It was a dull, grey morning with an occasional spit of rain thrown in so, after a leisurely breakfast using up the last of our three-euros-for-five-kilos naranjas (oranges), we decided to drive off to the nearby coastal towns in search of brighter weather. We headed for Denia, wondering about drifting down the coast through Xavier and Moraira to end up, once again, in Calpe.
We found a parking spot in Denia but life was still grey and overcast so we went to investigate its indoor market hall. There were some interesting fish stalls, though “they” do seem to be vacuuming some extremely small fish out of the Med. I guess that’s mostly what’s left but it’ll be an underwater desert before long if that keeps up. Quite a few of the market stalls are German, which was a bit of a surprise. Clearly, es gibt viellen Deutsche in Denia. Certainly, German and English seemed to be the most prevalent languages.
Rather than stick to our plan of trogging down the coast in the continuing drizzle and gloom, we decided to take refuge in an appealing restaurant for a few tapas: bread and olive oil; carpaccio of beef; grilled shellfish and lamb meatballs, all went down well with a couple of copas de vino tinto.
Time to return and release el perrito from prison.
German & English the most prevalent languages? And here was me thinking you were in Spain
Sometimes, depending on town, Spain seems to fall into the background given all the ex pats (sp?) that live here. Calpe is apparently quite German, Xavier quite British. The Spanish seem to take it in their stride and don’t seem to feel too invaded, to their credit.
The Spanish when not vacuuming up the Mediterranean are out in our waters doing the very same. Hugh was down in Cornwall last night on a beam trawler cooking some fish for the Cornish fishermen. Something special about this trawlers nets in that it was a bit for selective. Ugghh he was cooking cuttle fish stew.
Now you being in Spain, must be eating some Sardines. Whats the difference between a Sardine and a Pilchard? They seem to call them Cornish Sardines, and sales have rocketed.
Yes, I think the Russians are out there in our waters with Dyson-equipped trawlers, too.
Apparently, there is no difference between a so-called pilchard and a sardine; they are two names for the same species but pilchard seems to have been a name local to Cornwall.