Family reunited, Oli on holiday in Ahetze, the French Basque Country, family therapy session, Movistar fibre down so no wifi at home, RIPJulio Navío Romero, retail therapy with Suzy, home made water melon gazpacho, so to Montrondo and other stories of the week.

Montrondo, Sunday 27th July, 2025

By God's rock on our walk last night

Good morning friends and readers from Montrondo, our village in the mountains  where Eladio was born and where we have come on holiday and to escape the heat of Madrid.

A lot has happened this week and it seems much longer than it is, since we had a family reunion lunch  only last Sunday.  Here is a photo of us around the table. 

The family reunited last Sunday at home for lunch

Next time we will be around a table together eating a meal will be here in Montrondo when they come on Wednesday 30th July.

Monday was busy. We were going to be taking part in our first family therapy session with Suzy at the outpatient hospital but first we had to go and fill the Mini with brake oil. I dressed up for the occasion which may seem silly but I don't often have the opportunity and wanted to look nice for Suzy at the therapy session. Eladio took a photo of me while we were waiting for the car to be fixed.

Dressed for the occasion

I bought the dress at a shop in Ribadasella. It's not really my style but I was encouraged by Amanda who thought it was lovely. With my yellow and orange leather bag and yellow espadrilles I was very colour coordinated and felt good.

While we were out and about, Oli and family were on their way to the French Basque Country to a town called Ahetze. Not far from Biarritz and Saint Jean de Luz, they stayed at an  Airbnb run by hosts, a bit like us. Unfortunately though they weren't allowed to use the kitchen which was reserved for the family. This is it.  And here are the children just after they arrived and probably after their first bathe in the pool.

Miguel and the kids at their Airbnb in Ahetze in the French Basque Country when they arrived on Monday

I knew Olivia would be in her element as she has been dying to practice her French which she has been studying after work for the last two years. Bravo Darling.

Meanwhile we got to the hospital on time to meet some of Suzy's companions and by 12.20 we were sitting in a circle in a big room with them, their families and the therapists; the nurse, the psychologist, the occupational therapist and the psychiatrist. Suzy has been going for a few weeks now and will continue in September. I'm not sure what I got out of the session but it was good to see the patients, their families and the therapists. I was happy to be part of it but wish it had been a bit more structured. It was a bit like Quakers' meeting, the session is not guided, people just talk spontaneously.

We came home together in two cars and by then my latest guest, Tomoko and her toddler son Sandy had arrived. She is Japanese and lives in Hawaii. I wonder how far she lives from Pearl Harbour but I didn't ask her. Later we saw her 12 year old daughter who had come to study Spanish. Tomoko who left yesterday was a great guest. I mustn't forget to tell you she brought us the most delicious honey roasted macadamia nuts from Hawaii, the best I have ever tasted.

In the afternoon Amanda and I resumed our FaceTime sessions. We hand't spoken since they left Spain on 6th July. She was in fine fettle and it was good to catch up. She is my therapy and I am hers. 

Later I joined Suzy by the pool and we had a long talk. She was showing signs of acute depression. So far on the medication she is taking for her bipolar condition, she had improved but she seems rock bottom to me now. I encouraged her to talk to the psychiatrist and they may have to change the medication but of course it's holiday time in Spain and a difficult time to do that. God bless her. On the bright side we got in touch with the Madrid Bipolar Association which sounds good and we will be in touch again in September. I think she needs intensive one to one therapy not generalised group therapy where one size does not fit all. That night I finished the Churchill film - In his darkest Hour - and sent her the quote at the end from him. He too had his dark moments. This is it: "Success is not final, failure is not fatal. It is the courage to continue that counts" and continue she must. I know she will get through this but she is in the middle of the journey and it's the hardest part. 

Tuesday came and we had a coffee date with our friends Roberto and MariCarmen whom we hadn't seen since the middle of June. It's always great to catch up with them and another excuse to dress up to go out. 

On Tuesday Oli and family were at the Grand Plage in St. Jean de Luz, their only sunny day, I should add. I love that beach and it's one of the best for kids in the area as the waves are not too strong. Here is a photo she sent me and below a video.

Oli and family at the Grand Plage in St. Jean de Luz on Tuesday

Suzy and I were planning dinner for Julio, our friend, who was coming the next day. But it wasn't to be. Sadly his father, Julio Navio Romero, died aged 93 that morning. His carer, Lucy, was also my father's carer and she has now been present at both their deaths. I was so sad for my friend and his family, especially his mother who is now a widower. We promised to see him at the Funeral Parlour the next day.

It was on Tuesday too that our internet stopped working. I did the usual which was to switch the router off and on but it didn't come back. There began my odyssey with our provider Movistar. They told me the problem was with our router, that they would try to fix it remotely and if that didn't work a technician would come. Five minutes later it was back but with a weak signal. I was worried about my Japanese guest who had an American phone so was relieved it was back. But not for long. A technician came the next day, fixed something with the router and then went into to the street to look at the fibre connection. He came back saying it was faulty and needed repairing. That was on Thursday and since then we have been without internet at home and there is no sign of anyone coming to fix the connection. You can imagine I have bombarded Movistar left right and centre but it's still not fixed. It must be affecting more homes and I don't understand why they are leaving it so long. Damn!

