The travelling salesman

This photo was taken this afternoon.   Pauline decided that we should stay put today and just enjoy the pool and the scenery that surrounds Finca Manolo.   But we still had a number of items that we had forgotten to purchase earlier so after a late breakfast (they are always late here) we drove into Colmenar to see if we could find the elusive items.   We needed a lightbulb so that we could see to eat outside after dark.   Also needed were flour for cooking, a powder we would need to create Paella (something including safron), more bottled water, BBQ charcoal, tomato purree and lemons.   Apart from lemons which could be purchased separately elsewhere (ie not in nets), we found the goods we needed.

On the way back to Finca Manolo (7 kilometres) I suggested that we drive past our house and locate the local bar in El Romo.   El Romo is not a village.   It is what we would call a scattered community or hamlet.   Believe it or not we had to sweep in through white gates and drive for 300 yards or so along a drive bordred by beautiful shrubs and bushes.   We stopped at the car park and walked over to the covered area where three people were enjoying the odd beer or three at a table.   I went in and ordered two beers and brought them out to our table by the door.

We had not been there more than five minutes when a large white van rolled up and its driver came across to our tables and started a sales pitch for clothing, bed line, towels etc!   We did not understand a word of Spanish but ended up with Pauline buying a top for 12 euros.   The Spanish family who own the bar (El Nino) were dragged in to the sales pitch and their daughter bought some towels.   The salesman was a real character but a really nice guy.   Eventually, having made a few sales he got back in his van and went off to find another remote bar in the mountains.   Apparently he is a weekly visitor there.   We came away saying, "We only wanted a beer each and bought a top for Pauline!"

the rest of the afternoon was taken up with reading (Boys from Brazil in my case) and swimming.

Late in the afternoon I went over to the car and did some calculations using TomTom.   After double checking my results I went over to Pauline and announced that tomorrow we shall be driving to Gibraltar which is only 2 hours away.   My cousin advised last year that there is nothing of interest at Gibraltar.   Tomorrow we shall validate that statement.   We have read many war books which have involved Gibraltarm (the Malta Convoys etc) so we want to know what it is like today and see if there is anything left relating to the war.   I shall report back to you in due course.