#Bori Alvero

[miquelgeneblog]

La ciudad y sus prodigios

Julián Sánchez New Quartet. Jamboree Jazz Club, 8 de junio de 2017. Julián Sánchez, trompeta; Marco Mezquida, piano; Bori Albero, contrabajo; Ivo Sans, bateria.  

Barcelona es la monda. En plena resaca del Primavera Sound y con el verano –y los turistas- asomando a la vuelta de la esquina, el debate sobre el modelo de ciudad que cada uno quiere sube de decibelios y echa chispas en las redes. Slogans con tintes xenófobos, como los de la residual plataforma Tourists go home! (from Barcelona) se mezclan con reflexiones más profundas y nutritivas, como la de Sergi Picazo para El Crític, que tratan de ver qué hay detrás de un fenómeno del que todos, vecinos y visitantes, somos víctimas. Respecto a El Festival, y el modelo cultural-musical que representa, los que vivimos la música en el día a día de la ciudad y que pagamos parte del mismo -142.000 € de ayuda del Ayuntamiento- no podemos menos que preguntarnos, com hace Nando Cruz: ¿en qué sentido enriquece todo esto a la cultura de la ciudad? 

Pero Barcelona es la monda. O quizá lo es la gente que la habita y la frecuenta. Debajo de todo este ruido mediático, la ciudad sigue su ritmo. De manera precaria, es cierto, y generalmente a costa de las vidas también precarias de grandes talentos que se resisten, muchas veces porque no pueden hacer otra cosa, a sucumbir bajo la presión mercantil, la ciudad late por dentro, en espacios ocultos, llena de arte. En Barcelona, en el lapso de tres horas, uno puede disfrutar de una sesión de imporvisación en Robadors 23 (20:00), acercarse a escuchar la Big Band del Conservatori del Liceu comandada por Sergi Vergés (21:00) y rematar la jugada en el Jamboree Jazz Club con el Julián Sánchez New Quartet (22:00). Eso sí, perdiéndose el Esmuc Jazz Project en L’Auditori (20:30). Lástima. 

Quizá especialmente sensibilizado por todos estos pensamientos, y seguramente también porque fue un conciertazo del copón, el Julián Sánchez New Quartet me reafirmó en una idea: sin arte no se puede vivir. O, si acaso, que sin él vivimos menos, más sordos y más ciegos, y con menos capacidad para escuchar y pensar. A medio camino entre el jazz de vanguardia y la improvisación libre, con músicos de altísimo nivel bregados en ambos lares en los laboratorios de la ciudad, la relevancia que para mí tiene el cuarteto comandado por Julián y su propuesta musical reside en la lección que nos brinda, tan necesaria, de escucha generosa y de respeto a lo diferente. Y no sólo es una lección, y aquí está la potencia del arte, sino una experiencia vivida con ellos –los músicos- y a través de ellos. 

Julián está en el centro, pero para ello no tiene que mandar. A menudo se aparta y deja a la formación mecerse a trío. En uno de estos momentos, la base genera una textura que va creciendo en intensidad hasta que se rompe en un toque de plato y un acorde de piano y vuelve a empezar desde abajo, cada vez más intenso. Julián vuelve a aprecer y entonces Marco no puede resistir su presencia y se va con él, aunque vuelve a las marcas de llegada con Ivo, pero cada vez menos. La aceptación de lo nuevo sin renunciar a lo viejo y la necesaria transformación que ello conlleva. 

Cuando está presente, todo parece girar alrededor del sonido de su trompeta. Ruda y desgarrada y llena de arestas, es de una belleza que chirría, que no es cómoda: grotesca en los ataques, el timbre y los melismas que a menudo parecen no llegar a su destino, o será que el destino que habíamos imaginado era simple convención. Y de ahí a un interplay que va mucho más allá de lo motívico, y que nos muestra los infinitos matices de la relación entre semejantes, que no iguales, y de la riqueza que ésta tiene cuando se ejerce con plena convicción, abertura y generosidad. Los músicos se proponen a la vez que se dejan espacio, se interpelan a la vez que se escuchan, aportan, reciben, reaccionan, callan, escuchan y responden, creando un espacio de escucha, meditación y trasnformación para todos.