Things only got worse that night. My English guests from Liverpool, Danny and family who were checking into our apartment at Santa Pola were arriving that night and would be received by Mar the key holder. It was their first trip abroad and they were very excited. Well, guess what happened? Upon arrival 2 bloody flying cockroaches were on the wall. Imagine their impression. I have never seen one of those awful creatures in that flat in my life. However, my neighbour, Lucy, told me they were everywhere due to the extreme heat in the area. Thankfully they got rid of them and never saw another one again.  A week before I had a guest who complained of bed bugs which was beyond belief. When the cleaner went she said there was not a trace of them. I knew we didn't have them but try explaining that to an angry guest. I am still waiting for a nasty review. Those are the lows of renting property on Airbnb and Booking as a host. And all the troubles fall on my shoulders. I just wish my skin was a bit thicker as issues like these have me running round in circles trying to fix the problems.  Thus, of course, I have been sleeping very badly again recently - nearly always actually:-(

Wednesday came and I dressed up to go to the Funeral Parlour on the horrid Madrid circle road, the notorious M30. I wore this outfit which I was a bit iffy about but both my girls loved it.

The new look I wore to the funeral parlour for Julio's father's death on Wednesday

In Spain when someone dies, nearly everyone is taken to a funeral parlour (tanatorio) where people come to comfort the family. I find it very dull and not at all cheerful. There is no wake as such nor is there an event to celebrate the person's life. There is often a funeral that is held weeks later but again, only words from a boring Catholic priest. I far prefer the British way and I do not ever want to be taken to a Tanatorio. But it was good to see Julio and to comfort him and to meet his sister, Teresa. We stayed for an hour and a half and then left to tackle the M30 to drive home and do the shopping.  Our morning was packed. 

Oli and co, meanwhile were at the biggest adventure park in France. Called Wow, it is in Urrugne and I know the kids had a grand time there. 

The Kids at the adventure park in Urrugne this week

We had lunch alone that day as Suzy was having lunch with her Outpatient therapy companions. I think they enjoyed themselves as much as they could of course.

I had planned to make a water melon gazpacho for the dinner that Julio didn't come to, so I made it for us instead and we had it for dinner. Suzy did the toppings: chopped up ham, boiled eggs, red peppers, spring onion and croutons. The main ingredients of the gazpacho were of course tomatoes, green pepper, garlic, bread, olive oil and this time both water melon and some strawberries. It looked lovely so I took a photo to share.

My delicious home made water melon and strawberry gazpacho with Suzy's toppings.

Oli has asked me to promise to make it when they come and I will. It was quite a discovery.

That night I started watching Toxic City which I find quite depressing but it did help me fall asleep.

Thursday came, the day before we left for Montrondo, At 11 am the Movistar technician came who I told you about earlier. I now wish I hadn't rung him as a weak internet signal is better than no signal. 

We had a few things to do afterwards but first for coffee at Alverán. Here is a photo Eladio took of me in what was a happy moment.

Coffee at Alverán on Thursday morning

We then parted ways as I had an appointment at the nail bar at 12.30 and Eladio had to do stuff. On my way there I spied a rather nice Chinese boutique. Spain is full of little clothes shops run by Chinese and you can get some really good stuff. I got a lovely culotte in blue with white embroidery and a white t-shirt with the words "life is good". It is, despite everything.

I told Suzy about the shop and offered to take her to see if anything would take her fancy. We hadn't done any retail therapy together for a long time and our session on Thursday afternoon made her happy. Here is just one of the outfits she got and she looks lovely in it and in all the others. It was lovely to see a smile on her face.

A moment during retail therapy with Suzy on Thursday afternoon

Our day ended with a glass of white Rueda wine by Marques de Riscal with some of the delicious Hawaiian macadamia nuts. I must also mention that on Thursday I caught up with Kathy and Phil in a FaceTime call just before Suzy and I went shopping. We had missed each other in France so hope to see them here in Spain in September. 

Friday dawned and we left for Montrondo around 10.15. We stopped for coffee at Villacastin and then for a sort of lunch at Palacio de Bornos in Rueda. There we feasted on local wine, bread and ham and cheese and peppers for Suzy. The pièce de resistance was some of their chocolate which we always buy. Here are some photos of our time at Bornos, one of my happy places as I'm sure you know.

Pit stop on the way to Montrondo for an early lunch at one of our happy places, the winery Palacio de Bornos in Rueda 

We arrived to 28ºc in Montrondo and were greeted by Eladio's sister, Pili and her grandson Andrés. It was a very sweet and emotional reunion for Suzy and Pili who she hadn't seen for possibly 7 years. Later she was reunited with Eladio's other sister, Adela and his brother Isidro. She was happy to see them all if a little anxious.   We all had coffee at Pili's and caught up on each other's lives.  That was after settling in of course. It was good to be back in quiet and beautiful and not so hot Montrondo.

I slept not too badly that night but was up at 6.45 on Saturday morning. Eladio and his brothers had tried to remove a huge desk from the top floor spare room to give space to Juliet and Elliot when they come so that Suzy can have her room to her own.  I washed sheets from when Andy and Amanda were here and made up Oli and Miguel's bed. Only then could I treat myself to a coffee at the grumpy man's bar in Senra. Suzy joined me and we had our coffee in peace surrounded by the beautiful mountains. 

It was a quiet day but in the afternoon José Antonio and family arrived from their holiday in Galicia.  They brought most of their brood - in all they are 14 and I wouldn't want to be in Dolores' shoes when it comes to feeding everyone three times a day! It was their sons Miguel and  Juan who helped Eladio and Isidro to bring down the huge desk and store it somewhere for future use. I was sad to see it go as it was at that desk that I wrote a lot of my father's book. 

In much need of exercise Suzy and I had agreed to go on an evening walk at 7, an hour before dinner and I had to drag Eladio away from his brothers and sisters to join us as he needed a walk too as did little Pippa. As usual we went along the old path to Murias and when we got to God's rock (la peña de Dios), the half way mark between Montrondo and Murias, I got Suzy to take a picture for today's blog post. Later I took one of her with Pips by the fountain. Here they are together.

