Tenerife

13.06.19 — Tenerife

As mentioned in my previous post, the next instalment in my series of crazily busy weekends involved a weekend out in Tenerife with my friend Cami and her family! Technically I have been in Tenerife before, but I believe I was two years old at that point and hence have zero recollection…

Anyway, my weekend began on Saturday morning, as I took the train line up to Terminal 4 of Madrid airport. This terminal is somewhat famed for its colourful design which, due to my getting lost looking for my gate, I didn’t have chance to take many photos of – but here’s an attempt I made:

The departure lounge of Madrid Airport's Terminal 4.

The flight that ensued was a bit longer than I’d expected – as a European it seems odd to be able to fly for two and a half hours and still land in the same country – but I closed my eyes and, before I knew it, walked out of the arrival gates in Tenerife. There to meet me was Cami, who then drove me down the island and to where she and her family live in the south.

After being welcomed in by her family and receiving a noisy salute from Cami’s dog Luke, we headed out for some lunch at a little local spot. Here we enjoyed a wonderful meal during which we tried a wealth of local dishes, with one of the highlights being a potato dish known as “patatas arrugadas” (literally “wrinkly potatoes”), consisting of roast potatoes dressed with a powdered type of cereal called “gofio”. This dusting has a unique flavour which I can’t really describe, but it was tasty!

I also have to laud the wine we were served during our meal, which was one of the fruitiest and freshest white wines I have ever tasted. I wondered whether it was unique to the island, but Cami informed me that it was in fact unique to the restaurant, being made in-house! I’ll have to get some sent over at some point…

Anyway, after a slap-up meal and plenty of fun with our merry waiter, we headed back home to be reunited with Sam, Cami’s partner, who I hadn’t seen since one of my previous trips to Asturias! Once together we head out for the beach, which involved a wander past a rather fancy looking hotel complex…

I enjoy walking past hotels I will never be able to afford to stay in.

After a perilous descent down some uneven steps, a journey not helped by the flip-flops I had adorned, we reached the sand and spent a few hours taking it easy. Once we’d worn tired of nipping in and out of the sea, Sam graciously made the journey upwards alone and picked me and Cami up in the car right from the back of the beach.

From there, we headed further down the coast and to a little ice cream parlour favoured by the two of them. The company and the sights were all great, but I was extremely excited to find something on the menu which I haven’t eaten since a trip to Germany around four years ago: spaghetti ice!

A view over to the sea from an ice cream bar.

Spaghetti shaped vanilla ice cream, crushed nuts, whipped cream, and a strawberry sauce.

Once we were peckish, we headed to yet another coastal spot and tucked into a lovely meal of Lebanese food, with some of the most stellar hummus I have ever tried. The plan afterwards involved going for some drinks along with the rest of the British tourists, but now that we’re all boring old women, we decided to head home instead!

The following morning meant that it was time to take Luke, Cami’s dog, out for a walk. During this little wander I snapped a couple of photos of the lovely area surrounding Cami’s place.

Small palms line a road with the sky in the background.

With Luke worn out and our appetites nagging, I, Cami, and her mum all headed out for breakfast together. We headed to a lovely little coastal spot and ordered a big shared breakfast between the three of us. This was served beautifully on tiered platters – very much like the high tea I had just before leaving England – and was all absolutely delightful!

Unfortunately I had left my phone at home during the trip, and so I didn’t get any photos of the breakfast – or did I? I did take my film camera along, so we’ll have to wait and see if I can get those developed over here soon and what the photos come out like, if indeed they do come out at all! In the meantime I leave you with this lovely snap of me and Cami taken by her mum.

Me and Cami then headed out together once again, making for yet another beach for an extended afternoon of sunbathing, paddling in the surf, and chatting the day away. At a certain point in the afternoon, however, we had to head back to Cami’s house, but for a very good reason: her parents were throwing a BBQ!

I didn’t take many photos during our delicious BBQ lunch as we were much more concerned in enjoying the food, company, and delicious wine. Cami’s dad opened a bottle of red which his relatives had sent over from Chile, and it was absolutely delicious, almost as delicious as the various cuts of meat that he kept serving from the grill. I’m not usually that fussed about chicken, but words cannot do justice to the succulency of the chicken breasts we were served – all washed down with some lovely Chilean salad and enjoyed between endless jokes!

