#443 Bob Marley

psI'm watching Marley, a documentary on the life,
music, and legacy of Bob Marley.
Great pictures and great music.
If you want more info it's the one directed by Kevin Macdonald.
ps It's 2hr 25min long.

#442 El Marino

Bati, the boss at El Marino, attempting to levitate.

#441 Day Trip

Thanks to Barbara Butler for this goat feeding pic - all mine got lost :-(

We went on an organised coach trip to visit a goat farm near Quatretonda, a village a bit north from us but still in the Valencian region. Very interesting for us as we used to be goat keepers.

As their milk is not pasteurised they must keep the cheese a minimum of two months before sale. Consequently the cheese is a bit . . . . strong (to put it mildly).

Then in the afternoon to the Museu Internacional de Titelles d´Albaida, which is a puppet museum. I thought we'd be looking at some bits of painted papier-mâché models that only get brought out on a Saint's days or fiestas.

I was surprised to find an excellent collection of international puppets; Chinese, Japanese, Javanese and all types of puppet; glove, string, some worked by rods - I even saw a few Muppets as well.

(pic: valenciaterraimar.org)

#440 le mort mène le peloton

In my youth, when I was an avid racing cyclist, my month wasn't complete without reading the latest edition of Sporting Cyclist / Coureur Magazine. One of their regular contributors was René de Latour who always seeemed to have the inside story and be on first name terms with the entire Tour de France peloton.

Par hasard, I found this book (Death Leads the Peloton) by Monsieur Latour on a French second hand books website for 10€ - et voilà.

#439 Curry for the neighbours

I cooked a curry for all our friends and neighbours who live or work in our square.

We commandeered a couple of tables in the Restaurant El Pati next door and everyone came and went when they could and sampled; Captains Chicken, Rice, Raita and Banana with Coconut.

I forgot to take any snaps except this one when we were almost finished. . . . . .

I think we served 13 or 14 people and a jolly time was had by all (I hope).

#438 Barça

Parc Guell (detail).

Vietnamese in Barcelona. √√√

#437 in Amsterdam

#436 to AMS

Sushi in St Pancras

#435 London

On our way to London:
Went through security check at Valencia airport - my metal hip did not set the buzzer off (bit of a worry).

We got on the very crowded plane couldn't sit together but my new companions, a young couple, looked very worried and within two minutes the girl freaked and demanded to get off the plane, which they did. The cabin crew came and checked nearby overhead luggage bins for unknown bags or bombs (bit of a worry).

We arrived in England half an hour late, but Ryanair still announced that we were an on-time arrival (wtf?).

Anyway, finally arrived at my mum's in Muswell Hill - all OK :-)























On Wednesday went shopping in Covent Garden and lunched in the new Raymond Blanc Brasserie.
I had Steak Tartare and a plate of odd cheese.

Our guest of honour was Jasmine Flatters one of our very good friends from the triathlon days.

Then to the Barbican to view a Bauhaus exhibition, was OK.




















On Thursday had a pleasant day walking around Muswell Hill, including a stop for salad in a café in Highgate Woods. I had a glass of excellent ginger beer - not the same as Rioja - but a nice change.

#434 Leather Tape mmmm.

55€ for handle bar tape?

Yes, it's true but I'm hoping that it will last a good few years and prove cheaper than fitting new cloth tape each season (and it's made by Brooks of England :-)

*Late News* My box of bar tape arrived missing one of the two cork bar end plugs. Sent a mail to ChainReaction, they said "no problem, we will send you the missing bar end plug". I eventually received a complete new box of tape and bar ends. I imagine it was more economical to send a replacement than to actually go through the hassle of contacting Brooks, finding a new plug, having them send it off, then re-posting to Spain. But, to be honest, I don't need another set of leather tape. Pues nada.

#433 Sunday Ride

#432 Sushi and . . .

There is a new tapas bar called MariSushi across the road from our house. It's a bit bizarre, it serves Sushi and Flamenca (not the music but some type of Southern Spanish tapas) plus very exotic booze.

The other thing is the decor is a bit . . . rococo, if I were to be polite. Anyway, I fit in very well when wearing my new pink jersey ;-)

#431 Not Much

I went to our local green grocer and bought this selection for a total of only 2.68€. They even had an offer of a free kilo of spuds if you spent over 5€. You can live pretty cheaply in Spain.

#430 More from Amazon +

French Sentence Builder by Eliane Kurbegov.
The Physiology of Taste by Jean Anthelme Brillat-Savarin.
Chrissie Welligton - A Life Without Limits.

I've  just read Chrissie Wellington's book, I really enjoyed it. Possibly because I know the most of the players and most of  the venues but I think even a non-triathlete would have found it a good read.

I didn't have high hopes after reading the first paragraph (of the foreword). Clichés came thick and fast, I've used them all myself - but that was twenty years ago. One other gripe - the front cover pic, hard to say why but . . . . . . no.

The rest of the book settled down and I was carried along with Chrissie's story from Norfolk to Kailua Kona. Doc, Lessing and Scott came over just as I remember, in fact spot on. An honest book I thought, I'm glad I'm not Crissie or have her mind set; OTT doesn't begin to describe her! 

#429 Pink Prize Day

Sally and Christine and Annabelle teamed-up for the Mirador Challenge, a 27km walk/race round the Miradors or Viewing Points in Javea. They won first women's team and were also third overall!

I did the hard part, I dropped a blackberry and a raspberry into each glass of prize bubbly :-)

Christine, Annabelle, Sally.

#428 Curry Nights

#427 Sunday

You can't see L'Era Restaurant that we just came out of. Or the paella cooked on a wood burning fire that we just ate. Or our friends who dined with us.  . . . . . . .

#426 Fallas 2012

A few days before this years Fallas Fiesta in Denia the weather was good - up to 25c max.

However, on the day of the burning the temperature fell to v cold, then it rained, so we stayed at home.

#425 29er

Tom came to visit and also collect his new titanium 29er.

#424 Tapas