Daily life part - whatever...

Just like anyplace you live- life sometimes doesn't go smoothly. Last week, while Frank was here Phil got sick and sat out dinners for a number of days. Meanwhile we went to the City offices in the continuing effort to retrieve our empadronamiento (last application noted on November 7th). On NOvember 20th it was a huge day for us! We, after three (or four) trips depending on how you count them, we finally have our empadronamiento! This was the final document we had to get to the lawyer in order to renew our visa for the next two years. The remainder are things she will prepare. So today it's "YAY US!!!" 

Meanwhile, we have been observing the changes on Calle Zaragoza - the ongoing construction process right near us.  Seven guys in my line of sight from the living room balcony - more around the corner working on the resurfacing of Calle Zaragoza (which is the next street over and crosses diagonally at the foot of Calle Madrid which runs along the one side of our apartment building). The process started in April when we spent a month in Valencia. Now it is nearing completion. In that time they have removed the bad black-top and old cobblestones down to install new sewer lines. Then when they redid the surface they built a whole new road of stone sidewalks and red granite curbstone and a cobblestone street.  Right now, due a months long change in traffic pattern it seems like it might be changing into a pedestrian only street as the access in many places to where cars used to enter is blocked by huge concrete planters with plantings in them. Only time will tell. But it seems like they are only a block or so from finishing this very large project which is greatly enhancing the charm of the Casco Antiguo (historic center) of our UNESCO designated adopted city. We think that they might be pushing to have it completed by the date of the ceremony lighting up the holiday lights (sometime in the first week of December). Meanwhile we can bear witness to the effort to bring it to completion (including inevitable noise and dust.) It will be lovely when fully completed. 

To keep tabs on things - walking home from coffee one afternoon, I commented to Phil on all the different iron work on the glassed-in balconies along the way. We came home over Zaragoza and checked out the progress of what now has  clearly been made a pedestrian only street (except for motorcycles which apparently have not a single law against riding or parking wherever they feel like it). There are now concrete planters with trees, as well as a number of new trees in cutouts of the sidewalks. So San Pablo, Moratin, Carlos Cañal, and Madrid are now blocked from motor vehicle access.... It's been a long - soon to be - eight months of work but the new  pavement and streetscape is lovely and certainly enhances the walk along what was once a narrow street with fast traffic as one of the major south bound traffic routes inside the Casco Antiguo. More details on each photo.

On Carlos Cañal as are the next six photos - I found the next window particularly beautiful.

Two good examples of this architectural detail. I wonder if this was an early 20th Century (or late 19th) example of the kind of sales pitch that the aluminum awning guys used to get the whole street to buy. 

Still some earlier era tilework that gets preserved like this ice cream shop on the corner of Zaragoza and Carlos Cañal which once housed a shop for sherry.

One of our most used cut throughs. It is a passage between Zaragoza and Santas Patronas (where our Chinese restaurant is located) 

If you zoom in, the plaque at the top says 1385-1922 (which I believe indicates the dates the location served as the ovens for the local community - a practice I have seen in both North Africa and in Central Asia) Hence, the name Horno San Buenaventura. This is also the name of our (former convent) building and the church it stands alongside. Over our door it says EDIFICIO SAN BUENAVENTURA.

The new streetscape near Castizo at the "top" of Zaragoza. New trees and nearby are several large planters with bushes - it is so close to being done.  there are new trees along the short street from Calle Madrid to Plaza Nueva as well.  Really great work at beautification of our already fair city!

The details on even the simplest building are nicely preserved.

This is the part of the road that can still be used by cars (north of Calle San Pablo) but as in all really old cities it isn't called Zaragoza but Gravina. 

On Sunday night, we had some good laughs tonight at Lady Drama, a small club where the performance was English language comedy. A guy from Chile (Tommy) and a guy from Turkey (Abdul) - both of whom live in Madrid - gave the audience a number of good laughs riffing on the theme of differences and similarities in the audience. The audience was made up of people from all over. Germany, Turkey, England, Scotland, Netherlands, Mexico, Portugal, United States, Russia, and a few Spanish folks. We found Abdul truly funny, many laughs. Tommy had a few good lines but seemed like he could use a "tight ten minutes" to win the audience before he tried the improv interaction with audience members. But all in all a good night out and we will watch the schedule for this club as it has just the right atmosphere for a relaxed evening of music or other acts.

Then last night, we returned to Tradevo so that Phil could sample more dishes than the single thing he ate last Thursday night. I highly recommended the tacos with the shrimp, and the nigiri with gambones as well as the sardinias. Then he had the wild boar cheeks and I took up the arroz dish he had the last time. All good. 

On the way home we saw some of the nearly ready to be set alight holiday decorations. GIANT lanterns which will be even more beautiful when the lights show them off in the evenings.  Each area has its own style and many streets have a unifying type of fixture. Don't know when they will be lit but you can guarantee that there will be crowds from that point onward.... Our next few weeks are very busy with plans and guests but after the 16th when we return from Madrid we will have a couple of quiet weeks before guests start arriving January 5 and hosting and our own travel plans continue until our departure for the States in May. Can't believe I have already been here for nearly six weeks! #timeflies

This week we have a dinner with one of Phil's teachers and a new place to try thanks to Frank's recommendation. Next week December arrives and so does Mike!