Tuesday, May 17
Ésta es una entrada muy larga porque quiero reflejar la evolución del traje salmantino hasta el actual traje charro basándome en grabados existentes desde el siglo XVIII.
Los primeros grabados del traje de Salamanca aparecieron en la segunda mitad del siglo XVIII realizados por el ilustrador madrileño Juan de la Cruz Cano y Olmedilla en su obra “Colección de trajes de España tanto antiguos como modernos, que comprehende todos los de sus Dominios: Dividido en dos Volúmenes, con ocho quadernos de á doze estampas cada uno”. La primera edición apareció en Madrid el año 1777. Este tipo de estampas eran muy comunes en Francia donde el Marqués de la Ensenada había enviado a Cruz Cano para que aprendiera las técnicas del grabado. Esta obra tuvo un éxito inmediato tanto en España como en el extranjero .
Cruz Cano presenta a la mujer salmantina como “aldeana charra del partido de Salamanca” y al hombre como “aldeano de los caseríos de Salamanca”. Estas dos láminas están publicadas con los números 23 y 24. No se trata del traje charro como lo conocemos actualmente sino uno más de “los trajes más normales de la plebe del Reino, nos dice el autor.
Otros grabad
os definen al traje salmantino como “de los alrededores”, “de las cercanías”, “del partido”, “del distrito” o simplemente hombre o mujer de Salamanca. Términos bastante imprecisos para localizar exactamente el lugar, por lo que se deduce que debía comprender una comarca bastante amplia alrededor de Salamanca.
De estos grabados voy a considerar brevemente algunos que nos permitan analizar el traje usado generalmente en la comarca de Salamanca y nos permita observar su evolución hacia el traje charro actual.
J. Laroque realizó los grabados ”Homme de Salamanque” y “Femme de Salamanque” en 1796 muy semejantes a los grabados de Cano y Olmedilla, al igual que otro grabado con el mismo nombre “Femme de Salamanque” de 1792 realizado por S. Sauveur que apareció en “Modes et Costume Historique” de los hermanos Pauquet. En estos grabados, el hombre aparece con pelo largo atado y viste las siguientes prendas: sombrero, capa, jubón de manga rajada con botonadura delantera, calzón hasta la rodilla ceñido con cinta o mediavaca de cuero, medias, zapatos llanos con tacón bajo y pala achatada y polainas. La mujer viste sombrero de calidad entref
ina de ala mediana, casco chato y adornado, manta o pañuelo de cabeza abrochado a la sobarba, cae sobre el pecho y resguarda los hombros (esta prenda desaparece en la segunda mitad del siglo XIX), pañuelo de hombros, camisa o jubón de faldillas con mangas abullonadas que se ajusta con un ceñidor, presenta labores con motivos tradicionales de flores y animales. Sayas y manteos, el cimero abierto por detrás dejando ver los medianeros y bajeros guarnecidos de ribetes y listones en colores contrastados, mandil o picote avarillado con guarnición en las esquinas y calzado de tipo abotinado con tacón no alto. En cuanto a las joyas todavía muestran un uso moderado de alhajas, se limitan a unos collares y pendientes. Son joyas discretas, opuestas al ostentoso aderezo que se oficializó unos cien años más tarde.
Ya a principios del siglo XIX encontramos más grabados representativos del traje usado en Salamanca. “Servant girls of Salamanca” y “Paysan du district de Salamanque) de 1809 de I. Clark basado en las acuarelas del pintor y viajero inglés W. Bradford.
En 1825 el grabador Edné Jean Pigal realiza “Villageouse des environs de Salamanque”, conserva
aún el pañuelo de cabeza atado
a la barbilla y cubriendo los hombros pero el mandil está ya más adornado que los grabados anteriores y se va acercando al mandil charro.
El ilustrador y pintor francés Louis-Marie Lanté trabajaba para la revista “Journal des dames et des modes” y realizó unas ilustraciones del vestido regional popular de Francia y otros países. En 1827 publicó los grabados “Costume de Salamanque” y dos versiones diferentes de “Servante de Salamanque”, una de ellas una copia de Bradford.
En la obra “L’Espagne pittoresque, artistique et monumental” de Clerman aparece en 1848 otro grabado con el título “Femme des environs de Salamanque”.
