I've just spent the evening "celebrating" the most ridiculous Dia de San Valentin. In England, where I'm from, this day was always, and still is, a big deal. In Germany, according to my German missus, der Valentinstag is totally unimportant. In Spain, despite the best efforts of the commercial sector to promote this day, it really hasn't taken off.
[Diario AS]
So, there I was this evening in this locals' bar near Ronda in Andalucia. There were fewer customers than on a normal night. Certainly for a Saturday.
Just four people were dining on the outside terrace, but they clearly weren't celebrating the day of love, despite the red heart-shaped balloons hanging from every available window latch.
Inside the bar there were two couples and sundry other folk who are always there, including me. The local mayoress was there, rather loud, so I guess she'd had a few. Her adult daughter was also there and in a lively mood.
The botox-enhanced, tattoo-ed and ginger-haired unmarried mother was supping "pints" quicker than I was, and I'm no slouch! Meanwhile, her fellah was playing with their four-year-old son.
St Valentine's Day in the UK
I remember that even in primary school we would exchange unsigned Valentine's cards (What was the point of that? I thought, even back then).
It continued through secondary school, at church and also at university.
[RTVE.es]
St Valentine's Day was always a special day for my first wife and me.
It was an excuse to go out for a nice meal and for a bit of "nookey" when we went to bed at the end of the night.
Those were the days, eh?
[Encuentro Matrimonial]
The Wilderness Years
This is how I describe the period of my life between 2005 and 2008 when I was redundant, early-retired and depressed.
A dalliance I had with a widow had its Valentine moments, but the relationship was destined not to last.
A spell living with my dear old mum (I had nowhere else to go) was fallow until, in early 2008, another widow whom I'd known since we were students together 40 years before, invited me to Luxembourg, where she lived, to work on a house she had bought for her daughter and son-in-law.
The deal was she would pay for my flights, give me board and lodging and pay for treats.
I didn't expect a summer romance as well!
When it ended (the work and the romance) I flew from Luxembourg to Malaga with my tail between my legs and to drown my sorrows.
[El Mundo]
That very same night in Ronda I met the lady who was to become my second wife, the afore-mentioned German lady, Rita.
Rita and St Valentine's Day
I started off giving Valentinstag the full "welly", but it didn't last.
So, we are where we are!
© The Culture Vulture
Pictures:
Diario AS, El Mundo, Encuentro Matrimonial, RTVE.es
Thanks:
Maude, Jac, Paul Whitelock, Rita, The Culture Vulture,
Tags:
Andalucia, Dia de San Valentin, Diario AS, El Mundo, Encuentro Matrimonial, England, German, Germany, Jac, Luxembourg, Malaga, Maude, Paul Whitelock, RTVE.es, Rita, Ronda, St Valentine's Day, The Culture Vulture, Valentinstag, widow