Jan. 8 Update

I have a bunch of photos I'd like to put up, but my 'puter, hence, my photo management system is still defunct. I ordered a power supply through a local merchant (or so I thought)a week before the Madrid trip. Last week he apologized and told me that the order had never been placed, but that he had just done it and the item is "...in the mail". You know the story.

The 3 Kings parade in Orihuela was fun. Not as large and crowded as last year's in Torrevieja, but more family-oriented and you could tell that everybody knew everybody. I took a lot of photos of "elephants" for the granddaughters and will send them as soon as I can use Photoshop again.

Cycling has been great, weather-wise. Been warm and dry up till today when it was cold (by our standards). Took off in blazing sunshine and a temperature of about 42 F. and it stayed clear but cool all day. Friday I did the trail along the Segura River all the way out to the tip of the breakwater. There, I sat in the sun eating a sandwich, drinking a beer, spitting olive pits at feral cats and watching a fisherman catch what looked like anchovies. Don't mean to crow, just report. I hear you're all having a mild winter, anyway.

Off to Orihuela to buy our train tickets for Madrid on the 23rd. Machine was down the last three times we tried, and we may have to take a train to Murcia to buy them. Might be a stroke of luck, though. There is a lottery agent there whose sign features a black cat. We were told that a notable number of big winners have bought their tickets there and it might be time to invest...

First coffee break of the year

Here is the hard-core element of the Amigos del Cyclismo on 01 January braving the weather and ignoring hangovers while seeking nourishment at a local refuge in San Isidro. Please note the absence of snow, the intense sunshine and the big smiles. Happy New Year!!!

Official Spanish Resident

Six months and one day after I started the process, I picked up my official Extranjeros Regimen Comunitario card. Two trips to Orihuela, four to Alicante, much mail back and forth to the Philippines and Madrid and it's over-until Nov 2016, anyway. That's when I need to renew it. Now to undergo 40 hours of "integration" classes that consist of language, culture, civics, etc. I hope they don't interfere with cycling.
Tomorrow we're off to Alicante again, by train, to chase down Is' driver's license. She was told to contact the Traffico office if she hadn't received it within 60 days. Well, that's just passed so we're chasing. I'm dreading the start of another process to get mine. Hers was relatively easy; just go there, show the Brit (E.U.) license and wait for the mail. I have to go to mandatory classes. Hey! Howcome? I drive on the proper side of the road! then I have to learn 600 different laws and rules, study mechanics, towing issues, first aid, target practice and then take the exam...in Spanish. Oh boy! I'd almost rather not get one, just ride a bike and let her drive. That way I can sample all the wine I want. Hmmmmm.....

Day Two

We had fine weather on the second day, making the 112 Km in good time. We travelled through some really beautiful country, vineyards and neat towns. All in all we did 170 Mk, climbing a total of 6010 feet, reaching a maximum altitude of 3160 feet. We celebrated the successful trip with a penultimate pint in Catral, three towns away from Algorfa, where I peeled off to make it home.

Wet arrival in Baneres

We finally made it, wet, but elated. We checked in and headed for the bar where we warmed up with a couple carajillos (strong black coffee laced with brandy). Then it was to the showers and a fine dinner.

Between Guadalest and Alcoi

Here we are in the mountains on the first leg, slogging along in the rain. It was somewhere near here that Thomas got a temperature reading from his do-everything Garmin cycle computer. We were dismayed to learn that it was 2 degrees Celsius.

A semi-dry Start

Here are 4/5 of us on the bus to our starting point in Guadalest. We were soggy from riding and loading bikes in the rain, and the bus conductor kept mentioning the five (fools) cyclists who were setting out for the mountains in the deluge.

Back from the Mountains

Made it back from the Guadalest-Alcoi-Baneres-Crevillent tour in one piece, though carrying some damp gear. We set out from Studz Bar in a steady rain, riding the bus to Guadalest while soggy from loading the bikes. There were five of us, aged 55 to almost 68, and all a little soft in the head. After coffee and tostadas we headed uphill (all the way, it seemed) toward Alcoy. The rain alternated between a heavy mist and pelting almost sleet. Thomas gave us a temperature report from his do-everything Garmin bike computer. It was 2 Celsius or 35 Farenheit, so we had to keep climbing vigorously to stay warm.