El bonito grabado “Burgos, Salamanque , Santander” de Rouargue se encuentra en su libro “Voyage pittoresque en Espagne et en Portugal” de 1852. La salmantina conversa con un burgalés y una pasiega, viste un sayuelo de dos cuerpos atado con cordones bordeado de galones y repulgo. Las mangas son estrechas con folladura en el antebrazo abrochado con una hilera de botones. Tiene un amplio escote por el que deja ver las zonas ornamentales de la camisa. Esta prenda fue sustituida posteriormente por la chambra o jubona en el traje charro. La profusión del mandil de la salmantina contrasta con la simplicidad de la pasiega, un claro adelanto del ornamental mandil charro.
En esta época se dan los últimos y definitivos pasos del traje popularizado como de charro y charra respectivamente aunque debe tenerse presente que a partir de la Guerra de la Independencia se produjo una moda uniforme llamada “a la europea” generalizada al igual que en el resto de España. Los grabadores seguían ilustrando trajes plebeyos ya obsoletos.
En el grabado de Gustavo Doré “Charro des environs de Salamanque” que aparece en la obra “Voyage en Espagne” del barón Ch. de Davillier el traje de hombre ya ha sufrido una transformación importante, semejante al actual
traje charro actual. El sombrero es de los llamados de “embudo” con ala corta y vuelta adornado con borlas. El camisón es llano con la pechera fruncida y abrochado en el cuello con un solo botón. Ha desaparecido el coleto y aparece el chaleco de hojas cuadradas con generoso escote y chaqueta con solapa y bolsillos. Calzón de los llamados de maldil y medias y zapatos cubiertos de polainas. La capa es de esclavina lisa.
Avanzando el siglo XIX y también la técnica de la fotografía empezamos a ver las primeras fotografías de charros y charras reales, así a principios del siglo XX, concretamente en el año 1903 aparece en la revista “Hojas selectas” un artículo titulado “La romería de Tejares” describiendo minuciosamente los diferentes trajes típicos de Salamanca: el de artesana, el de charra y el de serrana. Lo ilustra con varias imágenes como esta fotografía con tres tipos de muchachas salmantinas.
Entre las fotos más antiguas pueden citarse las realizadas por el fotógrafo salmantino Venancio Gombáu (1868 – 1932) por cuyo estudio pasó toda la sociedad local y provincial. En sus retratos observamos ya a los charros y charras tal como los conocemos actualmente con gran profusión de joyas que han aumentado progresivamente desde una gargantilla a collares de varias vueltas y colgantes que cubren todo el torso. “Charra. Paysanne de Salamanque” y “Charro. Paysan de Salamanque” . También nos presenta los diferentes tipos de trajes de la provincia, de serrrana, de candelaria y de charra “Trajes populares de Salamanca”.
El traje charro se asentó definitivamente
como el “traje regional salmantino” con la visita del rey Alfonso XIII y la reina Victoria Eugenia a Salamanca en 1922. Se les obsequió con sendos trajes charros con sus correspondientes alhajas y abanico de filigrana de plata. En 1934 los monarcas donaron sus trajes charros al Museo del Pueblo Español y actualmente forman parte de los fondos del museo del traje.
En la foto puede verse a la reina Victoria vestida de charra.
El traje de mujer charra es de gran vistosidad. En la cabeza lleva rodetes con trenzas caladas para las orejas de pelo natural y adornadas con horquillas, un moño en la parte superior de la cabeza atado con unas cintas bordadas, un velo de tul bordado sobre la cabeza y grandes pendientes.
El busto se cubre con la chambra o jubona de seda con botones de filigrana, pañuelo de hombros de tela bordado por cuadrantes con lentejuelas, dengue o crucero de paño con bordados sobrepuestos , saya encarnada bajera con vuelta y encima el manteo más rico con festón de bordados y tirana de terciopelo. Mandil bordado profusamente y rematado por un faralar de seda, faltriquera bordada colgando de la cintura y por la parte de atrás caen dos cintas bordadas y rematadas de flecos de oro; medias caladas y zapatos de terciopelo bordados con lentejuelas. Como ya se ha dicho anteriormente exhibe gran cantidad de joyas, collares de oro, aderezos, galápagos, cruces, y veneras que cubren totalmente el torso.
Podeis apreciar la riqueza del traje charro y las prendas que lo componen en la siguiente presentación de los trajes charros de la familia y en la fotografía de María Gil Guerrero vestida de charra.
