Martos

These 2 photos are from the same place at different times. Whilst not quite the same angle, they are one of the more elevated views over the town.

The night picture was clearer weather. As you may spot, the daytime view of the hill is obscured by mist.

The spot is near the large church on the hill, and in the evening it is well lit up making a clear landmark over the town. So you would think it should be easy to find. But no. The old town streets and houses below it cause the roads to twist and turn in confusing ways. And the houses themselves are not so much tall, but being close together they obscure any view of the church once you get close.

So you head for the church but the road turns you away. There are no-through roads, by-ways, and nothing straight. So the first time I tried to walk there I failed. These photos are the result of finding a route and the tracing the reverse direction the next day.

It is still not easy, but I am beginning to recognise some landmarks on the way.

Cordialement
Terry

Envoyé de mon iPhone

Wind

It was windy last night. It kept me awake for a while so I looked out of the window to see if it was raining too. But it was just wind, lots if wind!

I don't know when it stopped but this morning it was all gone and the day seemed very still. The clock on the hill across the valley from the hotel played its song to indicate the hour as I went down for breakfast.

Yesterday the breakfast room was full every table was occupied and even my spare chair was borrowed by one group. There had been some sort of event in the afternoon but this morning I was the only one there.

I looked out of the window onto the patio. The devastation reminded me of last night's wind (photo).

The owner came by to make coffee. I commented on the mess. He spoke in Spanish and I understood "photo" so at first I thought he had seen me take a picture, but his shrug of his shoulders led me to believe he was planning, without much hope, to make an insurance claim.

And that would explain why it has not been quickly tidied up.

Cordialement
Terry

Envoyé de mon iPhone

A Castle on the Hill

Saturday, and a chance to visit somewhere. 

Somewhere different. 

But Séville was a long way so I recalled a castle I had seen on the 'alternative' route to Grenada. 

I guessed where it might be on the map and got it wrong, but quite by chance, when I was leaving the small hilly town with tiny streets that my gps thought I could drive down, I found the sought after castle after it came in view. 

After a drive down country roads, I arrived at a fairly substantial town. I parked just after passing a pleasant town center and returned to seek a toilet. There were lots of elderly people around, I felt sure there would be one. There was. I tried the door to find it was locked, but the large building it was attached to proved to be a library with access from the inside. 

So it was that I was able to climb the steep roads to the castle in relative comfort. The photos are from the top. The castle is being hugely restored and you can't get in. There are loads of ruined houses below the walls, and a notice proclaims the restoration progress. You can see some of the view from the new road that skirts the ruins. It's rather industrial in places. 

So where is it? I don't know, I told you I guessed wrong and found it by chance! 

For fun I choose the country road back which made 10km of windy road feel like 30km. But I was not in a hurry and it was much more fun. The car was quite incapable of driving itself down such roads. 

It had to rely on me. 

Terence Westoby

terrywestoby@gmail.com

+33 6 75 91 87 71

Sent from Samsung tablet

Tapas Espagne

As I think I have said before, the best way to experience tapas is to let the Spanish organise it. 

Last night some of the team meet in a tapas bar and I was invited too. It is a Thursday, but people commute back for the weekend on Friday, particularly as Friday end early. So Thursday is the night out time. 

And a lovely mild evening it was. All of us live a short walk from the selected bar, my 400 yards was perhaps the furthest, and my walk boasted the only hill. The mild weather meant that coats were unnecessary but pullovers were advisable. 

As I had gone to get cash, I was a little after the stated time. I waited a while for someone to arrive and eventually thought I had missed them, but the first 2 had sneaked into a corner whilst I was not looking. I joined them, and 2 others arrived shortly after. 

Beer is small and fizzy, and there is a small plate of tapas with each one. But this team were here for more substantial stuff. 

As I hope you can see in the photo, here is meat and oil in abundance. Even the chips are covered in ham, oil, and mashed egg. It is all delicious, and this time I have the receipt so I can guess what they were called! 

The ladies passed by and stopped to say hello. They went off for more serious drinking, so I was told, but I was quite happy where I was. 

Terence Westoby

Sent from Samsung tablet

New things

Every time I come our to Spain, I have a new car to drive. Whilst arriving at the hotel now feels like coming home! the car experience is something to be learned every time.

This time the lady at the desk tried hard to ensure I had cruise control. I find this essential for traveling on the long empty routes through the middle of the country. She succeeded.

Indeed this car has almost everything except it is not convertible. There is a large touch-screen in the middle that does the air-conditioning. This then doubles as part of the cruise control, but I found that out only much later.

As usual with a new car, it takes time to find out how it all works. I got in all right but could not access a key. Still, since there was no ignition, all I had to do was leave the key on the passenger seat.

Now I had seen plans for this. The car detects the key and whether it is in or out of the car. In the car, you can start it (if you work out that you have to press the clutch at the same to was the start button). If out of the car you can open the locked car by pulling on the door handle, or lock an open car by pressing the back of the door handle.

Problem.
How do you check the car is locked? If you try the door it unlocks! But this one swings the wing mirrors in when it is locked so you can tell.

The lights are automatic, as is the hand break (a small switch). The car holds itself on hills and has proximity sensors front and back. The central display tells you how close you are. It is tempting to park without looking out of the windows! The rear mirror dims as required and the windscreen wipers are probably automatic, but this is Spain and I have had no chance to find out.

But starting the cruise control took me several kilometres. Part of the problem was that the error messages for my attempts were in German. And part of the problem was the control that was behind the steering wheel and out if sight. It had 3 switches and a rolling wheel. But 2 of the switches pushed in and pulled back. Once I pulled one back it all swung into operation.

But that was not all. I puzzled over the effect of pushing the switches. It caused the central display to change and offer lots of options. I tried one. It set the cruise control to a standard speed. I quickly found I could select the road speed when it changed and the car would adapt.

And then I came up behind a lorry. I lost power. What's up I thought, but nothing was up. The display over the steering wheel showed how close I was to the vehicle in front and the cruise control adapted to stay 2 seconds behind it. I adjusted that to 2 1/2 seconds- this car made you lazy and I wanted the extra time to be sure!

It is a little alarming coming up behind things and waiting for the car to slow up at the last minute. But it does. As you pull out in the dual carriageway to overtake, it notices the clear road ahead and accelerates. Freaky.

So I arrived at the hotel. As I stopped, the car turned the engine off for me and put the hand break on. I felt miffed at having to open the door for myself.

Now it is not a "drive it for you" car yet. And the headlamps don't notice oncoming traffic and darken parts of the beam to stop glare. These things are being worked on an will be coming one day.

I have a feeling it won't be long.

Cordialement
Terry

Envoyé de mon iPhone

Sorry for the last post

So those of you who saw the last blog (now deleted) will realise it was a bit spurious. It is so easy to publish a blog that I did it by accident. The information was stuff that I found and captured concerning French law of succession and so I sent it to myself .... but I chose the wrong email.

Now in addition to it being easy to publish the blog, many of you also get an email with the new blog post. That's easy too.

But if that is a little boring, here is something to make you think. At the French company I work for it advertised in English,

"There are more children leaning English in China than there are in England".

Those of you who live there may be able to tell me if they no longer teach English in school. But I suspect it is just a question of numbers really.

So now you know.