BARCELONA, WITH A SIDE ORDER OF EMPATHY AND CAKE
Good afternoon,
We just got back from Barcelona where it was raining like mad! My poor Mama was worried about us as she and my father are always glued to the news, so saw the terrible devastation between Valanecia and Malaga and immediately got their geography in a pickle. I’ve not yet had time to look at what happened, but from the little I saw it seems pretty awful. A year’s rain in one hour is never good.
In Barcelona we had no rain yesterday, so we took a taxi from our very nice hotel on the upper side of Paseo de Gracia down to Barceloneta, walked along the sea for quite a while watching people playing in waves, some even trying to catch a few waves on surfboards. My hair got turned into a Mad Maggie, as my Nana used to say! Then we walked all the way back to the hotel, through little streets (I was secretly hoping to come across one of my favourite shops in the area, but didn’t tell my husband, and as it turned out, I didn’t have my date with destiny! Oh well!).
We had a quick pit-stop in El Corte Ingles, which is a famous Spanish department store (there’s one in Girona, 15 minutes from where I live in Spain but it’s much smaller). Not that I was going to drag my husband through 6 floors or so and hundreds of different brands as there’s nothing he dislikes more than shopping, but Corte have really nice nightwear and since I’ve just chucked all mine out as it was all looking very tatty and embarrassing, and I really don’t like sleeping in just Chanel 5 anymore, I quickly picked up something that wouldn’t be embarrassing to be found found wearing dead in bed.
When we finally got back to our hotel my feet were beginning to burn a little - who else gets that? it’s horrible! And I my “triangle” little toes had blisters in the pointy triangular bits! - so I was happy to take off my shoes and socks and put my feet in cold water for a bit. I checked my phone stats and saw with amazement that I’d walked for over 9Kms!!! Without any hip pain! God bless that Spanish doctor, seriously!
I lay on the bed and read my new poetry book for a while, A Bit Much by Lindsay Rush, which is fun. Have you read it? Apparently she got famous on Instagram under the handle MaryOliversDrunkCounsin. I will have to see if she’s on Substack.
Then we got ready for drinks with friends who were also staying in the hotel, and whom we hadn’t seen for ages. I would have loved a G&T or a glass of wine, but I’m still playing it safe as I’ve only been on my new meds for ten days, and feel so good that I don’t want to jinx anything, so I had Vichy Catalan, which is my favourite sparkling water. Have you ever had it? You either love it or hate it, it tastes a teeny bit salty. I love it. I had a gross club sandwich, and just picked at it, leaving all the greasy bacon, tomato and bread! So basically I had no dinner, but it was fine.
I slept like a log, too! Great bed in that hotel! There’s something about beds in good hotels… And pillows….
I probably sound like a privileged turnip, but I kind of am.
Today, we woke to threatening grey skies, but managed to have a little time outside before the storm broke. There was a sudden clap of thunder and then it bucketed! We took a taxi with our friends and had a lovely lunch. Well, the company was lovely, but my chicken was way too salty. In French we say that the chef must be in love when the food is too salty, and this particular chef must be absolutely smitten. I hardly ate any of it, which I hate as I always think of the poor chicken having been killed for no reason.
I wish I could be vegetarian. With my IBD issues it’s been impossible so far, but maybe in a little while…
Anyway, we’re home now, and on the motorway on the way home I had a little spark of wisdom. Kind of bargain basement wisdom, because I’m no Buddha, but I figure I’ll share it anyway because I’m sure you won’t mind.
ON EMPATHY AND CAKE
Empathy is grossly underrated.
If empathy were spread liberally, shared indiscriminately, and ingested with relish, life would be a piece of cake.
(should it be “were spread”, or “was spread?” I’m never quite sure…)
Thanks for reading.
I think I’m going to make a cake now. A Spanish Santiago cake. Simple, mega quick, and delicious!
Here’s the recipe: 100 grams of sugar, 4 eggs. Beat together until smooth and light.
Add 200 grams of powdered almonds, about a teaspoon of cinnamon, the zest of a lemon. You can add the lemon juice too, if you like.
Grease a circular mould (I think mine is 26 cms diameter, and I put baking paper in the base, which I grease), and bake at 170 degrees for 30 minutes. You can sprinkle icing sugar on top if you like, to make it pretty!
That’s it! Super easy, the way I like baking.
Love,
Cesca xx