Jewish culture and people weren't a topic of discussion I encountered there in the early 70's while attending the University of Barcelona. On the other hand, Basque and Catalan separatists were. A Catalan separatist was executed for a bomb attack while I was there, and the president of Spain was assassinated by a bomb that exploded under his car.
I have no doubt that antisemitism was present, given the religious history. The Spanish Civil War possibly brought it out, depending on how many Jews were members of the Communist army that was ultimately defeated by General Franco.
What did shock me was the lousy reception a female black student received, and the whispers behind her back. She was an American, studying there for three months. We went to a dance in a club in Barcelona, but no Spanish male asked her to dance the entire time we were there. It disgusted me, but we got a positive reaction when we did The Bump, and her sweet disposition seemed to see her through any humiliation she may have felt.
I attribute the current political dumb-assery there to socialism's antipathy toward Israel, aggravated by the defeat of Hamas in Gaza, hatred of Trump, and the Spanish government's embrace of Muslim immigration. So, not unlike the rest of Western Europe. We'll be joining that parade of idiots if we elect another Democrat to the White House, or if they take control of both houses of Congress.
Having lived there during the turmoil of the seventies, The Spanish Civil War is an unpleasant topic to contemplate. Much more to my liking was Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon", which stands the test of time in primal terms.
On the other hand, my reading class of Navajo 7th & 8th grade middle-schoolers stood up and cheered at the end of the movie, "The Old Man and the Sea", which they watched as a reward for their careful reading of the novel. Another eternal story of primal struggle. I'm now torn between the bull ring and fishing.
I've never been into bullfighting, but I used to be into fishing. I admit to a twinge of guilt about the pain and panic inflicted on a trout, but I've convinced myself that these are not sentient creatures.
I may have overstated the part about being torn between bull-fighting and fishing. I was aiming for dramatic effect, and perhaps overshot. You couldn't pay me to hurt a fly. I step over ants.
"Death in the Afternoon" is more about the matador than the bull, and calls up millennia of custom and culture. Anyone who wants to understand Spain would benefit from reading it. To say it can't be contemplated due to the killing of bulls, is to say serfdom or slavery can't be contemplated, either. They are what they are.
Your visit to Spain sounds much more relaxing than mine. I was young and had made the mistake of letting another 'James' (Michener) get in my head about "running with the bulls". BTW, it is "with " if they decide not to kill you as they pass. Before that it is "from" and it is terrifying. And if you are particularly stupid you follow a native who leads you to the very first block of the run where the bulls are released all full of vim and vigor....and malice. Another completely undeserved escape from the consequences of a stupid decision. Enjoy your bovine free walk.
In Pamplona after having walked for a week, I treated myself to a splendid hotel room overlooking the plaza. It was reputed to be the room Ernest Hemingway always requested. But I did not run with, from, over or under the bulls.
I have read nearly every one of James A. Michener’s novels since I was a teenager in the 1970’s. I have his autograph from St. Michaels, Md., 20 April 1981. I’ve seen his house in St. Michaels and been to his grave in Austin, Tx. His novels have greatly inspired me to travel the world. And I have. You name it, I’ve probably been there. But I never in a million years would step foot in a country, Spain, that idolizes the abhorrent torture of innocent animals, the slow agonizing death of a bull while thousands of spectators cheer and call it their National sport.
I agree that the bull "fighting" is cruel. I'm glad to say that, like the bulls, it's dying a slow death. Most of the people are much more interested in futbol these days.
Apart from that "sport" of bull fighting, I've always found the Spanish to be welcoming and friendly. Appearance-wise, the people in northern Spain are indistinguishable from the French.
I remember this one well. Was it really that long ago?
As for Spain, it’s now the weak man of Europe, and won’t be European much longer. (Of course, the rest of Europe may not be either.) I doubt I’ll ever get there
I've always wanted to do the El Camino, but because of its location, have refused. I've settled for other spiritual quests. Enjoy your trip. Take care of the "old ticker" Safe travels.
Thanks, Jack. In my many months in Spain, I've seen very little evidence of bull fighting (they actually banned it in Catalonia for a while) but I share your abhorrence for it.
BTW, you're probably aware of the other pilgrimages in Europe, such as the via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome, the Chemin du Puy through central France, and the via Francis in Umbria. All are great.
The list of nations doing abhorrent things to animals is about as long as the list of nations. Though the history is MUCH longer than this one guy, I'd rather be a bull fighting for it's life (which it can win back if it fights well) than one of the Beagles that Fauci locked in a cage and slowly killed over weeks and months. Examples are endless.
BTW, I watched the bulls from the 5th day run that I thought were going to kill me fight. It was not pleasant. I would not care to do any of it again. Not a fan. I can tell you that not one of the bulls had any idea it was going to die till the instant it happened. They were all taking the fight to anyone who came into sight.
