By The People For The People?

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Maybe not my business as its San fulgencia, but had to make a general comment on recent events there. Not about corruption, let me make that clear, no comment on rights or wrongs, who done it and who didn’t. I prefer to leave that to the courts. However something did seem worthy of a posting, see what you think out there.
You will all no doubt have seen the story of British councillors take the reins, if only for a day. Even the good old BBC took a moments rest from the Brand/Ross story to take a look. The details seem a little fuzzy with at least one British guy saying that he had not been Mayor for a day. The one point that does seem to be clear is the fact that these two representatives of the people who do not speak much Spanish at all. Now I would have thought to be effective as a politician in any country you would need a very good command of the language. I know I would never give my vote to someone who in reality would not know what the heck was going on. May be that’s why one of them was made councillor for animals, do dogs bark in Spanish?
No joking a side, it maybe very noble and not a little brave to stand for election to represent your community, isn’t it just a little short sighted to do so if you cannot understand what is going on in the meeting you will attend.

What surprises me is that there is not some sort of ruling about competency in the official language of the country in which you are standing. Surely that would make sense.

Souper Time of year

Even here in sunny Spain soup is high on our family meal menu. The vegetables in season and available on the markets are perfect for a variety of hearty, tasty and of course healthy soups. Loads of root veg about now, mushrooms* are good, pumpkins of course, lovely fleshy ones. Any slightly squishy tomatoes can be used in soup.
My fresh herbs are still doing well, even the annual basil is holding out. All in all a really “souper” time of year for those who like to cook. A family favourite with us in a fish soup which makes good use of the marvellously fresh and flavoursome leeks you can buy at present. Here’s the recipe enjoy!

For each person

1 potatoes peeled and chopped into large chunks
Half a leek chopped
Half an onion diced
259-300grams of fish in bite size pieces
Fish Stock (freshly made from fish trimmings or from stock cube, if using stock be careful when salting the soup)
Olive oil
Lemon juice
Parsley
Garlic to taste
Plain flour
Black pepper
Salt
In a large heavy base saucepan sauté the vegetables adding in this order:
Onions, potatoes, garlic crushed, leeks. Sauté the Vegetables carefully but do not allow to brown. When the onions and leeks are looking transparent stir in a dessert spoon of flour per person, do this of the heat. Return to stove cook for a minute then slowly add enough stock to well cover the mixture ( add a little more during cooking as required while veg is cooking) reduce heat and simmer until veg are cooked. Season to taste. Just before serving heat the soup and add the fish a little at as time. Fish will cook in a very short time. To serve, liquor should be first with crusty bread followed by fish and veg topped with a mixture of oil. Lemon juice and parsley. If preferred you can serve all together.
*a lot of these are grown in the area La Manchuela area if you’ve ever been up to Cuenca you will have seen the special growing buildings.

Lost and Found

We read so much about crime these days I wanted to tell you all about something that happened to us the other day. We had been out taking a friends dog for a walk. We went all around Rojales and came back through the fields and then out to the road by the Thai Royal Gardens Restaurant. When we got in John noticed that the clip that held my mobile phone was still around my neck but the phone was missing. There seemed nothing for it but to retrace our steps and search, I had just got a new sim and put a lot of cash onto the phone so I was really spitting feathers! Not holding out much hope I nipped into the friends to make sure it was not there, no luck. In the mean time John tried ringing the phone, I was just about to tell him not to fearing that if it was lying somewhere ringing might attract attention to it and it would be picked up and gone. However what happened next proved me wrong. The phone was answered, a local farmer we had seen working in his artichoke field had found the phone, He told John to meet him at the Dia supermarket in half and hour to collect the phone. What a nice, honest faith restoring individual Thank you again Senor and muchas gracias

Angels Trumpets

The Datura Tree
It’s always amazing to see these trees in flower at this time of year. The huge trumpet shape flowers give the tree its other name angel’s trumpets; however you might think devils trumpets more suitable. The tree is very toxic, despite that it has been used as a medicine plant in the past. Most especially by the curandero (or curandera for a female) shaman of Hispanic South American countries, Shamans are healers who uses all types of natural methods. When we lived in Cornwall there was a major problem with people eating this plant, so much so that all the trees where removed form public parks. It is very dangerous and causes all sorts of problems including hallucinations. The effects can be long lasting in some rare instances.
Never the less if you look and don’t touch it’s a dramatic and attractive plant seen in may places around Formentera

Clear Horizon Empty Pockets

It was a cold day yesterday but bright with a clear up on the roof terrace there was a clear view over the Vega Baja. As I stood up there taking in the view I realized something was missing, I was so astounded I shouted John to take a look. We have taken in this view many many times over the last four years but never ever have we seen a sight like this. Wait for it! There is not a single crane in sight, no I don’t mean birds I mean the Grua, those hugh cranes we see on building sites here, well you used to. What’s the story behind this? Quite simply the building industry has hone into freefall. Hard times maybe for the promoters, developers the agents harder indeed for the poor, now quite literally, workers