We stopped in Alcoi for lunch, getting directions to Baneres and leaving profuse apologies for the puddles on the floor. One man who told us how to get there shook his head in sympathy, pointing up while mumbling something like, "Muy alto!"
We dragged our sorry posteriors into the hotel just before dark and ordered the mandatory carajillos before hot showers and a sumptuous dinner. I thought about asking for my meal to be brought to the shower so I could steam a little longer.

Tuesday, we set off in fine weather, dropping about 2500' down to our starting level. We cycled through some really beautiful country, stopping in Salinas and Hondon de los Nieves for snack and lunch, before topping the final mountain range and sliding thru Crevillent to our penultimo cerveza in Catral. My whole trip was approximately 175 km; no accurate figure being available as the 'puter got a little water-logged and quit working. Thomas will send us all a report from his Garmin and photos from his smart-phone...someday. Will try to post them soon.

Waiting

This is a sketch I did while waiting for something. It seems as though I've done a lot of waiting lately, and I've a lot of doodles to show for it. It is now a habit to carry a sketchbook & pencils. As soon as I queue up in a line, out they come and something appears on paper. Whether it is good or bad is not the question. The important thing is that I didn't fall asleep and lose my place in line.
But, I digress. On July 11, I paid my fee and started the application process for my residencia. After I waited in a queue or other extranjeros (foreigners) with the completed paperwork, I was told that they could not process the application there in Orihuela. I had to do it in Alicante. So I went there and after the mandatory "take a number and wait over there" was told that I had to bring in a marriage certificate that had been validated by the civil authorities in Pasig City, PI, then by the Department of Foreign Affairs (1 week) and the Spanish Embassy in Manila (4 weeks).
Once that had been done, the certificate had to be notarized anhd authenticated by the British Consulate in Alicante, then sent to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Madrid (6 weeks)for a stamp. We then turned it in to the Guardia Civil who neglected to keep the copies we provided, so they sent us a letter to bring in the papers. This added 30 days to the standard 30 day wait, and once we got that straightened out, we were told to wait for a letter which would arrive in about thirty days with an appointment date to see the National Police for fingerprinting & photo submission. We finally did that ans were told that I could pick up my ID card in thirty days-in Orihuela where I started. That will be on December 15th.
Not bad-They let me stay in-country despite the maximum 90-day allowance for Americans. Aside from the waiting, the experience was a whole lot more pleasant than the manner in which Isabel was treated by the US government. Cheaper, by far, as well.
Other examples of waiting: "five minutes" for lost luggage in Barcelona took 4 hours. "Five minutes" for an e-mail with description of a substitute easel is currently passing the 4-hour mark. "next month" for internet connection took about three months.
I think I should buy a couple more sketchbooks.

Travelling Buddha has found a home

This is a sketch for a painting I want to do "someday". It is filed with the other sketches that never got developed. What is the solution? Drop everything and paint until you collapse, get it done, run out of wine...? If a work of art is never started and no one ever sees it, would it have been a good one?

Baby Eels

These are baby eels, fried in garlic and olive oile and served as an appetizer. They actually tasted much better once I learned that they were actually eel-substitute, otherwise known as Surimi. The real things are hard to find and prohibitively expensive. I gave thanks for that; too close to snakes for my blood. The wine is a LaMancha red of unknown parentage, but head and shoulders above a $6 bottle from a well known purveyor in Portland-for only Eu.0.99 (about $1.35). Asparagus, greens, potato salad-all grown locally, reasonably priced and brought to us weekly by the itinerant market.

Mid-November in Comunidad Valenciana

Last weekend Is and I climbed a third of the way up this mountain, Pico de Aguilas. with a friend from Redovan, the town at the foot. When I say climbed, I don't mean with ropes and chains as the students at the climbing school were using. We hiked up in beautiful weather, taxing our flat-land shoes and ankles. I hope to do the whole thing once I get the proper footwear and companion(s) who won't sprint ahead as I plod up it. I kept remembering a climb in the White Mountains that I did with Dyl & Kris. Up wasn't so bad, but down left me hobbling.

