
We're back from our honeymoon! We've got plenty of wedding and honeymoon photos to share, but first we've got to get some of the pre-wedding family visit / birthday photos out of the way. My father has written up a much better explanation of events than my blurred memory could give you, so I won't do much explaining here, and share his story soon. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-birthday-photos/1808345964_1b745ed818_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4821">
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My father, Paul, contemplating the fishing boats in Colindres' harbor.

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On a walk in Colindres, my godfather, Tom, explains something to my Aunt Diane and cousin Olivia.

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A mixed fish platter we ordered in a restaurant in Laredo.

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Dining in Laredo with the family.

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A birthday present from Aunt Marga.

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It came in a weird little box that wasn't obvious how to open.

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_Now_ I know what it is!

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Some beautiful cuff links with "E R" engraved on them.

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One, two, three, four....twenty-eight, twenty-nine!

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Enjoying being the center of attention.

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Directing the Happy Birthday song in both languages. It was so cool to have both families with me on my birthday.

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Flames extinguished. What a metaphor for years lived, lost into the past.

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Later that evening, I found about 25 photos _just like this one_ of my sister-in-law, Belén and her boyfriend, Gorka, on my camera. That's what you get for leaving a digital camera lying around.

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This is a great picture of me and my new sister-in-law.

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Later that evening in Bar Arrasate, a nicely painted bar in Mondragon. We entered at a non-bar hour and had the place more or less to ourselves. Nothing like a group of yanks to make a pre-emptive strike, invasion, and prolonged occupation with no exit strategy.

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My mother, Betsy, and her two brothers, Jamie and Jack. My mother's not as drunk as she looks.

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It took a while to take drink orders, communicate them to the bartender, and take the drinks to the thirsty Americans. I learned that I have a severe lack of ability when it comes to being a waiter.

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Tomás, Juan, and Pablo, sitting on a bench in a Spanish social club, looking like they couldn't possibly belong anywhere else.

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Jacob, pretending to be a connoisseur of cognac.

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The irony here is that he used to date a girl named Brandy.

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John and Paul hit the moonshine.

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Back in my hotel room the night before the wedding, I find that my bride, either before or after she went to the emergency room because she was feeling ill, had left my suit and shoes in my room for me.

I don't really wear size 45, but I figured being a groom's shoes should be hard to fill. Ba-da-bum! I also got a kick out of the "Erick - Boda - 13 Octubre" scribbled on the box.

Whew! Now we're caught up to the moment before the wedding...


Birthday Photos


This is a "viewer generated content" post. I didn't take one single photo during my wedding. The first is my father's write-up of his trip. He has a tendency to write documents about his vacations. He gets it from his father-in-law. So I guess you can say that blogging runs in my family. The document is 11.5 MB, 31 pages, and full of wonderful pictures. It's nice to get an American opinion on the events, since my viewpoint is no longer completely naive to Spanish traditions. It's definitely worth a read.

[![Wedding in Spain](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1809412966_84a94172d6.jpg)](http://erikinspain.com/wedding.pdf)

Click on the image to download the document.

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  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1808601677_62f72ac36d.jpg" alt="Wedding Guests"/>
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This photo came from Jacob's camera, but he obviously didn't take it. Click to see identifying notes.

The following photos are by Liz Winfrey. Some of them are so good, I might try to see if I can get them to the wedding photographers to be included in the official album.

[![IMG_9786.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792273412_f9cce8194e.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792273412/)

Well-groomed groom.

[![IMG_9788.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1791450583_b37087582f.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1791450583/)

The groom's parents and grandmother. You can tell where my good looks come from.

[![IMG_9787.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1791440877_1d1639cdc8.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1791440877/)

[![IMG_9807.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1791640279_1f15ed62a9.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1791640279/)

Marga's father escorts her from the car, a spiffy Audi 8, to the church.

[![IMG_9799.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792400882_769c541f23.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792400882/)

Great wrought-iron shadow shot of the church entrance.

[![IMG_9804.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792443664_f6afa176de.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792443664/)

Aunt Marga helping place the rings and coins into the baskets for the kids to carry down the aisle.

[![IMG_9819.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1791767271_46aa633acf.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1791767271/)

Marga looking threateningly at the little demon-child that carried the rings while shouting, "This is no wedding! This is not a wedding!" He had to be removed from the church during the service. Whether or not he was executed with Godfather music playing as the priest was speaking, is, as of yet, unconfirmed.

