The Dance Of Death

If you have never experienced Holy Week (Easter) in Spain, you may find it difficult to imagine the passion, pleasure and fervour with each the people throw themselves into the festivities. The reasons for this are often no longer religious, but rather a question of tradition, as the region around Girona welcome age-old celebrations and, over the generations, these have lost none of their liveliness.

The 'Verges Dance of Death' is the best known allegorical image at the end of Easter Week, this year on the 9th. It's acknowledged to be the only European medieval dance of death to have survived through to modern times, featuring skeletons parading silently along the streets, symbolises the transience of life and reminds us that death forgets no one. The ceremony always remains the same: to the rhythmic beating of a drum, five skeletons perform a simple, but majestic dance. They are followed by more of their kind, but cloaked in tunics and bearing burning torches in their hands, which illuminates the impressive scene. The grandeur and uniqueness of this tradition explain the decision to present the Verges Dance of Death as Catalonia's cultural contribution last year in Mexico, at the Cervantino Festival in Guanajuato.

In Girona, in Banyoles and Amer too, the skeletons are replaced by other symbolic figures: the 'Manaies' (armed soldiers). According to tradition, they represent the soldiers of Pontius Pilate, who guarded the the Holy Sepulchre following the crucifixion of Jesus. The alleys of the old town of Girona are the main venue for solemn processions, whose high point comes on Good Friday with that commemorating the Seven Sorrows of the Virgin Mary. The Maundy Thursday processions are held everywhere in the province of Girona.

Another important aspect of Holy Week is it's gastronomic customs. Traditionally, on Easter Sunday throughout Catalonia, godparents give their godchildren 'Mona de Pascua', a form of sponge cake decorated with spectacular chocolate figures, and a filled puff pastry 'wreath'. During Lent, a popular dish for many centuries have been 'Bunyols', a type of doughnut, which is baked (can also be deep fried) in every household starting from Ash Wednesday. 

 
Tags:Easter,dance,death

Current Mood: Artistic

Male & Female Friendship ...

Friendship differences Between sexes:~

Friendship between women: A woman doesn’t come home one night. The next day she tells her husband that she had slept over at a girlfriend's house. The husband calls his wife's 10 best friends. None of them know anything about it.

Friendship between men: A man doesn’t come home one night. The next day he tells his wife that he had slept over at a friend’s house. The wife calls her husband's 10 best men friends. Eight of them confirm that he had slept over, and two claim that he was still there.

Help is at hand

A priest never lies: A very distinguished lady is on a plane arriving from Switzerland and finds herself seated next to a nice priest. She turns to the priest and says, "Excuse me, Father, could I ask a favour?"

"Of course, what can I do for you?" he replies.
"I have a problem. I bought myself a brand new sophisticated hair removing razor which cost me a lot of money. In fact I’ve gone over the declaration limits and I’m worried that they will confiscate it at customs. Do you think you could hide it under your cassock for me?"
"Of course I could, my child, but you must realize that I will not lie," he says.
"You have such an honest face, Father," she says, "that I’m sure they will not ask you any questions."

So she gives him the hair removing razor. The aircraft arrives at its destination and when the priest presents himself to customs, he’s asked,
"Father, do you have anything to declare?"
"From the top of my head to my sash, I have nothing to declare, my son," he replies.

Finding this a reply strange, the customs officer asks, "And from the sash down, what do you have?"

The priest replies, "I have down there a marvellous little instrument destined for use by women, but which has never been used before."

Laughing loudly, the customs officer says, "Go ahead Father. Next!"

Tags:friendship,lie

Current Mood: Amused

Stress Management Technique

To manage & control Stress is a matter of conditioning the mind, to maximise your own power to conquer and minimise that of the Stress to trouble or upset you. Here are some Management Techniques ...

** When I want your opinion, I'll give it to you.
** Well, this day was a total waste of makeup.
** Errors have been made. Others will be blamed.

** I'm not crazy, I've just been in a very bad mood for 28 years.
** Allow me to introduce my selves.
** Sarcasm is just one more service we offer.
** I'm trying to imagine you with a personality.
** Stress is when you wake up screaming and you realise you haven't fallen asleep yet.

** I just want revenge. Is that so wrong?
** Whatever kind of look you were going for, you missed.
** I'm just working here till a good fast-food job opens up.
** Not the brightest crayon in the box now, are we?
** You say I'm a witch like it's a bad thing.
** Nice perfume. Must you marinate in it?
** Chaos, panic and disorder - my work here is done.
** Everyone thinks I'm psychotic, except for my friends deep inside the earth.
** Earth is full. Go home.
** Is it time for your medication or mine?
** How do I set the laser printer to stun? Not the brightest crayon in the box now, are we?
** I'm not tense, just terribly, terribly alert.

