To Stockholm and back, off to Montrondo, Eladio’s birthday and other stories.

In Stockholm last week

Hi everyone,

I’m a bit late with my blog post this week but if you read last week’s entry you will forgive me because you will know I have been travelling yet again.  

Today is Tuesday and finally I am at home and here to stay for a while.  So let me tell you about last week.  I left off on Monday 16^thSeptember when I wrote my blog on the plane on my way to Stockholm.

I arrived in the early evening and went straight to my hotel, the Stureplan, right next door to the company HQ.  I was disappointed with my room as it had a tiny window in the roof which could not be opened.  I knew I couldn’t sleep there as I would have felt totally claustrophobic, so after some haranguing with the desk staff, I was finally given a junior suite, for a small extra charge.  It turned out to be lovely with its own balcony, the only negative point being that it was miles from the lift; but that’s always my luck.  It was too late to go out as it was already dark and uninviting because of the rain.  I decided thus to publish my blog, order room service and have an early night on quite a comfortable bed.  Unfortunately this time I hadn’t brought my feather pillow which wouldn’t fit in my cabin luggage and I had relied on the Swedish hotel having one which it didn’t. Thus I got three nights of fitful sleep and came back with a sore neck. On the plus side, I ordered my favourite Swedish food for dinner – an open prawn sandwich which is called “Räksmörgås” as I learned from my Swedish friend Gunilla and Mexican but Swedish bred friend Ilyana when I posted the picture below on Facebook.

Room service in Stockholm - my favourite Swedish food open prawn sandwich (“Räksmörgås")

Afterwards I watched the end of Mr. Selfridge on my PC.  I am now waiting anxiously for series 2 of the latter, series 4 of Downton Abbey and series 2 of The Paradise.  I have pre ordered the last two but I don’t think they will be available until November or December. My next series will be Broadchurch which was recommended to me by Amanda and owing to my faulting memory I had forgotten I had already bought it in a spate of Amazon purchases of British TV films and series.

Looking forward to watching Broadchurch

I was up early for our communications team meeting starting at 08.30 and was disappointed with the breakfast as there was nothing sweet on hand – if you know me I’m not one for savoury breakfasts.

 

Our meetings were to be held on the 7^th floor of the TeliaSonera HQ which is surrounded by an open air terrace with great views of the square in front with all the lovely spires on top of the buildings.

Stureplan in Stockholm

The day was good.  We had a day of training in “leadership communication skills” imparted by a wonderful Brit called Dominic who turned out to be from Bristol.  He was a professional trainer who comes from the communications world but what I liked about him most was his witty way of addressing us.  I learned all sorts of new tricks and tools, one I particularly liked is called “the elevator speech” – i.e. getting across your message in less than 45 seconds.  The company he represents is Synopsis Communications Consultingand their mission is apparently to turn strategy into action; not a bad thing.

In the evening our team leader Anna, invited us all to dinner.  When I say all, I mean my colleagues from the communications team she heads up and who are from the Nordic and Baltic countries.  The meal was just up the road at a great steak house called Vassa Eggen.  The food was out of this world but I paid for it later as I tossed and turned all night on a very full stomach.

Wednesday’s meetings were more hands on and about topics we are all in the throes of.  As usual we had an early lunch and this time we went offsite, but round the corner again and to the Scandic Anglais restaurant.  The meeting was over earlier than planned and I realised afterwards that if I had known I would have caught a flight home that afternoon.  So there I was with time on my hands on Wednesday afternoon in Stockholm.  For once it wasn’t raining and the sun had come out, although the temperature was only 14ºc.  So guess what I did?  Yeah you guessed right, I went shopping and had a whale of a time.  I wanted to go to Jackpot the Danish designer I liked but the boutique in Bibliotekasgatan had closed down.  A Swedish colleague warned me but said there was an outlet at Ahlens, a well known department store.  But first I thought I’d go to the Galerian shopping centre nearby to visit Lindex, Kappahl and Vero Moda.  I never got to the latter two because I saw and bought so many things at Lindex.  Lindex is a sort of Scandinavian Zara but as the pretty Hungarian Italian Swedish born shop assistant who charged me for the clothes said, is not as “snooty”.  I had never thought of Zara as snooty but maybe some people do.  I walked out of Lindex with a huge bag of emerald green jeans, various coloured jumpers and cardigans and a white blouse.  The lovely shop assistant thanked me for adding colour to her day.  I thought that was a nice compliment.  I took a photo of my bag outside the shop and immediately sent it to Olivia via whatsapp to tell her I had bought lovely clothes for her and me as it was my intention to share the clothes with her.