[![IMG_9810.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1791672085_245b4fb8bc.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1791672085/)

My mother walked me down the aisle.

[![IMG_9811.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792528608_b2241d779a.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792528608/)

Continuing down the aisle, trying not to trip and fall.

[![IMG_9826.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792696942_afc0cc8bbc.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792696942/)

At the altar, barely visible around Hubber's big fat bald 'ploob-smuggling head.

[![IMG_9823.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792656434_e256228035.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792656434/)

The golden church was quite beautiful.

[![IMG_9842.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792080485_f799263bb9.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792080485/)

Awesome fish-eye action looking towards the rear of the church.

[![IMG_9841.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792910970_0362600c78.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792910970/)

Another nice fish-eye shot.

[![IMG_9844.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792104413_b7f37d60ee.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792104413/)

Marga's sister and cousin performed a Basque "Welcome" dance for us. Neither of the four of us could look at each other directly without crying.

[![IMG_9848.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792149623_ca85423761.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792149623/)

Streamers and rice.

[![IMG_9849.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1793006292_72cf30b905.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1793006292/)

[![IMG_9851.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1793028802_4e1fe00d65.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1793028802/)

Hey, who invited Uncle Ben!?

[![IMG_9853.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1793055268_607ff97d7f.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1793055268/)

[![IMG_9854.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1793068400_c24b46984e.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1793068400/)

Could any photo say "wedding" better than this one? Gorgeous!

[![IMG_9862.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792306015_23781816ba.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792306015/)

Every wedding has one of these children, I think.

[![IMG_9910.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1793631836_79d272e83f.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1793631836/)

Cake chopping. It was harder than it looks.

[![IMG_9918.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1792877041_da056b5d74.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1792877041/)

Husband and wife.

[![IMG_9937.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1793076883_9c728fdab0.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1793076883/)

Let the cigar smoking commence!

[![IMG_9951.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1794024984_a2e380758d.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1794024984/)

Puff puff.

[![IMG_9939.CR2](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1793935890_07de4cb005.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/1793935890/)

Some people make smoking look good. Rachel looks like she stepped out of a Bond movie.

All of Liz's photos are available for your perusal here: [thumbnails](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/sets/72157602766626912/) or [slideshow](http://www.flickr.com/photos/winfrey/sets/72157602766626912/show/)

And the following photos are from Hubbers:

[![Hubbers, Rach and Erik](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1717083038_3af3fcb9e1.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/hubbers/1717083038/)

Uh oh, the groom's been drinking.

[![Marga and Erik](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1717094632_6002daf0d8.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/hubbers/1717094632/)

Oh, wait, it's okay if the bride is pouring.

[![Erik and Marga get funky](https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-31-first-wedding-photos/1716273421_8cadd36d3a.jpg)](http://www.flickr.com/photos/hubbers/1716273421/)

And we danced all night....


First Wedding Photos


Just saying a quick "hola" from an Apple Store in a mall in Isla Margarita, Venezuela. We've got some great photos to share. Back soon!


In an Apple Store in Venezuela


For reasons that my regular readers will understand, this blog will be down for the remainder of October. Hopefully there will be some spectacular Caribbean beach photos to show you in November.


Going Silent


For years now, I've been told what a shame it was that I've been missing Maritxu (mar-EE-choo). Maritxu is a huge party in Mondragon held on the first Friday of October. Since moving to Spain 2.5 years ago, I've been out of the country for Maritxu in both 2005 ([golfing in Scotland](http://www.erik-rasmussen.com/scotland/2005/october/)) and 2006 ([New York City](/2006/10/10/destination-big-apple/)). Maritxu is a very young festival, by European standards. It began small in 1977 and has since grown to a size where people drive several hours to attend. This gist is this: everyone dresses very elegantly, as if they were going to a wedding. At a certain time in the evening, they gather in one corner of the town square and sing a song in Basque to a statue of the Virgin Mary on the corner of the central town church. Then the virgin performs a "miracle". Marce, my mother-in-law, told me that once the public water fountain next to the virgin started giving wine. Once, the virgin turned around in her little box and when she came back around, she was dressed like a bullfighter. Another time, 1000 peseta (6€) bills rained from the balconies above. Every year, it's something different. Then, in jubilation, the crowd sings, in Spanish, the wonderfully patriotic song, "Se quema Madrid" (see video below). The rest of the night (and I mean until the sun comes up) is spent partying in the bars and street, with everyone dressed very elegantly.

