Pam ...I just was reading about the Mummers and although the Mummers' Parade doesn't seem to have originated from pre-lent carnival celebrations, it looks like it's a great event in which everyone participates and where thousands of dollars are spent on costumes and elaborate outfits. Here they also need the sponsorship of large businesses and organizations to help pay for the costumes. Last night the election of the carnival queen for this island was held in the capital city of Santa Cruz, where the Philadephia Orchestra did play in the new auditorium on January 29 and 30. That's about a 40 minute drive across the island from the city where we live and I haven't been yet to any event there. The other city where the Philadelphia orchestra played was Las Palmas, on the neighbouring island of Gran Canaria. from the Tenerife auditorium schedule showing the listing of the Philadelphia orchestra. And of the new Tenerife auditorium where they played. It's located on the edge of the sea, is meant to look like a giant wave and is an amazing sight when lit up at night. It was designed by the Spanish architect from Valencia, Santiago Calatrava. But last night's event had 18 candidates wearing the most lavish outfits I've seen and I imagine that the YouTube video of that will be out in a couple of days. of last night's winning costume. If you look closely you can see the girl in the middle. LOL. Most of these outfits cost the same as a new car. Here's another queen candidate costume: ...and another from 2005: As the dancing groups are made up of local non-professional people, they have to train during the whole year: They even have a carnival queen contest for the senior citizen women....here referred to as 'the third age'..la tercera edad : I've put a few more photos from last night's TV queen gala with my notes over on my Tenerife blog. SharonCb Here is a link that might be useful: Tenerife Journal

Yes that Spain vs Italy would have been the semi-final Mitch. The winning goal against Germany was scored in minute 32 of the game which was the last quarter hour of the first part. I didn't see it as I went to a video conf I had with my brother (in Canada) on Skype and as he had his TV on he said Spain had already scored a goal. Well I saw the replays of that goal anyway LOL. Here's a pic of the flag out the window of the cockpit as the plane was landing in Madrid with the homecoming team. The plane was already on the ground when they opened the window LOL! And here's a short one minute video made by a Spanish TV channel on the link below, (has full screen option) showing the goal and the excitement afterwards. You can see the Spanish royal family, Queen Sofia (in a red suit) and King Juan Carlos (navy jacket & striped tie) jumping up in their excitement as well. SharonCb Here is a link that might be useful: Spain wins Eurocup 2008

Thanks all for your comments. Beverly, yes I was very surprised to see the emotions displayed there by the fishermen and their families...seen on TV...as they wept and hugged each other while the images were carried into the sea. Diana...the one thing you learn very quickly here is that black sand is burning hot on a sunny day, and impossible to cross with bare feet lol! Tricia....I'm looking forward to your photos of the celebration there. San Telmo is the patron saint of both Spanish and Portuguese fishermen so there are certainly similarities in this event. The flower petal carpets are made in the morning and walked on by the church procession in the evening of the same day, after which they are swept away, so there is no time for wind to disturb them. Thank you James....yes there are so many unique and interesting event celebrations that take place here. And the striking thing to me as a Canadian is that the beliefs are so firmly inrooted and the emotions are so sincere when the people here are celebrating their fiestas. There is no halfway involvement....they are fervent followers of their traditions. I'm nearly finished working on the photos of the flower carpets from last year. And I have a couple of videos with music showing the preparations. I'll be posting them soon. Here's another one that I like: SharonCb

