19, Octubre 2015

Nuestro Regreso a España (Our Return to Spain)

This photo is appropriate for my friends back in the states.  This is Columbus requesting funding for his voyage which ended in the West Indies and  led to the Spanish empire in North and South America, and celebrated in Spain as more of a national holiday with no mention of Sr. Columbus.

We’re back in Spain after a three-month trip to the US for our son’s wedding.  He married this wonderful young lady, Lauren Fuentes, yes she’s Spanish and a bit Irish too, and they are perfect, as you would expect me to say. And no, this wasn’t an arranged marriage.  Just by coincidence her father, Rafael, was born in Málaga, 75 km to our southeast on the Mediterranean.

Landen Wark-Acebo and Lauren Fuentes, married September 26, 2015 at the Lilac Inn in Brandon, Vermont.  

 

The Wedding

If you’ve been to your child’s wedding you know how we felt.  Especially when the two young people seem to fit perfectly.  They decided to have the wedding in Vermont in late September which usually is a nice time for some foliage, but this year it was warmer than normal so the leaves were not their fall colors, just a little late.  However, the sun was shining and the temperature 70, and in Vermont when you can get good weather for an outdoor event, You Win!  

The setting was the Lilac Inn in Brandon, a beautiful 19th century inn with beautiful grounds, a great staff, and as a bonus; we had the entire facility to ourselves which made it even better since we didn’t impose on others.   The wedding was very intimate with 85 or so guests and Andrew Gardner, a cycling friend of Landen and Lauren performing the ceremony, and I was the best man, quite an honor.  Our daughter Baleigh was in the wedding party and read a selected poem and also created all the wedding jewelry for the bride, groom, and wedding party.  In Vermont you can become a temporary officiant for a period of time and marry people, great idea.  Andrew knew them and his presentation was wonderful, just that added personal touch with lots of humor.

The food was excellent and we danced into the wee hours of Sunday.  Now I do have to admit that Cindy and I went to bed before Rafael and Kathy.  Understand that I’ve only lived in Spain for a year and am only 50% Spanish while Rafael was born here, so his motor was idling hours into Sunday..

It was also a time to see family, my mom whose 92 and my dad whose 91.  We bothered my mother-in-law Thelma for three-months and she’s a very young 85. It was nice seeing our friends and family, to drink Heady Topper, Long Trail, Otter Creek, and Switchback and drive a car. And if you’re an informed drinker of fine microbrews, Vermont wins the beer battle hands down.  So yes it was nice to be back, however,  there was a Spanish tug on us to return to Ronda. We left the US October 5th and later in this post I’ll get to  our flights.

When we returned to the US it was a bit of culture shock.  Prices!  Especially food, and with apologies to the local supermarkets, the quality isn’t as good. There are  exceptions like; the Farmer’s Market in Montpelier, Pearson’s, Paquet’s, Thygesen’s,  and Cindy’s favorite, Four Corners in Newbury.  Of course Vermont is located far from the fresh stuff, except in summer, so by the time it reaches the supermarket shelves its had a journey.  Our community  of 40,000 here in Spain has supermarkets but we just don’t have the choices of  many different cereals, potato chips, or soda or whatever you may be looking for, but we do have fresh fruits and vegetables the entire year, the Mediterranean diet.   Arguments can be made both ways, yes it’s nice to have a selection but maybe I don’t need 13 varieties of Cheerios.  We also realized that the US is designed for the CAR, not a new revelation, but with no car in Spain and able to survive without one, it became very obvious.   To do most anything in Barre and especially Vermont, you must have a car. (We are looking for a car now in Spain)

The flight back was on Irish carrier, Aer Lingus.  Boston to Dublin was a joy, it seemed faster, and was, we arrived 15 minutes early.  I picked this flight in February because of the price and short layover in Dublin.  We should have arrived in Málaga at 11:00 a.m.; then it’s a quick bus or taxi ride to the central bus station and hop on one of the many buses that travel to Ronda daily.  Not to be!

We boarded the flight to Málaga on time and then sat on the tarmac for 4 hours without A/C due to mechanical problems.  After numerous indications that the situation was being resolved, they finally decided that this plane wasn’t going to carry us to Spain.  I’m happy they were vigilant about safety, however, they should have made this decision earlier.

We deplaned and sat in the terminal until the airline was able to bring in another plane for our flight.  The airline gave us vouchers for lunch and dinner and after 12 more hours in the terminal we boarded our flight to Málaga and eventually landed at 22:00 in Málaga, remember Spain is 1 hour later than Ireland.  The last bus for Ronda had left at 20:00 so we could go into Málaga spend the night in a hotel or stay in the airport.  So to conserve 120 € we elected to stay in the airport, not fun, but cheaper.

Our airport bedroom.

Upstairs in the departure area I found a Starbucks for a coffee at 6:00.  We then got a cab to the bus terminal, because we had so much luggage without wheels, and ate our breakfast (desayuno) there.  The first bus to Ronda was at 8:00 and we had front row seats.

Great L L Bean bags but they don’t have wheels, but hold lots of stuff.  It’s all about weight on international flights and bags with wheels weight more. however, if you are coming to visit, WHEELS!

Los Amarillos bus service to Ronda

The bus trip back was uneventful and I still marvel at the scenery as folks traveling through Vermont do looking at the foliage.  After the 90 minute bus ride we arrived home.  We took a taxi to our house and, We’re Back!  Whew!  24 hours later than we anticipated.

It’s nice to be back and getting into our life rhythm, shopping daily without a car, café con leche at an outdoor café with friends, sunshine, but I do have to admit that the last couple days have not been that sunny and this past weekend (October 17,18) has been raining, a lot of rain.  

If you’re a friend or family and planning to visit, here’s the schedule to this point.  Our children are coming for Christmas, Baleigh and Ricky will be here December 23rd and the next day Landen and Lauren will be arriving, what a Christmas!  Also coming to Spain and living in Málaga for three months will be Rafael and Kathy (escaping Massachusetts’s winter).  Ralph and Pam may be here in January, toward the middle. Tom and Phyllis are planning on visiting in April/May, TBD, and Nick and Robin (possibly…that is a very hot time here) plan on coming so we can watch the Vuelta a España in late August/September, not sure what the Vuelta’s schedule is at this writing, another TBD.

