Free-D

What a difference there can be between apparently identical words in two languages. Take the word “service” for instance. In England it implies a sort of sulleness which begins with the refusal to meet ones´ eye and ends with the flick of a ladle delivering a mound of cold grey mashed potato onto ones´ plate. Ah, England. Translate the word into Spanish, however (and I´m thinking particularly of Salamancas´ long suffering camareros), and its meaning undergoes a radical transformation.

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This week an article appeared in the Gaceta concerning the use of the Plaza Mayor as an events venue. You know the kind of argument: “For or against”. That´s the terrible thing about being devil´s advocate - when you come across two contrary opinions there´s only one option and that´s sitting squarely on the fence. Read the rest of this entry »

These could well be my last Ferias in Salamanca so I’d best make the most of it. VG makes sure he’s always away during the festivities, preferring the peace and quiet. Titi from the Quimera tells me he’s hasta los cojones with the Caseta, ordered to charge 1 euros fifty for a drink and a pincho… I suppose the ferias mean so many different things to different people; it’s not just one activity with one single venue, but a countless array of activities catering to an increasingly eclectic mix of classes and cultures. Obsessed as I am with urban anthropology – though hardly an expert – I find the next fortnight a bit of an eye-opener. First we have the pijos. They’re a very special (inter-bred) breed who remain very much a shadowy presence in the city’s social scene– mainly because they live in their fincas outside town and only venture in on a Saturday night to prop up the Musical or some other exclusive watering hole (pink shirts and navy jerseys resting over their shoulders, obligatory). But the combination of the Feria Agropecuaria (3000 head of Spain’s finest breeds, in auction and in exhibition) the Concurso de Hípica, and of course the Toros offers a unique opportunity to witness these extraordinary creatures at close range. On the diametric opposite end of the scale we could do no better than nip down to the Aldeahuela and hang out among the desgraciados – the section of Salamanca’s population who are normally kept at a safe distance over in Buenos Aires (the barrio not the Argentinian city).

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