A BBQ spread of meat, potatoes, and salad.

After lunch, there was talk of “heading up Teide”, the name of the volcano which dominates the island. With our stomachs ready to burst after so much food, I wondered how on earth we would manage to walk to the front door, never mind up a bloody volcano! To my relief, said trip was to be made in Sam’s car, and so we piled in and started our ascent with the sun already low in the sky.

The sun sines down a curve on the side of a mountain.

The sun, low in the sky, bathed the area in a lovely light.

The tops of trees are bathed in yellow sunlight.

We’d soon climbed up through the clouds, and made a few stops to admire the view over the blanket of them below.

I look over a sea of clouds, silhouetted by a low sun.

The vegetation and landscape of the Teide volcano on Tenerife.

My shadow against the cliffs of Teide, Tenerife.

Moving further still up the volcano, we reached a plateau which had the look of a lunar landscape. Stopping to take a few of the photos below, we found a plaque which revealed that the area was in fact used to test a lunar rover due to its similarity to the surface of the moon!

Passing through a valley on the ascent up Teide, Tenerife.

The lunar-like surface of the Teide volcano, Tenerife.

We then pushed further towards the summit of the volcano, reaching the lower station of a cable car to the summit before deciding to turn back. This cable car, it turns out, only runs upon request, as permission has to be granted to visit the crater of the volcano itself.

A panorama from the base of the Teide volcano.

After this we began our descent back towards sea level, and it was during this return trip that one of the most breathtaking things I’ve ever seen presented itself. Looking down into what I assumed was the sea, I asked which island I could see in the distance, and the response came that what I was seeing was the tips of the mountains of the neighbouring island. At that precise moment, I realised that I wasn’t looking at sea, but rather an uninterrupted blanket of clouds floating below a spectacular multicolour sunset.

I’ll leave the following photos in large and isolated – I implore that you take a moment to look at the detail and appreciate what a sight it was to behold!

A sunset over the layer of clouds, taken from the side of the Teide volcano in Tenerife.

A sunset behind trees taken from the side of the Teide volcano, Tenerife.

After admiring the view during the rest of the journey downwards, we soon found ourselves in a restaurant near Cami’s place for tea, and then back in bed ready for my last day.

During my final day, we didn’t really do all that much, sitting through a power cut and enjoying a pizza for lunch at another local spot. This was followed by the journey back to the airport, and then a flight back to Madrid which seemed to pass rather quickly.

I had a wonderful time in Tenerife, and I must thank Cami and Sam for showing me around the island, as well as Cami’s parents for being so welcoming and hospitable. I’m definitely looking forward to another visit sometime very soon!

To finish, I must once again admit that this post comes to you all rather late, as I’ve been in Madrid for nearly a month since. In this time I’ve enjoyed three more visits from friends from all over the world, and of course I’ll be bringing you all the latest on those whenever I get a moment! Until then…

My Parents Visit & San Isidro

31.05.19 — Madrid

After a lovely but hectic weekend down in Alicante for the Bentana-Cho wedding, another week of work ensued. Once again, however, I had a busy weekend to look forward to, as my parents were coming over to visit!

The three of us united on Friday in my neighbourhood, after a colleague kindly gave me a lift to the centre so I wouldn’t have to meet my parents at some midpoint between the centre and my new office. As they were staying with me, we first headed up to my flat so that they could unpack somewhat and prepare for the coming days, and then headed out for the evening.

What we got up to next set the prescient for pretty much the entire weekend. Instead of rushing around the city checking out everything, which they’ve already done on trips both individually and together, I instead decided to take them out to live the Madrid lifestyle: eating, drinking, and watching the world go by from a table on outdoor terraces.

For tea (or dinner, if you call it that), we headed to my favourite local bar just two streets away from my house, indulging in a selection of sharing dishes and a few beers to wash it all down. Once we were slightly tipsy and very full, we wandered down to the river, which I thought would be a nice spot to sit on the grass and grab another drink and watch the world go by.

I love living so close to the river and its park.