Shopping at Lindex

Since I came home I have found out that Lindex has an online store and you can order clothes from Spain and that the transport cost is just 7 euros.  That makes me happy as I love their clothes; the Scandinavian style and up till now I could only shop there on my trips to Sweden.

Conscious of the small capacity of my suitcase and the difficulty of packing my new clothes I skipped on Kappahl and Vero Moda and made my way to Ahlens to see what Jackpot had to offer.  Well they didn’t have anything that appealed to me. But I did spy a nice boutique called In Wear and here I invested in a fashionable bright red lightweight down jacket which everyone in Stockholm seemed to be wearing in different colours.  Of course I won’t be wearing it for a while as we are still experiencing summer weather here.

One of my acquisitions in my shopping spree in Stockholm

Ah I nearly forgot to tell you that the whole purpose of my shopping expedition was to buy a birthday present for Eladio.  And I did.  I bought him a yellow Gant shirt to add to his collection of this lovely Swedish menswear.

That evening I had another early night in and watched the only film I had on my pc, The King’s speech and which I adored in English as the first time round I saw it in Spanish.  Unsurprisingly I had the same prawn sandwich for my dinner that night.

On Thursday I was going home and had no idea what an ordeal the journey back would be.  There were no direct flights that day so the company had booked me a flight via London, arriving and leaving from Terminal 5.  I can tell you now that I will never do that again as it is chaos at T5.  The worst thing about returning via London is that you have to go through security again – and the queues are endless, as well as passport control.  Thus I had no time whatsoever for shopping at the airport, the only reason I agreed to travel back through London.  So there you have it, I left the hotel at 09.30 and didn’t get home till about 9 in the evening, 12 hours of travelling for a 3.50h direct flight time.

It was good to be home; but again it wasn’t for long.  Yeah we were going to hit the road again the next day, this time to Montrondo to spend the weekend with Eladio’s 5 brothers and sisters and their wives/partners and their Mother.  Luckily I had the morning to get organized and more importantly to go out and get cakes for Eladio’s birthday to be celebrated in Montrondo and at home the following Monday.  I also had to buy a present from my Father.  I had no idea what to get him so decided on something safe; more Gant clothing.  I got a lovely bottle green and white checked shirt and bottle green cardigan to go with it.

We left after lunch loaded down with food to share with the family; namely Fátima’s Moroccan chicken tagine and her wonderful rice, as well as lots of other food for dinner that night and our breakfasts.  We got there at around 19h and were greeted by the other first arrivals; José Antonio and Dolores.  Dolores and I immediately agreed on a brisk walk to Murias and back with Nuba their mongrel.  We wanted to go the old way across the fields and on the old path but hadn’t bargained for a group of horses or is it a herd? That would have been fine if they hadn’t been so interested in us and started trotting and then galloping towards us.  We weren’t sure whether it was threatening or not.  I love horses but am wary of their size and as I had no sugar or salt to offer them we opted for crossing the fence in the field where they couldn’t reach us.

The horses in Montrondo who chased after us

In the picture above they look very peaceful but later they worried us when they started coming after us.  I do think it was Nuba who put the cat among the pigeons here.  Thus on our way back we came along the path and away from the fields.

Just as we were walking back, Adela, the elder of Eladio’s two sisters, were arriving by car with her husband Primo and my Mother-in-law Ernestina who is in her early 90’s but looks a lot younger.

The next day Adela, Dolores and I went on an early morning walk to Murias and back again, as Adela and I would do on Sunday morning too.

Adela and I in Murias on our early morning walk.  I especially like the old fashioned blue shutters so typical in the area

Later that morning the rest of Eladio’s brothers and sisters arrived; Alejandro and his Paraguayan wife Carolina, Pili and her husband Andrés and Isidro and his wife Yoli.  It was to be a relaxing weekend with just the older generation and the finest weather we have ever experienced at that time of year in Montrondo.

Soon we were enjoying lunch around the big kitchen tables and celebrating Eladio’s birthday with his family.  I loved the sweet garland they had made for him.

Eladio celebrating his birthday in Montrondo.  Just look at the lovely candy garland his family made for him

Afterwards most of the family went off for a siesta.  The men would need it to produce the energy necessary to stack literally tons of logs from a field that belongs to them outside the village which would be brought by a tractor in various journeys to the old house to again be stacked neatly for the winter.  The photo below is of the wood arriving.

The first tractor load of wood to arrive

Meanwhile we women looked on, enjoying the afternoon sunshine and also listening to the radio.  You are probably wondering why we would be listening to the radio.  Well it was to follow a match: Pili and Andres’ son Mario’s was making his debut in the León Handball first team playing in León on Saturday against the Huesca team.  In the end they drew.

