A hostile environment..

... for a puppy's first walk.


How guilty is it possible to feel when you set off with great excitement to go out for a proper country walk with your new puppy, only to hear him yelping and whining withing 5 minutes of setting off?
Well, double it.

Darwin had his third injection and the all clear to go walkies in 'el campo' last week. As it's been just too darn hot to go anywhere in daylight other than across the road to the little park and skulking along only the shaded streets, he hasn't yet had the chance to get excited when we pick up his lead. Indeed, he has proved to be a tad embarrassing in the walking department. He doesn't really like it. We spend most of the time dragging him - with words of encouragement - but dragging nevertheless and I have been thankful for him having short legs as I feel it may just disguise the fact that he's not actually using them as he moves along. Sometimes, he simply splays himself out on the path - doing his sheepskin rug impression, (or is it baby seal?) and when we look round, we find he looks more like a street-sweeping implement than a real dog.

Yesterday evening, as we felt a slight drop in temperature, we decided to head out to the hills above Alcala la Real in the hope of finding figs, plums or any other ripe fruits and we all piled into the car to get there - the walk there would have been just too much!

And it started off fine as we set off down a sandy pathway. The figs weren't ripe - sad face - but we found plums and grapes which were, together with some nice green almonds. And then the whining started...
And poor Darwin! He was covered in little spiky burrs and sharp pine needles; they were in his fur, on his legs and belly and deep in between the soft little pads of his feet. Every step much have been excruciating!

We stopped and sat on a rock and Mateo, Romy and I started picking out the burrs as carefully as we could - he just lay there and let us pull away! Ruy was having problems of his own, having left the house in flip flops, but could identify with Darwin's problem.
We carried him back to the car and on the way, I had a good look around and saw things differently - instead of looking far, at the trees and the hills and the sunset, I looked near and down. And what a scary place it was! Especially if you're travelling 'barefoot'!

Full of little burrs

Full of spiky things

Sticky and spiky

Prickly

Very prickly

Lethal

Angry ants

And even I wouldn't tangle with this on purpose

However, I am very pleased to report that this Sunday morning, due to a slight covering of cloud and and a refreshing breeze, I set off with my puppy to walk up to La Mota - a steep climb up a sandy path - and despite an initial resistance to the idea, Darwin soon began to stretch his little leggies and enjoy his first proper walk. He's now crashed out in a little heap on the floor. Smiley face.

{this moment}

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
:: Idea from :SouleMama:

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Escape from the heat?

Average temperatures in summer are at their highest in Spain in the region of Jaen. During the past week, parts of Jaen have been well into the 40s - degrees centigrade - and Bailen, just north of the capital of the province, is officially the hottest town in Spain with temperatures reaching over 30 degrees on average in August.

Here in Alcala, at almost 1,000 metres above sea level, the temperatures tend to be a couple of degrees lower than elsewhere in the province but even so, you have to believe me when I tell you, it's hot here. Today it's 39 degrees. About the only place to feel cool is near the fountains.

The mornings see people bustling about as usual - out shopping, walking their dogs, strolling, taking a coffee or eating a 'tostada' (toasted bread with a variety of tempting and delicious toppings) in the bars. Come midday, an eerie hush falls. People disappear from view. The streets, where the sun hits them directly, are lifeless. A few shadows lurk in the shade; particularly if there's a bar there, but there is still a quietness and a certain lethargy about the people who sit at the tables. This is highly unusual in my experience of Spanish people - of the people of Alcala - who usually sparkle with vitality.

When we open our front door to take Darwin to the park, the heat hits us with a real vengeance. From the relative 'chill' (25 degrees) of the house - and that with the air conditioner on all the time - it takes one's breath away and Darwin has to be carried across the tiled pavement to avoid him scorching his new little paws.

And so it continues until about 8 or 9 o'clock in the evening. And then Alcala reverts to its usual lively self as its inhabitants venture out once more onto the still warm streets. No wonder they're out and revelling until the early hours!

Anyway, we were getting a bit over-cooked and so, having looked at the weather forecast for Tuesday and seeing there was no let up due, we decided to pack up and visit the cooler costa.

The journey down through Granada province was as spectacular as ever and we were able to enjoy it as Darwin has continued to be a good traveller and after an initial moan about having to sit in the back in a box, he settles down and sleeps most of the time. We headed for our favourite beach in Almunecar and even found a parking spot right in front of the promenade. This was looking very good. Then one of the first things we noticed - and should have considered beforehand - was the 'Perros No' sign, indicating very clearly that Darwin would not be welcome on the beach.
Of course not, who wants dogs on the beach? I've never wanted dogs that run around, kicking sand and leaving unwanted deposits when I've been in the past. Hmmm... surely that sign couldn't apply to our little puppy, who would sit nicely and well-tethered under our umbrella? Who wouldn't dream of doing anything smelly or sticky, heaven forbid, or if he did, his owners would immediately remove, disinfect and leave clean the area.



We didn't dare take the risk of a fine so pushed on east along the coast until we eventually found a little cove or cala, where we discovered a few little dogs, neatly ensconced under chairs and so unloaded our not inconsiderable beach trappings.
(Cesar likes to load two umbrellas, two folding chairs, a picnic table, a rucksack full of flippers, snorkels, goggles, a bucket and two spades, our two picnic bags, the straw bag with suntan lotion, books, spare clothes and the 'black bag' with all the towels - oh, and a two man tent!)



