The Pineapple Kombi




Here's a collector's classic : The Pineapple Kombi

Ich Dien. NOT!


I don't recall Y Pant's history curriculum including a large slice of specifically Welsh history, apart from an annual pilgrimage to the namesake battlefield of one's House, in my case Caerau, perhaps it did but the only thing I remember from Miss Jones' class more than 30 years ago is Henry VIII and 1066 and all that. Since that time, I've learned more about medieval Welsh history through Sharon Kay Penman's Here Be Dragons trilogy and a tiny but interesting snippet just recently from Ken Follett's World Without End (backed up by Wikipedia and Simon Schama), that being the origin of the Prince of Wales' three feather symbol and Ich Dein motif.

At the Battle of Crécy on the 26th August 1346, the English, or perhaps I should say the mixed British forces, for there were Welsh and
undoubtedly other nation's mercenaries amongst the ranks, were led by Edward III, the grandson of Longshanks (Hammer of the Scots). Edward II was the first English "Prince of Wales", the title bestowed upon him by the aforementioned Longshanks, Ed the first. Longshanks' great grandson, Edward of Woodstock, the Black Prince (he never became the fourth but also held the title of Prince of Wales), was also there commanding one of the three divisions at only 16 years of age.

At the end of the battle the Black Prince had been so impressed with the deeds of another (mercenary) commander, John of Bohemia, who despite being blind stood his ground bravely on the British side. Blind?? How the blazes can someone fight in a battle of 30 thousand tightly packed screaming men in armour if one's blind?? I wonder how much "collateral damage" (a US defence secretary's euphemism) he caused. Well, apparently it was so. In an act of honour to the dying blind man, the Black Prince took John's sheild and symbol for his own, and it was thus incorporated as the symbol for generations of English Princes of Wales.

The three ostrich feathers and Ich Dein
then are a symbol of the English (or half German, half Greek??) "Prince of Wales" and not of Wales itself. However, as I have already mentioned, amongst the forces were Welsh mercenaries and many of them making up a large part of the Longbowmen force, one of the main factors for the ensuing victory. Had one of the Welsh longbow leaders got to the dying Bohemian first perhaps we could have claimed the three feathers really for ourselves. This would be unlikely though I guess as the humble bowman wouldn't be allowed probably even to talk to the noblemen. Here's our real three feathers, courtesy of The Red Dragonhood (with kind, er..permission, thanks).



I Want I Want



My guess is that our stretch of the riverfront has been revitalised with the finances from the enterprise of the newly opened shopping centre, BarraSul Shopping, as opposed to the city council whom it appears won't pay for anything that seems to improve the potential tourist magnetic qualities of Porto Alegre, oh yes the Porto Alegrensies will rave about theirs being the Best Sunset in the World - and it is pretty impressive - but to win such accolade to my mind there must be someplace from where to appreciate this Best Sunset ITW, after all a sunset is a dazzling display of pinkbluepurplecrimson anywhere around the globe; a safari tent shade, with an ice bucket and a few chilled bottles of Castle Lager in the Serengeti; a snowy peak in the Himalayas (with perhaps a bottle of Talisker?); a harbour-front pub in Kenmare, County Kerry (pint of Guinness); Porto Alegre has (FANFARE!), the (garbage strewn) banks of the (stinky, oily, polluted) Guaíba River (or lake, depending on your point of view), by Belenos, that was a long sentence! At the end of the 80s the former gas power plant, operational until 1974, was restored as a Cultural / Crafts Centre / museum. The large edifice has an immense terrace atop facing the river/lake (and therefore "BSITW") and a smaller lower floor terrace facing the city, tall ugly apartment buildings and bums sleeping under the disused concrete monorail. Where did they put the café/bar? Go on, guess...
My apologies, I rant, back to my stretch of the river/lakefront that I began with. Yes, it has been improved, restored and cleaned up, as has another stretch from the "Sun Set Amphi-theatre" to the gas plant (paid for I guess by Pepsi, judging from the advertising splashed all over), but where are the bars with decks, terraces, dockside tables and benches?? I want to enjoy a cold beer whilst watching the sunset, it appears the only way is to take your own beach chair and an ice box. Ipanema? Far out of the city centre and there are just a few crappy over-priced bars. WAKE UP YOU DUMASS CITY PLANNERS!!! PORTO ALEGRE HAS THE POTENTIAL TO ATTRACT TOURISTS!!!
The stretches that I refer are quite wonderful for a stroll or jog. The other day I came across this little fella. Before he hopped over onto the wall, closer to see me, he was perched on one of those white posts in the near background, before I had the camera ready, a Lapwing (here known as Quero-Quero) made a spectacular dive bombing attack and knocked my friend off with an audible resounding THWACK! Bugger'd I missed that photo opportunity. It was a warning shot, my little plump chump was standing around a might too close to Quero-Quero territory, lots of baby Quero-Queros were wandering around on the grass around there.
There's a wonderful sunset view from my terrace, I should open a bar. I'd make a bomb.

HWYL FAWR!