Madrid, Sunday, 15th December, 2024
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| At the St. George's Anglican Church Christmas Fair yesterday morning in Madrid |
Good morning everyone. How are you doing? Most of you are probably all ready for Christmas. I have to admit that I am not. For the first time ever I just haven't got into the festive spirit. I think I've had something of an existential crisis this week that has made me feel that way. I won't go into it but it hasn't been a good week.
It has been a great week for many people in Syria though. Last Sunday after I posted my blog it was later confirmed that dictator Bashar Al-Assad had fled the country to Moscow after 13 years of civil war and 50 years of dictatorship which started with his father. We now know the truth of his regime with mass murder of civilians who did not agree with his politics in true Nazi or Stalinist style. 300.000 people were savagely killed and 100.000 displaced. We now all know the name of the already notorious prison Sednaya and what terrible things happened there, on a par with medieval style torture. But how did it happen? How did he lose his power? There are two main reasons; his allies, Russia and Iran had in some way lost interest in holding up the regime because they were and are elsewhere occupied with Ukraine and Israel via Hezbollah. The other reason is the planning of all Bashar's enemies in the country who, although divided in ideas and politics, somehow came together to topple him. The rebels were mainly led by HTS - a semi jihadist group that promises fair rule (we shall see), under a leader called Abu Mohammed al-Jolani now naming himself Ahmed al-Shara.
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| Abu Mohammed al-Jolani in Damascus after it fell this week |
Even they were amazed at just how easy it was to topple Bashar Al-Assad. Since taking Aleppo, Homa and then Homs at the end of November, within less than a month they took Damascus and Bashar had to scuttle off and away. He leaves a country that wants to be born again that wants to be rebuilt and wants to live in peace. Will that be possible with so many factions involved? Al-Assad is an Alawaite, a branch of Shia Islam. Al Jolani is also a Shia muslim, but what about the Sunnis, the Druze and the Christians. Will their beliefs be respected? Jolani says they will and he also says there will be no strict dress code for women. But can we believe this from a man who once belonged to Al Quaeda? The world has been watching events from a distance worried as to what will happen. Meanwhile, the Russians want to maintain their military fortresses and ports and the Iranians want their loans that run into the billions back. Israelis bombarded military targets trying to decimate the country's army and weapon stock, especially those most lethal chemical weapons Bashar Al-Assad so famously used on his own people. This week certainly marked the end of his brutal regime but I doubt the future will be a walk in the park for everyday Syrians, especially those who collaborated with the previous regime whether they were for or against it. Most people had to pretend they were. There will be trials as big as Nuremberg and I sincerely hope they catch the monsters who carried out Bashar's orders like the Nazis did under Hitler. What a situation. I can only hope and pray for a brighter future for Syria and its people who have lived under the worst tyranny in the region. Good riddance Bashar. I wish you boring anonymity and obscurity in some luxury dacha on the outskirts of Moscow thanks to your "friend" Putin. Even he tired of you. Hopefully he will use you as a bargaining chip to curry favour with the new regime. Wouldn't it be good to see the outwardly cultured man sitting at trial and sentenced to prison for all his crimes?
I couldn't think much about his departure last Sunday as Oli and kids were coming for lunch and wanted my home made fish and chips. It's an awful palaver, especially without Tana, but I did it and the family enjoyed this most British of meals.
On Monday I should have put up the Christmas decorations but I just didn't have it in me. Instead I went for a solo walk cheered up by seeing Oli live on TV. I wasn't too cheered up about the subject though. She was reporting on a negative aspect of Airbnb. Honestly, as an Airbnb host, I am a bit fed up with all the media hype. Why can't the world or governments accept realities? The shared economy is a reality, especially for people like me who rent out rooms in their own house. I suppose the villains in this story are those who do it on an industrial scale. Anyway, here is her lovely face on TV reporting that day.
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| Olivia reporting live this week on false Airbnb host profiles |
I commiserated with my dear friend Amanda that afternoon during our weekly Skype call. She has been suffering from a bad bout of flu and feeling under the weather; despite having had an anti flu jab. I felt sorry for her. But she always cheers me up because we end up laughing.