One of the main reasons for gathering together this weekend in Montrondo, apart from the business of transporting and stacking the wood logs for the winter,  was to make plans to reform the old house which we have inherited. But before we reform ours, Pili and Andrés will be rebuilding the old house next to it and which is now a ruin.  It was where Eladio was born so has a lot of sentimental value.  On Sunday morning their builders came to look around and finalise the initial steps that will be taken to start.  They had good references from Eladio’s brother Alejandro, so he took them around the old house we will be reforming too, to get a quote from them.  Both young builders gave us the right “vibes” and right now Eladio and I and, of course, Pili and Andrés are really excited about our projects.

The houses to be soon reformed in Montrondo

We left Montrondo on Sunday in the late afternoon and were home by about 10pm.  We were greeted by Fátima, our living in home help and my Father.  Of course we were greeted by our enthusiastic dogs too.  Poor Norah didn’t get a look in as Elsa overshadows her when it comes to greeting us on our arrival home.  We only saw Olivia to say goodnight as she was out with her old school friends; Paula, Sonia, Elena and co.  

Yesterday, Monday, was Eladio’s official birthday and it was celebrated in style as we like to do so at home.  It started off with a birthday breakfast with “porras” and “churros” (Spanish fritters) dipped in thick chocolate.

Oli and her Father Eladio yesterday at his birthday breakfast

We gave him his presents and card and read with interest what we had written. We also laughed at what Olivia had written – she apologized for being stubborn and tiresome when she was a child!  She couldn’t be with us for lunch when we lit the candles on his cake (chocolate of course and from the marvelous patisserie “Mallorca”).

Eladio was 69 yesterday and looking great.

But she joined us for dinner that night when we went out to La Vaca Argentina to celebrate.  The three of us had a great meal but were keenly aware that Suzy was missing.  All in all I think Eladio had a great 69^thbirthday.  I can hardly believe that next year he will be 70.  He looks so good for his age and I’m sure you all agree; it’s not just flattery on my part.

And today is Tuesday, the last day to be recorded in this week’s blogpost.  Today I am fasting (yes I stick to the “fast diet” but only when I am at home), but lots of things are cooking and happening too.  To start with Oli is off to London to see Suzy this Saturday (until next Wednesday) and amazingly she has managed to get the BBC presenter she met in Galicia to show her round the BBC while she is there.  Also her day is now completely topsy turvy.  She went to work but rang me shortly afterwards.  She was coming home as the editors of the programme are sending her to Galicia again today.  She will be covering the terrible case of a 12 year old girl who is adopted and of Chinese origin and who was found dead yesterday.  The story is national news.  I am happy for Olivia though that she will be out in the field again and doing what she likes best, investigative journalism.  

The other thing that got “cooked” today, was another journey to London.  Whilst on our walk to Murias, Adela and I agreed to go together with my other sisters-in-law.  In the end the rest of them decided not to come but Adela is keen to go and for various reasons.  She has never flown before, nor visited London but is very happy for me to be her guide.  Of course I want to go with her too, but I have a vested interest as it means visiting Suzy again.  So I went and booked our flights for the December bank holiday and we will fly out on Thursday 5^th in the evening and return on Sunday 8^th.  It’s going to be fun. Watch this space.  

And now my friends I have reached the end of the story of my life since I last wrote. You can see the full selection of the photos  of our weekend in Montrondo here.

Meanwhile everyone, I wish you all the best, until next time,

Masha

A tornado in Oklahoma, a meeting of colleagues from the competition, Oli’s 28th birthday, Suzy’s London experience, terror in Woolwich and other stories

Sunday 26th May 2013

Oli with the wonderful birthday cake made by Ana standing next to the photo call at her birthday party

Hi everyone,

It’s the last Sunday in May and finally we have some good weather.  My mind this week has been more in London than here, following Suzy’s adventures but also in Stockholm.  The latter is because I have been preparing a press trip there for most of this last week and tomorrow I will be taking 8 of the main telecoms Spanish press to visit the country and experience 4G (the new super fast mobile phone technology) which has been working there since 2009.  So I was most surprised to hear later in the week that this most revered, democratic and calm country had been witness to violent riots from unemployed immigrants in the suburbs similar to the outbreaks so common in the “banlieues of Paris”.  I’m sure it will be a topic of conversation amongst us tomorrow.  

As usual, let me start from the beginning of last week, or rather from last Sunday where I left off.  Just as I had posted my blog post, RafaelNada beat his arch rival Roger Federer in the Italian Open final which was to be his 7^th title there.  It was the 30^th time the pair met and maybe they will meet again soon at the French Open at Roland Garros.

