I am thinking that it not a good day to undertake a major gardening project nor is it a day to go for a walk. Those who have arrived at the coast for their holidays must wonder whether they have brought the heat from inland with them.
Sunday, July 31, 2016
A hot one
I am thinking that it not a good day to undertake a major gardening project nor is it a day to go for a walk. Those who have arrived at the coast for their holidays must wonder whether they have brought the heat from inland with them.
Friday, July 29, 2016
Wednesday, July 27, 2016
Death of two legends
The photographer Francisco Cano "Canito" (born Alicante, 1912) worked for 71 years taking historic photographs in the bullrings of Spain. One of his most famous photos was of the moment when the famous taurino, Manolete, was gored in the bullring at Linares. On Wednesday, Francisco Cano passed away at the age of 103.
Manolete was considered to be one of the finest bullfighters of all time. His style was sober and serious, with few concessions to the gallery, and he excelled at the suerte de matar — the kill. Manolete's contribution to bullfighting included being able to stand very still while the bull passed close to his body and, rather than giving the passes separately, he was able to remain in one spot and link four or five consecutive passes together into a compact series.
Just days before the 28th August 1947 the announcements appeared at the Linares Bullring (Jaen) that Manolete would fight the fierce Miura bulls alongside Gitanillo de Triana and Luis Miguel Dominguin. Thousands flocked to see their hero in the ring.
With Manolete’s first bull he fought a brilliant faena, then came his second bull, the fifth of the day. The bull was called Islero and it was a truly fierce Miura. After another superb demonstration of bullfighting Manolete prepared for the kill. The steel of his sword disappeared deep into the beast but immediately afterwards the bull’s horn dug deep into the bullfighter’s right thigh. Manolete complained bitterly as he was carried to the infirmary.
In the bullring he was awarded both ears of the bull for his display. But back in the infirmary he was given several blood transfusions but his state remained grave. Dr. Giménez Guinea, then official doctor of the Madrid bullring was called upon to attend, arriving at 4 o’clock. Within an hour the great matador was dead. The tragedy left the whole of Spain and all the world enthusiasts in a complete state of shock.
In response to Manolete's death, General Francisco Franco, then dictator of Spain, ordered three days of "national mourning", during which only funeral dirges were heard on the radio.
An evening run
Those of you in England may wonder why they choose to hold these runs at 9:30pm. The reason is simple, it is just too damn hot in the daytime for such strenuous activity. In any case, the timing is better for those people who are at work during the daytime. You can be certain that neither Pam nor I will be taking part!
Tuesday, July 26, 2016
Deeply touched
My friend, who everyone knows as FontaBigastro, has just posted his pictures from last year's fiesta. He is an excellent photographer and so I commented on just how good his photos were.
This is his reply on Facebook.
Muchas gracias por tus palabras amigo Keith Williamson, y muchas gracias por todo lo que haces, y como lo haces, por la pasión que pones en ello. Tu amigo mio no naciste aquí, pero hemos tenido la suerte de que elegías Bigastro para vivir, y así hemos tenido el honor de conocerte. Admirable como con tu cámara y con tus crónicas en tu blog ¡ ESTO ES JAUJA ! contribuyes a que Bigastro, tu Pueblo y el mio sea conocido a nivel internacional. Eres un ejemplo, y como no, sin lugar a dudas tu y Pam Williamson sois unos Bigastrenses de pura cepa.
Un abrazo.
Which roughly translated says:
Thank you very much for your words friend Keith Williamson, and thank you very much for everything you do and how you do it, for the passion you put into it. You are my friend and even though you were not born here we are fortunate that you chose Bigastro to live, and so we have the honour to meet you. Admirable as with your camera and your blog "THIS IS JAUJA! your contribution to your people and your town is known internationally. You are an example, and of course, no doubt you and Pam Williamson are pure strain Bigastrenses.
A hug.
You know that, even if Bigastro is not the smartest place, that is more than made up for by the people who live here.
This is his reply on Facebook.
Muchas gracias por tus palabras amigo Keith Williamson, y muchas gracias por todo lo que haces, y como lo haces, por la pasión que pones en ello. Tu amigo mio no naciste aquí, pero hemos tenido la suerte de que elegías Bigastro para vivir, y así hemos tenido el honor de conocerte. Admirable como con tu cámara y con tus crónicas en tu blog ¡ ESTO ES JAUJA ! contribuyes a que Bigastro, tu Pueblo y el mio sea conocido a nivel internacional. Eres un ejemplo, y como no, sin lugar a dudas tu y Pam Williamson sois unos Bigastrenses de pura cepa.
