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Garcia Marquez home to Colombia

Garcia Marquez home to Colombia

Nobel Prize-winning author Gabriel Garcia Marquez has returned to his Colombian home town for the first time in more than 20 years.
He was greeted by hundreds of fans as he returned to Aracataca in a train painted with yellow butterflies.

The town is said to have inspired his most famous novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, and officials hope to boost tourism through links to the author.

Garcia Marquez, who lives in Mexico City, last visited Aracataca n 1983.

'Long live Gabo'

Garcia Marquez arrived on a new train service to Aracataca from the city of Santa Marta.

Police officers pushed through cheering crowds to help the famous author, known as Gabo in Colombia, to get off the train.

He signed autographs, posed for photographs and met fans, as banner-waving admirers shouted "long live Gabo!"
He then toured the town in a horse and carriage with his wife, Mercedes Barcha.

"It wasn't as good as I expected but it was OK," a joking Garcia Marquez told Reuters news agency.

Garcia Marquez is credited with bringing the literary genre of magical realism to an international audience.

The town of Macondo in his most famous novel, One Hundred Years of Solitude, is said to be based on Aracataca, which has a population of about 53,000.

In the novel, Macondo suffers years of endless rain and an epidemic of insomnia.

Last year, local authorities failed to persuade local people to approve attempts to change Aracataca's name to Macondo

Garcia Marquez was born in the banana-growing town in 1927 and lived there until he was nine. He was inspired to create Macondo when he returned at the age of 23.

For his 80th birthday in March, Colombia's government pledged $500,000 (£253,030) to rebuild his home in Aracataca, which houses a museum celebrating his life and works.

Other famous novels include "Love in the Time of Cholera" and "The General in His Labyrinth".

Garcia Marquez won the Nobel prize for literature in 1982.

Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/1/hi/world/americas/6706747.stm

Published: 2007/05/31 06:54:38 GMT

© BBC MMVII

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/americas/6706747.stm

By Simon on May 31, 2007, 21:02 in Friendly Talkzone.

goin_south says on May 31, 2007, 22:09:

I think he's very interesting,.. to read how he writes. I enjoy his suttle and detailed observations of the life, and the inner thinking of a colombian

Voy para del Sur

What does it mean,... for someone to be: "Colombian...Enough" ... or, 'not colombian enough'?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Monpirri says on Jun 1, 2007, 02:59:

Gabriel Gacia Márquez Gabriel García Márquez (entrevista)

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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esanch36 says on Jun 1, 2007, 06:09:

That cheap mother fucker I love his books. But that asshole hasnt done anything for colombia. He is a hippocrite...he's a communist but fails to live up to thier ideals of giving back.....

esanch36

All right, I'll ask: How come it took three seconds to euthanize Eight Belles, but the Womens NBA is starting Year 12???

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el flaco says on Jun 1, 2007, 07:11:

but what about the train? Does anybody know anything more about the train? Passenger trains are so rare in Colombia. How did we all miss this? Aracataca is a long way from Santa Marta.

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oldbongo says on Jun 1, 2007, 08:16:

with you sanch.. he's an ingrate too.
imagine, snubbing don victor nieto, his senior by ten years, when victor honoured gabo at his most recent film festival in catagena.

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Simon says on Jun 1, 2007, 09:11:

Esanch,Who says Garcia Esanch,

Who says Garcia Marquez hasn't done anything or Colombia? He has participated in talks between the guerrillas and the government to bring about a peaceful end to the conflict. He also has given the country the honor of having Latin America's greatest writer and book (One Hundred Years of Solitude).

And if you think he has an obligation to just give money away, who's the communist?

HERE'S SIMON!!!!

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esanch36 says on Jun 1, 2007, 13:16:

Simon...im not the communist here.... I just think he contridicts himself

esanch36

All right, I'll ask: How come it took three seconds to euthanize Eight Belles, but the Womens NBA is starting Year 12???

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Monpirri says on Jun 1, 2007, 17:46:

When he lived in Paris... Gabriel García Márquez (El coronel y su vida en París)

Siempre en favor de su país.

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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Monpirri says on Jun 1, 2007, 17:49:

Let's learn a bit more about García Márquez Gabriel García Márquez (Noticia de un secuestro)

Qué ha hecho este grán personaje?

