by Martin Quinn.

Does anyone remember the classic Colombian football lineup of the 1990s? Of course you do and not least for their flamboyant style, along with their fantastic ability. We had Carlos Valderrama’s unforgettable Sideshow Bob/palm tree haircut. Or the demented antics of René Higuita, the scorpion-kicking goalie with a dodgy perm. Colombian football fans still remember proudly their national selection from those days when the beautiful game took their minds off, and occassionally kept their minds on, the country’s problems.

It’s 6PM in Pereira and it’s already getting dark, which is kind of strange for me as we’re somewhere in the middle of summer. We’re in the local Olympic stadium tonight, Estadio Hernán Ramírez Villegas, which holds about 30,000 people, to see Deportivo Pereira play Santa Fe. It’s a fairly basic, openair venue, with a nice view of the mountains. It’s adorned in the national colours of yellow, blue and red though it still looks as if it could do with a lick of paint, like a few other things in the city. Behind us are little booths containing commentators so I’m sure I’ll get my ears busted if somebody scores a ¡¡¡Góóóóóóóóólllllllllllllllllllllll!!!, though the aeroplanes flying over us from the nearby airport are doing a good job of this already. The eccentricity of many of its characters is what really lights up the game of football and South America is the home of the wild and the weird when it comes to soccer.

Deportivo were formed in the 1940s and play in red and yellow. I’ve seen the shirt being sported by city locals all day and the team’s crest is graffittied all around town. Unfortunately they generally don’t do well in the League and have never won anything, apart from the Second Division back in 2000. Behind the goals on our right are the ferocious Ultras of the local team. “So are they on the Left or the Right?” I ask Hector, my local soccer buddy. “They’re right-wing but just a bunch of kids” he replies. The game has started and after ten minutes some players are substituted for Santa Fe. “Very early substitutions, sí?” I say in awful Spanish but Hector reckons it’s to do with the altitude. Some of the players from places further from the ionosphere find it tough going playing in the mountains.

Pereira is over 1,400 metres above sea level, a high elevation that can seriously affect a player’s fitness if they normally play at a lower altitude. The main cities of several South American nations are way up in the mountains, giving Andean teams like Ecuador, Colombia and Bolivia a home advantage. A few Argentinians were calling for Diego Maradona’s sacking as manager a while back after Bolivia gave the Argies a 6-1 spanking followed by Ecuador beating them 2-0 on their respective home patches. The elevation factor was an excuse put forward to save dear old Diego, though Colombia gave them a run for their money in Argentina.

I’m just thinking that putting Maradona in charge is like making your national hero national manager. Only Eva Perón or Che Guevara might have done a better job. At the moment Pereira have the run of play and they’ve some very skilful players. Apparently they’ve a strong home record and are putting on a good game of footie for the fans tonight. There’s guys and girls walking about the stand selling empanadas, cigarettes and drinks but the beer man is nowhere to be seen so I’m not interested. I had a burger earlier which was about as tasty as the pies in the old version of Celtic Park, which weren’t very nice, so I’m not attempting any more stadium food. There’s about 10,000 here tonight, including about 200 of Santa Fes’ supporters, down from Bogotá to cheer on one of Colombia’s more successful teams, having won the League six times.

At half-time we go for a walk and meet a few of the other fans. A friendly lot, but still heartbreakingly difficult to communicate with, due to my horrifyingly bad comprehension of Spanish. I talk, they reply, I look confused, they look at each other and shrug. Higuita signed for their team last year at the ripe old age of 41, but he doesn’t seem to be there now. The wacky world of René Higuita is a reminder of the “glory days” of narcotraffiking. He spent a few months in the slammer in the 1990s for acting as a go-between in a dispute between Pablo Escobar and a rival cartel. Apparently now he wants to get politically active but, if his infamous lapses in concentration follow him into the muddy world of politics, he could end up sparking off a war with Venezuela or even the US, depending on his political leanings.

