In my first visit to Japan many years ago I felt in my skin. or I should say in my taste. a cultural shock when I encountered my first real truly Japanese breakfast in the wonderful city of Nikko. I don’t remember now what did I have but I do remember that after I finished I have to run to find a bakery and buy a nice sweet something. That is how unsophisticated I was at the time and I am glad to say that that would not be my reaction if I happen to experience the same situation today.

This is another example. In a few days I will make for breakfast a “tortilla española” (Spanish omelet). To be sure that I did a good job I phoned my mother for proper directions. I explained the situation and the very first question that came out of the other side of the wire is “A tortilla for breakfast?! You have been too long in Canada son!” (That is a first experience for her in breakfast cultural differences).

I pointed to her that here in Victoria in a Bed and Breakfast it is ‘normal’ to have this kind of food to start the day and that for a change I wanted to do something Spanish for my guests. Then she replied, “If you want to do something Spanish why don’t you made nice toasts with olive oil and rub some garlic on top with a pinch of salt?” (And that would be the first breakfast cultural difference for my guests!)

The situation can get very picky with this issue. Asparagus and lettuces I can use in my ‘tour de force’ dishes. What about Broccoli? Or carrots? Definitely not! What makes a vegetable a breakfast friendly vegetable?

So it can be an important issue especially if ones noted that we are talking about the first meal of the day and we want to start nicely the day. Don’t we? But to me the most interesting thing about culinary differences is that actually it happens and it makes this world a bit more interesting to live and experience.

Return to Albion Manor home page.

On the other hand, I guess that it was good luck that I was not around to comment on it.  Otherwise the Catholic population would not enjoy the taste of café today.  Eh?

I am becoming notorious for making strong café at Albion Manor.  I have my theory about this problem.  If the café is strong I can smooth it down with a little of hot water.  Just as Clement VII did so café will not conflict with the drinker’s soul.  But if the café is weak there is nothing that I can do except use it as a nice stain for my watercolors.  Besides, I am running a Bed and Breakfast not a school of art.

The talks start later almost at the end of the breakfast.  It is how we human show our practicality, lets first deal with these delicious pancakes and those wonderful sausages and we will talk later about how we can solve the problems of the world.

It is because our bed and breakfast embraces art in all its corners that this is an important subject at the end of our meals.  The guests don’t need to have degrees or read an “Art for dummies” kind of book in order to participate.  It is good at least to have an opinion, respect for someone who knows more than you and finally humbleness for who don’t know and is willing to learn.  And if this person doesn’t want to learn another cup of café may help to solve the problem.

One thing that I have learnt as an artist since I am at Albion Manor is to be approachable to others.  And that is something that many people appreciate because they can ask questions about difficult contemporary art and I explained in simple language if only because English is not my mother tongue and my repertoire of words is some how limited to plain vocabulary.

I have to say that contemporary art is difficult as it should be since we, as humans, gradually in all our fields became more sophisticated.  You can not ask a Nobel Price in mathematic to forget about all those complicated operations and return to old good additions and subtractions.  Could you?

In the same way it would be wrong to assume that past times expressions of arts were easier to understand.  This is wrong in two levels.  One we think that we understand confronting a work of art of the XVI centuries because we as a society already has absorbed what the artist wanted to say and therefore we see it immediately other question would be if the people contemporary to that artist understood what he (unfortunately not he/she) wanted to say.

Over breakfast, especially after a nice strong café, a number of interesting conversations develops between the guests in our bed and breakfast. The themes are extremely various and I don’t miss one if I can. Some time is difficult not to lose track of the discussions between taking back to the kitchen the finished dishes of beaked pears and bringing the frittatas or the soufflés.

Today the theme was public space and how much are we gaining or losing to commercial enterprises. About this issue I just had a wonderful experience that has consolidated my opinion that Canada really needs to rethink and refocus its policy, if there is one.

I just came back last Monday from a short stay in Spain visiting relatives and friends. It was my first time in two years since I was there last time. During my stay I visited Jerez, Malaga, Algar and my own city Seville. All of these cities are in the south, tourism is one of there mayor industries (especially in Malaga) and the sizes are from medium to small. Seville is the capital of the region Andalusia and the biggest one with not yet a million people and Algar is a little hamlet of two thousand people. But what I am about to tell affect to them all.

Focusing in Seville, I was very impressed and happy to see how the city hall has taken the duty of returning the center core of the city to the people. This has been and still is a hard battle against the will of commercial companies and business owners that wanted to keep the situation as it was. This situation was (and I am so glad to use the verb in past tense) a pitiful chaos where on the streets the car was the king or rather I should say the emperor.

It was a stressful situation where going shopping I which I could have the ability of the chameleon with one eye on the windows and the other on the cars and motorbikes. This is a medieval city where sidewalks some times are not wider than a metro and due to the traffic on the streets to avoid each other in the sidewalks some times the situation remind me of dancing salsa.

Well all of that is over. First of all the subway (more public transportation) finally has arrived. Secondly all traffic has been cut off. Only electrical cars, emergencies and cars from owners that live downtown are allow to get in the center of the city. Third threes, fountains and art and spaces for art have been created and art that is not just about prettiness but controversial art as well that encourage conversations and thoughts from the citizens.

As a consequence the historic center have been converted into a beautiful environment where humans can walk (what a concept eh?). And that is what precisely Sevillians are doing now wondering at the same time how could they have lived in that previous situation. Cafes and bars are putting tables outside and other business are putting there merchandise out as well to be seen by waking by people without noise and smokes.

They are re-conquering their own centre despite voices from Motor Age business that don’t want to see beyond there own interests. These unscrupulous businesses refuse to see the benefits of good health of people and monuments that were suffering from air and noise pollution and stress.

If you are thinking that Canadian’s cities don’t have the same problems as little medieval European cities you are missing the point. All what my argument is about is the spirit behind the laws that force public space to be there to be enjoyed by the citizens. To act in a manner that doesn’t represent an immediate monetary profit because it is a spiritual benefit.

Think about Vancouver and the recent issue about what to do with the stadium. The most important and first thought that came out is the value of the land, how has it increased, how more can we get out of it. I can imagine real state developers and McDonalds and Starbucks watering there mouths to the point of almost drowning thinking of the benefits that can be made.

Canada should try to create more public space where art and ludic activities can be exercise by its citizens.