[blogstayfit101love-blog]

Campeonato de España (Badajoz) FEFF (resultados)

Campeonato de España de resultados (Badajoz) FEFF biomarcadores , evento celebrado los días 14 y 15 de octubre en IFEBA en Badajoz.

Campeonato de España (Badajoz) FEFF 2017 Master Classic culturismo resultados

1. Manuel Sanchez Mira (Comunidad Valenciana) (5)

2. Antonio Hernandez Parra (Murcia) (8)

3. Juan Francisco Rojas García (Comunidad de Madrid) (2)

4. Pedro Fuentes Crespo (Castilla y León) (6)

5. Plumas redondas de Vicenç (Katalonia) (7)

6. Ramón Fallas Berrocal (Katalonia) (3)

. Jordi Valls (Katalonien) (4)

Bodyfitness Senior hasta 158 cm

1. Anabel Da Cruz Valenzuela (Katalonia) (98)

2. Meire Alves Da Silva (Katalonia) (102)

3. Rocío Ibáñez García (La Rioja) (88)

4 Sarah-Ashleigh Baker (Andalucía) (93)

5. Lucia Castillo Sanchez (Comunidad de Madrid) (109)

6. Maria Isabel Fernandez Fernandez (Galicia) (119)

. Alba Brox García (Comunidad de Madrid) (110)

Bodyfitness senior exige 163 cm

1. Elena Eulalia Ordoñez Mendez (Extremadura) (104)

2. Zaira Serrano Alama (Andalucía) (92)

3. Anna Ferrer Flos (Cataluña) (89)

4. Iune Gonzalez Ojembarrena (Cataluña) (118)

5. Rafaela Silva (Cataluña) (115)

6. Isabel Mendiola Torrón (Madrid en su totalidad) (99)

. Sara Rodríguez Berza (Galicia) (96)

. Montserrat Celaya Ramírez (Katalonia) (100)

. Cristina Rodriguez Olmos (Comunidad Valenciana) (103)

. Nuria Sans Roselló (Katalonien) (105)

. BegoñGarcia Villarraco (Comunidad Valenciana) (107)

. Luisa Gil Serrato (Baleares) (108)

. Mirian Ramos Caceres (Andalucía) (118)

Bodyfitness Senior hasta 168 cm

1. Marisa Lobato Gutierrez (Andalusia) (114)

2. Marina Navas Campaña (Comunidad de Madrid) (120)

3. Laura Benasques Borau (Katalonia) (122)

4. Mihaela Loredana Caiuteanu (Canarias) (116)

5. Pino Leon Yamila (Canarias) (94)

6. Guadalupe Quiles Robles (Comunidad Valenciana) (95)

. Silvia Tambo Arizcure (Comunidad de Madrid) (97)

Bodyfitness Senior plus 168 cm

1. Raquel Arranz Fernandez (Galicia) (117)

2. Sjoukje Van Der Heide (Andalucía) (112)

3. Helena Castro Roman (Andalucía) (90)

4. Montserrat Celaya Ramírez (Katalonia) (101)

5. Veronica Martin Martin (Comunidad de Madrid) (91)

6. Soraya Alvarez Peñuela (Asturia) (106)

. Sonia Trapero Burgos (La Rioja) (121)

Campeón absoluto de bodyfitness

Raquel Arranz Fernandez (Galicia) (117)

Bikini Fitness Junior

1. Elena Maria López Baena (Andalucía) (12)

2. Rocio Araujo Carrasco (Asturias) (20)

3. Sonia Bierge De Juan (Cataluña) (18)

4. Rosa Lopez Alamo (Andalucía) (11)

5. Tatiana Mompean Guillen (Comunidad Valenciana) (21)

6. Georgina Rivas Vilanova (Katalonien) (15)

. Ana Amante Gregorio (Murcia) (9)

