So last week was Easter week and a holiday for us all, at least from Wednesday last. Eladio and I weren’t actually sure what we were going to do as the girls had asked for the apartment in Santa Pola. We were going to stay at home but at the last minute the girls decided to go to Benidorm to Copi’s flat which left Santa Pola free for us – I have to admit after some pressure from us! So as soon as I got back from work on Wednesday we quickly packed and got everything ready to leave, that is, my Father, Eladio and I.
We knew we were not in for particularly good weather as the forecast for the Costa Blanca was pretty dismal, but we thought that “a change was as good as a reset” and actually it was. We had to “weather” the traffic though as in Spain everyone goes on holiday and hits the roads at the same time which makes travelling at holiday time a bit of a pain. We kept being reminded by traffic authorities, through signs on the way, that last year 110 people had died on the road at Easter. That’s an awful lot of people! It made me worry about the girls who were travelling in 2 cars with friends at the same time as us, so I was constantly texting them to make sure they were ok!
We had a good 3 days together, generally relaxing, reading the papers, walking on the beach or making meals together. On Saturday we went to Benidorm to visit my Aunty Masha whom we hadn’t seen since last May. Aunty Masha was my Mother’s youngest and most beloved sister and now she is the only one left of the 6 brothers and sisters. She was house bound because of an infected toe, but, always up to an adventure, we covered the foot with a big sock and got her out of the house and to a restaurant by the beach for lunch. She was very happy to see us again and so were we. Aunty Masha will be 80 in September but to me she will always be my Mother’s glamorous and beautiful younger sister.
During a pretty disastrous lunch which took the waiters more than 2 hours to serve, the girls came from nearby Copi’s flat to see us. It was past 2 and they had just got up! What a wonderful life they lead! Saturday was the sunniest day and so afterwards we walked and my Aunt hobbled to the Vimi cafeteria – famous for where Eladio and I forged our relationship some 27 years ago!
Susi and Oli at the restaurant in Benidorm
Me smiling at Eladio at the Vimi Café
Aunty Masha
Once back in Santa Pola we took our evening walk on the beach and in the middle of it with a 30 minute walk to get back to the car , it began to rain and we got completely soaked; my poor Father too. And when we woke up on Saturday morning to even more rain we decided to return to Madrid. Actually we knew the girls were returning that day and it was an excuse to get back home for Easter day together.
Meanwhile I had got in supplies of English Easter fare from the local English shops: the typical Hot Cross Buns and chocolate Easter eggs mainly. We also bought about 15 kgs of local oranges from the outdoor market at 0.80 eurocents a kilo! They taste so delicious as they come straight from the trees to the market with no refrigerator storage or whatever happens to them till they get to the supermarket. You can tell from the picture here, just how fresh and natural they are.
Oranges straight from the tree
And here is one of the lovely chocolate Easter Eggs
The best thing about going away is actually coming back. Poor Henry (our cat) was missing for a while but came looking into the sitting room window on Sunday morning as José Luis (Oli’s boyfriend) was watching Fernando Alonso win the Malaysia Formula 1 Grand Prix. He has been a bit put off also by the presence of the new puppies too and probably feels a little unwanted. But now the puppies have been relegated to the garage, owing to their non stop “doings” in the kitchen which had become intolerable!
Easter day was a long lazy family day with a big roast meal for lunch. After lunch Susi and I watched the Nun’s Story with Audrey Hepburn, one of my favourite films ever. Anyone who knows me well will know that my favourite genres are hospitals, convents and prisons. There must be something about institutions that attract me and I bet a psychiatrist would have a field day analysing why.
And now it’s back to work but very soon we will be off travelling again as we have a trip planned to Cornwall to see Olivia at the end of April.
Hope you all had a good break at Easter too.
Till next week. All the best
Masha
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