Cirque du Soleil VS Puerta del Sol

Last night was one of those rare occasions when my friends and I meet up at our favourite Chinese restaurant on a Saturday  - well, maybe it's not our favourite but it's the one we've been going to for years.  It's also very convenient for me because I live about 2 minutes away (walking) depending on how many people I have to avoid during bullfighting season.  So it's logical that I be the first one to arrive or so I thought.  An ex- colleague was standing outside, and, when I went up to her, she told me she'd just come from the Cirque du Soleil.  I told her I'd just been watching it live on the internet.  She asked if it was free and I said it was.  And what had I been watching?  The sit-in in the Puerta del Sol!  LOL. They do sound alike though, don't they?  I'm sure they have other things in common too.

In case you haven't heard about these protests, they're happening all over Spain.  I have mixed feelings about them.  Why are they protesting just now right before elections (today is Election Day) and not on the 29th of September when there was a half-hearted General Strike?  Or better still, why didn't they start protesting back in 2008 when the Spanish Government called anyone who mentioned the word crisis an anti-patriot? The company that I worked for for nearly 30 years had to close in 2004 partly due to scams of language schools such as Wall Street and Opening, but mostly it was because of bad management.  We were lucky that the lawyer who works for Real Madrid FC agreed to help us sell our remaining assets and get some money from the closure.  Some of my friends and colleagues decided to continue working and have a small English institute in one of the buildings the company used to rent.  The institute is, by the way, in the Puerta del Sol.  One of the signs I saw waved around the other day is one that I agree with completely.  It said: + PAN - CHORIZOS (more bread and fewer crooks). This is one thing no one can disagree with!

I'm late getting this posted.  The weather is fantastic and it's nice being outside until the people going to the bullfight arrive anyway.  I think we were supposed to have some rain today but haven't so far.  Hope everybody has a good week.

Eating My Words

I've been meaning to apologize for something that I said that was untrue ever since I bought some apples like the one in the photo. Terri, in one of her blogs, complained about the sticky bits of labels on fruit which remained even after the labels had been removed. Until recently, I hadn't noticed labels on fruit unless on oranges. This particular apple came in a package. You can see they're 'Pink Lady' brand. Now I don't usually buy fruit like apples in packages, so I thought perhaps that might be the explanation. The other day when I was picking out some Granny Smith apples, I noticed that they ALL had labels on them! Maybe I'll be more observant in the future.

We have a bright sunny day here - just in time for the beginning of the work week. Yesterday just as I was thinking about taking Zara out, the heavens opened up, though we didn't get the hail like we had on Tuesday at lunchtime. Of course, the sun is shining through dirty windows again or it was. A cloud has just come by to say hello. Tomorrow it's supposed to be in the low 80's (probably near 30º C in the sun when I'm walking along the part of the streets that has no shade). My friends have already complained about the heat so early and how it wasn't as hot last summer, which I have to dispute, and this is something that I won't take back! It was bloody hot! I'm always thinking how wonderful it would be to be able to 'always take the weather with you', i.e. the weather you want, like the Crowded House song.

Happy Mother's Day to those who are celebrating it today and hope everyone has a good week. The San Isidro Bullfighting season begins on Tuesday, which means we'll have bullfights every day until the middle of June and too many people for my liking in the area. As it is now, it's sometimes difficult to circulate in the streets near bars like the one next to my house because the smokers are outside with their cigarettes and mobile phones.

If You Haven't Laughed Recently

Or if you haven't seen this