What I had forgotten was that that particular weekend marked the start of the San Isidro celebrations, one of Madrid’s key annual holidays. This meant that most of the grass was barricaded off, and a big outdoor stage had been erected ready to host performances later in the evening. We did, however, find a bench to perch ourselves on, and proceeded to enjoy our beers there until the music started up, whereupon we took in the atmosphere for a while before then heading home.

To start the weekend, we made what was to be our only appointment of the weekend, and headed to the Secret Garden of Salvador Bachiller for some lunch after a spot of shopping. A drama then ensued when, during the leisurely walk back through the city and back to my flat, we realised that we’d left out shopping bag in the restaurant! Thankfully, though, they’d found the bag and put it aside, and so we continued with our holiday relaxation, resolving to pick it up the following day.

I’d planned the Sunday as a day to wander around some of Madrid’s green spaces, and so we headed off in the morning to have a picnic in Retiro, the city’s main park. After a spot of sunbathing and watching the ducks in the pond, we sat by the lake and tucked into a lunch of bread with alioli and tomato.

My mum, my dad, and I sit in the park in front of the Crystal Palace.

To head to our next destination we caught the bus, stopping along the way to pick up my lost bag, and made our way to the lake in the Casa de Campo. We chilled out down there for a good few hours, sharing a big jar of sangria as evening came around.

For our last evening together, I whipped up some quesadillas at home, and then we headed out for one last round of drinks at my local bar. My mum here looks somewhat confused at the basket of bread being delivered to the table before the extra bits of food we’d ordered came – someone needs to tell her that bread here is just another obligatory eating utensil!

That Monday morning we were all up early, as my parents had to get an early taxi to the airport and I had to be awake to bundle them in and explain where they were going to the driver! This concluded a lovely weekend spent with my parents, who I must thank for making the effort of coming over and paying for pretty much everything along the way. I’m now looking forward to visiting them in Murcia later this summer!

Anyway, my past few weeks haven’t just been all fun and games, as I’ve also been working in between all the chaos. As mentioned a couple of posts back, we’re now settled in our new office at work, and we’ve been using the new garden as much as we can ever since…

Breakfast on the porch is always a pretty good start to the day.

A breakfast pastry and coffee on a table on a porch. Garden and pool in the background.

As part of the move, I’m also happy to report that the ping-pong table – which was present in the past two offices and sadly removed a few months into our stay in the second – has been reinstated! Rebuilt after sitting in storage for over a year, it’s now a great excuse for some relaxation and competitive letting off of steam when we grab a spare moment.

In between my busy schedule at work, with many projects on the go at the moment, a photo surfaced from a networking event last year, which I noticed had been labelled internally as “Ollie with a crisp”. I don’t know why it made me giggle so much, but below I include said photo of me and Elena enjoying the free crisps!

My next adventure came the day after my parents left, as me and Bogar decided to head out on Tuesday evening to the San Isidro festivities seeing as Wednesday was a bank holiday. This involved heading to the aptly-named San Isidro Park, where artists and DJs would be playing and a fair would be in full swing.

We arrived at the park just in time to catch one of the evening’s main acts, La Bien Querida, who I’ve been listening to since a colleague intruded me to her music. Cracking open a can and finding a space to watch from the grass, I sang along to a few of her famous hits, including Muero de amor and, my personal favourite, De momento abril.

Once we’d had a boogie and a few more drinks, the two of us headed to the food stalls to grab a few bites to eat. In the end we ended up sharing fried potatoes, a hot dog, and a kebab, all followed by a cheeky mojito as the DJ sets begun.

I eat bread in a festival in front of a plate full of eggs and potatoes.

A festival catering scene full of fresh fruit.

After another few hours enjoying the music, we eventually decided to head back home. Having seen the crazy state of the metro on our way down, we decided the best way home would be to walk, and so we put the world to rights as we meandered down the river and back to our neighbourhood.

It was a lovely way to blow off some stream after some busy weekends and a busy period at work, but I had even more to come with a holiday to Tenerife the following weekend! All that, however, must wait until the next post.

I’d just like to finish this post off by sharing a photo of my sister, Ellie, who has recently finished her final year dissertation. She’s in the final throes of her third year at university, but she’s making me wait another twelve months until I get to watch her graduation as she’s just been accepted to complete an integrated master’s degree.

My sister holds her dissertation outside a building at Sheffield University.

