A lifetime of encounters with Spain.
Posted in Amigos, Reflections on Spain on Mar 15th, 2010
I have been writing reflections about Spain and her culture over the past several years. The prevailing theme has been that the bedrock of the traditional Spanish culture is the importance they place on being together as a family, including the extraordinary way they cherish their children. A few years ago, this was the normal [...]
Posted in Corners of Spain on Mar 1st, 2010
Over the years we have formed bonds with pilgrims from all over the USA. Especially since the College of William & Mary and others in Williamsburg were some of the early movers to establish a gathering and format for fellow pilgrims whose hearts were draw to Santiago and the Camino for reasons best know to themselves.
This kind of bonding has grown with regular gatherings. The next one is 16-23 March at Winter Park Florida. You might find it a remarkably renewing experience. Check out www.americanpilgrims.com.
Posted in Amigos, Corners of Spain, Reflections on Spain on Feb 16th, 2010
In the early years of La Tienda, a young man named Tomás Lozano contacted me. At the time we were experimenting with many new products from Spain to discover what our customers would like. We featured ceramics, foods and a handful of hand-carved reproductions of medieval art, including wooden panels and crosses. He wanted to [...]
Posted in Fairs, Feasts and Fiestas, Reflections on Spain on Jan 6th, 2010
I am including an entertaining email account of the boys’ first encounter with Spanish culture coming from staid, very Anglo Williamsburg.
Posted in Migas on Oct 23rd, 2009
The Society of Spain Admiral Pedro Menendez Awards 2009, Washington DC
Posted in Reflections on Spain on Sep 14th, 2009
Often I have been asked, “How is it that the Harris family, without a drop of Spanish blood, (that we know of), ends up being the leading source of fine Spanish food in America?” … Ninety days after Ruth and I were married, I was ordered to be the chaplain to a destroyer squadron which was bound for the Mediterranean for six months. Ruth was left among a pile of moving boxes in Norfolk. It turned out to be a blessing …
Posted in Amigos, Reflections on Spain on Aug 10th, 2009
I would like to tell you the story of some remarkable women my wife Ruth and I met last spring. Our hearts were warmed by being with people for whom adversity became an opportunity to do something better. Through their vision and hard work they found a way to assist working mothers, preserve a precious social tradition, and make available to all of us the artistry of their cooking, even though we may be a continent away …
Posted in Fairs, Feasts and Fiestas, Reflections on Spain on Aug 15th, 2008
“We have learned a number of things during the four weeks we have been here in San Sebastian: While numbers one and two probably don’t surprise anyone who knows us, I’m guessing that number three might. It has certainly shocked us.
(1) Everything tastes better fried (as attested to by the fact that our rental unit has SIX frying pans in the drawer under the oven);
(2) Walking the paseo is better than walking anywhere else; and,
(3) Participating vicariously in the running of the bulls in Pamplona is addictive.” — Barbara Hurlburt
Posted in Corners of Spain, Fairs, Feasts and Fiestas, Reflections on Spain on May 14th, 2008
Children, with all of their exuberance, are to be enjoyed and treasured within the family and all whom they touch; and a Spaniard’s home is thought of as an extension of his greater family. Perhaps the Jamón Serrano resting on its stand is a symbol of the hospitality that is the essence of the home.
Posted in Amigos, Corners of Spain, Fairs, Feasts and Fiestas, Reflections on Spain on Dec 14th, 2007
I sense fidelity in the Spanish soul which transcends the various twists and turns of fortune. This constancy is revisited each year at about this time, when Spaniards gather to renew their familial and cultural roots each year. Of course Spaniards hold this in common with other people with hallowed pasts. Often cultural centering is expressed in rituals such as the Seder, the Mass, and the Muslim Call to Prayer.
