Not really going on about the rain ..... but!

Its a funny thing you know! It rains constantly in England - all winter and most of the summer! Spring is usually very good and Autumn can be too. However, predominantly we think of the UK and we think "damp". Its been raining here on and off, since the week before Christmas - about two months and are we fed up with it? You betcha we are!!!

I have said to Derek, if I moan about the heat this coming summer feel free to give me a good slap (virtual of course - a real one might end in me slapping him back). There is nothing like a bit of adversity to make one appreciate what one has!

The other thing we take for granted - the electricity thing - hmmm rain and electricity dont go well together here - in fact the other day we had a rapidly diminishing supply of the one and an increasing supply of the other. As the day wore on the lights got dimmer and dimmer - rallying sometime in the afternoon to plummet again when people started to turn on appliances and lights!

Have YOU tried calling Endesa - there is a possibility that I might commit murder one day. DONT call in the afternoon - I think they might be on skeleton crew. I spent a lot of time on hold - a LOT - the first time I got to speak to someone he spoke Spanish verrrrrrrrrrrry fast and refused to slow down. After a lot of tries I finally made it back to being on hold and on hold and on hold .............. yawn ....oh yes someone to speak to and I lost signal on my mobile. And so on and so on - in the end I was far more frustrated by Endesa/vodaphone than I ever was by the very low power. Next time - I will just wait it out I think!

Finally Endesa/Sevillana came to clamber up the pylon and switch off all the electricity (they waited until it was nearly dark to do this, of course) - mad rush around to light candles etc. The guy went up the pylon with a little TORCH - bless him!! Anyway about an hour later - hey presto - bright lights! (Nothing to do with his torch - this was POWER).

But something occurred to me during all this. We thought that it was bad here in Spain but we have never been more than a few hours without electricity. Yes we have been without due to the anomaly that is our house, at times, but never because of Endesa. Yet we hear on the news of places in the UK being without power for days. So we cant really grumble can we?

Semana Santa - or Easter to you and me!!

It suddenly occurred to me the other day that Easter can only be about 4 weeks away and what better place to go for Easter than Andalucia?

Before we came to live here we used to subscribe to all the magazines about living in Spain and saw the pictures and articles about "Semana Santa" but they didn't really mean that much. So we talked to our Spanish teacher about it when we first came in 2004 and as we were just up the road from Malaga, where they "go to town" for Semana Santa; we made sure we went into Malaga to see what its all about.

We were recommended to go on a Thursday night - so as usual we took the bus (saves all the hassle of driving and more importantly - parking - in Malaga where both activities are hazardous to say the least. Thursday is one of the most spectacular nights of the week. In Malaga and Seville the celebrations last all week but in smaller towns and villages it may only be from Thursday to Sunday.

Okay, so bear in mind that we are not religious in any way although religion fascinates and interests me because I like ceremony and history. You don't need to be religious to be moved and entranced by what happens in Semana Santa. The first thing that hits your nostrils is the heavy scent of incense and candle-wax - incense mainly. Your ears are the first thing to experience the heavy beat of the drums but actually you feel the drums all the way from your feet up to your ears. Then there is the haunting sound of the trumpet.

Its all quite eerie really. The processions of thrones and I mean thrones - these things weigh tons and are carried on the shoulders of men who have to apply to be considered and I believe pay as well. All of the men are either dressed in black suits with white shirts or in robes. Some are blind folded and some bare foot. The penitents follow and there are lots of robes (different colours depending on the parish) and pointy hats and masks.

Malaga: One of the most spectacular features of the Holy Week in Malaga is that the floats are simply monumental and can weigh up to six tons. They are made to house velvet and gold drapes which reach up to some nine metres and cover the "dolorasa" (statues). The sheer size of the floats means that they cannot enter through the churches and therefore have to be assembled in the street. More than a hundred young men support each one. The "Virgen de las Penas" (Virgen of Sorrow) is not dressed in the traditional velvet robe but instead clad with natural flowers comprising more than twenty thousand carnations. (This an excerpt from an obscure website www.dismalworld.com .... nothing dismal about this I can tell you)

I would definitely recommend that one sees it all in Malaga or Seville as well as the small villages. Its very nice in the smaller places but lacks the power of the city. The streets are cordoned off and chairs are set out for those who want to pay. Beware though - food and drink increase in price and decrease in quality for that week (or that was our opinion anyway).

