Mark Rickard (Columnist)
It is just a few days remaining before B’day (The UK’s EU Referendum on 23rd June).
I will be thankful when it’s over, frankly. It has become more tiresome than discussing the weather now – at least you can predict that, and there is a clear outcome!
I thought us Spanglish speakers (by the way, “Spanglish” is word derived from “Espanglish”, which was established by Salvador Tio, a Puerto Rican Poet in the 1940s) should remind ourselves and others of our fantastic lives here in Andalucia.
Last weekend, I decided to drive to a different part of the Andalucian coastline, skipping past Tarifa and heading on to Cadiz.
I tried it late last year in a cabrio, but the weather, ‘dirty black clouds’ loomed in the west and we wanted the roof down, so headed uphill to El Castellar.
We visited the boutique castle and ate black pudding flamed over Jerez brandy, followed by braised pig cheeks, boquerones and croquetas, all washed down by a few glasses of Ribera del Duero all for less than twenty quid. Then headed home, very happy!
But this time, the skies were clear blue with a few fluffy balls floating for brief interludes from the sun.
We followed the turquoise Atlantic on our left and meandered through the lush enchanting scenery (it was Green with cows and rivers).
After an hour past Tarifa, you got you first sight of Cadiz, modern buildings, quite tall really (nothing special), but we had (my girlfriend, to be precise) booked our accommodation in the Historic Walled City.
We had reserved online a Spanish 3 star hotel, built in 1548, all a bit dubious… I expected Lurch at the welcoming door and Manuel serving breakfast.
Luckily it was just fantastic! The City was fantastic, almost Dickensian, yet still somehow modern, and the people are amazingly friendly.
We drank Manzanilla and Amontillado Sherries for a few hours, sampled the best tuna dishes you can imagine (Cadiz boasts the title of Tuna Capital of Spain)!
Needless to say, we slept well through the night, despite the Real Madrid supporters celebrating their victory as European Champions… Some were still stumbling over the cobbled streets when I looked over the balcony at 08.00 on Sunday!
What a great life!
And It made me consider that us regular Olive Press readers will not willingly leave sunny Andalucia, whatever the outcome on 23rd June.
I personally cannot see any dramatic changes to our lives here. Yes there is a ‘different currency’, but there was before the Euro…We are still Europeans.
In or Out on 23rd, I expect there will be a healthy status quo in front of us lucky people in the years ahead.
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