Suzy with Pips drinking water on our walk back home yesterday

There are lots of people in the village now, who, like us, have roots here and come on holiday. We met a big group by "Los Palacios" and chatted which was a lot of fun. One of the women had been Eladio's pupil at the Gran Capitán school where he taught  over 40 years ago!

The walk did the four of us much good and we shall be going again today. We have no plans today, other than chilling around the house and garden  in the company of part of Eladio's huge family - he is the eldest of 6. 

So my friends, this is it for this week. There is no mention of any news as we have been taking a break. However, the news from Gaza is in my mind as it is in many people's. The Israelis are slowly starving the population. They are suffering genocide from the very people who should have learned from theirs. That's it, I've said it. On that horrible note, may I leave you to enjoy your day until next Sunday,

Cheers Masha

The journey back from Paris, home again, time with the girls, Oli and Suzy bridesmaids at Copi's wedding and other stories of the week.

 Sunday, Madrid, 20th July, 2025

Oli and Suzy, bridesmaids at Copi's wedding on Friday

Good morning once again from home in Madrid. To think this time last week we were still in Paris. Our romantic trip there ended on Sunday and we began the long journey home.

We drove all the way back in one day. It's just under 1300 km and although it's long, the motorways are fantastic and we both took the wheel when one of us was tired. Poor Eladio was suffering from a bout of sciatica so I drove more than he did. 

On our way I spotted so many fields full of beautiful sunflowers, "tournesols" in French. 

Sunflowers, a symbol of France and the Tour of France

Although we have them too in Spain, they are more symbolic of France, especially during the Tour of France which is ending next Sunday. No doubt the Slovenian cyclist Tadej Pogacar, the current "maillot jaune" will win his 4th Tour and stand victorious on the Champs-Ëlysées next Sunday. I don't really follow cycling but once it was a major force in my life when I worked for Motorola who had a cycling team. My job took me to the Tour of France, Tour of Spain and many other races and I got a bird's eye view of this most difficult sport. I remember too seeing so many sunflower fields during the races in France.

We left very early as we had a good 15 hours to go to get home. It was the day before the 14 Juilliet, Bastille Day which I would have loved to have witnessed but not in Paris where the crowds would have overwhelmed me. There were many people on the motorways but more driving to Paris than to Spain, apart from all the lorries. We stopped a few times, once for our picnic lunch, for petrol, to change drivers, to stretch our legs and to get petrol. 

Picnic lunch on our way home from Paris

Returning from France and driving through Spain we encountered many, many Moroccans who live in France and were going home for their holidays.. They stop a lot too and rest - here is a picture to prove it hahahaha.

Fellow travellers on the road from France to Spain

As we drove I tried to follow the Wimbledon final between Alcaraz and Sinner and was gutted that the Spaniard had a bad day and lost. However, he has two Wimbledon trophies to Sinner's one trophy. I was a bit upset but preferred to concentrate on the road. 

However much I love travelling, it always feels like home when you get to the Spanish border. 

Home is Spain

Spain has been my home since I moved here from England, my birth country, in 1981 to live with and then marry  Eladio in 1983. I have never looked back although I do miss England at times. It's funny but I get the same feeling of belonging when I travel to England. It's the smell, it's the atmosphere, it's the people, it's the feeling I am at home. I am at home in both countries and am missing England right now and would love to go again soon. We arrived home to a quiet house as everyone was asleep; that is Suzy, Tana and the guests. Only little Pippa greeted us. 

Even though it was very late, I unpacked and put everything away, something I always do as I'm a bit OCD arriving back from road trips. It was so warm in Madrid, we immediately put the a/c on. It has been on every night since we got back. Oh how I hate the extreme heat in the summer.

Suzy seemed in a good shape, considering. She is now going every day as an outpatient to therapy and even though it is hard, she is doing her best. Oh how I suffer about my eldest daughter. Paris was a break and home was reality. But we have to live and our trips help a lot although we can't go away for long anymore.

First things first. The day after coming back we went straight to A&E at the Montepríncipe private hospital for a doctor to see Eladio about his sciatica who actually diagnosed lumbago. To make it seem more dramatic, I made him go in in a wheel chair and told the doctor we were travelling the next day which wasn't true. Thus he gave him a cocktail of intravenous drugs including, I think, steroids and opiates. 

At A&E this week

That did the trick and the pain soon went away. He was prescribed a ton of pills including valium to  help him sleep through the pain. But he didn't need it and was drowsy the whole of the next day. One night I tried it as an alternative to my sleeping pills and it didn't work at all on me so I won't be trying it again.

It was good to see Olivia too when she came for lunch nearly every day this week. She was having a break from the kids as Miguel had taken them with his brother to a flat his parents own in Madrigal de la Vera. This week she has been doing a different job which is far easier than telling the news live. She was part of a jury evaluating candidates' level of English for a job with the radio part of RTVE, RNE. It meant she could get up later than her usual 5 am and it also meant she could have time off from the kids. She spent most of it with Suzy and was here for lunch and dinner most days. I caught the two of them on camera to capture the moment. I am so glad to see Oli supporting Suzy while she is going through such a tough time.

The girls together by the pool this week

They were preparing for their childhood friend, Copi's big, big wedding where they were to be her bridesmaids and were constantly on the phone to her.  One day when they went to rehearse a dance with the other bridesmaids, we had the pool to ourselves. It was so hot I went in the water and miracle of miracles, Eladio joined me. He complained about his back though as he was told to rest so that may well be the last time he swims in our pool this summer. Here is a picture to prove he went in. 

