After the rain comes more rain. Last summer was extremely hot and dry and people prayed for water, and soon the prayers were more than amply awarded. But enough is enough. The land is flooded, there are landslips everywhere and trees have been blown down. Many roads have collapsed and in some parts of Andalucía, cars are under water and houses are full of it. In February, there have been daily rainfalls of up to 40 litres per square metre. This prolonged rain is not normal for our part of the world. Three days a month is what you can expect, or so I have been told by our Spanish friends, Manuel and Encarna, who said that they had not experienced such a rainy winter during their lifetimes; they are both over sixty.
The much criticized climate conference in Copenhagen on global warming has shown some results after all, since this autumn and winter has been the coldest and wettest for decades all over the world. I believe that Higher Powers decided to interfere.
Foreign resident and holidaymakers exasperate in this extreme wetness. Walking tours in the mountains must be cancelled and the golf courses are full of water hazards in places where there should not bee any, according to the scorecard. There is no question of lying on the beach, and many tourists return home just as pale as when they arrived. And what a disaster for the tourist business this must be, on top of the economic crisis.
The winter, school-holiday period will start soon, and finding something interesting to do for visiting children and grandchildren in these climatic conditions is a difficult task indeed. Watching video films, cooking delicious meals, playing games can be boring in the long run.
Complaining, however, leads nowhere. Better trying to be optimistic. There are a lot of activities on offer in Almuñécar, La Herradura, Salobreña and Motril, from flamenco, theatre, concerts etc. All you have to do is to obtain the monthly cultural programmes from the tourist information offices or on the Internet.
In the Casa de la Cultura in Almuñécar there is a fantastic permanent exhibition, Claves de Almuñécar, 3,000 Years of History of Almuñécar and La Herradura which has received more than 1,000 visitors since its opening in December last year. Here you can make a journey through history from the Phoenician period to our era. Claves de Almuñécar is an ambitious project that has succeeded to 100 per cent. The historical part is shown in installations using modern communication, sound and image technology, guiding the visitors through the milestones of the history. One part of the display contains information for tourists on what the town has to offer, as well as some projects that will be implemented in the future. The exhibition as a whole is very well planned, artistic and informative. Congratulations!
Why not put on your boots, take your umbrella, and take a stroll through town, to Parque de Majuelo, the fortress and the old town. You can also visit the outstanding aquarium in the Plaza Kuwait or admire the beautiful new statues along the Paseo del Altillo.
What affects my state of mind more than rain in these days is the bad performance Finns have shown so far in the Winter Olympics. Only one silver medal, (in half-pipe snowboard) whereas Sweden and especially Norway have taken several medals of different colours. I am green with envy.
Let’s hope we will be luckier in the remaining events, and that the sun will be shining again soon.