This past weekend we went to Puerto Banus just to our south.  It’s only 30 miles, but it 30 miles of Appalachian Gap driving with many buses coming to Ronda for the scenery. One reason was to shop for some comforters for our Christmas guests and to look for a car.  Our friends, John and Carol Small, were nice enough to invite us to tag along with them and John has also purchased a few cars from a particular dealer in the area and knows the drill.  Unfortunately all the car dealers in the area were closed.  Even the Ferrari dealership!

Next Post, Shopping for a Car!  Wish me Luck!

 

 

26, mayo, 2015

Ronda, España 

As we went down to the plaza in our barrio we ran into el bandolero y  las bandoleras for Ronda Romántica.  You’ll see why they’re dressed like this.

We’ve moved!

Well it’s done!  After searching for a new home we found one that really met our future needs better than when we started this adventure.  Also, our family and friends who plan to visit will have comfortable accommodations with more space available.  Our daughter Baleigh can tell you that her visit in January was a little cramped, but we managed.  

So the house has three bedrooms, one and a half baths with a hydro-massage bathtub.  The kitchen is large with an oven, dishwasher, lots of counter space, and larger than our Vermont kitchen.  The living room has two wonderful reclining chairs, TV, and a huge couch I can actually stretch out on.  I really didn’t expect a basement but we have a great open area complete with a Vermont sump pump. The water table here must be quite high considering the amount of rain we receive (15 inches per yr, 38 cm).  But not to worry about the pump,we have a wet history with a sump pump in Vermont. The floors are all tile as are the walls in some rooms, especially the bathrooms, otherwise stucco.  We have very modern windows, double panes for heat and cold with persiana shades built into the frames. These shades pull down from inside but are located outside the window.  They block the sun and are an absolute necessity.  At the moment its 32° (96°) and very comfortable inside with no A/C.  The bonus for us is the outdoor space in front of the house and a terrace in the rear.  We bought a table, chairs, and big umbrella which is perfect for eating lunch and breakfast before the heat rises and drives you inside.  I actually like the heat since the humidity here is nil, so not like Florida and more Arizona.  Rent is 550€ a month or about $600 with today’s exchange rate.  Houses here are built for summer heat and Vermont house for winter cold.  It’s all about survival.

Our move was made easier because of friends.  Michael Buckland, UK, via California, Tennessee, Canada, and Australia helped us take a load up, Enrique and Vicki his #1 daughter who helped Cindy while we were gone to pick up more, and lastly our friend John Small , UK, Hudderfield Town FC, transported me twice to buy the table, chairs, and the umbrella for the terrace.  It was John’s idea for the umbrella and he was right. There is more to the table, chair, umbrella story depending on whose version you want to believe.  

The biggest problem was reconnecting the internet and TV, which we have now and which became two separate stories.  When we first contracted with Movistar for service it took a couple of workdays in our old apartment and 30 minutes to install.  We went to the office April 29th and told them to turn the service off at the old apartment and install it at the new one.  Simple.  Nope.  I know there are stories about Comcast and Time Warner in the states too, but Movistar, owned by Telefónica didn’t help their reputation with us.  This is the largest provider of mobile and TV services in Spain and not a small company. So after visits to the office three times, numerous phone calls, (special gracias to Alejandro and Mar from our language class Entrelenguas) we now have internet. They wired the internet first and then spent 5.5 hours figuring out how to get the TV connected. Raul was the technician and he did a great job.  Problem solved!

Election, 24 M

Here in Spain they write important dates like the upcoming national  election as 24 M, 24 May. This is a big election that will affect local issues. However, Spain’s Presidental election isn’t until this October so this election is an indicator of party popularity.  Spain is currently ruled by the People’s Party, PP,  conservative and similar to US Republican Party, but not as crazy.  Do you have to be a citizen of Spain to vote in this local election? No. You must register with the Padron in your local community and we have. When we changed our address to the new home we went to the town hall, Ayuntamiento, and changed, very easy process. Registration with the Padron is important because money allocated to towns and cities is distributed based on a city’s population.  I’m a citizen and Cindy isn’t but she can vote.   The whole election process is very short, maybe a month or a little more.  The UK just finished their national election and it was six weeks in duration compared to the jockeying in the US which takes four years, and endless coffers of money, TV commercials, phone calls, and stuff in your mailbox.  I think research shows that most people don’t really change their mind about who they’ll support.  

Big doings in Ronda

I thought our moving was the highlight of this post but two more events in Ronda definitely are of a higher order.  Ronda Romántica and 101 Km 24 H Legión race are local spectacles that bring the community together and bring people to Ronda to witness the events.

101 Km 24 H La Legión

This race is not just about winning but really about finishing. Ok, for some it is about winning. This is 101 km, 62.6 miles over paths and roads in the mountains, and the terrain around Ronda is not very forgiving.  The event is actually two events in one, a cycling race and a foot race.  We walked to the the Barrio where we live at 9:00 to get a good spot.  A rotary is located  at the bottom of  a  small decent that leads to the Barrio.  When the first mountain bike passed until the last, 32 minutes had elapsed.  We thought the runners would come by too but no one.  So we walked toward Puente Nuevo, the new bridge, and there were the runners. With 62 miles ahead and 80 degree weather not all were running.  The runners, as the cyclists, just kept coming.  Many carried flags of their team and many had supplies for the long day ahead, water, food, and sunscreen.

Profile of the 101 Km 24 H La Legión.  The race is sponsored by the Elite Spanish Legion Regiment IV which is based just outside of Ronda

With the number of competitors, family, and friends to support them the population of Ronda swelled by another 20,000.  Definitely good for the economy.  

Cyclistas

Corredores 101 Km

 As we watched we saw an older man, I’m careful with that word “older” decked out with a wide-brimmed hat, walking staff, small backpack, and hiking boots, Francisco Contreras Padilla,”Súper Paco”.  Enrique once again gave us the Súper Paco story. He’s 77 years old and does these types of competitions.  Pretty impressive.  Oh, and he finished the entire race.  

Súper Paco en Sentenil, España en 101 Km 24 H Legión.  Not sure if the photographer mentioned on photo took this year or in the past.  If you look at the profile of the route above and find Sentenil you’ll see he is at about km 55, 45 km to go.

Ronda Romántica 

This is a 3 day event that celebrates the turn of the 19th century when bandeleros (bandits), aristocrats, clergy, and French Napoleonic soldiers inhabited the villages with Ronda as the focal point of the  mountainous Serranía (mountains). Washington Irving, of Icabhod Crane fame and the Headless Horseman, came to Ronda.  And for Rondeños, it’s another chance to have a Fería, festival.