Here's one of my favourite Spanish dishes - Although I have been making it for years the way a Spanish cook once showed me, this time I followed the preparation seen recently on a Spanish Cooking TV channel. Their ingredients included a small piece of or pork fat and a stewing chorizo (chorizo para guisar). If choosing a chorizo for this dish, be sure it is the right type which has the red pimiento colour. The small piece of tocino can be seen just to the right of the sprig of rosemary. Stewed Lentils (Lentejas Estofadas) 350 grams (1 1/2 cups) of small dark lentils - put them to soak the night before in water to cover 100 grams (3.5 oz) red stewing chorizo sausage - lightly pricked over with tines of a fork 50 grams (1.7 oz) salted tocino pork fat - cut into large diced pieces 1 TBSP flour 2 carrots diced fine 2 medium leeks, using only white stems sliced finely in rounds 1 lg clove garlic (this was optional but I wouldn't leave it out) - pass through garlic press 2 cups beef broth (I used 2 Knorr cubes) 1 bay leaf fresh rosemary - small sprig olive oil - about 1/4 cup 2 cups extra water to add after 1st hour 1. Soak lentils the NIGHT BEFORE in water to cover. * Note this if now often unnecessary with newer fast cooking lentils. 2. Next day drain and rinse lentils, put aside. 3. Heat olive oil in heavy cooking pot. When sizzling, add carrots, garlic and leeks. Lightly brown while stirring. 4. Add 1 TBSP flour and keep stirring for about a minute. 5. Add lentils, beef broth, whole chorizo, tocino, laurel and rosemary 6. Put on lid and simmer very gently for 1 1/2 - 2 hours. Check after 1st hour and add up to 2 more cups water as needed. 7. Adjust seasoning and serve. ***************************************** Lentil & Potato Potaje (Potaje de Lentejas y Patatas) 3 cups of presoaked lentils 4 medium potatoes - cut into large dice 2 slices of stale bread 3 cloves garlic vinegar salt Put lentils in large pot, cover with water and begin to boil. As soon as lentils have begun to cook do the following: In a frying pan with 1/2 inch of oil brown the garlic and then add the bread and fry until brown. Remove garlic before it's too dark. Put browned bread and garlic into a mortar and grind to a paste. During the early part of cooking the lentils add the paste from the mortar to the lentils together with the oil that's left in the pan After about half an hour and before lentils are tender, add the diced or quartered potatoes, salt and finish cooking until all is tender. Check and correct salt and a dash of vinegar before serving. Source: A cook friend from Mallorca. *************************************** LENTIL & VEGETABLE SOUP Ingredients: lentils - 250 grams (slightly over 1 cup) garlic - one whole head onion - 1 large - quartered Kasseler smoked pork chop - 1 large (or 250 grams other smoked pork or bacon) ham or pork bone as for making stock 4 medium carrots - sliced into coins 2 stalks celery - diced 5 medium potatoes - peeled and cut into 8ths 6 flowerettes of cauliflower green beans - handful sliced tomato puré - small 4 oz tin olive oil - 4 TBS fresh garden herbs: 1 bay leaf, several sprigs thyme, Italian flatleaf parsley 2 or 3 sprigs chicken stock 1 liter (4 cups) or water and 3 Knorr chicken stock cubes salt & fesh ground pepper water to cook lentils vinegar - 1 teasp garlic croutons - optional garnish Method: 1) Turn on oven to 350F. Put lentils in large heavy bottomed stew pot with water to cover plus about 2 inches, bring to boil and simmer 45 minutes. Check water level and add more as needed. 2) Meanwhile put whole head of garlic into shallow baking pan together with quartered onion, Kasseler or smoked pork and ham or pork bone, drizzle with olive oil and roast in oven at medium heat about 45 minutes. 3) Remove baking tray from oven when all is nicely browned and cut meat into small dice and add to lentil pot along with onion. Squeeze garlic from skin into lentil pot, adding ham/pork bone along with oil and juices scraped from roasting pan. 4) Add rest of vegetables to lentils, chicken stock (or water and stock cubes), tomato puré, fresh herbs and bay leaf, parsley - reserving one sprig, fresh ground pepper. Bring to boil and simmer about 1 hour until vegetables are done, adding more water if needed. 5) When vegetables are tender, remove ham/pork bones and any bare thyme stems from pot, check for flavour and add salt as needed. Add vinegar and stir. 6) Serve with a bit of chopped parsley and more fresh ground pepper. Homemade garlic croutons are also nice as a garnish. Source: Recipe as I learned from a Mallorquin housewife years ago. ******************************* Lentil Purée Convert leftover stewed lentils into a delicious purée by putting them into a food processor and adding the following: 1 1/2 cups of chicken broth 2 lg cloves of garlic crushed and browned in 1/4 cup oil in small frypan 2 slices brown bread broken in small pieces and fried in the garlicky oil until brown Processed the above until smooth and then heat it gently. Dice more pieces of brown bread and toasted them in the frying pan with oil and garlic salt for the croutons. SharonCb