Un abrazo.
Which roughly translated says:
Thank you very much for your words friend Keith Williamson, and thank you very much for everything you do and how you do it, for the passion you put into it. You are my friend and even though you were not born here we are fortunate that you chose Bigastro to live, and so we have the honour to meet you. Admirable as with your camera and your blog "THIS IS JAUJA! your contribution to your people and your town is known internationally. You are an example, and of course, no doubt you and Pam Williamson are pure strain Bigastrenses.
A hug.
You know that, even if Bigastro is not the smartest place, that is more than made up for by the people who live here.
Pam and I
My cameras have seen very little use over the last few weeks. It's time to charge the batteries and clean the lenses ready for the major event of the year.
I missed out on the parades in Orihuela and the motorbikes in Bigastro on Sunday - my excuse was that the therapy left me tired. Hopefully, I will be fully recovered in time for San Joaquin.
Monday, July 25, 2016
At the end of the week
One of the least attractive side effects of the Moors and Christian festival in Orihuela is the sight of litter strewn on any open land near the city centre.
Those of you who have been to watch the parades must have noticed the hordes of young people who congregate afterwards with carrier bags laden with bottles of spirits and soft drink mixers. They are preparing for what is called macrobotellón, a feature of summers here in Spain.
All efforts to control this activity seem to be in vain. There simply aren't enough policemen to stop the young people from congregating in this way and every year the numbers seem to increase.
The neighbours complain of course because apart from the litter, these meetings are far from quiet and often carry on until the early hours of the morning. Then there is the issue of toilets or lack of them which means that by the morning the locals face the nasty stench of urine outside their houses.
It doesn't just happen in Orihuela nor is it confined to fiestas, this goes on most weekends in many cities and towns.
Those of you who have been to watch the parades must have noticed the hordes of young people who congregate afterwards with carrier bags laden with bottles of spirits and soft drink mixers. They are preparing for what is called macrobotellón, a feature of summers here in Spain.
All efforts to control this activity seem to be in vain. There simply aren't enough policemen to stop the young people from congregating in this way and every year the numbers seem to increase.
The neighbours complain of course because apart from the litter, these meetings are far from quiet and often carry on until the early hours of the morning. Then there is the issue of toilets or lack of them which means that by the morning the locals face the nasty stench of urine outside their houses.
It doesn't just happen in Orihuela nor is it confined to fiestas, this goes on most weekends in many cities and towns.
A day for celebration
I have just had the last of my 28 sessions of radiotherapy so no more early morning trips to Elche for awhile at least.
The next step is to make an appointment with the Urologist at Vega Baja to start the monitoring process. However, that won't start for a few months because the injection I had to lower the level of testosterone lasts for six months. Only after that will blood tests reveal whether my PSA has started to drop as a result of the radiotherapy.
When the effects of radiotherapy wear off over the next couple of weeks, I will need fewer trips to the toilet and my energy levels should increase.
Again, I should like to thank those who have enquired about my well being.In particular I thank Jim Ryder who wrote a supportive comment on my blog and came around yesterday to check how I was coping with the treatment. Those of you who have faced cancer will agree that the support of friends and relatives during the process of treatment is a vital if you are to keep a positive attitude.
The next step is to make an appointment with the Urologist at Vega Baja to start the monitoring process. However, that won't start for a few months because the injection I had to lower the level of testosterone lasts for six months. Only after that will blood tests reveal whether my PSA has started to drop as a result of the radiotherapy.
When the effects of radiotherapy wear off over the next couple of weeks, I will need fewer trips to the toilet and my energy levels should increase.
Again, I should like to thank those who have enquired about my well being.In particular I thank Jim Ryder who wrote a supportive comment on my blog and came around yesterday to check how I was coping with the treatment. Those of you who have faced cancer will agree that the support of friends and relatives during the process of treatment is a vital if you are to keep a positive attitude.
Sunday, July 24, 2016
Now that is what I call hot.
Those of you in Britain who are complaining about the temperatures at the moment should consider what it must be like in parts of the Middle East.
On Thursday a blistering temperature of 54C was recorded in Kuwait, firmly putting the hot spell in Britain into context. It is the highest temperature ever recorded in the eastern hemisphere and almost certainly the highest temperature ever recorded on earth.
If verified by the World Meteorological Organisation, this will almost certainly be the highest temperature ever recorded on the planet.
