Sunday Meal

The opening of Upstairs, the Irish pub of Agdal quarter in Rabat, has undoubtedly been one of the major events of the last few months in the city's life. Weekends are particularly slow and quiet in the Moroccan capital, specially as we foreigners flock to big sport events, art galleries, cinemas or simply the countryside at our home countries. Upstairs' menu plays an essential role in the next day's -after a long night partying- late mornings. If the night was not too wild and you are able to get up before midday then a full Irish Breakfast is for you. Tasting their Traditional Fish and Chips, the Chese burguer's crunchy frites or the delicious crusty Steak and Stout pie are the real alternative to the everyday Moroccan tajine I was awaiting. I feel particulary pleased enjoying one of these Sunday Meals while reading any newspaper Sunday edition while it is pouring outside.

Blair

Tony Blair's candidacy to become the president of the new European Council has launched the debate: Who should be the person? Who, amongst our current leaders, is the most suitable politician to go for it? Today I am not bothered about that one, as the former British Prime Minister once said when leaving office, but about his controversial figure. Firstly, I should admit that I am not impartial and so I will ever be: I cannot hide my fascination for him. I felt the same as millions of British voters over more than ten years. All of us understand what we mean exactly. I was equally captivated by his political charm. For all his political mistakes: too big to deserve forgiveness -the war on Iraq and his consequences-, I should say, for all his proven incapacity to get Britain into the heart of the Continent -and the Euro zone in particular- and fight its traditional euro scepticism, when he was at the right time and at the right position, despite all these reasons, I cannot claim that there is nowadays any other candidate more qualified than him for this job. Europe as a political actor is, probably, living one of its worst hours and only a internationally acknowledged figure as Blair's might take the EU back to the main scene. Blair's seductive power is universal, something that even his foes -which are emerging these days- would admit. As an Scotsman, to say, as a British person, at least in the near future, he will be an European. Despite everything. So take advantage of it.

Youthful politics

The victory of youthful politics over its senior version. In today's world, youth is to reign over any other human virtue. Its power prevails over wisdom, experience and intellectual education. Fashion and modelling, advertising, TV journalism, sport and now politics too. The main case against John McCain is precisely his age. 72 years old is too much for the eternally young America. Barack Obama, 46, is the other side of the coin: young, full of life and bringin nerve into the American stagnant political system he looks ideal for the vacancy. Youth vs age was the decisive factor in David Cameron's win over David Davis in the Tory primary back in 2006. Another David, David Miliband, the young British foreign minister, burnt onto the political stage with an article penned in The Guardian standing for renovation. Despite waiting for more than 10 years to get into Number 10,, Gordon Brown political momentum is over: he is 54. Too old to lead a country, people are suggesting. Miliband vs Cameron seems to be the next duel... are they worthy of Mrs Thatcher, Churchill and Clement Attlee? They are young, that's all. When metrosexuality politics?

England arising?

Interesting article by David Goodhart about the future of the United Kingdom in Prospect Magazine.

Renewed energy

Five days after I knew my destination as an ICEX scholarship holder, I am back here to take this project up again. Despite having created a new blog for academic purposes -it was part of the course assessment--, I keep this Big Ben as claiming loyalty to the idea that gave birth one day to this window to the world. Whether I go to Morocco or not, only the time will give the answer, but what I can say for sure is that I stay with the Big Ben and its amazing sound echoing the whole world, to say, Britain,Spain and the whole Europe.