The second half sees a few substitutions for Deportivo. They’re good on the ball and nice, fluid passers. They drive forward very much and Santa Fe nearly catch them on the counterattack a time or two, but for a fantastic goalie. With all the pressure though, Pereira should be two or three up but they don’t seem to be in luck today. The keeper comes out to hoof one final free kick up the park but it’s all over. 0-0, though the home team deserved more. Outside the stadium, I see a truckload of soldiers who were watching the game, roaring their heads off as they drive away. A little shellshock after to many firefights with the guerrillas in the jungle I diagnose, though any uniforms I saw during the match were fairly passive, unlike some of the potty-mouthed local kids who weren’t afraid to tell the ref, or the scary-looking cops at the sideline, what they thought of them.

World Cup ‘94 should have been the national side’s greatest moment but ended up a nightmare. The Colombians had annihilated Argentina 5-0 in the qualifiers after ending a 30-game unbeaten run by the Argentinians with an earlier 2-1 victory. No less than Pelé was putting them forward to win. But the dark world of drug cartels reared its head and Higuita had already been ruled unfit, due to his stint inside for his dodgy dealings. Rumours circulated that there was cartel interference in team selection and the players looked worried. They lost their first two games, eliminating themselves. The second defeat, against the USA was helped by Andreas Escobar’s infamous own goal. The Gentleman of Football was gunned down two weeks later in Medellín by a killer who apparently shouted ¡Gol! twelve times for each bullet fired. The killing was thought to have been a cartel-inspired punishment due to heavy betting, and subsequent heavy losses, by drug lords. Escobar has near-saintly status now in the country.

The fans still remember these sometimes-dark, sometimes-glorious days and hope remains for Colombia’s qualification for World Cup 2010. Their next qualifier is against Ecuador on September 5th in Medellín, when we’re visiting the city, so fingers crossed we get tickets to see one of the most flamboyant sides in world football.

by Martin Quinn.

Cocora was an Indian princess of the Quimbaya, the tribe local to this part of Colombia that I find myself in. They were supposedly a fearsome bunch in their heyday and expert goldsmiths. Most people in the provinces of Quindío, Risaralda and Caldas have some Quimbayan ancestry and their symbols are to be seen everywhere here. In gift shops, place names and the people’s complexions, a rich native history lives on strongly here.

The princess is remembered in the present day in the name of Cocora Valley, a nature reserve within a broader national park known as Parque Nacional de Los Nevados. The valley is about a mile above sea level and notable for its palm trees. The Wax Palm is a sight to see in that it can reach heights of 60 metres though it looks as if 30 metres is the average. When we arrive, I’m struck by the separate shape of the palms, which sit within, but are outnumbered, by the rest of the trees. To look at them, some of the hillsides have obviously been cleared of trees but the Wax Palms have been left alone, leaving some standing alone and others sticking their heads high out of the forests. In the distance, they look a little like insects stuck on the top of poles. The trees are endangered through their use in the manufacture of candles in the country’s pre-electricity days. The leaves were also used heavily for Palm Sunday celebrations. Luckily enough, the area was eventually made a sanctuary to protect the tree and the Wax Palm became a national symbol in 1985.

The workers here are very friendly and helpful, filling us in with information and running over to us with umbrellas after we emerge from having a trout dinner in one of the restaurants. You can camp, fish and go horseriding in the park and there are several restaurants along with little giftshops. It’s a nice way to spend a few hours and in spite of the rain, which is more or less daily, you couldn’t leave the place in damp spirits. The road in and out is bumpy so drinking a beer almost costs me a few of my top row but eventually we’re on the road again and back home, to Pereira.

One of the things I don’t like about living in Madrid is the distance from the sea. Being from an island and living so close to the ocean kind of connects you to it so eventually you miss it when it’s not there, close at hand. But one thing that this South American trip has taught me is an appreciation of the mountains. You can cleanse yourself of the city and its noise with a few hours halfway up a mountain. So when I get back, it’s straight to Navacerrada!

by Martin Quinn.

One thing you’ll notice about Colombia, if you ever take the great pleasure of visiting it, is the palm trees. They’re everywhere. They stick out from all the other vegetation giving the place a feeling of the exotic nestled within the more ordinary. I used to think they were confined to very hot climates but no, the type you see here doesn’t crave the sun as much as their cousins, and the northern European tourists, in the south of Spain.

Today, we’re off on a road trip to the neighbouring province of Quindío. Its capital is Armenia, which I remember from the news a few years back when there was an earthquake. The hilly countryside seems more peaceful today so I settle back with a beer. We drive out of Pereira, where we’re staying and pass a series of motels. Apparently they’re “Love Hotels” where casual partners can spend a few hours discussing whether President Uribe has brought stability, amongst other things. I’ve heard of these places before but I thought they were confined to Japan, not Catholic Colombia.