. Paola García CéSpedes (Andalusia) (10)

. Raquel Frias Martinez (Cataluña) (13)

. Estefania Robles Rodriguez (Comunidad Valenciana) (14)

. Pilar Fernandez Jaen (Extremadura) (16)

. belén Gutiérrez Martín (Castilla y León) (17)

. Raquel Gonzalez Adan (Canarias) (19)

Bikini Fitness Master hasta 163 cm

1. Sonia Rodriguez Martin (Cataluña) (131)

2. Rebeca Mena Serrano (Cataluña) (129)

3. Kamila Pardamcova (Andalucía) (140)

4. Rocio Pedrero Rivera (Andalusia) (128)

5. Tamara Iglesias Elvira (Comunidad de Madrid) (139)

6. Gloria Borregales Simancas (Comunidad de Madrid) (127)

. Karina Balladares De Larramendi (Galicia) (130)

. Irene Carrasco Rojas (Euskadi) (133)

. Maria Del Rosario Guillen (Murcia) (136)

Bikini Fitness Master plus 163 cm

1. Valeria Noel Britos (Cataluña) (132)

2. Sandra Cortés Román (Cataluña) (138)

3. Rocio Feria González (Andalucía) (135)

4. Sarahy Gonzalez Hernandez (Canarias) (137)

5. Raquel Heras Bohajar (Comunidad Valenciana) (143)

6. Sonia Gomez Baeza (Galicia) (125)

. Marta Guijaro Rojas (Comunidad de Madrid) (126)

. Vanesa Carrera Pérez (Euskadi) (134)

. Irene Ibañez Martin (Comunidad de Madrid) (141)

. Marzo Verónica Vilas Faggiotto (Andalucía) (142)

. Virginia Borrego Fernandez (Andalucía) (144)

El maestro absoluto de Bikini Fitness Master

Valeria Noel Britos (Cataluña) (132)

padre físico masculino hasta 170 cm

1. Alejandro Cerrejón Torrano (Murcia) (33)

2. Julián Francisco Marín Celdran (Murcia) (53)

3. Juan Guillermo Ballesteros Cebrian (Andalusia) (73)

4. Michael Anthony Bosca Sanchez (Cataluña) (36)

5. Jonathan Alvarez Rodriguez (Asturias) (30)

6. Joel Nogal Fernández (Comunidad de Madrid) (74)

. Jose Antonio Afonso Luis (Canarias) (23)

. Aitor Alfonso Vivas (Euskadi) (25)

. Antonio Fernando Abellon Jimenez (Murcia) (37)

. Jose Antonio Chacon Guerrero (Andalusia) (39)

. Kiko Antonov (Comunidad Valenciana) (46)

. Angel Pintor Cencerrado (Comunidad Valenciana) (51)

. Jose Antonio Gomez Moreno (Andalucía) (66)

. Yassine Tamaste (Murcia) (67)

. Miguel Angel Salinas Fernández (Comunidad de Madrid) (71)

Javier Domínguez Fernández (Comunidad de Madrid) (32)

Italo Alberto Solano Montilla (Comunidad Valenciana) (50)

Gedeon Martinez Vilchez (Comunidad de Madrid) (75)

Guillermo Rodriguez Izquierdo (Extremadura) (84)

Valeriano Gallardo Mulero (Extremadura) (87)

padre físico masculino hasta 178 cm

1. Cristian Triano Cantero (Andalucía) (65)

2. Dario Fernandez Verdes (Asturias) (22)

3. Dario Javier Teran Burgos (Murcia) (58)

4. Aitor Alfonso Vivas (Euskadi) (52)

5. David Fillol Perez (Andalucía) (28)

6. Manuel Casado Gil (Valencian yhteiso) (86)

. Victor Martinez Hita (Cataluña) (29)

