How come our generation suffers from more ailments and stress related illnesses than our parents did? The thing is living in the Mediterranean we ought to be in tip top form but the reality is that going about our every day business means that we’re not a patch on the generation before who literally worked from sun up to sun down with one day off a week if they were lucky. Anyway lately I’ve been after that well being that all the magazines talk about and much against my better judgement I went in search of some healing. Luckily I didn’t have to go very far.
My friend Pam has many interests and one of them is ‘Reiki’, or, as she explains: “universal life force energy.” “Aye right!” I used to think but lately my interest has been sparked.
Pam says energy is in everything and all of us are able to tap into this energy flow if we choose to. Most people need to be ‘attuned’ first and then this energy can flow freely through us, enhancing our well being, reducing stress and helping us to relax. Well that’s exactly what I was looking for although I was rather skeptical to start.
To explain: The body has 7 major energy centres or ‘chakras’ which most of us have heard of but don’t know too much about. Each chakra corresponds broadly to one of the body’s major glands. The Reiki flow activates and balances each chakra, resulting in an improvement in our physical, emotional and spiritual well being.
“Worth a try” I thought “Pam wouldn’t hurt me.”
So after putting up with irritating shoulder and neck pain for a few weeks and generally feeling a bit ‘tense’, I decided to give it a go. I lay down on a massage bed, fully clothed and the candles and music helped me to relax. The resulting experience defies all logical explanation. Pam barely touched me yet the heat I felt as she moved around my body was phenomenal, especially around the head area. My shoulder felt cold and I had sensations of tingly shivers throughout, which were far from unpleasant, and the occasional burst of colour or light. I was aware of what was happening yet felt detached and peaceful.
I admit I felt great and the shoulder pain had gone. It has returned but to a much lesser degree. Pam even queried this pain as she said she ‘felt’ it during the session. I was blown away!
You may scoff but I’m a definite convert and I can assure you I was the least likely person to have tried something that in the first place. And I’ll be back for more Reiki cause as they say ”a little bit of what you fancy does you good.”
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Doing the same things last Saturday and the Saturday before meant lots of doubles for me. Double rum and coke, double football in La Rosaleda, double draws for Malaga C.F., double caramelized peanuts, double goals, double exciting atmosphere, double Malaga Film Festival, double star spotting … and all of that and more adds up to double fun. What could be more fun than going to a Spanish first division football match where they have the best and most enthusiastic supporters clubs in the country, including the ‘guiri army’, backing them all the way? Answers on a postcard from non sporty types please!
But an important part of the evening for some is to have a drink before the match. As was pointed out to me, Manolo’s kiosk outside La Rosaleda where the rum and coke was had is more of an institution in Malaga for some than the Picasso Museum or the Gibralfaro. I’ve been wondering since then if Manolo’s is included in Malaga City Hall’s bid to become European City of Culture 2016.
Anyway after the match it was off to the city centre to see screaming fans of a different type. During the Malaga Spanish Film Festival, which gets bigger and better every year, the thing to do is soak up the atmosphere. Even if you’re not into Spanish cinema a stroll round the centre while it’s on is well worth it. You turn a corner and there are girls desperately waiting outside hotels and theatres in the hope of spotting their favourite television and film stars. Or you can take in one of the fringe activities which this year included an impressive and stylish exhibition of film posters and memorabilia in Calle Larios.
One thing is for sure - the Film Festival will be included in the City of Culture bid. The only star I spotted mind you was that one in ‘Hombres de Paco’ with the big curly hair - well I suppose he could be described as a part of pop culture or something!
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It’s true that there’s always something going on in Malaga and now that Semana Santa has finished the Film Festival is about to start. But I’m a bit sad this week because Holy Week is over and I didn’t get to as many processions as I would have liked. I can’t explain why particularly as I’m not very sure what I believe in if anything but Semana Santa has become my favourite tradition here. I’ve got a vested interest of course as my other half is one of the 180 men who heaves the ‘Nuestro Padre Jesús del Rescate’ image (the one on the right in the photo) round Malaga’s streets on Tuesdays and there’s something that wells up inside me as I watch him and his brother and brother-in-law. I think the formal, traditional and serious side comes out in us at this time of year regardless of our beliefs. It’s not that you stop having fun it’s just that you stop to think about other things. When someone you’re close to can explain the whys and wherefores of Malaga’s Semana Santa it all starts to become clearer. You don’t look at the images anymore and think “How tacky!” You don’t look at the ‘hombres de trono’ anymore and think “They’re mental!” You don’t look at the people crying anymore and think “For goodness sake - get a grip!” You don’t look at the spectators who have waited hours on a chair or on the pavement for their favourite image to trundle by and think “What a bore!” You don’t want to turn the telly over from the local channel showing every bell ring, trumpet sound and step forward of the proceedings to look for an episode of Desperate Housewives or House. You do however still look at Antonio Banderas in the ‘Lágrimas y Favores’ procession and think “How braw!” (Some things don’t change with time.) And there’s something about those crazy Legionnaire soldiers and their marching routines and goat mascot …
For those who haven’t experienced it first hand, my friend and colleague Rachel Haynes has put some aspects of the week beautifully into words in her blog ‘The pull of faith’.
