So, I am back in Merida at last. I started out in Barcelona, many days ago, and my arse has been stuck in a plane seat or a coach seat or a car seat , or and airport bar ever since. I stayed in a hotel when I got back to Merida, as I had to collect my keys the next day. When I got home the electric cable was in the street, but this was due to a storm Thursday, which I experienced in a 747 coming into Miami. It was a “we are all gong to die” moment. I was lucky to get seated next to Lionel, a black guy in a suit, who was so interesting that we did a straight four hours conversation, which may well be a record. Thankyou Lionel, and I will email you when I find the card you gave me. Hope you have a good holiday in Jamaica.

My power is now fixed, thanks to Rosario, who works in the local filling station, ( these people do not read my blog but anyway…. ).

I am enjoying the ceiling fan and the fridge is getting back to being cool.

Looking forward to meeting up with all my Gringo and Mexicano amigos next week.

Oh and a special thanks to Michael Faraday ( you know who you are ).

A newcomer to Spain is faced with the problem of learning the language, should they want to, but in addition the problem of British politeness that will cause the Spanish to titter, or look sideways even if you say the correct words. Typically you would enter into a bar or shop and state what you want.

e.g. “A beer”, “A pound of cheese”, “Syringe my ears” ( at the doctor’s ) all without a “Hello”, “Would you?”, “Could you”, “Bye”, “Thank you”, “Nice weather”, etc etc. The plus side is that a crowded bar can be served by one waiter who works like an octopus, and will multitask like Flynn, any extra words will slow him down. By the same token you should never need to call a Spanish waiter, they have it all timed, and if you break the schedule, a glance in the right direction will bring them running. But we are not used to such stuff, we British.

In my time in Spain I have learned the Spanish “brevity”, and it went down well, but in Mexico it marks one out as being “Spanish” and of ill breading. So, what to do? Change, change again?

I have been encouraged by my landlady here in Alicante, she is from Argentina, and tells me she never uses “tu”, unless it is to a child or a dog, will always “por favor”, and “gracias”. “Ustedes” and not “vosotros”, and I have been minded to do the same.

If they do not like it they can stick it up their “culos”. As an Englishman, I think South American Spanish is the way to go.

I am reinforced in this by the fact(ish) that whenever I strike up friendly conversation with anyone here, who smiles and  seems genuinely friendly they are most usually from Colombia, Chile,  Equador, etc.

Descanso mi maleta!

Que tengan un buen dia.

To come all the way to Spain, and then end up going to Benidorm. You’d have to ask why. After a week of Spanishness , gassy larger, tastey food and well dressed people a body gets a little homesick, so on the tram, and in just over an hour, I’m back in Blighty.

Off the tram, and into the Manchester United bar, where a sweaty fat guy in a string vest poured me a foaming pint of John Smith’s smooth. A watch of the match, and more warm foaming beer. To be surrounded by my fellow brits, all decked out in football colors, A couple of hours walk around, and back on the tram to Alicante.

If you never went to Benedorm, it pretty much what you’d imagine, a concrete jungle, tacky gift shops, and bars with signs such as “Barry and Sue ( Wigan )” over the door. On the plus side, Benedorm is said to one of the most eco friendly cities in Spain, in that it is densly populated, you can get anywhere on foot. The use of natural resources in Benedorm is said to be a model for cities of the future.

The future is green, the future is Benedorm.

Come to Benedorm.

Tuve que ir a R.U. un pocito , mientras que estaba en Europa, pensé en venir aquí a Alicante por la enésima vez. Es una ciudad muy tranquila, se puede andar a pie todos lugares, hay sol, y la conozco bastante bien. Entonces tengo oportunidad recomenzar postando sobre la comida. Mi lugar favorito se llama “Lizaran”. Es un bar basqueo de tapas, es una cadena, como McDonalds, y es verdad que trabajan con una fórmula. Tienen un modelo de negocios muy impresionante. Ponen tapas en una vitrina. y te sirves tu misma. Hay que quedarte con los palitos que tenga cada tapa, es como te cobran luego. Ponen cerveza y no te das cuenta como gastas. Luego hay una cuenta larga, pero siempre dan tentación. Llevan tapas calientes con un olor fuerte, como gambas a la plancha con ajo. La combinación de cerveza con pinchos es muy difícil resistir. Seguro que conseguiré algunas fotos de la comida rica.

Bueno, son las dos y media, pero no pienso en la comida en este momento. Voy a esperar un poco. Hay dos partidos esta noche; Barca v Bilbao ( Copa del Rey ), y Wigan v Man U. Voy a comer mas tarde que normal, y también debo ir al bar temprano conseguir buen sitio.

Mañana escibiré en Ingles.

Saludos.