Gota Fria?

 Summer is over and after a lovely two months in Calpe with temperatures at times in the 40´s, we are back at home in Pilar. The weather is still pretty fantastic, considering it´s now 2 November. I still haven´t gone into tights or proper shoes or a jacket except occasionally when I´ve been out in the evening. I must say, though, that since we put the clocks back it does seem rather autumnal with dark evenings coming earlier than before.

The rest of Spain has quite miserable weather with masses of rain but our Costa strip has escaped so far, only getting a few odd showers. However, the dreaded "Gota Fria" (literal translation-cold drop ) hangs like a barely veiled threat over us. It´s a period of intense rain which might only last for 20 mins but is so heavy that the results can be quite devastating. The pictures here are from where I live and you can see the green-grassed Ramblas in its normal state and after a downpour of unbelievable intensity. This was in 2009 and so far we´ve not had anything as bad since. Fingers crossed!!

Pilar has just finished its month-long local fiesta. This year , due to the financial crisis, the Town Hall has tightened its belt somewhat and spent less on parades, fireworks and the like. But enough was kept by to make the fiestas a success. If the noise was anything to go by, it was a huge success! Some days the music
(at top volume) went on till 4 in the morning!

Ah, well, we do live in Spain so it just has to be accepted. It seems the Spaniards can tolerate noise much better than North Europeans can. I sometimes think they have a special gene which makes them impervious to external noise. I can´t understand how they can have mobile phone conversations in noisy bars otherwise. I simply can´t. I have to have peace and quiet about me. But then, it´s probably something to do with being in the grumpy old fart category now.....