Oh and next year I’m going to ensure that the faith pulls me with enough force and ask for a couple of days off so that I can make the most of my favourite time of year here!!!
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Things are hotting up around here from a journalistic point of view at least. This weekend there’s a lot to do in Malaga work wise and for someone who doesn’t work in the press the options are endless.
Some suggestions
Night after night the bands which accompany the Semana Santa processions are practising in the nearby car parks and today there are a lot of ‘traslados’ (when religious images are taken from their church homes to the religious brotherhood homes) taking place. The first processions in the city make their way through the streets on Sunday morning.
Tomorrow (Saturday) is a big day for Malaga’s top sports teams. First the Unicaja basketball team play at home in the Martín Carpena Sports Stadium at 7 p.m. They take on ‘Estudiantes’ who are from Madrid. Then at 10 p.m. another Malaga Madrid clash will be the Malaga C.F. v Real Madrid first division football match taking place at La Rosaleda stadium. Although Malaga haven’t beaten Real Madrid in 15 encounters, this one promises to be exciting. Unfortunately the tickets are sold out but for football fans keen to see real top notch football, the match will be televised on Spain’s TV channel La Sexta and most bars in the city will be showing it.
About nine years ago I went to La Rosaleda to see Malaga vs Real Madrid. Malaga had just been newly promoted to the first division the last time around and as far as I remember the result was a 0-0 draw. But the most exciting things that day were the atmosphere created by the ever loyal Malaga supporters clubs and the appearance on the pitch for the last 20 minutes of the match of ex-Liverpool player Steve McManaman who had not long signed with Real Madrid. These days though with Malaga’s quick ascent up the first division there are lots more top players appearing in La Rosaleda and the fun and family environment is prevalent along with the quality of the sport to be witnessed.
The good news for everyone is that the forecast is for fine weather so answers to the question “What will we do today?” should include: “Let’s go for a drink or lunch to a beach bar.” That’s if the chiringuitos are still there of course and haven’t been carted off somewhere else. But if it does rain, the galleries and museums should still be in their rightful places.
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There’s a danger in having a great local bar in the city and that is that you and your visitors get too comfortable there and intentions of a cultural city break kind of get put to one side. Ours isn’t just a bar, it’s also a modern tapas restaurant, where you can sit inside or out, it’s a place where you can watch ‘Fama’ if you’re having lunch there on a Friday afternoon, and the people who work there are efficient and friendly.
Last weekend two school friends and their partners came from Scotland. After picking them up I decided it would be a nice idea to go for breakfast in our local. It was sunny so the waiter kindly set us up a table outside. And after the usual catching up the conversation went something like:
“You know that Picasso was born in Malaga, don’t you?”
“Aye”
“We could go to the Picasso Museum”
“Aye … we could”
“We could get the bus to the centre”
“Aye … but we’re fine here for a bit”
“Shall I ask the waiter for another coffee?”
“Aye”
That first night we had arranged to have dinner in our local so that other friends could join us without having to take the car. “Aye, that’s a good idea.” Next morning the girls told the boys what they were up to. “Aye, okay, we’ll be downstairs in the local.”
And so the weekend continued like that with all activities centred around the local. There’s no getting away from the place either. I’m off to celebrate my friend Paqui’s birthday there tonight and on Monday I’ll likely have a drink with another friend Katrin for her birthday in the same place. That’s the other danger of great locals - once the word gets out then everyone wants on the band wagon and there’s no room for you anymore!
We did go to the centre last weekend and saw Picasso’s hoose and some other significant buildings but there’s always a right time and a right place for everything. You can’t P*** yourself laughing when you’re having a look round a serious musuem, can you? To make the most of your short time with old friends you have to be somewhere like a real good local.
