It feels a little like I’ve been re-living the pandemic…stuck at home with little to do, wearing no make-up and sweatpants every day. I’d been blowing and going since some time in December – a whirlwind trip to the U.S. that included Texas, California, and Florida, multiple doctor appointments, and visits with lots of friends. Then, on return to Begur, for two weeks I jumped back into my routine of classes, Petanca, meetings, and meals out with friends. Then, boom, I fell and broke my arm.

I have private insurance here in Spain, which I am required to have in order to obtain/maintain my residency visa. On the day I fell, while I was on the way to the Emergency Room, I called the insurance company to obtain whatever authorization I needed, and I was told to go to the hospital in Girona. That’s an hour from where I live! And there is a hospital about 20 minutes from me in Palamós, just 15 minutes from where I was when I called. My arm hurt and I was scared. I did not want to go to Girona, and had no intention of doing so. That meant I would have to pay for my care. I was given an X-ray, saw an ER doctor, placed in a sling, and given a prescription for some analgesic medication. It was 350€ ($378). I can only imagine how much it would have cost in the U.S. I’ve had a couple of follow-up doctor appointments at that hospital at 50€ each, and a CAT scan for 120€. I’m still under $1,000! My Catalan neighbor thought this was expensive!! This just pushes all my buttons about how messed up the U.S. healthcare system is because citizens in most Western countries have a right to health care. Period.

During this time of disability, I learned to compensate in various ways using my teeth, my legs, my shoulder, and even my underarm to open a wine bottle with the two-armed opener. And I looked up and found on the internet (there is everything there!) how to put your hair in a ponytail if you only have one arm. That woman was amazing, but I never mastered it. Anyway, my arm is stronger every day, but it’s still uncomfortable and I’m still homebound because I can’t drive. I have a long list of errands to run once I can get behind the wheel again! Because I live at the end of a long and very winding road to get to the nearest town, it seems dangerous to try to maneuver with one arm. So, I wait… Enough whining.

Some friends have stepped up to drive me to my Catalan class twice a week, which is about 30 minutes from my apartment. One day recently, the class went to a wine tasting (10:00 a.m.!!) at a nearby winery. The tour and discussion was all in Catalan, which was the point. The winery is one of four located in a valley near the sea where farmers still practice traditional family farming. The Molla family that owns the winery has held onto the property without interruption since 1338!!! Since that time, they have produced artisanal wine in wooden barrels using no chemicals. They do not even use irrigation techniques. They sell their natural wines (red, white, rosé, and sparkling) directly from the farm and only to established local clients. The family member who gave the tour explained that a viticulturist who came to study the grapes growing in their vineyard discovered over 30 varieties of grapes, seven of which exist no where else in the world today.

The Molla family truly reaps what they sow, with only what hard work and nature provide. The results are a unique product – each barrel each year produces a different taste. It’s an amazing place, a business unlike any of our time.

One-liter bottles, no label. Pure and simple and good.

So, besides my bi-weekly classes of Catalan in a classroom setting, and my bi-weekly online classes of Catalan with my tutor, I now have a weekly coffee date with a volunteer from the program created by a Consortium to promote the study of Catalan language. You’d think I’d be totally fluent by now!! Ha ha.

My coffee partner is a local Catalan businessman with a family who lives and works in my town, and who has great pride in his Catalan culture and language and wants to share it with others who are interested in learning it. He’s so enthusiastic and eager to share his insights into the language and everything about the Catalan way of life. One day we went to the supermarket together and talked about food in Catalan. And he’s the one who unfortunately was first to the scene when I fell, and he wound up driving me to the hospital while we spoke in Catalan, Spanish and English because I was so shaken up.

Last week my coffee guy was asked to do an interview on the local radio station about the volunteer program. Besides me, he also teaches a class of parents from the school who are from other countries or other parts of Spain. The students themselves are taught some percentage of the day in Catalan, a language some of their parents do not speak. Today he told me the radio station has offered him a weekly program and one day he’d like to interview me on-air about my experiences in learning Catalan. How funny would that be?

