Apologies, Elderly Cows, and Bar Tabs

As I mentioned in a previous post, my DNA test shows my ancestry is less than one percent Spanish.  Somehow, the people here in León seem to sense this.

A few days ago, I was at one of my favorite tapas bars, Jamón Jamón (Ham Ham), enjoying an excellent glass of local red wine and a crusty white bread topped with an amazing Spanish ham, chorizo, and manchego cheese.  Holy week was not yet over and crowds were everywhere.  Inside the bar, people stood shoulder to shoulder.  I elected to move outside where there was a shelf against the window for patrons to place their drinks and plates of food.  Usually the space around the shelf is also crowded, but today I found myself alone in the outdoor space, with people rushing through the streets around me.

Jamón Jamón serves only one thing for tapas:  crusty bread with Spanish ham, chorizo, and manchego cheese.  (You can click on photographs in this blog for a larger view.  Use the "esc" or "escape" key to exit to a normal view.

For €1.30 ($1.60) you can have a glass of wine and tapas.

It was not long before I heard a commotion and looked around to see a young husband and wife with two small, extremely unruly children pushing my way.  It seemed that the husband's sworn duty was to be totally oblivious to everything going on around him, while the wife grabbed at the children's shirt collars and flailing arms, screaming, "No! Juan Pablo, no!  Javier! No!

Jamón Jamón is a popular destination on the tapas circuit in León.

In a split second, I placed my glass of wine on the shelf and braced myself for the inevitable impact. Sure enough, despite my attempt to move out of the way, the wife, who was bent over trying to control the children, backed into me.  She rapidly turned and looked up at me in horror.  The apology immediately followed, "Sorry!  Sorry!," she said with true remorse.

"No te preocupes. Estoy bien,"  ("Don't worry. I'm fine,") I immediately said as she turned again, crying, "Juan Pablo. Javier!  No!"  The father was looking around with his hands behind his back as if he were waiting for a bus.

Instantly, I was aware that something was wrong.  What had I done?  I hadn't uttered a word before she slammed into me.  Why had she apologized to me in English?  When I wasn't looking had someone secretly stenciled my forehead with text that said, "American. Please speak English!?"

I've had similar incidents happen to me at other times during my travels.  I've been over much of the world, and in some places, I'm obviously a tourist and elicit communication in English, or sometimes in sign language. But here, I thought, if I don't speak with my American accent, surely I will blend in.  Whatever the case, I decided not to dwell on it, and to put it aside so that I could enjoy the last couple of days of Holy Week.

I missed being with my family and friends back in Illinois on Easter Sunday.  I knew that they had enjoyed a wonderful Easter dinner with many traditional dishes, including my favorite: lamb.

On the Tuesday following Easter, my mother-in-law's cousin, Tomasina, invited my mother-in-law, María Rosa; my niece, Sofía with her fiancé, Ronnie; and me to a late lunch. (Lunches in Spain are always very late.)  We entered a very nice restaurant and were soon seated at a table next to a window.

After a few minutes, a waiter appeared and started placing menus in front of us.  I was last. "And a menu in English, for you, sir," he intoned.

I was stunned. How had he known?  I didn't say anything, but looked at him suspiciously.

Seconds later we were talking about other things and I let it slide.  But I must say that the menu in English was a mixed blessing.  Not only did I not know what everything was on the Spanish menu, I had trouble with the English menu, also.  We decided on roasted vegetables and morcilla (a Spanish blood sausage that is delicious, despite what it sounds like)  for a first course.  Then I started looking at the main courses.  After fish were the meats, with beef first on the list.

It was when I got to the third offering that I knew I wouldn't be having beef that afternoon.  "Carne roja de añojo deshuesada..."  The English translation was: "Deboned red meat from elderly cows..."

A picture formed in my head. I could see ancient and decrepit bovines tottering around a pasture waiting to die; the moment they dropped, someone would cart them off to be deboned and placed on a table before us. After getting the image out of my mind, I continued down the menu until I found the leg of lamb. That was my choice, and an excellent one, at that.  It wasn't a substitute for lamb at home, but it made things better.