I agree. Fauci is the devil. But torturing beagles is not a national sport. And you are right. There are other countries that torture animals. Thailand for one where some citizens openly intentionally neglect at best and mutilate at worst dogs, monkeys and elephants.
I hear you. But I spent a year there in my youth, and I can attest to the fact that it's not a country that "idolizes" ...torture. Far from it. It is/was already a dying medieval tradition when this was written.
I'm not so sure that it is a dying tradition. In 2012, France upheld the legality of bullfighting. Animal rights activists sought to classify bullfighting as animal cruelty, but the Constitutional Council stated it did not violate the French Constitution. Bullfighting in France has been legal since 1951. I understand that there are differences between bullfighting in Spain versus France. I won't be going back to France any time soon. Sorry. I didn't mean for this feed to be about bullfighting. Enjoy your trek on the El Camino. May you have a blessed experience.
Great to walk the El Camino! Did you watch the indee movie The Way with Martin Sheen & son Emilio? You should. Our son walked a large part of this when he studied abroad in Spain! Wonderful experience.
Glenn, despite being an older post and me being a poor theologian ... The Apostles were initially the 12 men chosen by Jesus, thus Judas was an Apostle. Matthew 10:2-4 names Judas as an Apostle: "The names of the twelve apostles are these ... and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him." After Judas's suicide, the remaining Apostles felt a need to restore their number to 12. Matthias was chosen as Judas's replacement as an Apostle (Acts 1:21-26). Aside from the prior omissions, the early church (and current Catholic church) would not consider Mary Magdalene to be an Apostle (although she is canonized as a saint) because the Apostles were the first bishops and church clergy was limited to the male gender. It is rarely explained that this limitation is based on the belief that the soul, as well as the body, is gendered and the clergy represents the male Jesus on earth.
I'm interested in your view on this -- I wonder if the current political leanings in Spain are due in part to a bit of antisemitism dating back to their expulsion of the Jews in 1492. If so, they would not be alone in Europe in that regard.
Jewish culture and people weren't a topic of discussion I encountered there in the early 70's while attending the University of Barcelona. On the other hand, Basque and Catalan separatists were. A Catalan separatist was executed for a bomb attack while I was there, and the president of Spain was assassinated by a bomb that exploded under his car.
I have no doubt that antisemitism was present, given the religious history. The Spanish Civil War possibly brought it out, depending on how many Jews were members of the Communist army that was ultimately defeated by General Franco.
What did shock me was the lousy reception a female black student received, and the whispers behind her back. She was an American, studying there for three months. We went to a dance in a club in Barcelona, but no Spanish male asked her to dance the entire time we were there. It disgusted me, but we got a positive reaction when we did The Bump, and her sweet disposition seemed to see her through any humiliation she may have felt.
I attribute the current political dumb-assery there to socialism's antipathy toward Israel, aggravated by the defeat of Hamas in Gaza, hatred of Trump, and the Spanish government's embrace of Muslim immigration. So, not unlike the rest of Western Europe. We'll be joining that parade of idiots if we elect another Democrat to the White House, or if they take control of both houses of Congress.
"Writer, Sailor, Soldier, Spy: Ernest Hemingway's Secret Adventures", 1935-1961, by Nicholas Reynolds
The description of Ernest Hemingway's participation in Spain's civil war is wild.
And of course, the Spanish civil war was the setting for what was probably Hemingway's best novel, For Whom the Bell Tolls
Having lived there during the turmoil of the seventies, The Spanish Civil War is an unpleasant topic to contemplate. Much more to my liking was Hemingway's "Death in the Afternoon", which stands the test of time in primal terms.
On the other hand, my reading class of Navajo 7th & 8th grade middle-schoolers stood up and cheered at the end of the movie, "The Old Man and the Sea", which they watched as a reward for their careful reading of the novel. Another eternal story of primal struggle. I'm now torn between the bull ring and fishing.
I've never been into bullfighting, but I used to be into fishing. I admit to a twinge of guilt about the pain and panic inflicted on a trout, but I've convinced myself that these are not sentient creatures.
I may have overstated the part about being torn between bull-fighting and fishing. I was aiming for dramatic effect, and perhaps overshot. You couldn't pay me to hurt a fly. I step over ants.
"Death in the Afternoon" is more about the matador than the bull, and calls up millennia of custom and culture. Anyone who wants to understand Spain would benefit from reading it. To say it can't be contemplated due to the killing of bulls, is to say serfdom or slavery can't be contemplated, either. They are what they are.
Same goes for fishing!
What a great post! If you lose your day job, you can always write comedy. Made my whole day.
I'm reminded of the epic adventure film, Ferris Beuler's Day Off.
Cameron Frye says to Ferris:
"Ferris Bueller, you're my hero."
Glenn Beaton, ...well, you know the rest.