It finally happened…what I’ve feared and what my doctor has warned me about… I tripped in the square in town (a little public humiliation was the icing on the cake!) and broke my right arm. On Ground Hog Day. Fortunately, I’m ambidextrous!

Just kidding! I’m right-handed and it’s a pain in the ass and I’m trying to figure it out! It’s going to be awkward for a while! I don’t have the skill or energy to type a full blog post solely with my left hand, so I’ll have to leave my big ideas for another day.

I gotta say how grateful I am to friends who took me to hospital, sat with me, drove my car, shopped for me, and are watching my dogs! It’s taking a village…

I despise being helpless! Below is my grocery list written with my left hand, and pitiful me in a sling!

Hopefully, I’ll be back to normal soon!!

I just got back from a month in the US, celebrating Christmas and New Year’s with family and welcoming the newest member, Monty, to the clan.  I am so lucky! Below are from youngest to oldest, Monty, Goose, and Gordie. 

Several observations reminded me that I should update my list of pro’s and con’s of living in Spain vs living in the US. Below are some small things, but ones that make a difference in everyday life:

Pro’s for US

• The gas pump runs automatically so I don’t have to hold it the whole time; when it’s cold outside, I can sit in the heated car!
• My coffeemaker makes a full cup of coffee
• Grocery bags are free

Pro’s for Spain

• The grocery store is not freezing, so I don’t have to wear a coat to shop, and I don’t need an attendant’s assistance to buy alcohol at the self checkout!
• The wait staff in restaurants let you enjoy your meal or just a coffee and stay as long as you like
• The restaurant bill and the grocery receipt are not astronomical!!!

I think one of the biggest pro’s for Spain is the price of food. I went to the grocery store today and I bought two types of sliced cheese, yogurt, six eggs, salami, a head of lettuce, an orange, an apple, two mandarins, a coke, garbage bags, peanut butter, and butter. Guess the price…24€/$26. 

So, I went online to my local grocery store in Houston and added all of the same items to my bag, and guess the price…38€/$42. It makes a difference! I think the price difference at restaurants is even greater!

I’m glad to be back home in Catalunya!! Happily readjusting…

As Christmas approaches, the hams come out!! Florencio Sanchidrián, (pictured below) is widely recognized as one of the world’s greatest cortadores de jamón (ham cutters). If you are interested, this video produced by The New York Times is interesting… https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eft3LIlHU0Y. A rock star of the ham world (yes, he’s been called that!!), he travels the globe slicing the thinnest slivers possible and commanding a fee of €3,700 ($4,000) a ham. His clients have included Barack Obama, George W. Bush, a couple of Popes, Robert Redford, and Al Pacino. The most expensive hams in the world sell for $4,500 per leg. The most expensive leg ever sold was for €11,881 in Japan. See my prior blog, “Hams,” to read about types of ham. This is the guy!

Another fun fact, research has shown that ham from Iberian pigs fed on an acorn diet provides a rich source of oleic acid, so the mono-unsaturated fat in the ham actually lowers bad cholesterol.  Only virgin olive oil has a higher oleic acid, hence the local nickname for the pigs as “olives on legs.”

Stupidly, this week, I bought a bunch of packs of vacuum-packed, fancy, expensive sliced ham to take to the States for gifts before I figured out you can’t take it into the US unless it’s FDA-approved. Damn. I remembered, after the fact, that a friend told me there were ham dogs at the airport. They weren’t looking for drugs, just ham!

New Shitters 2023!

The new shitters are out for 2023! See my prior blog on “Poopers.” Yep, every year they bring out some newbies. I’m not surprised Barbie or Netanyahu and Elon Musk would join the group this year, but Cleopatra? Why has she been passed over in the past? Has she been in the headlines lately? Weird.

Tonight I wandered through Barcelona. It’s a beautiful city every day, but it’s very beautiful at Christmas. I’d been wanting to go see the Sagrada Familia at Christmas-time for years, so tonight, I walked there after dinner and took in all the magic. 

