James Crocket – Medium

James Crocket

The Valencian Monastery Where Time Stands Still

Secluded within a valley in the Serra Calderona, stands a monastery with a 700-year history, whose monks are experts at self-isolation.

6 min readMar 9, 2021

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The Valencian Monastery Where Time Stands Still

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James Crocket

The Island Which Changes Country Twice A Year

Every summer and winter for the last 361 years, France and Spain have been passing a small, unpopulated island back and forth between them.

5 min readNov 20, 2020

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The Island Which Changes Country Twice A Year

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James Crocket

Anyone For Rat and Eel Paella? The Spanish Foods Invented In Times Of Scarcity

Some of Spain’s most cherished foods have origins in times of scarcity, and some surprising original ingredients.

5 min readNov 20, 2020

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Anyone For Rat and Eel Paella? The Spanish Foods Invented In Times Of Scarcity

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James Crocket

Bound By Hatred: Eduardo Inda and Pablo Iglesias

A rivalry between a journalist and a politician has spilt into the courts, with each accused of breaking the law to bring down the other.

7 min readOct 13, 2020

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Bound By Hatred: Eduardo Inda and Pablo Iglesias

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James Crocket

The Darkness of Francisco de Goya

How the evolution of Francisco de Goya’s art reflected the disintegration of his country and his own descent into insanity.

7 min readOct 13, 2020

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The Darkness of Francisco de Goya

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James Crocket
in
Curious

The Mystery of Spain’s Chinese Bars

A large number of Spain’s most traditional local tapas bars are now run by members of the Chinese community. Why?

7 min readSep 23, 2020

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The Mystery of Spain’s Chinese Bars

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James Crocket

The Adventures of Franco’s Children

Though Spain’s dictatorship ended years ago, Franco’s descendants refuse to leave the stage.

8 min readSep 15, 2020

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The Adventures of Franco’s Children

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James Crocket

Ghost Villages: La España Vacía

While Spain’s urban centres become ever more crowded, its villages are quickly emptying. Some have no residents left.

7 min readSep 7, 2020

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Ghost Villages: La España Vacía

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James Crocket

Zamrock: The Psychedelic Sound of Young Zambia

When Zambia’s president said that 95% of music played on radio must be local, he didn’t expect it to lead to a psychedelic rock revolution.

6 min readMar 19, 2020

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Zamrock: The Psychedelic Sound of Young Zambia

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James Crocket
in
DataDrivenInvestor

Not Going Away: The Pollok Free State

How the building of a motorway through a public park in Glasgow taught a generation of Scots about an injustice suffered by their ancestors

8 min readFeb 3, 2020

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Not Going Away: The Pollok Free State

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James Crocket

James Crocket

I’m a writer and musician living in Valencia, Spain. Every week I write a newsletter of lesser-known stories from Spain https://weirdspain.substack.com/

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