Eladio went in the pool this week, something highly unusual. 

This is news as he hardly ever goes in the pool even though he likes to have one.

We have had a very lazy week after coming back from Paris and have not done much. It is too hot for our walks and we only left the house to do the much needed shopping. 

Friday night was Copi's wedding. Copi whose real name is Ana María is their childhood friend since they were 3 and 4 when they went to St. Michael's school together. She is practically part of the family. We were invited too and I feel guilty for not going but the honest truth is that we don't really like big weddings, especially if there is dancing and the dinner is late - hers started at 10 pm. By then we are always in bed. But it was something very special for the girls and very special to be her bridesmaids. They are her closest friends and for Suzy it was daunting confronting people she has shied away from for so long due to her illness. But at the same time she wanted to be there for her oldest friend. They met on their first day of school when both girls were 4. As soon as we walked into the lobby, Suzy pointed her out and said "Who is that little black girl over there? I want to be her friend" and that's how their friendship started. Copi lived near us and the girls were forever together as they were on Friday on her big day. I have chosen the photo of them with her at the wedding as this week's feature photo as it will be one to remember and here are some more of my two beautiful daughters as well as as a video of them dancing, the dance they had to rehearse.

My beautiful daughters at Copi's wedding wearing the bridesmaids' dresses she chose and bought for them. 

At Copi's wedding yesterday

All the guests stayed the night at the fancy venue called El Palacete de la Ochava and attended the breakfast or brunch. Our girls went to be at around 4 in the morning but I heard that some partied on until 9 am!!!   This wedding sounded amazing but was not for us oldies, hahahaha. If I had gone to bed at 4 in the morning it would have killed me.

We spent yesterday morning alone at home. The girls were at the post wedding breakfast, Tana had her day off and there was no sign of our guests. It was much cooler yesterday which meant we could spend most of the day by the pool. We enjoyed our time  of being alone with little Pippa of course - here are some relaxed photos of us which I rather like. 

Enjoying being alone at home yesterday morning, just the two of us with Pippa

The girls joined us for an impromptu lunch and later I spent the afternoon with them under the shade of the trees at the end of the pool.  Suzy and I had a very constructive conversation as she did too later with her father when he joined us.  She is a lot, lot better but still has a long journey ahead of her. Later we had a small dinner together on the kitchen patio and peace reigned in our house. 

Today is Sunday and Oli and all the family are coming to spend the day. I can't wait to see Elliot and Juliet again but it won't be for long as tomorrow they are going on holiday. They are first going to the French Basque country, then to Cantabria after which we shall see them in Montrondo. Later in August they will be going to France again and will spend the last week of next month at our flat in Santa Pola. I have to say I am excited for them. 

On that happy note, I shall love you and leave you to get ready for the day. Sorry no international or national news this week or even last week. I am taking a bit of a break as it is all so bleak. I am sure you agree.

Cheers till next Sunday which should find us back in Montrondo,

Masha.

A romantic trip to Paris, the city of light revisted, meeting Marie, Alcaraz and Sinner through to the Wimbledon final and other stories of the week.

 Paris, Sunday 13th July, 2025

You know where this is. 

Good morning everyone from Paris, the city of light and the city of love. What a wonderful treat this has been for us. Read on and find out all about it.

Last Sunday was a complicated day and rather sad too. Andy and Amanda were leaving after a fantastic 12 days together in Madrid, Montrondo and Asturias. But they weren't leaving until late at night so we had some more time together; mainly to play Sevens and Ludo in our air conditioned dining room. It was so hot in Madrid there was no other place to be.

That day 7 guests from Orleans, France were arriving and there was lots to do to get everything ready for them. Oli and family came to spend time with us at the pool and have lunch which meant we were 9 around the table again. Special thanks to Tana for all her help. Luck had it that the guests were late and arrived after we had driven our friends to the airport. We were both exhausted at the end of the day and fell into bed shortly after a mini, mini dinner.

I won't go through the rest of the week as there is little to tell so shall concentrate on our romantic trip to Paris where I don't think I have been as a proper tourist since the early 80's and that's a long time. But before I go on, I must mention Wimbledon. If you have been following this most prestigious Grand Slam, it's no news to you that both Alcaraz, the reigning champion of 2023 and 2024, and Sinner are through to the final. To get there Sinner had to beat Djokovic who has won the championship 7 times only thwarted by the Spaniard, Carlitos in the last two years. Of course I am routing for the Spaniard as you can all imagine. 

Thursday was the day we left for Paris and we got there late so our sightseeing didn't begin until Friday. Just being in Paris brought back so many memories of visits during my youth when I would always see my Uncle Kolya (Nicholas) and Aunty Valya. They were my reference point in the city and I have fond memories of my Uncle and Aunt driving me around, picking me up and taking me to places. I also remember well visits with my school when I was just 14 and of course many Inter Rail trips round Europe where Paris was always the starting point. In those days there was no internet, nor mobile phones nor did you have to book tickets online. I remember just walking into Notre Dame or Sacre Coeur and probably not even paying anything. I used to love sitting at Fench cafes with their unique wicker chairs, drinking either a café au lait or a créme de menthe. I would take the metro from Gare du Nord to Gard or Gare Austerlitz and nothing felt a challenge; not even changing pounds into francs. The last time we were there was with the girls on our way back from England when they were about 9 and 10. All they remember was going up the Eiffel Tower where we hardly had to queue. These days it's a very different story. 