Friday, April 8
i since approximately 1300 AD. Dutch navigator Abel Tasman was the first European to discover New Zealand during his voyage of 1642–43, although he never set foot on the land. Tasman’s first contact with Maori was at the top of the South Island in what is now called Golden Bay. Two waka (canoes) full of Maori men sighted Tasman’s boat. Tasman sent out his men in a small boat, but various misunderstandings saw it rammed by one of the waka. In the resulting skirmish, four of Tasman’s men were killed. Captain James Cook was sent to search for the great southern continent thought to exist in the southern seas by the king of England and he arrived in New Zealand in1769 and claimed it for Great Britain. Cook successfully circumnavigated and mapped the country. His botanists and other experts on board his ship, the Endeavour, gained considerable information about the country’s flora and fauna, and the native Maori inhabitants. Cook led two more expeditions to New Zealand, before being killed on a Hawaiian beach in 1779. This is the reason why James Cook is said to have discovered New Zealand but it is not true, the real discoverers were Maori people. In spite of this it wasn't until the late 1700s that the first Europeans began to settle in New Zealand. In 1835 the Declaration of Independence of New Zealand was signed by 34 Maori chiefs. The Declaration asserted the independence of New Zealand, with all sovereign power and authority residing with the hereditary chiefs and tribes. A few years later on 6 February 1840, Te Tiriti o Waitangi (the Treaty of Waitangi) between Maori and the Crown was signed. The Treaty guaranteed Maori full possession of their land in exchange for their recognition of British sovereignty. The Treaty of Waitangi is regarded as New Zealand's founding document and remains a core point of reference for Maori and the Government. Maori culture has many interesting aspects including art, legend, tattoo (moko), performances (notably kapa haka), customs, hospitality and community. Since the early 1980s Maori culture has undergone a renaissance. The regeneration of interest in Maori culture has extended to language, and Maori language programs (such as kohanga reo) are now flourishing. Today Maori people are actively involved with keeping their culture and language alive. Within any Maori community, the marae provides a focus for social, cultural and spiritual life. The term marae describes a communal 'plaza' area that includes a wharenui (meeting house) and wharekai (dining room). The marae is used for ceremonial purposes, it’s a place where the culture can be celebrated, where the Maori language can be spoken, where intertribal obligations can be met, where customs can be explored and debated, where family occasions such as birthdays can be held, and where important ceremonies, such as welcoming visitors 
or farewelling the dead can be performed. All formal Maori gatherings are accompanied by oratory in Maori; action songs; formal receptions of visitors, accompanied by the hongi, or pressing together of noses on greetings. Hongi is a traditional Maori welcome, which literally means “to share breath”. It is believed that when the two noses meet, people exchange their breath and the visitor becomes one of the local people (tangata whenua), ready to share in all responsibilities and duties. It seems to me a beautiful and tender greeting. I'd feel very at home and most importantly.... Welcome if I were greeted with this warm Maori traditional greeting. 
n and women. It was applied to the face and buttocks of men, and to the chin, lips and shoulders of women. Depending on their ranking, they may also have Ta Moko on their face. Occasionally women would put small markings over their faces or shoulders as a sign that someone close to them had died. There were no set patterns to the Ta Moko and the meaning of the Ta Moko was dependent on its placement on the face. The left side of the face related to the father's history and the right side to the mother's history. Designing the appropriate Ta Moko for each man was a long process that could take weeks or even months as there was much to take into consideration. No two were ever the same even though the meaning of each design was based on recognisable principles. After almost dying out in the twentieth century, Maori tattooing is now experiencing a powerful revival, with many young Maori wearing the moko as a spectacular gesture of racial pride and a sign of cultural identity. Ta moko is performed by a tohunga ta moko (tattoo expert) and the practice is considered a tapu (sacred) ritual. The design of each moko is unique to the wearer and conveys information about the wearer, such as their genealogy, tribal affiliations, status, and achievements. It is important to distinguish moko from kiri tuhi, tattoos that are not regarded as having the cultural significance attributed to moko. Ta moko was traditionally performed using chisels made from materials such as Albatross bone. An assortment of chisels was used, some with a straight edge, others with a serrated edge. The pigmentations used were Carui gum and dye from other vegetation that was rendered to a soot and then mixed with oil. Each tribal area used different pigments. Today most moko are performed using modern tattoo machines (and therefore leave the skin smooth), however in keeping with the traditional practice of ta moko, there has been a resurgent increase in the use of chisels. Ta Moko designs can now be seen on many people, both Maori and