. Adrian Herranz Sanz (Comunidad de Madrid) (35)

. Marcos Iglesias García (Comunidad Valenciana) (40)

. Miguel Jimenez Rodriguez (Euskadi) (41)

. Javier Torrijos Mediavilla (Comunidad de Madrid) (47)

. Jorge Santiago Gallego (Andalusia) (68)

. Sergio Gaitan Baez (Andalucía) (70)

. Salvador Aguilar Martin (Andalucía) (78)

. Cristian Ledesma Ruiz (Comunidad de Madrid) (82)

Salvador Macias Lucena (Andalusia) (34)

Pedro Gallego Rubiales (Andalusia) (48)

Eric Vives Celaya (Katalonia) (63)

Ivan Castesana Figueroa (Galicia) (64)

Arturo Martínez Serrano (Castilla La Mancha) (72)

Jose Antonio Jimenez Martin (Andalucía) (79)

Juan Pedro Moya Esteban (Murcia) (80)

Adrian Madolell Berrocal (Melilla) (81)

padre físico masculino más 178 cm

1. Henry Johnson (Castilla y León) (76)

2. Antonio Moreno Llado (Baleares) (31)

3. Norberto Benitez Martin (Andalucía) (54)

4. David Meis Martin (Comunidad de Madrid) (62)

5. Cesar Varela Garate (Galicia) (56)

6. Marc Alvero Díez (Katalonia) (83)

. Jorge Peña (Comunidad Valenciana) (27)

. Kevin Molla Vadillo (Comunidad Valenciana) (38)

. Miguel Angel Lluch Blazquez (Comunidad Valenciana) (42)

. Alberto Gil Burgos (Comunidad de Madrid) (43)

. Daniel Gonzalez Ruiz (Canarias) (44)

. Eneko Baz Valle (País Vasco) (45)

. Fermín Díaz Rodríguez (Comunidad de Madrid) (49)

. Carlos García-Soldado Martos (Comunidad de Madrid) (59)

. Josue Santos Santiago (Extremadura) (69)

Vicente Vacas Ibañez (Andalucía) (24)

Xabier Ramirez De La Piscina Viudez (Euskadi) (26)

Xavier Castillejos Figueras (Cataluña) (55)

Sergio Curado Gonzalez Andaucia (57)

Jorge Antonio Fernandez Sanchez (Andalucía) (85)

El maestro absoluto de la física masculina.

Henry Johnson (Castilla y León) (76) Parejas de culturismo 1. Carlos Blanco y Raquel Arranz (Galicia) (124) 2. José Yuste Andreu y Vanesa Ruiz (Comunidad Valenciana) (123) Culturismo sénior, hasta 70 kg 1. José Miguel López Vázquez (Galicia) (161) 2. Sebastián Matias Ruedas (Cataluña) (151) 3. Raúl Pérez Soro (Comunidad Valenciana) (216)

4. Carlos Ferreira Poudevida (Katalonia) (152)

5. Gonzalo Izquierdo Conejero (Extremadura) (171)

6. Jose Luis Perez Martin (Andalucía) (170)

. Jose Javier Rosique Barba (Murcia) (164)

. Pedro Javier Gutierrez Ortuño (Murcia) (202)

Culturismo más viejo hasta 75 kg.

1. Adrian Diaz Montero (Comunidad de Madrid) (172)

2. Enrique Cárdenas Almeda (Andalucía) (155)

3. Maximiliano Rodríguez Jiménez (Castilla La Mancha) (220)

4. Kevin Orellana González (Cataluña) (173)

5. Boris Corcuera (Cataluña) (175)

6. José Francisco Tornel Gómez (Comunidad Valenciana) (147)

. Antonio Balmont Llopis (Comunidad Valenciana) (148)

. Ángel Cañón Diez (Castilla y León) (162)

. Santos Crispin Cruz Troya (Cataluña) (163)

. Jose Miguel Galindo Hornero (Katalonia) (169)

. Aaron Chedey Martin Martell (Canarias) (174)

. Marcos Gustavo Schanz (Baleares) (178)

. David López García (Cataluña) (179)

. Jose Teodoro Amador Campiñez (Valencian yhteiso) (180)

. Xavier Jaume Fernandez (Baleares) (184)

. Alejandro Lorenzo Contreras (Andalucía) (194)

Culturismo más antiguo, hasta 80 kg.