If you need B&B you know where to come!!

Facts on Transporting dogs by Ferry Plymouth to Santander

Looking at photos the other day to put with the blog I came across all the photos we took on our journey to Malaga in 2004. So I took a trip down memory lane (a bit emotional as the two Cockers are now no more) and thought you might like to hear about it. If you are thinking of moving to Spain with your animals it will be of especial interest to you.

We had originally intended to fly the dogs to Malaga and we would fly on the same flight. But as the time got closer I got more and more concerned about subjecting two dogs, nearly 10 years old, to the stress of crates, screaming jet engines and possible delays. We had not intended to bring a car across at all. We were going to hire one until we could purchase one. About 2 weeks before leaving the UK we decided to drive. Neither of us could face flying Sham and Rock out here so we decided to drive our English car to Plymouth and take the Pont Aven to Santander in Northern Spain. The Pont Aven was a new ship at that time and had kennels for dogs so no need to leave them in a car.

It was great. Obviously a one hour trip to Plymouth docks at the UK end was easy. We, and anyone else with animals, were put in a different queue and we were parked on the boat near the lift that went straight to the kennels at the top of the boat. As I say, this was a new vessel at the time and so the kennel room and kennels were all very nice. We took blankets and bowls and food. The kennels are all stainless steel and with that knowledge if we were to do it again I would take a rubber mat for the bottom of the cage and a blanket to put on top. Stainless steel drinking bowls were attached to the cage already. We were late booking so were told that they would have to be in separate cages but when we got up there the poor bloke in charge hadn't got a clue what was going on and Derek just told him we needed a large cage to put the two dogs together and thats what we got. For anyone concerned that we did a large dog out of a large cage - there appeared to be plenty for all.

The only time we were not allowed up there was whilst leaving port and whilst docking in Santander - all the rest of the time you could come and go as much as you liked. There was a small deck outside the kennels but below was the helideck and that was empty and so that was where everyone took their dogs for exercise. As you can see from one of the photos Derek launched his career as a Kate Winslet (not lookalike) wannabe and did his Titanic bit!!! Hmmm - okay moving swiftly on!

The journey down to Malaga was long - predictably - but fairly without incident for the dogs anyway. We stopped every couple of hours for a water break and run around for the dogs and stretch legs for us. As we didn't get off the boat until 2.00ish in the afternoon and it was the end of September and in the afternoon we were in Northern Spain this all helped with the heat - so it was a comfortable journey for them. The only time we got it wrong was outside Madrid. We stopped about an hour and a half before Madrid and swapped over for me to drive and after the walk and water took off again. The traffic got heavier and heavier as we approached the city and the amount of lanes on the motorway got more and more. It was lucky that I was driving and Derek was directing as he is so much better at that. We got through okay but had hit Madrid at rush hour and it took us over two hours to get to somewhere where we could stop again. By this time both dogs were very thirsty indeed and we felt terrible. (We only had one divorce and it was after that section with tempers a little frayed ...... marital bliss resumed the next day!!)

That was the only drama for the dogs - we slept in the car that night I think somewhere around Valdepenas - sleep being a loose term used to describe a period during which eyes are closed and no sleep occurred!!! Actually I dont think my eyes closed that much. We parked up on the edge of a lorry park - walked the dogs - ate something and got back in the car. The dogs were great. It was dark and they were in their basket and so they slept. We were sat fairly upright due to carrying far too much in the back of the car and it was FREEZING!!! which we didn't expect. Then a shadowy black figure on a very squeaky old fashioned upright bike cycled past in slow motion almost and about half an later he cycled back again. Bearing in mind we are now talking about 1.00 or 2.00am this completely destroyed any likelihood of me sleeping again that night. Long, long, cold night. Still 6.00am and we gave up any pretence and were on the road again by 6.30. It was still very cold and very dark but we saw a spectacular sunrise and reached our destination around 11.00am. About an hour after our furniture which shouldn't have been arriving until the next day.

I would do it again but:
* Definitely make sure that if you are sleeping in the car that it is comfortable.
* If transporting dogs - a crate with an attached non spill water dish would be the sensible idea.
* A sleeping bag per person also desirable but my recommendation would be to stay in a hotel that take animals.

