La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
WHILE WE AWAIT THE RESULTS of the US election, I’ve of course been thinking a lot about pirates. So it was appropriate to be reminded of a local one who is already in prison.
We awoke yesterday morning to the sounds of demolition. There was nothing out front, but when we looked to the side, we saw work was going on at nearby Plaza San Rafael. The plaza was built by corrupt Cordoban investor and politician, Rafael Gomez (click here for my earlier post). The statue atop the very tall column is said to be San Rafael, but the head is modelled after Gomez himself, who was given carte blanche during the original renovation, cheated the city, and dedicated the plaza to his own big ego.
Gomez is currently serving a prison sentence for various other frauds and swindles, and he owes the government of Spain at least 241.6 million euros. So, unsurprisingly, his nickname is Sandokán, who was a fictional 19th-century pirate created by Italian author Emilio Salgari.
The entire plaza is being torn apart to make way for a new and improved plaza and park, which will be renamed in honor of local, Pedro Cuevas, who served in city government and did a lot of good for children’s athletics. Cuevas died last year at the age of 63.
Sandokán and his pedestal will be moved to another part of our neighbourhood. I have no idea where and I hope we won’t see him from our windows. But I do hope I’m around to get photos of his removal. What a job that will be.
I’m interested in reading at least the first of the 11 novels about the pirate Sandokán, if only because: “He is described as tall, charming, very muscular, slender, and attractive, with cold, black eyes, a fierce and severe look, and a big turban on his head. Unlike his troops, who are described as mostly half-naked, Sandokan always wears fine oriental clothes, generally red silk with embroidered gold, and long, red, leather boots.”
.
MIENTRAS ESPERAMOS LOS RESULTADOS de las elecciones estadounidenses, por supuesto he estado pensando mucho en los piratas. Así que era apropiado recordarle a alguien de la localidad que ya está en prisión.
Ayer por la mañana nos despertamos con los sonidos de la demolición. No había nada en el frente, pero cuando miramos hacia un lado, vimos que se estaba trabajando en la cercana Plaza San Rafael. La plaza fue construida por el corrupto inversionista y político cordobés, Rafael Gómez (haz clic aquí para ver mi entrada anterior). Se dice que la estatua en lo alto de la columna muy alta es San Rafael, pero la cabeza sigue el modelo del propio Gómez, a quien se le dio carta blanca durante la renovación original, engañó a la ciudad, y dedicó la plaza a su propio gran ego.
Actualmente cumple una condena de prisión por varios otros fraudes y estafas, y le debe al gobierno de España al menos 241,6 millones de euros. Entonces, como era de esperar, su apodo es Sandokán, que era un pirata ficticio del siglo XIX creado por el autor italiano Emilio Salgari.
Toda la plaza está siendo destrozada para dar paso a una nueva y mejorada plaza y parque, que será rebautizado en honor al local, Pedro Cuevas, quien sirvió en el gobierno de la ciudad e hizo mucho bien por el atletismo infantil. Cuevas murió el año pasado a la edad de 63 años.
Sandokán y su pedestal serán trasladados a otra parte de nuestro barrio. No tengo idea de dónde y espero que no lo veamos desde nuestras ventanas. Pero espero estar cerca para sacar fotos de su eliminación. Qué trabajo será ese.
Me interesa leer al menos la primera de las 11 novelas sobre el pirata Sandokán, aunque solo sea porque: “Se le describe como alto, encantador, muy musculoso, esbelto y atractivo, con ojos fríos, negros, un aire feroz y una mirada severa, y un gran turbante en la cabeza. A diferencia de sus tropas, que se describen en su mayoría como semidesnudas, Sandokán siempre viste elegantes ropas orientales, generalmente seda roja con bordados dorados, y botas largas de cuero rojo”.
That statue is pretty high! Along with his ego, I guess.
Jim:
And it’s amazing how much its presence eats at me — the statue, not his ego.
They are going to need a bigger crane. Enjoy the pirate fantasy,
David:
They’ve started removing the fountain base today. I hope I don’t miss the removal of Sandokán.
This Sandokan dude sounds veeerrrry interesting. I wonder if he has a saucy, pretty young cabin boy at his beck and call? I wonder if I should stop reading m/m romance novels? Nope! Popcorn is popcorn, delicious 🙂
Deedles:
I don’t think Sandokán needs a cabin boy. He’s got MOSTLY half-naked troops. Maybe there are some that are entirely naked.
Oh, Scoot. A cabin boy is like a sixty-inch television, or a seven layer chocolate cake. He’s not a need but a want 😀
Deedles:
Well, my thinking is why would I even want a cabin boy when I’ve got a shipload of half-naked MEN! But that’s just me.
In my thinking, a cabin boy is also a man, but younger (I’m not talking underage here, just twinkish) and only one. A palate cleanser if you will. I’m thinking a young Brad Pitt as opposed to, oh I dunno, Fabio? I’m just being silly.
Deedles:
This is not something to be silly about. This is very serious business. When you’re the pirate king (or queen), you can have a cabin boy. When I’m pirate king (or queen), I’ll just have an entire ship filled with swarthy mostly naked troops… and maybe Brad Pitt.
No I am surprised you had a crooked developer in your town, never heard of that before, how unlucky. Nice to see public money going to refurbishing public squares. Seems your City fathers have no end of ideas on beautifying the town.
larrymuffin:
This man has been crooked all over Andalucía and apparently has millions stashed in accounts in other names.
Great to see this project happening. It alone has put 48 people back to work for a bit.
Long red boots! Tall and charming with dark flashing eyes! Wears fine clothes! You make a much better Sandokán than that corrupt politician Rafael Gomez.
Wilma:
I’ll have to go shopping. I’ve never owned long red boots.
“Sandokan always wears fine oriental clothes, generally red silk with embroidered gold, and long, red, leather boots.” – oh so gay! 🙂
anne marie:
And half-naked troops. Now why would the author mention that?
Sounds like a new square/park will be nicer than the huge statue looming over it.
Parsnip:
The plaza is large and poorly laid out in three separate sections with no flow. I look forward to seeing how it’s improved.
Sounds like those Sandokán novels are ripe for a mini-series treatment!
Debra:
On a gay channel, definitely!
Sounds like another thief…the one who wants to add his face to Mt Rushmore.
Mary:
And that’s probably why I’m so happy to see him go and the plaza renamed.
The guy sounds like a version of Trump.
mcpersonalspace54:
Exactly! And it seems his lawyers aren’t as shifty (well, as shifty, but not as effective).
So, are these half-naked troops also very muscular?
Kirk:
I sure hope so. That’s the way I imagine them.
Sandokan sounds like quite a fashion queen. Can you imagine having the chutzpah to build a plaza and erect a memorial to yourself?! Some people! Serves him right that it’s being demolished.
Steve:
Most Spaniards have two last names. His second last name should be Trump. I don’t know if you read the previous post. If not, he began to build a high-rise (for here about 11 stories) condo a block away from us (long before we got here). He was denied approval because of size and location. He built anyway, assuming he could get away with it. The city stopped him, sued him, and it was torn down. I’m sure he never paid for that either. The lot sat empty and was an eyesore right on the Paseo until this year (more than 25 years I think) and a small 4-story luxury condo is going up on the space.
Massive erection that needs to be toppled, or whacked or something!
Ron:
Definitely not whacked. He doesn’t deserve THAT.