Now we will learn a little about Las dos Españas

I'll  be honest, I don't know that much about Spain. I know where it is in Europe. I know that Queen Isabella financed Christopher Columbus (He was from Genoa Italy though) on his trip to the New World. I know that everyone tells me that Barcelona is FABULOUS! and I know that they have really struggled of late with their economy.

So this is my feeble attempt to learn a little about the country.

Spain has a total of 50 provinces, these are like counties, in 17 autonomous regions, like small states(these autonomous regions have their own government, police etc). Each one is unique with different geography, distinctive climates and food. Now we are getting to something I want to experience! The Spanish are said to be very passionate about their wine and Spanish cuisine. Spanish food is described as light, but with a lot of vegetables and a huge variety of meat and fish.

The  country has a great deal of geographic and cultural diversity. Another thing I love to experience when I travel.  Each region has their own unique historical traditions and languages. I have been trying to refresh my Spanish, but others have told me to forget it. They tell me there are so many dialects that are difficult to understand and impossible to learn! The regions include; Basque Country (Basque), Galicia (Galician), Catalonia , the Valencian region, and the Balearic Islands or Illes Balears (Catalan), but also Andalusia. One far away region is the Canary Islands. These beautiful islands lie off the coast of Morocco, and are geographically part of Africa, but are also part of Spain.

Ya hay un español que quiere             There is a Spaniard today, who wants

vivir y a vivir empieza,                         to live and is starting to live,

entre una España que muere               between one Spain dying

y otra España que bosteza.                 and another Spain yawning.

Españolito que vienes                         Little Spaniard just now coming

al mundo, te guarde Dios.                   into the world, may God keep you.

Una de las dos Españas                      One of those two Spains

ha de helarte el corazón.                     will freeze your heart.

— Machado, untitled poem, "LIII," in Proverbios y Cantares, ca. 1910s

I am told by Vic's family that the Spanish are very proud of their long history, their country, their language and proud traditions, Vic's father told him that the Spaniards spoke proper Spanish, "not what they teach here!"
Now would be the appropriate time to tell you that Vics' real name is Vittoro Eduardo Boltes, but it was aglicized at the hospital in Buffalo and on his birth certificate.

Things that most people associate with Spain;

Bullfighting, Pablo Picasso, jamón (Ham),  Penelope Cruz (Vic favorite Spaniard!), Don Quijote, Pedro Almodóvar films, tapas, Manolo Blahnik. The thing that Vic most associates with his Spanish roots…..paella!

Foodie fact

Spaniards spend more on food per capita than anyone else in Europe!

I still have a great deal to learn about this country. In the weeks and months ahead I will research further into the art, more about the food, and culture. With a husband who is Spanish, a sister who was a Spanish teacher and a brother who is an artist, there is still much to learn. I am very excited to learn more each week.

 "Enjoying living was learning to get your money's worth and knowing when you had it." Ernest Hemingway     The Sun also Rises

A Pilgrimage by any name is a pilgrimage

Last week I contemplated the Spanish Tradition of Bullfights. I got some good feed back (most said don't do it, but I am still deciding). This week I am back to the exploration of faith and seeking understanding and forgiveness. 

People make treks to holy places seeking refuge from the world and asking for forgiveness. They want to wash away their sins. As humans we are always seeking guidance from God.  I often hear people asking God for help, forgiveness or to help others. I do it too. God please help me ……fill in the blank. One of the things that I try to remember is that I need to LISTEN more often, for Gods words and direction. I believe THAT is where my answers will be found. I am so busy asking that I miss the important things he is trying to share with me.  In preparation for our walk on the Camino, we are walking in the woods hiking for long periods. It is a lovely time to think through issues, talk with God and seek peace and serenity. Sometimes I find that when I do that, I can be overwhelmed with emotions. 

Another religion,Hinduism, is now celebrating one of their great rituals, in India along the the sacred Ganges river. 

This year it may be the biggest gathering in human history during a pilgrimage for one of the world's largest religions.

Millions have arrived; there is a sea of humanity along the Ganges River. From every corner of India, and by every conceivable form of transportation, pilgrims are trekking to Prayag, the holiest place in the Hindu world. This is the biggest celebration on the Hindu calendar -- the Maha Kumbh Mela. Kumbh means a pitcher and Mela means fair in Hindi. It is believed, by this faith, that that drops of nectar fell from the Kumbh carried by gods after the sea was churned.Hindus believe that the nectar can be found in the Ganges.

Drawn by their shared faith, they come to take a holy dip in the Ganges, the river that nurtured India's 5,000-year-old civilization. They are asking forgivness and inspiration from their God in this sacred river.

An estimated 30 million people visited the Maha Kumbh Mela on 10 February 2013 and an estimated 100 million are expected to visit the place during the festival spread over 55 days. WOW! 

 "I came to the conclusion long ago … that all religions were true and also that all had some error in them, and whilst I hold by my own, I should hold others as dear as Hinduism. So we can only pray, if we are Hindus, not that a Christian should become a Hindu … But our innermost prayer should be a Hindu should be a better Hindu, a Muslim a better Muslim, a Christian a better Christian." Ghandi 

Should we go to a Bullfight in Spain??

BULLFIGHT!!

