La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
While San Geraldo and I were out the other evening (after our pre-dinner ice cream when we both had mango and dark chocolate), we dropped by the supermarket to pick up a couple of things. At the register was a display of what I at first thought were cans of Campbell’s soup. But it was olives (stuffed with anchovies).
The other day, we noticed work going on in our parking lot. It looked like a new bike rack was being installed. I snarkily commented on how little need we had for a new bike rack, since we never see more than two or three bikes there, and so many other things need doing. It turns out it was a combination bike and surfboard rack. Now I understand.
Fuengirola has done it again and installed cheap and god-awful public art. Our nearby plaza was rededicated a few years ago to a well-respected local named Pedro Cuevas who was a city councilor and deputy mayor of Los Boliches (our neighborhood) for many years. That was a relief as the plaza was originally designed and built by a con artist (currently in prison) who named it Plaza San Rafael in honor of himself (the Rafael part; he was no saint and was commonly known as The Pirate). It was a poor design with a sky-high column topped by a statue of San Rafael who looked eerily like Rafael the con artist. Click here for my original post on the con artist.
So, anyway, I was happy to see it redesigned and rededicated. But then they added a bust of Pedro Cuevas and shoe prints leading away from it (no clue, no explanation; maybe the artist decided to make a run for it). Sad to say, but the City of Fuengirola needs some serious help with public art.
I’ve been sleeping an awful lot, but I did enjoy a decently paced, 3-mile/4.8-km walk in today’s late morning 86˚F (feels like 90)/30˚C (feels like 32) heat. My meds make me more sensitive to sun, so I figured that was as far as I should push it. But maybe I’m turning a corner. One of these days, this will all be a memory.
Mientras San Geraldo y yo salíamos la otra noche (después de nuestro helado antes de la cena, cuando ambos comimos mango y chocolate amargo), pasamos por el supermercado para comprar un par de cosas. En la caja registradora había una exhibición de lo que al principio pensé que eran latas de sopa Campbell. Pero eran aceitunas (rellenas de anchoas).
El otro día, notamos que se estaban realizando obras en nuestro estacionamiento. Parecía que estaban instalando un nuevo portabicicletas. Comenté con sarcasmo la poca necesidad que teníamos de una nueva carrera de bicicletas, ya que nunca vemos más de dos o tres bicicletas allí, cuando hay tantas otras cosas por hacer. Resulta que era una combinación de portabicicletas y tablas de surf. Ahora entiendo.
Fuengirola lo ha vuelto a hacer e instaló arte público barato y espantoso. Nuestra plaza cercana fue dedicada nuevamente hace unos años a un local muy respetado llamado Pedro Cuevas, quien fue concejal y vicealcalde de Los Boliches (nuestro barrio) durante muchos años. Eso fue un alivio ya que la plaza fue diseñada y construida originalmente por un estafador (actualmente en prisión) quien la llamó Plaza San Rafael en honor a sí mismo (la parte de Rafael; no era un santo y era conocido comúnmente como El Pirata). Era un diseño pobre con una columna muy alta coronada por una estatua de San Rafael que se parecía inquietantemente a Rafael el estafador. Haz clic aquí para ver mi post original sobre el estafador.
De todos modos, me alegró verlo rediseñado y dedicado de nuevo. Pero luego agregaron un busto de Pedro Cuevas y huellas de zapatos que salían de él (sin pista, sin explicación; tal vez el artista decidió huir). Es triste decirlo, pero la ciudad de Fuengirola necesita mucha ayuda con el arte público.
He estado durmiendo muchísimo, pero disfruté de una caminata de 4,8 km/3 millas a un ritmo decente bajo el calor de hoy de 86˚F (se siente como 90)/30˚C (se siente como 32) a última hora de la mañana. Mis medicamentos me hacen más sensible al sol, así que pensé que era lo más lejos que podía llegar. Pero tal vez estoy dando un giro. Un día de estos, todo esto será un recuerdo.
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• Visto desde la terraza la semana pasada. Me pareció una especie de barco de guerra. Se trata del “Alborán”, un barco de la Armada Española utilizado para realizar inspecciones pesqueras (labores de control y vigilancia de la pesca) y también para dar apoyo a la flota pesquera nacional (apoyo médico, soporte vital avanzado).
I can see what you’re saying about the art installation. meh. I’m not sure if passing by, I’d even notice it. But being at a shore locale that bike and surf rack combo is a genus idea. But the highlight of the post were those magnificent flowering trees….nature’s art!!!!
And I love olives!!! But you can hold the anchovies.
Mistress Borghese:
Those trees make me smile. We’ve got the pink mimosas all over and they’re magnificent. I like fresh anchovies (after living in Spain for all this time) but I don’t think I’d like oily anchovies stuffed in olives.
Now you can take up surfing or paddle boarding. Glad to hear about the nice long walk.
David:
I’m going to run down the street and buy my paddle board tomorrow (or the year after).
Boud here, envying anyone picking up anchovy stuffed olives at the checkout.
The artwork looks like a dictator’s idea of good. I wonder if the artist had heard about the statue of Queen Victoria in Manchester UK, where students painted footprints from her plinth to the gents toilet and back?
Boud:
I saw those tins of olives and I knew I wasn’t in Kansas anymore. I’ll try to find out the meaning of the stupid shoe prints!
Boud here, where’d my post go?? Maybe user error.