A little later, a ramshackle hotel on a hill is pointed out to me and its former glories are described. La Posada Alemana was once an elegant place and owned by the infamous Carlos Lehder. Lehder was the co-founder of the Medellín Cartel along with the even more infamous Pablo Escobar. Currently, he is thought to be in the rather less extravagant surroundings of a US prison though his exact whereabouts are unknown. A protected witness because of his cooperation with US authorities against former Panamanian dictator Manuel Noriega, it is thought that Lehder will be a free man soon, if not already. The hotel’s history is a testimony to these heady and decadent days. In its heyday, the hotel was equipped with a helicopter pad and adorned with a large bronze statue of John Lennon. A favourite haunt of Colombia’s upper class, its location is beautiful, on a high perch, snuggled beneath the Andean peaks.

It’s interesting to see places of significance to the country’s sometimes macabre history and we are reminded of the struggle between government and guerrillas a little on up the road. Two soldiers, the pillion man tooled up with an assault rifle, are riding on a motorbike in front of us while we are driving along windy roads as we enter the department of Quindio. There are a lot of checkpoints but the Colombian army leave us alone and wave us by, if they’re not just waving out of courtesy. The soldiers look VERY young, maybe 18 years old on average and not up for much of a fight. There is a strong security presence due to the tourist element in this part and my girlfriend tells me as we enter our first stop, the village of Salento, that there was a guerrilla attack on the police here about 10 years ago, copperfastening the security situation.

Salento is a lovely wee place. It has a large central square with a church as pride of place and marquee restaurants dotted around it. Full of tourist gift shops, pool halls and cafeterías, I keep hearing the mini-courtesy of “mucho gusto” repeated when we are attended by the shop folk. “Muy amable”, I thinks. We then prepare for a climb up a staircase almost as steep as the steps at Minas Morgul which the Hobbits and Gollum ascend as they enter Mordor in the Lord of the Rings. These steps though, feature the Stations of the Cross and the top boasts a large crucifix, along with a hippy salesman, a few kiteflyers and a few more soldiers.

If you ever visit the Andes, make sure you find a nice medium-sized peak to get the full effect. We are surrounded by mountains, the forest-covered peaks towering high and the valleys sweeping low. Waterfalls descend the hills and a large river, probably the former home of our lunch, works its way through the glen. This place reminds me of Ireland, only on a grand scale, and the rainy climate caused by the eastern Pacific winds hitting the mountain peaks ensure a very Irish greenness. It’s a cloudy day and the valleys are partially filled with fog as the peaks have clouds dragging off them. It makes me feel very much at home but amazed at a majestic place I’d only ever read about. Another similarity with the Oul’ Sod are the sometimes bad-quality roads experienced in Ireland’s west. I don’t care about the occassionally bumpy ride as the girlfriend’s sister has driven to the top, sparing us the walk and bringing us further on.

Before though, a salesman persuades us into buying a glass of Canelaso. A mixture of passion fruit, sugar cane, cinnamon, aromatic herbs and a nip of brandy, it helps to scare away the cold my South American buddies seem to be experiencing. I’m quite warm myself and the fact that we’re a mile up a mountain doesn’t register. We get into the car and head for the valley of the Indian princess and the palm trees, the national symbol and an amazing sight to behold…

by Martin Quinn.

Madrid, Spain. August the 14th. 3.30PM…Where is everybody? Walking down the street, you would be forgiven for half-expecting Charlton Heston to come sprinting past you screaming, chased by a gang of zombies. But The Omega Man it isn’t, it’s just that anybody wise has ducked out of the Castilian sunshine and gone to the beach. Unfortunately, being stuck in the middle of a recession has left a few of us guiri English teachers stuck in the middle of Spain with no money, no classes and no factor 50+ sunblock.

Not me though. I just have to hold out to Saturday and I’m off to Colombia in what could only be described as an “alternative” holiday. It’s my first time outside of Europe so it definitely beats rainy July days in County Donegal, my former holiday of choice. Luckily I’m going with the missus and staying with her family for the month so I don’t have to pay for accomodation or tourguides. Packing, as always, has proven to be a pain in the proverbial and the prospect of a twelve-hour flight to Bogotá, followed by another flight to the better half’s home town of Pereira is also less than looked forward to.

