MANILVA THIS WEEK.

THURSDAY/FRIDAY 7^th/8^th JULY 2011.

Thursday was very hot so we stayed inside and caught up with the jobs around the house; Brenda ended up after lunch out on the roof terrace but moved inside for a while as it was just too hot, we then had our early evening drink on the terrace and then had a light supper later as the sun moved around, the locals at this time of the year all sit outside in the evening chatting away with their neigbours,we can’t as the road outside is to steep so we have the door open and watch the world go by.

Friday morning we got up early and shot down to Sabinillas to do the shopping before it gets hot; on the way back we called into our local markets in the village and picked up some flowers. As we were unpacking Anna called in so we caught up with all the news and gossip,Mano is busy at the villa during the day so she is not getting out as much in this weather; we then walked up to Bar Rojas for a cooling drink and bumped into Andy, he is working full time at this time of the year and is on the 4-00pm to finish shift six days a week in the family bar down by the front in Sabinillas, Carlos then came along so we had a long chat about the forthcoming football season here and in England. We had a light salad snack lunch back at home as we had planned to go up to Bar Rojas for supper later when the sun had moved around; We sat outside under the Sonbrajo, Manolo is just about to extend it ready for the Vendimia festival at the start of September, Lumy looked after us as we took in the night air and the tranquil atmosphere of the village, Brenda had a Fresh Fillet of John Dory cooked in a crisp Tempura Batter accompanied with a salad and I had one of my favorite local dishes ‘ Carne Mechada ’which is a Rump of Marinated Pork which is cooked very slowly in its own juices and served sliced thin with either the juices or Sea Salt which I prefair,It’s best cold, I had it with Patatas Frits and Heuvos Fritos ! Delicious !!

TOUR DE FRANCE 2011.

Edvald Boasson Hagan secured Team Sky’s first Tour de France stage victory in wet conditions on Thursday, the riders had to endure torrential rain at times on a punishing 226 km stage from Dinan to Lisieux,the longest stage on this years Tour. Yesterdays stage was through the Loire Valley from Le Mans to Chateauroux; Mark Cavendish’s second stage victory of this years Tour was overshadowed by the freak crash in which Bradley Wiggins broke his collar-bone and had to retire from the Tour; Cavendish had a perfect lead-out from his HTC Team to the line as you can see in the pictures below. The route takes the riders into the Massif Central and down to the Pyrenees during the next few days so the climbers will be out in force;todays stage is from Aigurade to Super-Besse-Sancy over 189 kms and is in vaguely mountainous territory and is pretty much uphill all the way !

Thought for the Day;

By the work one knows the workmen.

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