1. Jorge Fernandez Dominguez (Andalucía) (177)

2. Francisco Javier Osés Pastori (Andalucía) (157)

3. Bartolome Perales Barragan (Euskadi) (176)

4. Cesar Francisco Borja Molla (Comunidad Valenciana) (145)

5. Marco Grado Estruch (Katalonien) (153)

6. David Saborido Arca (Galicia) (182)

. Osmer Osvaldo Flores Márquez (Castilla y León) (150)

. Alonso Hernandez Ortiz (Extremadura) (158)

. Gregorio San Jose Garrido (Comunidad de Madrid) (160)

. Jose Yuste Andreu (Comunidad Valenciana) (165)

. David Sanchez Pintado (Comunidad de Madrid) (167)

. Antonio Bautista Pérez (Cataluña) (168)

. Antonio José González Garrido (Andalusia) (181)

. Julián Conde Sorga (Galicia) (183)

Culturismo más viejo hasta 85 kg.

1. Alberto Alonso Martínez (Katalonia) (185)

2. Jose Luis Ortiz Ortiz (Extremadura) (191)

3. Edward Alejandro Lopez Buitrago (Melilla) (189)

4 Guillermo Rodríguez López (Andalucía) (192)

5. Jesús Sancho Alcalde (Kastilia La Mancha) (223)

6. Emilio Jose Bueno Alcaraz (Andalucía) (186)

. Juan De Dios Marmol Oliva (Murcia) (146)

. Jacob Torreblanca Coloma (Comunidad Valenciana) (154)

. David Fernandez Fernandez (Andalucía) (156)

. Planelles alemanes Manzanaro (Comunidad Valenciana) (159)

. Juan Antonio Crespo Grillo (Katalonia) (187)

. Sergio Roldán Fernández (Cataluña) (190)

. Antonio Jose Navarrete Ruiz (Andalucía) (193)

. Oscar Ferriols Lloret (Comunidad Valenciana) (204)

. Bernardo Busquets Sastre (Baleares) (214)

. Jesus Ortega Huelamo (Comunidad de Madrid) (222) Culturismo antiguo, hasta 90 kg 1. Roberto Martínez Pizana (Comunidad Valenciana) (201)

2. Carlos Ube Tena (Cataluña) (188)

3. David Cámara La Fuente (Kastilia La Mancha) (218)

4. Vicente Olombrada Ferragud (Comunidad Valenciana) (199)

5. Jesús Gallego Martín (Comunidad de Madrid) (217)

6. Tiago Jorge Sousa Marques (Extremadura) (215)

. Andres Garcia Diaz (Andalucía) (60)

. Manuel Hernandez Puertas (Andalusia) (196)

. Cristian Forga Gascon (Cataluña) (197)

. Manuel Ignacio Moreno Madero (Andalusia) (198)

. Jose Manuel Herrrero Clemente (Andalucía) (213)

. Rafael De Pedro Redondo (Katalonia) (221)

. Daryl Ernesto Orozco Sanchez (Comunidad de Madrid) (224)

Culturismo más viejo más 90 kg

1. Gregory Henri Luc Bellot (Comunidad Valenciana) (219)

2. Ousmane Bathyli (Cataluña) (205)

3. Carlos Blanco Sanjurjo (Galicia) (166)

4. Roberto Castellanos Perez (Extremadura) (206)

5. Antonio Valero Tuinenburg (Comunidad Valenciana) (217)

6. Jose Antonio Guerra Triviño (Katalonia) (203)

. Juan De Dios Romero Nadal (Andalusia) (200)

