No art today

but I thought I would blog about the day instead.
Up bright and early - well 6.45 is early when on holiday, I think China, Sam and Charlotte were in a state of shock at such an early alarm call, the sun wasn't even up yet! The reason for the early start - a morning out on the jet ski! Me I stayed home with Stamford but watched from my patio all the fun out there on the Med.
Picked up our new car this afternoon - the Shogun has gone and we now have a VW Toureg instead, all mod cons, nice car!
The heat was colossal today hence the reason for just chilling, reading, and watching a bit of the Ashes (cricket match between England and Australia with a long history of rivallry - don't like cricket but like to see what is going on with this competition).
China got her exam results today she was upset and doesn't know if she is going to continue with her 2nd year; totally surprised at her Art result, she put so much effort in and got a low mark so I have submitted to get it re-marked) she did get an A for photography and I was really proud of her for that. Needless to say she is totally down, but it is done now so we will see what happens.....
She went to stay with Charlotte and Sam tonight as it is their last night in Spain - they go home to Switzerland tomorrow.
Stuart and I went to a local restaurant on the main road that we have driven past umpteen times but never stopped at... thought we should give it a go after 20 years!

to be fair it is a roadside cafe, but this is what we had for our main... the chef brought out this kebab, hung it from a chain on the ceiling and then flambeed it. It was delicious and thoroughly enjoyable. It is the perfect place to go if you want to nip out somewhere local for food.
Talking of places to eat, yesterday we went up into the mountains to a place called Bar Fonda in Sella - a delightful, totally Spanish restaurant with the Nunn family. We then had a walk in the village after, and I wanted to share these pictures with you from there...

This is the restaurant. Imagine as you go through the doors that this led into the garage originally. You had to walk around a really old car to get through to the restaurant area in the back. The Spanish family all helped, cooking and waiting on tables. If the restaurant was full you had to sit in the family lounge with the grandmother until a table became available... the food is sensational and if you have the "completo" menu it just does not stop coming, and so cheap too. It cost 120euros with a tip for 7 of us and that was for 6 courses...go figure!



After lunch we walked through the village as we had to show Julia and Gordon where the village women do their washing, and they still do it today... to the Llavado Municipal.
Who needs a washing machine when you can come here...



The water comes down from the mountains, the woman congregate to wash and chat... washday blues would be a thing of the past don't you think?


There is a channel either side of the main water trough so that when the women wash on the stone the soapy water runs into the trough without contaminating the main trough of water, ingenious.
Julia was pretending to wash as the children looked on.

So there you have it a little bit of my Spanish holiday...
till next time hasta la huego... - didn't know I did Spanish did you :-)