Hi All, we’re still stuck near Tarragona as the garage let us down yet again yesterday. We are now hoping to get the car fixed today or tomorrow. I have a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday and hopefully we can move on Thursday. Weather still pretty good although we had another downpour yesterday morning and the evenings are getting slightly cooler.

I think I mentioned going to the 12th century Cistercian monastery at Sante Creuse about ten days ago. We wandered through the cloisters and sat in the same rooms and gardens the monks had used over the centuries. There was nobody else around, and the atmosphere was very peaceful. I wrote this poem afterwards.

                                                                      Down through the years

You, who walked these cloistered paths through nine long centuries of change

Who sought to cleanse your souls through quiet contemplation

Prayed to find some solace in the love of God

And followed not the paths of greed or vaunted expectation

You, who lived your chaste and simple lives, produced the food you ate,

Gave shelter to the hungry, tired and lame

Who built your halls with love, care and humility

While striving to treat all men just the same..

You, whose names we’ll never hear, whose gentle deeds are lost

When those of violent men redound

Should know that you have left your mark; A spectral presence

In these vaulted rooms devoid of sound

Where we can sit in quiet and tranquillity,

Leave awhile our world of noise and stress and fears

And in some measure find a common link

Humanity

That passes down the years

All the best,

Andy       

10am Sunday morning, croissants and coffee, 24C and the sun is still shining. What’s new?

We were very sad to hear that Chloe’s half-sister Iona-May died this week. Our thoughts are with all those who were close to her but particularly Vicki who has showed such tremendous courage and determination in ensuring that Iona-May had the absolute best life she could have. We both have great respect for her and hope that she will take some small comfort from knowing that nobody could have done more than she has.

What else? Ann has become a regular blood donor and is also decorating the caravan. These two activities are often sequential. Between bed-time and 2am she donates a pint or two of blood mixed with white wine to the local mosquitoes. Then at about 2am she leaps out of bed cursing, grabs the fly-swatter and decorates the bedroom liberally with bright red splats. Not a style I like very much, but it does make her feel a little better. I got one small bite in Carcassonne about six weeks ago, but I think that was from a mosie with faulty radar.

I’d have won my bet about the car spares. I phoned on Friday to confirm that they would fit it that afternoon and I’m sure they hadn’t even ordered it. They’re supposed to be doing it on Monday but I’m still not holding my breath. I’ve also got a doctor’s appointment on Wednesday to get my ears sorted. Virtually completely deaf at present, which is awkward. We are beginning to be accepted by the Spanish people on the campsite and it is quite difficult to converse in a foreign language when you have to lip-read at the same time!

We are both doing quite a lot of exercise, which is just about balancing out the food and wine intake at the moment. We sent a fine curry odour right round the campsite the other night which caused a few raised eyebrows, but we are increasingly eating a Mediterranean diet. It is very difficult to cut down on the alcohol intake when you can get a decent bottle of red wine for 1.90 euros, but I expect we will get round to making the effort eventually.

If you are reading the blog please feel free to leave a comment. It’s good to feel that people know we’re still alive!  Hasta la vista. Andy.

We are still on the Tamarit Park campsite near Tarragona waiting for an exhaust for ‘the Beast’. No real hardship but I think we would both like to move on and find somewhere more permanent for the winter. I have picked up an ear problem again and can’t hear anything, so I’m not allowed to swim at present. Went to the doctor this morning, two hours wait for a two minute ‘consultation,’ then told to use the drops I was already using for a week before coming back, and dismissed before I could get a word in. Formidable! as the French would say.

We had a train trip to Barcelona and stayed overnight in a hotel in the Old City on Tuesday/Wednesday. A lot of very beautiful buildings and beautiful people, and an absolutely brilliant mezzo singing outside the Cathedral.  We walked for miles and got a good feel of the place, but much more Ann’s cup of tea than mine. I hate crowds, they make you feel like an ant! We walked around the outside of the Sagrida de la Familia, but there was an hour and a half queue to get in so we didn’t bother to go inside. It’s supposed to be finished by 2026, but I reckon 2526 is more likely. It’s a huge project and doesn’t look anywhere near finished. Any thoughts on whether Gaudi was a genius or a raving nutcase?  

I was glad to get back to the caravan, as we were both exhausted. Speaking of exhausts we are hoping to get it fitted tomorrow, but I would be prepared to bet that it won’t be until the middle of the following week. Sun is still shining, but We are ready to move on so I hope I’m wrong. Saw Gavin’s of Ollie on Facebook, which makes one a bit homesick. So glad they’ve at last got somewhere decent to live. It should make so much difference to them all. Andy.