Marga explained that \-txu is an endearing diminutive suffix in Basque. So "Maritxu" is sort of like "Little Mary".

When we arrived in Mondragon, it was foggy and raining. We got dressed and went down to see the singing. Marce and I got there first, and she suggested that we get right up against the barrier to "see better". When Marga and Belén came a few minutes later, Belén told us that if we were that close, we'd almost certainly get hurt or burned by the fireworks. So we backed off. We ended up waiting there for 30-40 minutes while the street filled up with people.

I certainly wouldn't call myself agoraphobic, but I really dislike being in a situation when I'm physically pressed up against other people. My tolerance for this is particularly low when I'm stone cold sober, like I was on Friday night. To deal with my discomfort, I decided to watch and evaluate how uncomfortable everyone else was. No one likes being pushed. It was particularly interesting to watch someone trying to move from one place to another, thereby pushing other people around to make a path. From the person in motion, a compression wave of animosity would radiate out like the wake of a boat. Moving person pushes person A, who gets upset, but before they can get too upset, person B, who person A bumped into, starts bitching at person A for pushing them, but then they're interrupted by person C on the on their other side, etc. etc. etc. Everyone was really as miserable as I. In the front, there were some teenagers that thought it would be fun to annoy people and start what are called _avalanchas_, forcibly pushing people around just to annoy. See video below:

revver(424724)

This was the environment I was in when my colleague, Alan, called my cell phone from work. It's usually some kind of emergency when such a call is made, but I was unable to hear anything he said, and unable to do anything to help him even if I could. He described what he heard as, "It sounded like you were in a room of a thousand people who were told to scream as loud as they could." Pretty close.

Just before the event began, some Basque separatists used the opportunity to make a political statement. It's pretty annoying to have your presence somewhere be exploited to make it look like you support a cause that you don't. They knew there would be a crowd, so they took the opportunity to hold up posters saying "PSOE Facista". The [PSOE](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/PSOE) is the current governing party in Spain. They're the more liberal of the two main parties (the S and O stand for "socialist" and "workers"). I suppose from the point of view of separatists, the government you're trying to free yourself from would seem fascist. Everything is political in the Basque country. Apparently, earlier that day, there was a demonstration in Mondragon with police firing rubber bullets at the protesters. Glad we missed that.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512101133_11aaf7661e_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4795">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512101133_34b61b8231.jpg" alt="CIMG4795"/>
</a>

Belén told me that the sign reads, "We aren't all here." The photos are often seen around Mondragon. They are the ETA terrorists that are in prison for, well, terrorism. The shape is that of the Basque Country.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512112531_2b41a2fa8f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4797">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512112531_90ea142c00.jpg" alt="CIMG4797"/>
</a>

I remember when I first came to Mondragon. One of my first thoughts when in a packed bar looking around at people was, "So _this_ is why the Spaniards I knew in Denmark were so amazed by all the 'exotic' blond women!"

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512986566_44fb828589_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4800">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512986566_6b3dbb4f68.jpg" alt="CIMG4800"/>
</a>

Yep, not much difference between 21st century Spain and Nazi Germany. Dumbasses.

Finally, the event began. Marga and Belén assured me that normally the crowd sings better and more in sync with each other. This year, the "miracle" was extremely lame. They threw little postcard-sized pieces of construction paper, each with one of "the seven wonders of Mondragon", a list which included a bridge and a round-a-bout. After singing the regular song, you'll hear them singing:

> Madrid se quema, se quema Madrid, Madrid se quema, se quema Madrid, Madrid se quema, se quema Madrid, Se quema, se quema Madrid

"Se quema" means "burns". The rest you can figure out. Marga and family insist that the song is lighthearted and they don't really mean for Madrid to burn, but I think it's a little inappropriate. Even if it's supposedly not taken literally, the separatist cause is still being supported.

revver(424573)