non-Maori. Given the significance of each stroke, the lack of research into the designs worn by some, including celebrities have angered some Maori. There is much meaning attached to each design that it is considered ignorant for a person, Maori or non-Maori, to use a design without understanding its relevance. Ta Moko is an art form of exquisite beauty showcased on skin. The traditions of a culture can be observed in its delicate patterns and designs. Another important Maori tradition is the haka, it generally accompanies each cultural performance today. The haka is a war dance. The words are chanted loudly (shouted) in a menacing way accompanied by arm actions and foot stamping. A haka was traditionally performed before charging into battle. The haka was danced without weapons, in contrast to the war dances (tutu ngaruhu or peruperu) which were danced with spears, clubs, or other weapons in hand. The haka, which expressed a variety of emotions such as joy, anger, and sorrow, called for exceptional rhythmical skill. Many were marked by a curious, rapid vibration of the hands; other motions included a stamping in unison, facial distortion (protruding tongue and eyeballs), rhythmical out-thrusts and movements of the arms, as well as a swaying of the body. Haka performed in a sitting position were as a rule of a milder character, with swaying motions from the arms and bodies. Every haka had its expert leader who gave time to the music and the motions of the dance. The haka may also be used to tell of great feats, or danced as a special welcome before a high-ranking guest. A haka can also express grievance, or, in earlier times, could be addressing a prayer to one of the ancient Maori Gods. Strictly speaking, the term haka refers generically to all Maori dance but has now come to mean the Maori dance repertoire where the men are in front and women lending vocal support at the back. The New Zealand rugby team, the All Blacks, promote one version of the haka which starts with the chant "Ka mate, ka mate (It is death, it is death"), it is this haka, called Te Rauparaha's haka (so named after its perceived traditional origins) that most people, particularly rugby union football fans, know as the haka. This version of the haka is both war chant and challenge and is customarily performed by the All Blacks before major games against non-New Zealand teams. It is characterised by loud chanting, much aggressive flailing of arms and stomping of feet, fierce looks and, in the end, an angry sticking out tongues. “Ka mate, ka mate” are the words of Te Rauparaha's haka (1810) used by the All Blacks: Ka mate, ka mate Ka ora, ka ora Tenei te tangata puhuruhuru Nana i tiki mai whakawhiti te ra Upane, upane Upane kaupane Whiti te ra. These words are translated as: It is death, it is death It is life, it is life This is the hairy man Who caused the sun to shine again for me Up the ladder, up the ladder Up to the top The sun shines. Saturday, March 19
A beautiful antique map of Japan from 1855 by J. H. Colton to pay a moving tribute to Japanese people's courage for all the efforts they are showing to overcome the tragedy of the earthquake and tsunami on 11 March.
As Prime Minister Naoto Kan said, you will rebuild Japan from scratch. People all over the world will help you to become a powerful country again.
My great sympathy to the victims.
Sunday, February 27
The Spanish Civil War was an extremely complex conflict that ravaged the country from 1936 to 1939 and devastated Spain and its inhabitants. The estimates of how many people were killed in the war run from 500,000 to 1,000,000. The war came about when the Spanish communist party came to power after defeating members of the monarch in elections. They decided that they wanted to bring about land reforms and exclude the church from the government. This was not popular among the Nationalists at the time. So the Spanish Arm
y staged a military coup to overthrow the Second Spanish Republic. The attempt would prove successful, with the eventual installation of a dictatorship led by General Francisco Franco in 1939. The nationalists were made up of monarch supporters, religious groups, Falangists and Fascists. The communist or left wing side was made up of Socialists, Marxists, Anarchists, Communists, Basque and Catalan seperatists and a number of other extreme left wing groups and trade unions. War broke out when the right wing groups refused to accept the left wing as the government and the land reforms they were about to impose.
Before his victory, Franco’s forces met the resistance of republicans, 
socialists, communists and anarchists in a bitter battle for Spain.
During the war both sides accused each other of being puppet governments for other governments, The Nationalists, as the rebels were called, received aid from Fascist Italy and Nazi Germany. The Republicans received aid from the Soviet Union, as well as from International Brigades, composed of volunteers from Europe and the United States.
Politically their differences often found extreme and vehement expression in parties such as the Fascist-oriented Falange and the militant left-wing anarchis
ts.
Among the many aspects of the war that continue to exert a particular fascination today is the wealth of astonishing propaganda posters produced by the various factions involved in the fighting. There was a high rate of illiteracy in the country, particularly among women, peasants and the working classes, so poster designers emplo
yed rousing imagery and succinct slogans to deliver their message.
