La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
We had a great surprise yesterday. Alfonso texted that he was in Córdoba and wondered if we could meet for coffee around 5. Cristina was also in town, on business, and would meet us a bit later. They’re our friends who were married in Segovia in June.
Alfonso’s friends put together a belated bachelor party for him. They just spent 3 days in Tarifa (the southernmost tip of mainland Spain) enjoying the weather, the beach, and the food. They left the partying to the 20-somethings and simply had a good time being together. Alfonso didn’t drive down, so hitched a ride to Córdoba with a friend who lives here and was then taking the train home to Madrid.
Cristina’s meeting was scheduled after his plans were made, so it worked out wonderfully — for us at least. Alfonso had booked an economy seat for himself. Cristina was then booked by her company in first class. Hmmm. But he planned to sleep and she planned to work, so it was fine with him. Seven-year-old María was home with the nanny, so it was adults only which is unusual. We got to hug each other many times.
The friendship began after a random conversation while we were out for breakfast in Fuengirola in March of 2019 when María was only a month old. What a gift.
San Geraldo is making progress on his aquarium construction. Yesterday, he cleaned the rocks and boiled the wood (to sterilize and make it waterlogged so it would sink). The rock is called dragon rock (also, Ohko stone). The wood is redmoor or spider wood which is the dried root of a rhododenron or azalea. The mess in the house is called San Geraldo. He’s having such a good time.
The boiling redmoor reminded me of bird’s nest soup. Have you ever tried it? I have and was sorry I did. I found it blah and only slightly disconcerting until I was told, mid-slurp, that it was made of bird saliva!
Ayer nos llevamos una gran sorpresa. Alfonso nos escribió diciendo que estaba en Córdoba y nos preguntó si podíamos quedar para tomar un café sobre las 5. Cristina también estaba en la ciudad por negocios y nos vería un poco más tarde. Son amigos nuestros que se casaron en Segovia en junio.
Los amigos de Alfonso le organizaron una despedida de soltero tardía. Acababan de pasar tres días en Tarifa (el extremo sur de la península ibérica) disfrutando del buen tiempo, la playa y la gastronomía. Dejaron la fiesta a los veinteañeros y simplemente se divirtieron juntos. Alfonso no condujo hasta allí, así que viajó a Córdoba con un amigo que vive allí y luego cogió el tren de vuelta a Madrid.
La reunión de Cristina se programó después de que él hiciera sus planes, así que todo salió de maravilla, al menos para nosotros. Alfonso había reservado un asiento en clase económica. Cristina, por su parte, había reservado un asiento en primera clase para su empresa. Mmm. Pero él planeaba dormir y ella trabajar, así que no hubo problema. María, de siete años, estaba en casa con la niñera, así que solo éramos adultos, lo cual es inusual. Nos dimos muchos abrazos.
La amistad comenzó después de una conversación casual mientras estábamos desayunando en Fuengirola en marzo de 2019, cuando María tenía solo un mes. Qué regalo.
San Geraldo está progresando en la construcción de su acuario. Ayer limpió las rocas y hirvió la madera (para esterilizarla y empaparla para que se hundiera). La roca se llama roca dragón (también, piedra Ohko). La madera es redmoor o madera araña, que es la raíz seca de un rododendro o azalea. El desorden en la casa se llama San Geraldo. Se lo está pasando de maravilla.
El caldo de páramo hirviendo me recordó a la sopa de nido de pájaro. ¿La has probado alguna vez? Yo sí, y me arrepentí. Me pareció insípida y solo un poco inquietante hasta que, mientras la sorbía, me dijeron que estaba hecha de saliva de pájaro.
• La roca del dragón de San Geraldo después de que la fregara por completo con un cepillo de dientes.
• Ramas de Redmoor hirviendo. Ahora tenemos una olla enorme (que SG trajo a casa de la ferretería ayer) para acompañar al enorme nivel que usamos una vez (haz clic aquí).
• El viaje en coche de Alfonso. El tren de alta velocidad les lleva de Córdoba a Madrid en menos de 2 horas (en comparación con las 4 horas que se tarda en coche).
• El puesto del sol del jueves.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Oh, man, I can really feel the fun that Jerry is having getting all in depth with this project… learning all about everything, and doing all of this amazingly thorough prep… I couldn’t wait to read what on earth that pot of boiling who-knows-what we were looking at… ha!
(Speaking of the prep, that red and white kitchen towel is exactly the same one we just bought in London [although, in blue and white], because our apartment didn’t have anything to dry the dishes with!)