As a tourist in Spain, I want to partake in the cultural experience of a bullfight in Spain. The reason I want to go is just to see this ancient Spanish tradition. Because of it's long history, the art of the  torero (bullfighters), the physical requirements to prevent their own death and the exquisite costumes I really think I want to go.  Vic said NO, I'm not going! My brother Johnny weighed in on this as well. " Do not go! That is a cruel and murderous sport!!!" 

I have said that I am going to look into it and decide at a later date.

Here are some things that I have learned so far…..

Bullfighting in Spain goes back to 711 A.D., with the first official bullfight, or "corrida de toros," being held in honor of the coronation of King Alfonso VIII. Once part of the Roman Empire, Spain owes its bullfighting tradition partially, to gladiator games. At first, bullfighting was done on horseback and was reserved for Spanish aristocracy, but King Felipe V ended this trend because he believed it was in poor taste for nobles to practice such a bloody sport. Commoners continued to develop bullfighting on foot with smaller weapons. The art of dodging and stabbing the bull grew into its present form around 1724, and matadors today still cling to a traditionally strict code of conduct. The oldest bullring in Spain is located in the southern town of Ronda, but cities like Madrid, Seville and Pamplona also have a rich bullfighting legacy and some of the largest rings in the world. Interestingly bullfighting was outlawed in Catalonia (the very independent territory of Spain that includes Barcelona) in 2011.

There seems to be 3 parts to the bull fight.

The entry ceremony

Flirting with the bull (my term)

In this stage, the matador tests the strength of the bull with a series of taunts and passes. The bull charges the cape and the matador must gracefully move aside at the last moment if he wants to gain the hearts of the audience.

The picador stage is the next part of the bullfight. Picadores are bullfighters on horseback with protective armor and lances. They taunt the bull until it charges, at which points they stab the bull in the shoulders to anger it. Horses are sometimes gored, but usually all participants make it out alive. This stage continues with banderilleros who rush the bull on foot and toss colored darts into its back.

The Kill 

The killing stage wraps up the bullfight. The bull is tired and weak from the rushes and stabbings. The matador moves in with a smaller cape and a long sword that he will plunge into the back of the bull as it makes a final lunge at its tormentor. A clean kill earns more respect. The bull topples over and an assistant runs out to cut its throat. For an excellent performance, the bullfighter might be rewarded with the ear or hoof of the bull. The bull is tied to a pack of horses and dragged out of the ring as the matador makes his victory lap.

A typical bullfight features six bulls,three matadors (1-matador de toros, (lit. "killer of bulls") , 2-Picador (on a horse), 3- Banderillero) and then the crew of assistant bullfighters. The entire event can last three or four hours.Typically on Sunday afternoon.

Well, there is my very brief synopsis of a bullfight.

I still do not know if I would go. I'm still considering it.

What do you think???


Hike update   Long hike today --We hiked 8 miles, at Crowders Mountain.
It wasn' easy, but we did it in 4 hours. Not great, but mission accomplished.

Pilgrim vs religious zealot

Many of my posts are based on questions people have asked me.
A friend at the gym asked me if I was one of those "crazy" Catholics?  My brother asked me if I was a religious zealot?
So we come to this weeks post. 

A Zealot is defined as a person who is fanatical about a belief or cause, often religious

The name Zealot was a Jewish movement of the first century A.D. that fought against Roman rule in Palestine, as incompatible with strict monotheism.
Zealot was formed from the word zeal, which is enthusiasm for a particular cause. 

Every religion is true one way or another. It is true when understood metaphorically. But when it gets stuck in its own metaphors, interpreting them as facts, then you are in trouble.” 

― Joseph Campbell

I tried to think of some examples of zealots, in various religions;

The . . . Crusades were 2 centuries of military campaigns, waged by much of Catholic Europe, particularly France and the Roman Empire. The specific crusades to restore Christian control of the Holy Land were fought over a period of nearly 200 years, between 1095 and 1291.

But in the name of faith the crusaders captured Jerusalem in 1099, and killed Muslims, Jews, and native Christians indiscriminately. 

 Spanish Inquisition. The Inquisition was the monarchy's way of making sure people stayed within the Catholic faith. The driving force of the Inquisition were the Inquisitors, who were responsible for spreading the "truth" of Christianity. 

A little religious humor thanks to Monty Python

The inquisitors generally saw themselves as educators helping people maintain correct beliefs by pointing out errors in knowledge and judgment. . . .Punishment and death came to those who refused to admit their errors. . .The inquisitors had to invent all sorts of techniques, including torture, to ascertain whether new converts' beliefs were genuine.Again thousands died in the name of faith, or lack of faith.

Of course we, as Westerners, all now know about radical jihad lead by Osama bin Laden.

The Islamic actual meaning of the term is very different In the religious context. Jihad is better interrupted as a means of working urgently for a certain godly objective, generally a positive one. Most Muslims reject violence. This is an example of a small group of people bringing a very bad name to religious group.

Balance, that is the simple word that most of us try very hard to achieve. Again, because of my inquisitiveness (not to be confused with The Inquisition!) I struggle with filtering many of the sins of my faith. The one thing that I can say that my faith brings me is comfort. I feel the love surround me. I just want to dismiss all the other junk...

Christians and Muslims have plenty of company in the area of extremism for their religious beliefs. Almost every religion has an arm of the faith taken to great extremes. 

You have to quit confusing a madness with a mission.”
― Flannery O'Connor

Vic and I are going to walk the Camino to learn, meditate and experience more about OUR faith. I can't wait!