Have the happiest of holidays!!! I’m off to the U.S. tomorrow for the birth of my third grandson and to celebrate with family. Merry Christmas, Feliz Navidad, Joyeux Noel and Bon Nadal to all!! I’ll be back at ya…

A link to the song by Brian Hyland for color:
https://embed.music.apple.com/us/album/gypsy-woman/1443997029?i=1443998135

She lives in Begur. She’s in the town begging in one or another of her favorite spots every day. They tell me she’s not a gypsy. They tell me she has a house and money. Yet still she begs. And she’s relentless. If you give her a euro coin, she asks for a bill. She wants more. Who dresses like this who’s not a gypsy? I wish I knew more about her. Maybe someday I’ll interview her for an exposé.

“Foc Off”

Spain has been experiencing a drought the past few years, which seems to be worsening. Various programs have been put into place to help prevent fires. “Foc” means fire in Catalan.

Foc Off is a drought and forest fire awareness campaign launched in Catalunya in June 2023 at the beginning of a long, hot summer. It is reported that last year was the driest on record since 1950 and rainfall was below average for 32 straight months. Because nine out of ten fires are said to be caused by humans, the campaign warns of the dangers of setting off firecrackers or using machinery in high-risk areas. Another awareness campaign, with the slogan ‘Water does not fall from the sky,” calls for the reduction of water consumption. Water restrictions have been put in place all over Catalunya, which is in a state of pre-emergency. Municipal governments are now prohibited from using drinking water for street cleaning or to water lawns. Water limits for use in industry and agriculture have been increased, and authorities have warned that a full-blown drought emergency could require tankers to bring in drinking water.

Below are some pictures of the forest thinning they’ve been doing near my house. Sad..

And why do they have coffee cups without handles? Hard to comprehend…

One of the things I love best about living in Begur is participating in the local festivities, of which there are many. Last weekend was a celebration of the famous Flamenco dancer Carmen Amaya, who was born in Barcelona, but who adopted Begur as her hometown later in life and died here in 1963. She has been called the greatest Flamenco dancer of all time. She was a gypsy and the first female to master some of the most intricate footwork performed by male dancers. On November 2, 2023, Google celebrated her 110th birthday with a Google Doodle. Bet you didn’t guess that one!

The celebration included a flamenco performance. Here’s a clip, though you can’t see the feet (the most important part) because I’m short (duh) and couldn’t see over the heads in front of me.

The prior weekend, the Scooter Club of Begur’s 50 km ride had a big sendoff from the Square. Not Easy Rider!

Political dysfunction knows no boundaries. It is epitomized here in Spain by the recent plight of the national government, which was basically in limbo for four months, similar to the recent situation in the U.S. House of Representatives. I’ve tried to provide a concise account as I see it, based on various sources. This is definitely overly simplified, but hopefully true as far as it goes.

Spain’s snap general election this past July failed to produce a majority in Congress for either the Spanish left or right. A sweeping majority for the center-right party had been forecast by political pundits and polls, but results of Prime Minister Pedro Sánchez’s Socialist party surprised Spain and forced a political stalemate. Hung parliaments have become the norm in recent years due to the fragmentation of Spain’s politics and the emergence of new parties challenging the dominance of the major left and right parties.

Each side began political jockeying, seeking votes for an absolute majority in Spain’s Congress of Deputies. The process is a parliamentarian investiture by which the head of government is indirectly elected by the Congress of Deputies. In practice, the prime minister is almost always the leader of the largest party in the Congress.

Sánchez and the Socialists on the left had the most realistic chance of reaching the votes necessary to govern, but to get to that number, Sánchez had to cobble together support from the far-left party and smaller regional parties, including the Catalan separatist party led by Carles Puigdemont. Puigdemont was the leader of the failed Catalan independence bid in 2017, who has been living in self-imposed exile in Belgium since that time. The separatists’ main demand in return for their votes to renew Sánchez’s term as prime minister, was amnesty for the leaders of that failed independence bid.  Sánchez agreed and proposed an amnesty law, saying it was necessary “in the name of Spain, in the interest of Spain and in defense of coexistence among Spaniards.” Sánchez had previously opposed such a move, but he agreed to amnesty now, despite major protests by the right. Most see this as his determination to stay in power at all costs. Lawsuits filed against the amnesty law will have to go through different courts until finally reaching the Constitutional Court of Spain, and, eventually, the Court of Justice of the European Union.

