Sunday, 18th July, 2021
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| A happy moment on a bench on St. Peter's walkway above Llanes. |
Good morning everyone. How are you all doing? I hope no one reading this has Covid. There is a good chance some do as the figures are on the rise. If last week the total number of fatalities and infections was 4.043.020 and 187.279.338, this week they stand at 4.099.170 and 190.797.676.
I am taking the liberty to share a photo of a graph from The Times with the main figures up till Friday evening. I think it says a lot.
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| Figures for Friday evening |
Today I am writing from Madrid where it is as hot as last week with the temperature nearing 40ºc. It's unbearable. In my home country, yesterday was the hottest day of the year but nothing compared to 40ºc here. Last Sunday when we stepped outside to go to Oli's house to help with Elliot it felt like walking into an outdoor sauna.
Before we left for Asturias we were busy as guests were going and guests were coming. David and his 4 companions who behaved perfectly left at around 10.30 which gave us time to prepare for a group of 8 coming to use the pool from 13h to 21h. I was also in touch with guests leaving Santa Pola and our new house in Asturias. Everyone seemed happy with their stays thank goodness.
We were going to Asturias that day for 4 nights and would have left in the morning except that Oli needed a helping hand. Thankfully their new flat has air con installed in all the rooms. Even so, Elliot was running about in his little vest, slightly undone so you could see his nappy. He didn't seem to mind. He was playing with his cars and we joined in by creating a car race which he loved.
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| Elliot loves his cars |
We spent a pleasant couple of hours with Oli and Elliot and were joined at about 13h by Suzy. She stayed for lunch when we went home to have ours with my father before leaving for Asturias. Stepping out of her apartment was another scorching moment. Thank God we have air conditioning in the dining room. By then our 8 bathers had arrived and even with the swimming pool they were in for some serious heat, especially when they set about preparing the barbecue. Norah, our beagle, behaved badly when she stole a loaf of bread from them. Thus she had to be shut in the kitchen during their stay. She might be old (nearly 13) and ailing but her appetite is still there, especially for human food.
We had a quick siesta before piling everything into the car and were off by 4.30 or so. We left Madrid in boiling heat and as we drove north the temperature gradually decreased. At 7.30 or so we stopped at our favourite picnic place, Alar del Rey in the province of Palencia, to have our picnic dinner. We had discovered this beautiful spot by the river Pisuerga a few journeys back and Suzy, like us, loved it immediately. By then the temperature was a bearable 33ºc.
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| Our marvelous picnic at Alar del Rey on our way to Asturias last Sunday |
Soon after our delicious dinner of Spanish potato omelet, salad, gazpacho and thick black cherries we were on our way to our new home. It must have been around 8 when we left and the remaining journey took 1.5h. As we entered the Cantabrian region, clouds appeared and the temperature dropped to 18ºc which was unbelievable.
During our journey the most incredible thing was happening. The first commercial flight into space, or the edge of space, went off for a short ride with Richard Branson, the charismatic CEO of Virgin, on board. He had been planning it since 2004 and last Sunday he finally made it to the edge of space. In a press conference later he said he had dreamed as a child of flying into space and that it was his most incredible experience ever. That is saying a lot as this man, known for his daring antics, has done more than many people in their lifetime. His main impression was the incredible view of earth from space.
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| Richard Branson flying to the edge of space last Sunday |
He is now planning the first commercial flight for next year for which people are paying up to 250.000 pounds or euros. Well, I will not be queuing up I'm afraid but I'm sure lots of rich people are.
I don't know if he was back on time to be at Wembley for the all important final of the Euro Cup between England and Italy, or if he is even a football fan.
I am not a great football fan but I did want England "to bring it home"; i.e. bring football excellency back to the country where it was born. Obviously we couldn't watch the match in the car but I did follow the score and was confident and happy when I read that England had scored a goal just after kick off. I was sure they would win. I shouldn't have been so sure.
