A bit of a whinge

Had a hectic day so bit of a whinge here, we love Spain and don’t complain too often. So here go let’s get it all off our chests at one go.
As we say bit of a hectic day yesterday, Market day of course also Dia opened up again, hurrah isn’t it looking good. We also had promised to help out a friend cleaning a house they are moving into, the lights fused half way through morning, darn it. With some on line assignments to complete too we were pretty bushed by evening so decided to nip over to our favourite Chinese Restaurant in Benimar for a meal. Now one of the reasons we like living here is because we can have a meal outside, just love “people watching” over a nice meal and a glass of wine. Nothing to whinge at there you’re thinking, well yes actually. New smoking laws have had a detrimental affect on el fresco dining. Of course you could always get some one at the next table smoking but with tables set pretty far apart not a problem. What is a pain now though are the smokers who choose to dine inside in the chill of the air-conditioning. No inside smoking of course so what to do? Simple nip outside between each course for a quick drag no problem. Not for them maybe but as they constantly hang around between the tables a real drag for us non smokers, Special thanks must go to the Brit guy who was a cigar smoker, Just had to get a blast of his noxious weed between every course, right next to our table. Got a feeling his taste buds are only slightly less then his brain cells. I mean what could he have tasted of the food after the amount of time he spent smoking.

No we are not finish yet. Strolled home on a still very warm night, big old moon. The bar in the square was very busy as it often is this time of year. Many Brit families now the school holidays have started. Can someone please tell us why so many parents, who would not let the kids out of sight back in UK, let there primary school age children run around the streets unsupervised? Last night a gang of same thought it would be a good idea to ring a few door bells, this was well after 11. Now we know that’s not late in Spain but tell that to our elderly Spanish neighbour living alone and all locked up for the night, or the guy who has to start work at 5 tomorrow to beat the heat of the day, thanks kids and parents one and all, another blow for the Brit reputation abroad.
And last but not least it is in fact Fiesta this week in Benijofar, it’s the fiesta season after all. What to complain about there you ask? Dare I say the now “traditional” disco with dance music, that’s played all night until 8 this morning and yes we could hear it in Formentera. Tonight we are off to the caves for a little music ourselves, local musicians and artists trying to keep the community there alive and vibrant. They are now only aloud to play from 10 to 12. Oh the irony of it all. Just love Spain. Ah that feels better.

Moors and Christians parade

Last night was the final parade of the Rojales Moors and Christians Fiesta, A large crowd watched at least two hours of procession. The costumes and outfits were spectacular and the almost theatrical display, along with the bands provided a really atmospheric event.

Soon to be open?

Notice the cat waiting patiently by the steps in the middle of the picture
The swimming pool has as yet has had no attention, apart from the astroturf being installed, hopefully in the next week they will drain it off and clean out the debris then fill it up with fresh water, last year after they had filled it the ayuntamiento workers had to drain it off again as they found pipe leaks.
One or two people are still saying that the pool was described by the builder as a community pool and they are not paying any community fees untill they get a key, If it was a community pool(and its not) i´m sure they would not want to pay their share of the care and maintenance for it. New municipal pool direction signs are now in place at theend of Avenida Los Palacios and at the Square, No sign yet of the Bar in the la Zenia Square, Its Formentera fiesta in honour of Purisima Concepcion,this weekend so after this is finished the bar will probably open.

CB News, jobs and bins

The Costa Blanca News is in the paper shop today and every Friday, it has gone up from €1.50 to €1.60, it is full of paid advertising and and a relatively small amount of news, i have to wonder why the price increase.

There are very few jobs in the situations vacant, some of them appear to be in week after week, with the shortage of employment i wonder why! i am sure some of the employers collect c.v´s for a hobby.

I noticed the binmen round last night, i was amazed to see the operatives scrub the outside of the bin, then it is loaded into the truck and emptied , the back of the truck then closes down and the bin is automatically power washed, then returned to its position at the side of the road.if you leave a large item by the rubbish bin, a vehicle is sent to collect usually within 24 hours.

The recycling here deserves a mention , there several are recycling points all within walking distance , with separate bins for cardboard ,plastic, glass, and battery's.

We all wait with bated breath to see how the fiesta (so called) pans out this weekend, last year we suffered extremely loud music from 11.00P.M. to 7.00 A.M right through the weekend, -nobody slept. This year several people are leaving the area for the weekend to get away from it.

But this year they have not blocked the road with disco equipment like last year, so maybe it is going to be more people friendly.