I now have a broadband connection. Directly connected to the IDU (Indoor Unit?) it works. I had to buy a router separately. It has to be configured!! Although I can log on to it and go through the configuration routine I just cannot get it right!!! Wasted around 8 hours so far. So I have broadband but currently in one fixed place in the lounge – no wireless. I will persevere.
I had an enjoyable meal with the couple who supplied me with milk last week. There were 4 others, 3 from the Spanish class. The couple have now returned to Tewkesbury but enjoyed their 6 months here and intend returning next year.
I went looking for the supermarket that apparantly always has fresh milk. I was told that it was by the Bus station but could I find it? You wouldn’t think you could hide buses easily. I asked 2 people but although I would understand ‘straight on’, ‘turn left’ and ‘turn right’. I did not understand their replies. I found it. It then became clear and I have checked that what the people I asked were saying is ‘It’s behind you……’. As it turned out, the supermarket wasn’t that close. There was also a slight flaw in my plan. I was walking and about 2 miles from the house so I couldn’t buy what I wanted. I returned next day with the car. It is generally quite cheaper than the one I have been using and not only does it have milk – it also has oven chips!
I don’t have a television but listen to the radio a lot– or at least have the radio on. It does help, I think. I am getting to the point where I am hearing the individual words rather than a constant jumble and can sometimes get the general idea. The sport is crazy though. I cannot follow the commentary at all. Except when a goal is scored. The program is similar in format to Sky’s Gillette Soccer Special. There is a panel that discusses the games and when there is a goal there is a fanfare and commentary goes to the game where the goal has been scored. What you get is ‘Goooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo……..al! Which lasts a full minute at least.
I am keeping busy one way and another. Mooching around, learning where the main shops and places such as the library and so on are. Of course the great thing is that other than the mundane household chores – washing, ironing, keeping the place clean and tidy I do not have to garden (there isn’t one, other than a tree and a couple of rose bushes around the edge of the car port/patio), think about decorating or general maintenance. When I have an issue – like this perishing wireless router, I can keep following it up.
I am also doing a fair bit of walking. Caminando en el campo. Walking in the countryside. It is not flat like Peterborough. Also there is no real beer. The lager though is much better than the lager in the UK. I tried not to drink any to start with and drank coffee instead. With the hills though and the coffee I thought I might be heading for a heart attack so have settled on the San Miguel, some red wine (decent stuff at around 2 Euros a bottle) and only the occasional cup of coffee. I am currently up to around ¾ to an hour walking in any direction then of course the same back.
I do not feel I am making that much progress with the language. The neighbours are friendly but have not gone beyond ‘Buenos dias’ or similar. There are 4 tavernas and 2 small ‘corner’ shops within the sort of distance from Riverside to The Boathouse (my old house to the nearest pub. I call in to one or the other of the bars every other day and buy such as eggs from the shops. I am trying to get myself known and familiar. Again though, conversation is limited. As soon as folk find it is going to be an effort to go beyond ‘Buenos dias’, ‘ Adios’ that’s what the conversation is limited to. I shall keep trying.
I find that there is always one fly buzzing around being a general nuisance. There is never more than one. Having killed the one, another appears. At first I thought the one was resuscitated but there was definitely a dead one on the floor and another flying around. While sat reading or keying on the laptop they keep annoyingly settling on my head. Tried smacking it but they always get away. They are not so daft. Took me a while to realise why I had a slight headache.
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