We were "home" by about 9.30 or so and it was raining - typical there and typical bad luck for us. I mean I don't like 40ºc in the sun but I'm not keen on 17ºc and rain. We soon settled in and it was then that Eladio switched on the TV. Just as he did, Italy scored an equaliser towards the end of the game. Oh dear I thought, this match is going to go the same way it did with Spain and Italy who went into extra time at 1-1 and then my adopted country lost in the penalty shoot out. Oh how unfair penalty shoot outs are and how I hate to watch them. It's no news if I tell you that Italy beat England in the shoot out, dashing all dreams of "bringing it home" or ending the dearth of major football wins since the World Cup in 1966. They will have to try harder and other opportunities will come along, just as they have for Spain on many occasion. In fact, I think, last Sunday was the 10th anniversary of Spain's world cup win against Holland. That was amazing and something Spaniards will not forget for a long time. I heaved a sigh of despair when England lost but as fair play dictates, had to hand it to Italy and I am congratulating them with words from this blog. Viva Italia. You did remarkably. I should also congratulate Djokovic who won Wimbledon last Sunday too becoming the third player, together with Federer and Spain's best player ever, Nadal, to reach 20 grand slam wins. I am not a fan of Novak, but you have to hand it to him too.
By then it was nearly midnight and I felt sorry for all the fans at Wembley and all the hopes of a nation dashed too. I thought, wrongly, that that was the end of the story. It wasn't. The news now coming out of last week's match is about British hooliganism and how violent fans got in without tickets and beat people up. God that is so sick. Football was invented in England as was football hooliganism, one of the worst in the world. I also read that when big matches are coming up there is more domestic violence and even femicide. That is even more sickening.
We were in bed late and I slept relatively well, waking up on Monday morning at 6.45
It was dry that morning although the forecast was rain. Our phones, wrongly, told that rain would come at 11 am and it would then continue throughout the day. However, weather apps never get it right in this area of Spain, very similar to Brittany, where it can rain and then two minutes later be sunny and vice versa. Thus we decided to make the most of the dry weather and then come home when it rained. We wanted to show Suzy some of our favourite places so took her to Playa de Póo (not pooh, promise) but it was windy and neither Suzy nor Eladio had brought a coat of any kind. It's sort of difficult to pack for Asturias when it's 40'c while you are doing so. Thus we drove on to Llanes, a very pretty seaside town not far from El Cuetu. We took photos by the empty town beach, Playa del Sablón and then walked into the centre. I was on a mission to buy a fleece for Suzy and a rain coat for my husband and daughter. We managed this at a typical and very old fashioned clothes store where there was lots of choice. I had to laugh when I saw both my daughter and husband dressed in similar raincoats and in the same colour. Now they would be ok and ready for any weather hahaha.
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| Father and daughter in blue rain coats |
By then it was time for coffee and we walked around the corner to La Galerna where we always have it. La Galerna bar is in a beautiful square called Plaza Parres Sobrino where I know that many scenes from Spanish films have been shot. It's very oldie worldie.
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Coffee on Monday at La Galerna in Llanes |
By then the sun was out and we took off our rain coats. At this same square there is an amazing gourmet store, Aramburu, which sells the best of local produce. I always have to buy "cecina" (cured beef a bit like braseola but so much tastier) and also "pastel de cabracho" which is famous in the north of Spain. It is a sort of fish pate, difficult to describe, and was first created by the famous Spanish chef, José Mari Arzac.
As the sun was out we decided to go up to the top of the cliffs above Llanes to what is called "El paseo de San Pedro" - St. Peter's walkway. It is one of our favourite walks here. Nothing beats it as the views are amazing and you walk on fresh green grass. Having Suzy with us meant we had someone to take photos of the two of us which is a nice change. This week's feature photo is of us on one of the view point benches on that walk on Monday. When I posted some of the photos of our morning in and around Llanes on social media, some friends commented that my husband was very good looking. A new friend I have, Magda, told me "you have a gorgeous man". I suppose I do. When I told Eladio he laughed his head off as he is not at all aware of his good looks. I am.
Suzy loved the walk and I took pictures of her too. I particularly like this one of her on another bench by the sea.
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| Suzy on the St. Peter's walkway on Monday |
The weather held for the full walk which was about an hour or probably more because we kept stopping to take photos, like this one of me with my beloved Pippa who enjoyed the walk as much as we did.