Propaganda has played a vital part in the wars of the early 20th century it was used by Hitler in World War 2 by Mussolini in his control of Italy and of course by Stalin. Throughout the course of the Spanish civil war propaganda was used by all sides to communicate various messages, some of these messages were to encourage peace and to keep fighting for food and freedom whilst others were to convince people to leave the city or join the army. The messages varied, as did the posters. What it left us with in the end was catalogues of posters that are a poignant reminder of these dark times in Spanish history. However they are also pieces of art that serve to remind us of our not too distant past .
The war was much about ideas. Many political ideologies of the time were battling for power and recognition. Propaganda was a major part of convincing the Spanish civilians to side with various parties. Colourful and artistic posters were used to persuade civilians and spread messages as the majority of the population were illiterate and uneducated. These posters were designed by some of the best artists in Spain and the streets of all of Spain’s major cities were plastered with these posters. The Nationalists lead by Franco used the posters to win the support of the people after taking a city fro
m the communists. The communists used the posters to win support from the peasants they were trying to help and to spread messages to the people whilst they were in power. The anarchists used their posters to introduce their new radical idea to the people in the hope of winning their hearts and minds.
These posters are perhaps the most prominent remains of the conflict that presented to the people of Europe and the world the tragedies of war and how the people of Spain were living through these tragedies. These posters are among the most important documents of the war remaining today and can be found in museums across Spain as well as other European countries.
Eyewitnesses accounts of the war attest that the posters were everywhere during the war. The cities walls were awash with the colour and creativity of propaganda. On almost every building there were party posters: posters against Fascism, posters about the d
efence of Madrid, posters appealing for recruits to the militia...and even posters for the emancipation of women and against venereal disease. Streets aflamed with posters of all parties for all causes, some of them put out by combinations of parties. In Republican territory, when a house was destroyed by the enemy bombs, propaganda agencies would fix posters on the ruins in order to denounce the enemy, hoping to turn aggression into rage. In Madrid, the capital of the Republic, shop owners were forced to fill their store fronts with posters: "Every space must be used to incite the spirit in its fight against the enemy," stated an article in the newspaper ABC on October 30, 1936. When a city was taken the streets of were plastered with posters to convince its citizens to change sides.
The Nationalist party produced a far lesser amount of posters than their rivals. This was primarily because they hadn’t as much inward struggle and because what they were promoting was familiar to the Spaniards. Their posters were primarily used after the taking of a city to encourage calm amongst its citizens. They also tried to encourage people to return to normality after the war.
The Communist or the Republican party were the most prolific producer
s and publishers of posters during the Spanish civil war. Their posters were used to garner the support of the people and often to spread messages to the rurally isolated peasants. These posters were important in communicating to an predominantly illiterate population and encouraging men to join the militia and support the communist movement. Some posters were co signed by the anarchists and communists during their coalition.
Over the course of the war thousands of posters were created and circulated throughout Spain. Many of these survived the war, however many didn’t survive the war and are lost forever.
This post is by no means to favour one side over another, that's why they are mixed up. It is merely the home and celebration of some important historical documents. I hope you enjoy them!
(Click on the link "propaganda posters to see some of them enlarged).
Wednesday, February 2
If someone were to ask “What is the significance of today’s date? I’m quite sure that all who were asked, came up with the same answer: “Feb. 2nd is Groundhog Day!”
These responses prove the point that Feb. 2nd is deeply rooted in Canadian and American folklore.
In the folklore of these countries, the groundhog’s activities are weather related. Simply put, when this animal comes out of his burrow on Feb. 2nd, if the sun is shining and he sees his shadow, he returns underground for six more weeks of winter. If, however, the day is overcast and he cannot see his shadow, an early spring is just around the corner.
It will not be a surprise to learn that this folkloric tale has its roots in mediaeval Europe. In the Christian calendar, Feb. 2nd marks the celebration of the Purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of Jesus in the Temple. Candles are blessed on this day, giving rise to the name “Candlemas Day.” Since this date also marked the midpoint of winter, halfway between the winter soltice, and the spring equinox, the notion arose that the weather on Candlemas Day might foretell what would take place during the rest of the winter.
Thus a bright and sunny Candlemas Day suggested that there was more winter to come; while a cloudy overcast day meant that winter would soon be over.
The legend of Groundhog Day is based on the old Scottish couplet: "If Candlemas Day is bright and clear, there'll be two winters in the year."
