Notes from Spain by Ben Curtis

While they are busy building enough new flats around Madrid to house the remaining few young professionals that still haven’t fled to the city from the economically depressed provinces, there are a remarkable number of empty flats here in the centre of the city. Half the shutters in the 6 floor building opposite ours are permanently down – a sure sign of an empty home – and no-one has lived next to, or below us, for as long as we have been here. There are a vast number of unoccupied flats in the centre of Madrid, a problem that is reflected in large cities all over Spain.

The local Catalan Government had decided to do something about the problem, and intends to charge the owners of such premises 9 Euros for every day that their flat remains empty (Spanish article in El Pais). The idea is to stimulate a completely stagnant rental market. I remember standing in queues of up to 40 people to see flats for rent in Madrid 6 years ago, and I doubt the situation has changed. Either you were Spanish and had a decent wage slip to show potential landlords, or you could forget it.

Last night I was speaking with Marina and a friend, Yolanda, about Spanish films and, in particular, the classic Jamon Jamon. Yolanda thought that it really went for the dark side of Spanish life (whorehouses, amateur bull taunting, violence), and Marina commented that Penelope Cruz, then 16, portrayed a strongly sexual role. My reaction was: “Typical Spanish film”.

Over the last few months we have seen several Spanish films including Princesas and Azul Oscuro Casi Negro. Princesas is a gritty drama about prostitutes in Madrid, and involves a lot of sex and violence. Azul Oscuro Casi Negro deals with a young flat-block porter, his disabled father, and the porter’s women. Both contain nudity and are essential harsh social reality pieces. Both are pretty good.

But my question is this, does anyone know any Spanish film that does not contain nudity (all be it the odd topless shot) somewhere in the film? (Even the comedies seem to have to show breasts in order to qualify as Spanish cinema…) Am I being unfair? Is this the same everywhere these days?

I can’t work out how interesting this story really is, but there is no doubt it says a lot about the path to fame in Spain. Be attractive, end up in an extraordinary situation, pose topless in Interviu, and there is no limit as to where you might end up.

Ana Marí­a Rí­os, 26, an unknown hairdresser from Pontevedra, Galicia, went on her honeymoon to Mexico in October last year, but was stopped as she attempted to fly home. Mexican customs officials claimed to have found ‘bullets’ and ‘detonators’ in her luggage, and she was looking at a lengthy spell in a Mexican jail. After 12 days of legal wrangling the case fell apart and she was released from her nightmare and allowed to return to Galicia.

I think everyone knew what was coming next. Quasi-fame Spain style. First she posed topless for trash gossip mag Interviu, next she published her (ghost-written) book recounting the experience, and now she is doing the TV circuit. Youtube clips abound (some not safe for work). How long will it last? That may depend on how astute she and her agent are. Is this a Spanish phenomenon or does fame work like this everywhere these days? And finally, how crucial to her present and continued success were the topless shots?

The BBC’s excellent ‘From our own correspondent’ has produced an interesting podcast on the Basque problem and the recent ETA bomb in Madrid. Audio download link. Text version here.

Michael John Creagh, a retired English army Colonel, is having a bit of trouble getting his motor on the road in Almeria. For some reason they won’t let him pass the ITV (UK equivalent = MOT). Apparently he can’t confirm the vehicle’s weight, but then, where do you weigh a Spartan Armoured Personnel Carrier? The full story in Spanish, and photos, can be found at Escolar.net

“Spanish Society doesn’t understand me,” says Michael… Well, we here at Notes from Spain do! Michael, if you are out there, get in touch and tell us your side of the story!