After escaping the mob, Marga and I had to drive to the wedding restaurant to drop off a paper with information about table seating. When we returned, we found Belén and her friends. They had invited us to go up into the mountains with them to an old stone house that one of their families owns and have dinner. This is a fairly common practice. The food had been bought at a caterer and left in the house. When we got there, we warmed it up and had dinner. At 2:30 AM we returned to Mondragon and Marga and I decided to call it a night, since we had lots of wedding-based errands to run in the morning. Belén headed out for more.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512164163_31aa6e7970_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4805">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512164163_7d98bd840a.jpg" alt="CIMG4805"/>
</a>

Belén's friends cleaning up after dinner.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512152829_d6a3b9878d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4804">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512152829_153442f397.jpg" alt="CIMG4804"/>
</a>

Belén pretending to study at an old student's desk in the old house.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1513001498_a9fe7318d6_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4803">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1513001498_71e59c4479.jpg" alt="CIMG4803"/>
</a>

I loved this old radio. If you look closely, there are parts of the dial for various cities.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512178901_0cf790dc45_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4806">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512178901_c15a2e909a.jpg" alt="CIMG4806"/>
</a>

Part of the Maritxu experience is buying a piece of paper to wear around your neck that says "Maritxu 2007". I've seen these lying around Marga's folks house for years.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512188551_f7d00c40ae_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4810">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512188551_a8b30d5ff2.jpg" alt="CIMG4810"/>
</a>

And, as far as you know, it's a custom to untuck your shirt on one side.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512196033_c3b60b72b3_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4811">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512196033_412610735c.jpg" alt="CIMG4811"/>
</a>

Marga and Belén, back at Grandpa and Belén's house. I've seen several years' worth of Maritxu photos posed in this doorway.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512202773_9d64e4e53b_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4812">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1512202773_74e00ec3f5.jpg" alt="CIMG4812"/>
</a>

Ever since learning the word for it, Belén has stopped calling me by name and now calls me "brother-in-law" in English. It's cute for now.

In the end, I wasn't very impressed with this Maritxu festival, particularly after the years of build-up it received. According to Belén and Marga, we didn't really "do it right". You're supposed to go out for drinks early, not stand so close to the virgin, and party harder.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1513067330_5b387ad091_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4819">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1513067330_304ee0f514.jpg" alt="CIMG4819"/>
</a>

This dwarf lemon tree was at the flower shop where we're buying the wedding flowers. Pretty crazy, huh?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1513080470_910a5b704d_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4820">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-08-maritxu/1513080470_217f445cf7.jpg" alt="CIMG4820"/>
</a>

These string instruments made from leaves were in a nearby shop window.

The next morning we went to talk to the priest that will marry us. We got to the church at 11:00. We pushed on the door and walked inside. It was completely empty. There's something a little creepy about being in a space that large all alone. We went back to the street and called the priest.

> Marga: Sir, my name is Marga, we had agreed to meet at the church this morning. Priest: Oh, right. I forgot all about that. Marga: We're here now. When should we come back? Priest: How about 12:30? Is 12:30 okay with you? Marga \[very deferentially\]: Whenever is best for you, sir. Priest: Okay, let's make it 1:00.

From what I can tell from meeting the ones in Colindres and Mondragon, the priests in Spain have such a high level of job security that they have become incredibly lazy (isn't that a deadly sin?). This guy couldn't care less that I wasn't Spanish or Catholic. Hey, man, as long as you've got the paperwork done, I don't care who you are. He warned us that we'd better not be scamming him, like some Nigerians tried to do last year. It's always the Nigerians, isn't it? Apparently they have a marriage crime ring where you can rent a woman to come be your bride at a wedding to help falsify immigration papers. He rambled on about that for a while. In the end, the most important rules to him were those that, if not followed, would cause him extra time or work: 1) Be punctual. We have to be walking down the aisle at 13:00 sharp. 2) Tell people not to throw rice until you're way out into the plaza, so that he doesn't have to clean rice up from church property.

I have about 9 errands to do today. Two of them include getting my eyebrows and the car waxed.


Maritxu


We have purchased the gifts we will be giving to our male wedding guests. It should be a particularly nice gift for those guests coming from the United States, since it is something that they are prohibited from buying in or importing into the United States. This post has a soundtrack. Press play below before continuing.

ytaudio(fZOuJjjsjE0)

According to [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cigars#United_States_embargo_against_Cuba), on February 7, 1962, John F. Kennedy ordered his press secretary to obtain one thousand Cuban cigars. Upon the arrival of the cigars the next morning, Kennedy signed an embargo to prohibit the importation of Cuban cigars into the United States. As of 2007, the embargo remains in place. It's good to be [king](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lfGpVcdqeS0 "of Camelot!"), huh?