Cold and rainy today-winter is here. While it is not New England cold, it is bad enough for one whose blood has thinned to the consistency of a cheap LaMancha red, which by the way, is not hard on the palate. It certainly is easy on the pocket; allowing me to go out and buy a winter coat. Maybe I'll hold off on that, bundle up with second-hand stuff from one of the local markets and bring back one of the many nice ones lying useless in Westbrook, if I fly back mid-March.

That's one option that is being closely examined currently. Tax time approaches and I need to do some serious consulting with my accountant in Caribou. The rapacious eagle still demands its pound of flesh-I just hope a proctologist can give me an appointment shortly thereafter.

Anyway...will be doing some web-surfing for plane tickets and let everyone know when/if it becomes a reality. In the meantime I'll be cycling in all but the downpours and trying to paint otherwise.

Ramblin' On, again...

After what seemed like an eternity, we finally got our internet hookup in Fontana 1. It was first proposed for around August, then September, then October and on the second of this month we got it. Prior to that we had been using a neighbor's wireless, with his permission, whenever the right stars aligned. The other alternative was a trip to La Taberna, in town, and sit in a noisy bar, swilling beer and hooking up to their freebie. Not a good way to do internet banking, and on the wrong night you could be deafened by the Brits cheering on their favourite "footie" team. The beer was good though.

Highlights of the summer were the Valencia trip with Nick & Susan, and their visit. There was also the day, When Cecilia was here to visit, when I crashed the car twice. No injuries but to pride and wallets. We did discover a great local restaurant in the village of Mojon, while waiting for the first wrecker. Cooking was done over an open wood fire, wine was out of a jug and the hospitality was without fault. Jose, the proprietor, was gracious, explaining (in Spanish) all the foods and how he was cooking them. The waitress was Ukrainian and funny, and the patrons were curious but not intrusive. We were the only "extranjeros" there, and the only English-speakers. Somehow we managed to order a meal of chicken,lamb, sausage, potatoes, salad, red wine, bread and beer, consume it and leave in good graces. We took Nick & Susan back there for a repeat to which we added quail.

I'm throwing in some photos of lost tourists, sculpture form a Valencian museum of modern art and Is' birthday cake which I made. It looked like a real cake, but the icing wasn't shiny so she was suspicious. Actually it was four packs of one of her favourite candies, wrapped in a cake-shape and covered with plaster, candles and all.
Not very appetizing until one cracked open the plaster and unwrapped the Turron Alicante.

Off Road & Sol-Mar rent-a-car scam

Back in Westbrook for the summer, as it looks right now. Is stayed behind in Manila for a number of reasons.
Primary reason was that our inimitable State Department representatives in Manila denied her a visa. I won't go into a rant about it as they don't deserve the psychic energy. Suffice it to say that last Fall's incident with the Border Bastards has continued to complicate matters. Couple that with conflicting advice from various State Department and DHS "authorities", one-size-fits-all "guidance" from the Manila call center and the fact that no consular official could be spoken with by this citizen; and you have a dead end.
We're trying to make lemonade from the lemon(s) handed us by life. While there, Is will be closing the purchase of her lots at Tierra Alta. She also wanted to be present for the birth of her first grandchild and offer whatever help is needed. As always the case, there are a lot of other loose ends to tie up and the odd diversionary trip(s) to Bohol , Palawan or other scenic spots.
In the meantime, I'll be cooling my heels here, getting back on the bike, raising money for the MS Society, painting from the myriad ideas and sights that accumulated over the trip. working on a Spanish/Schengen visa and other residency matters.
Now a commercial message:
I'd like to thank American Express for their help in resolving a dispute that originated with a scam attempted by SOL-MAR Rent-A-Car of Spain. When I rented from them, they insisted that I also "rent" a safety kit(consisting of vests and traffic warning triangle which are required by Spanish law.) I was told that the 20Eu. rental fee would be refunded when I return the car and kit. Upon returning both, I was given the run-around and finally told that all refunds would be processed after 11:00 pm, (long after our flight was scheduled to leave) and my American Express charge would be credited the next day. I was shown a pile of "refunds" to be processed. There were at least ten contracts which would amount to 200 Eu. clear profit for somebody. Guess what? Two weeks later, no credit had been applied, so I contacted AMEX. They credited the charge and the conversion fee, and ultimately resolved the issue to my satisfaction. So, to make a long story short; I would recommend against renting from SOL-MAR rent-a-car. The branch I dealt with was in Alicante, but they have offices throughout Spain.