Sánchez was re-elected as Prime Minister on November 16, 2023, though the country remains deeply divided. The amnesty law is wildly unpopular, with over half of the citizens of Spain against it, and even many in Catalunya are not in favor of it. On the other hand, the failure of the right wing to win a clear majority in July represented a rejection of its proposed policies of rolling back laws on gender violence, LGBTQ rights, abortion, and euthanasia.

The 51-year-old Sánchez, known as “Mr Handsome” at the start of his political career, has had to play a delicate balancing act to stay in power. His current situation is “the most complicated he has ever known” because he will have to govern across a wide range of political parties.

Below on the left, Sánchez is voted in; on the right over 100,000 in Madrid protest the proposed amnesty…

For those with a knowledge of Spanish, this Huffington Post headline seems clever, a play on words meaning the investiture was hard: UNA INVESTI-MUY-DURA.

I’m having a sunrise/sunset battle of photos with a friend who lives in Begur. She has a different view than I do. She looks West and I look East. The oranges vs the pinks!

I did the stupidest thing. Well, another stupid thing. I went onto my balcony when I first woke up to take in the sunrise as I do most mornings, and I saw that the Pyrenees to my north were covered in snow! Or so I thought. When I went out again 30 minutes later to test the weather for what I’d wear that day, the snow was gone! OMG. It was just a large white cloud sitting on top of the mountains. And I’d sent the photo to four friends proclaiming that the snow had arrived! I had to backtrack and admit my stupidity. But it looks like snow, right??

A couple of weeks ago, French winemakers staged a protest against the importation of Spanish wines, claiming the imports create an unfair competitive advantage in the local market, which is already experiencing a surplus of wine. About 500 protesters just across the border from Spain in France intercepted trucks transporting Spanish products. They lit tires on fire to stop the traffic to search for trucks carrying Spanish wine. Two tanker trunks carrying red wine were emptied onto the highway spilling over 2,400 liters of Spanish rosé on the road and and a tractor trailer carrying pallets of Freixenet Cava was opened and the contents smashed onto the ground, bubbles fizzing out, destroying 10,000 bottles of Spanish cava. Another truck transporting tomatoes was emptied, the cargo splattered onto the road. What a mess!

Also interesting (to me, anyway), I read that Spain is planning to address climate change by cancelling short-haul flights within the country for routes that could be replaced by train journeys of 2.5 hours or less. Around 35 percent of domestic flights in Spain – most of them to or from Madrid could be cancelled, and replaced with high-speed trains. The move is supposed to reduce emissions by around 10 percent without affecting total travel times. France has already banned this type of in-country flight and more flight routes within France may be discontinued in the future.

In other news, of questionable relevance, Princess Leonor, Daughter of the current King Felipe of Spain and granddaughter of disgraced former King Juan Carlos, pledged her allegiance to the Spanish Constitution in a ceremony this week on her 18th birthday before the joint session of the Spanish Congress and Senate. Leonor is the presumptive heir to the throne. Of course, if she’d had a brother, even if younger, he would have been heir. As Barbie would say “the Patriarchy!” Her father, King Felipe VI of Spain, took the same oath on his 18th birthday in 1986 and took the throne in 2014 after his father, King Juan Carlos abdicated due to his plummeting popularity. Juan Carlos left Spain in 2020 for Abu Dhabi after allegations of corrupt business dealings with Saudi Arabia became public, in order to save his son from further embarrassment. Following her oath, Leonor asked the Spanish people to put their trust in her. The Presidents of the states of Cataluyna and of the Basque Country did not attend the ceremony. She seems very poised for 18.

A mí! Or Feliç Anniversari in Catalan. Not that I’m happy about being this age (ugh!), but as they say, it’s better than the alternative, which is becoming statistically more likely each year.

Last week was another holiday I wasn’t prepared for – Día de la Hispanidad, the National Day of Spain, celebrating Spanish pride. It was created in 1892 to commemorate the four-hundredth year anniversary of the discovery of America by Columbus. Some establishments and businesses in Catalunya, however, refuse to celebrate the day because of their animosity towards the Spanish government, but many people take advantage of the day off of work, regardless of the reason for the holiday, which I found out when I went to run errands and places were closed.