We had the option to get Dominican or Cuban cigars. I said that, from an American perspective, there was no doubt which one to choose. The Domincans are probably just as good, but there's nothing sweeter than forbidden fruit.

We ordered three boxes of 25. At the moment, we're expecting 100-105 wedding guests, half of which will be male, so we should have a few left over. I'm going to do my best to make sure that the Americans can smuggle a few extra back with them. According, once again, to Wikipedia, "small quantities \[of Cuban cigars\] can, in practice, be brought back without trouble from US Customs if the bands are removed prior to crossing".<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-forbidden-cuban-fruit/1485465651_2335e9d3b8_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cuban Cigars">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-forbidden-cuban-fruit/1485465651_a4c8575e9a.jpg" alt="Cuban Cigars"/>
</a>

Apparently "smoking can kill you". Why didn't anyone say anything?

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-forbidden-cuban-fruit/1485451673_440c41f542_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Cuban Cigars">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-forbidden-cuban-fruit/1485451673_11cbd54228.jpg" alt="Cuban Cigars"/>
</a>

The [Guantanamera](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guantanamera_%28cigar_brand%29) brand is named after the song you should be listening to. According to that Wikipedia page, they're the _el cheapo_ brand of machine-made cigars. Well, what'd you expect? It's not like this is a royal wedding.

I really enjoy the smell and flavor of cigar smoke. But the last time I tried smoking a cigar, I got dizzy and had to lie down for an hour. So I think I'll be abstaining during the wedding dinner when the cigars are being lit.


Forbidden Cuban Fruit


I'm normally not much of a hypochondriac. I tend to catch the common cold about three times a year, but not much else. But let me tell you, there's nothing like setting [a date](/wedding/) 14 months into the future where you have to be healthy and energetic and happy to make things start to go wrong. As the date has been approaching, I've become increasingly anxious about keeping my self healthy and unhurt. I have this fear that I'll [hurt myself doing something stupid](/2007/09/03/cactus-1-erik-0/) between now and then.

This summer, a virus ([HPV](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Human_papillomavirus)) that may have been lying dormant under my skin for up to a year, decided to attack me, resulting in **[a tumor!](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Papilloma)**

Warning - This post contains graphic images of foot tumors and frowns.

I went to several doctors and a local podiatrist that burned me with acid. It's quite a unique sensation watching a doctor with an eye-dropper putting drops on your foot that hurt like hell, fizzle, and cause smoke to rise from your bare foot. Not fun. To make a long story short, I spent most of the summer months limping because it hurt to put pressure on the right side of my right foot.

On a side note...it was hard for me to remember the word "Papilloma", the condition I had. I kept confusing it with "paloma" (pigeon). Finally, I learned to associate it with an overplayed reggaeton song that was popular here a few summers ago, called [Papi Chulo](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dhvm2mgj56g). After hearing it all summer, I finally discovered that "papi chulo" literally means "pimp daddy". Interesting...

Anyway, back to the gross medical stuff...

By the start of September, I was pretty desperate, so I went to a podiatrist in Mondragon that has helped several members of Marga's family with great success. It seemed a little ridiculous to drive 90 minutes each way for a 5 minute consult, but I didn't know what else to do. I've been to see this podiatrist three times now, always on weekday mornings, and it looks like she has finally cured me. I was there yesterday and she told me that, after scraping away the dead hard skin on the surface, she doesn't see any trace of the tumor and it looks like all new, healthy skin under there. Yay! Now I just have to hope the the strain of HPV that I had isn't the strain that causes cervical cancer.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-in-sickness-and-in-health/1483775902_54e146f3be_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Papilloma">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-in-sickness-and-in-health/1483775902_e9fcd17251.jpg" alt="Papilloma"/>
</a>

September 11, before effective treatment. Ow!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-in-sickness-and-in-health/1483794300_86121e9e48_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Papilloma">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-in-sickness-and-in-health/1483794300_42083f1eaa.jpg" alt="Papilloma"/>
</a>

September 19, during treatment. Why's it so big and ugly?? It still huuuuuurrrrttss!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-in-sickness-and-in-health/1483812390_328e609830_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Papilloma">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-04-in-sickness-and-in-health/1483812390_55d5be040d.jpg" alt="Papilloma"/>
</a>

October 3, after treatment. Yay!