Bukaw-Bukaw (Owlfish)

Ceremony Gang

G & Is

03/28/11 Posting

03.25.2011 Ramble
Sitting here in Pasig City with two fans going, an occasional stiff breeze blowing through Russ’ apartment, thinking about being cool again-someday. The exertion of thought makes me perspire. I hear Nick’s ubiquitous comment, “Be careful what you wish for.” Then I look out the window at the fruit-laden mango, marcopa and kaimito trees and remember that I am escaping winter. The trees are common property here in Kaimito (Star-Apple) Village, and fruit are there for the taking. You can wait for a breeze to bring them down, or as most residents do; use a bamboo pole with a bag on the end.
Today was trash day in the village. A security guard walks through the grounds blowing his whistle in a sort of “Tweeeeeet-tweet-tweet-tweet” pattern, and the residents carry out their bags to the collection truck. Yesterday, Is and Zarah carried the trash out only to be told that collection (every other day) had been the day before. They were victims of malicious Mynah birds-those that mimic cell phone ring tones, and one resident clown that repeats a car alarm all day.
Noise! That seems to be the most prevalent impression I have of Metro-Manila, more so than the contrast between have and have-nots. I can’t remember a moment of silence since we arrived. The C-5, a major thoroughfare, is a block away. During the day there is the constant whine, rumble and roar of traffic, truckless traffic, I would add. In a futile attempt to minimize congestion, commercial trucks are only allowed on the road at night. So, nights are filled with the sometimes muffler-less din of all sizes of trucks mixed in with the tenor whines of motorbikes, the frequent howl of emergency vehicles and the occasional roar of hot rods; all immune from any sort of noise-restricting laws.
Here in the complex, we have the barking/yelping of a couple of caged puppies who start in early morning when the owner goes to work and continue (without a siesta) until he returns mid-evening. School is out and children do children things; none of which are quiet. (03/28/11 addition: This morning we awoke at cock’s crow-literally. Russell’s next-door neighbor has acquired a fighting cock and, quite preposterously, tethered it to Russ’ gate-right under our bathroom window. Mind you, this is on the third floor of a condominium complex in the heart of Pasig. Oooops, for a moment I forgot where I was.) Anyway, this critter crows hourly at least and also leaves fumets in the hallway which makes a good megaphone; being made out of concrete.)
When we go to the local supermarket/shopping center, the cacophony continues. Everywhere one turns is a stall with people hawking condos, subdivision lots or high-rise apartments. The Food Court houses about ten vendors, from each of which emanates the plea of every one of the seemingly-dozens of staff; flogging their product. The peanut vendor rings a shrill Starvation Army-type bell; the amusement arcade deafens you with the amplified dings, squeaks, twangs and boings of various coin-eaters, a couple of large screen TVs blare insufferable adverts and over it all is a recent “hit” by some disgusting, twangy, white, teenybopper “star” whining about her hair not being cool.
And then the restaurant complex, which is a cluster of about thirty eateries with a common dining area under a large (2 acre+) open air tent, is the same story. The culinary offerings are delicious; coming from all over the Philippines, Asia and the rest of the world…but…then there’s the music-and I use that term loosely. Over the whole panorama of conversation, shouted food orders, delicacy-hawking and wall-less restaurant noise, is a super-amplified p.a. system blaring rap, crap, michael jackson or the rival to the afore-mentioned “oh-waow!”-howling like-california-type female(?). Naturally, all conversation is cranked up a few decibels to compete. What could have been a pleasant meal turns into a gobble-and-get-the-hell-outta-here session at the feed trough.
Black Forest, I’m coming…

Water Features

View from Veranda