On Thursday a blistering temperature of 54C was recorded in Kuwait, firmly putting the hot spell in Britain into context. It is the highest temperature ever recorded in the eastern hemisphere and almost certainly the highest temperature ever recorded on earth.
If verified by the World Meteorological Organisation, this will almost certainly be the highest temperature ever recorded on the planet.
Friday, July 22, 2016
Sunday lunch sorted
For those who are interested
It is that time of year again when Orihuela celebrates the reconquering of Spain by the Christians who took back control from the Moors.
As in every year, the fiesta concludes with grand parades by both groups. This year the Christians will go first.
As in every year, the fiesta concludes with grand parades by both groups. This year the Christians will go first.
Friday 22nd July
21:30 Christians Parade. Route: gathering of the filas in C/ Ocarasa, for starting on C/ Aragón, Plaza San Sebastián, Avda. De Espana, C/ Calderón de la Barca, C/ Loaces and C/ Alfonso XIII, finishing in the Plaza Alfonso XIIL,followed by partying in all of the cuarteles and kábilas.Saturday 23rd July
21:00 Moors Parade. Route: gathering of the filas in C/ Ocarasa, for starting on C/ Aragón, Plaza San Sebastián, Avda. De Espana, C/ Calderón de la Barca, C/ Loaces and C/ Alfonso XIII, finishing in the Plaza Alfonso XIIL, followed by partying in all of the cuarteles and kábilas.Monday, July 18, 2016
Turn up the heat
Just to let you know that we are expecting a heat wave starting Wednesday. All the usual advice about keeping out of the sun, eating light food, drinking plenty and wearing suitable clothing.
Sunday, July 17, 2016
The winding road
Having climbed the Gran Columbier in the Alps, the riders will then tackle the Lacets, a winding Cat 1 route with some steep sections to tire their legs before a dramatic descent to the finish line.
Will we see some action amongst the race leaders? Wait and see!
One thing I do know, my son-in-law would love to drive that road. Last year we tackled the road to Sa Calobra in Mallorca and he enjoyed that drive in a people carrier! Imagine the pleasure of this road in something smaller and a bit more lively.
Will we see some action amongst the race leaders? Wait and see!
One thing I do know, my son-in-law would love to drive that road. Last year we tackled the road to Sa Calobra in Mallorca and he enjoyed that drive in a people carrier! Imagine the pleasure of this road in something smaller and a bit more lively.
Saturday, July 16, 2016
Let them have light
The development of certain sectors in Bigastro has been severely hampered by the lack of an electricity supply.
Yesterday, the mayor, Teresa Belmonte, signed an agreement with a representative of Iberdrola to provide a supply to sectors D-6 and D-10 and then later to sectors D-2, D-3, D-4 and D-5.
The important point is that, the existing infrastructure cannot cope with demand which is why we still have the occasional power cut. By upgrading the system, we should hopefully enjoy a better service.
The other important point is that the cost of this development to the town has been reduced from the original 2.5 million euro agreement in 2007 to the amended sum of 525,000 euros in 2009 and now it will only cost the town 172,000 euros of which 70,000 has already been paid.
Yesterday, the mayor, Teresa Belmonte, signed an agreement with a representative of Iberdrola to provide a supply to sectors D-6 and D-10 and then later to sectors D-2, D-3, D-4 and D-5.
The important point is that, the existing infrastructure cannot cope with demand which is why we still have the occasional power cut. By upgrading the system, we should hopefully enjoy a better service.
The other important point is that the cost of this development to the town has been reduced from the original 2.5 million euro agreement in 2007 to the amended sum of 525,000 euros in 2009 and now it will only cost the town 172,000 euros of which 70,000 has already been paid.
Thursday, July 14, 2016
Sunshine all the way
Ready for you
Wednesday, July 13, 2016
Not for the feint hearted
When we watch the riders climb Mont Ventoux tomorrow let us remember that this is not the steepest climb that cyclist face in the Grand Tours. That honour goes to the Alto de l'Angliru which features in the Vuelta a España.
The organisers of the Vuelta a España wanted a mountain to rival Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux in the Tour de France and the Mortirolo Pass in the Giro d'Italia.
The top of the climb is 1,573 metres above sea level. The height difference is 1,266 m. The climb is 12.5 kilometres long with an average gradient of 10.13%. It is near 24% at its steepest. The first 5 km are an average of 7.6%— stiff but not over-demanding for world-class cyclists. The sixth kilometre lessens to 2.1% and has a short descent. The last half of the climb is more severe. From six kilometres to the summit, it averages 13.1%. The steepest part, the Cueña les Cabres at 23.6%, is 3 km from the summit. There are two later ramps at 18% to 21%.
