La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
As I mentioned yesterday, it’s been (and continues to be) a week of indulgence. Wednesday early afternoon, we met acquaintances, Jules and Brian, who spend parts of the year in the mountains about a half hour from here and the other parts of the year in England. We had coffee and pastries at Granier, a Spanish chain of bakeries and coffee shops. We have three in Fuengirola, two in our neighborhood within 5-minutes walk and another near the port, less than 20 minutes. When they come down from the mountain, they stop at one on the Paseo in our neighborhood. We had a very pleasant visit and excellent coffee. Well, my coffee was only excellent the second time around. Jules and Brian treated. Brian had a small lunch pastry. Jules brought us sugar and what I thought was artificial sweetener. Without looking, I poured it into my coffee and just as I took my first sip, Jules told Brian, “I got you some salt, as well.” Oops. Salt in coffee is not something I’d recommend.
Jean and Ray brought us a box of Lindt chocolates. I couldn’t even wait a moment for a first photo before sampling one. Sadly (ahem), San Geraldo prefers dark chocolate, so I’m forced to consume most of the box.
This morning I met Tynan and daughter Paula for coffee. She’s a gifted musician studying at the University of Córdoba Music School. She’s down for the weekend because she’s performing at a concert nearby. We planned to have a quick cup, but spent more than an hour together. A sweet start to the day.
On my way home, I bumped into Jean and Ray, who were out shopping on their final day before they fly home. We visited for quite some time when the mother of a local restaurant owner walked by. Another long and pleasant visit. Then, our very nice neighbors came by while walking their dog. Our neighborhood really is like a small village.
This evening was supposed to fulfill all our sweet wishes with Spanish-American Thanksgiving dinner at Luke and Beckett’s house. But, their mother, Kathleen, has a miserable cold (and we know it has to be miserable because she asked if we could postpone dinner). So, it looks like one instance of gratification deferred, which by definition means it will be even sweeter.
.
Como mencioné ayer, ha sido (y sigue siendo) una semana de indulgencia. El miércoles temprano por la tarde nos encontramos con unos conocidos, Jules y Brian, que pasan partes del año en las montañas a una media hora de aquí y las otras partes del año en Inglaterra. Tomamos café y bollería en Granier, una cadena española de panaderías y cafeterías. Tenemos tres en Fuengirola, dos en nuestro barrio a 5 minutos andando y otra cerca del puerto, a menos de 20 minutos. Cuando bajan de la montaña, paran en uno del Paseo de nuestro barrio. Tuvimos una visita muy agradable y un excelente café. Bueno, mi café solo fue excelente la segunda vez. Jules y Brian tratados. Brian tenía un pequeño pastel de almuerzo. Jules nos trajo azúcar y lo que pensé que era edulcorante artificial. Sin mirar, lo vertí en mi café y justo cuando tomaba mi primer sorbo, Jules le dijo a Brian: “También te traje un poco de sal”. Ups. La sal en el café no es algo que recomendaría.
Jean y Ray nos trajeron una caja de bombones Lindt. Ni siquiera podía esperar un momento para una primera foto antes de probar una. Lamentablemente (ejem), San Geraldo prefiere el chocolate negro, por lo que me veo obligado a consumir la mayor parte de la caja.
Esta mañana me encontré con Tynan y su hija Paula para tomar un café. Es una talentosa música que estudia en la Escuela de Música de la Universidad de Córdoba. Está fuera el fin de semana porque se presenta en un concierto cercano. Planeamos tomar una taza rápida, pero pasamos más de una hora juntos. Un dulce comienzo del día.
De camino a casa, me encontré con Jean y Ray, que habían salido de compras en su último día antes de volar a casa. Visitamos durante bastante tiempo cuando pasó la madre del dueño de un restaurante local. Otra visita larga y agradable. Luego, nuestros muy amables vecinos pasaron mientras paseaban a su perro. Nuestro vecindario realmente es como un pequeño pueblo.
Se suponía que esta noche cumpliría todos nuestros dulces deseos con la cena hispanoamericana de Acción de Gracias en la casa de Luke y Beckett. Pero su madre, Kathleen, tiene un resfriado terrible (y sabemos que tiene que ser terrible porque preguntó si podíamos posponer la cena). Entonces, parece una instancia de gratificación diferida, lo que por definición significa que será aún más dulce.
