Life in Culebrón

It was, I think, called the Wine Resource Centre - well it wasn't because it's name was in Valenciá - but now it is called Centro de Interpretación Casa del Marmól y del Vino - The Sociocultural Institution for the Interpretation of Marble and Wine. Casa doesn't translate easily in this context. Even then you think they could have worked on something snappier. Perhaps the reason they haven't got around to giving the exhibit a new sign is that they are going to need quite a big board to fit all those words on. The idea had been talked about for quite a long time but the actual implementation seemed to happen with remarkable speed. Perhaps funding had to be spent to a timetable or somesuch. Perhaps that's why there is no sign. The idea of a celebration of wine and marble is a perfectly reasonable thing to do in Pinoso where the two are big economic activities. Marble is the biggest moneyspinner in the town by far because of the huge open cast quarry. It's ow...

We had to choose our fun tonight between a horse riding demonstration and the local environmental service returning animals to the wild. We chose the horses. There were flies though and apart from women in admirably tight riding breeches it all seemed a bit unwelcoming and disorganised. We moved on. Up in the natural park on the side of Monte Coto the local environmental service was letting loose some beasts. We had a Kestrel, three Little Owls and a Northern Goshawk. The chief ranger person was pretty good and told us stuff. Did you know, for instance, that owls can't move their pupils which is why their heads are articulated as they are? I also learned that Spaniards say that people have eyes in their backs rather than the back of their heads. Being Spain everyone who wanted to stroke the owls before they were released got to and they were then let loose by children from amongst the thirty strong crowd. There were toads too. Apparently the Common Toad can live for about 20 ye...