Yippee! We're off to Álora tomorrow. I've given the Ryanair website my best shot. I've printed off the boarding passes and everything is spelt correctly (I double-double checked). I've avoided paying for a seat on the plane, priority boarding, insurance, extra bags, a hire car, a hotel and refused the invitation to sign an anti-trade union petition( Stop the Strikes. Sign now!). I would have been happy to pay a couple of euros for a little net on the back of the seat in front to hold my book and sandwiches but that wasn't an option. They will have to rest on my knee along with my bottle of vastly expensive spring water,(at £1.50 a litre it's much dearer than petrol), a sheaf of crossword puzzles, my iPod and Mrs. Sanchez's Hello! magazine. Mind you, where could you buy a bottle of petrol in Birmingham International Airport?
I don't find a trip on an aeroplane half as much fun as it used to be. Everyone says that the meals you got in the old days were rubbish but I liked them.
Mmmmmmmmmm.
I don't expect Álora will have changed much apart from having a big Santander Bank plonked in the Fuentearriba. The earthquake which shook the town a bit a couple of weeks ago didn't cause any damage as far as I know. Our back wall would be the first to go if a terremoto struck. We'll find out tomorrow.
I'm happy and relieved to report that Desirée Cortés has reappeared on Ayuntamiento photo shots. Here she is during the 'Carnaval' events yesterday (trust me to miss all the fun). I was going to quip something about her frightening the children but there's something about the sprog on the right (La Reina de Corazones/ The Queen of Hearts) which is more than a little disturbing. (She won the first prize in the children's section). Desireé ,Councillor in Charge of Fiestas (parties and holidays) is on the left, beaming.
Our distinguished Alcalde Jose Sánchez Moreno (no relation) seems to be managing without his crutches now. I must remember to ask him what that was all about when I see him tomorrow.
I thought Mardi Gras was supposed to be on a Tuesday, like its originator, Pancake Tuesday. They call it 'Carnaval' in Spain and the French don't even have a word for it. Anyway, we missed it and everybody seems to have had a good time.
The Fuentearriba (top square) was packed with fun loving fiesta-goers all day.
To be continued from sunny Spain.......
Álora. Thursday..............
It's raining. Mrs. Sánchez and I are happy about this because it's 'good for the olives'.
We were a little late (1 hour) arriving at Málaga (no fanfare from Ryanair this time). Here's why.
The 'Priority Boarding' queue had just made it past the boarding gate and into the draughty corridor (storm 'Imogen' was in full blow) when it was discovered that our plane was not certified to carry the enormous weight of passengers and baggage about to board it. Luckily Ryanair found us another plane pretty smartish (they have them parked all over the place, just in case there's a 'Weightwatchers' hen party booked in). It took a bit of time to swop the planes over and reload the bags, but in my opinion that's a small price to pay for the confidence that your plane might get off the ground.
After a struggle with a violent sociopath/employee at the Niza (a misspelling if ever I saw one) car hire office, off we headed to The 'Valle del Sol'.
The new Santander bank which used to be Cafe Central isn't open yet. The sunny doorway has been occupied by Francisco, a colourful local character who is paid by the ayuntamiento to stroll around town wth a sprig of rosemary in his top pocket, posing for photographs and looking colourful.
Francisco (looking colourful)
After checking that Francisco ('Don't call me Paco') was alive and well I headed for the Barbería Hermanos Cid for a long overdue corte de pelo (haircut)
The brothers Paco and Pepe Cid spotted me 100 metres away and welcomed me back like an old friend. You won't get a better haircut anywhere in Spain. You get the full works here. They even cut the hairs in your ears and nose and trim your eyebrows.
A haircut here can take anything between 15 minutes and half an hour depending on Pepe or Paco's interest in the discussions and arguments that go on all the time in their shop doorway. Paco or Pepe (I can never remember who is which) can be in full slash with the cut-throat when called to adjudicate in a heated dispute. All this for 8€ plus tip.
Barbería Hermanos Cid
We bumped into our much loved alcalde (mayor) Jose Sánchez Moreno (Call me 'Epi') (no relation) in Casa Abilio last night. He came over to say 'Holá'. I told him I was very pleased to see him without the muletas (crutches) and asked if he had sustained the injury whilst playing football. This tickled him no end and he confided in me that he had sprained an ankle whilst chasing his wife or running away from her or away from a woman or chasing a woman (mujer means wife AND woman). I really must get down to some serious Spanish revision.
Jose Sánchez Moreno (Epi) and others presenting the Chicken Show poster.
We may have missed Carnaval but we are just in time for the 1X Exposición de Gallinas Andaluzas Sureñas ( Ninth Exhibition of South Andalusian Chickens). Here is Epi presenting the poster for this ever popular show. There wll be 400 examples of these fine birds on show and there are prizes for the best plumage etc. I wish every bird the best of cluck.
Incredible but true! At the same time and in the same building we also have the annual Mercado del Queso Tradicional Andalus (Local Cheese Fair). What a double treat! Chickens and Cheeses.
(I'm thinking 'Chicken Kiev').
A double delight.
Rain was forecast yesterday so off we went with Graham and Mary to visit one of Málaga's many museums. We were headed for the Museo Interactivo de la Música which seemed as good a place as any to spend a wet afternoon.
As it turned out the sun was shining as we emerged from Central Station so we went for a coffee and replanned the day. Shopping for Mary and Mrs. S. and a few beers at La Cueva for Graham and me.
La Cueva is not the most atmospheric of Málaga bars but they do give you a free selection of pork products to nibble at (served on a sheet of greaseproof paper) whilst knocking back a few Alhambra beers and fighting off beggars and lottery ticket sellers. 'The ladies' appeared after an hour or so which meant more beer and more chacina. That was when the sound of a flamenco guitar approached. 'Here come the buskers!' we groaned. A familiar diminutive figure then came into view. It was Pepito el Gorrión and his guitar accompanist.
Pepito El Gorrión
Pepito is from Álora and sings flamenco and he's not bad at it either and he dances too. He used to be a familiar sight in the 'old quarter' of Málaga but I hadn't seen him for a few years. I presumed he had gone to the great peña flamenca in the sky but no! I was so pleased to see him I gave him all my loose change. In return he pretended he knew me, which impressed Graham and Mary no end, and sang me a song about meeting an old friend. What fun!
The rest of the day was a blur. What a great place Málaga is.
Juanito Sánchez
February 12th. 2016
For Sally. We will all miss you.
Hotel Real, Santander. View from our bedroom window
¡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.
Cell block 'A' 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!)
Sea dog heaven
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.
Mrs. Sánchez with two 'discerning Brummie gourmets'
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.
Desirée Cortés
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
