More than 36 years after heading for the great military dictatorship in the sky, General Francisco Franco proved his enduring pulling power by stealing the show at last week’s annual ARCO contemporary art fair, appearing in a fridge and as a fast-spinning bust; even his eyebrows were a big draw. Siempre Franco (Forever Franco) was the star attraction at the five-day artfest, a life-size hyperrealist representation of the man who ruled Spain with an iron fist for four decades. The piece was created by Eugenio Merino out of resin, silicon, and human hair, and was decked out in Franco’s trademark green military uniform with purple sash, red cummerbund, and dark sunglasses, crouching inside a … [Read more...] about Franco in a fridge: he pulls in the punters, but is he art?
Archives for February 2012
Euro stumbles as Greece ups its brinkmanship
On Wednesday, Greek Finance Minister Evangelos Venizelos accused German Finance Minister Wolfgang Schaeuble of more or less plotting to push Greece out of the euro, while Schaeuble in turn said he is tired of dumping money into a black hole. This has delayed the dispatch of the second Greek bailout, bringing Greece closer to the March deadline before it defaults. For me, the dispute raises an interesting point about who is to blame per se for this continuing Greece debacle. Reading around, it seems to me the EU is getting a bad rep here, with Germany especially being painted as a dictatorial monster. Is this the case? I mean - I concede that the EU is a bureaucratic nightmare, but is … [Read more...] about Euro stumbles as Greece ups its brinkmanship
Calculating complimentary tax on Spanish property
Of course, more research might have unearthed the possibility of this tax. But many purchasers expect the information to be given to them. Unfortunately, those keen to sell property are not always as keen to inform you of the taxes you can expect to pay. Ironically, this lack of transparency is one of the reasons so many possible purchasers are anxious about buying in the first place. However, complimentary tax need not be a skeleton in the closet, provided you prepare for it. This tax, levied on purchases up to five years after the purchase date, consists of 7% of the difference between what you declared you paid and what the Tax Authority claim it is worth. Plus interest, of course. It … [Read more...] about Calculating complimentary tax on Spanish property
Ferran Adrià’s lavish tale sates our curiosity, but not our appetite
The food world was startled when Spanish uber-chef Ferran Adrià announced that El Bulli, his temple to haut cuisine and five-times best restaurant in the world, would be serving its last mind-bending supper in July 2011. Although dispensing with the diners might seem an odd move for a chef, it makes sense after watching German director Gereon Wetzel’s documentary El Bulli: Cooking in Progress. Shot from 2008 to 2009, the film is a year in the life of Adrià and his chefs. And it portrays a chef-cum-artist for whom the logical next step is his proposed culinary think tank (due to open in 2014), rather than a restaurant that serves dinner. The film opens as the whitewashed El Bulli, sunk … [Read more...] about Ferran Adrià’s lavish tale sates our curiosity, but not our appetite
Saved from eviction… for now
La Liga: Real Madrid’s lead leaves Barcelona fighting for honour
Barcelona must keep fighting, said Dani Alves on Monday, “it’s a question of honour, of prestige” - but most likely no longer a question of the Liga title. Mid-February is perhaps too early for the race for top spot to be over, and of course it isn’t yet, but the 10-point gap that separates Real Madrid from the reigning European and Spanish champions now seems too big for Barça to close. Following a defeat to city rivals Espanyol on their return to action after the winter break, Pep Guardiola repeatedly stated his side could no longer afford to slip up. Their margin of error was gone but still they dropped points, away against Villarreal, and this weekend in Pamplona. In freezing … [Read more...] about La Liga: Real Madrid’s lead leaves Barcelona fighting for honour
The importance of being ‘El País’
One of my clearest memories from the years I spent working at the English edition of El País newspaper was a 6pm editorial meeting in 2007, the day of the launch of rival publication Público. These evening meetings are when the paper’s section heads tell editor-in-chief Javier Moreno what they are going to publish. I remember them as dull but rather tense affairs, where each head would deliver his (it was almost always a man) spiel, and hope not to have it verbally machine-gunned by the boss. But on this particular occasion, Moreno began the meeting with an appraisal of new arrival Público. “Whatever else one might think, they have a very clear idea of Spain and who their readers are,” he … [Read more...] about The importance of being ‘El País’
Expat kids in Spanish schools: The best days of their lives?
'The education of foreign students in the province of Alicante,' a report by the University of Alicante for Asti-Alicante, an educational charity, is an extensive piece of research that paints to a very sorry picture of the experiences of some British students in Spanish state schools. The report found that British students often segregate themselves, become involved in gangs and refuse to subscribe to the Spanish system. Eventually they drop out, choosing absenteeism as an option in their later secondary years. The problems, the researchers noted, were most acute in schools with high proportions of English students with disruptive behaviour causing significant difficulties for themselves … [Read more...] about Expat kids in Spanish schools: The best days of their lives?
How much more can Greece take?
The euro has enjoyed an optimistic week. In particular, reports that the coalition in Greece has agreed a debt reduction plan with its creditors following eight long months of negotiations have boosted sentiment. From here on, Greece’s creditors will accept a 70.0% loss in the value of their existing government bonds, while receiving just 4.0% interest on the new ones. (This is a little like going into a negotiating room and not only coming out with no gains, but losing your trousers and shirt in addition. It is astonishing bondholders accepted these terms, and must reflect incredible pressure from the EU.) Of course, this is but one side of the coin. In return, Greece must implement … [Read more...] about How much more can Greece take?
Jobless in Spain: a personal viewpoint
In January of this year, I became one of Spain's five million unemployed. The redundancy in itself has not hurt me badly. I receive a decent monthly unemployment benefit (with entitlement for 16 months) and, on a personal level at least, must admit to being pleased that my husband is one of Spain's 2.5 million job-protected funcionarios. The circumstances surrounding my redundancy, though not atypical, were legally ambiguous. “Ambiguous” because I had been hired to work until the completion of an unspecified project (or 'Fin de Obra') under what remains to date the most common type of contract in Spain. As I was hired in 2009, more than two years prior to recent changes in … [Read more...] about Jobless in Spain: a personal viewpoint