Well done, Bel!

And so concludes another post written on my phone and in sporadic bursts whilst on buses, waiting for trains, sitting in the laundrette, and ultimately lying in bed. I am going to become an expert at typing on this little screen!

The Bentana-Cho Wedding

21.05.19 — Valencia

Once again I write this post whilst on the move, the difference this time being that I’m not just catching a train to work, rather I’m flying down the coast of Northern Africa and on my way to Tenerife! I’m off to spend a long weekend relaxing on the island’s coast with my friend Cami (who I last saw when she visited Madrid last year), but for now I’ve other delayed updates to share, so let’s get straight to it…

As mentioned in my previous post, when my colleague Soyoung left Erretres, a few of us found ourselves bestowed with an invite to her wedding ceremony. I immediately RSVP’d to let her and Pablo (the groom) know that I would be there, and then as the date grew nearer, organised the final details such as a shirt to wear, a lift down with my two colleagues Blanca and Helena, and an apartment in which to stay just behind the hotel in Alicante where the ceremony was to take place.

At about 10am on Friday 3rd May, I headed along to the car park to help my auntie and uncle pick up their car and wave them off as they began their trip from Madrid northwards, and then I had just a couple of hours to run a wash, pack my bag, and head out to be picked up by Blanca who was to drive us to the south. I did manage to made it on time somehow, and from Madrid we began the car journey down to Villajoyosa, a beautiful little coastal town near Alicante.

Upon arrival, we first picked up the keys to our lodgings, a gorgeous apartment with a balcony and a huge rooftop terrace with views of the sea and the hotel where the wedding would be held the next day. Once we’d decided who’d take which bedroom, we hoped back in the car and headed to Mercadona to pick up some supplies to keep us going for the time that we wouldn’t be at the wedding.

Whilst in the town centre, we also took the opportunity to explore its old centre, a pretty little collection of colourful buildings all squished together along the promenade. Not so pretty, however, was the weather forecast, with a blanket of menacing clouds threatening to linger for quite some time…

Google was reporting that the stormy outlook would clear up by the following day and make way for a lovely sunny wedding afternoon, but with the dense cloud cover and chilly wind, we were convinced that the storm was going to outstay it’s welcome and cast a quite liberal shadow over the beach ceremony.

Not wanting to dwell on such preoccupations, we continued our wander up and down the beach, engaging in a spot of beach-combing whilst Helena took a few candid shots on her camera. Photo credit and thanks, then, go to her for the next couple of shots.

Growing weary and tired, we then hopped back in the car and made our way back to the apartment, whereupon we braved the cold and enjoyed a shared tea (standard English: dinner) on the balcony. The main attraction of the tea, though, has to have been the jamón (cured ham). Provided by Helena’s dad, a jamón producer, we had been munching on the delicious packet since we’d left Madrid!

We then made like very sensible adults and headed off to bed for an early night, with a plan to get up early in order to give us enough time to prepare for the wedding and arrive in good time (which is the least subtle bit of literary foreshadowing I’ve ever written).

The morning started rather tranquilly, as Blanca and Helena had already left to pick up a few more bits for breakfast by the time I finally moved myself out of bed and made an appearance. I grabbed the pastry I’d picked up the night before and headed to the roof to take in the views and get some fresh air, and was overjoyed when I saw that Google had in fact been bang on the money with its forecast, and that the skies had cleared to form a beautifully sunny day.

Quite the way to start the day!

It was only after them two had returned, had breakfast, and had begun to get ready that the clock began to seemingly work against us. Helena came out with that she didn’t know how to iron, Blanca spent ages painting all her nails, and I managed to break the leg of one of the tables by sitting on it. What a group we made!

In the end, however, we made it to the hotel in good time, and descended the gorgeous pathway down to the hotel’s private beach where the ceremony was to take place.

Photos really cannot do the place any justice! The beach was gorgeous, the temperature was just right, and the music playing in the background set the tone perfectly as we milled around and awaited to be asked take up our positions to watch the ceremony.

The wedding party seated on the beach platform.

Before too long, the proceedings began, but I shan’t delve too much into the entire ceremony – just know that it was very personal and absolutely gorgeous. The arrival of both Soyoung and Pablo caused many a tear to be shed, and the gorgeous setting was the perfect backdrop to several fun speeches and cheers of “¡viva la nueva pareja!” (long live the new couple!).

