Chestnuts Roasting on an Open Fire

If it weren’t for the subtle hints, I wouldn’t know it was the holiday season. Although it drops to the low forties at night, the days are still fairly warm and sunny here. The idea of snowmen and reindeer seem, some how, ridiculously out of place. I spent the weekend in Granada ambling through the streets. It was the ghostly presence of the snow-capped mountains (literal translation: “sierra nevada”) slinking behind the Alhambra, the festive lights louring you to the super market, and of course the chestnuts being roasted on every street corner that tipped me off that it is, in fact, almost Christmas.
Although Sundays can be a bit of a bore since absolutely nothing is open, it makes for spectacular people watching. It is still tradition here to dress up in one’s Sunday best and stroll around the town. For the older folks this means fur coats and dapper hats, while the children seem content enough to be paraded about in flouncy dresses and bow ties. I stopped by an antique market full of old coins and stamps; it made me think of my father.
Later, I met up with some of the people from work for a birthday meal for a friend of theirs. We made regional favorites from the area including a “drunken” (rum flavoured) cake. It felt good to be among friends, borrowed as they were.
Last Thursday we threw a real American style house party. I suppose I should explain that here one rarely invites people over. The home is considered a private place and one goes out to be with friends. We had fifteen people over to Joanna's new apartment for our Tex-Mex feast. I made the salsa and guacamole while Joanna made fresh tortillas, steak, soup and dessert; it went off with a bang. Of course it was followed up by lots of dancing; I'm now considered an expert on the electric slide.
As far as word on the car goes, it's been a real roller-coaster. The insurance I found fell through upon further inspection, expelling me into the depths of despair.Yet the twisted vineyard of the Spanish grape vine came through for me again and I got word of an American company with a branch here in Spain that was able to insure me in the blink of an eye. In fact, I now have insurance but no car, I'm still waiting for the money transfer to come through before I can actally purchase it- funny how that works. This afternoon I'll check again to see if it's come through; fingers crossed!