A leg of lamb with potatoes, a roasted pepper, and salad.  It was far better than eating elderly cows.

A couple of days later, my mother-in-law and I stopped at one of the nearby restaurant/bars for a drink and tapas before lunch, as we often do. (Remember that lunch is late in the afternoon; it's not like we start pounding down drinks at 9 a.m.)  When we were ready to leave, I stepped up to the bar to pay.  The bar tender held up three fingers.  "Three Euros," he said in a heavy Spanish accent.

I sort of see myself as Indiana Jones describes his friend and colleague, Marcus Brody (Denholm Elliot,) in Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (1989).  The Nazis realize that Brody has the journal page revealing the location of the Holy Grail.  Jones defiantly explains why the bad guys will never catch Brody.

 In truth, I think my case lies somewhere between the first and second scenes of the clip.

I keep looking in the mirror to see if something has been stenciled on my forehead, but so far, I haven't found it.

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León's Storefront Displays of Devotion

Now that Holy Week in León is over, I want to share with you some of the fun demonstrations of devotion that I didn't have time to post before.

As I mentioned in an earlier post, storefronts celebrate Holy Week with displays that portray the processions and pasos (giant religious floats.)  Below are photographs of some of those displays, including more of the Legos.

A wide view of the Legos procession. (You can click on photos in this blog for a closer view.  Press the "escape" or "esc" key to return to a normal view.)

Legos figures in black papones (hoods and gowns) carry a paso.

The Legos creations are so detailed as to include babies, bicyclist, dogs, musicians, and much more.

It's important to note that Legos characters with umbrellas can always be found in this display since the possibility of rain is a constant danger to Holy Week processions.

This much more realistic depiction of one of the pasos can be found in the window of a fabric shop.

Another of the model pasos in the fabric shop.

A pharmacy on the main street of León depicts activities of the processions with packaging from medicine, such as this pill box that serves as the table for the Last Supper.

A wide shot of one of the pharmacy windows.

A box for energy pills serves as the platform for one of the pasos.  Presumably, the hooded figures took the pills to maintain enough energy to lift and bear the heavy pasos.

Bottles of wine wear the hoods typical of Holy Week at a store that deals in typical wines, meats, and foods of León.

Another hooded bottle

Representations of women in traditional Holy Week dress in a cosmetics store.

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Being There: Easter is Coming -- So, I'm Going to Spain...

I have been honored in a way that few Americans might understand.

I've been invited to march in one of Spain's traditional (and amazing) Holy Week processions.  To put it in perspective, for me, this is akin to Eliza being invited to the ball.

But I will participate fully so as to gain knowledge and understanding that can only be achieved through, as Peter Sellers playing Chance Gardner might refer to, as "being there."

I photographed most of the Holy Week processions in León, Spain in 2016.  I will be in León again this year for Easter, not only to photograph these amazing demonstrations of devotion, but also to participate. This is one of the major processions, organized by the Brotherhood of the Seven Words of Christ on the Cross.  It is with this Brotherhood that I have been invited to participate.

I have been both a reporter and photographer at many happenings and events in the United States and throughout the world.  However, viewing an event through a lens or interviewing others about their participation is not the same as experiencing it for yourself.

The Processions start on Friday the week before Easter, with as many as seven processions in a single day, everything ending on Easter Sunday.  They are sponsored by Catholic Brotherhoods, many of them centuries old. The processions take place both night and day.  The robes and hoods date back to the the medieval period.  Hoods were originally worn to protect the identity of the penitents as they carried the heavy religious floats (pasos) on their shoulders.  In this manner, only God would know their identity.

Just as Ernest Hemingway often gained knowledge of what he wrote about by being actively involved (such as volunteering to drive an ambulance in the Spanish Civil War), I hope that changing my viewpoint from that of by-stander to active participant will allow me to gain a much deeper understanding of the processions and what it means to march along directly with the members of a Brotherhood.