Still, I’m not complaining. What a country! I’ve been told that it’s quite similar to Ireland in that it’s a very green and lush place though, being so vast, it has a variation of climates. These range from hot and rainy in the north, on the Caribbean coast to hot and rainy in the south, in the Amazon Basin. Oh, and the bit in the middle, which is variable and contains desert, savanna and mountain ranges. We’ll be in the west, in the Andes which contains several different climate zones ranging from permanently snow-covered peaks to sierra with more moderate temperatures. At the moment, we’ve planned to stay in the cities of Pereira and Medellín though a trip to the Caribbean resort of Cartagena de Indias is in the pipeline also.

Colombia hasn’t been without its problems but, coming from Northern Ireland, I maybe understand a little better than many that this is no reason to fear visiting the place. There is a problem in sections of the country between the government and guerrillas and Colombia has gained a bit of a reputation because of the drug trade. Having said that, as long as you are aware of your surroundings and you tread carefully, there shouldn’t be a problem anywhere you go. The country’s problems are also confined to areas where you generally wouldn’t have to be, provided your name isn’t Tarzan. The cities are safe and rich in an extremely diverse culture that includes Native, Spanish and African influences.

The country gained independence from Spain in 1819 thanks to a bloke called Bolivar. You can see a statue of the great Simón here in Madrid, in Parque del Oueste and he is regarded as being the liberator of half of South America from colonialism. However, had the heroic Venezuelan attempted this sort of thing closer to the present, I reckon he would have been described by the press as a “fanatical left-wing dictator”. (I’d love to see the king’s face if they ever put a statue of Hugo Chavéz up in Retiro Park!)

So, all in all, the only thing I’m really worried about when I go to this fine country is meeting the in-laws for the first time. Watch this space, more to follow…

by Isaure Cointreau

For the fiftieth anniversary the bi-annual Cibeles Fashion week will stage once again Spain’s greatest designers. Between the 18th and the 22nd the show will be on at the Feria de Madrid while a special edition of the show will be presented to mark the 25th year of the event.

The IFEMA will be showing off some new features launching and promoting Spanish Fashion as a whole. While announcing the return of Adolfo Dominguez and Roberto Verino on the Madrid catwalk, could there be more? The Cibeles stage will be awaiting the work of fifty six designers, and to that number we would have to add another thirty five who will present their collection in the EL EGO showroom featuring direct sales to the public.

However on the 21st the Feria will pay a huge tribute to a great Spanish fashion master Elio Berhanyer, who just celebrated his eightieth birthday this year. This September edition will also fire the most outstanding Spanish models such as Tammy, Natalia lopez, Esmeralda Martin and Irene Jimenez.

An event to look forward to.

by Isaure Cointreau

From now on until the 30th of October the Casa Asia of Madrid has inaugurated a fabulous exhibition portraying China from its early communist years until now. Through a brilliant selection of photos and documentaries China will have no secrets for you.

The history of this country is one that the world has forgotten to acknowledge stopping at the red flag and leaving a shadow behind it. However the Casa Asia sheds some light upon the subject throughout a short but very well laid out exhibit.

All that is presented can be seen as a real archive or document that retraces what has happened, what was there and who were these people who fought for an ideal, linking the past to the present. It is about the story of a country and the people behind it, who have now become authentic symbols of history. Although it is a long tryptique, I would recommend any visitor to sit in the leather couches and watch the documentary that is showing.

The pictures have been collected during four years of research by the curator Liu Heungshing. The aim of the exhibition is therefore to document through shots, either of private or public life, the grand political moments of China from 1949 to 2008.

by Isaure Cointreau

At the center for contemporanean art, the last play of F. Garcia Lorca will be performed with two leading ladies of the Spanish theatre. The Matadero center will be enjoying the performance of Nuria Espert and Rosa Maria Sarda in “La casa de Bernarda Alba”.

They will star in this famous theatrical tragedy about the mourning of a husband. Bernarda Alba is the main character and as she suffers being a widow she demands that her daughters do not leave the house to pay homage to their long gone father.

