Happy Sant Jordi Day

Happy St George's Day- Ah yes, the day of the dragon, slaying, armour and flags. Sadly no longer a feast and national patriotic holiday. There was a brief resurgence of encouraging fellow Britons to try to embrace St George's Day. It didn't seem to work.

St George isn't just England's patron saint but also that of Germany, parts of Spain, Portugal, Russia. The list continues. I think the Catalans have got it right making it a modern-day Valentine's Day. On La Diada de Sant Jordi, traditionally the men give a rose to a woman and the women give  a book to a man. A rose for Love and a book forever. Bookstalls are set up around the catalan cities in honour of the great Sant Jordi. These days books are the traditional fare, exchanges between lovers, admirers, and friends. And there's cake.

St George's Day...Catalan Style

Slightly less romantically, UNESCO have taken it upon itself to make the 23rd April World book and Copyright Day. Even less romantic, unless you're into gothic romance, is Bram Stoker's Dracula predicting that evil things would occur on St George's Day.

Well,  Happy Friday.