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I’ve been running around Malaga for a week now with my new black, high heeled long boots which are wide fitting and funky! It’s still sinking in and I’m still excited about having fashionable boots which are comfortable. My Spanish friends would disagree with me but in this city it’s impossible to find wide fitting and trendy shoes and boots. I’ve got this problem and it’s called ‘bunions’ but it’s not so bad yet that I’m going to have an operation and it’s certainly not so bad that I’m ready to clothe my feet in something similar to the sheepskin boots my mum only had for shovelling the snow off the front path in the 70s. “The world is full of great big bunions,” they used to sing to me at school.
There may be some shoes and boots in shops in Malaga that don’t look too bad but then the problem is the price! Some places are just for going oh and ah at outside while looking in the window. So where did I get my boots? My sister got them for me in the Next directory sale. Britain’s Next chain now delivers to Spain but unfortunately customers here don’t get access to the sales. So Mairi had her slot with my previously prepared wish list and managed to get the boots half price and she sent them to me by post. At 40 pounds (which equates to little over 40 euros at today’s exchange rates) they were a great buy for a cash strapped girl in credit crunch times and they add that special something to my self-esteem and city look (if I do say so myself).
So … long live, first and foremost, my sister; Britain’s Post Office; Spain’s Correos; and last but not least, Next!
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Back in the days when I worked in Johnsons dark and smoky nightclub in Dunfermline where Warren, the best DJ in the world, played New Order, Joy Division, Teardrop Explodes and Echo & The Bunnymen songs mixed with a bit of King and Divine to add that pop element and I thought I was the best thing since sliced bread dressed in purple or black tight cocktail dresses with my yellow peep toe stilettos, matching nails, big sticky hair, 20 Regal Kingsize and vodka and coke, I obviously never imagined that 20 something years later I would be in Malaga’s Cervantes Theatre interviewing one of the heroes of the 80s, Ian McCulloch.
When you live in a city and work in the media you sometimes get to brush shoulders with the rich and famous. For example Sylvia – she was in the first Spanish Big Brother – used to cut my hair, and the salon where I go now is owned by Malaga CF player Baha’s wife, which led me to being in the same bar as Malaga player Weligton’s wife and daughter watching Malaga play Real Madrid on the telly. And I’ve stood on a pavement when Antonio Banderas, blind folded and hidden underneath, has taken an image through the streets in Semana Santa. I also had the real pleasure of interviewing Unicaja’s Scottish basketball star, Archibald.
But to interview Echo & The Bunnymen front man Ian McCulloch was something I never thought would happen in a thousand years, never mind twenty or so. After what I thought was an excellent concert (a rival newspaper slated it the next day) Ian decided that he would talk to us. There, in that dark smoky room full of alcohol, I tried to stay in the present but my mind did wander back a couple of times to when I had lots of pals who loved this guy (personally I preferred Phil Oakey and later on Ricky Ross) and could have been mistaken for him on a dark night with their mops of dark hair and long black miners’ coats. The fact that some of them were miners helped them achieve the look more easily and cheaply. Back then being ‘weird’ was super cool. Probably it still is, it just depends on how you look at it. Whatever, I enjoyed the experience and it will be up there on my top ten list of experiences here in Malaga for some time to come I reckon. I’m glad the man from Liverpool responsible for memory sparking hits such as ‘The Cutter’ and ‘The Killing Moon’, and who asked after Seve Ballesteros’ health, let us in. Thanks Ian, if you ever read this or remember who we are.
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Somehow or other I managed to miss the Joaquín Sorolla exhibition at the Malaga Contemporary Art Centre which finished at the end of September. It felt like everyone and their granny saw it except me - even those fabby grand parents who are my mum and dad who were on holiday when it was on and said it was great. And somehow or other I managed to miss the Fernand Legér exhibition in the Unicaja Foundation gallery. It’s just not right to miss such opportunities on your own doorstep. The aforementioned exhibitions were just two on a never ending list of temporary exhibitions which come to gallery spaces in Malaga and depending on taste of course should not be missed. There’s a very common statement which goes something like: “I don’t know much about art, but I know what I like.” I’ve tried to get to know more about art at various points in my life - not very successfully I have to say but I can pretend - but it’s true that I do know what I like and that is contemporary art.