. Pedro Redin Azcona (Euskadi) (207)

. Sebastián Lago Quintáns (Castilla y León) (208)

. Ian Marc Guitart Erikson (Cataluña) (209)

. Guillermo Bermudo Alcaide (Katalonia) (210)

. Javier Cantalejo Homs (La Rioja) (211)

Un maestro absoluto del culturismo

Gregory Henri Luc Bellot (Comunidad Valenciana) (219)

[diyeipetea]

INSTANTZZ: Juan Galiardo Quintet [Especial Jazzeñe 2019 VII] [Galería fotográfica]

INSTANTZZ: Juan Galiardo Quintet [Especial Jazzeñe 2019 VII] [Galería fotográfica]

Por José Luis Luna Rocafort.

JazzEñe 2019. Organizado por la Fundación SGAE.

Fecha: Viernes, 27 de septiembre de 2018. 21:30h.

Lugar: Teatro Echegaray. Málaga

Festival: Jazz Eñe 2019

Grupo: Juan Galiardo Quintet Juan Galiardo: piano Enrique Oliver: saxo tenor Voro García: trompeta Bori Alvero: contrabajo Juanma Nieto: batería

Tomajazz: © José Luis Luna Rocafort, 2019

[thewreckkelly]

THE BEST OF TIMES – THE WORST OF TIMES

(I recently read that a single COVID 19 is 10,000 times smaller than a grain of sand – which may or may not be precise but certainly helps put this ‘invisible enemy’ into perspective.)

Colin and Alison Cameron are the parents of a very dear friend. They live in the Royal Burgh of Irvine – a smallish town on the west coast of Scotland, around 25 miles south of Glasgow with an indigenous population of about 35,000 souls. As a couple they have been married 63 years and find themselves in good health, all things considered, while approaching four score and eight years on this verdant planet – their birthdays are eleven days apart with Colin in the role of ‘Toy Boy’.

The loss of freedom’s privilege experienced by all involved in the Second World War – during which these two stalwart growing Scots entered adolescence surrounded by propaganda, fear, heroism, rationing and loss – developed a sense of survival and optimism (most prominent) among the young that would reach mature relevance in the 1950’s, resulting in an innate desire with the many to re-build a better and more egalitarian world.

Alison and Colin proved to be true pioneers of this ‘Golden Generation’

Educated and married within the environs of an aspiring middle-class suburb of Caledonia’s biggest city, (a part of Greater Glasgow, this town is on the north side of the River Clyde with the somewhat uninspiring name; ‘Uddingston’), they were pierced by Cupid’s arrow at school and have been together ever since.

In 1957, almost immediately following their legal betrothal, the couple hardly had time to enjoy a honeymoon before finding themselves on a six week boat journey to the landlocked East African country of Malawi – 118, 000 square kilometres of land and fresh water previously known as Nyasaland which was colonised by the British in 1891.

Colin – who was by then a graduate lawyer in Glasgow - had been offered and accepted a position at a law firm in Malawi’s district of Blantyre – home to the country’s second largest city, (also the commercial / industrial / financial centre), that unambiguously bore its Scots roots in a very un-Bantu name.

At the time Alison had recently qualified as a midwife and, as part of her consideration to a seismic change in geography and social circumstances, (as proposed by her now husband), replied to Colin’s enigmatic question of;

‘How do ye feel about delivering black babies?’ with a statement question; ‘Children are children, what’s colour got to do with it?’

This answer formed the basis of an ideal they both carried through their time in South East Africa and into the rest of life’s adventures – which turned out to be many and varied.

A seven year rollercoaster ride followed with Alison establishing herself first in a mission hospital and then in a Government medical facility while at the same time raising her profile to a level that caused the redoubtable leader of the country – Doctor Hastings Banda – to recognise her influence and importance as a care-giver to his country through inviting her to be his platonic consort at the high table for the Independence Commission celebration, (Colin was also in attendance as a Member of the Malawian Parliament and an effectual combatant to the unfair vagaries of British colonial and local law).

