Spain are the Eurocup's champions

Spain's national football team beat Germany's last night in the European Cup's final. Fernando Torres with the assistance of Xavi mastered the winning goal and Iker Casillas as captain lifted the trophy to release the ecstasis of 50 million people.

Spain are the European champions for the second time; Spain's other European title was won 1964 after defeating the Soviet Union in the final. Spain also awarded the gold medal in football in the 1992 Olympic Games in Barcelona; Kiko, born in my hometown Jerez de la Frontera, scored the winning goal.

Spain will remember this squad for a long time:

Casillas, Ramos, Puyol, Marchena, Capdevilla, Senna, Iniesta, Xavi, Villa o Fábregas, Silva y Torres

I watched the match in the Texas Embassy, a London restaurant near Trafalgar Square, since I couldn't get into Haymarket's Sports Café due to overbooking. Afterwards I celebrated it in Piccadilly and Trafalgar Square.It was emotional to see hundreds of Spaniards hailing the Nation and the national football team. I met people from ALL regions in Spain without exception. We share a common trajectory and we all feel that. It was a great evening.

Viva España!

Love and freedom.

Un horizonte

Un horizonte
A oscuras y a lo lejos,
la recta difusa que rodea el infinito
surgido de un corte de diamante que cruza espejos;
donde convergen dos labios que murmuran agua y cielo,
la frontera perpetua, antesala de bastidores,
donde el solecito nace y la luna oculta
su alcoba coqueta;
donde los albatros callan y meditan,
y escupen el éter eterno.

Trama arriba de muros
que acaban en un suspiro
convencido y lúcido.
Bajo gritos con vida,
frente huidiza sin tomar medidas,
hay una escalera que lleva al cielo
y otra hacia el lugar donde todos mienten.
¿Subirás?¿Podrás subir?
Acepta un pitillo a mitad de camino,
nunca sobra una chupada de paz.
El mundo que nos mira desde un ojo de cristal
nos ve a través de algún cuerpo
que planea derribado entre flores de horchata.
Aquel cura comiendo solitario ante el mantel,
sé que nos criticaba.

Codiciado objetivo por piratas
de los siete mares feroces;
bisel profundo y mellado intermitentemente.
Mirilla fisgona del Dios más discreto de todos.
Aduana de almas que pagan el precio de ver la mar verde
o el cielo en celo sin motivo definido,
sin rabia concreta, hoy,
hacia Fantasía.

Sunshine in London

The sunshine came to London on Friday afternoon and has been with me all over the weekend. It came from the East and shone and faded after a cloud alternatively, but I loved it always. Someone wished me that the sun had filtered through and brightened up my day. In a way it has done. The darkness, however, smirks on sunset, when the sun leaves you and makes its way home to shine overseas. Football, booze and chocolate are the mates needed then. But as the saying goes, don’t cry when the sun sets, because the tears shall not let you see the stars.

***

"I think this is the beginning of a beautiful friendship", I told Reyes citing Casablanca’s memorable last line. That one from the scene where Captain Louis Renault invited Rick to a much-needed whisky shot whilst the roaring plane disappeared into the sky carrying her ... and her husband.


***

I have realised that I am a bit of a masochist.

Love and freedom.

Tiannamen's "tank-man"

Avenida de Changan de Pekín. Cinco de junio, 1989. Los tanques han aplastado la revuelta estudiantil en las últimas 48 horas y los hospitales están desbordados ante el número de heridos. Algunos han perdido las piernas, aplastadas bajo los tanques. La rebelión ha muerto para todo un pueblo, menos para él.

¿Quién es?

David Jiménez, Dónde está el "hombre-tanque" de Tiannamen? (El Mundo, 03/06/2008)

I was going to bed but this article in El Mundo deserves a mention.

Love and freedom. And thank you, my Chinese friend, wherever you are.

Carlos' wedding

I spent the whole last week relaxing in Jerez and being taken care of by my parents.

The excuse to go to Spain was to attend my friend Carlos' wedding. He is the first of my friends who is getting married. I must say that the event was quite fun: dancing, eating and drinking all along. The church celebration wasn’t as long as expected (it took about 1 hour and 15 minutes) and was amusing enough, with music, prayers and the usual anecdotes of a wedding. Carlos lost his nerve and forgot some memorised words (maybe for the first time in his life), precisely his wedding vow!! ("I, Carlos, take you, Blanca, to be my wife. I promise to be true to you in good times and in bad, in sickness and in health. I will love and honor you all the days of my life."). Later, Carlos and Blanca put each other the wrong rings and had to swiftly exchange them amidst the general giggle. Lastly, one of Blanca’s sisters, Pili, as she wished the couple well, called them "Blancos" y "Carla".

This year’s first half has been very relaxed work-wise as I’ve enjoyed almost 4 weeks of holidays and I have had to sit no exams. In relation to more personal matters, this year is not being easy, though. But I’ll cope with it.

Love and freedom.