Lorca had written this rural drama in 1936 wishing to denounce the Spanish traditionalist society. Therefore the story is set in Andalusia. Bernarda is tyrannical imposing eight years of sequestration upon her five daughters and two servants. All women in the cast, none of them hardly knew any man. Angustia is the only one who got engaged before this tragic fate, but Adela the youngest secretly meets the fiancé. This little twist is what leads the story.

What is this really about? To be sure it has a hidden purpose in the lines written by the famous playwright and poet, aiming for a severe criticism of moral and religious prejudices.

Therefore from the 10th of September until the 25th of October you will be able to meet with the finesse of Lorca and the wonderful act of N. Espert and R. M. Sarda. Enjoy!

by Isaure Cointreau

La Noche en Blanco’s fourth edition is a night everyone can be looking forward to. From 9 O’clock PM to the very early hour of 7 AM Madrid will be filled with music, theatre representations and art exhibits. On one night the day will see no end giving you no reason whatsoever to go to sleep.

This concept of gathering people around the arts through different genres of activities and entertainment is spreading throughout Europe as the white night has been adopted in several capital cities such as Paris, Rome, Brussels, Riga and Bucharest.

As a public and completely free of charge Festival, one can expect Madrid to steel New York’s appellation for a night as in the “city that never sleeps”. Around a million and a half are expected to walk down the capital’s street so prepare yourself to have a good time on the town.

There will be 295 performing artists participating at 172 different activities following one central theme of “the gift”. The center will be overthrowned by the festival’s lights and leisure around locations such as Tirso de Molina, Plaza de Chamberi and el Rio Manzanares . However one has to be aware of the fact that the activities have been divided into four zones. Center, North, South and College perimeter are where they are spread out so check out the shows that will take over you neighborhood.

On the 19th of September prepare yourself for a night trip you will never forget. Sharing Art and contempory performances with Madrilenians, what else?

by Isaure Cointreau

Watch out, this show could slip through your hands without you noticing it, though what a shame it would be! The illustrious Bolshoi Ballet will be in the capital of Spain for six night performances at the Teatro Real. One can be sure that it will be an incredible experience.

The fact that it is the Bolshoi Ballet performing from the 5th until the 10th of September makes a big difference. Not only does the name refer to a historical muscovite theatre, it is also a reference to the oldest and greatest ballet and opera companies of the world. Therefore, as the chosen piece for the opening season Spartacus will be playing in Madrid.

This Ballet was launched in Moscow in 1968 and forty years later it has its place among the classic and most vibrant pieces of the Russian masterpieces known worldwide. While Yuri Barlaka pulls the strings of the show, the Teatro Real’s stage will set us in ancient Rome where Spartacus leads all the slaves of the Roman Empire into rebellion. Grigorovich’s choreography is known for its extraordinary dynamism and with moments such as the “pas de deux” of Frigia and Espartaco, one can expect to be swept away.

This is one of September’s hot shows and one not to miss. Indulge yourself with Spartacus’s beauty and ideaology, the Russian company’s grace and thrilling rhythm will set you free.

by Isaure Cointreau

A little science if you please?
Celebrating the scientist’s bicentenary, as well as the 150th anniversary of the publication of the once most outraging book ‘The origin of species’, the Museo Nacional de Ciencias Naturales is having from now on until next January an exhibition on the work of Charles Darwin.

Shedding some light upon the life on earth and therefore reestablishing truth upon our knowledge of nature, genetics and human history, Darwin published a theory he knew would feel as a revolutionary earthquake. As Copernico discovered earth was not the center of the universe, Darwin discovered that we were all animals and every living thing was once somewhat related. Adam and Eve were there dethroned from their explanatory position upon the subject of the human race, and genetics made their way.

Today we all know that our cousins are monkeys and that worldwide we are one big family, however lets not forget that the one responsible for this understanding is Mr Darwin himself. Another fact that he had proven during his career was that of the natural selection. Only the strongest would survive.

The exhition illustrates the life of this geologist, naturalist, and thinker of the 19th century, throughout which we can find parallels to other scientists. Therefore the exhibit is organized into four main sections as in the historical scientific context, Darwin’s precursors, Darwin’s history and discoveries, and Darwinism in Spain. A rich program for a well displayed show of explanations upon the evolution of nature and life on Earth.
This is one not to miss.