Sunday, 27 April 2008
Am I back in England?
Apart from this view from my window, I'd think I'd found my way back home! Even the view is not, as it appears, a traditional Spanish village, but a holiday complex built in the 1980s. It is basically a bit of England in Spain - last night I had a take-away from the Thai restaurant down the road while watching "Have I got news for you". I decided I couldn't quite cope with the idea traditional Sunday roast in the restaurant downstairs today, but after cooking a Spanish vac-pac of chicken in honey and mustard that tasted like foam rubber in brine, I rather wished I had!
I spent much of yesterday in Cordoba bus and train stations. I couldn't go anywhere because there was nowhere to leave my luggage. The battery on the phone was getting a bit low, so I couldn't even post the rest of my Madrid photos on the blog. There's something quite relaxing about knowing there is absolutely nothing one can do except sit and read until the bus goes.
The bus journey turned out to be well over four hours! I didn't think it would be that long, because tne holiday place's website described Cordoba as a possible day-trip for people staying here without a hire-car. It would technically be possible - if you got the morning bus, you'd just have time for lunch in the bus station before getting the afternoon bus back!
Anyway, the apartment is very nice, and seems huge after spending three nights in a room where I could quite literally touch both walls at the same time!
This morning I went to tne English church in San Pedro. I'm afraid I found myself committing the sin of envy; they worship in a very nice modern chapel which is part of the hall of the Roman Catholic church. Much as I love our beautiful, large listed buildings, I could see the attraction of a comfortable, modern place of worship with no responsibilty for maintenance. However, the vicar had to dash off to drive 40kms for the next service - I didn't envy him that! They were a very nice, friendly congregation, and the vicar had even taken the trouble to ask someone who lives in this direction to give me a lift back.
I spent much of yesterday in Cordoba bus and train stations. I couldn't go anywhere because there was nowhere to leave my luggage. The battery on the phone was getting a bit low, so I couldn't even post the rest of my Madrid photos on the blog. There's something quite relaxing about knowing there is absolutely nothing one can do except sit and read until the bus goes.
The bus journey turned out to be well over four hours! I didn't think it would be that long, because tne holiday place's website described Cordoba as a possible day-trip for people staying here without a hire-car. It would technically be possible - if you got the morning bus, you'd just have time for lunch in the bus station before getting the afternoon bus back!
Anyway, the apartment is very nice, and seems huge after spending three nights in a room where I could quite literally touch both walls at the same time!
This morning I went to tne English church in San Pedro. I'm afraid I found myself committing the sin of envy; they worship in a very nice modern chapel which is part of the hall of the Roman Catholic church. Much as I love our beautiful, large listed buildings, I could see the attraction of a comfortable, modern place of worship with no responsibilty for maintenance. However, the vicar had to dash off to drive 40kms for the next service - I didn't envy him that! They were a very nice, friendly congregation, and the vicar had even taken the trouble to ask someone who lives in this direction to give me a lift back.