Elf and Safety …and the rest!

Well we’re back in the land of sun and oranges …if you were looking forward to a blog about me sitting on a sun lounger by a pool with a cocktail in one hand, book in the other – switch off now. I apologise you’ll need to look up Sunseekers United for that – this blog details the ruminations of a rambling sixty something year old who doesn’t spend much time on a sun lounger at all!

Now the astute amongst you will notice a problem with one of those chimneys ( in truth, there’s a problem with almost all eight of them ) – but I walk past ( in fact, under) this wonky one every day. Can you imagine that happening in the UK? Not at all, they’d have called in the next Fred Dibner long ago! “Clear the area …evacuate everyone” would be the cry! Not over here though…..

Sometimes you have to strike a happy medium don’t you? I think we’ve gone too far with Health and Safety in the UK ( those of you who’ve kept up with my blog for a while will remember as a clinician I was expected to write a risk assessment for the use of Tippex ..) but I do think perhaps a little more care is needed over here in Spain!! I’ll be sure to let you know if this chimney tumbles at any time – perhaps I should start wearing a hard hat when I take Millie out first thing ……..

Now this doesn’t look particularly appealing, I’ll give you that……but sadly what I cannot convey is the smell in the air . Before we left the UK Gary Davis ( a Radio 2 DJ) was asking what his listeners would bottle if they could. At the time I was struggling to think what I would bottle ….it came to me on that morning…that smell! What could it be , you’re thinking…..

We are surrounded by beautiful orange groves and the smell of the blossom at the moment fills the air in the early morning and evening. I mean Valencia oranges after all are famous world wide aren’t they? They are cheap over here too…never mind 60 p per orange as we pay in the UK, more like 60 p a kilo or less. So low is the price that the growers are given for their oranges, that many trees are left unpicked . What a waste …then you hear that Spain imports South African oranges ! Is it me ? It is certainly a crazy world we’re living in!

On the third day we were here our Spanish tiler came to restore the pillar in our house .

This pillar has been tiled, then the tiles were removed because damp crept up beyond them , so then the pillar was painted (with what I cannot say, beyond it would appear to have been white paint) Well that wasn’t successful either ! So Rodrigo comes along…..

So much for a sun lounger ….now time to clean! ….and this is all before the Easter weekend!

Easter is a very special time here ..with representation of the crucifixion and death of Christ on Easter Friday followed by celebrations of the Resurrection on Easter Sunday and reunion of Jesus with his mother Mary . When I talk about processions through the streets of our town …I don’t just mean people walking through the streets ! No this is Spain! They carry immensely heavy “ pasos” or religious statues around the narrow streets…

Can you imagine this passing Health and Safety in the UK? As if the width and weight of the statue weren’t enough to give rise for concern, let me draw your attention to the pole at the front of the picture. There is a man at the end of it who’s role is to lift the electricity cables clear of Jesus as he passes underneath……need I say more, but try and stop this celebration if you dare ! It really is very moving ……

In contrast to the sombre mood of Friday there is joy on Easter Sunday. All the local bands and churches process to a centre point in the town…two of these bring Jesus and Mary respectively

Anyway I’m pleased to say Millie had an Easter Egg……

Easter Monday brings Millie to her special place here La Marjal … a beautiful natural park not far from here

So a week has gone by….we have achieved a lot …though it takes time to settle into things Spanish again. We’re almost there I think …so will see what this next week brings …a cocktail on a sun lounger perhaps ? No chance ! So until next week………