Saturday, May 26, 2018

Who, Really, Was San Rafael? ¿Quién, Realmente, Era San Rafael?

Hay una versión español después de la versión inglés.

IN OUR NEIGHBORHOOD is a large plaza called Plaza San Rafael. In the middle of the plaza is a ridiculously tall pedestal atop which stands, supposedly, San Rafael. I assumed this was modeled on an actual Christian saint. Not so, explained our friend Santi.

The Story
The redesign of the plaza, which before was known as Plaza de Castilla, was handled by a wealthy contractor/politician from Córdoba, Rafael Gómez Sánchez. He then commissioned the pedestal and the statue of the "saint."

And... he had the saint's head modeled on his own. (He's especially proud of his hair.)

Also, not far from our house is an abandoned lot in a prime location facing the beach. We always wondered what had been there and what could possibly be built there since it's too small for anything profitable and its location in front of another property would mean no one could build "up."

We learned a while back that a contractor had gone ahead and built a tall apartment building. Without permits. He was told by the City of Fuengirola to stop building because it was against code. He refused. They made him tear down the building.

If you guessed that was also Rafael Gómez Sánchez, you're correct.

Can you imagine anyone so corrupt and with such an irrationally "huge" ego? Oh... Yes... Never mind.

Anyway, he was eventually arrested, fined, and forced to pay restitution in 2006, as a result of a nationwide corruption scandal. He's currently in prison again for fraud. His nickname is Sandokan (for the fictional pirate).

EN NUESTRO BARRIO hay una gran plaza llamada Plaza San Rafael. En el medio de la plaza hay un pedestal ridículamente alto en lo alto que se levanta, supuestamente, San Rafael. Supuse que esto estaba inspirado en un santo cristiano real. No es así, dice nuestro amigo Santi.

La Historia
El rediseño de la plaza, que antes era conocido como Plaza de Castilla,  fue manejado por un rico constructor/político, Rafael Gómez Sánchez, de Córdoba. Luego encargó el pedestal y la estatua del "santo".

Y ... él hizo que la cabeza del santo se modelara por su cuenta. (Él está especialmente orgulloso de su cabello.)

Además, no muy lejos de nuestra casa es un lote abandonado en una ubicación privilegiada frente a la playa. Siempre nos preguntamos qué había allí y qué se podría construir allí, ya que es demasiado pequeño para algo arrendable y su ubicación frente a otra propiedad significaría que nadie podría construir "arriba".

Hace un tiempo aprendimos que un contratista había seguido adelante y había construido un alto edificio de apartamentos. Sin permisos. La ciudad de Fuengirola le dijo que dejara de construir porque estaba en contra del código. El se negó. Lo hicieron derribar el edificio.

Si adivinaste que también era Rafael Gómez Sánchez, tienes razón.


¿Puedes imaginar a alguien tan corrupto y con un ego irracionalmente enorme? Ah... Sí... No importa.

De todos modos, él finalmente fue arrestado, multado, y forzado a pagar restitución en 2006, como resultado de un escándalo de corrupción a nivel nacional. Actualmente está en prisión por fraude. Su apodo es Sandokan (para el pirata ficticio).




24 comments:

  1. I'm trying to have a statue erected in Smallville, in what will be St.Bob Square.

    Just sayin'.

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  2. seagull splooge! I can see donald dump creating something like this.

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    Replies
    1. anne marie:
      So can I. And he'd probably get away with it, too.

      Delete
  3. You left off the pants, Bob! St. Bob Square Pants, I like it!
    It always amazes me, Mitchell (is it always Mitchell or do you ever shorten it?) how you can be so informative and interesting and succinct, all at the same time!

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    1. Deedles:
      Priceless! I will forever think of Bob of Saint Bob Squarepants. And thank so much for that very kind comment. It means a lot to me because one of my major goals is to keep things succinct since I like to tell stories and I like to share pictures and I know people don't have tons of time to spend here. Really, thank you!!!

      Delete
  4. He deserves all the seagull shit those birds can dish out.

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    Replies
    1. Debra:
      I was so tempted to slather him with the stuff.

      Delete
  5. Yes, the hair makes the man.

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    Replies
    1. Wilma:
      And if these are the men it makes, I'm glad I'm bald!

      Delete

  6. Petie26 May, 2018 22:39
    He is well known in Córdoba for similar reasons. Also his nickname tells a lot about his way of doing business, Sandokan.

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    1. Petie:
      I had been told about the name Sandokan, but I didn't know who that was. NOW I do and I love it.

      Delete
  7. Trump needs a statue near a pigeon vortex

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    Replies
    1. Adam:
      I'd even be willing to cart the pigeons in from all over the world.

      Delete
  8. The Spanish do squares better than anyone x

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    1. John:
      And they're everywhere. I wonder how many saintly statues were erected based on some rich, corrupt guy's ego.

      Delete
  9. I was thinking perhaps Nadal...

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    1. Walt the Fourth:
      I'm going to start a Go Fund Me page. Let's replace Rafael!

      Delete
  10. What would a monument to you saint look like?

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    1. Travel:
      Well, for one thing, it would be a no-fly zone for pigeons.

      Delete
  11. I'm thinking he also had very small hands. That pedestal column is very tall!

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  12. I want to know more about Sandoken

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    1. Spo:
      I had never heard of him until Santi told me this guy's nickname. So I looked it up and learned he was a fictional 19th century pirate who appeared in 11 adventure novels (by Italian writer, Emilio Salgari) beginning in in the mid-1890s (and first appeared in print in 1883).

      Delete

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