So once again we hiked down to the Barrio and waited.  This festival included not only Ronda, but communities in the surrounding Serrania like Arriate, Sentenil, El Bosque and about 45 more.  Folks from these areas were bused in to take part in the celebration and Ronda’s population must have grown by 50%.

Miguel Mena who owns La Trinidad and his son. This is where we buy vino, manchego, jamon, chorizos, and did I mention vino. I borrowed this photo from his Facebook page.

Stores sold clothing and many people were dressed in elaborate costumes of the military.  We even saw a priest walking down the street holding hands with a lady, must have been more liberal in the 19th century.  Unfortunately not a real priest!

Mujeres Ronda Romantíca

 

French soldiers

Muchos cabellos en la fiesta

The festival atmosphere brings families here together; you can see the generations as they paraded up the street. Friends asked us if we wanted to borrow clothing to participate, but first we just wanted to experience it, maybe next year I’ll be a bandolero.  It’s a fiesta! 

24, marzo 2015

Puente Neuva

House Hunting 2.0

We have lived in this apartment for the past 8 month and have discovered we need more space.  This isn’t a new discovery; Baleigh’s visit in January reinforced this.  So the hunt, as I mentioned in an earlier post, began.  We also anticipate our son and future wife, and our daughter and her boyfriend next Christmas, and  some close friends who have indicated they would like to visit too. After the winter in Vermont the word may be out that Spain es muy simpático.

So after perusing the websites for houses in Ronda we put the word out on the street and out friends Ian and Kathy gave us a call informing us they had found a casa in the pueblo of Arriate about 12 km from Ronda, so we’d need a car sooner than later.  We visited the house a couple of weeks ago, very nice.  It sits above the village with a wonderful view of the mountains and valley below.  This is a newer home and very Spanish.  

A priority is outdoor space and this home has a wonderful porch and plenty of room for a car and of course a pool.  Arriate is small, maybe Plainfield size in Vermont and Ronda is 10 minutes away.

Arriate home with our friends Ian and Kathy

 

Arriate Living Area

 

 

Arriate outdoor space

The pool!  To my Vermont friends, the bright light in the center of the photo is the SUN!

The second home is in Barrio San Francisco a half mile from our current home.  Again, this is a newer home on the very fringe of Ronda, but an easy walk of 20 minutes to the central shopping area.  This home is much bigger with two floors, 4 bedrooms, 3 baths, smaller pool, and a large terrace.  Another big plus is central heating (forced hot water) and A/C.  They are currently painting and cleaning the home and we’re scheduled to see it again this week.  Decision, Decision.

 

Barrio San Francisco house

La Semana Santa 

My next post will focus on the Easter celebration in Ronda, La Semana Santa. Easter in my childhood was the candy, the rabbit, the church, and the dinner with grandparents.  For those that know me you’ll be surprised to know I sang in the choir, had perfect attendance in Sunday school, and Herb Watson was my Sunday school teacher.  

Easter in Spain is a weeklong celebration.  I plan on posting many photos of the celebration from each day, since each church will lead a different procession. Also, the costumes are very colorful and this could be misinterpreted by Americans. Many will dress in robes with pointy hats similar to the Ku Klux Klan. This has nothing to do with the Klan and predates its existence by centuries. Coincidence could be, or maybe the Klan adopted this for religious significance and for the anonymity the hoods provide.

17, febrero 2015

Ronda, Spain

First Visit to a Doctor

Our first visit was nothing serious, just a foot issue for Cindy.  When we acquired health insurance from our bank La Caixa ( pronounced la-kai-sha) they gave us directions and we had a good idea, actually Cindy had it right,  but just to double check I Googled and ended up in an office near the clinic, but not the correct one.  Our purpose in going was not to get immediate help but to schedule an appointment.  

The clinic was very near and we went to the information desk and inquired about an appointment and treatment.  Cindy had her health card and the lady at the desk said it was good for dental but not healthcare.   She checked my DNI (Spanish ID) and it was not there but really shouldn’t have been. So I asked her to type Cindy’s name into the data base and they found her. Without an appointment they sent us into the doctor, no waiting.  The room was small, desk, computer, examining table.  Her doctor was Dr. Svitlan Chornozhuk, Ukranian by birth who had lived in Argentina and then immigrated to Spain.  She had limited English and some Spanlish, but it wasn’t a problem.  She gave us a prescription for a solution to deal with the issue and off we went.  The whole process probably took us 30 minutes.  Hopefully this will solve the problem and you know she’ll be in good hands with Dr. Phil.

Fruits and Vegetables (La Mercafruta)

We go shopping most days to the local supermercado, we have three larger stores, Super Sol, Mercadona, and Mazcom.  They are different sizes and all within easy walking distance from our home.  We have three large shopping bags and gauge what to buy based on the weight and what we want to carry back.  We do have this small cart on wheels that are popular here but we seldom bring it since we usually go out everyday and it isn’t the easiest to wheel around town.

 I would say that in general food is cheaper maybe 10-15%.  Fruits and vegetable seem to be much cheaper, in the neighborhood of 30%, and we buy 95% at our favorite greengrocer Santiago Mesa Alfaro.  I just looked up the Hannaford’s flyer for the week of February 15th and a pint of cherry tomatoes is $2.99 (sale is $1 cheaper) so that would be €2.64.  We bought the equivalent of three pints for $1.07.  This is just one example, but we pay less, eat very well, and the tomatoes taste like tomatoes in summer, a win, win, win.

Santiago  (L) y Alejandro (R)

Santiago owns a small campo (farm) just outside of Ronda near the pueblo of Arriate, his wife Mercedes we met when we came to Ronda  as she worked there with him in the summer. She is now employed as a preschool teacher in their town. 

To supply his store he drives every morning to Málaga, 120 km roundtrip, and picks up the fresh fruits and vegetables for his tienda, and when products are available from his farm he brings them along too to sell.  His store opens at 9 a.m. closes at 2 p.m., it’s Spain, and reopens from 5 p.m to 8 p.m., a long day for Santiago.  It must be the siesta in the afternoon that revitalizes him.

So much of Spain is about relationships you develop with the local stores be it the fruit vendor or the local pharmacy.  This community reminds me of Barre 40 years ago, the Barre Memories on Facebook keeps reminding me of those days.   Someday if a divided highway is built connecting Sevilla via Ronda to Málaga it may all change, but for now Ronda remains a community with some independence.