This time in the fall is tied to other festivities in Catalunya. One is the Castanyada – the celebration of chestnuts on the evening of October 31st, when families eat a meal of chestnuts, sweet potatoes, marzipan-based ‘panellets,’ and preserved fruits. The symbol of the festival is an old peasant woman in a headscarf roasting chestnuts on the street. Vendors pop up on the streets of Barcelona, selling warm chestnuts wrapped in newspaper as well as roasted whole or halved sweet potatoes.  I hope to have some when I go to Barcelona for my haircut next week!

All Saints Day, based on ancient pagan traditions, is celebrated on November 1st to commemorate the souls of deceased family members. The custom is to visit the graves of loved ones to lay flowers.

Halloween is becoming more popular in Spain, with people of all ages dressing up in costumes and decorating their houses and businesses in scary decor. Some children even go trick-or-treating, or truco o trato in Spanish.  The China store has racks of Halloween costumes. This is only a small fraction of their stock in the photo below. But look who’s overseeing it all! Santa, of course!

Last week I led a hike for some unsuspecting members of the expat group. Even though I had previously scoped out a loop through a medieval town square and up through the hills past several wineries (where we did not stop), I got the group of 11 lost. Eventually we made our way around a vineyard that may have been private property, back to a route that would lead us home. What was supposed to be an 8 km walk turned into 12 km and we were an hour late for our lunch reservation, but all’s well that ends well! Everyone knows I’m directionally challenged! I should never have been allowed to lead!!

Here we are when fresh and we knew where we were.

I love to drive to my house. It’s 8 kilometres (about 5 miles) from Begur around a twisting, turning two-lane road. The speed limit is 30 kmh (about 19 mph), but there’s no radar, luckily, and few cars, so I go fast. It’s so much fun! I do have to be careful going around the curves to stay in my lane and trust that others, including huge trucks carrying construction equipment, stay in theirs. There are only a couple of places where I could go over the cliff, so that’s good. But it does limit my alcohol consumption when I eat dinner in town! I think I’ve frightened a few of my passengers!

I’ve actually gotten a few speeding tickets. They have a lot of radar cameras. I got four the first year. After that, I slowed down and paid more attention to the signs telling me I was in a zone monitored by radar, but last year I got another two, and this year one in France. They tracked me down. Supposedly you can only get a certain number (you receive points against your license for each violation) before they suspend your license, but since I haven’t gotten a Spanish license, I think I’m home free for the moment. You are required to get a Spanish license after being here for 6 months. It’s not that easy. You have to take a driving course, which I’ve heard costs at least $1,000, and then pass the test. So far I’ve ignored the rule and I’m just waiting to get caught, claim ignorance, and hope the fine isn’t too high. Then I guess I’ll take the damn course. I have a friend who has been here 9 years without getting caught. That’s what I’m banking on.

I went to a Mexican restaurant in a nearby beach town recently. I usually order small portions, but I ordered the tasting menu because I wanted to try all of it to see what they considered Mexican food. The nachos were tortilla chips with a very thin layer of melted cheese barely covering the chip and some sausage-y meat on top. There was a “wrap” which was really not Mexican in the least. It was filled with chicken and was more like a Chick-Fil-A wrap. The fajitas were extremely peculiar. There were cold flour (?) tortillas served with some sort of cubed meat mixed with the same whitish cheese that was on the nachos. There was a dab of guacamole on the plate, but no salsa or pico de gallo anywhere. My favorite distorted entry was the quesadilla which had ham inside. It was lunchmeat type ham. Very weird. But the Corona was fine!

Strange segue…Spain has strict laws regarding pet ownership that affect all animals – domestic or wild – under human care, to ensure their welfare. The recently enacted Animal Welfare law was passed “to fight against the mistreatment, abandonment, and slaughter of animals.” All pets must be registered and microchipped to ensure they receive proper care and prevent abandonment. Some of the other requirements are listed below, but they will not come into force until a new government has been formed. Spain’s government is just as dysfunctional as ours!!

