29.12.10 Ramble

29.12.10 Ramble

Here’s a double-tap. I went to the smoky internet bar last night with the intention of sending the 27.12 edition, but got caught up in searching for flights for the rest of the trip. After a couple of hours and a pint of Estrella Levante pilsner ( had to temper my intake as I was driving the rentacar) I got us flights all the way up to my return to Boston. Here’s the basic:

Leaving Alicante (one hour on the highway from Algorfa) at 2130 on January 23^rd , arriving at Gatwick, England around 2330.

Flying out of Heathrow on Jan. 25 at 2040 and arriving Manila on 26 January at 2245, via Abu Dhabi.

Departing Manila April 03 at 1915 hr. changing planes in Abu Dhabi again and landing in London April 04 at 0720.

Flying outta Heathrow April 05 at 1500, and arriving in good ole Boston at 1735 on the 5^th. I am not ignoring the prospect of a screw-over by the Border Bastards, but I expect to spend the night in New Hampshire before grabbing a bus or train for Westbrook on the 6^th. Vamos a ver.

There may be some changes in the itinerary dates, but seeing as each change will cost about $200, I hope there aren’t any.

Today was the last full day on the rentacar, and we tried to use up the half tank of very expensive gasoline. Over here, you pay for the full tank when you rent the car and are told to return it as empty as you can. So we went to Murcia to hit Ikea for large items that are needed for the flat. On the way back there was a stop at the Nacional Policia to pick up Is’ Residencia, the document that makes her an official resident of Spain. With this, she can register at a g.p., get her health card, qualify to pay taxes and all sorts of other fun things. Next trip, I will get my N.I.E. (Numero Identificacion de Extrangero) or Foreigner’s Identification Number-“Your papers, puhleeze!” That and a visa of one sort or another will allow me to stay longer than the current 90 day “tourist” allowance. That’s good, because I don’t want to come over at the end of October and have to return to the Northeast in February. Now that would not be smart.

Some wine info that Dyl asked for. Realize please that these opinions are from the perspective of one who was habitually buying the bottom-dwellers on Hannaford’s wine shelves before this trip. Occasionally, I would slip in to Micucci’s and pick up a couple of $5 bottles and consider them a luxury. Anyway, tonight we tried a €1.15 bottle of Conde de Caralt tinto (red) 2009. It is a Catalunya denominacio d’origen blend of Temperanillo, Garnacha and Monastrell. It was quite good with the baked trout, and reminded me of a Beaujolais Nouveau or a young Valpolicella.

I recently picked up a few more of the €0.99 Fidencio tintos from La Mancha (denominacio d’origen) . This is head and shoulders above the fiver wine from Micucci’s, and considering the exchange rate, is a steal at $1.30. No info on what grape(s) are used, but who cares?

Have one bottle left of the –nope, I don’t, so can’t describe it. Anyway it was a Riserva, tinto, and well worth the €3.50 ish p.p.b. in the case lots we bought back in October.

There are a couple more bottles I picked up for new year’s dinner, so I will report after the fireworks.

Friends invited us to go to a show in another town, but we declined. It was a dinner-do with a show featuring Elvis and Tina Turner impersonators. Well…I’ve seen Tina in the flesh, and don’t want to ruin the memory. Elvis-I wouldn’t walk across the street to see him. Besides, the whole new year’s thing leaves me cold; though this year, after dinner, we will walk to the town square and watch fireworks, claim the fruit basket given to all residents and probably slip into a smoky bar for a carajillo before walking home-all of five minutes’ trek. No need to dodge the carnage on the street.

Hope to post this tomorrow, so am wishing you all a safe, happy new year.