Every February 2, people gather at Gobbler's Knob, a wooded knoll just outside of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania. The first Groundhog Day, took place in this community, when the local newspaper reported: “At the time of going to press on Feb. 2nd, 1886, the groundhog has not seen its shadow.“ The groundhog was named: “Punxsutawney Phil, Seer of Seers, Sage of Sages, Prognosticator of Prognosticators and Weather Prophet Extraordinary.” For the record, Phil’s first prediction was correct. In his debut performance there was “no shadow and an early spring followed.”
The ceremony in Punxsutawney was held in secret until 1966, and only Phil's prediction was revealed to the public. Since then, Phil's fearless forecast has been a national media event. The groundhog comes out of his electrically heated burrow, looks for his shadow and utters his prediction to a Groundhog Club representative in "groundhogese." The representative then translates the prediction for the general public.
If Punxsutawney Phil sees his shadow, it means six more weeks of winter. If he does not see his shadow, it means spring is just around the corner.
Approximately 90% of the time, Phil sees his shadow and residents contend that the groundhog has never been wrong.
Phil started making predictions in 1887 and has become an American institution.
Now only one question remains. Why has a folkloric tradition of this type survived so many centuries? There is no easy answer, for such traditions not only have deep roots; they have a habit of “adjusting” to fit changing circumstances.
While it can never be proven, one possibility for the recent surge of interest i
n Feb. 2nd might be the popularity of the American movie “Groundhog Day” released in 1993.The actor Bill Murray, plays a weatherman for a television station. The story begins with his trek to Puxatawney, Pennsylvania for the appearance of the groundhog. He is reluctantly sent to cover a story about a weather forecasting "rat" (as he calls it). This is his fourth year on the story, and he makes no effort to hide his frustration.
On this occasion, due to a sudden storm, cast and crew must stay on location until the weather improves. But something strange happens when the weatherman awakens in the morning . . . it is Groundhog Day all over again! He makes several drastic attempts to leave town, but on every occasion, the next day is always Groundhog Day. . First he uses this to his advantage, then comes the realisation that he is doomed to spend the rest of eternity in the same place, seeing the same people do the same thing EVERY day.
February 2, 2011 - around 7:25 am ET - Punxsutawney, PA
Phil did not see his shadow and thus spring is just around the corner!
Connected with Grounhog Day is the celebration of “La Chandeleur” in France.
La Chandeleur, celebrated on February 2, is originally a religious holiday, yet today it is known as the day of crêpes (“Fête de la Lumière, or jour des crêpes”).
La Chandeleur is the Catholic holiday of Candlemas, a feast to commemorate the purification of the Virgin Mary and the presentation of the baby Jesus forty days after his birth.
The story is that Pope Gélase gave crêpes to the pilgrims who arrived in Rome. The crêpes with their rond shape and golden color, signified the sun and helped Spring to arrive. Even though most people don't know the history on why they celebrate La Chandeleur with crêpes, any reason is a good reason to eat crêpes in France!
For many French people La Chandeleur is a chance to enjoy a lot of crêpes, as well as do some fortune telling while making them.
The tradition is to hold a coin in your writing hand and a crêpe pan in the other; then toss the crêpe in the air. If you manage to catch the crêpe in the pan, your family will enjoy prosperity for the rest of the year.
You can try making your own crêpe.
Crêpe recipe for 8 - 10 people
Preparation time 10 minutes, cooking time 3 - 4 minutes
Ingredients
250g flour
4 eggs
1/2 litre milk
pinch of salt
50g butter
1 sachet vanilla sugar
soup spoon (5 cl) rum
variant - you can replace the milk with crème fraiche
Leave mixture for about an hour
Preheat a crêpe/frying pan , when hot add a little butter to grease the pan
Put half a ladle of crêpe mixture into the pan and cook for 1-2 minutes each side
Suggested accompaniments: sugar, Nutella, jam, honey, fruit or lemon
Traditionally to drink - cider
There are all kinds of French proverbs and sayings for Chandeleur; here are just a few. Note the similarities to the Groundhog Day predictions made in the US and Canada:
“If Candlemas be fair and bright, winter has another flight. If Candlemas is cloudy and grey, winter soon will pass away.”