After taking the above photo (which I now highly treasure) with the newly-weds, it was time for us all to head to the beachside terrace for some pre-lunch drinks and canapés.

Once we’d enjoyed some gazpacho (the infamous cold soup) and a few sips of wine, we slowly made our way into the dining room and were seated for a feast which, in true Spanish style, was to carry on throughout pretty much the entire afternoon. We were treated to numerous courses of fresh seafood, rice dishes, and a slice of the lovely wedding cake.

With lunch wrapped up, the music begun, the bar opened, and the party got underway! We danced a selection of universal hits (think YMCA and ABBA) and Spanish classics (like this), and I even tried the waltz – which did not end well after a few gin and tonics…

Before heading back to the apartment for the night, we were sure to take advantage of the location as evening came around, and headed out to a rock formation to sit around and watch the sun set behind the sea.

Once all was over it was time to head home, which we just about managed after having to jump a fence due to having lost our way and a stop at Burger King to soak up the gin!

Now that the weekend’s all over, I’d like to send my thanks once again to Soyoung and Pablo for inviting me along to celebrate their day. It was an honour to be amongst the invitees, we generally had an absolute blast, and their generosity in providing such a lovely meal and drinks thereafter knew no bounds. One of the loveliest touches was a gift for each guest, a pair of ducks as per Korean wedding tradition, which have now taken up residence on top of my fridge.

I am still writing to you on my way to Tenerife, and of course there’ll be a blog on its way soon detailing the shenanigans I’ll inevitably get up to once there, but until then I’m going to disconnect and relax for the next few days!

Update: the inflight WiFi is not working so I guess this will be posted upon my return…

Anyway, and until then: long live the Bentana-Cho’s!

Erretres Moves & Family Visit

16.05.19 — Madrid

To begin, I’m well aware that I’ve left my blog somewhat abandoned for the past month. The standard excuse would be to say that I’ve been way too busy, but in this case I promise – and I’m sure you’ll see just how busy – that this excuse does indeed hold water.

I have, however, found an opportunity to get this blog post on the go, and so today I write to you from the train which forms part of my new and extended commute to our new office – but more on Erretres’ big move in just a bit!

We begin proceedings with a weekend spent in the city, and a trip for some of the city’s best tacos with Bogar. The sun has begun its attack over the last month, and with daytime temperatures now hitting over 30°, I can confidently declare that summer is beginning – this time for real. This meant that we were also able to spend our spare hours wandering the streets of the city, marking the beginning of the era of Madrid’s favourite summer pastime: terraceo, or drinking and eating on tables in the street.

A photo of me sat behind a table full of tacos.

Clothes sit on a rack on the side of a sunny Madrid street.

Another consideration for the weekend of a few weeks ago was the need to buy myself a semi-formal shirt for my friend’s wedding. I may or may not have mentioned it on here before, but if I have, I’ll recap anyway: Soyoung (an ex Erretres colleague) bestowed us with the amazing farewell gift of an invite to her wedding ceremony! This was to actually be the second wedding ceremony to be held, with the first being celebrated in Seoul.

Anyway, there’ll be much more on the wedding (as by time I write this it has actually already happened) coming soon, but at the time to which I’m now referring there was only one priority: finding a nice shirt for a reasonable price.

This search took me to Las Rozas, a fashion outlet in the north of the city, and a place which was definitely only designed to be accessed by car!

After arriving at the nearest train station, I soon found myself walking up pavements which seemed to line slip roads, squelching through boggy ground as I tried to find shortcuts, jumping over fences, and generally feeling like I was going to end up walking to the edge of the city and winding up in another region of Spain.

Where does this terrifying abandoned escalator lead to?

Thankfully I didn’t end up in other territories, but rather I stumbled upon the shopping complex which was rather strangely themed such that it reminded me of the Citywalk at Universal in Florida. There, and after much searching, I settled on a plain linen shirt and headed back home ready for the next day: the first day in our new office!

The morning began with my first run of the new commute, which now consists of an actual train rather than a metro, and then a bus followed by a ten minute walk. It takes a lot longer than before, but I’m hoping that with time I’ll get used to it and figure out how to speed things up.