• Mucho dulce.
• Y tal vez un poco mordaz.
• Un par de vistas de puestas de sol recientes.
• Y más dulces.
Click the thumbnails to make them grander.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para hacerlas más grandes.
You poor thing – having to consume all that chocolate – what a sacrificing being you are.
sillygirl:
It’s my lot in life. I am the definition of selfless.
We used to have a Granier bakery in Wood Green(!), and I liked it a lot. Methinks the pandemic did for the franchise (I can only find one branch remaining in London). It’s still a bakery, and still seems to be Spanish-owned, so I really must pay another visit. Alternatively, maybe we’ll just wait till February and go to the one on the main road in Benalmadena Costa… Jx
PS That man’s clothing-and-carrier-bag combo makes my eyes bleed.
Jon:
They’re great places, but I hate the self-serve. You stand in one line for food and then another for drinks and to pay, and THEN you have to find a table. The one nearest to us is usually mobbed, few tables outside and inside is so cramped, you can’t move the chairs if you managed to squeeze into a table. I avoid it. The one on the Paseo is much more sane and manageable. I wish I had gotten an in-focus shot of that man (I was trying to be subtle). The carrier bag was the clincher.
Every time I see fish like that, I think how much they’d rather be out swimming around in the ocean. But hey, I eat fish, so I can’t be too hypocritical, I suppose.
Steve:
Yeah, I’m a hypocrite, too.
Those chocolates look yummy! I’m with SG on preferring dark chocolate, but I eat both, unfortunately. I have to stick with the female candy nowadays. I can’t chew nuts anymore. Balder knows this. We had a long talk about Mounds over Almond Joy. He knows I can’t chew almonds. He caught a sale on candy bars and being so thoughtful he bought me several Almond Joy bars. I think he’s trying to join the SG and Carlos fraternity. Maybe he’s trying to kill me and wants me to be a toothless corpse. Who knows with that man!
Always good to see the kitties. Such beautiful boys.
Deedles:
I, too, prefer dark chocolate and like you I eat both anyway. I can still chew nuts but I don’t get to often enough.
I most definitely prefer what’s behind the case of the second and third glass case as opposed to the first glass case. You and your fish eyes pictures!!!! I like any chocolate, but I’m with San Geraldo, I prefer dark chocolate
Mistress Borghese:
I, too, prefer dark chocolate. But it doesn’t stop me from eating whatever chocolate is placed in front of me.
It’s sick, I know, but I love taking pictures of those fish faces.
Fresh fish and pastries, maybe I should move
David:
You’ll have your fill very soon.
I may need a rest after reading this! lol
I always wanted to be a baker as a child.
Jim:
I always wanted to live above a bakery.
Oh, that box of Lindt chocolates! (*mopping drool from chin*)
Debra:
Yeah, there aren’t many left. I’m doing good work.
They may be dead, but I don’t like the way those fish are staring at me.
Dark chocolate happens to be my favorite kind of chocolate, but I’ll still eat it even when it’s white as snow.
Kirk:
It seems many of us are like you. Dark chocolate preferred but we don’t turn down anything. Vegans, forgive me. I have too much fun with those fish photos.
Oh my goodness the chocolates look lovely but the adorable kitties are so much better.
Anon:
But the chocolate is so much tastier than cat hair.
Salt in the coffee… haven’t we all done something like that?
Photos are beautifully captured, and the subjects are fun to see (except for Mr. Crazy Outfit, of course).
Judy C:
Thanks. As far as the coffee, I can’t believe I’d never done it before.
How much does one pay nowadays for indulgences?
Urspo:
I’ve heard being cheap is not cheap.
Gorgeous skies!
Walt the Fourth:
More to share (although this morning, I went back to bed instead of grabbing the camera).
Again, gorgeous skies! And that moon. Looks like the one I saw last night. Hmmm…
Um… pilot error. I meant to post this in the other place. I’ll copy it over there. Forgive the repetition.
Walt the Fourth:
I knew what you meant.
Walt the Fourth:
I’ve always wondered if your moon looked at all like ours.