Saturday night surprise

It was a quiet night. I entertained myself with a Spanish movie (on TV), I understood not a word, and with YouTube clips. All my favourite oldies are there.

Then, with no nighttime hot water available for a bath, I settled down to sleep. It was 10pm but the hotel bar was audibly active. I was just telling my brain to ignore it when the telephone rang.

The last time the phone rang it was an error. But I answered it anyway. "Terence?" Enquirer the voice, and when I had affirmed it, "please wait". So I did. A voice then announced that it was Antonio and perhaps I wanted to join them in the pub? Well why not? I was unlikely to sleep too well until later anyway.

There were 2 engineers from Valeo waiting for me outside. "We tried the town hotel, but you were not there" they said. "Where are your coats?" I asked - looking at them I felt over dressed, but feeling the cold wind I felt under dressed. Perhaps these Spanish people are very hardy? But no, they just left their coats in the pub and were warming themselves with alcohol as we walked.

The pub had a noisy tv playing pop songs from years ago and everyone shouted over it. I was introduced to people I knew from work, plus 2 wives, the latter kissing me on both cheeks in greeting.

"Rum or whiskey" they asked. When I realised it was not a joke, I ordered rum and coke. No beer drinking at this pub, although it was available. At about midnight the tv went blank (but not silent) and the coloured lights started spinning disco style. No one danced, we just had another drink. The place was far too packed to allow anything else.

Just when I was getting really hoarse trying to converse, people started to move to leave. We all decided to go and several of us walked up the hill past my hotel. I thanked them all for a pleasant evening and rang the hotel bell hoping to get in. It was 1am. The manager opened the door and appeared apologetic that I had had to wait 10 seconds. Their bar was now quiet and the chance of a good night loomed expectantly ahead.

So that's what the Spanish do for entertainment. It just starts at about 10pm.

Cordialement
Terry

Envoyé de mon iPhone

Attempted photo in difficult light conditions.