The artwork reminds me of a statue of Queen Victoria in Manchester UK, where students painted footprints from her plinth to the gents toilet and back.
Shut up, Boud, it was just slow in posting.
Oh, Boud, you made me laugh out loud!
It turns out you made San Geraldo laugh out loud, too!
Living in a landlocked province in a northern clime, I’ve never seen a surfboard rack before! Very cool.
Debra:
When we lived in San Diego, I had a staffer who arrived from Philadelphia. He immediately went out and bought a surfboard. He never learned to surf, but he felt it was important to add one to the rack outside his door.
Nice “art”?
I think a statue of The Boys in their cat tower would be more suitable.
And I kinda like the surfboard/bike rack.
Glad you’re easing back into the walks. i imagine it feels nice.
Bob:
I wish someone would create our cat art. The stuff they do here is usually embarrassing. Maybe it’s time for me to go around town and share pictures again. I love the surfboard/bike rack.
Oh, gee, I realized that I did not know the word for olive… I do, now!
I love seeing Moose and Dudo in their castle, and I’m glad that you are getting the rest to heal, while also getting in a good walk (even if you have been used to reallllllly good walks, 3 miles is great, in my mind).
Judy C:
Olive is also oliva, but aceituna is much more common here.
I love those blooming trees at the top. The bust isn’t too terrible, assuming Pedro really looked more or less like that, but yeah, what’s up with the footsteps? I guess sending the message that he has departed?
Your post title reminded me that in Argentina I ordered a pizza that included “aceitunas.” For some reason I was expecting tuna. I was quite surprised when olives showed up, but then I remembered that is indeed the Spanish word for olives (and related to the Arabic “zeitoon,” I believe).
Steve:
Oh, believe me, the bust is pretty terrible. And the material used is already decaying. Yeah, when we arrive here I knew olives as olivas (in California). It took just a little getting used to because tuna is, oddly, atun, which doesn’t sound very Spanish.
My heritage (Irish) makes me susceptible to the sun. Ha Ha Ha.
Sassybear:
Despite my easily tanned complexion and my apparently Semitic, Italian, and Iberian ancestry, I’ve done lots of damage over the years.
Looks like track shoes, so maybe someone is running.
Kirk:
Maybe Pedro ran from the awful memorial.
The design on those cans of olives is at the edge of Appropriation of Campbell’s design. Good idea on the dual usage rack. That is, so long as one doesn’t lose control of their very heavy surfboard and damage someone’s bike.
Shirley:
Maybe the olives came before the Campbell’s soup! (No, I doubt it.) The UC “C” is slightly different, so I don’t think a fight would hold up in court.
You had me at olives…. until you mentioned anchovies. Even pre-vegan that would not have appealed.
Kelly:
Until moving to Spain, I couldn’t even be in the same room as anchovies. So different here. But, still, I don’t think I’d liked tinned anchovies stuffed in tinned olives.
How strangely ironic that the bust of Cuevas has footsteps leading away when obviously the bust has no feet. Or legs either, for that matter.
I bet if you chopped and sauteed those anchovy olives in oil with garlic until the anchovies melted, it would be the base for a very nice sauce for pasta or chicken. Or chicken and pasta.
I just went out for a walk and couldn’t even do two miles. The heat is too much and the humidity is back up again. I felt like I was being sauteed in oil until I melted.
Ms. Moon Whose Brain Maybe Did Melt
Ms. Moonsigh:
If “I” chopped and sauteed??? Cooking?!? Surprisingly, the heat didn’t get to me this morning. But it was nothing like your heat.
I love olives. I love anchovies. I really do not like the two-in-one combo.
That bust is ugly – as Steve said, hopefully it’s an actual likeness, or else his family must be mightily pissed-off… Jx
PS I’ve never seen a pink mimosa tree before!
Jon:
Apparently, it’s also known as a Persian Silk Tree or Pink Silk Tree and is native to southwest and eastern Asia. We had one in our backyard when I was a kid. I just read it’s become invasive in the US. I never knew about yellow mimosas (acacias, native to southeastern Australia) until I was an adult. The pink ones are all over here. Fuengirola has streets lined with them.
I see (literally) what you mean about the art. I love olives, but not so much anchovies, so I would have to pass on that!
Michael:
I do wonder what the olives stuffed with anchovies taste like. I used to hate LOATHE anchovies but have grown to like fresh ones here. These seem like they would be what I was used to — oily and not fresh.
In honour of himself ( that made me laugh)
JanieJunebug:
He was a piece of work. I can’t believe how much he got away with. And I’m sure he’s got millions stashed offshore while he’s in prison. He, to me, is Spains version of Donald Trump. But he got put in his place!
I’ve never seen a surfboard rack either! Not too many surfers here in Canada’s interior, LOL! Though your photo doesn’t show it, the board owners must lock them to the rack somehow to prevent theft?
Dudo and Moose look unimpressed by the olives, anchovies, Spanish Navy and Pedro’s statue too, LOL!
Tundra Bunny:
I have a new photo of the locks and will share it tomorrow. Dudo and Moose aren’t impressed by anything that doesn’t directly relate to them.
I can’t figure out how the surfboards are held to the rack. No matter. I see now that I’m not the only one to pose this question.
Walt the Fourth:
I just took a couple of photos of that. Will share on my next blog post.
Love me some olives !!!
Urspo:
You’d be in heaven here.