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| Me and Pippa. Pippa and me - always together. On our walk on Monday |
Our morning hadn't finished though as before going home we had to buy some fruit and veg. We would do the rest of the food shopping in the afternoon when it wouldn't matter if it rained. We went to a great little green grocer in Posada de Llanes. Just look at that great big box of all we bought which came to a paltry 35 euros. Suzy was astonished. Me too.
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| Suzy coming out of the green grocer in Posada on Monday |
Some of that would we would have for our lunch that day and it was delicious. Just as we got home at around 1.30 it began to rain. But we had beaten the weather that morning and enjoyed Llanes and the surrounding area. Oh how I love Asturias. If only it was just a bit warmer (hahaha).
We all did our own thing after lunch. I did actually get a few winks in while watching the boring news of the Spanish government's reshuffle. Suzy had to work in the afternoon so it was just Eladio and I who went into Posada de Llanes to do the food shopping and also restock the house with cleaning and bathroom products to last our guests this summer.
By the time we were home, Suzy was ravenous and started making dinner. We had the "cabracho", the "cecina" and a salad all washed down with local cider (the best). That night I slept like a baby.
I woke up at 6.30 on Tuesday morning, refreshed and ready to go. Rain was forecast and the day looked very dark and cloudy but as often happens here, the sun made its appearance at mid morning and we had a beautiful day. Eladio and I had been keen for a while to spruce up the rather forlorn looking terrace attached to the house, perfect for sitting out in the sun. The only way to make it look more attractive was to fill it with plants and flowers. People there decorate their houses putting flower pots everywhere so we decided to go to a garden centre we had been recommended, "Mijares" in a coastal village next to Llanes called Cué. We already have flowers in the windows and all along the front of the house but our terrace desperately needed some colour. One day, too, we shall see to the ground and pave it properly but for the moment the flowers will have to do.
The garden centre was up to expectations and we found everything we needed there.
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| The garden centre in Cué |
We chose flowers that thrive well in this area: geraniums of course but also hydrangea and calla or arum lily. The latter is native to South Africa but grows here too. There are lots of exotic plants, fruit trees and flowers which you would never expect to grow in then north of Spain but because of the climate in this area they do. I have seen lemon trees everywhere as well as kiwi trees, peach trees, orange trees and palm trees. In the summer there is an explosion of hydrangea and bougainvillea so typical here.
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| Suzy by some beautiful hydrangeas growing wild behind our house (she is showing off the giant courgette). |
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| Our calla lillies. Love them. |
We needed 6 huge bags of soil too and our car seemed very heavy as we drove away, pleased with our purchasse at the garden centre. As soon as we were home, even though it was time for lunch, Eladio who is a good gardener, wanted to get started.
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| Eladio about to plant the new flowers for our little terrace |
Meanwhile, I got on with our lunch; home made fish and chips. Suzy had an exotic looking vegan dish. We sat down to lunch too late to watch the news. In fact we hardly watched the news during our stay at El Cuetu. In any case, the news was depressing. That day Spain recorded nearly 44 thousand new infections and passed 4 million deaths. What is happening I ask myself again? Well, many young people who are not vaccinated yet, are getting the virus as they are not maintaining social distancing or wearing masks. I also read that 77% of new hospitalised cases are of people who have refused the vaccine. How stupid is that? Can't they get it into their head that deadly viruses like polio or small pox could only be eradicated by vaccines?
More worryingly, there are cases of people who have caught the virus even though they are fully vaccinated, like Javid. Of interest in the news is the story of thousands of people demonstrating in Cuba - something unheard of - in protest at the lack of food, medicines and the situation of the pandemic there. Since we visited the island a few years ago and witnessed first hand the shortages Cubans suffer, I am following this story to see where it leads. Right now the government has blacked out internet and in the US they are considering providing internet coverage free to all islanders. I can only hope the protests lead to improvements in this ridiculously led communist country.
So, no we didn't watch the news really. Instead we spent a pleasant afternoon sprucing up the terrace, cleaning the outdoor furniture and pruning some of the flowers. The result was very pleasant especially as the sun was out and everything looked so much better. Thank God the rain had gone.