Tuesday came and it was sad. It was the day that my dear guest Mohammad who is originally from Iraq, was leaving after more than a year in our house. It was Mohammad who on Sunday rushed into the kitchen in the morning to tell me about the situation in Syria which, of course, he is watching closely. He has gone home to see his parents on a surprise visit but home is now Muscat as they have retired as teachers of psychology at the University of Baghdad. Years ago they went to live there after Sadam Hussein ordered his uncle's head to be chopped off - yes, as crude as that. When Mohammad first came to live with us, it was his first trip to the west, to Europe and life for him changed radically. I think his outlook did too, very positively and we came became close, like mother and son. I wish I had taken a photo when he left, kitted out in the Real Madrid clothes which he so loves. But I didn't so am sharing one I saw of him on his Instagram while he was studying in one of our lounges for his master in sports science.
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| Mohammad who I will miss sorely |
He has promised to come back in three months time and I really hope he does. I hope too that his future will be in Spain and that it will be a bright one in the sports' world. Farewell my friend. You will be sorely missed. When he left on Tuesday it was the first time in a whole year that we were guest free until this Friday when my last two guests of the year came, Leonardo from Brazil and Alan from Ireland. 2024 has been good business wise. I hope 2025 is equally good.
The morning was sad but we had something to look forward to that day. I had booked a table for 4 at
Filandón - one of my favourite restaurants in Madrid. We were inviting our long time friends, Loli and Benito to lunch. We first met when we were young in 1981 when we all lived in Saconia on the outskirts of Madrid and have kept in touch ever since although not as often as we should. The last time we had been together was when they invited us to lunch at El Gamo in El Pardo in March 2021 during the pandemic. It was so good to see them and it was also great to be back at Filandon which looks so festive right now. I had to have a photo outside to remember the moment.
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| At Filandón on Tuesday |
We had so much to catch up on after so much time that our chins wagged throughout the delicious lunch. Later we had a photo taken as we parted and we vowed to meet again at Filandón next year on the same date; 10th December.
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| A group photo with Loli and Benito |
On
Wednesday there was not much to report apart from my doing the weekly shopping.
Thursday was pretty similar, the only highlight being when I went to have my nails done. I always enjoy that.
On Friday, Oli and family left for Valencia for a long weekend with friends of Miguel's from when he lived in Valencia and worked for RTVE which is where he and Oli met. The kids must have had a splendid time. Here is a photo of the 4 of them to remember their trip there this weekend.
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| Oli and family in Valencia this weekend |
Saturday came and we did something different. Yesterday was certainly the highlight of the week. I was going to the St. George's Anglican church Christmas fair with my sister-in-law Dolores and Eladio was going with her husband José Antonio, his second brother down, to a demonstration in the city. Later we would meet for lunch at their house where we used to live too when we got married in 1983.
The demonstration was a protest about the future of of civil servant health care under the auspices of Muface which has always been private. Health care for civil servants is outsourced to private insurance companies, such as Adeslas, Asisa, etc. The problem is that the government doesn't cover the costs of their health care. The alternative is for them to be part of the public health system which is already under a strain with not enough resources. I argue too that as public workers, if a private health insurance was part of their salary package it can't be taken away just like that. Eladio sent me a photo of him with his brother during the protest which I hope leads somewhere.
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| José Antonio and Eladio at the protest in Madrid yesterday against private health care for public servants being suspended. |
Meanwhile, Dolores and I were at the Church Christmas fair. It's never really very good and this time there was no jumble sale; most items being new. I did get some chocolates though and Dolores got mince pies. Going there was really an excuse to meet up in Madrid. Shortly after having a quick look round, we walked to my favourite coffee and cake shop in town, Balbisiana on the upmarket street called Velázquez. It's a bit like a Spanish sort of Betty's. Later I spent 70 odd euros on cakes and such for lunch and to take home. I just couldn't resist them.
We walked back to their house which will always be our old house and soon we were joined by our husbands who were happy with their experience at the protest. I really hope it bears some fruit. Dolores made a lovely lunch of fish baked in the oven with some fried potatoes accompanied by delicious wine and then all sorts of sweets and cakes for dessert. We left around 5 before it got dark as it was late. We had had a lovely time and I felt much better than I had all week.
We came home to a quiet house. I hadn't seen my 2 guests, both of whom are repeats and Suzy was with Pippa who rushed out to greet us but then rushed back into Suzy's room. She pines for my daughter and I recently understood one of the reasons is that she gives Pippa massages. Imagine!
I spent some time writing this post and when I had finished at 7.30 pm I found my husband already in his pyjamas and in bed. He slept a full 12 hours. I wish I could do that. Suzy and I had dinner alone and both enjoyed one of Balbisiana's cakes.
Today is Sunday. It is sunny but cold and frosty and I hope we go on a morning walk as I have been a bit lazy this week. Hoping your Sunday is a good one, cheers for now,
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