Anyway, the first day began without any major problems, with the best moment being lunch, during which we were all treated to a delicious paella feast!

Paella, beers, and other food spread out on a table.

An arial shot of the team tucking into a paella lunch.

Once we’d spent a good hour eating, chatting, and drinking a few beers, it was time to crack out some wine. We made good and proper use of the extensive new outdoor space, lying on the grass for a spot of sunbathing and sitting around on the terrace to catch up on all the latest dramas.

A bottle of wine on a table amongst foliage.

An afternoon drinking wine by the pool was very welcome.

The second day at the new office marked a little excuse for a celebration: it was my birthday! My parents had sent over a lovely gift package that I opened in the morning, and which contained a few cards and some excellent Ru Paul memorabilia.

A Ru Paul card and Ru Paul Pocket Wisdom book.

Once at work, it was time for further celebrations, and my colleagues treated me to a trip to my favourite haunt in Spain: Mercadona, a low-cost supermarket! There, I bought some supplies to keep me going whilst in the new office, and a huge chocolate cake to share between everyone after lunch.

Me stood outside Mercadona, holding a cake in one hand and a bag full of shopping in the other.

That same afternoon also marked another bit of excitement, for my auntie and uncle were coming up to visit! We’d planned that they’d stay with me for a few nights on their way north to catch the ferry during their annual return trip to England from their part-time home in Murcia (southern Spain). As they have a car, they made their way straight to the new office, and once reunited with them, they were free to chill outside and soak up the sun whilst I had to get on with all the work that had to be done!

My auntie and uncle stood in the garden of my new office.

That evening, we headed out for a meal and a few drinks in my neighbourhood to celebrate my 24th, and then headed back to my flat for a relatively early night.

The next day marked the start of Easter holidays in Madrid, and so the three of us were free to engage in a bit of light exploration of the city centre. I’d booked us in to have lunch at a secret garden on the roof of a shop – you may even recall that the last time I visited the spot was during my dad’s visit during my internship over three years ago!

A bright pink flowering plant on a green roof terrace.

My auntie and uncle sit with their food at the Secret Garden.

Once we’d enjoyed a lovely meal on the terrace, we proceeded on our way to have a few more drinks and generally take it easy for the next 48 hours, even stumbling upon some street parties which were in full swing in the Malasaña district.

The two-and-a-bit days I spent with my auntie and uncle were absolutely lovely – there’s nothing quite like relaxing with my family in the city I love, and it was especially nice to be able to put them up and act as hostess for a while after years of them selflessly offering up their apartment for use by me and my parents.

All too soon, however, it was time for them to hop back in their car and continue their trip up to Santander and the ferry port, but my Easter holidays weren’t to be over just yet – I had a wedding to go to!

The quantity of photos and anecdotes to be shared from said wedding mean that it is best left for a second post and another day – but I hope not to be too delayed in bringing you all the updates. I guess tomorrow morning’s commute will be spent writing my next instalment!

Until I get round to that one, I shall be back soon…

Wandering & Cooking

18.04.19 — Madrid

In my last post I promised I would try and get a blog post out before the Easter holidays, and as I sit here writing this, there’s 40 minutes left before they officially begin – so I kind-of almost maybe managed…

Anyhow, I’m not here to debate the timings of said posts, but rather to serve up the latest in my collection of photos and little stories. As mentioned previously, I’ve been somewhat under the weather with a cold, but I shall try and refrain from my habitual infinite self pity herein; and I shall instead begin by recounting the first excursion I made to try and pick myself up a little.

I seem to have accidentally built this trip up a lot, but in the end it was just another IKEA trip, this time for some blinds, a new plant pot, and some more towels – for I’ll need a grand total of four when Cake Club come and visit! That’s right – the three of them will be here a few weeks from now for a proper reunion in the city! I cannot put into words how excited I am to see everyone again – I saw Heidi when I visited her home city of Oslo last year, but the last time I saw Loredana and Megan was upon their leaving Madrid last summer.

Stormy clouds gather over the south of Madrid.

The sun shines down a street, reflecting off the wet road surface and the facades of buildings.

The weather during the visit was pretty bizarre.