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| The terrace and house with all the flowers and plants we got at the garden centre |
At this time of year in that area it is light until 22h so we sat outside until late, only going into the house to make our dinner. I also spent part of the afternoon skyping with my friend Amanda. Oh how I wish she and other friends could come to stay at our new house in Asturias one day.
While we were sitting outside, our dear neighbour, Loli, who looks after the house and waters the flowers, takes care of our guests and looks out for us in our absence, came over to offer us a huge courgette from her vegetable patch. She had already left us half a dozen of eggs from her own hens when we arrived and another half a dozen that morning. I love the way she looks out for us and we are very fond ofhers. The courgette was as big as Pippa so Suzy had the grand idea of taking a photo of the vegetable and our little sausage dog together hahahha.
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| Suzy with the giant courgette and Pippa |
Suzy, being a vegetarian, was delighted with the courgette. I could have made it for dinner but had already bought clams that day.
I made "almejas a la marinera", a dish I make quite often now that I have mastered it. That doesn't translate well. Really it is a onion and garlic based sauce to which you add white wine, vegetable stock and paprika and then cook the clams in it. Delicious.
We sat outside afterwards until it was dark. What a change from the rain. We went to bed relatively early for me and I was awake at 6 am on Wednesday morning, our last day in Asturias. It was supposed to be sunny all day but it wasn't really but at least it didn't rain nor was it cold with the temperature reaching 21c. That day we decided to go beach hopping. First we visited the nearest beach to our house, Playa de Barro. It's about 8km from El Cuetu. Here we parked, enjoyed the view and walked up to a hill above the beach but realised the path didn't lead anywhere. But we shall be back as it's a pretty little beach and would be wonderful with good weather.
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| Eladio in the field above the beach Playa de Barro. It's the nearest beach to our house |
We then drove along the coastal road past other enticing beaches. But our destination was the Poó beach (not pooh hahaha), my favourite so far. There we had a coffee at a pretty little restaurant and bar, La Farola del Mar, overlooking this beach. It wasn't bathing weather but strolling along the beach weather which is what we did. The tide was out so we were able to walk for a long stretch and we enjoyed every minute of it. So did Pippa. Dogs are not allowed on most beaches in Spain so we carried "Pipps" until there were no people in sight and then let her loose. Silly dog, she tried to drink the sea water.
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| Walking on the Playa de Poó on Wednesday morning. |
When we could go no further we turned on our heels and walked back. We couldn't leave the beach though without going up the hill and showing Suzy the cliffs there with amazing views of the mountains and the sea. I never tire of the views up there.
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| On the cliffs above the Playa de Poó on Wendesday |
We spent a while up there contemplating the views and taking in the beauty. By then it was nearly 13.30h and we had a table booked for lunch in Llanes at a restaurant that had been recommended to us by a local last time we were there. We were at El Campanu by 2 pm and happy to sit down to a served lunch accompanied by local cider. Only Eladio chose the flagship dish of Asturias, "fabada", a bean stew cooked for hours with chorizo and a sausage a bit like black pudding that I don't like, called "morcilla". This was it.
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| When in Asturias you have to try the local dish "fabada" |
We had our dessert at a very good local ice cream parlour. Did I ever tell you my favourite "pudding" is ice cream or that my favourite flavours are pistachio and coconut? Well they had both flavours and I had a scoop of each. Thankfully Eladio helped me. I reminded him that when we were courting, the first thing he ever treated me to was an ice cream. He still does that today, bless him, "my gorgeous man".
We arrived home feeling full and sleepy, mostly thanks to the cider so had a longish siesta. After my afternoon "cuppa" of decaf tea, Eladio and I decided to go on another little trip. After all there was loads of time as it wouldn't get dark now till 10 pm. We had been told about a village called El Mazuco up in the mountains so we took the road which eventually leads to Llanes. We later read a famous battle took place there during the Spanish Civil War. The road couldn't have been steeper or more windy and at times I felt a little bit whoozy as I hate heights. At times too I couldn't look down but I certainly looked at the scenery in front of me and all the animals we encountered. At one point I saw a huge Spanish goat with amazing horns on the road in front of us. I made Eladio stop to take a photo. This is the photo I got. Isn't this creature, this buck, just incredible? My husband who knows about farm animals as he was brought up on a farm said this he goat could be dangerous. To me he didn't look at all dangerous; just magnificent. Die I ever tell you too that I love all four legged animals from rabbit size (that's to exclude rats) upwards? Yes I do.
