Yes busstops. Here in the municipality of Breña Baja, we have the nicest bus stops on the island. The council built them, and the local painters’ association turned them into works of art. busstop34 Jigsaw Puzzle That was two years ago, and they still haven’t been vandalised, which is another thing I like about the place. It’s not that the whole island is grafitti-free, but there isn’t much, and it’s…
These days, Santa Cruz de la Palma is a bit of a backwater. But three hundred years ago, it was the third biggest port in the Spanish Empire. In the 19th century, it was still a major port, and many of the inhabitants waited anxiously for a ship bringing their merchandise, letters from family members who’d emigrated to Cuba or Venezuela, or the loved ones themselves, as passengers or crew….
The Spanish celebrate New Year in a big way. A lot of people wear evening dress – the the sort of thing I associate with Glyndebourne Opera. I’ve usually gone to a big family party, but this year we went to see Santa Cruz. At midnight, they have fireworks. (To be honest, this year it wasn’t as good as usual. I think the town hall are worried about money just…
Today is Holy Innocents Day, which is the Spanish equivalent of April Fool’s Day. Last year I got my friends in Franceses This year they got me. They came to visit on Christmas day, and poor Theresa got stung by a wasp, just below her eye. Of course it’s a terrible place to get stung, and it swelled up like she’d been thumped by Mike Tyson. So when I phoned…
Today is Holy Innocents’ Day, which commemorates the massacre of the innocents by Herod in Matthew’s gospel (although according to Wikipedia, it’s probably not a historical event). In Spain and SPanish-speaking countries, it’s the Spanish equivalent of April Fool’s Day. Last year I got my friends in Franceses. This year they got me. They came to visit on Christmas day, and poor Theresa got stung by a wasp, just below…
The rest of the working week passed in a blur. I finished checking the books on the shelves against the inventory and started on the huge pile of books to add to the database and then shelve. I’ve done 152 so far and there’s maybe 3,000 to go. It didn’t help that I’ve got a heavy cold, which I think is the one my son had last week. But last…