As you can see, the weather during said outing couldn’t quite decide what it was doing, with warm sun, strong winds, and threatening near-black clouds hanging around all at once. I managed to miss the eventual downpour as it occurred during my train journey back to my flat in the centre, but the weather then meant I didn’t dare venture out that evening, and so a cozy evening in ensued.

During the evening, I cooked myself a delicious (if somewhat spicy) dish of red curry and prawns, and then two carrot cakes. I would have just made one big one, but through some kind of mathematical black magic I wound up with an excessive amount of cake mix and even more cream cheese icing.

A carrot cake topped with cream cheese frosting, grated carrots, cinnamon, and walnuts.

Whilst waiting for the cakes to bake (which I had to do one at once due to the teensy size of my oven), I had a personal grooming crisis which led to a revelation. I noticed that a spot had appeared on my forehead in an area not covered by my fringe, and after being rather cross about it for a bit, I had the (perhaps obvious) idea to change the direction of my fringe to cover it.

Well, this was quite the revelation, and even though said pesky spot has since cleared up, I have decided to place my fringe to this other side from now onwards, so enamoured am I with the new configuration. Here’s a gratuitous vanity selfie, which I shall now justify by complaining that I never seem to appear in any photos on my own blog…

A selfie because it’s my blog so I do what I want.

Anyway, back to the cakes. One was left here at home for friends to try, but the other was – as per tradition – taken into work for everyone’s critiques. This time there were less complaints about the quantity of sugar than usual, so maybe I’m finally tweaking the recipe properly for local tastes! Or maybe it was just the good luck brought by a personal rainbow that appeared on my desk…

A rainbow is formed over my keyboard at work.

Another day in the office marked the moment that I finally had a spare hour to make a rather exciting trip, for, as history repeats itself, Erretres is on the move once more!

The first time I began working at Erretres back in 2016 we were based in the iconic Plaza de España, however, just a few months into my internship, we were packing up our iMacs and moving just one street away into a much bigger space in the form of our current offices.

In a very short while we shall be repeating this process, moving our entire operation to a new location which I shall, for now, maintain undisclosed. It’s a much bigger office once again, but this time we’ll be living a life of luxury with an array of new ameneties and one big surprise which I shall leave for the photos!

That’s right – we’ve got a pool!

So the pool is currently dry, the garden needs a good tending to, and the interior is a bomb site whilst they finish the wiring (hence the total lack of photos taken inside), but I wasn’t going to pass up on the opportunity to see where we’d be moving to – and it did not disappoint!

I am very excited to bring more details about this wildly cool new space, and you shan’t have to wait for all to long, as there’s just one week to go as of the day this post goes live! I’ll be back with more photos as we move and get settled in, but you can also follow me on Instagram, where my stories are the only means by which I communicate what I’m up to in (more or less) real time.

Seeing as it’s now puente (public holidays) for Easter, though, let’s move on from talking about work. This past weekend I really, really needed to get out of my flat and get some fresh air, as I am now so comfortable in my own little space that I sometimes find that I’ve let myself get a little too cosy and cooped up inside.

To this end I decided to go for a long stroll down the river all the way to the lake, which was about an hour and a half from my flat. Descending to the Matadero and riverside park which I often visit, I then began heading off westward, following the river through the centre of the city until reaching the Casa de Campo, a huge green (well, green-ish) plot of land.

I do love a good bridge, and the river provides plenty.

Once I arrived at the lake, which has finally been filled in after being drained and undergoing renovations to rebuild its banks, I grabbed a bottle of water and sat down to sketch some ideas for some personal projects.

After eavesdropping on a trio of old ladies who were debating the upcoming elections and figuring out how to use audio messages on WhatsApp, I was soon wafted with the smell of a barbecue, and headed off to find some cheaper food towards the centre.

Concluding the weekend with some Sunday evening wine and pizza with a friend, I’ve then only had to work three days this week, and I am now enjoying the beginning of a four-day weekend. There’ll be plenty of Easter processions in the city, which I really got into the jive of during my first Easter in Madrid, but this year I don’t think I’ll be attending too many.

I now sleepily conclude this post, and I make a – given my track record – wildly dubious promise to be back soon to either update you all on the office move or my movements during these Easter holidays!