We had just three days so I did a very touristy thing and booked tickets, online, of course,  on a hop on, hop off bus. That was the easiest way to see the main sights. Thankfully, .although it was hot, it was nothing like Madrid so quite bearable for us "Spaniards". Our first stop was to see Notre Dame after if had been restored, although there seems to be more restoration going on. Again without tickets it was impossible to go in. Paris is the most visited city in the world so all the world and his mother seemed to be there. Crowded doesn't even begin to describe it and it's not cheap either. A cup of coffee now costs about 5 euros, double the cost in Spain and that's just for starters. And here we are by the beautiful Notre Dame which sadly burned in 2019 just before Covid. 

Happy to be back in Paris and to see Notre Dame restored, or nearly

We later went in search of a coffee and came across the Sorbonne, France's most famous University. Later we hopped on the bus again which took us to the Arc de Triomphe on the Champs Elysées. As the cars had stopped at the traffic lights, I couldn't resist going into the middle of Paris' most famous Avenue and take a photo. That's the one I have chosen for this week's feature photo and here is another. It was a very happy moment, my friends.

Enjoying Paris

We had lunch around the corner at a typical Parisian brasserie. It was called Café de Paris, of course and guess what we had? Fish and chips my friends - so in vogue in France these days and with a lot less batter but equally delicious.

Fish and chips at Café de Paris near the Arc de Triomphe on Friday

We continued our bus tour and got off at the Eiffel Tower. We thought we couldn't go up but actually we managed as the queue for non online tickets was quite short. So, wow, we did the number one thing to do in Paris, we went up the Eiffel Tower, the biggest symbol of the city. Here are some photos to prove we went up, hahaha.

Eiffel tower revisited after more than 30 years

We came down feeling like champions and more so because we walked part of the way. I really admire anyone who walks up and down the tower, especially older people of whom there weren't many. 

Saturday came and it was another full day and a splendid one too. I booked us tickets to go on a cruise on the River Seine. The cruises are all called "Bateaux Mouche" but ours was actually Bateaux Parisiens. We set off from the Quai de Bourdonnais right under the Eiffel Tower which you can see from everywhere in the city or so it seemed to me. And here I am just before our bateau set off.

Setting off on our river cruise yesterday

We loved the river cruise which is an excellent way of seeing most of the sights in Paris. Here is just one. It's of us coming up to the Alexander III bridge, my favourite of the 22 we went under.

On our river cruise yesterday

After disembarking, we made our way to Montmartre, made famous by artists from all over the world. I wanted to see the beautiful Sacre Coeur cathedral (from the outside) and walk the cobbled streets watching artists paint famous sights of Paris, do portraits, caricatures and even silhouettes. We did not walk up but took the funicular which was a great experience and stress free for once. 

Funicular to and from Montmartre

Here is one of my photos of the beautiful white cathedral I remember so well and also of a wonderful view of the city.

We had to include Sacre Coeur in our visit 

The view of the city from Sacre Coeur

From there we wandered to the famous Place du Tertre where crowds were watching people play music. The atmosphere was great as was the square.

One of the beautiful cafes on the Place du Tertre

Our last stop in Montmartre was of course the Place des Artistes where we saw artists at work and thousands of tourists, some of whom were having their portraits done. 

Place des artistes in Montmartre

I am sure if Picasso, Miro, Toulouse-Lautrec, Renoir or Van Gogh and many more could see Montmartre today they would be very surprised and probably not too pleased with what the area they used to frequent has turned into. They couldn't even begin to imagine the number of souvenir shops selling I love Paris  or Mbappe t-shirts, not to mention African immigrants selling plastic Eiffiel Towers. Even so, it's still a magical place to visit.

At 15.30 we were meeting my dear cousin Marie and her husband Anas at a very special place, the Ladurée cafe in the Galeries Lafayette. Marie told me they have the best macarons in Paris. We were starving by then and as we arrived early we ordered food. Eladio went for a club sandwich and I couldn't resist the equivalent of afternoon tea. We hadn't seen our cousins since the last cousinade in Île de Ré in 2018 so the meeting was sweet. We ate and chatted for hours and I only remembered to have a photo taken when we parted. It's an awful one of me but it's all I have.

Happy to be reunited with Marie

Marie is the eldest daughter of my cousin Mashinka and I first met her in the early 2000s when I worked for Nokia. We hit it off immediately and have been in touch ever since. Marie reads my blog, so if you are reading this, hi and lots of love. It was great to see you and Anas again. They live in Switzerland but just happened to be in Paris this weekend so it was rather a chance meeting but one I shan't forget.

And today is Sunday and we are leaving. It has been short but sweet and a lovely trip down memory lane.  Soon we will be in hot and sweaty Madrid but hopefully not for long as we plan to escape the heat and go and stay in Montrondo. In our family we have  a funny saying "Montrondo, Paris, Granada, como Montrondo no hay nada". This roughly translates as "Montrondo, Paris, Granada, there is nothing like Montrondo" which of course is nowhere near the truth, haha.

On that silly note, I shall leave you until next week.

Cheers from the city of light from a very happy Masha.

Lazy last day in Montrondo with Amanda and Andy, off to Asturias to cooler weather, visiting Llanes, the local beaches, our goat moment, Colombres and its "Indiana" houses, Santillana del Mar, Ribadasella and La Cuevona, home again to the heat of Madrid, friends and family time by the pool, photos from 2008 and other stories of the week.

 Madrid, Sunday 6th July 2025

With my oldest friend Amanda in Llanes, Asturias

Good morning everyone. How are you all? 

I can't believe it is Sunday 6th July, the day our friends Amanda and Andy leave. It seems like yesterday when they arrived. We have had a grand time at home, in Montrondo and in Asturias. I have relaxed and laughed and got away from it all hardly watching the news this week for once.