Dog Training Classes for you and your Pooch

Yes its that time again when Rachel and I pool our resources to help you and your pooch improve your relationship.

When Derek and I got our two cocker spaniels, Shammy and Rocky back in 1995 - WE WERE CLUELESS. I had grown up with dogs - and even had my own but they were farm dogs. All our dogs and cats lived outside. Puppies were allowed to live in the kitchen for a couple of weeks and the odd lamb that was orphaned but apart from that the animals were outside. Because they lived outside training was not a huge issue. Dad did have a properly trained sheepdog but that was after I left home so dogs and training did not really come into my sphere of knowledge.

So having these two gorgeous cocker spaniels with yards of pedigree we thought we needed to "train 'em up". Fly on the wall fell off laughing so many times I dont think it could tell the story. Basically the woman who ran the classes just shook her head - lots and said it was us that needed training. Hmmm she definitely had a point there. I don't think we made a great job of training Sham and Rock but they were fairly amenable characters and any misbehaving that they did was usually down to us.

So, I can hear you asking, what qualifies me for dog training now? Time, darling, time is a great healer!! And Rachel of course - a much better trainer than the one we had back in Taunton. Rachel is the proprietor of Posh Pets Spain for those of you wondering!

She started the dog training courses at her establishment in Alhaurin el Grande about 3 years ago. She invited myself and another lady, Claire a dog behaviourist, to join in to give a complete service (my input was with the animal reiki - see blog from 23 January this year). That first group was very big so we all learnt a lot from that. We have done 3 or 4 courses during the period and now are ready to embark again into the "Sit, stay, stand on your head (oh no - that last bit is me - sorry!!) of a new course.

The Basic course consists of:

• Walking politely on a lead: the informal heel.
• Recall.
• Dog Manners.
• Walking in Traffic.
• Socialization & interaction with dogs & people.

We have loads of fun so if you have a dog that could do with a nudge in the right direction or if you need that nudge then contact Rachel at Posh Pets Spain on 952597035. The new course will start on Saturday, 13th February - Class at 11.00 am registration at 10.45am.

Only dogs and owners please - no spectators - you will have to get your laughs somewhere else!!

Aroma Stone (Hot Stone) Massage

After all the linking and reading and what have you yesterday to try and get ACE back to his owners I think a little gentle massage is in order for today!

Aroma Stone or Hot Stone Massage is probably one of the most relaxing and luxurious massages anyone could have. I call it a "melting" massage and vaguely remember that it feels fabulous (vaguely because I haven't had one since I trained on it four years ago).

The stones used are two varieties -
We have the igneous basalt which erupts from the centre of the volcano and flows as lava. Rock is formed when the lava cools in the air or sea. Erosion and weather breaks down the rock into particles and these are transported by glaciers, rivers and the wind and deposited as sedimentary layers in lakes, rivers and sea bed where heat and pressure (by movement) change sedimentary and igneous rocks to metamorphic rocks.
Examples of metamorphic rocks are Slate, Marble, Shale.

What we use in the massage are the basalt (hot stones) and marble (cold stones).

As a contemporary therapy, stone massage was introduced to the world of Spa treatments by Mary Nelson in 1993. The therapeutic use of stones and rocks has, however, been employed for thousands of years in various forms.

Today we are familiar with spas, although they are nothing new. They were originally used to improve health and well being. Spas were about getting better, the hot pools, cold dips, plunge pools, saunas and steam rooms were designed to balance the body so it could heal. The same principles apply in stone therapy - using alternating temperatures to heal. The term geothermotherapy is used because the Earth (geo) is used to deliver the temperature through the stones.

Ezine Articles writes:
....there is actually a lot of history behind the technique, especially in ancient Native American culture. With them, hot rock massages were used during sweat lodge ceremonies. Basically, as the people were sweating out their physical and spiritual impurities, hot rocks were used for added relaxation. They worked so effectively, they became known as "grandfather stones."

Many ancient cultures used stones in some form or another and nearly always there was a spiritual meaning as well as the physical. The basalt stone has been imbued with energetic and healing attributes and marble is used for protection which is why altars are often made of marble.

