National News
Octopus Paul invited to Spain
2010-07-13 19:07
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Madrid - A Spanish town which celebrates an annual Octopus Festival has requested that Paul, the "psychic" octopus who predicted Spain's World Cup win, be allowed to join them as a guest of honour this year.
Carlos Montes, major of O Carballino, in the northwestern Galicia region, said they hoped the eight-legged oracle would be allowed by aquarium staff in Oberhuasen, Germany to travel to their festival on August 8.
Paul has already been rewarded with honorary citizenship of the town with several Galician businessmen collecting €30 000 to make an offer to buy the soccer soothsayer, according to press reports.
The mollusc medium shot to fame after correctly "tipping" all eight games he predicted - seven Germany games and the final itself.
And he has become a symbol of Spain's World Cup victory with Andres Iniesta, the scorer of the winning goal over the Netherlands in the final, carrying a plastic octopus as the team were acclaimed in Madrid on Monday.
Travelling to this region of Spain could however prove hazardous for Paul, as octopus is a delicacy, particularly in Galicia, where the speciality is boiled and served finely sliced with paprika, olive oil and boiled potatoes.
He could prefer to see out his retirement safely in Germany where aged two and a half years he is six months off the life expectancy of his species.