I left off last Sunday on our last day in the village. We had a very lazy time. It was hot, but not as hot as Madrid and we spent the day playing ludo and Sevens (a card game). We didn't even go for a walk. 

Monday came which was the day we planned to drive from there to El Cuetu. It took a while to close the house and we left at around 10.30. It's a 2.5 hour drive with some spectacular scenery and we only stopped once for coffee somewhere in the middle of nowhere. Before reaching our house we had lunch in beautiful Llanes - a well known seaside town and a very desired location for summer holidays - and made a rather bad choice by booking a table at the Hotel Sablón next to the town beach. The location was amazing; not so the food. Before heading home, we showed our friends a bit of this beautiful town which remains largely unspoiled and has been used in countless Spanish period pieces. The photo illustrating this week's post is of my dearest friend and I by the port and is a repeat of one we took when Amanda and I were there alone in September 2022. 

It's just 14km to our place in El Cuetu, on the main road to the Picos de Europa National Park and we arrived to sunshine which soon disappeared. After that we got fog and drizzle until we left. That was such a pity for our friends as the visibility of the mountains was non existent and of course this glorious coastline is not the same with rain as it is with sunshine. However, Eladio and I, at least, preferred this weather to the high 30s in Madrid which is insufferable. Today will be another scorcher .This week Spain recorded its highest temperature ever; 46ºc in Huelva. 

We did the shopping on the way home at Alimerka, the chain of supermarkets in Asturias which I always find disappointing. Soon we were home, unpacking and settling in. I was pleased to see what a good job Rosa and her team had done of the cleaning. It has never been so clean before!

I was soon on the terrace in the sunshine which lasted about 1h. After that it was cloudy and rained throughout our stay. 

While we were settling in, Carlos Alcaraz, the 2 time reigning champion of Wimbledon, was playing his first round on Centre Court. Would you believe it took him 4.5h and 5 sets to beat 38 year old Fabio Fognini who was playing his last match at the All England Club? I could not have watched it but was relieved he got through to the second round. He then played GB's Oliver Tarvet, aged only 18, who put up a fight but Carlos won in three straight sets. Later this week he played Germany's Struff in 4 sets and today he meets Germany's Rublev at 16.50 in Round 16. His opponents Sinner and Djokovic are also through to Round 16. It's going to be a tough end to the Championship this week coming. 

Back to El Cuetu. Dinner was a delight and so was playing cards until time for bed. We played the only game we know called Sevens endlessly throughout my friends' stay and that so relaxed me. 

Tuesday came and it didn't rain although it was very cloudy. We took our friends on a tour of the local sites starting with the beautiful beach village of Niembru where we admired the church of Nuestra Señora de Dolores and the fjord like beach and amazing cemetery. Here are three photos from that visit to a place I always love.

Niembru

From there we drove to Barro beach, one I would love to bathe in but the weather wasn't up to it although there were plenty of bathers. It's a small cove like beach which, like Niembru, has been used in countless scenes of Spanish period TV. This was what it looked like this week.

Barro beach in the Concejo de Llanes

A must that day was our favourite beach with the unfortunate name of Poó. It's like a lagoon nestled below the huge peaks and green cliffs and with the tide out you can walk to the end. Here I caught Andy and Eladio walking just behind us. I wonder what they were saying?

Playa de Poó

By then it was nearly time for lunch so we drove straight to the restaurant next to Playa de Toró, a beautiful beach in Llanes. I had booked a table at El Mirador de Toró which Amanda knew from her last visit here. It is the best in the area and never disappoints with  views of the beach with its funny limestone formations. 

Playa de Toro which is overlooked by the Mirador de Toró restaurant

Lunch was divine, as usual and I was the only one to enjoy the local cider. And here we are round the table enjoying our meal. The boys had paella and Amanda and I had huge prawns in garlic.  I was enjoying the company just as much as the food. 

Enjoying lunch at Mirador de Toró

To burn off some of the calories, we went on a walk on the beach and up to the cliffs. We were in for a surprise and a funny episode. There was a whole herd of goats grazing on the rocks of the beach while people were lying there. This was our goat moment and we enjoyed it thoroughly. We were gobsmacked at the scene and took dozens of photos and videos. Here are a few.

Goats on the beach

Goats grazing on the cliffs by the Playa de Toró

As I pointed out to my friends, you don't find goats on the beaches in Benidorm. This is the real Spain and we shall always refer to this as our goat moment or episode, hahahaha. 

Wednesday came and it was raining most of the day. Thus we had to skip the beautiful Peaks of Europe and Lakes of Covadonga. Instead we took our friends to visit Colombres, famous for its Indiana houses and Santillana del Mar, in nearby Cantabria, which is one of the prettiest villages in Spain although it is also a bit of a tourist trap.

Colombres, just on the border of the province of Santander, is known for its Indiana houses. Let me explain. These houses are built in Latin American colonial style of times gone by. They are ornate and palatial and a sign of wealth. In the late 19th and early 20th centuries, some 4 million Spaniards emigrated to "the new world" to escape poverty. Some later left to escape the Civil War. Of those 4 million, a small minority made their fortune and returned to their homeland. They were known as "Indianos" as were the amazing houses they built, This was the first Indiana house we say, Quinta de Guadalupe built in 1906. Today it houses the Museum of Emigration. 

Quinta de Guadalupe, the most beautiful Indiana house in Colombres which also houses a fantastic Museum of Asturian Emigration. 

