A Foot in Two Campos

Thoughts from a brand new home-owner in the Axarquía region of Málaga. I hope there might be some information and experiences of use to other new purchasers, plus the occasional line to provoke thought or discussion.

32 - Chaos and Heroism
Friday, November 23, 2012 @ 12:47 PM

8am on the dot. No need for an alarm clock. The digger starts up, the sound echoes loudly, bouncing off the walls in the narrow street. They’re very punctual, the workmen. Damnit.

This really shouldn’t be the view outside anybody’s window. My morning walk around the edge of the village and to the bakery would involve a hard hat and a yellow jacket if I were in England. Here I just wave from my front door, the guys tell me if it’s safe, I climb over the wooden board guarding my front door, jump down to the muddy track way below, and pick my way over trenches and mudheaps.

This morning I put my empty gas bottle out for replacing. Optimistic? I needn’t have worried. A knock on the door – the gasman cometh. I thanked him profusely and said I had thought he wouldn’t be able to get through. He looked surprised, and said simply “People need gas”. He would have scaled mountains and carried the bombona across a bed of nails to reach his customers. So often it’s the people doing their daily work and keeping us going who are the real heroes.

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4 Comments

Gerald said:
Friday, November 23, 2012 @ 8:48 PM

Looks & sounds like its getting worse Tamara, do you think that they will have finished by Christmas? Love the picture of your gas bottle outside of your front door. I hope that they don't start on the road outside of the hotel!

eggcup said:
Friday, November 23, 2012 @ 11:09 PM

This is bringing back memories, Tamara. When they worked on our street, the first morning, also at 8am on the dot, the noise was so terrific it was like we were under terrorist attack. They had some kind of jack hammer literally on the edge of our outside walls. It was unbearable for a few days, until they moved further up the street. I think the Spanish just take it in their stride though. I don't think I've ever heard a Spaniard complain about noise. Don't worry though, it shouldn't last long. I'd just go out shopping and drinking coffee more than usual and try and time your lunch etc. when they've stopped for their breaks. All the best.

Tamara said:
Saturday, November 24, 2012 @ 9:14 AM

Don't worry Gerry, the roads by the hotel are all fine. It's the few remaining village centre residential streets they are doing :-). It'll be two months in all, but l will write about other things as well! If it was just resurfacing it would be quite quick, but it's a complete remodelling!

Gerald said:
Saturday, November 24, 2012 @ 9:46 PM

So it may not be completed by mid January !!!! poco a poco

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Tamara
I bought my dream home in July 2012 and since taking early retirement in March 2013 I have settled into a pattern of living about nine tenths of my time in Spain and one tenth in Dorset, England. My blog is entitled A Foot in Two Campos as it compares rural life in Dorset and Colmenar. But mostly my blog is about the experience of settling into a Spanish town, getting to know my new neighbours, and of course learning the language.