During stage 15 in 2002, riders climbed the Angliru in rain. Team cars stalled on the steepest part, some unable to restart because their tires slipped on messages painted by fans.Riders were caught behind them and others had to ride with flat tires because mechanics could not reach them
The organisers of the Vuelta a España wanted a mountain to rival Alpe d'Huez and Mont Ventoux in the Tour de France and the Mortirolo Pass in the Giro d'Italia.
The top of the climb is 1,573 metres above sea level. The height difference is 1,266 m. The climb is 12.5 kilometres long with an average gradient of 10.13%. It is near 24% at its steepest. The first 5 km are an average of 7.6%— stiff but not over-demanding for world-class cyclists. The sixth kilometre lessens to 2.1% and has a short descent. The last half of the climb is more severe. From six kilometres to the summit, it averages 13.1%. The steepest part, the Cueña les Cabres at 23.6%, is 3 km from the summit. There are two later ramps at 18% to 21%.
During stage 15 in 2002, riders climbed the Angliru in rain. Team cars stalled on the steepest part, some unable to restart because their tires slipped on messages painted by fans.Riders were caught behind them and others had to ride with flat tires because mechanics could not reach them
Monday, July 11, 2016
Out into the oven
It is getting hot out there as you can see from this graph. Go inland though and the temperatures are even higher with some parts of the country on orange alert.
Ms May's first task
It seems that Teresa May will become the second female Prime Minster of Britain. Before she takes the post though, Ms May will have to write a so called "letter of last resort".
Somewhere out in the North Atlantic, every hour of the day, every day of the year, a lone submarine glides through the ocean with no real destination. Since 1969, one of the four boats of the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Submarine Deterrent has always been on patrol. Its location is known to only a handful, even many of her crew will have no idea where they are.
While many Royal Navy captains hold responsibility for their crew, Trident submarine commanders also bear a far more macabre role: the duty to play Britain’s final political and diplomatic hand possible. Within the bowels of each boat lays two safes, an outer and an inner, and within that inner safe sits the letter of last resort.
One of the first tasks of the Cabinet Secretary on the appointment by the Queen of a new Prime Minister, is to have the new leader write that very letter. After the elation of an election victory, the civil servant informs the politician that this letter will lay out the action the Prime Minister wishes to take, should the government and chain of command be totally destroyed by nuclear attack. Options do allow a great deal of latitude, with varying degrees of widespread destruction of human life:
To get to the stage where the letters can be opened is a long and purposefully difficult journey. First, the Prime Minister must have perished or become incapacitated in some way. Then, his/her proposed alternate decision makers would had to have met the same fate. It is only after that point that the submarine commanders go anywhere near their safes.
If the Prime Minister or his/her alternates survive an attack, they will likely be conveyed to a secure bunker underneath the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, without their families. From there, what remains of the government will issue orders to retaliate through the headquarters of Royal Navy Taskforce 345, based in a bunker under the Chiltern Hills.
In a room described as “quite bland” by a previous commanding officer, two people are on watch 24/7 and are in constant communication with the submarines at sea. It is they who pass on all messages, including those to fire. If the Prime Minister decides to do so, he will submit a code which will then, similarly to the submarines, be confirmed by information contained in the bunker’s safe. Should the authorisation be authenticated, the submarine commander is then given permission to fire.
However, the above scenario relies on a crucial aspect: the centre of government surviving the opening plays of an all-out nuclear war. Which is where the letters of last resort then come in. Should a submarine commander not receive contact from his superiors for some time, he will execute a number of checks. One of which famously is to attempt to listen to the Radio 4 Today programme for several days.
If the tones of James Naughtie do not drift into the control room of the submarine for three successive days, the commander and his executive officer will use their individual keys and unlock the outer and inner safes, and find the fate of Britain resting in a No. 10 Downing Street envelope instructing them exactly what, or perhaps not, to do.
What will Teresa May write? Hopefully, we will never know.
Somewhere out in the North Atlantic, every hour of the day, every day of the year, a lone submarine glides through the ocean with no real destination. Since 1969, one of the four boats of the UK’s Continuous At-Sea Submarine Deterrent has always been on patrol. Its location is known to only a handful, even many of her crew will have no idea where they are.
While many Royal Navy captains hold responsibility for their crew, Trident submarine commanders also bear a far more macabre role: the duty to play Britain’s final political and diplomatic hand possible. Within the bowels of each boat lays two safes, an outer and an inner, and within that inner safe sits the letter of last resort.
