Dear readers, it’s 3 weeks since I checked in with you so I’m due you a February catch-up and very interesting it has been. We’ve had weather, visitors, birthdays and lots more, but we’ve also been keeping an eye on what’s been happening back home just so we know what we might be coming home to in July. I watched “Question Time” last night and was shocked at how strong the sentiment is in favour of leaving the EU. I would have thought you might at least have noticed Boris Johnston has come out in favour of quitting, meaning it almost certainly isn’t a good thing to do. Ironically, I find myself on David Cameron’s side of this issue, something I never imagined being on any matter of national importance.
But enough politics! February brought an early end to winter here in Cataluña and the first week saw temperatures rise markedly towards the 20˚C level, stimulating a general discarding of jerseys and coats and the donning of shorts and tee-shirts again. Before we knew it we were back in our sandals! We spent a bit of time getting some rays together as Mary only had her 3 hours at Prysmian on Wednesday mornings to go to but little did we know how drastically that was about to change. Mary had attended an interview at a new language school called Global Connect on the fourth of the month and she came back raving about how professional and on-the-ball they appeared to be in comparison with the old one which had “let her go” in December.
Early on the seventh, we drove to the airport to pick up our friends Marc and Jud Schmitt from Colmar. Marc was the French Assistant in my Department at St. Saviour’s High School in 1981-82 and Jud (Judith Cashley) was a sixth-year pupil in the CSYS French class. They fell for each other, got married, moved to France and now have grandchildren too. We visited them in 2012 on our tour of Europe in the Magic Caravan and had a great time and Uncle Gerard and I meet up with Marc every August when they’re back in Dundee visiting Jud’s family. They had told me they were going to have 4 days in a hotel in Barcelona but I persuaded them to give Vilanova Park a try instead.
Marc, Jud and Mary at the Biker bar.
After a quick kip to make up for getting up in the middle of the night, they were ready to party so we whisked them up to the Biker Bar to let them see one of our favourite places to go. Needless to say, they had a great time checking out this quirky little café while enjoying the sunshine and the really brilliant rock music. But we were soon heading back into Vilanova as that Sunday was the famous Carnaval Comparses where the whole town has a series of massive fights during which they throw millions of sweets at each other. We arrived in the wonderful Plaça de la Vila just in time to catch the end of the adult “battle” and we even joined in a wee bit once the main barrage was over.
Sweetie fight madness!
Did we find this amusing?
Back we came to the campsite for tea then straight out again, this time to Sitges to try and catch a bit of their “Parade of the Debauched” through the narrow streets of this famous town. Remember that Sitges is the gay capital of Europe so you can imagine what it is like. We parked a good bit out of town and walked in, slowly being swallowed up by ever-increasing numbers of revellers, each in his or her own costume and mask. Our attempt at actually seeing the parade was pretty much doomed to failure due to the thousands of people swarming the narrow vennels and side-streets but we did see some of it, albeit on tiptoe with ten ranks of spectators in front of us.
No luck here then!
The following day was much more relaxed and we hardly left the campsite, allowing the girls to hit the pool in the morning while Marc and I trudged our weary way up the hill to the watchtower where we had a second breakfast with the Mediterranean Sea at our feet. I never tire of going up there in the morning as the view from the top is nothing short of unforgettable and I really need to make more trips up there as I haven’t been up nearly as often since my pal Mike went back home. On Tuesday I drove Marc and Jud down to the train station to catch the train to Barcelona. We had recommended the Sagrada Familia and the Park Guell as the two major things to visit. However our visitors were back by 5 o’clock having seen neither after a horrible attempted pickpocketing which only Marc’s quick thinking and bravery succeeded in preventing. They were both pretty shocked by the affair however and a couple of drinks with their evening meal then an early night was the best they could muster.
Jud and Leo in the Sitges shops
To alleviate the trauma of the previous day we took another trip to Sitges, this time during the day after Mary had finished work at Prysmian. We wandered the streets, fascinated by the shops and the people and I left them there to explore on their own while I took Mary back to Vilanova for a couple of hours extra lessons at her old school where her friend Marieke had come down with the ‘flu. But we all got together at the chalet for a meal and a couple of bottles of wine, producing a cracking good evening of laughter and fun.
Marc at the Watchtower
On their last day in Vilanova, we headed off into town, went to see the Cow at the beach then had a “menu del dia” at one of our favourite restaurants. Although it was quite a bit colder and had even started to rain, we still had a lovely time, but before we knew it we were driving back to the airport and waving them off on an evening flight back to Basle in Switzerland which is their nearest airport to Colmar. Thanks loads, Marc & Jud, for coming to visit and I hope that incident hasn’t put you off returning to Barcelona.
As we always find ourselves equally as tired as our guests after they have left, we resolved to have a few quiet days ourselves. I spent a wee bit of time mucking around in the awning on the guitar and it was after an hour’s practise one day that I told Mary I was struggling to play the big flat-top as the steel strings were tearing my fingers to shreds and I kept playing bum notes due to lack of pressure on the frets. “Let me buy you a new guitar for your birthday” came the reply. “A proper Spanish classical one with nylon strings.” People, ‘twas an offer I simply could not refuse, hence our visit to town the day before my 63rd birthday to check out the music shops and try a few guitars. Eventually we got one I liked and I’ve hardly put it down ever since.