When we eventually hit the sea, it was with the very greatest of pleasure and considerable need - I personally was so hot by the time we'd unloaded and set ourselves up and put lotion on the kids and tethered a puppy that I think my entry to the Med raised its temperature by a good 2 degrees! I swear the water gave a hiss as it touched me. And it was delicious. The sea around Malaga always has a little current or two of chill water that sneaks in from the Atlantic through the Straits of Gibraltar and makes bathing so much more enjoyable than it is in the soupy waters around Alicante or in Majorca.

Darwin was taken in for a dip - he swam and enjoyed it very much - then spent an age rolling around in the sand and digging holes under the chairs before settling down and behaving beautifully for the rest of the hot day.

And the children spent almost the whole day in the water, snorkelling - Romy doing it most balletically!

And after our lunch, which comprised a roast chicken and ensaladia rusa, (a delicious concoction comprising potatoes, carrots, peas, artichokes, asparagus, eggs and anything else you fancy, smothered in home made mayonnaise), everyone went back in to the water armed with various chicken bones to attract the fish - and so many came that at one stage, Cesar was getting a little worried lest barracudas hear of the feast and come rushing up.

It was all very interesting below the surface! The children counted many different varieties of fish some of which were amazing colours and shapes. We're going to try and find out what they were, using the wonderful resources of the internet. I'll let you know!

And, when the sun slipped below the mountains behind us and we'd showered ourselves and our sandy little puppy, piled ourselves back into the car and set off for home, we realised we had survived our first family day out, dog and all. No mean feat, considering the extreme weather!

Fiestas in Alcala la Real

This weekend has seen fiestas in Alcala in celebration of their patron - la Virgen de las Mercedes - with the usual processions, bands, traditionally dressed Spanish girls and women of all ages, many candle-bearing worshippers and everyone out in their finery.

And we had the additional pleasure of spectacular fireworks on both Sunday and Monday evenings. I love fireworks!

On Sunday, I relented to Ruy's plea to stay at home to watch the match between Real Madrid and Barcelona (again!) so watched the fireworks from our roof terrace where we enjoyed a wonderful echoing effect with each explosion. Cesar took Mateo and Romy into the centre where they could hear the music that the fireworks were 'performing' to.

We decided to be prepared on Monday and to get a good viewing spot so drove up to the little square at San Marcos - where on Friday there had been a free concert of Flamenco, which was excellent. The view across Alcala towards La Mota is really spectacular from here. The procession was due to leave the church at about 9pm and the fireworks would start when the Virgin arrived back at the Church. We thought this would be around 11pm and so headed off to San Marcos at around 10.30 - along with Darwin who thought it was great fun.



The stage was still in the square from the Flamenco concert and Romy was drawn to it immediately. For a good fifteen minutes, she sang, danced, declaimed and recited, totally oblivious to anyone else around her. It was lovely to watch - which Cesar and I did from a distance.

By 11.45pm, we were convinced our information must be duff and that there would be no fireworks. No great crowds had arrived at the square and those who were there were either couples embracing on the benches or friends who brought pizzas to eat with them. So, we piled ourselves reluctantly back into the car and began the descent through the narrow winding streets - and as we did, three loud bangs heralded the start of the display!


We hadn't gone very far and were able to stop at the side of the road and still get an excellent view. I was a tad concerned that the noise would frighten Darwin, but not a bit of it. He sat a while on the wall and watched with interest but then clearly thought that if you've seen one firework, you've seen them all and found sniffing around by far a more interesting way to spend his time.

The effect of seeing La Mota through the fireworks was utterly stunning.

 
And next year, we'll know a little bit more about what to expect and when.

{this moment}

A single photo - no words - capturing a moment from the week. A simple, special, extraordinary moment. A moment I want to pause, savour and remember.
:: Idea from :SouleMama:

If you're inspired to do the same, leave a link to your 'moment' in the comments for all to find and see.

Castilla y Leon - our take

A world apart from Andalucia, Castilla y Leon has big skies and flat plains.

It has pine forests.

 
And lagoons.

It has fearsome beasties.

Our children played like puppies in the garden.

 
We stayed in the old, old house in Leon where many grandparents, aunts and uncles were born and raised.

New pleasures in rediscovered toys.

 

Spending time with family and laughing a lot.

Watching storms at night. A difficult photographic subject! This is lightening, not the moon.

 Finding old friends in unexpected places. Another story to follow about this one.

And it's where we have spent the past 10 days, together with the new addition to our family, who seems born to travel and enjoy new places!
I present Darwin!

A stretch of the leggies outside Madrid

Picnic en route

Family photo

Finding a new friend - guess which one is Darwin!

This is a good place for a snooze, methinks...

Happy memories in the making.

Hello everyone - we're back!

We're back from the 'north'. And as the north should be, it was distinctly cooler. Chilly even in the mornings and evenings. And it rained! I had forgotten about rain.

And it's no big secret that we have - by a process of natural selection (ha! thanks Andy) - given our puppy the name of 'Darwin'. I don't honestly know how it happened, so the lovely pun is just perfect.

There will be photos galore to follow - but right now, unpacking, washing and general settling back is needed.

And phew, it's jolly hot here!