La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Lulu wrote from Fuengirola yesterday and commented on the DANA* that was on its way and wondered if I was still planning to train down to Málaga. I was but then I looked at the forecast. Red alert for Málaga until midnight. Flooding likely. Travel only if necessary. So, I cancelled my train tickets. Maybe I’ll go early next week. Here in Córdoba we have a yellow alert until 6 p.m.
We went to lunch at Casa Colón and watched the news while we ate. The flooding in Málaga was already awful and there was a long day of rain still to come. Tynan and Lulu both sent me videos of their views. Pouring and blowing in Fuengirola. Then I received a text message from RENFE (the national rail). Trains between Madrid and Málaga had been cancelled. I would have been stuck. I’m glad I’m not there, but I hope it doesn’t get any worse for the people affected. Thousands of people have been evacuated. The province of Valencia is being hit all over again. Here, just rain.
San Geraldo had the scan of his back last night at Hospital de la Reina Sofia, the university hospital. Another exceptional experience. I’m sure it’s nothing because he continues to improve — although slowly. Since the scan was at 9 p.m., we thought we’d go back to La Fabbrica (click here) for dinner. We discovered they’re closed Wednesdays. So we continued down the street to Restaurante Canadian where we had another good meal and met a great server. This server also told me I’d have to ask the owner why it’s called Restaurante Canadian. I don’t know the owner. Anyway, she thinks there used to be a train called Canadian, but I can’t find anything on that. Maybe the owner took a trip on Canadian Rail and it changed his life.
We are actually putting the apartment together today. At least a little. Well, at least I am. San Geraldo plans to cook dinner here tonight. I’m so excited. But neither of us may be in the mood when the time comes.
I mentioned before that we have a cat flap in our laundry room door. Neither cat has tried it. I’ve shown it to Dudo several times and he simply backs away. You can see him in the first photo below. Moose stood behind Dudo one time but ran the minute the flap flapped.
* A DANA is an intense version of a cold drop when warm Mediterranean air collides with a stagnant mass of cold air at a high altitude. Their meeting causes the warm air to rise easily and become saturated with water vapor. (And I thank Live Science for that.)
Lulu escribió ayer desde Fuengirola y comentó sobre la DANA* que estaba en camino y me preguntó si todavía tenía pensado ir en tren a Málaga. Sí, pero luego miré el pronóstico. Alerta roja para Málaga. Probabilidad de inundaciones. Viajes solo si es necesario. Entonces, cancelé mis billetes de tren. Tal vez vaya a principios de la próxima semana. Aquí en Córdoba tenemos alerta amarilla hasta las 18 horas.
Fuimos a almorzar a Casa Colón y vimos las noticias mientras comíamos. Las inundaciones en Málaga ya eran terribles y todavía quedaba un largo día de lluvia por delante. Tynan y Lulu me enviaron videos de sus vistas. Llovía a cántaros y soplaba en Fuengirola. Luego recibí un mensaje de texto de RENFE (la red ferroviaria nacional). Los trenes entre Madrid y Málaga se habían cancelado. Me habría quedado atrapada. Me alegro de no estar allí, pero espero que no empeore para las personas afectadas. Miles de personas han sido evacuadas. La provincia de Valencia está siendo golpeada de nuevo por todas partes. Aquí, solo lluvia.
Anoche le hicieron la ecografía de la espalda a San Geraldo en el Hospital de la Reina Sofía, el hospital universitario. Otra experiencia excepcional. Seguro que no es nada porque sigue mejorando, aunque lentamente. Como la ecografía era a las 21:00, pensamos volver a cenar a La Fabbrica (haz clic aquí). Descubrimos que los miércoles cierran. Así que seguimos calle abajo hasta el Restaurante Canadian, donde tuvimos otra buena comida y conocimos a un camarero estupendo. Este camarero también me dijo que tendría que preguntarle a la dueña por qué se llama Restaurante Canadian. No conozco a la dueña. De todos modos, cree que antes había un tren llamado Canadian, pero no encuentro nada al respecto. Quizá el dueño hizo un viaje en el Canadian Rail y eso le cambió la vida.
De hecho, hoy estamos arreglando el apartamento. Al menos un poco. Bueno, al menos yo lo estoy haciendo. San Geraldo planea cocinar la cena aquí esta noche. Estoy muy emocionada. Pero puede que ninguno de los dos esté de humor cuando llegue el momento.
Ya he mencionado antes que tenemos una gatera en la puerta del lavadero. Ninguno de los gatos la ha probado. Se la he mostrado a Dudo varias veces y él simplemente se aleja. Puedes verlo en la primera foto de abajo. Moose se paró detrás de Dudo una vez, pero salió corriendo en cuanto la gatera se abrió.
* Una DANA es una versión intensa de una gota fría cuando el aire cálido del Mediterráneo choca con una masa estancada de aire frío a gran altitud. Su encuentro hace que el aire cálido se eleve fácilmente y se sature de vapor de agua.
• Dudo y la gatera.
• Cena de San Geraldo en el Restaurante Canadian. ¡Acabo de lavar esa camisa después de que le derramara algo encima el día anterior!
• Frente al Restaurante Canadian. Parte trasera de la Facultad de Veterinaria de la Universidad de Córdoba. Aquí se puede ver el frente.
• Croquetas rellenas de espinacas y piñones de Casa Colón. Magníficas.
• Tapa de cortesía en Casa Colón.
• Afuera de Casa Colón en la Plaza de Colón durante el almuerzo de hoy.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
I found if you tape the cat flap door up for a couple of weeks, in the open position, cats will often then try it out. Good luck.
Anon:
Thanks for the advice. I’ll give it a try.
