time is flying

Without realizing it I have become mostly accustomed to Spain, Spanish, and its little annoyances. In an effort to rekindle my curiosity a bit, i've been compliling a list of things that are still weird.

Judias verdes. Direct translation: Green jews. In other words: Green beans.

Supposedly the word comes from the shape of the Jewish nose. I didn't believe it at first until I saw the word on a jar in my frigolifico. Maybe it's just me, but that sounds like a derogatory term. I guess considering the not-so-friendly history the Spanish have had with the Jews, it makes sense. It also helps to explain the fact that there are about six jews in Sevilla.

"Los moros no están en la costa." Direct translation: The moors (African muslims) aren't on the coast." In other words: The coast is clear.

You've got to know a little Spanish history for this one too, because the moors occupied Spain for hundreds of years. When the catholics finally took control again in the 1400s, I would imagine they were very happy to be rid of the moors, which is why they built cathedrals on top of all the mosques and ripped down remnants of the past. The coast wasn't clear for a good, long time. And the coast still isn't clear in a sense, because even though the moors are no longer trying to invade, shiploads of African immigrants seeking a better home arrive on the shores of the Canary Islands every week. And tragically enough, many shiploads have also been found shipwrecked in the past few weeks, thousands drowned just trying to get to Spain.