For the actual massage - the stones are preheated in a receptacle that looks alot like a slow cooker. They are heated to around 50 degrees C and to start with the heat is transferred from the stones via the therapists hands to the clients body. When the stones have lost their heat then fresh ones are retrieved from the heater. The cold stones are used briefly - a balanced use of "hote" and "cold" renews, invigorates and soothes the body.

Amazingly enough a hot stone massage is very tiring. The heat induces detoxing which the body needs but it uses a lot of energy. Therefore choose your day for a hot stone with the idea that when you finish you will NOT be going to run a marathon. A calm day with lots of water, light diet and preferably no alcohol are a great follow on to the massage.

If you want to know more please visit our website: mybutterflybliss.com or call me on 636105863 (spain) or 202 3239 4830 (UK).

An Appeal for Help to Re-unite Ace with his Owners

Here's a tale to tug at the heart strings - I am sure we all still have a heart don't we?

ACE is a beautiful dog whose owners have had to go back to the UK. You know how it is - work is scarce out here in Spain and money is scarcer!! Its not the usual story of no paperwork done and the owners leaving the dog behind for 7 months whilst all the jabs and paperwork take effect - no these are responsible owners. The dog is ready to travel, they have even paid the deposit to Posh Pets Spain and then things ground to a halt.

Ace's owners are having problems finding work back in the UK as well. Its a bad time for everyone and we feel for them. HOWEVER, having to find a new home for a very much loved pet is a hardship and emotional strain that they shouldn't have to face. They are such responsible owners and believe me I have seen many who are not. Through my association with Posh Pets I have seen animals dumped with them, have witnessed tears and tantrums when leaving and then never hearing from the owners again. Rachel at Posh Pets has had to put out appeals to re-home countless animals. So its sad when everything was being done correctly that the owners just cant quite make the final payment.

We all have responsibilities and many uses for our money so I am not telling you how to spend yours but if you felt you have a few (3 or 4) pounds/Euros or dollars to spare perhaps you could help ACE get home. He is featured on the home page of ACE FM radio station here in the Guadalhorce Valley (no relation other than they have championed his cause!). Just scroll down a very little and you will find his picture (aaah) and his story and a PayPal button.

If you are living in our area you can just pop into Posh Pets and donate 2 or 3 Euros (or more of course if the mood takes you!) - they are also taking a collection.

I dont usually get involved but I have seen too many abandoned animals here and it breaks my heart especially when I pass at least one or two dead cats and dogs per day on the roads. If anything drives me out of this country it will be this.

If you can help ACE go home it will be one less for ME to worry about.

There is a Facebook page for you to look at as well!! Click on the word Facebook.

Blogging - who dreamt that one up?

Its a funny thing about computers and the internet and such - the knowledge kind of creeps up on you. You think that the tools you use today have been around for ages but they haven't.
The other night I was reading a book - just a run of the mill novel which was taking place in the mid to late 1990's. Not only did the characters not have mobile phones (!) but they mentioned floppy discs and "WordPerfect" when doing computer talk. WordPerfect - where did that go? Does it still exist? Well yes it does actually but I only know that because I just did a quick Google search. And I have hidden a link under the word "Wordperfect" so that you can go and have a look if you are curious. But to get back to the book I suppose mid 1990's is 15 years ago and a lot can happen in 15 years but I didn't think so much had happened in the Computer world. Yes I realise that daily things get easier and more "user-friendly" but I remember when we bought this house in 2006 - the then owner gave us his "blog" address so that we could look at photos of the house. I didn't have a clue what a "blog" was but I "googled" "blog" and this is what I got "A blog (a contraction of the term weblog) is a type of website, usually maintained by an individual with regular entries of commentary ...".
Can you see where I am going with this? Computer-ease is part of our daily lives and THAT is what has happened over the last 10 or 15 years. In the days of "WordPerfect" we used computers as tools to get a job done. Nowadays we have difficulty in living without them. I have only had a laptop for just under 3 years and it goes everywhere with me - even overnight!! (Thats a bit sad isn't it - must stop that one!) but the point is that I run my business from it and its my telephone too!! Because we dont have a landline here in Spain we use skype for everything.
What would happen to us if suddenly (like that TV programme that I cant remember the name of but you can tell me in the comments section) where the main character was suddenly plunged from today back to the 1980's? Computers were massive giants back then and only had a "word processing" programme as a bad add-on. I do remember working in ADMA-OPCO (Abu Dhabi Marine Operating Company) in the late 1980's and working on a Macintosh - oooooh boy that was bliss and spoilt me for going back to the cumbersome Wang computers that I used in many of the Oil Companies (I was temping at the time - 5 or 6 years of it). I suppose people of a certain age would cope because we could remember "life before ....." but what about the under 25's? They would be lost with what to do with one hand (the hand that constantly texts) and I am not even going to start on mobile phones!
The first computer - possibly - was the ENIAC in the 1940's.
"The ENIAC was invented by J. Presper Eckert and John Mauchly at the University of Pennsylvania and began construction in 1943 and was not completed until 1946. It occupied about 1,800 square feet and used about 18,000 vacuum tubes, weighing almost 50 tons. Although the Judge ruled that the ABC computer was the first digital computer many still consider the ENIAC to be the first digital computer." Why did something invented in the 1940's take so long to get into everyone's home? Hmmm - that is a discussion for a different group - one far more knowledgeable than me. Suffice to say - the last 10-15 years seem to have seen such a explosion of computer technology that you just wonder why the gap?
Finally as I have already mentioned Apple Macs I might just as well declare that I have fallen for the IPad - and finally, finally you will have noticed that I have learnt how to put links under words and am enjoying that far too much!
On that note folks its Adios from me.