Rafa Nadal celebrating his win at the Italian tennis open last Sunday

Monday was my fasting day.  They were difficult at the beginning but now I actually look forward to them.  I had a meeting in the office that morning and when I am busy I just don’t think about food.

On Tuesday we woke up to the news of the disaster in Oklahoma caused by a tornado of the highest possible strength, F5 on the scale which measures tornados, the Fujita–Pearson scale.  It has caused a billion dollars worth of damage and killed 20 people, 10 of them children.  The dantesque scenes, especially in Moore, a suburb of Oklahoma, remind you of bombing scenes in the 2^nd world war.  Buildings were completely destroyed but few people died in the scale of things because of the tornado shelters most of the population has access to and which exist because the area lies in what is called the “tornado corridor”. 

Some of the devastation caused by the tornado in Oklahoma

Eladio would have heard of the disaster on the radio in his car that morning when he was on the road early on his way to invigilate exams at the UNED University.  He was to be invigilating most mornings of last week but would join us for lunch.  He was home too to go on our daily walk, something we never like to miss as I’m sure you know.  It keeps us fit but also gives us quality time together and is an intrinsic part of our lives.  That afternoon before our walk we had a date with our oldest couple friends, Benito and Loli who were visiting a handicraft exhibition in Villaviciosa de Odón.  Whenever we meet we always talk about how we met in Saconia where we all lived before we were married.  

Wednesday was Olivia’s 28^th birthday but as she is up so early to start work at 7am, we were not to see her until lunch.  That morning I had an important appointment in Madrid.  The financial daily, El Economista, had just published the first edition of their new online technology magazine and wanted to gather together the communications directors of the main Spanish operators in a round table discussion on the sector.  It is I think the first time we were all gathered together and it was great to stand next to my counterparts in the other operators who are both friends and foe from the competition.  There was Pepe from Vodafone, Fernando from Orange, Paz from Telefónica, Estefanía from Ono, Beatriz from Jazztel and little me from Yoigo.  This is all of us together and thanks to the initiative of Antonio L from El Economista who we all like so much.

The communications directors of the Spanish operators all gathered together

After the historic encounter I had to rush back to prepare for Oli’s birthday lunch.  I went to get her favourite cake made of pastry, cream and raspberries at a cake shop in Boadilla.  They didn’t have it but offered to make it in just 10 minutes.  The sun was shining, I was feeling happy and had 10 minutes on my hands so I decided to sit outside and enjoy a cup of coffee.  I gave in to temptation and also had one of their amazing fruit pies which you can see in the picture below.

A bit of indulgence on Olivia's birthday whilst waiting for her cake to be made

The birthday lunch was very simple. Oli had asked for fried eggs and chips which we would later turn into the Spanish dish called “huevos rotos con jamón” (broken eggs with ham and chips).  This is what it looked like before we broke the eggs.

Olivia chose egg and chips for her birthday lunch

At all birthdays in this house there is a cake, cards and presents.  The photo below is of her reading our card and she looks lovely.

Olivia on her birthday at lunch

As we sat around the dining room table we were all conscious that Susana was not with us.  She is of course in London where she started living just over a week ago.  

I loved the photo she sent to Oli that morning to say happy birthday.  See for yourselves here.

Suzy's happy birthday photo to Olivia from London

 Her first week has been an intensive start to her adventure there.  She really is starting from scratch and from the bottom, so there is only room to go up and not down.  She and Chati are sharing a small bunk bed room in a flat of 10 young Spaniards.  I was horrified to learn there are only two bathrooms for all of them.  I also looked up their address on Google Street View.  The building looks like a typical down market 60’s London block of flats in a rather dismal area but Suzy says it’s brimming with life.  I think the East End is not what it used to be.  In any case they are enjoying their experience enormously.  Suzy says there is a spirit of camaraderie and they are learning the ropes fast; looking for jobs, applying for a national insurance number, registering themselves as a nurse and dietitian with all the bureaucracy that involves and even applying for what is called a “job seek allowance”.  They are in a bit of a catch 22 situation in that they cannot open a bank account because they cannot prove they live in London as their accommodation is illegal and if they don’t have a bank account they cannot receive a salary.  Hopefully they will find legal and better accommodation soon.  Meanwhile Suzy’s English is improving daily with lots of new vocabulary she never learned from me and she seems to be getting to know parts of London I have never even heard of, such as Borough Market or Dalston Roof.  

On Tuesday they met up with Oli’s Erasmus Indian friend, dear dear Sandeep whom we all love so much.  He lives in Cornwall and was in London last week to do some editing for the Chelsea Flower Show.  Here they are together.  Doesn’t Suzy look happy?