One of the first tasks of the Cabinet Secretary on the appointment by the Queen of a new Prime Minister, is to have the new leader write that very letter. After the elation of an election victory, the civil servant informs the politician that this letter will lay out the action the Prime Minister wishes to take, should the government and chain of command be totally destroyed by nuclear attack. Options do allow a great deal of latitude, with varying degrees of widespread destruction of human life:
- Retaliate with nuclear weapons without prejudice.
- Do not retaliate at all.
- Allow the commander to act within his own discretion.
- Place the boat under the control of an allied navy, specifically the Royal Australian Navy or US Navy.
To get to the stage where the letters can be opened is a long and purposefully difficult journey. First, the Prime Minister must have perished or become incapacitated in some way. Then, his/her proposed alternate decision makers would had to have met the same fate. It is only after that point that the submarine commanders go anywhere near their safes.
If the Prime Minister or his/her alternates survive an attack, they will likely be conveyed to a secure bunker underneath the Ministry of Defence in Whitehall, without their families. From there, what remains of the government will issue orders to retaliate through the headquarters of Royal Navy Taskforce 345, based in a bunker under the Chiltern Hills.
In a room described as “quite bland” by a previous commanding officer, two people are on watch 24/7 and are in constant communication with the submarines at sea. It is they who pass on all messages, including those to fire. If the Prime Minister decides to do so, he will submit a code which will then, similarly to the submarines, be confirmed by information contained in the bunker’s safe. Should the authorisation be authenticated, the submarine commander is then given permission to fire.
However, the above scenario relies on a crucial aspect: the centre of government surviving the opening plays of an all-out nuclear war. Which is where the letters of last resort then come in. Should a submarine commander not receive contact from his superiors for some time, he will execute a number of checks. One of which famously is to attempt to listen to the Radio 4 Today programme for several days.
If the tones of James Naughtie do not drift into the control room of the submarine for three successive days, the commander and his executive officer will use their individual keys and unlock the outer and inner safes, and find the fate of Britain resting in a No. 10 Downing Street envelope instructing them exactly what, or perhaps not, to do.
What will Teresa May write? Hopefully, we will never know.
Bastille Day
What a weekend for British sport!
Chris Froome kept the yellow jersey yesterday, a day when we expected one of the other contenders for the general classification to try and put in an attack As it happened, Sky did a brilliant job of keeping the race under control and it was only in the last kilometre or so that anyone even tried to gain an advantage of our British hero. We still have three jerseys on British backs.
At the same time, more or less, Andy Murray magnificently dismantled Milos Raonic to win in straight sets and became the first British man to win multiple singles titles at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1935.
Lewis Hamilton's scored his fourth win in his home race and his third in succession.
Doing so brought him level with 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell as the most successful driver at Silverstone.
And it got even better for him three and a half hours after the race when stewards penalised his team-mate Nico Rosberg 10 seconds because Mercedes had broken rules on how much help a driver can be given over the radio.
That dropped Rosberg to third place and cut the German's championship lead over Hamilton to just one point.
The next big day for the contenders in the Tour de France will come on Bastille Day with a stage that finishes on the fearsome climb of Mont Ventoux. In the meantime, can Mark Cavendish repeat his 2011 win at Montpellier? Another win would bring him a step closer to Eddy Merckx record of 34 stage wins.
Chris Froome kept the yellow jersey yesterday, a day when we expected one of the other contenders for the general classification to try and put in an attack As it happened, Sky did a brilliant job of keeping the race under control and it was only in the last kilometre or so that anyone even tried to gain an advantage of our British hero. We still have three jerseys on British backs.
At the same time, more or less, Andy Murray magnificently dismantled Milos Raonic to win in straight sets and became the first British man to win multiple singles titles at Wimbledon since Fred Perry in 1935.
Lewis Hamilton's scored his fourth win in his home race and his third in succession.
Doing so brought him level with 1992 world champion Nigel Mansell as the most successful driver at Silverstone.
And it got even better for him three and a half hours after the race when stewards penalised his team-mate Nico Rosberg 10 seconds because Mercedes had broken rules on how much help a driver can be given over the radio.
That dropped Rosberg to third place and cut the German's championship lead over Hamilton to just one point.
The next big day for the contenders in the Tour de France will come on Bastille Day with a stage that finishes on the fearsome climb of Mont Ventoux. In the meantime, can Mark Cavendish repeat his 2011 win at Montpellier? Another win would bring him a step closer to Eddy Merckx record of 34 stage wins.
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