More on Barcelona

Okay - for those of you who thought yesterday's post was a bit thin - I was just seeing if you were awake!!

Barcelona deserves two posts at least!

On the Sunday when we went site seeing we started off with the Sagrada Familia which is the fairytale structure that you saw on yesterday's blog. Its the most fantastic Gaudi Temple. There are turrets and niches and gargoyles and wotnot all over the place. In fact it needs a day to itself. It was a bit disappointing as its being cleaned and so part of it was covered in scaffolding and there were also piles of building materials around so it was not at its best. There were also queues of people waiting to get in so we walked all around the outside and then jumped in a cab which took us to Plaza Catalunya at one end of Las Ramblas.

This was the start of a marathon walk - but oh so enjoyable. We walked the length of Las Ramblas - stopping for liquid and solid refreshments along the way (luckily for Derek and unluckily for me it was Sunday so a lot of the shops were closed). However, had I wanted a retail fest there was plenty of that when we reached Port Vell - the recreational port that Las Ramblas ends at. All around the port were street stalls selling quite upmarket "must haves" interspersed with street musicians, most of which were great!

We wandered down to the shopping mall that you have to cross a bridge to reach but that was a modern shopping mall just like the ones we have here (but a good source of public conveniences).

From the Port we followed the path round the sailing boat marina and walked along a wide pedestrian way that had little bars and more street musicians - a pit stop for a G&T and a listen to the music before continuing on our way. we eventually made it to the sea front with beaches, that wonderful piece of modern art that is in yesterdays Blog which was all athletes, and bars upon bars. A slow walk along the front admiring sand scuptures (must be heartbreaking when they get washed away.

We kept walking (sunset now) sometimes the path was on the beach and sometimes we were looking down on the beach and there were bars and cafes set into the walls of the walkway. We trotted down onto the beach for dinner and then up again. walking through the touristy area with loads of smart restaurants and then around the olympic harbour.

After that it got quieter and less touristy until we were literally walking along a sandy track looking down on the beach. It was completely dark by this time and getting later so some of the chiringuitos on the beach were heaving. We stopped every now and again to watch the dancing and listen to the "music". It was one of the best days I have had anywhere. Just great to keeping walking and walking. We thought we could get back to our hotel the way we were going but we weren't certain that the path went the full distance but it did.

Fabulous Day!

Barcelona

Well - as we are on the theme of travel perhaps a couple of words about Barcelona wouldn't go amiss.

The network marketing company that we have the privilege and pleasure of being part of held a one day event in Barcelona in September last year. Well we were really excited because so many people had said to us we should go to Barcelona so it was a perfect venue.

Amazingly enough although we live in Malaga it probably cost us more to get there than those flying from the UK. But it was worth it. The event was on the Saturday but there was a cocktail party for those who had registered for the event early enough. So we went on Thursday and had a good look around before meeting up with various people from the Company and attending the cocktail party on the Friday night.