• Pets will be considered legal family members. This law can help protect them if families split up. Officials will keep the animals’ well-being in mind during divorces and custody battles;
• It will be compulsory to sterilize all animals that are living outside a dwelling, including pets in the garden, in outdoor runs, or in rural homes located in countryside areas;
• To own a dog in Spain you will have to complete a free “responsible pet ownership course” online; 
• Pet owners are required to have compulsory liability insurance. Only people with hunting, guard and working dogs will be exempt. I got mine for 41€ each for one year;
• The law prohibits the use of electronic or punitive dog collars;
• Pet shops will no longer sell dogs and cats, promoting adoption and responsible breeding. Pets will only be sold from registered breeders. Pet shops have six months to find homes for the animals they currently have;
• Wild animals like lions or tigers have been banned from circuses with the owners of these animals given six months to comply. Marine parks may still use dolphins until these mammals die;
• The law also says a pet may not be left unattended for more than three consecutive days, even if they have food and water, a period that is reduced to 24 hours in the case of dogs; 
• Leaving dogs or cats on terraces or patios, although not prohibited, is now time-limited; 
• Pet owners will not be able to leave their animals alone inside closed vehicles or exposed to any thermal conditions that could put their lives in danger; 
• Animals cannot be allowed to be left alone or tied up in public spaces, which means no leaving your dog outside the supermarket, which is often done here;
• Also, there is now a maximum amount of pets one can have: five;
• Oddly, Bullfights, regarded by some Spaniards as an integral part of the country’s culture, have not been included in the law. Catalunya, however, banned it in 2010. And the law, again outside of bullfighting, outlaws the use of animals for recreational activities that cause them pain and suffering; 
• Offenses are punishable with fines of 500€ to 200,000€ and potentially imprisonment.

Mine have NO worries! They’re insured.

Technically, I am higher, in the sense that I’m above sea level.

I thoroughly enjoyed my hectic time in Texas, as well as Florida, Colorado and Mississippi, but now I’m back on this side of the pond.

I gotta say the weather is better here…at least until the cold and wind arrive!

I’m glad to be here again. I feel more tranquil. It’s probably because of the sea…looking out from my balcony at the blue water extending to the horizon and hearing the sound of the waves and the wind. Whatever the reason, the effects are good for my state of mind.

Every summer when I vacate my apartment here, I have to store my belongings for the time that I am away. And I have A LOT of belongings! Libras (like me), it is said, are known for craving order, balance, and beauty. Their home needs to be organized, attractive, and cozy. So, I’ve made the apartment that I rent my own. I put away the host’s sheets and towels and pillows and knick knacks, and replace them with my own. I’ve had to hold myself back from buying dishes and furniture, and so far I’ve been successful in that. I’ve even taken down some of the wall art and bought other pieces. Next to my bed, the hosts had hanging a drawing of a naked woman seen from behind. Her perfect hourglass figure only taunted me, reminding me of my increasingly imperfect figure. So I took it down and replaced it with a pastel of the Begur castle painted in soothing colors.

I’ve written before of my internal struggle with missing family and friends and wondering whether living here is the right thing for me to do. But then I’ll have a moment like I had yesterday. I went to the annual festival (Festa Major) of a small town near me. I was invited by a British friend who lives there and is on the town’s committee that organises the event. I didn’t really want to go because I’ve only been here about 5 days and I had things to do, but I went and it was so worth it. It’s a town of 900+ people and there was a crowd over a few hundred in the square. We drank Vermouth and nibbled on potato chips and olives while a duo of a guitarist and drummer played popular songs in English, Spanish, and Catalan. I’d never heard Maggie Mae sung in Spanish!! People of all ages danced and sang along. This is why I’m here.

I feel like I have made some progress in my continuing goal to improve my Catalan language ability, but fluidity of speech is still out of reach. But French on the other hand, which I am also continuing to study, I feel like I will NEVER come close to mastering. How do all those French people do it? I’m going to keep trying though!!

LOVE BEGUR! Love the Costa Brava! Love Catalunya! Happy to be here!!!

I just found this quote…I don’t know where it’s from, but I like it: seeking out places that light up your soul is nothing to be ashamed of.

From the apartment complex just above mine…