What a nice visit with Alfonso and Cristina! And a great photo!
Judy C:
We have two of those kitchen towels. They were my mothers and I simply through them in my suitcase after she died. Why waste them? She probably bought them in London herself.
“The mess in the house is called San Geraldo.” That made me laugh out loud!
How lovely to catch up with both your friends at once…
Beautiful sunset. Jx
Jon:
The sunsets before and after have been nothing like that. Our time with Alfonso and Cristina was the best.
Live your friends’ story!
And between you and me, I live San Geraldo’s project. I used to have an aquarium that only had plants for the longest time. Now it’s a terrarium.
XOXO
Sixpence:
I had aquariums as a kid. My mother had terrariums for years after.
Just as I was reading this, I was texting back and forth with Lily who is looking for a huge pot in which to dye her old wedding dress pink. She is planning on going as Glenda The Good Witch for Halloween. I offered my old canning kettle which is 21.5 quarts but she already has one that big and it will have to do. She will have pink satin soup with seed pearls for crunch.
You cannot make this stuff up.
Look at you beautiful people!
Mary Moon:
Tell Lily she can get the pot just 10 minutes from us for only €35! Pink satin soup with seed pearls for crunch sounds exceptional.
The dress dying went wonderfully well! It’s gorgeous.
I was just thinking you can now get into serious canning. Or dog bathing. That’s such a handsome couple, good friends, too. Boud
Boud:
It looks like that pot will be just another thing taking up space in SG’s office!
Bird saliva!? Ewww. I didn’t know birds had saliva and how many birds died to make a bowl of soup or do they just ‘milk’ it. And what birds? So, I had to look that up. Still, someone must have been awfully hungry to decide to eat that.
ellen abbott:
Oh, birds are prolific at producing saliva. We had a hand-reared lovebird. Until we got him a friend, he had a plastic penguin on wheels that he humped and regurgitated on constantly. And, I agree, someone must been awfully hungry.
Birds nest soup?!?!? Yuck. I don’t like it either. Id rather try Alfonso.
Mistress Borghese:
I think many people would rather try Alfonso. What a hunk (and a sweetheart). And you’d melt for the Spanish accent.
That dragon rock is giving me dinosaur bone vibes, but I’m sure it’ll look fabulous in the tank!
Bird soup would be a hard pass, though I’m just now realizing chicken soup is bird soup. I may have to rethink, without the saliva of course.
Bob:
I love the dragon rock.
Not bird soup, just bird’s NEST. No birds were harmed in the making of the soup (although their homes were destroyed… so I suppose…)
I’m relieved that picture on top isn’t soup after all.
Kirk:
A bit chewy.
I would love to have that pot to make a big batch of greens! Does it come with a lid?
Bird’s nest soup doesn’t sound the least bit appealing. Is it made with the nest? Yuck. One wouldn’t eat chicken coop stew, would they? Ya never know. I’m enjoying the progress of the aquarium. It’s so much better than a room renovation.
Deedles:
No lid on the pot.
The soup is made from the nest which is made from the saliva of the edible-nest (or white-nest) swiftlet. And their saliva is produced from their diet of flying insects. Doesn’t that sound even more delicious?
Ooooh, buggy bird spit! Yum! Did someone walk pas a nest ans say “Boy that looks delicious”? I suppose cat turds covered in kitty litter looks like yummy chocolate with nuts.
When the shark outgrows the aquarium, the big pot will come in handy.
David:
The overgrown shark will have to be cut up for the big pot.
I am impressed with SG preparation for his aquarium decor, I want to see the results of it all. As for Bird nest soup, well in my family we eat what is put in front of us and no complaining. As my mother would say there are children in the world who would be happy for a meal. I did eat this soup once and I also had shredded green snake soup in China, it’s all good.
larrymuffin:
Do you suppose your mother had considered bird’s nest soup when she made that statement?
LOL — surely a bird can’t make much saliva. It must take a whole poultry farm to generate a single bowl of soup! There’s something artistic about the boiling wood. I had no idea rhodie roots were used in aquariums!
Steve:
Swiftlets build their nests with their saliva and the soup is made with their dried nests which are about 2.4 inches across. The recipes I found call for the use of two bird’s nests. It wasn’t a huge bowl nest. Mine had segments of the nest and I remember it being slimy but kind of like glass noodles — and with no flavor.
Steve:
Check this out.
https://www.facebook.com/share/r/1JJrifVm8b/
or this
https://youtube.com/shorts/fH0GW0pUF70?si=4uhAz3PlEmngwxYF