Favourite Bars 1
All my favourite bars are in or near the Plaza de la Fuente Arriba or 'The Top Square'.
Around this triangular plaza there are, at present, 6 bars with another 6 close by. My favourite was Bar el Chismo until it closed the year before last when the owner retired. This left the barman, Juanny without a job and the top square without its most authentic and lively bar and the best gambas pil pil in town. It's idiosyncratic opening times led to 'The Law of Chismo' which stated that if one was to pass El Chismo and it was open one was obliged to call in for a beer and a tapa. As far as I know this law was only known to a handful of people; Terry, Chris and me. There was no obvious evidence that the bar was called El Chismo (The Gossip) except for word of mouth and a clock above the bar donated by Cruzcampo Cervezas with 'El Chismo' printed on the dial. All Cruzcampo bars have them and I plan to have the El Chismo one on my wall at home one day. You would have thought Juanny was the owner. No-one else was ever seen behind the bar. He dispensed cañas with a unique flair and Ensalada Rusa with a teaspoon. The hot tapas, usually Calamares fritos, rosada frita and gambas rebozadas were cooked upstairs by the owner, Pepa and handed through a hatch to Juanny. Only her arms were ever seen . The bar had no obvious toilets; these were to be found upstairs though Pepa's kitchen. They were rarely used.
El Chismo was on the corner of Calle Carmona and Calle Santa Ana and had a door on both streets. When open it was immensely popular, especially at weekends and festivals when the customers would spill out into both streets. Food and drinks would be passed out hand to hand. I don't recall it ever being open at night.
These days, during Semana Santa, El Chismo opens for the week. No Juanny, no Pepa's tapas, just a group of chancers cashing in on the thirsty crowds that flood in for the processions. The other bar owners take a dim view of this as they have been paying rent and taxes all year when business can be slack. These 'fly-by-nights' take their custom and pay only the week's rent. Although I miss El Chismo I'm not tempted go in for a beer. The Law of Chismo does not apply now. In solidarity with the other bars I just look in to make sure the clock is still there.
19/05/2012
Saturday 19 May 2012
Monday 14 May 2012
Death in Alora
Death in Alora
We are experiencing very hot sunny weather which has pleased our guests no end, especially when we look at the temperatures back in Brum. Our garden looks out over the opposite hillside which is spotted with (mostly illegal) houses which have been built by or for Brits over the last ten years. We also have a good view of the town cemetery which consists of row upon row of niches, now mostly obscured by conifers. There is a crematorium and a bar there too.
When someone dies here they are usually interred the next day. We know when a death has occurred when the street lamps leading up to the cemetery are all left on during the night, presumably to help people to go up there and pay their respects.
This hot weather has been accompanied by an inordinate number of illuminated nights and smoke from the crematorium chimney. Cremation seems to be catching on here. Our sunbathing visitors have seemed a little subdued since we told them what goes on over there. None of us will see 65 again so some reflection is inevitable.
14/052012
We are experiencing very hot sunny weather which has pleased our guests no end, especially when we look at the temperatures back in Brum. Our garden looks out over the opposite hillside which is spotted with (mostly illegal) houses which have been built by or for Brits over the last ten years. We also have a good view of the town cemetery which consists of row upon row of niches, now mostly obscured by conifers. There is a crematorium and a bar there too.
When someone dies here they are usually interred the next day. We know when a death has occurred when the street lamps leading up to the cemetery are all left on during the night, presumably to help people to go up there and pay their respects.
This hot weather has been accompanied by an inordinate number of illuminated nights and smoke from the crematorium chimney. Cremation seems to be catching on here. Our sunbathing visitors have seemed a little subdued since we told them what goes on over there. None of us will see 65 again so some reflection is inevitable.
14/052012
Friday 4 May 2012
Time for Tommy's Rabies injection
Time for Tommy's Rabies Injection
Tommy the springer spaniel is due for his rabies jab before 7th.May so I took him up to the veterinario in town who doubles up as the public health inspector. We usually see his daughter for the injections but she has recently married and lives in Rota (donde están los americanos) where there is a big American base. It was set up as part of Franco's bid to be accepted into NATO after supporting Hitler. (allegedly).
In order to transport dogs (and cats and ferrets) back to the UK, rabies injections must be kept in date (annual). The strict regulations have recently been relaxed. Before, if you missed the anniversary it could mean a 6 month wait before he could re-enter Blighty.
The vet is a chatty type. His wife works in the shop and is very pleasant. I was told about a new vaccine to prevent Leishmaniasis (or Leishmaniosis). At the moment there is no cure for this deadly disease which is transmitted by a tiny fly ( el flebotomo) which we call a sandfly but it is more likely to be found in the countryside inland. The disease is quite common in southern Europe. The insect flies at night and only above a certain temperature. Many dogs round here are left out all night by their owners and these are the most susceptible. The parasite attacks the internal organs and can be fatal. The symptoms can be controlled with drugs. Now a new vaccine is being trialled which is thought to be 80% effective and will cost 120€ for the first year.
