For Sally. We will all miss you.
¡Feliz Año Nuevo a todos!
I can't believe it's over a month since I left you all (all?) in suspense about Tommy's weight problem at the super-posh Hotel Real in Santander. 'How the tempus fugits!,' as they say down at The Home Guard Club.
The good news is that we got away with it. Indeed I can recommend this fabulous hotel to all dog lovers who can spare 20€ a night for 5 star luxury canine comfort. I doubt if we would have been hit with the 100€ surcharge even if I hadn't been smuggling Tommy in and out of the lift while Mrs. Sánchez created a diversion at reception. She always managed to keep them enthralled with her signature Hylda Baker impersonations ("She knows, you know") and tap dancing routines.
Ooo! She knows, you know. (She's good isn't she?)
This news will be particularly welcomed by our friends Ronnie and and Myra who are dog lovers, masters of canine concealment and formerly the scourge of Brittany Ferries' 'accommodation for canines' policy. Nothing could induce these Harry Houdinis of Hound Hiding to be separated from their little pals, even for a minute. Time was when the pair could be found (and they often were found) huddled with Timmy, Mollie and Spot on the floor of their car on the good ship Pont Aven MV car deck facing unthinkable discomfort and danger rather than condemn their best pals to a stretch in the luxurious dog prison on deck 10.
Ronnie and Myra's nefarious practices were eventually bought to an end, not by the 'wanted' posters pinned up in the Piano Bar and along the corridors of 'Commodore' and 'Club Class' cabin decks, but by Brittany Ferries providing .'pet friendly cabins'. A touch expensive but a welcome development. (Ask Tommy!)
Olive News..............
Sánchez Olive Oil Enterprises Inc. is off to a flying start. Our 2 tonnes of olives gave us 266 litres of olive oil of which to dispose . No.1 Son and 'olive grower,' Pequeño Juan loaded most of it into his car and, in an operation not unlike 'The Beaujolais Run', he rushed it northwards just in time for its debut at Birmingham's Christmas Artisan Food Market at The MAC. Arts Centre in Cannon Hill Park.
Although 'Olivar Caicunes Raw Unfiltered Olive Oil' proved very popular with the discerning gourmets of Birmingham (32 bottles sold ,all for cash money) we still have enough to stock another stall there on January 31st.
When we totted up our expenses for the year, including water rates, pruning, feeding etc. public liability insurance, hire of the stall, pressing, bottling, fuel and labels it came to £1002.00. When we included (unpaid) labour costs at £8.00 an hour it came to £3318.00! ( or £12.50 per litre). It beats me how anyone makes a living out of olive growing.
Andalusian olive growers can claim an EU subsidy according to the area of land being used for olive production (currently €571 (£433.96) per hectare. That means we could be in for a bung of €371.15 !!
If only I can find out how to apply.
Spanish farmers are happy to admit that half of their income comes from EU subsidies. During the last thirty years there has been a massive expansion of olive production, most of it for oil. An increase in demand around the world for olive oil has attracted investment from banks and insurance companies which are employing 'intensive farming' methods.('Ssssss! and Booooooo!)
Olive trees can survive happily in drought conditions but, by planting the trees more thickly and by 'drip watering', production can increase twenty fold but uses a lot of water. Most people know that Andalucía suffers from water shortages but some people are now talking about desertification, even if they can't pronounce it. The Coto Doñana nature reserve near Seville, already damaged by pollution from the collapse of the Aznalcollar mining dam in 1998, has seen its marshlands dry up. The main culprits are strawberries and olives.
The Coto Doñana is a beautiful nature reserve where there are Iberian Lynxes and Imperial Iberian Eagles, fallow deer and more than 300 species of European and African birds.It's really worth a visit but you'll have to book a tour. Individual visits aren't allowed
News from Álora
Man in Álora is not in Álora at present so to keep up with what's going on I take an occasional 'dekko' at the web page of the Ayuntamiento
Regular readers of this organ will know about the long delay in opening the now ageing new Hospital of the Guadalhorce ( El Chare). Well, the good news is that work has at last started on the access road. This should help to clear the queues of cars and ambulances which have caused long hold-ups on the A-357 as prospective patients search in vain for the slip road to this very impressive medical facility. The threat of paying back 7 million euros seems to have done the trick.
Our popular alcalde (mayor), Epi, turned up for the 'breaking of the earth' ceremony and posed for the usual photos.
But wait! What's happened to Epi? (Jose Sánchez, no relation). (fourth from the left).
He looks in a bad way, and rather more casually dressed than usual. Please let Mrs.S and me know what's happened if you know.
Even more worrying is the absence of Desirée Flores Cortés Rodriguez , deputy mayor and councillor for Sport, Holidays, Fairs and Tax who never misses a chance to face the cameras.
She's one of my favourites and seems to have disappeared completely from Ayuntamiento photo opportunities. I hope her disappearance and Epi's dodgy leg are not connected in any way. Or, indeed, his unkempt appearance.
I expect by now there is not a trace left of the iconic Cafe Central which was the jewel in the crown of La Fuentearriba (top square) for many many years. It was known as 'Salvador' by locals over a certain age and was renowned for its Thursday paella, and the deafening din that would greet you in there every morning except Sunday.
There it is on the left of the busy Plaza de la Fuente Arriba.
Along with most of the bars in Álora, Cafe Central suffered from the 'crisis'. Although it never opened at night it was a great mañana (morning) meeting place for mothers with loud voices and small screaming children to meet over a cafelito or chocolate con churros and practise shouting.
Lately the two camareros, Juan and Pedro had very little to do after the morning rush and could be seen gazing wistfully out across the square listening to the ringing in their ears. They had stopped doing tapas there long ago and I always felt a little guilty passing the door on my way to Cafe Bar El Madrugón for my daily Cafe con insultos. They are both out of work now and should be due some compensation for hearing loss.
The owner has rented the premises to the giant Santander Bank for 20.000€ a month. He is a very happy man, as he told me at the El Capirote Chiringito (bar) at last year's Romería. 'I'm a millionaire', he called out as he swayed back and forth under the weight of several manzanillas. I'm sure Banco Santader think they have got a bargain.
Cafe Central the day before we left Álora
Juanito Sanchez
January 17th. 2016
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