Suzy with Chati and Sandeep on Tuesday in Chelsea

However she is not following the news, as she is living in her own little bubble in London and had no idea of the terrible terrorist attack that happened in Woolwich, an area she has not yet explored but which is not so far from where she lives in Whitechapel.

On the night of Olivia’s birthday, a young soldier, Drummer Lee Rigby, was killed and decapitated in full view of the public by two members of a band of radicalized muslim youth.  The photo of one of them with his hands full of blood ranting in the street will be remembered for a long time.  He justified the killing in revenge for the killing of muslims in Irak and other countries by English and American soldiers. 

The mad perpetrator of the Woolwich attack in London

The next day, Thursday, was my second fasting day of the week.  I was so immersed in preparations for the press trip I hardly thought about food. My mind was so busy that afternoon that when I went shopping with Oufa I never noticed my glasses falling off the neck of my blouse as I left the car to enter the super market.  I went back later to find them broken on the kerb.  Luckily the lenses are not broken and I am now hoping Visionlab, where I bought them can find a similar pair to be able to use the lenses.  If not I will have to fork out 600 euros for a new pair of varifocal glasses.  I have another pair but they are red and as I always wear matching clothes and glasses, my biggest problem was deciding what clothes to put in my suitcase for Stockholm when in my mind I had decided on a lot of black and white for next week’s trip.  I’m sure you think I am very silly.  Well perhaps I am.

My broken glasses, a sorry story

On Friday I had to go the office and then rush to Boadilla for my lunch appointment with Julio and Fátima.  It was to celebrate Julio’s birthday and he invited us for lunch at El Buey where we always go for our celebrations.  It being nearly summer salmorejo (a thick type of gazpacho from Córdoba) was on the menu.  This is what it looked like.  Delicious it was too.

Wonderful salmorejo at El Buey on Friday with Fátima and Julio

On Saturday Olivia was having a birthday party at home for her RTVE colleagues and the girls’ group of friends commonly known as “la manada” – the herd.  I was to help her prepare for the barbecue which thankfully her boyfriend Miguel took care of in Eladio’s absence. Her friends Rocío and Dave turned up early to take care of the decorations.  I had made a photo call and stickers and Anna had made a spectacular cake.  It was very original too as it represented Olivia when she reported on floodings in a river in Valladolid where she got into trouble with the local authorities for dangerous reporting.  The photo illustrating this week’s post is of Olivia with the amazing cake by the photo call in the garden.  Here you can see the cake close up. Isn’t it amazing? It tasted really good too.

The amazing birthday cake Ana made for Olivia's party yesterday

And today is Sunday, everything is cleared away and we are getting ready for another barbecue.  Eladio’s brother, José Antonio and his wife Dolores and their son, Juan (Eladio’s godson) and his girlfriend Cristina will be here for lunch today.  I spent part of yesterday afternoon making salmorejo for the first course whilst Eladio cleaned and prepared the terrace by the swimming pool for their visit.  It is looking great now and I look forward to the moment he removes the swimming pool cover and we take our first dip.

I must start on the rest of the lunch, so will finish this post in haste.  Next week will be exciting.  I always love going to Stockholm but especially at this time of year when the weather is better and there is light until late in the evening.

I wish you all a great week ahead.  Until next week my friends,

Love Masha

A new walk, two birthdays, a royal wedding, a circus, some good and some breaking news and other things

Suzy's 27th birthday this Thursday, one of the many highlights of this week

Well hello again

Today is 1st May, Sunday, Labour Day, Mother’s Day (in Spain) but it is also my Father’s birthday and he is 92 today. He is my most loyal reader and always gets a printed copy of my blog as soon as it is published. Therefore it is fitting that the first words of today’s entry be to him. “Happy birthday Daddy and long may you live and be happy with us!”. But more about his birthday later as I have to tell you all about this week first.

This week has had its ups and downs, but mostly ups. Last Sunday, Easter Sunday, we went out to dinner with our friends Roberto and Mari Carmen to Arrepiento, a little Andalusian place in Pozuelo. Monday of course brought with it the return to the fold of the Dukan Diet after 10 days of over indulging during my trips to Asturias and Ibiza. 3 days of pure protein were sufficient to lose the 2 kilos I had put on and this seems to be the norm with me these days; a bit of over eating and then a couple of days of sacrifice and the scales return to my ideal weight. I wonder if it will always be like that.