Actually the party was great because it was a pretty small group of people so we got to meet all the top income earners in the Company many of whom had come from Australia and the States to participate in the event. We also got to meet the Co-founder of the Company, Shane Krider so all in all it was a brilliant evening.

The training day on the Saturday was equally good but tiring as registration was between 7-8am I think and we didn't finish until early evening. Great day though.


Sunday was play day. We just took ourselves off to the Sagrada Familia and from there to La Rambla. We walked miles that day getting back to our hotel (AC Barcelona at the sea end of Diagonal Mar) or the bar down the road from it, at about 10pm walked out and worn out but had a lovely day.

We would definitely go back to Barcelona - bear in mind though, its not particularly cheap so pack plenty of pennies!!

Istanbul

Hello - no we are not moving to Istanbul but I dont think I told you about the holiday that Derek won.

We had just come back from a fabulous weekend in Barcelona with loads of people who are in this great business with us. Feeling a bit flat after all the excitement and then Derek gets a call to say he had won a holiday. Oh Yeah - we thought - sure!! So we went to the shop, the local plumbers merchants and sure enough holiday for two flights, four star hotel and transfers in Istanbul. Well............... you could have knocked us down with a feather!!

Within a week we had the tickets in our hands (disgusting flight connections but oh well) and it was all booked for 21st October for one week. Its just as well that we do work for ourselves because we had just had a long weekend in Barcelona and there was no option as to when we took this holiday it was that date or nothing. We took it!!

Istanbul was not a place we had ever thought of going but we certainly were not going to turn it down. The internet is such a fab place isn't it? In the past you would have had to go and get a guide book instead I printed out loads of stuff about sites and shopping and food and shopping and history and shopping and some about shopping or did I already mention that?

So although it was not a place on my list to visit I am so so so happy that we did go. We walked in buildings that had been there for hundreds and hundreds of year - looked at clothes and jewellery that had adorned the bodies of people who ruled a land totally alien to what it is today. It gave you goosebumps! We crossed the Bosphorus and the Golden Horn (all those places that you learn about in school).

As I said it wasn't somewhere we had yearned to go and I am not sure I would go back BUT it was a fabulous holiday (all the better for having it paid) and I am very grateful for it.

Go if you can!

When did I become an fitness freak?

At the end of February I will have been using the gym for a year. Well admittedly I did take October off as I wasn't around much and when I was I was too busy. However, apart from that come rain, shine, shine, shine and lately more rain I have been going to the gym at least four times and more often six times a week. Do we think that is a bit over zealous? Probably.

The thing is you get hooked on exercise. Its like a drug (apparently). I did it once before years ago. I worked for an oil company in Abu Dhabi. We started work at 7am and finished by 2pm - its was like having nearly a whole day more to play with. I used to leave work and do at least 3 forms of exercise a day - sometimes up till 10.00pm. I was hooked. Eventually I broke the cycle because we went on leave and November in the UK was not conducive to water skiing and the like!!

So back to Spain and the gym at La Trocha, Coin. Sometimes I think I should be on a commission because I do witter on about it a bit. But if you live here and I mean HERE as in the vicinity of Coin etc the Aqua Wellness centre is really good. A biggish gym with a very good selection of equipment. A spinning studio, two further studios upstairs where things like step aerobics, body pump etc take place. Downstairs there is a pilates studio and various treatment rooms for massage etc. There is also a swimming pool - not very big, jacuzzi and spa area and steam, sauna, ice room (!) and hammam.

Even the staff are really nice and the other clients. Everyone is friendly and helpful. (Do you think they pay commission per superlative or just a lump sum per article?)

I do pilates - all in Spanish but you catch on quite quickly even if you dont speak any Spanish. The pilates teacher can say "sloowwwly" and "ok" and "stop" - so she is fluent!!

The Body Pump instructor can say ................. your name in "English" ............ provided he can remember it and is quite cute.

The Spinning instructor that I go to doesn't speak a word of English but works you hard on the spinning. The overall boss is a nice man who doesn't look in the slightest bit like a fitness instructor.

So yes, it gets me out of bed in the morning and I am home by 11am - ish and ready to start the days work (or go back to bed - not sure which!)

Try it - its reasonably priced and worth the money! Fit body, fit mind!