With the deadline quickly approaching, I managed to catch a cold last week. I spent most of Saturday in bed trying to fight it off. I seem to have been successful, with only some sniffles and coughing remaining.

A few Mondays ago, Marga caught a stomach bug that literally knocked her flat on her back. Everything she ate for an entire day came right back up a few minutes later. She spent her time between lying flat on the bathroom floor and hugging the toilet. I've never seen her so miserable. I called the doctor and they said to bring her over right away...so that we could wait 15 minutes in the waiting room. The doc looked her over, gave her a shot, and, with all her medical school training, gave us a recipe for _lemonade_. I took her home, went out to buy some lemons, and made her a batch of low-sugar (aka. sour) lemonade according to the recipe. The next day she stayed home from work, and the day after she was good as new. Whew!

If we can just make it nine...more...days.....\[cough!\]


In Sickness and In Health


When I'm taking [a walk on a sunny day](/2007/09/28/colindres-de-arriba/), I often have that "Wow, that's beautiful! I should take a photo!" feeling. It almost never happens when I'm sitting here in my office chair. But it happened twice yesterday. <a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-from-my-office-chair/1479578368_b71f9fc340_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Sky and cranes in computer monitor">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-from-my-office-chair/1479578368_143f3d498c.jpg" alt="Sky and cranes in computer monitor"/>
</a>

The reflection of two construction cranes out the window behind me. The reflection was made in the plastic side of my [original 20" Apple Cinema Display](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Image:22acd.jpg).

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-from-my-office-chair/1478730409_4d84b8ba57_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Croatian desktop wallpaper">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-from-my-office-chair/1478730409_8ec46d77ff.jpg" alt="Croatian desktop wallpaper"/>
</a>

My glowing Macbook Pro with its new desktop wallpaper, a [photo](http://www.flickr.com/photos/isogloss/1468562884/) taken recently by [sgazzetti](http://www.isoglossia.com/) on holiday in KorÄula, Croatia. That is a seriously beautiful photo.

Notice my dust cover on my Macbook keyboard. Since I use an external keyboard, and I use the monitor of the Macbook as a secondary monitor, the keyboard has to be exposed all the time, without being used. It might as well be covered to prevent unnecessary dust build-up. I'm thinking about patenting my dust cover design. I might sell them for $9.99 each. $12.99 with a custom message printed on it. What do you think?


From My Office Chair


I miss [Altoids](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Altoids). I didn't really use them much when I was living in the US, but I bought a couple tins one time when leaving the States, and got kinda hooked on 'em. I've never seen Altoids for sale in Europe. What they do have here are [Fisherman's Friends](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fisherman%27s_Friend), which I would say are probably stronger than Altoids. Most of the flavors contain menthol and give your nerves that hypersensitive to cold feeling.

The other day, I was in the local tobacconist shop buying [some cigars](/2007/10/04/forbidden-cuban-fruit/) for my wedding guests, and I noticed they had a pretty extensive array of breath mints. (Makes sense, you stinky-mouthed smokers!) I saw an Altoids-sized tin and got a little excited. It turned out to be from another big player in the minty freshness word: tic tac ([officially styled in lowercase](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tic_tac_%28candy%29)). It'd been years since I bought some tic tacs, so I bought a tin. They were good. Sweet and not too strong. Since I'm used to the strong stuff, it was a little like cocaine to a heroin user: better than nothing, but a poor substitute.

What I thought was clever about their packaging, and motivated this post, was some sly usage of subliminal imagery. When you open the tin, there's this photo of an ideal clean, fresh, minty scene in the Alps. I bet you could put placebos in the tin and people would report a minty fresh feeling.

