Spanish Fantasy

A cheeky, tourist magnet of a bronze devil doing a selfie is unloved by locals but adored by visitors who happen upon it. 10% of the population signed a petition against it as it was inappropriately “jovial” and “exalts evil,” It added that Satan should be “repulsive and despicable — not kind and seductive.”

But the Tourist Bureau went ahead and the Devil now sits self-absorbed with his back to a commanding view over the city and famous Aqueduct. The sculpture was by Antonio Abella, a local doctor and a gift to the city he loves.

Whether by design or not, the bronze was not marked officially on Google Maps. One of my photos was quickly featured.

Diablillo haciendose un selfie is on Calle San Juan, 40001 Segovia, Spain

https://maps.app.goo.gl/oGuNzqenpyrWMhGb6

Lovely short article in Time https://time.com/5504047/spain-segovia-devil-statue/

..........

I can't be flippant about this one.

In Western nations, we appear to be passing through an odd moment when, in face of an existential threat, the systems of popular democracy that have served us so well, are failing us.

The Devil controversy is as illuminating as our bizaire support for a looney religious footy hero. Or a Trump, a Johnson or a Morrison.

Segovia is not hicksville. It is rich and happy, living off the local as well as international tourist stream. Its wealth is built on massive public investment that is barely acknowledged. For example beneath those quaint (but superclean) cobbled streets are extensive carparks and lifts so that weekend trips by BMW or Audi from Madrid are the norm. It's a Spanish dreamtown where scores of prepubescent girls in full length white & boys in fake military costumes led by doting parents to be confirmed in an ornate, bell-ringing cathederal. Where the rambling Jewish quarter is devoid of Jews (expelled in 15c.). Where every other non-Catholic was shot or shipped off to Nazi work camps after the Franco victory in 1939

So no, the brilliance of this depiction of the nature of evil is not appreciated: it reflects too well inconvenient truths.

The Spanish Garden

Just when you think you've seen everything, a European city can surprise. Huerto de Calixto y Melibea, is a small, very beautiful public Salamanca garden overlooking the river and below the cathederal. It was made famous by featuring in one of the great literary works in Spanish, La Celestina. Huerto de Calixto y Melibea, Calle Arcediano, 20, 37008 Salamanca, Spain
https://maps.app.goo.gl/bNCqve8ptN26sqMJ8

Roses, fountains, rustic well with lots of contemporary romantic padlocks; intimate nooks. Accidentally came across a two young lovers reenacting the garden assignation rather explicitly. Averted eyes and did not take pics.

Rushed to the Librería Nueva Plaza Universitaria bookshop in the basement of the Philosophy Dept. and bought the classic in paperback for Nancy who was, at that moment, doing battle with some of the tougher parts of the language's grammar. Very appropriate antidote for her.

Details of where the 1599 dramatic dialogue sits in the history of Spanish literature and details of the narrative at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/La_Celestina

She goes to work today

Loved this cropped shot that I took on Salamanca's main business district street, Gran Via of a woman on a flash motorscooter riding past one of the many examples of street art in the town. The difference between the employment realities and the dream was strong.

Air today, gone tomorrow

Just noting an excellent explainer of the 1999 Le Mans disaster for Mercedes. 

Three of its entries took flight on the superfast circuit, tumbling end over end. 

Miraculously no-one was killed but it was a very public design error by Mercedes that, 20 years later, it is still living down. The explainer is a masterclass in instructional video describing how hard it is to make a good racing cars.