sizzle sizzle

                                        The Giant Strimmer

 Hate to tell you, especially you guys in UK, but its boiling hot again today. Temperature is hovering around 40  degrees. Order of the day then is water water and more water. Thank goodness the water supply problem we had earlier in the week seems to sorted. We had not water for a whole day, really makes you realize what some people have to put up with in some parts of the world, so as ever the tap may be ready to flow but we will treat this precious resource with respect.

Order of the day is keep the shutters closed and if you have to get something done do it early in the day. We do have air-con in some parts of the house but again for environmental reasons we rarely use them. We do use a fan at night in front of the open window.

As I said yesterday lots of work going on in the campo. this year they are cutting the reeds along the river. This was a job that used to be done every year but due to the shortage of money its been left for a couple of years. Its must be hellish hard work down at the bottom of the valley along the river. It does look like we will have a view of running water from the garden pretty soon though, so its  thank you to those people getting the work done despite the heat.

The Valencia Water Judges

We see the orange groves being waterlogged and the farmers diverting the water in the irrigation channels, this is all controlled by the Water Judges.Every Thursday at midday The Tribunal de Aqua (Water Tribunal) meet in Valencia. This was set up by Jaime I to regulate the distribution of the River Turia's water for irrigation. The irrigation system itself was designed and built by the Moors. The judges are eight ordinary workers who each represent a different irrigation network. It's their job to sort out the inevitable problems and conflicts between users. They are elected for two year terms of office, wear traditional smocks and hand down their sentences orally in the Valencian language. There is no right of appeal. The speed of this particular justice system and its longevity have made it world-famous.