Tag Archives: spain

internations

20 Friday Jan 2012

Posted by in sevilla, spain

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Last night I went to my second Internations monthly meet up. They started having them here in October. And I think it’s going to be a nice evening out once a month (as long as I don’t have a tapas tour, which will be another sort of nice evening out).

Basically it’s a way for expats (really dislike that term) to meet and share their experiences of living in a foreign land, though there are also a few Spaniards in the group.

Last night’s meet up started off early (7pm) at the Horno San Buenaventura, the idea being that people could have a coffee and snack before heading out later for a tapa. Around 9 o’clock we headed over to the Plaza Alfalfa for tapitas and more chatting at La Bodega. I actually preferred the second location because it was easier to mingle. And even Peter was being all chatty – quite possibly due to the beer. He sure wasn’t too chipper this morning and by a total stroke of luck his two morning classes rescheduled so he could stay in bed a bit longer.


I’m not usually much of a group person, though I was a member of the AWC for awhile. This group seems a bit more lively than the AWC. First of all, it’s not just women. And the Internations meets are in the evening, which I like better. So we shall see.  Seems like a great way to meet new people. It’s kind of like twitter, but with everyone in the same room.  🙂

málaga memories

08 Sunday Jan 2012

Posted by in birthdays, christmas, food & drink, friends, holidays, Malaga, photos, spain, tapas, travel, trips

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Yesterday morning I went through my Málaga pics and had a lovely time reliving those memories. Peter and I left very early on Monday morning and arrived in Málaga with the whole day ahead of us. After setting up the apartment (we bring our own sheets, towels, kitchen stuff, etc) we went out to explore the city. First thing on the agenda was something I had never done during previous trips to Málaga – a trip up to the Parador Gibralfaro to enjoy a drink on their “balcony of Málaga” terrace, which turned out to be a perfect start to our mini-break. Afterwards we walked down the mountain (we’d taken a taxi up) and after a stroll around town had a fab lunch outdoors at La Cosmopolita. Later we checked out the new port area that was finally open to the public and went back to the apartment to rest up … we had dinner plans with food blogger Sarah and her husband at La Moraga, which ended up being a lovely evening.

Next morning we went to the Picasso Museum and saw both the permanent exhibition and the Alberto Giocometti retrospective and then headed off to the Atarazanas Market. After that – another first. We stopped in at the oldest bar in Málaga, Antigua Casa de Guardia, for a glass of sherry. It’s a rather bizarre place, full of both locals and tourists sampling sherries from the various stacked casks along with steamed mussels and grilled prawns. We just had a quick drink and headed out to find a place for lunch. After trying a fish joint and getting burnt rosada (sent back – cheque please!) we went to one of our favourites, Dos Gatos, and got some perfectly grilled rosada along with some terrific presa. Then another walk before heading home. Later that evening, after watching a spectacular sunset from the balcony (last photo in the slide show) we went to check out the Christmas lights, which is something Málaga does big time. Then home again for a light snack and a dvd before hitting the hay.

Third and last day in town we took a walk along the port before checking out the Eugenio Chicano exhibit at the Municipal Museum. Then there was just time for a stroll around the centre and a final lunch at La Reserva del Pastor before collecting our stuff from the apartment and catching the train home.

One of the best birthday presents ever. Thanks Peter!

(if you refresh the page you’ll see the pics more or less in chronological order)

the killing

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in films, language, media, spain, teaching, television

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I’ve been hearing rave reviews about this Danish tv programme for ages so when the first series (it’s now into series 2) became more reasonably-priced on Amazon I decided to go for it. Two episodes in and I’m hooked! And its especially refreshing to see actors that look like real people.

Watching it has also made me wonder why Spanish people are so averse to sub-titles. I’ve been going to sub-titled foreign films since I first found out they existed – I think I was about 16. So I don’t get it when people say it’s “too difficult” to read and watch at the same time. And I really don’t get how not hearing the actor’s real voice isn’t important to viewers.

In Portugal films and tv series are sub-titled and, as a result, most of the population has at least a smattering of English. Unlike in Spain. But I guess Peter would be out of a job if they got wise here and changed their ways. Still, I cannot abide dubbing. Can you?

Guardian review – The Killing

vote for cthulhu!

18 Friday Nov 2011

Posted by in humour, spain

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I know this won’t mean much to most of you but with the Spanish elections looming I totally cracked up when I saw this today. I don’t normally get political here as I can only vote in municipal elections, but you have to admit this is quite wonderful. Thanks to the Noneuclidian Party, Spaniards will have another option this Sunday. 🙂

Vote for Cthulhu! Why choose a lesser evil?

Check out the Vota Cthulhu Website for videos and more.

it’s official!

03 Thursday Nov 2011

Posted by in cancer, change, chemo, hospitals, sevilla, silly, weather

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Forget equinoxes and time changes, for me autumn doesn’t officially arrive until the first day I have to put on shoes. Which was today. Had to go out to the hospital this morning for the monthly chemo port cleaning and, while the heavy overnight rain had stopped, it was still a bit blustery and coolish. Dammit. I didn’t need to wear a jacket, but bare legs and mostly bare feet seemed like pushing it, so out came the dreaded tights and the (very dusty) purple shoes.

Not bad, I guess, but some years I’ve managed to keep wearing sandals until the last week of November. Basically it depends on if it rains.

Anyhow, I got a taxi over to the hospital. It’s different since they changed the port cleaning location – I used to go to the chemo infusion room in the evenings when they weren’t so busy and now I go to the blood lab building between 12-1pm. It’s actually a bit better not having to go to the chemo room, but it’s still a monthly reminder of THE CANCER and that the reason I have to keep this port in for five years is that they expect that I’m going to need it again…

But not today. There were two nurses on duty when I walked in and they immediately asked why I was dressed totally in black. I said I wasn’t, that I was wearing purple shoes and red earrings, but that didn’t satisfy them. Then I realised they must have thought I was in mourning, so I told them I was mourning the sun. Cracked them up. And they also relaxed, no longer worried I was a recent widow on top of having a chemo port in my chest.

So now that it’s autumn (it’s not officially winter until the Christmas lights are turned on) I need to go through my pathetic array of “warm clothing” and see what I can pull together. Even though it actually got up to 20º this afternoon. But I don’t want to buy anything new until I lose another ten kilos…

How’s the weather where you are?