Year round farmer’s market here in Ronda

Tomates

Naranjas y clementinas

Manzanas pero no Macintosh

House/Apartment Search Continues

House or apartment, city or country, those are the questions.  So we’re looking and finding some properties.  We still have until May on our lease so we may be premature, but we tend not to procrastinate.  We watched an episode of House Hunters International in 2012 and a young man from the UK was signing a parcel to ship to his parent’s home in Ronda, Spain.  Of course we freaked out.  The realtor in the show was Thom Pearson whose office is in Arriate.  We accidentally stumbled upon it in Arriate when we went to a small store next door.  So I’ve contacted him and we’re moving forward. Also, we’ve looked at some other websites  for availability and they’re helpful when up-to-date, but that isn’t always the case.

Below are some links to properties we may look at to give you some idea of what’s available and what housing costs here.

http://sierra-estates.com/la-torre/l728

http://sierra-estates.com/casa-campo-pelistre/l1225

http://sierra-estates.com/laras-villa-rental/l878

21, enero 2015

Ronda, Spain

Our Trip to Córdoba with Baleigh

The city of Córdoba lies  about 180 km northeast of Ronda on the Guadilquivir River with a population of approximately 330,000 and was once the center of Muslim culture in western Europe for hundreds of years. 

We arose early to catch our 7:53 train to Córdoba and ate our breakfast (desayuno) at the station.  About fifteen minutes before leaving I glanced at the time on the tickets and it said 10:00 not 7:53. Arrrgh,  I screwed up.  But since I purchased them on the internet I could change them and the station master completed the job just as the train pulled into the station.

Now there was a bonus to this screw up.  We had to change trains in Antequera-Santa Ana about an hour away.  My later tickets had put us on a slower train and now we would travel to Córdoba on the Spanish version of the bullet train, the AVE (Alta Velocidad Española).  As I mentioned earlier, trains in Spain are a great way to travel and this was our maiden voyage on the AVE.  Fast, we maxed out at 245 kmph or 147 mph.  They can go faster but Córdoba was only 80 km away and they probably need some time to stop and not miss the city.  Very quiet, a movie, and coach with a bar.  On longer excursions they have a hostess who patrols the aisle similar to air travel.  

I have to admit that we have nailed some really nice hotels.  Hotels here are different in that  huge chains in the US are less ubiquitous.  We stayed in a Holiday Inn the first night in Spain and it was by far the worst.  This hotel in Córdoba couldn’t have been better or closer to La Mezquita, our destination.

We stayed at a hotel in Cordoba directly across from La Mezquita. This photo is from our window.

La Mezquita has a very interesting history as all history does.  It was originally a Catholic church built by the Visigoth who also sacked Rome in the 400’s.  Their power in Córdoba lasted until the Visigoths were conquered by the Moors and then it was transformed into a mosque/church with Christians and Muslims both using it for worship.  So really this building is a bit schizophrenic, but not anymore today.  Only Christians are allowed to use it for worship.  Muslims have petitioned the Vatican and  Catholic authorities in Spain for permission and have been rejected.  Maybe Pope Francis will be more open-minded on the issue.

When you enter La Mezquita courtyard you’ll immediately find yourself surrounded by orange trees, and as you enter La Mezquita proper you are in the Muslim mosque section with row after row of arches and columns.

Muslim architectural influence on La Mezquita

I found the Muslim influence to be more simplistic in nature than ornate with walls and ceilings tiled with intricate geometric designs.  The Christian portion is filled with gold leaf ornate statues and many symbolic pieces depicting Christianity.  Very different and very beautiful in their own way.   In southern Spain where temperatures reach 100° F in summer it’s probably a nice place to visit with this natural air conditioning from the cold stone, but less so in January. The trade-off was very few people since Spain ranks third in the world with 60.7 million tourist behind #1 France (84.7 million) and #2 USA (68.9 million).

La Mezquita ceiling showing Muslim Architecture

Christian portion of La Mezquita

Christian Altar in La Mezquita

We usually don’t do selfies but Baleigh was with us so here we are. Photo tells the history, Muslim in the foreground and Christianity in the background.

Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos (Palace of the Christian Kings)

This was our next destination in Córdoba.  It’s interesting to see how  power comes and goes and how fleeting it really is . The Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos palace was originally constructed in some form by the Visigoths, followed by the Muslims, and during the Reconquista of Spain, the Christian Spanish. Never a dull moment in Spain’s history.  In 1236 Córdoba fell in the Reconquista and it would take another 156 years to conquer Granada which lies about 200 km (120 miles) southeast to end Moorish dominance in the Iberian Peninsula.  

The Alcázar is located within a kilometer of La Mesquite and was an easy walking distance.  The interior is a  castle like structure found in Europe; stone, high walls, parapets, and an Inquistion Tower where Ferdinand and Isabella began there “enhanced interrogation”and torture of non-Christians before the fall of Granada in 1492.

When you leave the castle interior it opens into a wonderful Moorish style garden of orange trees, walkways, and reflection pools.  Unlike many conquerors who destroyed what the previous owner constructed, these structures were kept and expanded.

Courtyard of Alcázar de los Reyes Cristianos

So this ended our exploration of Córdoba, we barely scratched the surface, but we’ll be back.

Baleigh got back to Boston and just beat the N’oreaster that hit. Unfortunately she was ill the whole time here but never complained, maybe a little whine or wine here or there. Having her come and the anticipation was exciting, not so much the leaving.  She met one of her friends from her Ronda days who was heading to Málaga. Originally she was going to take the bus, so this worked well for all.

Baleigh also brought my Christmas present I bought myself, a new Mac Air, goodbye PC.  What a dream typing on this compared to the Asus.  I used FaceTime for the first time and talked with Raul Hudson, aka Ralph, in Ajo, Arizona and my good friend in Australia who I haven’t seen in 40 years.  I didn’t realize that cosmetic enhancement was also an Apple product.

 Quick digression here.  Back in 1971ish when I lived in Australia, I had to go to the Post Office and book a call to use a few day later.  The cost was $100* for 10 minutes and the dollar bought more back then.  Today it’s almost free, computer and internet, but still a deal.

We’re also looking for a bigger place, maybe house with pool.  Those 35º days and hot nights will really be enjoyable, and we’ll check the Spanish lease to make sure we can have visitors stay.  

*$1 in 1971 equals $5.90 in 2015.