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| The magnificent Spanish billy goat we met on our drive up the mountains on Wednesday afternoon |
Eladio also pointed out a very large bull with a herd of cows high up on the slopes of the mountains and I had to have another photo.
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| The bull and the herd of cows |
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| Bullocks on the mountain road |
No doubt there was more fauna and we did see horses. What we didn't see, because they hide away, were brown bears of which there is a growing population in the north of Spain. I know, because one was spotted on the road outside Montrondo not long ago and because we have often seen their paw marks in the snow. I was happy to see the lovely 4 legged animals I did on that rather somber drive on Wednesday evening.
We were back quite late but were actually hungry - it must have been the mountain air - and we tried our neighbour Loli's eggs for dinner that night. What a difference there is between them and supermarket bought eggs. If only we could get eggs like that at home. But we took back a dozen she had given us. That night her husband Pepe brought us round a bag of lemons too from their orchard. We were very touched.
There was time for an evening stroll around the village of El Cuetu which we actually haven't explored much. Eladio was keen to show me a couple of the typical graneries which are called "hórreos". I love them and dream of having one one day. Of the two, this one was the best.
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| Eladio showing me one of the "hórreos" in the village |
I was envious of the property next to the granery which commanded a fine view of the village below, Meré. Actually, our village, El Cuetu de Meré, is a hamlet that is part of Meré.
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| The view of Meré from our village El Cuetu de Meré |
It was still light when we ended our stroll so we sat outside on our newly spruced up terrace. We were admiring it but thinking too that it could do with even more flowers. That will have to be next time. Wednesday night was our last night in El Cuetu and we were sorry to leave the next day. We would have stayed, especially because the warm weather was coming, but we couldn't as our third set of guests were arriving on Thursday evening. July and August are now fully booked with not a spare day so we won't be able to go again until the autumn. I look forward to going again.
We didn't have to leave until 12 so there was plenty of time to get ready to go. We left shortly after midday but before we could really get on the road we made a stop to get petrol and we also had a coffee there to keep us going. Then in Posada de Llanes we went to the local bakery as Oli had asked us to buy some tuna fish pie. While there we got lots of other things too (naughty cakes for example). Our last errand was to pump up the tires at the local garage. Thus we only really hit the road at about 13.30. We stopped for a wonderful picnic lunch this time at a little village called Rioseco in the Santander region. We actually had our picnic on the grass next to the beautiful church, San Andrés. Here is a photo of Eladio and Suzy. It's one more memory of our little holiday in the north of Spain and one to treasure.
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| Our picnic lunch on the way home on Thursday |
We were home by about 7.30 and arrived to a very full house. A group of 5 very young boys aged from 18 to 14 had been staying since Monday. What a nightmare group they were and quite picky and demanding too. I knew they would be trouble before I left and I was right. Felipe, our lodger, told me they had been a nightmare from hell. Poor Lucy. I won't go into the details but just imagine what a group of young boys (they are actually Romanians) of their age can get up to. They virtually turned night into day and left a mess and lights on everywhere. They were not particularly pleasant either and I thought they would leave me a bad review but they didn't. Thankfully bad guests are few and far between.
During the car journey I was on my phone constantly, working, of course. The Communications Director, Esterfanía, from the Swimmy Platform where people can hire private pools, like us, had asked me to do an interview with a news agency about my experience as a Swimmy host. Unbelievably the interview was with the Russian news agency, Sputnik! Estafania also asked me to appear in a live TV report the next day. This would have been easy if we didn't have guests leaving and more guests coming which was the case on Friday.
