The Day Before Christmas

and the children were sleeping....their 20 minute siestas if we're lucky. If they don't our dinner (at 10pm...normal Spanish hour to eat) at Blanca Paloma will be ruined. I'm looking forward to taking friends to our favorite restaurant. They have a great chef and are always doing innovative things with traditional Spanish ingredients.

Last night we went to the local tapa bar Sol y Sombra so named for the seat options in bullrings. Sol (sun) seats being cheaper than sombra (shaded) seats. Of course, being us, we arrived at 8:30pm, but it doesn't open until 9:00pm, so we had to cross the street to a different bar first where the don and friend ate cola del toro. At Sol y Sombra had 2 bottles house wine, solomillo al ajillo, merluza cazuela, gambas al ajillo and pimientos al padron.

Random Adrian quotes and questions on religion:

"Even if I believed in God, I will still like Santa Claus more."

"I don't understand; If God controls when people live and when they die, why did he let those people kill Jesus?"

"I guess some people think God controls everything."
me: why?
"Well, my teacher says, tomorrow will be a sunny day, si dios quiere (If god wishes)"

"They say they're eating part of Jesus' body in communion, but it can't be!"
me: why?
"Well, Jesus body wasn't that big to be in all the churches every Sunday for so many years!"

Of course, having been denied a religious (read catholic) upbringing myself, I have very few answers for him; I just do the teacher-thing and turn the question back on him.

It's all about the Oil

Okay, so southern Spain isn't always hot. Sometimes it's cool, which it is right now. About 45F outside, warmer in the sun. Not bad for a few days before Christmas you say, but the problem is that's it's the same temperature inside the house. No central heating in these old places. All built to keep out the sweltering summer heat.

Took The Don and el gatito (his nickname for himself) out to look for a fleece jacket for me, but then chucked that idea and bought a space heater for everyone. Ojo in Spain, heaters are called Radiadores de Aceite. That would be "oil radiator". Visiting friends have thanked me six times in the last ten minutes.

Most of our lives here revolve around oil...the 'cheap' olive oil for cooking, the ecological olive oil for salads, oil and sugar on gatito's toast in the morning (normal child's breakfast), oily meats, oily fried fish. Luckily, to cut the grease, we have red wine and late nights. Speaking of which, the director of gatito's school (a very pretty young nun) called me last night at 10:30pm to ask me to come by the school today....wanted to give me a present for volunteering this last semester. 10:30pm seems a reasonable hour to make calls, doesn't it? Did I get a catholic trinket? A small jesus to hold? Some rosary beads? Nope. Wine. A Rioja Reserve. A 1994 thank you very much. One of her favorites, she says. And a bottle of champagne of course because she knows I have friends visiting. Said friends eyeing the bottles with desire....

Despite no central heating, Spain is not a bad place to be holed up with good friends for Christmas.

First post

Hi all,

Finally joining you all. Pictures of Christmas in Spain to follow shortly.