Spain Features: Fiesta Fireworks!
"Here in El Burgo in Spain, every year during the last week of August we have the festival of San Agustín (Saint Augustine to us English), where the streets are closed for a full week and the whole population takes to the streets to enjoy the festivities.
The highlight of the week is the closing event, starting at 4.30am on the Monday morning, where the Mayor (el Alcalde) of the town (this year Señor García) dons a wooden bull (fortunately not a real one) which is stuffed with fireworks." Bob Fretwell takes a bemused but affectionate look at a typical Spanish fiesta.
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Spain Features: I'm Turning into a Nomad (Part One)
"Our neighbours on one side owned the upstairs of the house next door and the ground floor of the house on the other side of us. Their plan (though we didn't realise that then) was to join their properties together by building over us. It took more than six months." Bob and Julie Fretwell are driven to distraction - and to move - by builders, dogs, smoking chimneys and yet more builders.
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Spain Features: I'm Turning Into A Nomad (Part Two)
"Then we opened one of the built-in wardrobes and found that more than 1,000 euros of stock was tainted with mould. Next wardrobe... all our clothes, shoes etc. the same. The landlord's answer? 'You shouldn't close the wardrobe doors!'" Bob Fretwell continues the chronicles of several housemoves around Spain.
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Mexico Features: Mexico City to Mexicali by Train
"We were enjoying the leisurely journey until just before darkness, when the speedy rate of travel was replaced by an even speedier stop. Our carriage had lurched violently to the left and I was now looking at the ground, without the need to put my head out of the window. The suspension had gone!" Bob Fretwell endures three days and nights on Mexican rail - and more...
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Mexico Features: Mexicali to San Diego
"The bus was the typical Mexican bus, with an interesting notice above each window seat requesting you didn't store pigs in the webbing that formed the overhead luggage rack. It was OK, apparently, to stick them on the roof rack and there were several goats tied down on top." Bob Fretwell follows in the footsteps of the "wetbacks"...
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Spain Features: Feria at Sierra de Yeguas
"It is different from the usual fiesta arrangements we have suffered (sorry,
enjoyed) as they have yet another 'tradition'... that of the water
fight! This happens, so I'm told, every year and no respect is given to dress,
age, sex or infirmity. EVERY person gets wet (and I mean WET!)." Bob Fretwell throws himself into the celebrations at his new home town's annual fiesta.
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Spain Features: Shopping in Spain
"In El Burgo, my old 'home' town, Julie needed a hairdresser shortly after moving there...we couldn't see one. A quick word with the local bar owner revealed there were seven! None of them had an outside sign as 'if you don't have a sign, you don't need a licence' - and didn't pay local business tax." Bob Fretwell discovers that shopping in the average Spanish village is still a very personal experience...
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Spain Features: Timekeeping in Spain
"I don't suppose I'm qualified to comment about timekeeping as I live in Spain, where the 'mañana' syndrome (rather like the German beach towel) is not just a joke. It is a way of life and probably an inbred instinct." Bob Fretwell ponders the Spanish pace of living...
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Spain Features: Fish pizza
"Here in Andalucia generally we are stuck with just two types: the ones with just cheese and tomato paste, which I guess would be the Spanish equivalent of the universal Margherita... and the ones with fish! You can have them with tuna, or with caballa (which tastes surprisingly like tuna when 'pizzarised') or ask for them without tuna (and you'll get caballa!)." Bob Fretwell dives into the wonderful marine world of the Andalusian pizza...
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