Sharon the rain maker

Sharon has had a wet summer in Scotland and she has brought the rain back with her to the Campo.

“Everybody in Spain asked me to bring back some rain with me. But I never intended to bring back the rain that we have experienced in the past few days. In all the seven years I have lived here I have never known anything like it,” said Sharon.

Between September 12 and Monday, nearly half the annual rainfall for the region has fallen. In the Cartagena area, the downpour amounted to 264 liters per square meter and to get an idea of just how much that is, think of the big two-liter bottles of Coke or Fanta. So, 132 bottles worth have fallen for each little patch of land. Last year the total rainfall in Cartagena was only 600 liters.

“No wonder they had to call the army out,” said Sharon. The soldiers helped in rescue operations, including of children trapped on a school bus by the downpour. The impact over at Los Alcázares was particularly severe with two ramblas turning into raging rivers. Ramblas are river beds that are normally bone-dry. The area around Eroski, Cartagena, was deeply flooded. Residents of a Polaris World development were taken to a hotel for safety.

At Puerto de Mazarrón, which is built on a low-lying patch of sand by the sea, the rain flooded the town and the normally quiet rambla near El Alamilo was turned into a torrent. See the photo taken by our friend Viv who lives nearby. The Cartagena suburb of Los Dolores was particularly badly affected, with a rambla there filling to the brim and considerable flooding. One Campo resident said he had never seen the rambla near his house, which isn´t too far from our own home, so high. He even took a fishing rod down but that turned out to be a little to hopeful.

Normal service is resumed

Normal service is resumed

I have been away in Scotland over the summer enjoying plenty of cakes and fine food but now I am back in Spain and will start writing my blog again.

I have been staying with my family and seeing my children which was great. The Scottish weather did its best to keep me fit and alert with fresh winds and plenty of rain, even though it was August. Mind you, I have arrived back in the Campo to the worst downpours I can ever remember. There has been dramatic thunder and lightening for the past few days and the track outside my house looks like a little river. All my Spanish friends asked me to bring some wet weather with me when I came back so I have done as I was told and I hope their fields are doing nicely like mine are.

One of my first stops on getting back was the local bodega, to stock up for my first lot of dinner guests. I bought five liters of Jumilla red, one liter of sherry, one liter of port, a liter of proper Gordon´s gin, a dozen Schweppes tonics, and a jar of bandarilla pickles on sticks. The whole lot only cost a little over 30 euros. When I asked for port, the man said: “How much do you want?” I said “One liter.” He said: “Oh, just for sampling then.” No one buys just one liter, which is, in fact, equal to one and a half normal bottles. My guests said the port was lovely so perhaps I will buy five liters next time and restore my reputation.

We enjoyed a hearty meal which began with gazpacho, served with olive-oil bread and home made garlic and parsley butter. Then we moved onto beef in Oyster Stout, with dumplings, served with huge baked potatoes, mashed sweet potatoes and buttered cabbage. The pudding was lemon posset – my sister Deborah having given me her special recipe.

Here´s how to make the posset, which is best prepared the day before needed. Ingredients: One and a half pints of cream, double cream if you can get it but we just used ordinary. One and a half pints is just under one and three quarters of a liter. Eight ounces of caster sugar, the juice of four lemons and the grated zest of two lemons. Put the cream into a pan over a low heat and stir the sugar until dissolved. Then bring to the boil, constantly stirring. Boil, still stirring, for one minute. Remove from the heat and allow to cool slightly. Then add the strained juice and the zest. Put into individual dishes or a big bowl and chill in the fridge.

I think we overdid the lemon zest as it was rather sharp, so you might want to cut down on this. Anyway, everyone enjoyed the posset which was perfect after a heavy casserole.

Not knowing how to spell posset, we looked it up in the Oxford English Dictionary which said: “A drink composed of hot milk curdled with ale, wine, or other liquour, often with sugar spices, etc.; formerly much used as a delicacy, and a remedy for colds etc.”

