Biking & Baking in Las Alpujarras

In case anyone out here is worried about using the local health services, I have had some reassuring experiences at Motril hospital today.  A routine check-up that became more complicated meant that I had X-rays, Echocardiogram and biopsies all done in one 3-hour session...beat that NHS!!  Everyone was professional, friendly, hygienic and spoke more slowly on request!  I'll give further updates if my opinion changes, but so far I've found that the services generally (emergency centres and local doctoring) are good.  We know someone here who is getting regular mental health services too.  I have all my NHS medical notes to hand, in English, which they seem to want...some things are international and the language is often the same : biopsy/biopsia, contrast/contraste, X-ray/X rayos and so on.

I have had a go at translating my previous post into Spanish.  This is a good exercise and I welcome comments and suggestions...any improvements in phraseology welcomed!  I have tried to get the verbs right (subjunctives etc) but  no doubt some of them will be wrong...

Pensabamos que dejáramos el calor y muchas fiestas, con un sendero pequeño por las montañas, tal vez durante un par de noches, y hicimos nuestras mochillas (de menos de 4 kg) con sacos de dormir, comida y bebida (el agua) y suficiente de filtro solar. Decidimos conducir tan alto que posible durante la tarde, durmiendo cerca del coche y teniendo el beneficio de 2 comidas 'de malatero' ... menos llevar en nuestras espaldas!  Esto funcionó muy bien, la noche estaba calma (mas meteorites) y tomamos una copa de vino con nuestro pollo frio y ensalada de tomates casera . La proxima manaña retrasamos bastante tener una buena conversación con un vigilante de incendio y buscar un rato, pues salimos cerca de 10 de la manaña por las altas sierras .

Por encima de 2,500m el tiempo empezó cambiar, el viento se hizo más fuerte,se levantaba del sur-oueste.  La hora del sombrero de lana y una jaqueta para el viento. Encontremos un rebaño de ovejas con cuernos se refugian abajo de una roca muy grande, como un torre de piedra. Eran a las 6 de la tarde, con 3 horas más de buena luz del dia. En realidad, después de una pendiente en picado, necesitamos ascender otra vez,, en diagonal por otro 300m de piedras rotas, ráfagada por el viento...trabajo muy duro que tuvó mucho más tiempo que imaginabamos.

We thought we'd escape the heat and wall-to-wall fiestas with a little stroll in the mountains, maybe for a couple of nights, and duly packed our (sub 4kg) rucksacks with sleeping gear, some food and water, and plenty of sun-blocker. We decided to drive as high as we could in the early evening, bivi near the car and have the benefit of 2 meals 'out of the boot'...less to carry on our backs!

This worked really well, the night was calm (more meteorites) and we even had a sup of wine with our cold chicken and home-grown tomato salad. The following morning we delayed long enough to have a nice chat with a local fire-watchman and do some scouting about, then set off towards the high sierras about 10 am. As usual, the first 200 metres was hard work, adjusting to the altitude (2000m), the heat and the gradient, but we soon acclimatised. At Alto de las Chorreras (2647m) I stopped to sit in the sunshine (and cool breeze) while Steve went scouting for water. This could be our last chance to fill the platypus (1 litre, to add to our existing 1.5 litres) for the next 24 hrs. I watched a couple of eagles playing on the thermals and a few young cows ambling down the slope towards the valley below, then snoozed for 10 minutes until the man returned with good news. He had found a small spring just to the east of our spot, trickling out pure, uncontaminated and cool liquid...a lovely little grassy area with reeds and gentians...spot on! With the help of a silver foil spout and some ingenuity, we managed to extract over a litre, drank as much as we could, and then continued towards Peñon de Puerto (2754m).

As usual, over 2,500m the weather began to change, the wind getting much stronger, funneling up from the south west. Beanies and wind-jacket time! We found a large herd of horned sheep nestled into the lee of the biggest 'rock' up there...more like a towering crag all on its own...and decided to press on to the Loma de las Albardas and Puerto de Jerez, before looking for a bivi. It was only 6 pm, another 3 hours of good daylight left. In fact, after a steep descent, we ended up having to ascend again diagonally up another 300m of steep scree and stone, blasted by the wind...very hard work and taking much longer than expected.