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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medefockinllin says on Jun 1, 2007, 19:18:

Esanch is right - he is a champagen socialist hypocrite I wrote about this on a previous thread. He was a big admirer of Pablo Escobar, and is very supportive of the FARC. At the same time, he spends all his time milking his name in Mexico and on palatial stays in Havana.
His most recent trip to Colombia was to shove himself to be first in line to ingratiate with the Spanish Royals.

The arrogant f''k was asked if he would allow the $500k to be used to provide sanitation for his home town, which he abandoned and has done nothing for. Compassionate Marquez, the Robin Hood of Colombia, responded - NO.

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goin_south says on Jun 1, 2007, 22:11:

I think you're both right..... and, now that you're not seventeen anymore you should be able to look around and see that... THEY'RE ALL CHAMPAGNE HYPOCRITES.

Voy para del Sur

What does it mean,... for someone to be: "Colombian...Enough" ... or, 'not colombian enough'?

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Monpirri says on Jun 1, 2007, 23:13:

Esanch36 and Medefockinllin You guys must be writers, poets, journalists, PR spokesmen or Colombian wanna to be, or maybe you guys are from the country where the majority the citizens are not proud of their land.
Your thoughts or feelings are the same as the Colombians who are armed with grudges for centuries.

Annette Taddeo for US Congress 2008

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medefockinllin says on Jun 2, 2007, 07:44:

Monpirrir - I live in Medellin And the overwhelming majority of the people are proud of Marquez's work, but despise the costeno as an individual.

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esanch36 says on Jun 2, 2007, 11:10:

Its just funny as hell I personally beleive he should do what he wants...buttttttttt he is a hypocrite. The socialist/communist ideal is to always give back, to think about the greater good than yourslef. Instead he is a fat ass living in mexico, and every now and then goes to Cuba to suck Castro's D#$ at and spouts how good communism is. Besides that he is a great writer..jejejejjeje

esanch36

All right, I'll ask: How come it took three seconds to euthanize Eight Belles, but the Womens NBA is starting Year 12???

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goin_south says on Jun 2, 2007, 17:05:

(not making any personal statements, but...) 'socialist/communist ideal is to always give back, to think about the greater good than yourslef'

I think that might be 'communist/socialist' ideal, but rarely in practice. But, is what christianity/republicanism in practice. Too many times on the face of the earth, socialism/communism boils down to 'the many relying on the state, for their welfare', and usually the state letting the masses down, ... many empty promises, that appeal to the masses of those who are too damn lazy and unmovitated to work and produce for themselves, and to accelerate.

Voy para del Sur

What does it mean,... for someone to be: "Colombian...Enough" ... or, 'not colombian enough'?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Jun 3, 2007, 22:51:

Sorry but What makes you think that the Colombian government would have ALLOWED their money to be used to build sewers instead of refurbish Gabo's childhood house (which then creates a big tourist attraction, tax money...)? He's never owned the house and it's not him putting up the $500,000, so clearly not Gabo's money to appropriate, commie or not.

If you're gonna be pissy about it, be pissed at the Colombian government for wasting $500,000 when there's so many better priorities.

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goin_south says on Jun 3, 2007, 23:07:

Sh*t, Mr Hollywood.... although still, there's something I like about the guy (probably because I don't really know him....A.U.) I think the Colombian Government has got plenty money to blow like that. I think they got their own hand heavily in the cocaine trade and a half million ain't sh*t.

Voy para del Sur

What does it mean,... for someone to be: "Colombian...Enough" ... or, 'not colombian enough'?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Jun 4, 2007, 08:57:

Hah Well, then, goin_south, that would make it even more inexcusable for them not to fix the sewer system, right? And even more not Gabo's problem.

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goin_south says on Jun 4, 2007, 22:26:

you're right, Mr Hollywood.... and, me???? I'm gatherin that wad of $$$ 1,000,000 bills, USA... to throw at the taxis, as I exit ELDORADO AEROPUERTO! JEJEJEE!

Voy para del Sur

What does it mean,... for someone to be: "Colombian...Enough" ... or, 'not colombian enough'?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

goin_south says on Jun 4, 2007, 22:27:

fake, of course. Voy para del Sur

What does it mean,... for someone to be: "Colombian...Enough" ... or, 'not colombian enough'?

0 funny, 0 helpful.

Mr. Hollywood says on Jun 5, 2007, 17:03:

Gabo and his politics While we're on the subject, I'm reminded of a great quote that Norman Mailer once said about Borges: "I detest having to think about a writer by his politics first. It's like thinking of people by way of their anus."

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