tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post3110938081793729056..comments2024-03-29T05:29:57.536-04:00Comments on The DiploMad 2.0: Remembering the Bulls I Never Saw in Pamplona . . .DiploMadhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02316439950882822419noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-80108307336165335422015-07-16T14:29:19.533-04:002015-07-16T14:29:19.533-04:00A well-written vivid memoir, thanks much. I too wa...A well-written vivid memoir, thanks much. I too was in Spain around this time, in Sevilla...I loved it...so full of history and great art and passionate people...for some reason I visited the Giralda a lot...there was a great bookstore across the plaza...walking along the Guadalquivir...day trips to Granada...Italica...Costa del Sol...lots of beer drinking...great memories, thanks for posting my friend...Dex Quirehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06460141401009787503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-33770789039739449662015-07-10T10:56:36.640-04:002015-07-10T10:56:36.640-04:00Knew your wife was Spanish, but didn't know yo...Knew your wife was Spanish, but didn't know your family history. You know the Spanish government has just published the policy granting Spanish citizenship to descendants of expelled Jews (you)?<br /><br />I am currently WAEing at Embassy Madrid, a break from the retired life here. It is hotter than Hades....Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-6417092106374620112015-07-09T10:15:07.604-04:002015-07-09T10:15:07.604-04:00I remember reading Hemingway when I was a lad. Bo...I remember reading Hemingway when I was a lad. Bogus! Fake! Or as people say nowadays, inauthentic: I wasn't too surprised to find he'd been a KGB man.deariemenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-604385907484188102015-07-08T20:33:01.042-04:002015-07-08T20:33:01.042-04:00Hemingway--GROAN!
Yes, all through my youth I was...Hemingway--GROAN!<br /><br />Yes, all through my youth I was told what a wonderful, towering, absolutely stupendous writer he was; the great model of American prose. He was held up as a courageous example of picking out one's own path, blahblahblah. The more adventurous of us found he was also a rebel against a Christian upbringing, and that he ended up blowing his own brains out all over his study.<br /><br />When young, I read somewhere that he was the only American author to have his works tolerated in the Soviet Union. I'd already learned a few things about how a dictatorship worked, so that factoid intrigued me. Then, when I was middle-aged, I learned that Hemingway had actually tried to join the NKVD or whatever the Soviets had for a spy agency back then. He also was friendly with Castro and Co. down to the day they confiscated his house. Figures.<br /><br />The man was rough on his women, as egotistical as the day is long, a drunkard, and ultimately a suicide. Great role model for us, no?<br /><br />Your reminiscences of your grandmother also sound interesting. We don't hear much about the culture and ways of the Sephardim--who often get confused with all the Mizrahim, such as those Mustaribs who never spoke a word of Ladino. I've heard of Muslim families in the Maghreb who kept ancient keys as mementos of their expulsion; but your column was the first time I've heard of such a custom among Jews.<br /><br />You wouldn't have any notes on the Ladino language, by any chance, or was it already dying in your day?Kephahttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00999385775493831638noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-54470913068056382682015-07-08T18:24:44.985-04:002015-07-08T18:24:44.985-04:00Great column Bob, full of nostalgia. You should do...Great column Bob, full of nostalgia. You should do more like this, you obviously have a store of great memories you could share. Your comments about the little SEATs made me smile, they're practically indestructible and can be repaired with a hammer and chicken wire, just like FIAT 500s and (gasp) Trabants. The Spanish made great lightweight motorcycles too, perfect bikes for lazy exploring.Popular Frontnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-33915411106122290872015-07-08T17:17:17.803-04:002015-07-08T17:17:17.803-04:00Yes, I have never met Britons who fear the rain. T...Yes, I have never met Britons who fear the rain. They seem to ignore it, not even acknowledging its presence . .. I saw this during monsoons in Pakistan & Sri Lanka DiploMadhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02316439950882822419noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-86189587526045901452015-07-08T14:36:09.512-04:002015-07-08T14:36:09.512-04:00sorry.. this is the place where I whine about fore...sorry.. this is the place where I whine about foreign policy... media trying to provide Obama cover for his 'deal at any cost' with Iran policy..<br />http://www.vox.com/2015/7/8/8909333/iran-talks-fail-sanctions<br /><br />There is only *ONE* serious way to prevent Iran from getting nuclear weapons: Wipe out their oil producing infrastructure. It's never even talked about... all this crap of "if we bomb their nuclear facilities.. they'll just rebuild it... (with their oil money)"<br /><br />- reader #1482Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-40498974231188879002015-07-08T14:23:10.867-04:002015-07-08T14:23:10.867-04:00Great story. Puts my getting whacked by a CND sup...Great story. Puts my getting whacked by a CND supporter on 4th of July to shame. <br />Pat Pattersonhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13239278034499766418noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-2719212141830338532015-07-08T12:17:49.621-04:002015-07-08T12:17:49.621-04:00Quite a story. Thanks for sharing.Quite a story. Thanks for sharing.Bradhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/00272207550344418426noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-54314800992858006292015-07-08T10:45:21.388-04:002015-07-08T10:45:21.388-04:00"I love Spanish food (best in the world)...&q..."I love Spanish food (best in the world)..."<br /><br />With respect, I think the Italians get the title. The rest of us are vying for second place (not that there is anything wrong with that).AKMnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-28633029005062508742015-07-08T09:29:28.050-04:002015-07-08T09:29:28.050-04:00Great story! This time as much as the first time ...Great story! This time as much as the first time I read it! Thank you.Fhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06981706601001285694noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-20501502588921534542015-07-08T09:25:53.076-04:002015-07-08T09:25:53.076-04:00Let's hope Greece doesn't become like that...Let's hope Greece doesn't become like that.<br /><br />San Sebastian/Donostia has become a favourite spot for gastronomic weekends for Britons. They don't fear a bit of rain you see.deariemenoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-59929089755884127582015-07-08T06:02:14.282-04:002015-07-08T06:02:14.282-04:00Mr. Mad,
I was in Spain several times in the early...Mr. Mad,<br />I was in Spain several times in the early 70's, loved that place. Sometime I'll the story of riding the (express) train from St. Jeanne de Luz to Valencia with a train coach filled with nuns and 6 bottles of wine I bought out of the window at a station whose name I no longer remember. I remember the ETA back then. They had a knack of helping government officials park their cars on top of nearby buildings.<br />James the Lesser Jameshttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13642228725661059539noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-70167955149801259512015-07-08T03:34:19.111-04:002015-07-08T03:34:19.111-04:00I had to return. Simply had to.
If the firearm b...I had to return. Simply had to. <br /><br />If the firearm being reported as the one "Sanctuary" used on the San Francisco pier turns out to have its provenance as rumored ... <br /><br />Well then, maybe Federale's new picture (to me, I've not checked in for awhile) makes some weird kinda sense.<br /><br />http://federaleagent86.blogspot.com/Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1400985529434569506.post-6754166919921899252015-07-08T03:16:32.473-04:002015-07-08T03:16:32.473-04:00Just personally speaking bear in mind Diplomad Sir...Just personally speaking bear in mind Diplomad Sir but, given what "appears to be happening" all around in the here and now - I'm of the opinion you couldn't have picked a better post to re-post at this here particular time. <br /><br />I'll be keeping my musings about the "why just now" strictly to myself.<br /><br />Still ...<br /><br />Thank you very much Sir.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.com