Some of those carrying the paso show their devotion to penance by walking the many miles and hours of the procession barefoot, just as my wife's grandfather did almost a century ago.

I will be blogging throughout Holy Week, hopefully with new insight into the processions and rituals, but also about tapas, and more!  If you want a reminder every time I put out a new post, click here and submit your email adddress.  Also, please feel free to post comments.

Tapas are one of my favorite subjects to blog about, so not only will you be getting religion, but also, food!

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I Told You So!

Over the past several years, I've posted several articles, complete with photographs, about the delicious food to be enjoyed in León, Spain.  My emphasis has been on my favorite variety: tapas.  For those of you who don't know, tapas are an ancient culinary tradition in Spain.  Tapas, in simple terms, are snacks served whenever you order a drink.  But as you'll see, they're much, much more!

However, tapas are only part of the culinary legacy of León.  The people of León love food.  You'll find amazing dishes everywhere, from small bars that serve only drinks and tapas, to fine restaurants that serve everything from traditional Spanish foods to modern, innovative creations.  That's why I'm pleased to tell you that my favorite culinary city has been named: "Capital Española de las Gastronomía 2018."  Or in English: 2018 Gastronomic Capital of Spain.

In the video below that promotes León's achievement, you'll see many of the places I've photographed and presented in this blog.

You can view the article from León's daily newspaper by clicking here.

My photograph Modern and Medieval is taken from one of the streets that radiates from the Barrio Húmedo (the wet district, which is the area with many bars and tapas venues.)  In the background is León's famed Gothic cathedral. In the foreground is a wall with a modern mural.  This photograph will be exhibited this fall and winter at the 2017 Shrode Photography Competition and Exhibit at the Mitchell Museum in Mt. Vernon, Illinois. The opening reception will be Saturday, October 21, 6:30 p.m. and the top award winners will be announced that evening. Three Cedarhurst galleries will be opening their new exhibits which will be celebrated with food, a cash bar and dessert.  The exhibition will be open from Oct. 22  through Dec. 31, 2017.  (You can click on the image for a closer view.)

Bars like the Camarote Madrid serve tapas along with every drink.

Below are some links to some of my previous article about the food and tapas of León.

Spain Means History, Tapas, more Tapas ...and Photographs

Photographing (and Eating) Tapas in León, Spain

Photographing (and Eating) Tapas in León, Spain - Part Two

Preparing for Easter Week (Semana Santa) in León, Spain – An Unexpected Surprise of Tradition, Legos, Family, Pharmaceuticals, Food & Drink

Holy Week in León -- Family, Tradition & Food

Photos from León

Are Tapas Evolving?

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This blog has been named one of the top 75 fine art photography blogs on the planet.

 

 

 

 

Are Tapas Evolving?

If you follow my blog, you know that I'm very fond of tapas. So you can imagine how excited I got when I discovered that tapas may be evolving into something even better. Tapas are those little tastes of Spain you get every time you order a drink, especially in León.  For less than US$2.00 in most cases, you get a glass of wine or beer and a plate of typical Spanish food.


The Camarote Madrid is probably my favorite tapas bar in León.  The drinks are slightly more expensive than in most, but there's tons of atmosphere.

Salmorejo is one of the excellent tapas at the Camarote Madrid. 

Jamón Jamón is still my second-place tapas bar winner, and sometimes I would rate it as the best.

There's no choice of tapas at Jamón Jamón.   It's always a slice of bread with jamón serrano (arguably the best ham in the world), two types of sausage, and a wedge of manchego cheese. A glass of wine with the tapas is about US$1.30.  Despite the lack of variety, it's delicious every time.



Now there's a new kid on one of León's blocks, challenging what it means to be a tapas bar.  During my time in  León I've been surprised by what you can get for under US$2.00.  That being said, I was SHOCKED when I stopped by Las Tapas.



Las Tapas, not being in the main part of the barrio húmedo (drinking district),  lacks a little of the atmosphere of some of the other bars.  It, however, makes up for it with it's selection of tapas.