The reality of any country achieving its freedom from an imperial power tends to be coated in turmoil and disagreement. Colin and Alison proved to be among the victims of the chaos that surrounded Malawi’s departure from the body British.

The detail they describe regarding being given 24 hours to be out of the country or be fed to the crocodiles is fascinating in its, now, stoic retelling but one can only imagine the sense of terror this mother and father of, then, three young children must have experienced in a deplorable version of; ‘Hobson’s Choice’.

Their expulsion emanated from Colin’s unrelenting legal and moral pursuit of honesty and justice which Doctor Banda somehow found to be unacceptable in the creation and establishment of his new regime and personal pursuit of power. The fact the two men had had a cordial and friendly relationship for many years appeared to make no difference to the leader of this ‘new’ country.

(If you’re lucky enough to share a coffee, whiskey or brandy with Colin and Alison then I would recommend you sit back and take in the background to this banishment and the desperation of the resultant flight while being prepared to experience an appropriate sense of awe and shock from the narrative.)

-o-

With little or nothing by way of material or financial assets, due to the sudden and forced removal from the country of their African adventure, a return to Glasgow was the singular option. The displaced couple and their young family benefited from parental assistance in re-establishing their lives to some form of normality - lives that found a home in Irvine and a level of prosperity based on a protestant work ethic and a sense of belonging.

Over time Colin established a successful local legal practice – within which Alison worked alongside him – and, in company with the many ups and downs this world has to offer, they watched their four children grow while preparing them for the slings and arrows of life as is incumbent on all loving parents. In the midst of this nuclear family ideal and the relative success of their commercial endeavours, a holiday casa was purchased on Spain’s Southern Coast in the idyllic Padron of Mijas.

-o-

Roll the tape forward to 1989 and set the scene with a backdrop of a glistening Mediterranean viewed through sundrenched tropical foliage from the picture windows dominating a veranda of a southern facing villa set on a small hill to the western side of Mijas on the Costa del Sol.

Colin and Alison are talking and the subject is their future and the disabling nature of boredom. They have reached that disparate age of nearly six years past a half century where slowing down in life is a serious consideration for many. The conversation ends with a pact to travel and work. Industry is applied to applying for overseas positions with any number of governments, charitable and/or philanthropic agencies seeking the assistance of experience and dedication.

In 1598 the Spanish explorer Alvero de Mendana was the first European to properly navigate the seas of Oceania and in doing he came upon a group of islands to the east of the coast of Papua New Guinea – whereupon he exercised the discoverers right and named the archipelago after a wealthy biblical King - as it was, in his view, a world of abundance.

1n 1989 Alison and Colin became the latest working guests of The Solomon Islands. For two years they ploughed away at what they were good at and any lingering feeling of declining relevance and apathy dissipated like thin smoke upon the wind.

With their return to Scotland Colin found a new vigour for the cause of Scottish independence and began an activism that remains to this day. Both their hearts still held accommodation for Malawi and both have been formally recognised by the progressive generations of leaders for the roles they played and what they achieved during those seven tumultuous years leading up to that country’s venture into independence.

But home had its own political fight and was in need of ground forces with a sense of history, fairness and a way to achieve it. Colin stood twice for election as SNP candidate, when it was neither popular nor profitable, while stamping his ideology on a town that would eventually mould Nicola Sturgeon into a leader of the SNP and the country.

-o-

Today the couple live in a small house in Irvine. Time has eroded the capacity for physical vigour to a certain degree - as it has a habit of doing to us all - but time is a slower master in controlling and diminishing thought and the facility to express.

I spoke via a Whatsapp video call to Alison and Colin on Saturday night of last week. While I cannot boast of knowing either of them well we have had a number of socially polite telephone conversations over the past ten months and on one occasion – in December 2019 - I listened to the most erudite of speeches given by Colin at the occasion of the sixtieth birthday his daughter, (and my confidant), Shona, (a surprise party organised by their granddaughter Michelle in a pub on the Costa and attended pre-COVID by a ridiculous number of happy people).