Olivia had introduced me on Good Friday to a new walk on the paths in the woods behind the houses where we live. Suzy, the instigator of this new route, was our guide on Monday afternoon’s walk, which Eladio and I loved. I should add here that Suzy has the best sense of direction in the family. The walk is longer and has some obstacles with sudden steep paths but is glorious because of the spring vegetation and above all because of the peace and quiet. Norah, I know, must appreciate the lack of noisy vehicles as we have the path almost to ourselves. On Wednesday and Thursday the four of us were able to enjoy this new walk together, quite an occasion and you can see some of the photos here. I have included the new walk in the title above because of its importance to us. Walking has become an essential part of our daily lives as a married couple. Of course we do it for the exercise but it is more than that, it is an activity that unites us and gives us quality time together daily. Add to that the endorphins the exercise produces and the end result is a bit of extra daily happiness. I recommend you to try it if you don’t already do so.

Eladio, Suzy and Norah on our lovely new walk.

Happiness was not exactly the key note on Tuesday. I got into trouble over an article in the press which made me realise that being a communications director is a bit like walking on a tight rope. I am responsible for the information given for the press about my company but have no control over what they write. Then of course when something is published that is controversial, negative or wrong, I am in the eye of the hurricane and there is not much I can do about it. It is a job with a risk which all in all I generally enjoy but it is a job which every now and again I lose my sleep over.

No,Tuesday was not a good day. In the afternoon I had a big session at the dentist for more root treatment for another tooth under the bridge my dentist has had to remove. I am waiting for the day when the new bridge and the implant on the other side are finally in place. I am also hoping I will be comfortable with them and one day soon will be able to eat on both sides again.  For the moment I will have to wait.

Wednesday was better. I went shopping with Suzy in the evening after our lovely new walk. Of course I had to get something for her birthday the next day. That night was not a good night for Real Madrid. After winning the King’s Cup recently to their arch rival Barcelona, on Wednesday they lost to them in the first leg of the Champions League final 2-3 on their own turf. They ended up with 10 men as seems to be the norm for Real Madrid these days. I for one shall not be watching the second leg at the Camp Nou next Tuesday. I mean why would I want to watch them not make it through to the final at Wembley in May? That match is almost certainly reserved for Sir. Alex Ferguson and Pep Guardiola's teams to play; in a way England vs Spain for me which has has my loyalty somewhat divided.

Thursday brought with it the first birthday of the week. Suzy was 27, the same age I was when I gave birth to her, my wonderful outgoing fun-to-be with daughter. Suzy celebrates in style and birthdays are of utmost importance to her. I certainly brought up both girls in the importance of celebrating them. Thursday was the family birthday, just the beginning, as she will be having a party for her friends sometime next week. We had breakfast together when we gave her our presents and cards. Lunch was special too and that's when we had her spectacular two flavour cake made the night before. In the evening after another walk on the new route, this time all four of us, we went out for a birthday dinner. We went to La Vaca Argentina, surprise, surprise and were joined by Gaby, Suzy's boyfriend. Oli was joining us straight from her postgraduate lectures and got lost on the way, running out of petrol, having left her purse at home! Suzy and Gaby went to her rescue and so we started a late dinner with me trying to pacify everyone’s nerves as so often happens at family occasions. I just want us all to be happy and hate rowing. If you know me you will understand that.  You can see the rest of the photos of Suzy's big day here.

Suzy made her own double flavoured birthday cake which was delicious

Friday was the highlight of my week bringing with it numerous events, the most important of all, of course, being the royal wedding. It was a very full day and started with me doing some quick shopping locally. I went to a nearby shopping centre and when I had finished decided on a cup of coffee in the sun at the Mirabal Café. There on the table next to me was a group of English teachers from the local Olivar de Mirabal school and I couldn’t resist introducing myself. I have lived in Spain now for longer than I ever lived in England and as I progress into my mid fifties I find myself feeling more and more nostalgic about my origins. It was great to meet Carol from Liverpool and Victoria, of Russian origin, like me, from Queens in New York and the other two ladies, all about my age. I gave them my card and I now hope they will follow this blog but even more I look forward to having coffee with them again at the Mirabal Café and exchanging notes about being British or American and living in Spain. Here is the photo of this delightful group of ladies as promised to them for this week’s blog post.

The group of English teachers I met on Friday

As soon as I was home I switched on the BBC on the ground floor and was soon joined by my Father, Oli and Eladio to watch the much awaited wedding ceremony of William and Kate; the so called "wedding of the century".  I have to say I loved every moment of it. Britain was at its best on Friday and is the country which knows how to put on the greatest show possible in pomp, pageantry but also emotion. The numbers were enormous: more than a million people in the streets of London and some 2 billion television spectators from around the world. I well remember watching Prince William’s Mother, Diana marrying Prince Charles 30 years ago in 1981. I was in Callosa at the time and had just met Eladio. We had no access to a television and watched it in a bar and I think I was the only person interested! Their marriage proved to be a disaster as we all know. I on the other hand have now been happily married for nearly 30 years ....