We finally hit the sack at around 9.30 but I couldn't sleep nor could Eladio with all the bother from the group of boys. We eventually did though. I was awake at 6.15 on Friday morning knowing I had lots to do.
But first things first in the morning which means my breakfast and the headlines. I was aghast to read about the freak floods in Germany, Belgium and Holland with so many fatalities and missing people not to mention destroyed homes and the evacuation of residents. Last night the death toll came to 153. People are asking how the flood warning authorities hadn't reacted on time. How could this be happening in a country like Germany? How awful. This is due they say, to global warming. There was no sign of rain in Madrid thankfully. We had come back to hot weather; from around 21c maximum in El Cuetu to 33c when we arrived on Thursday evening. Yesterday it reached 38ºc and we are seriously considering escaping the heat by going to our house in my husband's village, Montrondo. We may go tomorrow.
I woke up also to another email from one of what I call my father's "old boys" from Bradford Grammar School. John M. who was his pupil of Russian in 1980, reached out as others have done over the years. It's amazing the impact my father had on his pupils. Their testimony shows just what an inspirational teacher he was. Of course I printed the emails out for him. I knew they would make him happy as they made me happy.
I also watched Oli on TV which I try to do every day. What I didn't know was that Friday would be her last day until after her maternity leave. So we probably won't be seeing her again on TV until next spring. I hope she gets some well deserved rest before Juliet comes.
It was all hands on deck that morning and then just when everything was ready for the TV cameras, I was told they would not be coming as they had too much content for that day's programme. They may well come next week. I was busy too contacting new guests in Santa Pola and preparing for our new guests who came to our house here that night. It was to be another group of young men and I hoped they would be a well behaved group. I commented to Eladio that this year because of the pandemic, the quality of the guests we receive here is below what we have experienced in the past.
The day was hot and I escaped to our air conditioned bedroom until the group arrived. They came from the Basque Country and seemed a nicer group than the previous one. That night we went out to dinner as we have now resumed our Friday night dinners out. Again we went to El Tinglado. We booked a table for 8pm on the terrace and then wished we had booked one inside as it was far too hot outside.
We came home to have our very own dessert, thick green plums or giant greengages from our very own tree. This year it is very plentiful, more so than last year. There and then at 9.30 pm, Eladio got out the ladder and picked about 2 kilos for immediate consumption. There are enough for us for days and days and for the birds too unless they beat us to it.
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| Giant greengages from our garden |
I slept relatively well that night and was up at 6.45 yesterday morning. It was just too hot for a walk that morning and it will be too today. Instead we went to visit Oli and family. We were dying to see Elliot again and he seemed pleased to see us. What a lovely little boy he is. We left around midday but would be back for dinner; having the pleasure of Elliot's company twice in a day.
Our guests were out for lunch presumably so the house was quiet. We had our siesta and I didn't leave our air conditioned room again until it was time to go to Oli's house. We took with us some cider from Asturias and little "Isidrín", a cider pump, some of Loli's courgette, "cecina" from Arambura in Llanes and of course plums from the tree. Miguel served us home made gazpacho and Oli made a wonderful salad. Again we played with Elliot and for much of the dinner he sat on my knees - the joys of being a grandmother. Nowadays he plays more and more by himself and gives his parents some free time. I caught him on camera playing with his sippy mug, pouring water into a jar. Oh, he loves water.
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| Little Elliot playing with water and caught on camera yesterday evening. |
When we left to say goodbye he wasn't happy and kept saying "no, no". He babbled words only his father understood which translated into "grandma and grandpa, don't go, stay with me". That was heart wrenching and so sweet to witness. We left in the heat but happy to know we would see him again, probably today.
The guests were out when we got back. In fact I didn't see them yesterday. I can't remember what we watched on TV last night - oh yes, some silly Mexican series - but I fell asleep quite soon. This morning I was up later, at 7.15 and had the kitchen to myself with the dogs.
Today will be another scorcher. Our guests will be leaving at midday and my plans are for us all to spend time by the pool this afternoon. Maybe tomorrow we will go to Montrondo. You will hear whether we did or not this time next week in next Sunday's blog post.
Meanwhile, I wish you all well. Cheers for now,
Masha
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