Signs and symbols and definitions of youth!

Symbols are strangely emotive things. People tend to get very agitated about them one way or another. Our friend Colin wrote in his blog  about the removal of symbols from the time of Franco's dictatorship of Spain. Well, here in Vigo, up in the Castro Park there stands a huge cross which has been the subject of quite some discussion over the last few years because it was erected during the dictatorship and is clearly one of those symbols that new laws have been trying to get rid of. This one is going to remain however. The Tribunal de Xusticia de Galicia has considered the matter and ruled that it is no longer "franquista" but simply a religious symbol. As such, it can give no insult to anyone and so it can remain standing. No doubt some people will still choose to be offended by it and will continue to daub it with paint from time to time. 

It always struck me as rather presumptuous of Franco's lot to take the cross of the Christian church and make it their own. But then, there always has been a tendency for certain kinds of rulers to believe that God is always on their side. Think of the divine right of kings, the Crusaders and the like. Think also of the furore that there was years ago when Prince Charles declared that when he becomes king he would like to be the Defender of All Faiths, rather the The Faith. All those who were offended by that suggestion are probably relieved to hear that Charles has changed his mind on that. Maybe he has finally reached the age of reason. 

As for the Franquistas and their appropriation of the cross, if you believe in such things you should now imagine St Peter clocking up the Sin of Pride against them up there at the Pearly Gates. Among other things! 

Reading a review of the classical music concert we went to the other night, I found out that if the under-35s go along to the ticket office of the ABanca venue half an hour before such a concert they can buy tickets for €5, which is very good value indeed for students of music or just young enthusiasts. I use the term "young" loosely and with some reservation, as I tend not to think of 35 as all that young. Of course, compared with 65+ it is very young indeed but I really don't feel that 35 year olds come into quite the same category as 20 year olds. Mind you, I long ago stopped being surprised at the Spanish habit of defining "young" as 18 to 30, or even 35 these days. The Italians do the same. Quite likely it is also the case in Greece. It must be a Southern European thing. Being young, and presumably irresponsible, goes on for longer in these countries. (It is also, of course, a concept understood by the organisers of sun sea, sand and silliness holidays. But even the 18-30 Holiday company appears to decide that past 30 you are a grown-up!) 

Outside the Mercadona supermarket next door to our block of flats, our regular beggar was back yesterday morning. I have not seen hide nor hair of her all week. Does she have a job after all and thus can only supplement her income on a Saturday? Or is she really canny and works out that there will be more shoppers on a Saturday morning than on other days of the week? Whatever the reason for her absence all week, she was there yesterday morning and was very pleased to see me. All smiles, she spoke to me in a normal voice to tell me she was glad I was back (naturally, as I am one of her sources of income!) but gradually slipping into her almost professional beggar's whine to tell me that she is very poor and does not even have a gas bottle to be able to cook food for her little boy and cannot buy him nice shoes and clothes to go to school and so on and on and on. 

I pressed a coin into her hand, turned down her offer to carry my shopping and went on my way. I must get to the supermarket earlier in future!