The wedding of Charles and Diana in 1981, 30 years later and what a difference to their son's!

And on Friday it was Princess Diana’s son, William, marrying Kate Middleton, a “commoner” and it was a fairy tale come true but on the biggest scale possible. This time the wedding was available on any media channel you could wish for; be that TV, Twitter, Facebook or their own official wedding website.   You can even watch it and watch it over again here on You Tube if you so wish.

I don't think I can even begin to imagine what the the lump in the throat was like for Kate's Father as he walked with her up the aisle at Westminster Abbey, knowing he was giving his daughter in marriage to the future King of England. The only person missing was of course William’s dearest Mother, Diana. In her place was  “Camilla”, the lady Prince Charles should have married in 1981! I later realised that a tribute was paid to Diana in the singing of one of the  hymns, "Guide Me, O Thou Great Redeemer", which was also sung at her funeral. I love that hymn as I also loved "Love Divine all Love's Excelling" but above all I rejoiced to hear Jerusalem by Sir Hubert Parry, that most patriotic of hymns always reserved for the Last Night at the Proms. It begins with the words; "And did those feet in ancient times" as the lyrics are by the British Poet William Blake whose poem is called that.  It made me feel even more emotional and so when the National Anthem was played afterwards both my Father and I stood up out of respect and tradition. Olivia was amused but then again I haven’t brought up my daughters to be patriotic about their other homeland.

The truly happy newly-weds, William and Kate, now the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, my home town which makes me doubly happy

I should spare a few lines in this blogpost to mention the dress as there has been so much expectation and coverage about her choice, mostly in favour. Yes I loved Kate’s “Grace Kellyesque” romantic yet simple dress, in sharp contrast to the over the top gown designed for her late and lovely mother in law. I should mention the name of the designer was Sarah Burton from Alexander McQueen's fashion house. All I know is that she is a British designer. I have to admit too that Kate’s sister, Pippa, the Royal Maid of Honour (commonly known as chief bridesmaid in an ordinary wedding!) was dressed in a divine gown, also by Sarah Burton. However it surprised me and others that it was white. I always thought you couldn’t wear white so as not to outshine the bride. Pippa did not manage to outshine her sister but did win many hearts that day for her beauty, poise and sheer radiance. Unfortunately for some of them, it seems her heart is already taken.

Kate's simple, beautiful and romantic wedding dress

Her sister Pippa's, much admired gown also designed by Sarah Burton

All in all this wedding was a truly joyous occasion and much happier than the one I watched in 1981 in Callosa. I think it brought back the shine to British royalty and brought with it too, a moment of light in the economic gloom, this last to quote The Guardian, bar Princess Ann and the ghastly daughters of the Duke of York as I wrote to Amanda yesterday. I also wrote that Friday was one of those days I really wanted to be in England, in "that green and pleasant land", a line from Jerusalem, that hymn I love so much and is so quintessentially British and which, as I mentioned above, was sung at the wedding on Friday.

After the “Yes I will”, the big moment I and I suppose most of the world was waiting for was the kiss on the balcony at Buckingham Palace.  I had left the television screen for a few moments so missed the moment live but of course have seen it countless times since. This is a picture  I particularly like as it includes one of the small bridesmaids screwing up her face and holding her ears from the noise made by the “fly over” that took place during the event.

The Royal Wedding kiss on the balcony of Buckingham Palace

On the day of the wedding, Eladio, Susana, Olivia and I had a family outing to look forward to later in the evening. Some of the employees at Yoigo  had been invited by our network supplier, Ericsson, to the Cirque du Soleil show called Corteo. It was something we had been looking forward to for quite some time but it turned out to contribute to one of the down moments of the week as we got lost on the way. It was taking place at a big marquee in the Madrid park called La Casa de Campo, somewhere I nearly always get lost in. And true to tradition it happened again. We all argued in the car about how to get there and time was running out. The roads in the park were closed off in many places and in the end we just parked the car outside the fun fair and made our way to a road nearby on foot and called a taxi. The taxi brought us to the entrance 15 minutes after the circus had started and our nerves were all on edge so we were not in the best mood to enjoy this much awaited occasion. So did we like it? Sort of but not enormously. A few years ago Eladio and I had seen  Saltimbaco also by the Cirque du Soleil and I have much better memories of the latter. I did enjoy some of the trapeze artists’ amazing feats on Friday but did not really understand the story line which I think was based on a funeral starring a not so funny fat Italian artist, at least for me.