Eladio and I had visited Colombres a few years ago but had never gone inside. We are not museum enthusiasts but as it was raining the practical thing to do was to go inside. And my goodness, we were bowled over by this one. It was extremely well kept and with its many objects, maps, pictures and live witness videos, it told the story of Spanish and Asturian emigration. Apart from beautiful and interesting I found the whole experience rather emotional. So long ago today, Spaniards emigrated to what must have been richer Latin America and now it is the other way round. Eladio too felt a huge impact. He is the direct descendant of  emigrants to the New World. His father was born in Cuba where his parents emigrated although they did not come home wealthy. His great uncle, the brother of his maternal grandmother, also emigrated. He left Montrondo aged 20 and probably walked or rode on  horseback to the nearest port in Gijón or La Coruña and made his way to Havana. He first worked on sugar cane farms and and stayed never to come back and later fought alongside Fidel Castro. That is why Eladio has relations in Cuba; all of whom are staunch communists, of course. His uncle's son, Rochi, returned to Montrondo a few years ago to see his father's roots. That is a visit we shall never forget. Eladio remembers his mother and grandmother receiving letters from Cuba and also from cousins in Argentina which were read and reread over and over again. We loved the museum and could have stayed all day. Here is just one photo of the inside to share here.

Inside the Museum of Emigration in Colombres

When we had had our fill we went in search of somewhere to have coffee and later visited a few more of the Indiana houses. These are just some of those we saw. One was on sale for 1.8 million euros but probably needed a lot of restoration. If I was younger I would love to buy one and turn it into an Airbnb or hotel.

Some of the Indiana houses in Colombres

It was getting late and I had booked a table for lunch at the Parador in beautiful Santillana del Mar so we had to get going again.

Santillana del Mar which is neither by the sea, nor has it anything to do with saints and is not "llano" flat, is well known in Spain for being a beautiful medieval town with amazing architecture. It is also known for its fabulous Altamira caves where you can find the oldest human paintings in the world. But it is nearly impossible to visit as it needs such preservation. We did not visit the caves and concentrated on the town. Lunch was at the fabulous San Gil Parador. It was Andy's first visit to a Parador, the state run chain of hotels housed mostly in historic buildings. They were inaugurated in 1928 to promote tourism and Spanish heritage. They are synonymous with quality and their restaurants offer wonderful gastronomic experiences with each Parador also offering local fare. Before we went in, Andy took a photo of us outside what was once a luxury family house built in the Baroque style and dating back to the 18th century. 

Outside the Parador in Santillana

Lunch was magnificent but more expensive than usual for a Parador. Later we wandered the cobbled streets and took photos of many of the beautiful buildings only spoiled because of the silly tourist shops underneath. Here are just some of the photos I took.

Santillana del Mar

When we had seen most of the main buildings and streets and feeling a little tired, we drove back to El Cuetu which is 80 odd kilometres away. Once home we followed our usual routine; game of ludo, a light dinner and more cards.

On Thursday, our last full day in El Cuetu I was up at 6.30 and had got in 6h sleep which is not bad for me.  That day we took our friends to the elegant seaside town of Ribadasella and later to Cueves, or La Cuevona, a village reached only through a long cave; quite a spectacle. The weather was a lot better with some sunshine and the rain did not come out until 3 pm allowing us to enjoy the town. However, owing to so much rain and cloud not once were we able to take our friends to the very prized destination, the National Park of the Peaks of Europe. That will have to wait till next time.  As we left I took a photo of the house to show you on the only day we had sunshine. It's very humble but we love it.

Our house in El Cueto

Ribadasella, apart from being a beautiful and upmarket town by the sea, is famous for its River, the Sella, or rather for a canoeing competition called "the descent of the Sella". Many of my guests book our house in Asturias for that but I have never been.

We parked by the river and immediately got our cameras out to take a photo on the old bridge that separates the town from the promenade and beach called Santa Marina. This is a huge stretch of beach surrounded by mountains and lined with more Indiana houses.

In Ribadasella on Friday

First things first, we went to have coffee on the main street and explore the boutiques where I nearly always buy clothes. And here we are enjoying life and our coffee as well as lovely Ribadasella. I felt very happy at that moment.

Coffee in Ribadasella

I bought a pretty dress and Andy got a lovely shirt, jacket and jumper which I am sure when he wears in the UK will make him think of his holiday in Asturias.

Next on the agenda was to walk along the bridge to the promenade and again we took photos. Everything looked so much nicer in the sun.

Photos taken on our walk along the promenade of the Santa Marina beach. Just look at those houses.

Soon it was time for lunch and we walked all the way back and to the port to a restaurant called El Tarteru. It's number one on Trip Advisor but actually I didn't like it as the food was far too heavy. But I did enjoy a lovely pistachio ice cream after. Just before we left we returned to the amazing cake and chocolate shop called La Veguina which has the most creative sweets and chocolates you can imagine. We bought florentines and chocolate and I got talking to the owner. I asked her about the "Letizia" biscuits and whether they had anything to do with the Spanish queen called Letizia. The answer was of course and there I got my story of the week. The Queen's grandparents, Moncho and her husband lived in Ribadasella where as a girl Letizia came on holiday and also lived with them. The owner and her husband knew the grandparents very well and when the former TV presenter who she described as a bit stiff and bossy, got engaged to the then Crown Prince Felipe, it was the daughter of the cake shop who urged her mother to name some of the produce after the princess to be. The owner thought it was a stupid idea but mentioned it to Letizia's grandfather who urged her to name any of her products Letizia. She did it and it was breaking news in the area and since then the shop has become famous. She told me more about the Queen as  a girl and her family but that's too long a story. 

