Sunday, October 29, 2006

#123 Crevé, set, go!























In this issue of Crevé 7.

All Change!
Mind the gap - extra care when changing wheels.
Clinchers? Its a cinch - we used to call them "high pressures"
Compression Punctures - How to spot that double devil.
Alternative Tyre Levers - *Fork handles - No! don't upset Mother.

*Fork Handles or Four Candles - say it out loud
(if there's no one else in the room)

#122 Arthur

This is a mate of mine, Arturo.
He doesn't always walk round with a stick.

Saturday, October 28, 2006

#121 trains & boats & planes

No planes to Dénia, but we do have a narrow gauge trainet that comes all the way from Alicante. The ferry terminal receives boats from the Balearic Islands; Ibiza, Majorca and Formentera. And arriving by car? take the AP7 and exit at junction 62.


Friday, October 27, 2006

#120 Want your car fixed?

Spain still has a lot of small family-run businesses where they prefer to repair broken bits and not fit factory-fresh, boxed replacements. They know their customers by name, they usually do a good job and you won't get ripped off. . . . . . . (ojalá).















Our local garage of choice is run by the Gimen's family; dad, various brothers and sister.

'Sis' doesn't wield a ratchet, as far as I know, but attends to the profit and loss accounts.

So if that clunking noise is really getting on your nerves,
pop round and Gimens'll fix it!

Saturday, October 21, 2006

#119 more schoolboy humour

This chinese restaurant is called WanKe Long,
its obviously . . . self-service!

Wednesday, October 18, 2006

#118 Crevé seas

In this month's Crevé Liz Hurley says "No Thanks" to a spare tyre and we ask why slow punctures should take so bloomin' long!

We also look at anti-puncture claims made by leading manufacturers and ask them why some of their inner tubes seem to come apart at the seams?

#117 Fish for Tea

Our fishing industry has just started after an enforced month long break - for biological reasons!

At about 5 o'clock the fishing boats come in, unload their catch, which they have sorted into trays while still at sea. The trays go on a conveyor belt and the buyers have a dutch auction (they wait as the price goes down).

Here are some 'unsworded' swordfish. You can just about read that they have come off the boat called L'Andrago, the fish is/are identified as Emperador and have been sold to a Benidorm fish merchant.

You can buy the just-landed fish from one of a dozen or so fish mongers next to the auction house. Then the fishermen have a fag, mend their nets, and do it all again the next day.











Thursday, October 12, 2006

#116 Norwegian Blue?

Our next door neighbour, Pepe (seen here with his dear old mum), is worried about his little caged bird. It's not doing much. He thinks it's pining for the fjords.

We think it's a deceased bird. In fact, this bird is no more! He has ceased to be! 'E's expired and gone to meet 'is maker! 'E's a stiff!

Poor old Pepe, he'll have to have pizza again, tonight.

Wednesday, October 11, 2006

#115 Crevé sank























In Crevé 5 this month:
More Ups than Downs - as luck would have it
top triathletes talk about changing tubes

Pumps
- and we don't mean dance shoes
not even those nice shiny patent leather ones

Low Pressure
- the soft option?
OK for beach cruisers

Readers Forum
- air your views

Tuesday, October 10, 2006

#114 Addict Clothing













In the UK end of October? Anywhere near Southampton?
If so, you could go to the Addict Clothing Sample and Warehouse sale. You'll need an invite and preferably not be in my age bracket, although I've happily toted one of their dj record case bags around the world (filled with old clothes and not 12 inch vinyl) without being too embarrassed. In fact, you can see the very same bag back in February's posts, item #3.

And I've got a pair of Vans with their logo print (viewable post #71). Oh yes, and a khaki coloured Addict cap I wear when bike riding. However, I think I'm probably a bit too old to wear their trademark camouflage hoodie.

Late News:
Dave at Addict says not to make too much noise if you come - as he's recovering from a hard night - poor chap.

Monday, October 09, 2006

#113 Jay on the cover

Our oldest boy made the front cover of the Sunday Times Magazine.
(October 6th 1968 edition). As you see, he wasn't that old.

Back then you could still buy things with shillings :-)

Friday, October 06, 2006

#112 We've got a Sub Woofer, Baby!

Our new sub woofer loudspeaker enables us to hear those low, low bass notes that previously only the local whales could pick up. We've got Hz so low, you can't even hear them! With this much bass you'd think you were at the Notting Hill Carnival.

Now - where's that Yellowman vinyl LP; going to get plenty of respect from the yardie boys in St Paul's - Yes.

#111 konichiwa koto!



















More Kulture. Thursday night we went to a Japanese music concert, Yoshie Sakai played a Koto and Horacio Curti (above right) a Shakuhachi (when he wan't having 40 winks).

A koto (pictured below) is a 13 string sort of zither and a shakuhachi is a bamboo flute. An hour was enough . . . . . . .

Wednesday, October 04, 2006

#110 we all live in a spanish submarine





















My friend Eduardo Pla has just published a book.
Its a photographic guide to whats underwater between where we live (the Marina Alta) and the island of Ibiza. Now we have to be extra careful when we go paddling in the sea.

Monday, October 02, 2006

#109 sea swimming

Its October 2 and not cold at all, at all.























George: "The sea was angry that day, my friends.
Like an old man trying to return soup in a deli."

Sunday, October 01, 2006

#108 New pics for old posts

I got some more Bali pics in the post so I've added them to the relevant reports #10 and #11 (March). Here is one with nobody in it, just a load of paddys :-)

Q. How do you confuse an Irish gardener?
A. Offer him two spades and let him take his pick . . . . . . . .


ha ha