Memory Lane – Maragall, Barcelona

After disembarking from the AVE in Barcelona and picking up our hire car, Jon and I drove over to the suburb of Maragall for a trip down memory lane. As a young boy of 6 years Jon was sent to Spain under doctors orders due to his asthma condition. He lived in Plaza Maragall close to the centre of Barcelona for about 6 months. When he arrived he did not speak a word of Spanish and his Aunties, Uncles and Cousins not a word of English – so it was a complete emersion in the Spanish language and culture. By the time Jon returned to the UK he didn’t remember any English so he had to learn it all over again.

In the 3-minute video below Jon starts off by showing us the drain where his toy truck fell into while playing as a young boy. This incident is burnt into Jon’s memory because he remembers getting into big trouble from his Aunty.  Across the road is the one bedroom apartment where Jon lived with his Aunty Pepa, Uncle Cristobal, Grandmother Yaya and cousins Jesus & Jose Maria (yes thats right, 6 people in a 1-bedroom apartment, yikes!). Walking down the street Jon notes where there used to be apartment buildings on both sides of the road and how the street looks so different now. Jon also points out the street where a picture was taken of him on his First Holy Communion and close by is a cinema where his Aunty would take him when he was a good boy. Next we see a brief glimpse of the church Yaya used to go to then Jon points towards a playground and ice cream kiosk that he used to frequent. Close by is the doctor’s surgery where he would  get jabs in his backside for asthma, and an amusement arcade where his cousins taught him to play footbaline. Across the road is the corner where Jon would wait as a 6-year-old for his Uncle Pedro to pick him up in his work truck. Jon would travel around with his uncle for the day doing wine deliveries. At the end of the video we drive to another part of town to see the apartment where Jon’s Aunty Ana, Uncle Eusabio and Cousin Anna-Maria’s used to live.

Feliz cumpleaños Jon!

Last week was a big milestone birthday for mi vida Jon. Cyril and I took Jon out for breakfast and in the evening we went into Sevilla city for some drinks and tapas . . . starting at Hotel Alfonzo XIII and finishing in Triana.

A few days later Jon and I flew to the Balearic Island of Ibiza for more birthday celebrations, but not of the clubbing kind. We stayed in Santa Ines, a picturesque village full of traditional farmhouses (fincas) with whitewashed walls and surrounded by endless almond groves. More on Ibiza in a future post.

Sunday Roast Traditions

Sunday Roast is BIG business here in the UK. Families frequently gather with their children, parents, nan’s & pop’s, uncles & aunties and cousins for a pub lunch or home cooked roast. This Sunday it was a home cooked roast pork for the Gardner Clan. Preparations started at 11.30am. Potatoes and carrots were peeled, pork was dressed and then everything placed in a hot oven. Then as per Gardner tradition aprons were whipped off and we all popped down to Cyril’s local (‘The Rose & Crown’ no less) for a couple of drinks while lunch roasted. On return home Jon made a fresh gravy and apple sauce, beans and peas were boiled and the wine was poured. The roast was delicious, especially the roast carrots and potatoes. No sooner than the plates were cleared, apple pie and cream quickly followed (no gaps between lunch and dessert around here!). I was sedated . . . again! I’m sure you would not be surprised to hear I’ve put on a few kilos in the last 7 days. I’m definitely going to need to get myself a very physical type of job in Sevilla. If only to keep me out of foods way! After lunch we all pitched in and washed up before going for a long  afternoon walk. All I really wanted was a siesta, but I knew a bit of exercise would do me the world of good. Outside it was blue skies and the sun was shining but I swear it must have been 3 degrees, or less! After our walk Jon and his sister Julie met some friends back at The Sun Inn, I opted for a little time out and an early night.