So knowing what I like and not liking being one to miss out I was one of the first to burst through the doors at Picasso’s birthplace museum a couple of weeks ago in the Plaza de la Merced to see the Lee Miller exhibition currently showing there. There’s something that’s always attracted me to black and white photos and particularly ones which give you a glimpse of well-known persons’ lives. Lee Miller was rumoured to have had a fling with the Malaga born artist himself and she struck up a friendship with him that lasted for many years. They say women are particularly attracted to artistic types (it had to be the artist and not Picasso’s physical attributes that made him attractive to so many women - or maybe he was just a nice person) and Lee Miller’s photos let that female imagination take you back to a time before you were born. A time when society seemed more glamorous, more adventurous, more fun and more intelligent than it is now - or perhaps it was just that way for a privileged few …. Who knows but I like those ideas of freedom portrayed in her photos and basically I like her photos.
Now I’m determined not to miss the exhibition of works by Roland Penrose (Lee Miller’s husband) which is now also on at the Picasso birthplace museum. Let’s see if I like it or not.
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Summer in the city and temperatures of around 40 degrees raise the ‘burning question’ of what to do in the heat. ‘Get out of the city’ I hear you cry. But that’s not always possible.
What springs to mind rather than what to do is what not to do cause in my case at least I can’t be bothered and I perspire … (a lot) when I’m rushing around at this time of year. For example … DO NOT:
- try to tackle that pile of ironing
- head down to the sea front to work out on the newly installed outdoor gym machines
- attempt to straighten your hair - curls, kinks and wavy bits are all the rage in August
- go to a bar or restaurant that hasn’t got a newly installed air conditioning system
- etc, etc.
So what to do? Well apart from going for a swim, the best thing to do if you’re in or around Malaga in August is to gear up for the summer fair. The Malaga fair has been hailed as the biggest street party in Europe and it can seem daunting just for that reason. However if you get into the swing and head on down to the fair you’ll be surprised at how much fun you have and what an experience it is.
So here are my make the most of the Malaga fair recommendations … DO:
- go to the opening night MTV summer concert … David Bisbal and the Puss
ycat Dolls are not to be missed along with 15,000 other people
- stock up on fans (hand held for when you’re out)
- wear cheap and colourful ear-rings, beads, rings - leave the Tiffany bracelet at home
- try the ‘fino’ wine - but take it easy. When you’re drinking it, ’fino’ doesn’t mean fine, it means really strong
- wear comfy shoes - a day at the fair can be a long one
- let the bus or the train take the strain
- get a couple of lessons in dancing ‘Sevillanas’ - John Travolta style disco dancing isn’t the thing right now
- take photos and send them for the www.surinenglish.com readers’ photos best fair photo prize
- have at least one day in the centre and one evening / night on the fairground - but not on the same day
- try to have a couple of days off work - the worst thing is when people call you up at about 11.30 p.m. telling you: “Come along, we’re in such and such a ‘caseta’ / bar having a great time” and you have to reply: “Get lost I’m working tomorrow morning” and you go away to your bed in the huff.
Well that’s me on holiday now for the fair week and I’m not going away, I’m staying in the city during one of the most enjoyable, sociable, cultural, traditional and exhausting times of the year!
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Although it’s only 45 minutes away by car when I spend the weekend in Nerja I think I’m on my holidays. I can buy magazines in English and Silk Cut cigarettes (all very expensive of course) and watch British TV as I said.
Well as luck would have it I caught the last semi final and the final of Britain’s Got Talent and a Scottish guy had managed to get to the final which is what spurred me on to write this little blog as a follow up to the previous one. Being such a patriotic soul I was over the moon. Andrew sang John Lennon’s Imagine but sadly - as a British flag clad Amanda Holden told him – he murdered it. Apparently he had been better in the previous rounds – I would hope so. He might have been better at a Proclaimers or a Deacon Blue number ….
I reckoned that George Sampson who is now 100,000 euros richer as a result of being voted the best talent in Britain by the public and winning was great but I really wanted the four posh girls with the trendy violins or the two Indian guys and their comedy/dance act to win. But then again I didn’t vote like I had with Salva in Spain’s Tienes Talento.
Anyway staying in the city at the weekend is fun – there’s always lots to do – but getting out of it is also great after a hard week’s slog and my fun and relaxation was certainly added to by my viewing. There were always the cocktails and ice-cream and beach and swimming pool and of course the company and … oh well it’s Monday again ….
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