ▪▪ Go placidly amid the noise and haste, ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
and remember what peace there may be in silence. As far as possible without surrender be on good terms with all persons. Speak your truth quietly and clearly; and listen to others, even the dull and the ignorant; they too have their story. Avoid loud and aggressive persons, they are vexations to the spirit. If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain and bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself. ▪ Enjoy your achievements as well as your plans. ▪ Keep interested in your own career, however humble; ▪ it is a real possession in the changing fortunes of time. ▪ Exercise caution in your business affairs; ▪ for the world is full of trickery. ▪ But let this not blind you to what virtue there is; ▪ many persons strive for high ideals; ▪ and everywhere life is full of heroism. ▪
Be yourself. ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love; for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment it is as perennial as the grass. Especially, do not feign affection. Neither be cynical about love;
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▪ for in the face of all aridity and disenchantment ▪ it is as perennial as the grass. Take kindly the counsel of the years, ▪ gracefully surrendering the things of youth. ▪ Nurture strength of spirit to shield you in sudden misfortune. ▪ But do not distress yourself with dark imaginings. ▪ Many fears are born of fatigue and loneliness. ▪ Beyond a wholesome discipline, ▪ be gentle with yourself. ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪ ▪
You are a child of the universe, no less than the trees and the stars; you have a right to be here. And whether or not it is clear to you, no doubt the universe is unfolding as it should. Therefore be at peace with God, whatever you conceive Him to be, and whatever your labors and aspirations, in the noisy confusion of life keep peace with your soul.
With all its sham, drudgery, and broken dreams, ▪ it is still a beautiful world. ▪ Be cheerful.
▪ Strive to be happy.
▪
by Max Ehrmann, ▪
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Another Christmas idea is buy a Solidarity 2016 calendar for friends and family only 5euros. This is full of information about next year’s holidays and fiestas with room for notes each month. Lovely photos to hang on your wall by local photographers.
concert Amistades Peligrosas 6 december
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