The theme for our post today is wine…as today’s 30Km/18 mile walk was fully in the beautiful wine-making country of the Rioja region. On all sides of us we were surrounded by fields with vines waiting to bloom and we passed a few “bodegas”, large wine warehouses. (Not to be confused with a New York City “bodega” – a small convenience store where your dog gets free treats and affection…while you get to pay full retail for Twizzlers.)
As the day wore on and we passed through vineyard after vineyard, I complained that not one of the bodegas offered “tastings” to the passing pilgrims. They put up some ads (above) but couldn’t a few of them see fit to offer a small sample to us tired, sore, thirsty travelers? Sarah said “I don’t need a tasting”. I asked “Why?” She answered, “Because I’ve already had a full portion of whine today”. Pause…then uncontrolled laughter. I think I even heard a snort. Take my wife…please. (Google “Henny Youngman”).
As we came around one corner we were surprised by the sudden appearance of a 50-foot high black silhouette of a bull. This is the Osborne Bull. In the 1950s, the Osborne Sherry Company (founded by a Brit in the late 18th century) erected large images of bulls on black ad boards to promote their Brandy de Jerez products near major roads throughout Spain. When a 1994 law was passed prohibiting all roadside advertising of alcoholic beverages, the public lobbied to protect the bull signs as they had become part of the landscape. They were ultimately retained for “cultural significance”, albeit without any branding for the Osborne Company.
There are 90 of these bulls placed throughout Spain….hovering on the hillsides…looking menacingly down at you…contemplating the manner in which you will be run down…and determining how you will be gored (indeed an inconvenient truth)…without even the benefit of dying in a swanky matador costume. Was I a little bit freaked out by this sign today? Did I look back multiple times to make sure it was not charging over the top of that small house? Am I scared of bull billboard signs as much I am of circus clowns? Naaah…not at all…that would be just a bunch of bull.
(By the way…This post is still about wine. Sherry is a delicious, fortified wine made from white grapes that are grown near the city of Jerez de la Frontera in Andalusia, Spain. You should try this wine…because it comes from the home region of our friends Yayo and Pilar…and despite the fact it was historically advertised using scary bulls.)
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Sarah made an excellent pick of the Frampton song for her post yesterday. Frampton’s flowing locks made every girl swoon at St. Alphonsus High School and made us guys challenge the hair code (no hair allowed over your shirt collar) in creative ways…feathery middle-part blow-outs, sneaky mullets (business in front, party in back), and even some Art Garfunkel Afros. SO….If you are a boomer like myself…DO NOT…ABSOLUTELY DO NOT view any recent YouTube versions of Frampton performing the same song today. He still sounds great…and looks fit…but when I see it…I still feel bad…for me.
In honor of today’s theme and to acknowledge what we drank with our fine meal here in Najera tonight…
Great song…originally written and performed by Neil Diamond…covered creatively well by UB40…but a “virtually unwatchable” 1983 video (you needed a video, no matter how bad…to get on MTV at the time). Enjoy the song…but do not look at the screen.
Hello pilgrims, we go in parts:
Regarding wine, the most famous in Spain are those of La Rioja where you are, those of La Rivera del Duero and the wines of Jerez. Then there are many more, but those are the three best known.
Regarding the advertising posters only two were pardoned, the Osborne bull and the Tio Pepe bottle. We have sent a photo of both to your mobile because we do not know how to enter images (or music) here. (We also do not know if it would be possible).
Both ads have lost their meaning as commercial propaganda and have become a sign of identity in Spain. In fact you will have seen sometimes flags of Spain with the bull instead of the shield.
Finally we did not know that Red Red Wine was by Neil Diamon, we only knew the UB40 version. We have heard the original song of Diamon and of course, despite your insistence, we could not avoid paying close attention to the video of UB40.
Good road tomorrow.
I would have never thought of this song for wine, but based on your post today, I thought it would fit in. Love the song and glad that Frankie and the boys didn’t try to do a video. I guess you could always watch Jersey Boys if you wanted to see a video.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AapxXRlsdwA
Keep up the good work (walking and blogging).
Nice indirect connection Jim!
Great reference to go with your wine walk! So, what do you guys eat all day on these treks? Trail mix and Agua? What about when you stop in towns? What about bathroom breaks? Is the powder room in the vineyards? Lol Is it like hiking when camping or do they have el banos for the walkers? Just curious!
Katalina, su preguntas estan fabulosa. Sarah will answer in a separate post. (I only know one “tense” in Spanish. Don’t know how to conjugate. Makes me tense.)
Greetings from the beach. The picture of the bull was enough to freak me out…. We toasted your travels last night with one of our favorite Brunellos (ok, it’s Italian wine….but we like it….friendship does not trump brand loyalty). And alas, a Peter Frampton reference brought me back to my freshman year at Notre Dame….that long golden waves/curly hair and those skin tight shinny glamrock outfits. All I can say is it took 30+ years, but PF and I finally have the same hairstyle. Good & safe travels, pilgrims.