Some sums

So our last day in Madrid, with no more classes and no commitments we go a visit to the Feria de Madrid where they just happen to have an exhibition of superdeportivos (super sports cars). Good news is that we both chose a white model (so far so good). Mine was the Pagani Zonda F - 10th fastest ever on Top Gear with a nice pink undercarriage and wing mirrors. However Les chose the Aston Vantage S - not so nippy but you could 5 of them for the price of the Zonda. Good point Les, but I only need ONE car. Wonder how it drives in the snow? At least I could find the Zonda in a blizzard!

Recent break ins...

Add mushrooms and wine...

 There are other reasons why we enjoyed our visit up North so much, two of them being local cheap produce: in the case of the mushrooms - free and in the "case" of the 16 litre box of wine from the local co-operative almost free!

Oh, yes another reason was the resident cook & general factotum at Adulam- Marcileno from Gran Canaria.

Now tell me you guys, who wants to volunteer for a bit of buiding work - the food is fantastic!

This is it!!

So far so good. We have just visited the seaside town of Ribadeo - about as close to Orkney as you can get! It felt just right to us, and we felt at home immediately. Turns out we have been looking at the harbour scene all year on the cover of the book Ronnie gave Les for Christmas - we just didn't know it was Ribadeo. We loved the beach, the town even the Octopus (big ones and peedie ones we ate them all!) We really hope we are right to feel to drawn to this area as they need an evangelical church. We met a YWAM couple who have just moved to the town and we would love to join them - roll on 2013! Now see the final picture of the cathedral cave... my wings are glowing but what about Jaap's head? Either he has angelic qualities too or his mobile phone needs a service!

Madrid is starting to feel all Christmassy. We have watched them building the tree outside the college all week and then on it goes. I didn't have my camera when the crane came in and was telling my Turkish friend that I had missed a great shot - she looked round and said " Mire! Mire! Alli es tu marido" - sure enough there he was in the crowd snapping away - clever! (his first phone photo - ever)

Baking life..

Baking life and Farmville are two things I have never tried on facebook. I maybe have had enough practice at the real thing, and have no wish to contact friends for a donation of manure. I have however really wanted to email friends for a bag of castor sugar or cocoa or whetever else the recipe needs. Despite various experiments I never seem to get the right mix to make self raising or mincemeat. However I have found The Food Hall -  just a short drive away . Everything you could ask for in the baking department. Yes it would be cheaper to buy ready made cakes but with St Andrew's Day approaching we are keen to give our Spanish friends and students a taste of real Scottish food stuffs. So far the list goes: Mum's shortbread, doodlebugs, duff what else? Ideas please before Wednesday! Thanks

It could be you - fatty!

No these are not Spaniards queuing to vote on Sunday's National Elections (- Tories got in!) they are the queues of people who want to buy a lottery ticket for the Christmas Lottery - EL GORDO- literally the fat one. Tickets cost 20 Euros each so we are amazed at the queues every day - in one queue this morning I counted 739 people with more joining all day - bizarre. The favourite lottery promoter is Dona Manolita, whoever she is. People travel from outside the city to her kiosk while the usual gypsy vendors have very few customers, not surprising as there are regular fights breaking out there as they accuse each other of cheating and stealing, often sending for the police. We are in no ways tempted by a ticket from either type so no, "It could NOT be us!"