Biking & Baking in Las Alpujarras

Well here I am, back in Blighty for a few days, and several hundreds of gallons of rain have fallen from the skies in no time at all.  The overgrown grass is soaking, the easterly wind is cool and I miss that Spanish pace of life already.  To compound things, my return flight has just been cancelled thanks to a strike so I have an additional 3 days to fill in when I don't want them.   I may have to jump on a train to London and see the Tate Modern's Gauguin exhibition...that will fill one day for me.  And maybe a good haircut, though a pensioner's pocket is not very deep these days.

I am camping in the house and not eating very well, but there's no substitute for spaghetti with basil and garlic pesto, and with time to spare I may have to construct some soup.  For anyone who thinks soup is difficult, let me assure you that all you need is an onion, some other veg leftovers, a pint or so of stock (buy the cubes, it's easy) and maybe a bit of single cream.  Fry the  onions in a biggish pan to transparency/softness, add the finely-chopped veg (carrots, a potato, some leeks or a butternut squash), then slowly pour in the rest of the stock and let it all simmer away quietly for about an hour.  Blend the whole lot up, add seasoning for taste, maybe a swirl of the cream, then put it in your favourite bowl alongside a plate of buttered toast.  Settle down to a good film and there you are!  Just the ticket on a cool autumn evening.

Happy days to those of you  in Andalucia and I'll be back on Saturday :)

We had a great Saturday 4th Sept when Montse and Tonio, local second cousins who now work in Madrid, came home to get married.  All in our little village church and plaza, with a donkey to carry the bride.  We played some Handel for her from our flowery balcony, the flamenco and bel canto dancers and singers did the honours in both church and square, and we all partied until the early hours.  The bride looked beautiful (slim, dark-haired, dressed in a flamenco-style dress of white lace) and Tonio is just a great guy - plus he has 2 motorbikes...Suddenly the villagers have made us part of their community in a more deliberate way and we are happy to participate.  Even half an hour with them takes our Spanish up a gear and a glass or two of wine helps enormously!

We nipped up to Barcelona via Javea and Altafulla, to see relatives and friends...the fiesta de Diabolos at Altafulla was stunning, highly recommend it, plus the Tamarit campsite (18 euros per night for out of season and retired folk like us with a small tent/car or bike).  Long ride on the VFR but all went well.  The Javea swim and supper with Beth & Dave, Ant & Twig was also very welcome!  There´s a great motorway stop between Murcia and Guadix, heading west, which does paella and othe tasty dishes for lunch.  Also the last bar on the Orgiva exit out of Lanjaron that gave us 2 tintos de verano and delicious tapas for the huge sum of 3 euros!!

Now I have to return to GB for a week which will be strange.  I wonder if I can remember how to drive, park, speak and use currency after 31/2 months away!  Probably fall straight into it again.

Bye for now!