I hope everyone in Fuengirola and Málaga will be okay! Good thing you got the heads-up not to take the train as planned.
Debra:
Isabel lives in a complex of a few low-rise buildings with a beautiful plaza in the center. She sent a photo of the completely flooded plaza and water over the threshold of the ground floor across the way. Fortunately, they’re on the 3rd floor, but it’s not someplace I would have ever expected that to happen.
I did wonder how it might affect you when I read about all the weather alerts across Andalusia. As The Madam just commented “with all that rain, it should be nice and green by the time we get there in February”. He’s all heart.
Those cats are a never-ending source of comedy! Jx
Jon:
Yeah, all that green comes with a price. At least reservoirs are healthy again. We had mostly clouds yesterday after a rainy start. Just mostly cloudy today. I’m trying to get more work done.
I’m glad you avoided that stranding. So sorry for the people flooded now, and it seems this is not their norm.
The cats are taking no chances with the dangerous catflap!
Boud was anonymous!
Boud:
Flooding is not uncommon this time of year, but nothing like this. There’ve been a few big events in Valencia, but the worst on record was 1957 and this time has been described as 3 times as bad. I had a great suggestion from Anonymous (really anonymous) to tape the flap open for a while. I’m going to do that today. I even know where the masking tape is… I think.
Sounds nasty…..all that rain! We heard about the flooding on the news. Stay safe.
Jim:
It’s devastating. We were fortunate here. So many people lost their homes, their lives, family, and friends. I feel so sorry for the rescue and recovery workers.
Holy cow! I join everyone else in being glad for you not to have gotten stuck … sounds terrible.
I love that wide-eyed photo of Dudo, and the, “Can I be any more relaxed?” look on Moose’s puss 🙂 Also… spinach and pine nut croquettes!?! Yes please! It’s wonderful that, living in another country, you get exposed to so many delightful, yummy things that you might not encounter in your everyday food travels in the U.S. 🙂
Judy C:
Dining out here is another new adventure. I so look forward to being able to completely escape for a day and explore. The cats are definitely content.
Moose seems to be saying, “Let Dudo check that flap thing. I’m not going near it!”
Bob:
I wish I had my camera the first time. Dudo’s eyes couldn’t open any wider and Moose was directly behind, head raised above Dudo’s with the same expression.
Back in the US we are also on alert: A fascist clown show is coming to DC in January and they are already hiring the worst clowns.
Frank D:
I read once in the morning if I must and then I look away.
You definitely made the right choice. And the last couple of years were drought.
David:
The reservoirs were dangerously low. Too bad it’s either feast or famine.
Well, I’m no cat whisperer, but Moose looks like he’s thinking, “You woke me up without treats in hand?!”… perhaps cat nip rubbed around the cat flap would entice Dudo to use it? Then Moose would be sure to follow, if only in the name of sibling rivalry, LOL!
Flash flooding is horrible anywhere, but especially so in populated areas — stay safe!
Tundra Bunny:
The cats don’t always respond to cat nip (mostly don’t). I’m going to tape the flap open today and see if that helps.
Seems like you guys moved just in time.
Claudia:
We sure did! And we were originally simply grateful there was no rain on moving day.
I remember, years ago, sitting beside a cat flap with treats in hand trying to persuade the cat to come through….not sure if she ever did!
You will be so used to eating out that you may never cook again. My brother and partner Mike go out every day for lunch, have done for years.
Frances
Frances:
SG and I used to go out for dinner every day. We changed our habits when we moved to rural Connecticut. We’ll have to soon break this expensive habit.
I am catching up on my blog reading. It sounds as if you are settling in nicely, even though your backs haven’t cooperated. You are so lucky that you didn’t take the train, and that you moved when you did.
Michael:
We did have good timing and we’re so happy to be here.
What fortuitous timing on your part as to the move but how horrible for those who are living in the affected areas. These weather events are world-wide and getting worse all the time, aren’t they?
I had the same thought as Judy C. in that you have such amazing opportunities to try new foods and tastes, fo find new favorites. I’ve heard that Spain has some of the best food in the world and I have no doubt about that after reading your posts and seeing your beautiful photos. And by the way- that shot of the back of the veterinary college at night is stunning.
As to cat flaps- there’s one on our back porch. It was originally a dog flap but we have no dogs any more. However, instead of using it, the cats have merely torn and bent the screen under it to allow entrance and exit on their own terms.
Sigh.
Ms. Moon
Ms. Moonsigh:
Another great lunch out today. At least we’re having breakfast at home now. I need to go tape that cat flap open. But these are two stubborn cats. I just hear them sounding like The Kid Brother: “Uh uh! I ain’t fallin’ for dat!”
Keep safe darling
The Spanish health care system has it right, scanning into the night, emergencies only in the uk
John:
Yes, the appointment times still surprise us.
How awful about the flooding. I’m glad you didn’t go and get stuck. Maybe you can take a cat toy and show the kitties how it goes through the cat flap. That might give them the idea.
Love,
Janie
Janiejunebug:
I taped the flap open and Dudo did go in and out — until he pulled the tape off during the night. I don’t know what he thought of that.
So much rain and flooding .
I was looking at your photo and I said where is the ocean ?
Tie some treat on a string and pull it through the cat door.
Parsnip:
Treat on a string. They didn’t fall for it.
Maybe the owners of Restaurante Canadian were fans of Gordon Lightfoot? Didn’t he have a song called the “Canadian Railroad Trilogy”?
Dave does that same thing to his shirts at every meal. It makes me crazy.
Steve:
Next time I’m there I’ll ask if the owner knew Gordon Lightfoot. Yes, SG at every meal. Daily stain treatment. I wash. He wears. I treat. I wash. He wears. I treat…