 

2, noviembre 2014

Ronda, España

Ronda, Spain

Nuestra nueva clase lección española

We have been very fortunate to meet some wonderful people who have helped us settle in Ronda.  It all began with the Hotel San Cayetano and Enrique and Alberto who continue to support us when we have questions.  “Let’s go to the hotel and ask them,” seems to be part of a day or just to say, “Hola amigos, que tal?”  I wrote previously that on one visit, because the internet had gone down at the apartment, we met another hotel employee, Natalia and she recommended Entrelengua for Spanish classes. 

Nuestra profesora, Mar

Our profesora is Mar who studied at the Monterey Institute of  International Studies (California), which is a graduate school of Middlebury College (her Vermont connection), Whitman College in Walla Walla, Washington, and a graduate of the University of Granada here in Spain.  She’s an EXTROVERT!  Lots of energy, personality, and fun to be around.  The class is entirely in Spanish, save for the 1% we need in English.  At the moment we are alone but next Tuesday a couple from Texas, who have been in the class but had gone to Denmark, are returning.  

What’s nice about Mar’s approach is she uses variety, multiple ways to improve one’s language skills outside the classroom.  Last Thursday she had a gathering of locals and students view art presented by a local artist.  We met a lady, Kid, from Amsterdam taking lessons too and were able to communicate easily with her.  Of course many in the Netherlands speak English as a second language so some of the conversation became Spanglish.

Before I begin my concern about foreign language instruction, I’ll preface my remarks by telling you about Joanna and Monika which emphasises the point and which my friend Barb Shipman will appreciate. Two young ladies from Poland popped into the gathering that evening and were speaking with Alejandro who also works at the school.  They were conversing in English and so we got into the conversation. Their English was excellent, and they come from a country that has lots of z’s and y’s and few vowels, kind of like this:

Drogi Nadawco,

Uprzejmie informuję, że do 12 listopada przebywam poza biurem, i będę miała ograniczony dostęp do skrzynki mailowej.

Joanna and Monika from Poland

Well maybe more vowels than I remember.  Where did they study English?  TV and movies.  Alejandro speaks his native Spanish, English,  German, and French, all from TV and movies.

Now the concern.  When I was in the third grade in Barre, Vermont with Miss Trentini and were told  we’d have  French lessons weekly.  I’m not sure if Barre’s school system was a national leader or not but Mrs. Slayton and later Miss Genini and Mrs. Mariotti came to our classrooms and we had French.  At the time I never understood the oppotunity that was being offered but looking back it was great.  I even represented Barre with other students at the teacher’s convention in 6th grade demonstating our prowess in a foreign language.  I did some more French and Spanish in high school and college but never really was determined to speak another language.  Bad choice.  But in some regards this is the culture the US.  We don’t seem to imbrace the idea of us communication with them.  Its they have to communicate with us.  The global economy is just that global and if you have the ability to speak  language(s) the door of opportunity will open wider. Our friend’s son Parker is at Colorado State University and is studying Chinese.  He went to China as a high school student and now will be going back as a college student.  Kathleen, another former student, married a gentleman who is with the State Department Foreign Service as a language specialist in Chinese.  They have lived in China, Taiwan, Hong Kong, and now live in Vietnam, yes Vietnam, where my Uncle Sam wanted to send me in 1969 and Nike makes running shoes today. Languages bring you in contact with a culture and cultures do things differently, not better not worse, but differently, and different is what makes life exciting.  We had two languages at Barre Town when I taught there, French and Spanish.  They are down to one, español.  And even that has been diluted to less time.  Other countries immerse their students in a foreign language. We have a high school in Ronda that teaches in English.  I know we live in Europe and everyday we hear foreign languages, you name it we have it. Cindy and I were sitting on a bench when two young people mistook us for Spaniards and asked for directions, in Spanish.  I gave them some Spanglish and they came back in English.  I’m done.

Cambio (Change)

This isn’t about the world moving at a faster pace but what’s in your pocket, purse, or a large container at home.  Also, this isn’t a problem just one of those cultural differences.  Back in the US I used a debit card almost exclusively and seldom carried large amounts of cash.  Here I seldom use a debit card, which bring us to change.  Our euro coins are in cents 1, 2, 5, 10, 20, 50, and euros 1 and 2.  We have no paper notes less than 5 euros, but we do have a 500 euro note.  I have none of these.  So this is how is works.  If the price is €3,60, yes a comma not a period here, and depending on what you have for change, you should give as much change as you have to meet the price.  The €3,60 price above was in a small store for a purchase of some goodies.  I had a 1 and 2 euro coin and various change in my pocket, including 1, 2, 10, 20, and 50 cent denominations.  So the easy way was a 10 and 50 cent coin. Since all my change was visible in my hand the young lady saw what I had and said no.  This totally confused me, cost €3,60 and gave her the exact amount.  Ah, but not the number of coins.  She then picked out 2 coins that were 5 cents each, 3 coins that are 10 cents, and a 20 cent coin for a total of 6 coins equaling 60 cents versus my solution of 2 coins for 60 cents.  Mathematically we arrived at the same station but took a different train.

Euro coins

Kamp (Nothing to do with Spain)

November 15th is the opening of deer season in Vermont and I’ve been hunting since I was 12 or 13.  I used to go with my dad and my uncles and cousin Chuckie. My grandfather (not biological but emotionally) bought me my first gun, a .22 and later a 300 Savage that I hunted with for 54 years.

In 1976 after teaching at Barre Town School I joined a hunting Kamp with my school friends who invited me to become part of the group.  They had built the Kamp the year before and one of the original members, Gay Sweet who also worked at school, had unexpectedly passed away.  So I joined  along with JJ another teacher from school.  So the gang was myself, JJ, Rod, Stevie, Jim, and Mal.

The Kamp wasn’t much, but was toasty warm in the fall and winter with our propane stove and woodstove, and a place to go on a weekend in the spring and summer. We didn’t actually have the Kamp to ourselves but shared it with the mice who came and went, some on there own and others to mice hell.

We lost Mal in 1995 and his son Brian became a member of our group.  Most of us had taught him in school and he had hunted with us as youngster, and it was nice to have a piece of Mal still in the group. It was a generational change, but not really a change at all.

Stories and sayings abound from our time there, “Fisher Cat Hill”, “Big Ass Lil”, “Brucester the Rooster”, “Goodnight John Boy”, “If it’s brown it’s down”, “Have a snort Mort”, “What ya dragging”? “My ass!”?  Listening to WDEV and the “Second Week of Deer Camp” was a tradition. These stories and sayings were repeated year after year and never got old. Friends came to hunt or have a beer: Pat, Mark, Andy, Ralph, Drew, Bart, Jim, Bill all joined us a various times.