Tag:StressManagement

Current Mood: Amused

Soaring To Fame On A Lawn Chair

An interesting story of 'Lawn Chair Man', some say he is an urban myth, Others believe it to be a true story.

Back in 1982, Larry Walters achieved fame by piloting a lawn chair attached to helium balloons 16,000 feet above Long Beach. Incidentally, his Lawn chair was christened 'Inspiration I'

What happened was Larry joined 42 weather grade balloons to an aluminium lawn chair. He then filled the balloons by pumping in helium. Two assistants then launched his chair by untying the Guy ropes. Larry prepared for his flight by packing a bottle of soda, a parachute and a portable CB radio to alert air traffic to his presence. He took a camera but later admitted, that he was so paralysed by the view he didn't take any pictures.

As a truck driver, Larry had no pilot or balloon training, so it was all a big adventure when the chair soared three miles high to 16,000 feet. Unfortunately, or on reflection, fortunately, he was in an air traffic lane and at least two airline pilots spotted him and contacted the Federal Aviation Administration.

Once the shock and the novelty wore off, Larry started to get cold. But he had a plan, this was to burst the balloons with his trusty pellet gun and thus descended gracefully back to earth. Unfortunately he had no control on the decent and the balloons draped over power lines, blacking out a Long Beach neighbourhood.

The adventure cost Larry Walters a $1,500 fine from the FAA. However he earned the top prize from the Bonehead Club of Dallas. Larry also claimed the altitude record for gas-filled clustered balloons. In due course Larry was invited to appear on "The Tonight Show" and was flown to New York to be on 'Late Night With David Letterman,' which he later described as "the most fun I've ever had."

"I didn't think that by fulfilling my dream that I would create such a stir," he later told The Times, "and make people laugh." Larry gave up his truck-driving job and went on the lecture circuit, remaining in demand at motivational seminars. But he said he never made much money from his innovative flight and was glad to keep his simple lifestyle. He gave his the aluminium lawn chair to children after he landed, but later regretting giving away his pride and joy.

The key to Larry's suicide in 1993 may have been his Army service in Vietnam, Walters never married and had no children. He is survived by his mother and two sisters.

Footnote:

There have been numerous urban myths surrounding 'Lawn Chair Man'. But the above account is based on his Obituary in 1993.

Tag:LawnChairMan

Current Mood: Amused

Mineral Water & Spinach

Recently a local lady doctor said something quite surprising, that the cholesterol LDL (the bad one) reduces between 10 to 15 percent at the end of 2 months after taking 1 litre of carbonated (gassy) water a day. She is of the superior consultant of the scientific investigation, dedicated to the study of mineral water.

After 10 years of investigation, now it's discovered that habitual consumption of such water does not have the negative effect on arterial pressure, nor creates bad effect on the bones, as it had been blamed for. She explained that "The bicarbonate sodium of this water has nothing to do with the common salt, which yes increases the arterial pressure."

My friend Zach's father told me this. He said because of such common conviction in the past, he had given up for long years his favourite drink, the local mineral water here called 'Vichy Catalan' which, in his opinion, is the best mineral water in the world.

A couple of decades ago, Zach Senior was told by the doctor that he had high blood pressure, if not controlled, it would lead to hypertension. One of the things prohibited to him was the mineral water he was so fond of. Years later, he finally joined the club of the sufferers of hypertension anyway, even after giving up the water. He had always felt that it's understandable one is prohibited alcohol, but water? He was told that's because of the gas, the sodium.

Then 7 years ago, he was told to stop taking spinach as well because: 'it's likely to unleash gout attacks'! He said he had always been careful not to overindulge in seafood and animal giblets, but Spinach? Apparently so. Another of his favourite. Now he discovered not only the gassy water is not harmful to blood pressure, but it helps to decrease bad cholesterol. There's more. The lady doctor also said that if a person is on the point of suffering hypertension, the carbonated water actually helps to improve the condition!

Half joking, he said if only he could sue the doctor who told him to stop taking that water because, had he continued, he might not be suffering the hypertension at all. Now though, he was told by the present doctor not to drink alcohol.

"I am going to ignore all that, and wait till one day, the sky opens up and an angelic lady doctor appears with her halo of light, to announce that not only alcohol is not bad to your health, taking moderately, it's actually beneficial to the liver." He happily concluded.

Well, he is older and wiser than I am. I decided to listen to him. So I smiled and took another sip of 'Marques de Carceres', one of my red wine.

Tags:wine,spinach,mineralwater

Current Mood: Blah