Time comes for everybody...

This blog won't be so happy... Last night our lovely dog Figa left us and went to the dog heaven :´(
It is amazing that she lived 17 years. But age wins with everyone and she got some cancer which normally could be cured on younger dogs but not in her case.
Anyway, she has lived a beautiful life and was a loved member of the family. Actually she was Filip´s present for the 1st confirmation but it was our parents who mostly took care of her. Thank you for that!
We will miss her. Sleep well Figa.

Some reflections...

What a week... First the news about this crash of the plane with Polish delegation (incl. the President and his wife) going to celebrate Katyn-incidents 70 years ago. Since I'm not in Poland, I guess it didn't get so much to me, but according to my parents the whole week all TV channels reported nothing but news related to the accident.
Then suddenly Europe gets paralyzed by the volcano eruption on Iceland. I heard some comments from people getting angry at Iceland (like they chose to have this eruption!?). I even saw somewhere this joke:

"WTF Iceland?!? Why did you send us volcanic ash ? Our airspace has shut down. Iceland: What? It's what you asked for isn't it ? Britain: NO! Cash! Cash you dyslexic fuck. CASH! not ASH. Iceland: woooops... There is no C in our alphabet, sorry!"

So, now after 3 days or so, the German and Dutch airlines start making some tests to check whether it is true that planes cannot really fly when there are the ashes in the air. Hmmm... Again some doubts and suspicions raise upp that the airlines try to save some money...I hope not and I hope they know what they are doing. Anyway, I'm glad I don't have to fly anywhere the next weeks.

This weekend we had a great weather! Sunny and today it was really warm. Hope we can start BBQing soon. I finally cleaned my car! It is blue again! :) It's been few months ago it was cleaned the last time and after this heavy winter, it was time to remove salt and sand leftovers. The usual cleaning place was totally occuppied so Monica (who also had to clean her car) and I went to the nearby gasoline station. OK, vacuum cleaners cost 1€ but I think the washer is same same. Glad, we have done it!
Then we went to the park, met Handan and Hamid there. Nice and it felt like summer. Now back home, sitting on the balcony in the sun and blogging here :)

Easter, April, sun, spring! Also the Polish tragedy...

Again - some delay with updates... But I´ve been away a lot recently.
First - Easter in Madrid. I went already on the 1st April - flying via Paris (CDG!). I arrived to Filip´s place and after 1 hour met with Txell and Thomas at Gran Via.
We decided to have some snack - meaning tapas nearby and then wait for Alex to arrive.
I think we´ve got the cheapest tapas and beer ever! 7€ for 6 beers and bunch of yummi tapas!
Then we went to a cerveceria next to Filip´s place and waited for Alex. Afterwards some cheese and jamon together.
The next day we met half way between their hotel and Filip´s flat and we followed the "green path" which Txell´s guidebook suggested take.
A lot of small and cozy streets. Nice old pharmacy - as on the pics.




After walking for some time, we decided to have lunch (Spanish time - around 15.00) in a really cool and famous place. It was sooooo good. We ate so much that we could hardly walk ;-)
That´s the place:



Then again, walking around Plaza Mayor and the neighborhood.
We watched also a Good Friday procession - there were quite many that day around the city.
Afterwards we went to the Egyptian Temple to watch the sunset. Overthere we met also with Txell´s and Thomas´ friends - a Catalan-Irish couple.



Then we had a tapas dinner at Casa Granada - a place recommended by our friend Ralph who was supposed to be there at 23. It turned out he meant at 11.00 next day. Anyway the food was nice! Just a bit odd place to find...

The day after we did a bit of shopping and went to the Park close to el Prado museum. Then Alex and I were supposed to meet Ralph. At the end we succeeded ;) And we also went to the Reina Sophia Museum - Contemporary Art Museum.
Pity cause that day we had quite much rain...



At night Txell and I went to the church - for Easter mass, and then we had a dinner together with Ralph and his girlfriend. Again around 23.00. Not bad, huh?



After the dinner we went to some "underground" bars to listen to flamenco singers/players. A bar totally covered in smoke, with Gitanos singing and playing guitar. Unique.



Morning after was a bit hard... But we managed to get to the market in La Latina. Met other friends of Txell and strolled around La Latina district, incl. lunch at a nice vegeterian place.
Afterwards we just laid in sun, and then walked with Ralph around some parks.






We also participated in an international pillow fight - well only two friends of Ralph showed up with their pillows and we took the advantage of it ;)
(at Cervantes, Don Quijote memorial).


We had very nice holidays and we have to repeat it again. I´m also glad we managed to meet with Filip who came back home to Madrid on Sunday night.

After returning to HH, I had one day at work and then went to work to our plant in Hungary. And spent the weekend in Budapest. We had 19C everyday - it felt like summer.

Saturday was a bit sad due to the news about the plane crash with the Polish President, his wife and over 90 representatives from the government, army, church, sport, etc. May they rest in peace.