I talked up the good weather and now it is sleeting and snowing with average daytime temperatures not much above 6 degrees in the daytime and near freezing at night. The markets have been suspended and even the bibliotheca (library) is shut. Our Spanish teacher greeted us today wearing her dressing gown to keep warm!
We went down to the land yesterday despite the coolness and I was delighted to find that two of our sample ’bore holes’ are retaining the rainwater quite naturally, about 40cm down. This implies that there is a clay seam there, so we are hopeful that we can dig out an alberca and line it with the clay to form a water hole for dry spells.
Our little party last weekend was good fun, with about 18 of our local friends - everyone brought something…a bottle of Bacardi, 2 grapefruit, a kilo of Seville oranges (I have just made a batch of marmalade from them), a dozen bottles of Portuguese beer…and we finally got to bed about 2am. We made some new friends too: Mike from Bulgaria and Francesco from southern Italy, and Eric and Caroline from the Pyrenees (but Belgian). Almost all the food got eaten, with Steve providing some inspirational savoury bread, focaccia and his own marinated olives. I did my usual chocolate brownie and have already been asked to do another one for next weekend at Mike’s place!
Tango has also got off to a cracking start! Our local Alcaldessa (Lady Mayor) and her friends came along, plus some newcomers, so we were 12 in all. I have mastered the basic steps and was put ‘on the spot’ by Julio at the very beginning, to demonstrate this achievement! Luckily I managed not to fall over or stamp on his toes! We are going to wait until we have all reached a reasonably good level, and then go to the Granada milongas to dance with the experts!! Eventually!! I shall need a shortish skirt, as showing off one’s legs is important for the women. The men are expected to smarten up with waistcoats or jackets and definitely no trainers. Difficult for all of us here in the mountains as we tend to wear the same old jeans and T-shirts no matter what the occasion. But at least I have my leather-soled tango shoes which are essential for the neat footwork that is required.
Steve, Eric and a Spanish BMW rider, Ronald went out on Sunday for a spin to Canar and Pampaneira. The winding hill road down from Canar is spectacular, though only a snip compared to the Stelvio Pass or somewhere like that. But they had a good time and enjoyed the camaraderie. We are about to book our ferry crossing for the TT Centenary races on the Isle of Man at the end of May…I just hope we can still find a slot! That could turn out to be a long two weeks for me but sheer heaven for Steve.
We have just had garlic and coriander home-made soup for supper, which includes a poached egg and crusts of bread…it’s a Portuguese recipe and if it sounds awful, well just be glad we aren’t blowing kisses at you! The garlic is pretty powerful.
Adios amigos, time for bed, tea, hot-water bottles and some Sudoku J