The subject of our conversation was primarily to be around the effect of the pandemic on their lives given they fell into the age bracket of being the most under threat from this ‘Invisible Enemy’. I had attempted to have the conversation the previous evening but Colin exercised his attorney privilege to prepare – seeking an adjournment on behalf of himself and his fellow witness Alison.

After a number of false starts – it was a WiFi thing – we managed to have a conversation over about an hour or so. Most of what you have read above was provided initially by Alison in considered timeline and factual background. Much of the detail came from Colin with intermittent interruptions from his wife to steer and correct.

Alison was philosophical and accepting in respect of the impact of enforced isolation, social distancing and the wearing of masks. Her medical and scientific background gave emphasis to listening to the experts and the exercising of patience. She has a controlled temperament when asked a direct or leading question and only really showed a level of distaste when the subject of Boris Johnson arose – a civil and polite distaste but distaste all the same.

Colin was prepared with a series of bullet point observations that he checked as he enunciated with care and lucidity.

The recklessness of people, (with particular reference to youth), in respect of the early days of being told to socially distance and wear a mask alongside the very real dangers to people over the age of 75.

The ensuing acceptance of restrictions by a majority following the first wave and at the commencement of the second wave - from which he took a degree of encouragement if not satisfaction.

The potential and existent desperate financial implications for so many and an almost guilty admission on his own part for how their domestic costs had reduced significantly while their income remained constant and was even about to rise due to a mandated increase in the government pension.

The loss of immediate human contact – particularly with their grandchildren – and the consequences related to any society deprived of distraction and interest from daily social intercourse.

The potential optimism for the effects of a vaccine with a caveat on the absolute necessity of political and commercial leadership to ensure a development of trust for medical science alongside an efficient distribution of the vaccine in a fair and orderly manner for there to be any hope of a return to relative normalcy

The effect of a creeping apathy towards preoccupation during lockdown – his home office still awaited much self promised attention in the way of, tidying, filing and editing the dictation of a book him and Alison were putting together about their time in Malawi.

I listened while he pronounced and understood this was a man used to addressing problems with a systematic consideration for cause and cure. His calculated expression of the situation held a passion but, I thought, was cloaked in almost professional brevity. I broached the subject of fears caused by the world being turned upside down through the spreading of a miniscule thing that made a grain of sand look like a giant.

Colin paused, as if deciding how much he could reveal of his inner self to this friend of his daughter and stranger of an Irishman. Decision made, he moved into a field of humanity made whole by an honesty found rarely and with a profundity in content.

He spoke of real concerns for himself and Alison, of how the thing we call Corona Virus was effectively a death sentence to them should they be infected and how his greatest terror lay in those who display any level of nonchalance to its dangers in the environment of people of his age and station.

His words weren’t delivered as a particularly emotional expression of his views and fears until he ended with telling me he was gone to bed every night for the last ten months with such a worry never far from his mind.

All of which served to remind me these two people had been through thick and thin together for more than 63 years, contributed what they could to society, stooped and built it up with worn out tools on multiple occasions, maintained a spirit and love that endured through the best of times and the worst of times and came through it all with a sense of national identity, familial devotion and the ideology of hope.

If that’s not a stupendous endorsement of the institution of marriage and the gift of love then I have no idea what is!

I ended the video call by eliciting a promise that when they had been inoculated and the potential to travel to Spain returned, they would grant me some hours of their company to, debate, argue, rectify and laugh at the problems of this planet while sipping something old and distilled.

-o-

(Tonight – Monday 25 January – is Burns Night – and I will raise a glass to two people in Irvine while digesting haggis, (the literal belly of the beast), and voice a salute that’s entirely Scottish: Slàinte Mhath Alison & Colin)