Cuba - Wordsmith Adorns Home With Idiomatic Expressions

Artists are known to do odd things, even in Cuba

During the last 20 years, Cuban writer Tomas Alvarez has collected over 4,000 modismos, idiomtic expressions, sayings that reflect cultural personality. Examples: "He who kills cats, raises mice;" "strong ox, abundant bread;""Women and wine make a man lose his head." My favorite is, "when the emperor errs, the peasant trembles," I hope a veiled reference to Fidel!

Collecting modismos is nothing unusual for a writer, decorating the outside of his home is. Every brick now has a saying as well as the pillars of his veranda. For the same purpose, soon he will build an outhouse…I hope it also has practical use.