In the early years we had a kerosene stove to cook and heat the Kamp.  We’re probably fortunate to be alive from that experience.  Later we added gas and electricity from the generator and made the Kamp a second home.  Right JJ?

So JJ moved to North Carolina, I’m in Spain, and the Kamp needs upkeep.  JJ was the man for this and kept an eye on repairs; he was like a “McGiver”, using odds and ends to keep the Kamp going.

We’ve sold the land and the Kamp and in some ways have lost an old friend. Thanks for the memories, “And a good time was had by all.”

 

 

 

 

26, octubre 2014

Ronda, España

Ronda, Spain

The Hike or Half Marathon

I have written often of Enrique helping us negotiate Spain’s culture, but we have another amigo, Alberto Canca Valle.   He mentioned that it would be nice to go trekking, Spanish version of hiking, and since we are eager to see more we made a date to go Saturday. We  met Alberto and his friend David Maldonado at the Hotel San Cayetano which is owned by Alberto’s family, more to come on the Canca family.

Nuestros amigos que nos han guiado en la caminata, David Maldonado y Alberto Canca. (Our friends who guided us on the hike.)

The four of us set off at 8:30  to a section of Ronda known as Barrio San Francisco (barrio is a neighborhood). We walked up streets that eventually led to a section of less travelled road.  As we hiked along  they identified various plants indigenous to the area: rosemary, bay leaf, lavender, chestnut trees,  pine trees, and various types of olive trees.  Eventually this road led to a track, a cobblestone section  built by the Romans known as Tajo del Abanico.  Abanico means fan and there is an outcrop of rock that lends its name to the area.

Roman road, Ronda, Spain

We hiked along this path viewing the rock formations.  Now, harking back to my college days and the two geology courses I took and really enjoyed, I think the rock formations are probably sedimentary sandstone, you can see the layering and at one time in earth’s history  the sea was probably in this area. At this point I’ll rely in my friend Drew to let us know if my observations are correct.  Nope, wrong, Drew said the rock is limestone and combined with rain that becomes acidified passing through the atmosphere is dissolved.  Stick to history Felipe!

Typical rock formation on our hike.

Also in this area are many caves and when you look at the rock you can see where rock climbing enthusiasts would find this a mecca.  Eventually as we climbed higher and the caves became evident too.  I asked Alberto and David if people climb these walls and of course the answer was yes.  On occasions there are climbers on the bridge in Ronda where permanent carabiners have been attached.

David, Phil, and Alberto preparing to go in.  Phil needed coaxing, but not Cindy.

Finally we approached a section of rock with a cave.  I’m not a caveman but we did go in. Fortunately, it circled around with a quick exist, which means I have now ended my spelunking days.

If you look closely where the arc is formed between 12:30 and 3:00 you’ll see many carabiners dangling.

The route that day was circular so we didn’t have to retreat the way we came. It could have been a little tricky at times, but still very doable. We eventually rose to an elevation of about 850 meters or so and cruised along a ridge.

Another of Alberto’s talents is finding setas, mushrooms.  Cindy, coming from her Italian background, went with her family to hunt for them and also helped clean and prepare them for drying.  In Vermont mushroom places are top secret amongst those who have discovered the perfect location.  I went with my mother-in-law once to Peacham and crawled on hands and knees under spruce trees.  It’s much easier here,  fewer trees and no crawling, but they’re still elusive since they camouflage well.  When we were on the hike up we met a couple with hands full of mushrooms. The nice lady offered me the ones she had but Alberto informed her they were inedible.

We eventually came to a highway that led to Ronda, went a few kilometers and then left the highway and traversed along a path through the woods and back to Barrio San Francisco.  In the barrio we stopped at a market owned by a friend of Alberto’s, Miguel Angel Mena, that specializes in wine, jamón, other Spanish meats like chorizos, morcilla, and Spanish cheeses.  Cindy discovered a host of spices and bottles of wine on the shelves.  On the butcher block they had the famous Spanish jamón, two of them, one with a white hoof, jamón Serrano, and the other black, jamón Ibérico.  Unbeknownst to us the store is close to our apartment but  we hadn’t explored much in this area.  The place is Spanishly beautiful and you can tell the owner takes great pride in its appearance.

 

La Tienda de Trinidad owned by Miguel Angel Mena in Barrio San Francisco

Cindy’s spices

Jamon Iberico y Serrano

We left the store and headed back to the center of town and to the hotel.  We said adios to David, but we’ll see him later.  Alberto had his vehicle up the street and took us to his family home about 6 km from town.  I knew the family had businesses they are involved with like the hotel but I didn’t know they all live together. It’s really nice how they have constructed two rows that look like apartments and I guess in some way they are.  The entire family lives in these homes separated by a large courtyard with orange trees, all tiled, and with plenty of room for the children to race around on their bicycles and kick a fútbol.  There is also a large patio area with a swimming pool, which my friend Burt would love, since Ronda receives 300 days of sunshine  versus  58 in Burlington, Vermont. We went into Alberto’s home, very nice with tiled floors.  I noticed they had forced hot water central heating and asked if I could see the system.  Biomass. The seeds from olives are used and crushed to the size of a BB for fuel which are then fed to a boiler similar to a pellet boiler/stove in the states complete with a hopper for extended use.  One of the brothers is an engineer and their company installs biomass systems as a part of their business.

 

Canca family housing in Ronda, Spain

 

Manuel Canca (foreground), clockwise, David’s daughter Laura, wife, Cristina, and David, Alberto, son Angel, and his wife, Estefania, myself, and Manuel’s son Daniel.  Missing from the photo is Manuel’s wife Salome. Not missing are empty wine and beer bottles and of course dishes of delicious paella.

In the courtyard area is a building with a kitchen for parties and holidays. Alberto was the chef and created this huge paella.

Alberto’s Grande Paella

Also in the courtyard is a huge earthen pot. It will definitely catch your eye and make you ask, how old is it and where did it come from?  When the family was doing a construction project they discovered this Moorish pot which is now a centerpiece of their patio.

Moorish earthenware, Ronda, Spain

After hours of conversation Alberto drove us back to Ronda to end a great day. Most of the friends we have made do not speak English or have a few words they can express.   However, with my Spanglish, which is getting better on the Spanish side, we have no problem communicating.  We live in Spain and we need to be able to communicate in the native language, practicar, practicar, practicar.