I saw this plate when I first walked into Las Tapas.  I first thought it was an order of appetizers off a menu.  However, I soon learned that it was the tapas that came with two white wines.  The couple who ordered it was kind enough to let the strange American photograph their food before they tore into it.  The cost for the wine and tapas was less than US$4.00.

 

I ordered a red wine.  With it I got a fried egg, morcilla (blood sausage) French fries, and bread.

I like the way the trend in tapas is going -- more food -- high quality -- extraordinary prices.   With competition like that provided by Las Tapas, maybe it won't be long before the tapas I get with my glass of red wine are the Spanish equivalent of a 16 oz. aged ribeye steak, a baked potato, grilled asparagus, and a house salad.  If that happens, I'll be there for the grand opening.

I've been blogging from Spain for the past couple of weeks, including Holy Week.  Please take a look at my previous posts.

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com.



Photos from León

Now that Holy Week is over, I wanted to share some of the views I came across last week walking the streets of León.  The city dates back to the time of  the Roman Legions, and parts of the old Roman walls still stand.  The main street today, Calle Ancha (Long Street) is the same main route used by the Romans and goes directly by the great Gothic Cathedral, once the site of Roman baths.

The Gothic Cathedral is also known as the "House of Light" because of the massive and beautiful  stained glass windows throughout.  The light is also beautiful on the outside of the church as the sun starts to get low.



Detail from one of the many stone
carvings on the church.

A street musician against a wall that adjoins the Cathedral.



On the Calle Ancha near the Cathedral, Elvis serenades the window washer.  The side streets open up to bars, restaurants, and shops in what is known as the barrio húmedo (drinking district).

 

Tapas, the delicious free food you get every time you order a beer or glass of wine are found in almost every bar and restaurant.  These are home-made potato chips and sauce from El Patio, one of the newer tapas bars.

At the Camarote Madrid, one of the better known tapas establishments, even a bottle of water is enough of an order to get you a free plate of Spanish olives.

 

Spanish ham is arguably the best in the world.  Here, it hangs above the Camarote Madrid's bar.  The ham is so popular, and consumed in such huge quantities, that this is a common sight in bars throughout León.

I'll have more from León as the week continues.

 

You can view my website at:  www.tombellart.com.

 



 

Holy Week in León -- Family, Tradition & Food

Holy Week in León is an event -- a family affair -- something that cannot be ignored. It is a week filled with ancient and modern traditions. Thousands, sometimes ten of thousands spill into the streets to witness some of the thirty-six processions conducted during the ten days of Holy Week. While some processions are small with only a few hundred participants, others are huge, with several thousand people marching through the streets in traditional costumes, some bearing gigantic religious floats (pasos), others playing musical instruments or simply playing their part by marching along.

Those who march in the processions are of all ages.  This younger participant
is on the way to the Church of Santa Nonia, where he will take part in the three hour
Procesión de la Pasión along with three thousand other marchers.  (You

can click on images for a larger view.)

Children proudly pose in front of the Church of Santa Nonia before the procession.

An hour before the procession, members of the brotherhood are already taking their places around the early 17th century paso.

A Lady prepares for the procession in the loft of the Church.

  

One of the three pasos dates to the 16th century.

 Crowds stand for more than an hour to view the three pasos leave the church.  Most processions, like this one are at night.

About two hours into the procession, the float still has about an hour to go before it returns to the Church of Santa Nonia.  The Baroque detail is typical of the 17th century.

Detail from the 17th century paso.  A cherub helps bear the weight of

Christ carrying the cross.

After a procession ends at ten or eleven at night, sometimes later, participants spill into the bars and restaurants for drinks and tapas. Bars in Spain are family-friendly, but are open through the wee hours of the morning.



A glass of wine accompanied by a cup of garlic soup as a tapa at the Camarote Madrid helps to warm one up after a procession.  Note the variety of olives in the background.  They are also excellent tapas.

As Holy Week in León progresses, I'll have more insight and more images during the upcoming days.  If you missed yesterday's overview of Holy Week in  León, you can find it here.

You can view my website at www.tombellart.com.