Your visit to Spain sounds much more relaxing than mine. I was young and had made the mistake of letting another 'James' (Michener) get in my head about "running with the bulls". BTW, it is "with " if they decide not to kill you as they pass. Before that it is "from" and it is terrifying. And if you are particularly stupid you follow a native who leads you to the very first block of the run where the bulls are released all full of vim and vigor....and malice. Another completely undeserved escape from the consequences of a stupid decision. Enjoy your bovine free walk.
In Pamplona after having walked for a week, I treated myself to a splendid hotel room overlooking the plaza. It was reputed to be the room Ernest Hemingway always requested. But I did not run with, from, over or under the bulls.
I have read nearly every one of James A. Michener’s novels since I was a teenager in the 1970’s. I have his autograph from St. Michaels, Md., 20 April 1981. I’ve seen his house in St. Michaels and been to his grave in Austin, Tx. His novels have greatly inspired me to travel the world. And I have. You name it, I’ve probably been there. But I never in a million years would step foot in a country, Spain, that idolizes the abhorrent torture of innocent animals, the slow agonizing death of a bull while thousands of spectators cheer and call it their National sport.
I agree that the bull "fighting" is cruel. I'm glad to say that, like the bulls, it's dying a slow death. Most of the people are much more interested in futbol these days.
Apart from that "sport" of bull fighting, I've always found the Spanish to be welcoming and friendly. Appearance-wise, the people in northern Spain are indistinguishable from the French.
I remember this one well. Was it really that long ago?
As for Spain, it’s now the weak man of Europe, and won’t be European much longer. (Of course, the rest of Europe may not be either.) I doubt I’ll ever get there
I've always wanted to do the El Camino, but because of its location, have refused. I've settled for other spiritual quests. Enjoy your trip. Take care of the "old ticker" Safe travels.
Thanks, Jack. In my many months in Spain, I've seen very little evidence of bull fighting (they actually banned it in Catalonia for a while) but I share your abhorrence for it.
BTW, you're probably aware of the other pilgrimages in Europe, such as the via Francigena from Canterbury to Rome, the Chemin du Puy through central France, and the via Francis in Umbria. All are great.
The list of nations doing abhorrent things to animals is about as long as the list of nations. Though the history is MUCH longer than this one guy, I'd rather be a bull fighting for it's life (which it can win back if it fights well) than one of the Beagles that Fauci locked in a cage and slowly killed over weeks and months. Examples are endless.
BTW, I watched the bulls from the 5th day run that I thought were going to kill me fight. It was not pleasant. I would not care to do any of it again. Not a fan. I can tell you that not one of the bulls had any idea it was going to die till the instant it happened. They were all taking the fight to anyone who came into sight.
I agree. Fauci is the devil. But torturing beagles is not a national sport. And you are right. There are other countries that torture animals. Thailand for one where some citizens openly intentionally neglect at best and mutilate at worst dogs, monkeys and elephants.
I hear you. But I spent a year there in my youth, and I can attest to the fact that it's not a country that "idolizes" ...torture. Far from it. It is/was already a dying medieval tradition when this was written.
I'm not so sure that it is a dying tradition. In 2012, France upheld the legality of bullfighting. Animal rights activists sought to classify bullfighting as animal cruelty, but the Constitutional Council stated it did not violate the French Constitution. Bullfighting in France has been legal since 1951. I understand that there are differences between bullfighting in Spain versus France. I won't be going back to France any time soon. Sorry. I didn't mean for this feed to be about bullfighting. Enjoy your trek on the El Camino. May you have a blessed experience.
Great to walk the El Camino! Did you watch the indee movie The Way with Martin Sheen & son Emilio? You should. Our son walked a large part of this when he studied abroad in Spain! Wonderful experience.
Yes, I saw The Way, probably at least twice. The first time was what inspired me to do my first Camino.
Buon Camino!
Glenn, despite being an older post and me being a poor theologian ... The Apostles were initially the 12 men chosen by Jesus, thus Judas was an Apostle. Matthew 10:2-4 names Judas as an Apostle: "The names of the twelve apostles are these ... and Judas Iscariot, who betrayed him." After Judas's suicide, the remaining Apostles felt a need to restore their number to 12. Matthias was chosen as Judas's replacement as an Apostle (Acts 1:21-26). Aside from the prior omissions, the early church (and current Catholic church) would not consider Mary Magdalene to be an Apostle (although she is canonized as a saint) because the Apostles were the first bishops and church clergy was limited to the male gender. It is rarely explained that this limitation is based on the belief that the soul, as well as the body, is gendered and the clergy represents the male Jesus on earth.
You are right, Ray, and you're the first to catch that! I'll make the correction if I ever publish this again
Are you doing all 500 miles? That’s incredible. I’m not sure my knees would hold up.
You had me with "...Spain...". Sadly, even since your last visit, the voting public has gotten dumber.
I'm interested in your view on this -- I wonder if the current political leanings in Spain are due in part to a bit of antisemitism dating back to their expulsion of the Jews in 1492. If so, they would not be alone in Europe in that regard.
Oops, I muffed the reply and posed it as a separate comment. Apologies!