We decided we had done enough and hunted about for places to sleep and somewhere to get the little stove going. A hot drink and/or noodles was essential as by now we were chilled and tired. My legs had had enough! We found some dry roots to fill Steve's dog-food tin and get the water boiling...the wind roaring past us on its way to Guadix and Alicante, over what looked like the plain of Mordor far below. Our respective sleeping quarters turned out to be a fabulous cave for me (standing height, only 1 side exposed to the elements, just a bit of goat poo to clear), and an absolute coffin for Steve (no room to do more than slide in and stay put). Heroic sacrifice of the highest order!! In fact, neither of us slept very well due to the ceaseless, increasing wind and, in my case, the sound of stones clinking as the fox hunted about outside for our food cache (too well buried, sorry old boy).

We made a very early start, at first light, fighting our way off the mountain into the teeth of the gale, and waited until we were back down at our water source before we stopped for breakfast. This became a luxurious meal of hot muesli, tea, coffee, remains of a walnut cake...the sun shone, we got out of our jackets...the wind was abating a bit...we were homeward bound. We could see shadows of Africa across the sea, the much nearer pristine slopes of the Contraviesa, and close by a flock of sheep with their shepherd, slowly working their way up the hillside. Delightful. How could we know that by lunchtime we would be sitting in a shady garden, wafted by the hot breeze, at 'only' 1400m, and grateful for ice-cold beer...and that when we got back to the village, the neighbours would be saying 'a COLD wind, are you sure?'

Yes, sure I'm sure. 65 kph at 3000m, even in August, is not a force you want to deal with for very long.

East, west, home's best.

The village is awash with people of all ages and we are enjoying, enduring and avoiding various parts of  our 2012 fiesta.  The preparation was great fun...the men putting up flags and bunting and a small stage...the women sweeping the streets and hanging basketts of flowers...children, dogs and cats also playing their part.  The procession and fireworks were splendid, the late-night music appalling (too loud, too badly-sung, probably too expensive) and it was difficult to balance the social part with the compelling Olympic events.  We dashed in and out of the house, trying to cover all options.

The awful music drove us down to the land at about 2am, as it was too hot and too noisy to try and sleep, and we spent a lovely couple of hours watering the veg, watching the meteors and drinking tea from a thermos.  Venus rose in th east at about 4am, followed by a crescent waning moon, bathing the landscape with a pale silver light.  Very beautiful.

Today we have the children's events, the burning of Zorro the fox and some home-made music which will be much better than last night I'm sure.  And we must see the Olympic closing ceremony too...

If anyone is interested to learn some basic Tango, get yourself to Pitres Ayuntamiento on Wed 8 August at 20.00hrs.  There will be 2 classes, first for beginners and then intermediates, followed by a free dance session from about 10.30hrs.  Each class costs 5.00 euros.  It will be outdoors, to a mix of live (we hope)and recorded music.  No special clothes needed but a pair of leather-soled shoes helps and a bit of a heel for the ladies...don't worry about bringing a partner but extra men are  always welcome!

Come and enjoy!!

We are enduring some very high temperatures and stifling, humid conditions; high cloud obscures the sun at times, which is helpful, and no doubt it's cooler higher up in the mountains, but this is real August stuff.    Coming back from a delicious lunch with a French girl friend (a glass of white wine, paté of course, with fresh salad leaves, a little brown toast and haricots verts, followed by my homemade chocolate and beetroot brownies*), I trudged along the dusty path as though wading through treacle; the air was so warm that I had to have a cold shower when I got in, to try and cool off a bit.   It is a surprise that many plants can survive these conditions, and we do have a few very sad-looking trees now, their leaves wilting and branches drooping.   Perhaps a thunderstorm will arrive to freshen things up.

This is the Musica en Las Montañas season, so we have various flautists, cellists, pianists and guitarists strumming their way around La Taha.  Last night was piano and clarinet at the Hotel Maravedi, by the light of a full moon, and the renowned cellist Bernard Gregor-Smith will play in Pitres ayuntamiento on Saturday.  Later the same evening we have Jazz in Busquistar and, I think, Flamenco in Pitres.  Only the Jazz carries an entry fee, so plenty of free entertainment of the highest quality for those who choose  to come.

* I cannot claim anyy credit for the brownies...have a look at Hugh F-W's website and make your own...they were our own home-grown beetroots however.