PS:  When discussing politics, it’s the same story here as in the states, dinero € $.

On a less happy note.  While here a  friend and former colleague at Barre Town Middle and Elementary School where I taught for 32 years passed away while fighting cancer. This school family has lost many friends to this disease in the past 20 years.

Val Collins was a gifted person in the classroom and we were very fortunate to have her teach our son Landen in the fourth grade.  Teaching is about passion for kids and what you do in that classroom on a daily basis. Val had this passion to the Nth degree and a personality that lit up any room she was in. She gave so much of herself to her students, but what I remember most about Val was what she gave me.  Elizabeth, the joy of her life.  As an eighth grade teacher I was very fortunate to have her daughter.  What a wonderful experience, bright, articulate, and just a wonderful, wonderful person, wise beyond her years; one of those special students that teaches you as much as you hope you taught them.  Gracias Val for sharing her with me.

Next:  Nuestra clase de español (our Spanish class) and anything else I think to write about, but probably ONCE, which is not the number eleven.

 

13, octubre 2014

Ronda, Spain

We live  on top of the cliff on the extreme right about 75 meters from the edge.  We hiked from our apartment to this point where the photograph was taken.  If you come to visit bring your hiking shoes because you will be going on this hike.

Cindy’s Elusive Número de Identidad de Extranjero (NIE)

We went to the Policia Nacional for the 7th time on Monday to get the NIE we’ve been trying to obtain for a month and a half.   We´ve been working with a lawyer in Nerja who contacted the local police station and told them that it wasn´t necessary for us to go to Málaga to accomplish this.  Last Friday I received an email with the attached document we needed, so Monday Cindy and I  trekked up to the police station.  The front gate was locked, not a good sign, but there’s another entrance so we walked around the block and came in a parallel street.  I went in the police station and asked if it would open and found out today was another FIESTA, holiday, of course Columbus Day! Nope. They don’t celebrate his non-discovery of the Bahamas and the subsequent subjugation of the indigenous peoples of the Caribbean.  So Monday didn´t work.

It’s now Tuesday, kind of  chilly this morning with the temperature around 14° C, definitely fall is in the air, but not our trees.  We arrived at 9 a.m. when they open and were the only ones requesting an NIE.  I gave the documents, 2 copies, but I had a third just in case, to the nice lady, Cindy’s passport, 2 copies, and another copy if needed.  She checked out the details and everything was in order. She then produced a three page document with a fee attached of €9.47 and told us we needed to go to the bank and pay the fee.  I mentioned that our bank, Banco Santander, was just down the street, and she nodded agreement.  We walked a block or two to the bank, stood in line for 10 minutes and were then informed they couldn’t do this transaction and I had to go to another bank.  This is where accents and Spanglish have there limitations.  She told me the bank was Caixa but there is another bank before this one named Axa, I missed the C and went to another wrong bank.  Fortunately the correct bank, Caixa, was in the neighborhood and we paid the fee,  they stamped it, lots of stuff is stamped here and then back to the police station to get her card.  Not so fast!  We gave the document from the bank to our nice lady at the police station, she tore off one copy for us and said, “come back Monday to finish.”  So as we left and Cindy said, “in Spain their favorite days are Mondays and manaña.”  Always put off today what you can do Monday or manaña.

Failure, sort of

It’s now the next Monday and we went back to the police station to get her NIE. More failure, but not necessarily because of the system.  There was a misunderstanding about what we were trying to obtain.  Cindy needs a residency card, or she will have to leave the country every 3 months and then come back into Spain.  Sounds crazy but the US has something similar and I don´t really know the law, however, my son had a roommate from India and he had to go to Canada then reenter, similar, but not sure if it’s exactly the same.  So we will be off to Málaga as soon as the Libro de Familia arrives at our lawyer´s office in Nerja and finally get her NIE.  I hope!

Summer has returned and we have a new friend from Vermont, well not quite, but almost.

This week has been awesome weather wise, 23° to 29° and sunny.  I keep up with Vermont in the afternoon listening to Vermont Public Radio and checking the weather on the NOAA website.  It has looked absolutely miserable, just dreary weather.  When we lived there if a day  was kind of cloudy and sort of mild, it considered  a nice day.  Vermonters by nature have a different definition of nice than here in southern Spain, which I understand, since Burlington gets 58 days of sunshine and Ronda 300.  Nice is defined as and understood as, “it could be worse”, and they’re right, it can and it will be.

The day we went to the police station to get Cindy’s NIE we stopped on the way back to tell our friend Enrique at Hotel San Cayetano that we had failed again. We met another nice lady, Natalia, at the hotel that day and mentioned  we were looking for a Spanish class.  She directed us to Escuela Entrelenguas which is a 5 minute walk from our apartment.  I contacted them, her, Mar Rodríguez Ortega. She sent me info and then followed up to make sure I got the email.  I emailed her and said we would meet her at 18:30.  We went to the escuela and were greeted by a very nice, ok lovely, young lady whose English is excellent.  She asked where we lived in the states, “Vermont” and next words out of her mouth were, “Middlebury College.”  Can this world get any smaller?  She actually studied at the Monterey Institute of International Studies, which is a graduate school of Middlebury College in California.  She had never seen the Middlebury campus, but told us she had been to New England and really liked Boston.  So next Tuesday the 28th we’ll be taking classes in español to improve our skills.  We can always improve, and I am everyday and so is Cindy.  

Next: Going to Alberto’s house and going hiking

 

 

22-29, septiembre 2014

The Palace of the Moorish King, well probably not

Palacio del Rey Moro

The Palace of the Moorish King is about 1 km (.6 miles) from our apartment just off Calle Armiñan which eventually becomes Virgin de la Paz as you cross the bridge into the new part of Ronda. The palace itself is in disrepair and certainly needs some major cosmetic and well as structural improvements, but the exploration of the Secret Mine was well worth the €8 fee.

I’m not really sure of all the historical facts about the building or the Secret Mine.  I’ve been doing some research and find conflicting stories so I’ll give you a story but no guarantee of the historical accuracy. The Palacio del Rey Moro really doesn’t look like Moorish architecture but I’m also no expert of any kind of style so I won’t beat this to death.

The story of the exploration deals with Cindy and I traversing the 300 plus stairs; even the number of stairs is contentious.