That was all. The tin is nice and sturdy like an Altoids tin, so much so that it's hard to throw away because it just seems so useful for storing stuff.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-subliminal-freshness/1475254225_209d483275_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tic Tac Tin">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-subliminal-freshness/1475254225_2c491f88d7.jpg" alt="Tic Tac Tin"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-subliminal-freshness/1476120870_3a56071f01_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Tic Tac Tin">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-03-subliminal-freshness/1476120870_da045612e3.jpg" alt="Tic Tac Tin"/>
</a>


Subliminal Freshness


The other day I walked Marga to work. On the way there, we passed a new flower shop, and one particular flower jumped out at both of us. We both stopped and looked more closely at it. It was the deepest crimson color. Marga said, "Perhaps you could buy this for me on the way back home..." I knew that she really meant "perhaps", and I really liked it as well. So, I stopped by the shop on the return trip and asked how much it cost. I was expecting it to be 15€ or so. Marga, when forced to guess later, said 12€. The actual price was 2.40€, so the decision to purchase was an easy one.

The shape of the "flower" reminds me of [Romanesco broccoli](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Romanesco_broccoli), the poster-child for the "fractals really occur in nature" crowd. The uneven surface adds to the "depth" of the color.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471892012_af5dad926a_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4651">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471892012_174eef8c36.jpg" alt="CIMG4651"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471039511_bd838a4b3f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4652">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471039511_ae79a15b84.jpg" alt="CIMG4652"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471900198_b5c529baff_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4653">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471900198_ae12ef3fa4.jpg" alt="CIMG4653"/>
</a>

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471901672_1298759ed7_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4656">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471901672_37a051e5e9.jpg" alt="CIMG4656"/>
</a>

My camera's auto-focus couldn't handle the uneven surface.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471049975_8e6f303e0c_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="CIMG4762.JPG">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-02-crimson-fractal/1471049975_ab5c2f8eaf.jpg" alt="CIMG4762.JPG"/>
</a>

Marga and I thought it was pretty funny that they had to tell us not to eat it, but it made more sense when I found out that Celosia are edible on [Wikipedia](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celosia).

From what I tell from the description of [fasciation](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fasciation), this plant might be a "cockscomb". Whatever it is, it's a pretty awe-inspiring color.


Crimson Fractal


In a Spanish wedding ceremony, the groom gives the bride 13 coins, called _arras_, to symbolize financial unity and that he now trusts her to carry his credit card without buying too many shoes. It's clearly a descendant of the traditional [dowry](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dowry). The jeweler that sold us our [wedding rings](/2007/09/24/alianzas/) threw in the arras for free. They are beautiful. Ours are from the Monarchs of Spain collection. I had no idea how hard it was to photograph gold coins. These are the best of several dozen attempts.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1468824188_7028424b2f_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Gold Arras 1">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1468824188_7b8c18873f.jpg" alt="Gold Arras 1"/>
</a>

I think I've got them more or less organized chronologically.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1468826936_09e7892269_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Gold Arras 2">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1468826936_b3203a676d.jpg" alt="Gold Arras 2"/>
</a>

Space invaders!

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1467974717_b8f0f29c35_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Gold Arras 3">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1467974717_609f591f38.jpg" alt="Gold Arras 3"/>
</a>

Trying to capture beautiful gold color.

<a href="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1468836562_1ff72cbefe_o_d.jpg" target="_blank" class="flickr-image" title="Gold Arras 4">
  <img src="https://d1js6qm6cshi0v.cloudfront.net/oldblog/2007-10-01-arras/1468836562_60f80fbecb.jpg" alt="Gold Arras 4"/>
</a>

Click on this image to see the notes of all the kings and queens represented.

I'll give you one guess and three choices to why there are 13 of them:

1. One for each state when the groom's country was founded.
2. The day of the month of the wedding.
3. Jesus and the apostles.

The idea is that they are used in the ceremony and then kept as a family heirloom, possibly to be used by offspring on their wedding day.


Arras


The INS is trying to make the questions on the immigration test less trivial and more relevant. Obviously, it need not be said that, of the 80% of Americans that can find the US on a map, probably 99% of them would fail this test. Turn over your test papers......NOW!

[THE TEST](http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/13442226/)

Okay, everyone put down your pencils!

According to NBC News, you have to get 80% or higher. I scored 90%, and on both that I missed, I selected the right answer first and then changed it. Oops.

Number 8 seems a little too hard. Do people really need to know the numbers of each amendment?

I'd be interested in knowing how my non-US-citizen readers scored. Don't feel bad if you fail. Can you imagine how all of us yanks would score on questions about _your_ country?


12 posts from October, 2007