Today is a very special day in Catalonia. It’s Sant
Jordi (Saint George), similar to Saint Valentine’s day but extensive to everybody.
In the schools, at work, at home, with friends… around are nice activities and,
of course, in the street the atmosphere it’s just different. The streets are crammed
with people looking at the stalls -decorated with the Catalan flag- and full of
books and roses, performances of Sant Jordi’s legend: he kills the dragon and
save the princess and from the dragon blood grow up a rose bush full of red
roses. And the tradition says that women are given away with a (red) rose and men with a
book… it’s a nice tradition, but I prefer not to choose, both: book and rose.
Today I’ve got my book and my rose, nice
presents from my sister: a lovely red rose muffin (a vegan muffin!!!) with a
book called Catedrals del vi (Wine cathedrals). It is an interesting book about the history of the
cooperative cellars in Catalonia. Most of these buildings are Modernist and
were built at the beginning of the XXth century by architects like Cèsar
Martinell (a disciple of Antoni Gaudí), Pere Domènech and others.
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| Marta Morató - www.b12.cat |
I think it’s just the book that I will enjoy.
It’s not a novel, but it’s full of histories, places to visit and wines to
taste!!
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| Cooperative cellar from Pinell de Brai |
So today, after work, I’ll continue with the
tradition and I will go to have a look at the stands and choose nice books for
my dearest people and finish the day with a glass of wine, or two, and nice
company.
Enjoy your Sant Jordi's day!
