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 OUR
REGULAR NEWS FEATURE FROM
SUNNY SPAIN |
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To
find a diary month from our Newsletter, just click
DIARY DAYS IN SPAIN
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July
2009
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Last time I referred to “Blazing June” but I am
sure you gathered that I was speaking metaphorically.
This month I will refer to Blazing July
accompanied by a switch to the literal!
As you may have seen on the television news the Levante
(Mediterranean Coastal Strip) of both Spain and France were
ravaged by bush/forest fires.
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The nearest they came to our house was about 20
kilometres away and the only affect it had was that our water
was cut off for about 24 hours. |
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The rumours immediately started flying around
that the water had been diverted to fight the fires however, in
the final analysis it was shown that the heat had affected the
electrics of some 10 water pumping stations and thus the water
was there but no way of distributing it.
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As we have a water deposit tank (storage) we didn’t really
notice the problem although we did economise as our neighbours
without deposits kept us up to date on the flow situation. |
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Sadly in Spain 10 people were reported to have
lost their lives (6 of them fire fighters) although this was to
the north of where we live. In our immediate vicinity the worst
hit area was our local seaside resort of Mojacar and its
neighbouring pueblo Turre.
click
FIRE |
But if you “Google” Mojacar Fires you will be able to see a
number of video clips of the fires. Around 3000 people were
evacuated from their homes in Mojacar and spent the balmy night
on the grass strip of the esplanade.
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Happily the weather was, as always, at this time
very kind and generally speaking a comfortable night was had by
all! Happily the authorities got the fires under control and
they were halted about 15 metres from the outlying buildings in
the conurbation. In total some 2,600 hectares were devastated
and a number of outlying properties and businesses were
destroyed.
There is still some argument as to whether arson
had any part to play. I don’t suppose the truth will ever be
known.
What can you do with maniacs?
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The spread of the fires was not surprising as
following the mild winter and consequent lush growth the heat of
June and July baked both ground ...
and foliage...
to provide a ready tinder box – In one sense I
suppose you could say it was an accident waiting to happen.
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Recent temperatures have been in the low 20s over
night and around the 40 mark during the day |
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It really is not the time of year for northern
European holiday makers to visit.
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One has to adopt a traditional way of life in
this weather which means closing the persianas (roller window
blinds) which the Brits tend to think are for privacy -
Spaniards don’t care a damn about privacy they are there to keep
the heat out. |
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Afternoons are largely spent indoors closed and
shuttered up hence a siesta is the order of the day. |
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The negative side of this glorious weather is
that the flies have made an unwelcome appearance and so swats
are very much the order of the day and they don’t tell you about
that in the holiday brochures!
Sue is in favour of chemical warfare with aerosol
tins etc., whilst I prefer the old fashioned satisfying method
of clouting the little swine!
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Of course, at Spanish dinner time (10 p.m. plus)
the flies have gone to bed – sensible Spaniards. |
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The legend of “The Bandit” continues as he was
joined during the month by a new arrival ...now known as
“Smokey” who is pictured.
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Together they are now known as “the Hole in the
Road Gang” as they only come into our garden at feeding time
and otherwise disappear via a large drainage pipe under the road
outside our house.
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Zoo Zoo´s reaction
(our resident outside cat)
is shown in the pic attached.
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The early advent of high temperatures has rapidly
ripened the grapes which are particularly sweet this year. |
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Susan
consumes them a bunch at a time and happily our black ones are
largely seed free.
I prefer green grapes, but they are not quite
ready yet.
They do have seeds and being a bit twee I tend to
poke the seeds out before eating but no Spaniard would bother
and I suppose the seeds provide roughage!
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All in all the grape harvest is about 3 weeks
earlier than normal but whose complaining?
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On the market the cherries are finished -
but the locally grown melons and Canary bananas are superb,
whilst tree ripened avocados are delicious.
The downside of our naturally ripened fruit is that it has to be
used relatively quickly as it does not benefit from the
artificial refrigerated and gassed controlled storage that is so
often the case in Britain.
Having said that, it is delicious! |
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At this time of year the Tapa really comes into its own as large
meals are not very appetising ...but little and often is very
nice even if the little is
sometimes only a dozen olives.
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There are lots of legends about the origin of
Tapas ... and you can read about this on
SPANISH TRIVIA
However, from being a
sensible way of eating in the high summer the Tapa and Meze have
gained renown basically because it´s a jolly nice way to eat!
Who has never been out for dinner and felt “Oh forget the menu
just leave the hors d´ oeuvre trolley .
Incidentally I list a particularly refreshing hot
weather Tapa in this month´s recipe.
Just go to
MIKE'S TAPAS BAR
!!!
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Sue says
remember to click
for more in her
Spanish Garden:
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REMEMBER! To find
a DIARY MONTH from our Newsletter,
just click
DIARY DAYS IN SPAIN
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And
see more recipes at
MIKE'S TAPAS BAR |
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©
PLUS
2006