À la Chandeleur, l'hiver cesse ou reprend vigueur
On Candlemas, winter ends or strengthens
À la Chandeleur, le jour croît de deux heures
On Candlemas, the day grows by two hours
Chandeleur couverte, quarante jours de perte
Candlemas covered (in snow), forty days lost
Rosée à la Chandeleur, hiver à sa dernière heure
Dew on Candlemas, winter at its final hour
Wednesday, December 8
No quiero despedir el año 2010 sin rendir mi pequeño homenaje al poeta oriolano Miguel Hernández (1910-1942) en el centenario de su nacimiento.
Sobre un magnífico dibujo realizado por el también poeta extremeño Julio Santiago he impreso las primeras estrofas de "Las nanas de la cebolla" uno de sus poemas más conocidos. Está dedicado a su segundo hijo Manuel Miguel al recibir una carta de su mujer en la cárcel donde le decía que no comía más que pan y... cebolla.
Disfrutad del poema completo cantado por Joan Manuel Serrat en este video.
Si quereis saber algo más de Miguel Hernández podeis descargar mi presentación aquí.
Saturday, November 20
A few months ago we (our school) finished a Comenius Program about how to deal with stererotypes and prejudices. Schools from Poland, Turkey, Italy and Spain presented our own cultural characteristics and made very enriching multicultural meetings in all the participant countries.We discovered that the perception we had about each nationality was not very accurated, we are not so diverse as we previously thought.
But, lo and behold I have recently come across these witty hilarious maps, featured in the Daily Mail, about stereotypes and they show different perspectives according to the country which is portraying its view.
Enjoy them, they are really worth it. You can see a lot more here .
(click on the maps to enlarge them).
The World seen by the USA
Europe seen by the USA
Europe seen by the Vatican
Europe seen by Italians
Europe seen by the French
Europe seen by the British
Saturday, October 30
Along with the subjects they illustrate, the techniques behind movable and pop-ups paper art have evolved from its earliest known origins. Traditional terminology, unusual techniques and personal creativity combine to form unique volumes and timeless illustrations.
The art of paper engineering encompasses a range of methods and techniques for creating pop ups. Some basic mechanisms are:
- Mouth mechanism. It's the simplest folding technique to form a mechanism that unfolds when the card is closed.
- Push and Pull (Slide mechanisms). As the name suggest this means that you cut two areas in the back of the book and slide a piece of paper through the gap. From there you can push or pull the m
echanism.
Box card. Interesting pop up designs can be produced by making two cuts to a backing card and bending the card inwards so that it forms a small stand (inside the card). Drawings or images can be placed on the stand so that when the card is opened the image "pops".
Some advanced mechanisms include:
- Volvelles. They are paper constructions with rotating parts.
Transformation. It starts with a scene made up of vertical slats. Pulling a tab on the side makes the slats slide under and over one another to "transform" into a totally different scene.
Using all these mechanisms it's easy to imagine that the most commom problems with pop up books is to survive children's hands and handling. Other problems are mechanical damages with the consequences that the construction either do not work properly or do not work at all.
HISTORY OF POP-UP BOOKS
Although today pop-up books are often found in the children's book section, the earliest movable books were tools to educate and document information, such as a calendar, the moon's movements, or the inner workings of the human heart.
The first mechanical book dates back to the 13th century when a Catalan poet Ramón Llull used a revolving disc or volvelle to illustrate his theories.
By the 14th century, scholars were using paper flaps to superimpose layers of the human body into detailed books about human anatomy. After this, there was little technical development in paper engineering until late 18th century when these techniques were applied to books designed for entertainment, particularly for children.
As I mentioned in my previous post, there are excellent contemporary paper engineers such as David Hawcock, Bruce Foster, Chuck Fischer, David Carter, Marion Bataille, and the pop up masters Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhardt exploring new ideas and creating awesome pop up books.
Sunday, October 3
Pop up books are still hand-assembled after the sheets have been printed and die-cut. Their publication involves the skill of a number of individuals. Publishers and packagers are continually seeking the least costly labor forces , so modern pop-up books are manufactured by a very few specialist factories in Colombia, China and Thailand.
Nowadays there are many fine paper engineers exploring new ideas and ways of making breathtaking pop up books. I would highlight: David Hawcock, Bruce Foster, Chuck Fischer, David Carter, and for me the two "geniuses" pop-up masters Robert Sabuda and Matthew Reinhart.