If anyone is reading this, hullo. Drop me an email – raxomnium@gmail.com

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Cake and new friends

Sharon is now enjoying a stay with her sister at her gourmet hotel in Wigtown, Scotland.

On a roll in her wheelchair around the little town, which is Scotland's booktown, she managed to spare time to sample a big slab of iced carrot and orange cake at the Reading Lasses cafe and bookshop to keep her energy levels up.

With mild weather and plenty of new people to talk to she says she is "making lots of new friends."

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Fiesta time in the Campo

It´s fiesta time in the Campo de Cartagena and all the villages are partying once the sun goes down.

We were at the fiesta a few nights ago in a nearby village and a great time was had by all. These are very popular occasions and are supported by both Spanish and foreign residents alike. The Brits tend to arrive early, while the Spanish night owls really do party all night. A rocket went up at 9pm, perhaps to warn the village to get ready. Two rockets went up at 10pm to announce that the fun was about to begin.

The music was provided by British musicians Martin and Stewart and, as ever, they had everybody rocking. Although in her wheelchair, Sharon did a wonderful twist. There was an outdoor bar and inside the village social centre pork fillets and longaniza sausages were being cooked up to be served in buns. Micherones, a great local favourite, were also popular. This is a mix like breadcrumbs with pieces of chorizo and other good things scattered about.

Though we left early, tired out, at midnight, everyone else was settling in to continue enjoying the fun throughout the night.

“It was great,” said Sharon. “It was lovely to catch up with all my old friends and to enjoy a night out.”

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©Phillip Bruce 2009

Everyone swims in Spain

When the sun is beating down the best way to cool off is with a dip in the sea and the beaches of Murcia have excellent facilities for everyone – including the disabled.

There are special areas for people with mobility problems and these include special wooden paths across the sand so that wheelchairs can be rolled easily down to the water´s edge where there are shaded areas. Lifeguards, some of whom are specifically trained in helping the disabled are on hand together with amphibious wheelchairs which allow the bather to float out into the warm waters.

Once at a suitable depth it is easy to slip off the floating chair and kick around in the water. As well as being excellent exercise, with no weight on affected areas, this is just fun. And of course, the seawater helps recovery – particularly in the Mar Menor inland sea which is noted for its minerals and restorative properties.

After the dip it is always time for a drink in one of the beachfront cafes and a spot of time just watching the world go by.

©Phillip Bruce 2009

The dreaded castor oil plant

People of a certain age will remember the feared remedy of the 1950s and 1960s for all juvenile aches and pains – castor oil.

This foul tasting liquid was dispensed in great quantities whenever complaints arose with the general attitude being that the kids ought to pull themselves together and toughen up and a dose of powerful laxative couldn´t do any harm. Mind you, the mere threat of castor oil did have a remarkably powerful effect in curing all sorts of juvenile ailments.

The plant itself was spotted growing in the garden of a friend, the first time we had seen one of the beasts. It has a very distinctive flower with big palm-shaped leaves. The castor oil plant probably comes from Africa though it is now found wherever there are tropical conditions. As well as the terrifying medicine the oil is also used in the manufacture of industrial lubricants.

Never mind Asbos, how about compulsory castor oil?

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©Phillip Bruce

Cactus fruit soaks up the sunshine

Cactus fruit soaks up the sunshine

Around the Campo the big cactus plants with the flat pads are sporting plenty of fruit.

These fruit are enjoyed by the locals but they are difficult to harvest. As can be seen from the picture, they are covered in large spikes. But there are also small, sharp, hairs that puncture the skin if not properly prepared. Cactus gourmets gather the fruit carefully and then treat them to make sure that the small hairs are completely removed. Then the fruit can be cut open and the juicy flesh enjoyed.

These big cactus are a feature of the landscape but they are a relatively new arrival to Spain, being brought from South America by explorers.

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©Phillip Bruce 2009.