Biking & Baking in Las Alpujarras

10 days in and we have been very busy! The house has been dusted (the eternal dust!), hoovered and at least one room given a new coat of paint (white – so much easier to colour match). The balcony is now alive with colourful geraniums, fuchsias, various herbs and a growing band of sparrow chicks under the tinao (eves). We have tested out the VFR and arranged a meet for 20 June at 12.00 in Trevelez, with a British chap we met in Pitres. Anyone else want to be there, feel free. It's a stunning ride, whether you go via Torviscon or Pitres. From Orgiva it's a round trip of about 40 km. I believe that someone has an 'open studio' near Castaras that weekend too, and there's some sort of fiesta in Trevelez.

We have been eating very simple meals – the altitude certainly diminishes one's appetite – mostly onions, tomatoes, chorizo and staples of rice or potatoes. Patatas bravas, patatas a lo pobre, paella of our own variety. I will post some of these recipes next time.

We have also set aside an hour every morning to practice our Spanish, working our way through a book on verbs and sentences. We are benefiting already, and practising it in the local bar with a glass of wine also helps!