alfajor

When I was 22222 days old I got a present from my daughter... a brilliant book about old Natural History books... and their illustrations...



She got it really because of all the Latin in it... as most old books like this were written all or partly in Latin. However, I was amazed to find that the very first botanical specimens to be described from the Americas was written by a Spaniard, one Nicolas Monardes, in a book publsihed in Seville in 1569.

A little later, another expedition set off to New Mexico ( called New Spain then) led by Francisco Hernandez ( 1514- 15870 who was the physician to Philip 11 of Spain. His discoveries ( in 16 volumes) were kept in the Escorial in Madrid, and later edited by one Nardo Antonio de Recchi...and his manuscript got to America where it was translated into Spanish ( having been originally in Latin) by Father Francisco Ximenez at the convent of Santo Domingo, and published in Merxico City in 1615 .

There were various later expeditions and works, much of the results being held in store in Madrid's botanical gardens... apparently they are still there!

In 1954 (!!!) some of these discoveries were published as the first of 51 (!!!) volumes under the splendiferous title " Flora de la Real Expeditiôn Botánica del Nuevo Reino de Granada."

Here is a picture of José Celestino Mutis, the man who organised and financed this expedition, admiring one of the multitude of specimens ...


So there you are. Spain leads the world in botanical exploration.I just thought you would like to know.

More useful knowledge coming up, in our latest bit of MAFALDA..

In Mafalda's world there are always little crazes of the sort children have. In this one it is Yo-yos.

At last Mafalda herself cracks and buys one from the ultra-capitalist kid, Manolito.At least, that's what we think.

Mafalda turns up and shows her new Yo-yo to Felipe, Yo-yo expert!

Mirá, Felipe.. al final, yo también me compré un yo-yo. Querés probarlo ?

Felipe...... A ver ??

Felipe takes the yoy-yo, and at the first spin it smashes in tiny pieces.

Mafalda shouts (laughing) ... CAÍSTE ! CAÍSTE !! as Felipe looks downcast.

Felipe then finds the vendor, Manolito, grasps him by the lapels and shouts...

Así que fuiste vos el que le vendio un alfajor a Mafalda?

Now I didn't get this at all until I found out what "alfajor" meant... though it means something rather different in Spain and S\A. Mafalda is S/A. sso it is rather like our Wagon Wheels. ... here is one...



so you can see how it would look like a Yo-yo to poor old Felipe.

Right... that's enough of facts..what about music.

Well, it's La Ley and an unplgged version of El Duelo..