As usual, the vet made a mistake when filling in the details in Tommy's 'pet passport'. He always gets the date wrong. The authorities at the border are really strict. 'Out of practice' he said.
Tomorrow there is a 'do' at the headquarters of the Hermandad of Nuestra Señora Santisima Maria, la Virgen de Dolores Coronada. Food and booze for a small entrance fee. I think we may be going after our planned meeting with Angel the hotshot lawyer and possible land grabber.
04/05/2012
Tommy the springer spaniel is due for his rabies jab before 7th.May so I took him up to the veterinario in town who doubles up as the public health inspector. We usually see his daughter for the injections but she has recently married and lives in Rota (donde están los americanos) where there is a big American base. It was set up as part of Franco's bid to be accepted into NATO after supporting Hitler. (allegedly).
In order to transport dogs (and cats and ferrets) back to the UK, rabies injections must be kept in date (annual). The strict regulations have recently been relaxed. Before, if you missed the anniversary it could mean a 6 month wait before he could re-enter Blighty.
The vet is a chatty type. His wife works in the shop and is very pleasant. I was told about a new vaccine to prevent Leishmaniasis (or Leishmaniosis). At the moment there is no cure for this deadly disease which is transmitted by a tiny fly ( el flebotomo) which we call a sandfly but it is more likely to be found in the countryside inland. The disease is quite common in southern Europe. The insect flies at night and only above a certain temperature. Many dogs round here are left out all night by their owners and these are the most susceptible. The parasite attacks the internal organs and can be fatal. The symptoms can be controlled with drugs. Now a new vaccine is being trialled which is thought to be 80% effective and will cost 120€ for the first year.
As usual, the vet made a mistake when filling in the details in Tommy's 'pet passport'. He always gets the date wrong. The authorities at the border are really strict. 'Out of practice' he said.
Tomorrow there is a 'do' at the headquarters of the Hermandad of Nuestra Señora Santisima Maria, la Virgen de Dolores Coronada. Food and booze for a small entrance fee. I think we may be going after our planned meeting with Angel the hotshot lawyer and possible land grabber.
04/05/2012
Thursday 3 May 2012
Range wars in the High Chaparral
Range Wars in the High Chaparral
The attempt by the Casarabonela Jehovah's estate agent to con me into agreeing to a boundary change has been exposed. My plan of the 'olivar' boundary appears to be the genuine one according to an e mail from the original vendor. We meet with our neighbour on Saturday to argue it out.
Where is Antonio M.? He was spotted last Friday in La Plaza de la Fuente Arriba. No drink or food was involved. I rang him and he says he is waiting for better weather before 'coming out'. It's 3 months since his kidney transplant. The Square is not complete without him.
The 'Square' is, in fact triangular. It's only the Brits who call it a square; 'The Upper Square', to distinguish it from the 'Lower Square' or 'La Plaza Baja de la Despedía' which is rectangular and is the original town centre.
These days the Plaza Baja is rarely visited by Álora's smart people except for baptisms and first communions, poorly attended masses and the annual performance of the Despedía (farewell) which takes place at 2.15pm. on Viernes Santo (Good Friday). This choreographed last meeting of Mary and Jesus is attended by thousands of people who dangerously cram the Plaza Baja to cheer the Foreign Legion, Jesus and Mary and fill the local bars which make more on this one day than during the rest of the year.....unless it rains which it did last year.
03/05/2012
The attempt by the Casarabonela Jehovah's estate agent to con me into agreeing to a boundary change has been exposed. My plan of the 'olivar' boundary appears to be the genuine one according to an e mail from the original vendor. We meet with our neighbour on Saturday to argue it out.
Where is Antonio M.? He was spotted last Friday in La Plaza de la Fuente Arriba. No drink or food was involved. I rang him and he says he is waiting for better weather before 'coming out'. It's 3 months since his kidney transplant. The Square is not complete without him.
The 'Square' is, in fact triangular. It's only the Brits who call it a square; 'The Upper Square', to distinguish it from the 'Lower Square' or 'La Plaza Baja de la Despedía' which is rectangular and is the original town centre.
These days the Plaza Baja is rarely visited by Álora's smart people except for baptisms and first communions, poorly attended masses and the annual performance of the Despedía (farewell) which takes place at 2.15pm. on Viernes Santo (Good Friday). This choreographed last meeting of Mary and Jesus is attended by thousands of people who dangerously cram the Plaza Baja to cheer the Foreign Legion, Jesus and Mary and fill the local bars which make more on this one day than during the rest of the year.....unless it rains which it did last year.
03/05/2012
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