We left at around 3.30 just as the rain began which rather spoiled our visit to Cueves to show our friends the unique cave you have to drive through to reach the village where the road ends. Called La Cuevona, I have never seen anything like it in the world and neither had my friends. It's very dark as you drive through and as it is only one lane we were worried stiff another car would come and block us but we were lucky. This is a picture I found online to show you.

La Cuevona, the cave you drive through to reach the village of Cueves near Ribadasella

We parked in the village near the train station which I suppose is transport for anyone living there without a car. The village is stunning with beautiful houses built in the local style with flowers everywhere. Hydrangeas and bougainvillea grow splendidly in Asturias as you can see in these pictures taken in Cueves that day.

Flowers in Cueves

It was raining hard by then so we had to skip the walk through the cave and drive home. On the way we stopped at Alimerka, the local supermarket, to get provisions for the house and guests for this summer's reservations. It was a task I had been putting off but it had to be done before we left.

Back at the house, we all rested and as usual Amanda and I played ludo and won a game each. The evening ended with the three of us playing Sevens again and making a racket in the kitchen. I will miss playing both games with my friends as sadly they leave today. All good things come to an end  and it feels a bit sad today. 

We left at around 10.15 and stopped twice for petrol and coffee and then lunch at a roadside cafe called La Colina. They offered a superb menu of the day for 16 euros each and my friends both enjoyed paella again. We were home by about 4pm and oh my was it hot. Just before I finished unpacking, something I have to do as soon as I arrive anywhere - I'm a bit OCD about that and other things - Oli and the kids arrived. I had only just had time to hug Suzy when I was hugging them too. We all convened around the pool and had lovely family and friend time that afternoon. The girls have known Amanda since they were small and she is like an aunt to them. Here are some lovely pics of our time together that afternoon.

Family and friends time by the pool on Friday afternoon

The children behaved well enjoying swimming endlessly with their father who is an expert swimmer. They were both very interested in Andy's binoculars and loved our friends, Andy and Amanda; Juliet especially so as her best friend is also called Amanda. Wouldn't it be wonderful if her friendship lasts as long as ours has. I spent quality time with Elliot who has a huge thirst for knowledge; his current obsession being about which animals, birds and fish are the largest, the fastest, the slowest and the loudest. I love watching him taking information in like a little sponge and I love his curiosity. Suzy brought out drinks and we all sat around one of the big tables in the shade just enjoying being together. The kids found it perfectly natural that we switched from English to Spanish and vice versa countless times. 

Suzy and I prepared dinner that night after Oli and family left and of course Andy, Amanda and I played yet more rounds of Sevens. We had an early night basking in the air con in our rooms but I found it difficult to sleep as so many things were on my mind.

Saturday dawned and yet again I got just 5h sleep - oh to return to Montrondo to get more shut eye - and we spent a lazy day at home. We only went out to do the food shopping to leave enough provisions for Tana aned Suzy when we go away again tomorrow. 

Andy came with us to Mercadona after which we had coffee at Alverán which he declared he loved, like we do. Then it was on to Carrefour where I loaded our cart with large quantities of all our favourite ice creams. Kudos to Magnum by the way for their new summer "Double sun lover ice cream". It is mango and coconut flavoured and covered with white chocolate and nuts. It was Elliot's and my favourite. Unfortunately each one of them contains 318 calories - oh dear.

It was too hot to have lunch outside so we convened to the air conditioned dining room and were 9 around the table. Tana prepared hake in breadcrumbs with roast red peppers, cauliflower in garlic and mashed potatoes which was divine. Equally divine were the black cherries we had for dessert as well as the ice cream of course. 

We all went off for a siesta later, leaving Oli alone with the kids. But they soon joined us and interrupted our news watching. I was painting my nails red and Juliet wanted hers painted too. Later she grabbed the bottle and insisted on painting Eladio's toe nails also red.  It was rather hilarious to see his feet painted by his granddaughter at what we called "Juliet's beauty parlour" hahaha.

Eladio's toe nails painted by his 3 year old granddaughter Juliet yesterday

They got a bit too frisky with Juliet walking round with the nail varnish brush which we had to remove before any damage was done so Oli whisked them off giving us our peace.

I emerged an hour later to see they had gone and made my way straight to the pool. Andy and Amanda were playing Ludo or the Spanish version called "Parchis" which is far more complicated, in the air conditioned dining room. When they had finished Amanda and I played too after which we convened to the pool where we joined Suzy.

On our last evening together, finally it was cool enough to have dinner al fresco and we enjoyed a huge prawn salad - thanks Tana for peeling them.  We stayed in the kitchen patio for a while after dinner when Andy came across photos of us together taken in 2008, 17 years ago. They were of us together in Santander and in Madrid with the family and in Segovia with my father when Amanda's brother and his wife, Simon and Gill visited. You probably know that my father, Charles Courtenay Lloyd, was Andy's form master at Bradford Grammar School and Simon's House Master too. Here are just a few of the photos which made me think was this really us? Eladio looks like a film star aged 63 with not one grey or white hair. Amazing.

Photos taken by Andy in 2008, 17 years ago. Was that really us?

That was a real trip down memory lane. It was amazing to see us all so much younger, including the girls and lovely to see my father with us, aged I think 89!  We went to bed early last night and I slept relatively well. 

Today is Sunday and it will be another scorcher. We have a complicated day ahead of us as 7 guests from France will be arriving at 5 pm while Andy and Amanda are still here as their flight isn't until 10 pm tonight. We won't go anywhere as it is too hot; or maybe out for coffee at Alverán. I think the kids will be here for lunch so we shall have more friends and family time by the pool.

Tomorrow we are off again and you will read all about it in next week's blog post.

Now it's time to sign off and wish you all a happy Sunday. Cheers till next time,

Masha

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