So here’s the info from Andalucia.com

“In the 14th Century, when Ronda was continually in the firing line between the Moors of Granada and the Christians of Seville, it was frequently besieged, and the first target of every besieging army was the water supply. Allegedly using Christian captives as slave labour, Ronda’s Moorish king, Abomelik, ordered the cutting of steps into the stone walls of the gorge to enable the bringing of water from the Río Guadelevin below. Though intended as a secret, it must have been a pretty open one, since it was common knowledge among the Christians that “in Ronda you die carrying water skins”.

If you remember your Spanish history, and you know more than you realize. Spain was invaded from North Africa by the Moors (Morocco) and they established Al-Andaluz (Cindy and I live in Andalucía).  This empire lasted from 711 until the Catholic monarchs, Ferdinand and Isabella of Columbus fame, completed the Reconquista (Reconquest) in 1495 with the capture of Granada.  A war between Christians and Muslims, how times change.

The bottom of the gorge

This is the passage that was tunnelled down to the gorge

Bottom of the stairs that lead to the river below. It ‘s about 100 meters (300 feet)

 The decent down is tricky and I’m not 26 any more.  There are some wet spots, stairs are uneven, and lighting can be tricky, but it was fun and gives a different perspective of the gorge.  It will be a must do trip for any of our aging friends who come to visit, but we’ll just go slowly, enjoy the experience, and have the beer and tinto verano after not before.

I was late getting this out because of the internet issue on the weekend.  We’re heading to Rome to meet our son Landen and our soon to be daughter-in-law Lauren Fuentes, yes she’s Spanish-American with her dad born in Málaga.   We’ll be back in Ronda October 7th.

Scarves

I remember shopping with Cindy before we were married and she was looking for a white blouse, pretty basic purchase if you ask me.  I should have learned, not that I wouldn’t have married her.  Ronda has the main shopping street, La Bola, maybe 3 fútbol fields in length.  In Burlington you go from shopping center, to mall, to the Market Place, all made for the automobile.  Here, all those stores are in the length of those fútbol fields, and there are many. She still is looking for the ultimate pair of shoes and now you can add scarves.  I do like the look and will have my own macho one as the temperature retreats some more, still in shorts and t-shirt, today September 30th.   Oh ya, lots of high leather boots too.

Rome, Italy next, ah more history!

 

 

5 y 6 septiembre, 2014

Enrique

Nostros nuevo mejor amigo!

Life really is about people and those relationships;  getting a little PHILosophical now.  Moving in itself is a major event in one’s life whether it’s down the next block, Weaverville, NC, or Ajo, AZ.   I think this move has been good but very different, and it has posed different types of challenges.  Our move isn’t better, just different. So where does this bring us? For Cindy and I it brings us to Enrique. He also has a partner helping him and us, Alberto, but he’ll get his headline later.

Enrique operates the front desk en la manaña y tarde (morning and afternoon), which really means he does everything at the Hotel San Cayetano on Calle Seville here in Ronda.  It’s hard to know where to begin in thanking him for EVERYTHING.  He could easily have said, good they’re gone, but he didn’t.  We only picked this hotel because our daughter stayed there in 2008, but he wasn’t working there at the time.   His English is damn good and makes my Spanglish better.  So here are some Enriques!

• Bus schedule to Malaga
• Where do we eat breakfast
• Parking garage for car rental
• Train Schedule
• Cultural interpreter for Spain and specifically Ronda
• How do you get a doctor in Spain?
• Printer-former manager of hotel went back to the US and I now have his printer
• Where do I buy paper (papel) and ink (tinta)?
• Paper for printer-went to buy some today, it’s Feria time stupid, no stores are open, and that includes supermarkets too
• Gave me a ream of paper
• Offered to help Cindy obtain her Numero de Identificatión Extranjero (NIE), 9 lunes,sepiembre (his day off) at the Nacional Policia.  The consulate in Boston communicated with us saying that the  documents we have are enough for her to obtain her residency card and thereby receive her health insurance card. Yes Sarah Palin, a non-citizen getting government supported healthcare.
• Where to buy flower pots
• Probably more that I’ve forgotten

We’ve had some good conversations about society.  He’s wise, kind of reminds me of RH, younger version.  His help and communication skills have been so appreciated and have made the transition so much easier.  Enrique es nuestro nuevo mejor amigo. He’s our go to guy.

The Feria

It’s a fair, different from the Champlain Valley Fair, but a fair.  It’s more centered on the community and the history of the bull fight which will be held today, Saturday.  Streets that had restaurants and set up for meals were transformed into long, long, bars.  Lots of beer and wine is consumed and it gives the impression that this has a “Spring Break” kind of atmosphere.  They even have ambulances deployed on the streets in anticipation, but I’ve seen nothing happen or any threat of danger.  Some of the women dress in Feria dresses but not as many as I thought would.  Little girls can also be seen mimicking the older ladies in their Feria garb.   

We went for a walk last evening and eventually ended up in the main square, Plaza de España.  Many people were gathered, as were the police and some of them on horseback.  We finally found out that the toreros (bull fighters) were coming out.  We stood on the main avenue and waited as hundreds of others did.  Eventually the door to the bull ring opened, puerta 3,  people came out and then eventually two young men, you have to be young to even consider this occupation, came out riding the shoulders of men.  It reminded me of a Rocky movie when he wins and they put him on their shoulders, or maybe it isn’t a Rocky movie.  Could also be the stupid Sylvester Stallone movie where the Brits play the Germans in a futbol match in a POW Stalag and Stallone, the American, is the goalkeeper.  The crowd applauded they got into SUVs and were driven away. There was a rock star-celebrity atmosphere to the event.  These guys will put their life on the line today as will the bull.    While there, a gentleman asked me if I wanted to buy a ticket to the event today, €125 ($162), nope.  The bullfight is later at 5:30 (17:30) and we aren’t that far from the corrida de toros (bull ring).  Maybe an Olé or two will be heard.

Cindy has always liked to plant flowers and the flowers here are beautiful.  Many of the wrought iron terrazas (terraces) are decorated so we went to the local florist and bought some to put on our 3 terrazas. They do look nice and someone is happy about the looks, so all is good. In Vermont we would have been throwing plants away as they faded with the fading sunlight, today we planted flowers.  What a difference  10º latitude makes.

Impressions on the Feria de Pedro Romero coming up next but probably not tonight, Monday, Spain plays Macedonia  in a Euro Qualifier.