A photo taken live at the Cirque du Soleil Corteo show on Friday

Afterwards, Suzy went off to Cadiz for the weekend for a first holy communion with her boyfriend Gaby and Olivia went to meet friends. Eladio and I finished the day by having dinner at one of our usual favourite places, Tony Romas in Majadahonda. It was a better finish to the day than the Cirque du Soleil.

Whilst we were at the circus, my Father was giving a Russian lesson to my friend Fátima’s brother, Manolo a self learner of this most difficult language. Daddy, who also gives English lessons informally to Olga each day at tea-time, is most happy to be back at his trade. He was a successful teacher of French, German and Russian during his working life and I think these lessons will give him something useful to do and to look forward to. Manolo is very lucky in having the best teacher in Russian to help him with his doubts in his self-learning. My Father too self taught himself Russian as the story goes. When he finished his studies in German and Scandinavian languages at Cambridge University in the early 50’s, the Professor of Russian, Dame Elizabeth Hill, offered him a job teaching Russian to British officers. It was the Cold War and many of them were to use their knowledge in this language later as spies.  He replied that he didn’t know the language, her answer being, “don’t worry, you just have to be one lesson ahead of your pupils”! And so his journey to learn this language began. The journey included meeting my Russian born Mother who was a secretary at these secret Cambridge courses. He went on to master the language to perfection and it became an essential part of his life. No doubt he is happy to be dabbling again at what he is best at, teaching Russian. And Manolo is a very lucky pupil to have him.

Friday was indeed the highlight of our week as it brought great news for Susana and of course for us. 10 days earlier she  had an interview with the big American multinational, Aramark, a food services company that supplies food to all sorts of big institutions. Amazingly Suzy was chosen for the job and the phone call came in the morning. Whilst the kiss on the balcony was taking place, Suzy told me her good news. Thus missing the moment live was well worth it! She will be a intern nutritionist for the 50 senior citizen residences that Aramark supplies to in Spain. Well done Suzy. I know the pay is nothing special and that the contract is a two year internship but it is a great company and it is a foot on the career ladder for your future. Well done too darling, you are now joining the work force as Spain has just announced nearly 5 million people unemployed, not an easy feat.

Sunday too was a highlight in our lives and the lives around us.  It was May 1st, workers’ day but also Mothers’ day in Spain. But most important of all it was my Father’s 92nd birthday. The day began with presents and a card at breakfast. I then made a special birthday lunch which included home-made “salmorejo” (thick gazpacho), followed by one of my specialities, meat loaf. Lunch included a lovely Sacher chocolate birthday cake. Here is the moment when Daddy blew the candles.

Grandpa celebrating his 92nd birthday on 1st May yesterday

Sunday was important for my Father but it was even more important for the late John Paul II who was being beatified in Rome; apparently the fast track process to later sainthood in front of more than a million fervent Catholics.  When my Mother was alive she always used to say my Father looked like Karol Wojtyla and I think he did. So it’s fitting these two events happened simultaneously yesterday.

John Paul II's beatification took place yesterday in Rome, Daddy's look-alike according to my Mother!

My Father and probably the late Pope too, will have and would have been pleased at this morning’s breaking news which once again proved how printed newspapers have been overtaken by the internet when it comes to news. Amazingly I heard thanks to Facebook that Osama Bin Laden had been killed by American forces yesterday in Pakistan, with the help of Pakistan’s Government. Osama Bin Laden, America’s most wanted person, the leader of Al Qaeda, was the instigator of the 11th September attacks in 2001 and it has taken them some 10 years to finally track him down. Let me quote the NYT here as I just couldn’t put it in better words: “Osama bin Laden, the mastermind of the most devastating attack on American soil in modern times and the most hunted man in the world, was killed in a firefight with United States forces in Pakistan on Sunday, President Obama announced”.

Today's breaking news, the killing of America's most wanted person, Osama Bin Laden

I imagine that the second most wanted person for the US Government is Colonel Gaddafi of Libya, a country which is undergoing huge revolts to oust this dictator and protector of terrorists. I don’t think it will take 10 years as it did with Bin Laden but is proving difficult. Yesterday, in fact, Nato attacks on the dictator killed his youngest son Saif aged 29 as well as three grandchildren.

The news came this morning, the 2nd of May a holiday in Madrid. It commemorates the Second of May uprising when in 1808 the people of this city rebelled against its occupation by Napoleon’s troops and which triggered the famous Peninsula War. For me and people in Madrid it means a bank holiday one week after the Easter break this year, but is very welcome in any case. Thanks to the holiday too, I have been lazy with this week’s blog which will get published today instead of yesterday.

For those of you working, and those of you who are not, I hope you enjoy this week’s bumper edition about the royal wedding, our family birthdays and of course Susana’s good news.

Cheers till next week my friends

Masha