I will give a list of my favourite pop up books:
"The Wonderful Wizard of Oz" by Robert Sabuda
"Alice in Wonderland" by Robert Sabuda
"Star Wars" by Matthew Reinhart
"Cinderella" by Matthew Reinhart
"Encyclopedia Prehistorica" by Sabuda and Reinhart
All these works by Sabuda and Reinhart are meticulously crafted with intrincate pop-ups and fold-outs that explode right out of the page and they are very cleverly engineered creating awesome pop-up books.
"One Red dot"
"Blue 2"
"600 Black Spots"
"Yellow Square"
"White noise"
All these excellent and brilliant works by David Carter.
"Boticelli's Bed and Breakfast" by Jan Pienkowski.
This book is meant to be opened up completely and tied end to end to reveal a 360 degree view of all the rooms.
"ABC 3D" by Marion Bataille
French graphic artist. She takes the alphabet to a sophisticated, three dimensional level. Prepare to be amazed. Each of the 26 three-dimensional letters move and change before your eyes.
Through the years, the craftsmanship behind the creation of these books has grown more creative and complex and people are now no longer buying the books just for their children. Pop-ups are now being bought by adults for themselves, as works of art and collectibles.
As you can see I am a lover of the magic of pop-ups, I appreciate them and the hard work that goes into creating interactive, pop-up books. I can't remember when my love for pop-ups began. As a child I was fascinated with Christmas pop-up cards relatives sent to us and I think I've kept this passion for them from those days.
Pop ups and movable books are must haves for any library.
(My next post will be about the techniques used to create pop-ups and a brief history of these books) You can download some books about pop ups here.
Friday, September 3
I've been humming "Piano Man" tune again and again lately. I love this song and it can get stuck in my head and it just won't quit. No matter what I do, this song won't leave me alone, it seems this song left me forever an emotional imprint on my heart.
It's obviously a great son by Billy Joel, a beautiful nostalgic song for me. It makes me feel with a happy sadness.
A bar pianist tells us about the regular people at the bar: an old man, John the barman, the waitress, businessmen, Paul the novelist and Davy a US Navy sailor. Their dreams have not come true and the pianist tries to help them "forget life for a while".
I enjoy every verse of this amazing song starting with a jazzy piano line moving into its famous piano/harmonica tune.
"There is an old man sitting next to me
Makin' love to his tonic and gin
He says, "Son, can you play me a memory
I'm not really sure how it goes
But it's sad and it's sweet and I knew it for complete
When I wore a younger man's clothes,"
This verse makes my eyes sting and become watery.
"They're sharing a drink they call loneliness
But it's better than drinkin' alone" This is simply an awesome line
The chorus is a singalong tune which comes from the bar customers who plead "Sing us a song you're the piano man
sing us a song tonight
well we're all in the mood for a melody
and you got us all feeling all right"
Enjoy this version of the song with Elton John and Billy Joel.
Billy Joel widget by 6L &
Son la nueve en punto de un sábado
El público regular va llegando
Hay un viejo sentado a mi lado
Haciéndole el amor a su Gin-Tonic
Dice, "Hijo, ¿puedes tocarme una vieja canción?
No estoy realmente seguro cómo es
Pero es triste y dulce y me la sabía por completo
Cuando usaba la ropa de un hombre joven.
La, la, la Di, Dee Da
La, Da Di Dee Da Da Dum
Cántanos una canción, tu eres el pianista
Cántanos una canción esta noche
Bien, estamos todos de humor para una melodía
y nos hace sentir bien.
Ahora John el de la barra es un amigo mio
Me da mis bebidas gratis
Y es rápido con las bromas o para encender un cigarro
Pero hay otro lugar donde quisiera estar
Dice, "Bill creo que esto me está matando"
Mientras la sonrisa desaparece de su cara
Bien estoy seguro que podría ser una estrella de cine
si pudiera salir de este lugar
La la...
La Da...
Ahora Paul es un novelista
Que nunca tuvo tiempo para una esposa
y habla con Davy que sigue en la Marina
y probablemente sea así de por vida.
Y la camarera practica su política
Mientras los hombres de negocios se embriagan lentamente
Sí, están compartiendo unos tragos que les llaman Soledad
Pero es mejor que beber solo.
Cántanos una canción...
Es un buen público para un sábado
Y el gerente me sonríe
porque sabe que es a mi a quien vienen a ver
Para olvidarse de la vida por un momento.
Y el piano suena como un carnaval
Y el micrófono huele como una cerveza
Y se sientan en el bar y ponen propinas en mi jarra
Y dicen "Hombre ¿Qué haces tu aquí?
La, la...
La Da...
Cántanos una canción...