Eat your heart out!
For the first time in ages I’m learning new songs, new riffs and all those little ditties that go around in my head. The first new solo was that great little instrumental called “Henry” at the beginning of “Maggie May” by Rod Stewart and the Faces. Next up will be revisiting Carole King’s classic songs from her iconic album “Tapestry” including “You got a Friend” which cousin Peter Grayson taught me to play about 45 years ago! Then I’ll go back to some of the wonderful Simon & Garfunkel songs Joe and I used to sing away back in our St. Andrews days. “I am a Rock, I am an I-I-Island.”
We celebrated my birthday at the communal meal up at the restaurant with 20 or so fellow caravanners. Mary surprised me with a cake but thankfully with only 2 and not 63 candles or we might have had to call the fire brigade. Did you know that the Firies are known as “Bombers” in Catalan: there’s a big sign at the fire station near Guillem’s house and it still catches my attention as I drive by. Turning 63 means so very little to me you know. It’s just a number as they say and I don’t look or feel anything other than the person I’ve always been. My brain is just as lively and naughty as it ever was even if I now have an excuse for a memory. As my pal Fred would say “Ask me to name the West Ham team any year of the 60s or 70s and I’ll tell you without hesitation. But ask me what I had for breakfast…..?”
Spot the mistake!
Happy couple
Our dear friends Tom & Margareth are still away globetrotting around the South of Spain in their caravan, despite being 20 years older than Mary. They have taken their time and stretched out the number of days they spend in each place, ensuring they take enough rest days to avoid becoming overtired. They have visited many of the places we recommended to them including the cowboy towns around Almeria and the campsites at Marbella and Sevilla. You really do have to admire their pluck! Greeta has taken to writing a blog for her family back in Holland, which she sends to them every 2 or 3 days but she sends us a copy as well. This leads to us sitting down at the computer or iPad and struggling with a couple of hundred words of Dutch trying to work out what she is saying. It’s a bit of a challenge but we are getting better! Good luck to you, Tom and Greeta, and come back safely to Vilanova!
Tombstone!
Earlier I mentioned that Mary’s work had changed. It all stems from her interview and subsequent contract with Global Connect where she has been hired as a substitute teacher in case of illness, in-service or holiday. She loves this new school and is much happier there than she was at Times school, but she didn’t really anticipate just how much work would be coming her way! For the past 10 days she has worked mornings, afternoons and evenings, sometimes until quarter to ten at night doing various classes and lessons with children and adults. She has also just been offered 2 lunchtimes a week doing an English class in a state primary school. Add this to her 3 hours on Wednesday mornings with the top brass at Prysmian and we have a very busy girl. But I have to tell you she is handling it all brilliantly, just as I knew she would, and she is even happier with her lot out here. Well done Mary. This guy is dead proud of you!
Thursday has become golf day up at el Portal del Roc, a par 3 18-hole golf course about a mile from the campsite inland up the road we walk towards the Watchtower. The teams have been established: I play with Dick who hasn’t played a lot of golf but loves to give it his best shot, while Jeremy and Fred partner each other, both reasonably sporty with decent eye-to-ball contact and on occasions the ability to produce some excellent golf. The competition is first class with Dick and I winning the first two rounds on the last hole then Fred and Jeremy skelping our arses 5&3 on week 3 before evening things up last Thursday with a narrow 2&1 victory. I had a poor first half, going out in 39 before getting my act together and coming back in 31! But the highlight by a mile was the fifth hole, a straightforward slap of 90 metres or so. Fred went off first, struck a beauty dead straight, it bounced once just on the green then rolled sweetly 10 feet right into the hole! We went bonkers! It was the first hole-in-one I’d ever seen live and was of course Fred’s first ever. It was pretty much downhill after that but nothing could take the gloss off that glorious moment. Well done, Fred!
So that’s us up to date on life out here in Spain. We miss you all greatly but have settled into a rhythm of life that suits us just fine and ticks most of the boxes we have. If the boys all moved out here with their families then life would probably be near perfect, as it would if Mary could have her Mum, sisters and brother out here too. But we know that can’t happen in the real world so we’ll take the best we can out of our situation. Scott is coming out in a fortnight to spend some time with us and we’re going to go to the Camp Nou to see Barcelona v Arsenal in the Champions League then Gavin, Eve and Arry are due out here in Vilanova Park some time near Easter. We’re looking forward to both visits and hope to have a brilliant time with both. Scott is doing grand in his job and is a hero with his clients.
And …. left and right and ….
The weather was brilliant on Wednesday so we went for a long walk along the front at Cubelles and beyond. We are very lucky to have such fantastic Mediterranean coastline to explore as and when we want. There are all sorts of palm trees and exotic plants everywhere and Mary sometimes can’t resist getting up close as you can see.
Can you see me?
By the way, did you know that palm trees have teeth? Check this out!
Sharp as a tack!
God bless you all and goodnight. I leave you with grandchildren Ben and Arry under the table playing granddad’s made-up game “Is that a bus?!”
Kids! Who’d have them?
And here’s Eve with her absolute KILLER tee-shirt!
Game of Thrones fans will get this.
