Spain Day 22 - A close call...
Trip Start
Jun 25, 2008
1
28
77
Trip End
Sep 01, 2008
Ampuero, Spain and Canary Islands
Sunday, July 20, 2008
We spend the morning tidying up the house a bit. Outside, the kids discover a dead beetle and I let them snap some photos. Ella really really enjoys working with the camera. She has a good eye for photos. Check it out!
Then, across the street for two orders of Rabas. Me and the kids LOVE Rabas. We've ordered them in several restaurants in Cantabria, but the best are found right here in Pie de Concha at Mariangeles' bar
"Pinchers" by Ella S.
.OOH, another note that I've meant to write about for a while now. Most weekday mornings around 9am, there is a loud parade of honking cars through the street. Not like a hey-watch-out-you-almost-hit-me type of honk. I'm talking about purposefully loud obnoxious honking. I asked Mariangles about it and it turns out that each day, various vendors bring goods like pan (bread), butano (gas), pescado fresca (fresh fish), and leche (milk) to the town. First, a forerunner goes ... sometimes a car or a motorcycle honking loudly ... always in a very particular pattern. One pattern means "Fresh fish coming!". Another pattern means, "Gas coming1'. Then, the residents scurry outside if they want the goods. Seems pretty effective. I just wish I knew what horn pattern I need to use to say, "Shut up! I am trying to sleep!" hehehe...
Around 7pm, we pile in the car and head out towards the town of Ampuero, where a co-worker of Lali's lives with her husband and two young children. Its too late to hit the beach, so we go straight there. We pull in to a brand new sub-division of homes. These are the first homes we've seen in Spain that look somewhat similar to houses in the States. Each house is three stories, with a private yard, driveway, and garage. From what we've seen, single family homes are very rare except for the pueblos like Pie de Concha
bug
.Lali's co-worker Arancha and her husband Pedro welcome us in to their home and the kids play with each other wonderfully. They have a 4yr old little girl Lucia and 2yr old Samuel ... both very precious. Janice and I sit and watch as Arancha and Pedro prepare dinner for us to enjoy (Tortilla Espana, home made Chorizo, little frozen pizzas for the kids,and some wine and liquor sampling to end the feast!)
We talk about all sorts of things, including ETA. ... They begin talking about the recent bombings. "Oh really?" ... I think to myself. "When were these bombings and where? We haven't heard of them..." I ask Janice to translate. Yes, well... ahem. Apparently four bombs today, some in Cantabria (OUR REGION!). Worse, one was detonated on the beaches of Laredo, the place we considered going today! Yikes! Read more here:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/spain/2310230/Five-Eta-bombs-start-summer-terror-season.html
Our hosts inform us that ETA membership is dwindling, and their support waning as Spain's government gains favor in the Basque Country through various programs, and the country's overall prosperity and growth of freedoms
again with the bug
. Its just a bit scary having come from Lekeitio where we witnessed an pro-ETA demonstration and now, word of bombs. One thing that makes me feel a little better is that apparently ETA notified authorities of when and where the bombs would detonate, allowing innocents to be evacuated. I know that ETA is deemed a terrorist organization by the EU, the USA, and Spain, ... and I've learned they are very violent, killing government officials over the years, but I am glad to hear that nobody was seriously hurt in the recent bombings. I'll also feel better come Wednesday when we are in Barcelona, a bit farther away! : )Just as the night winds down, I sneak down to the garage to watch the kids playing. They do pretty well despite the language barrier ... and one thing that translates in to every language is the growl of a daddy playing MONSTER. I scare the heck out of Sam, Ella, and Lucia and they all take off running upstairs where I find them huddled behind a chair in the living room. A great photo.
Pedro and Arancha are very kind and we enjoy our time in their home. Unfortunately, I am soooo tired from the last couple of days, and we have a bit of a drive to get back to Pie de Concha, .... so around 11:30pm, we have to go. Thank you Pedro and Arancha!
classic car convention in nearby town
Back home to sleep. Tomorrow, we rest and pack and enjoy our last full day in Pie de Concha.
PS.
On my email...
" Embassy of the United States of America
Madrid, Spain
U.S. Embassy Warden Message
July 21, 2008
The following Message is for maximum dissemination to U.S. Citizens.
ETA Bombings - Exercise Caution
The Basque terrorist group, ETA, has claimed responsibility for detonating five bombs in northern Spain this weekend, four of which occurred near popular seaside resorts in Cantabria. Although no one was killed, there were several injuries. These bombings may mark the beginning of ETA's traditional summer bombing campaign, which targets holiday resorts to hurt the Spanish tourist industry.
In light of these recent bombings, U.S. citizens are strongly encouraged to maintain a high level of vigilance, be aware of local events in all parts of Spain, and take the appropriate steps to bolster their personal security. "
Comments
ETA bombings
i had read about them and worried about you guys.
Inigo and Jaione
They emailed me.. hopefully I can show them a great time in lovely Lake Tahoe! Maybe even a little of downtown Sacramento too... unless you think they'd be bored to tears :)