Sitting at my desk last Saturday morning I could hear sirens but thought no more about it until a few minutes later when driving towards Bedar; then all that could be seen was thick black smoke and huge flames as a wildfire caused mayhem and misery throughout Bedar, Serena and surrounding areas. The emergency services evacuated villages and blockaded the roads. Overhead helicopters and planes flew dumping water and fire retardant on the flames.
The brave crews worked through the night and even late on Sunday afternoon fire tenders and their crews were still working hard in difficult and mountainous terrain to ensure the fires did not start up again. As I write no one was hurt thank goodness and the fire crews ensured that very little property was destroyed. Often it’s easy to comment on the lack of efficiency in Spain but in such awful circumstances the emergency services and armed forces did a fantastic job.
From my desk I look across to the Sierra Cabrera Mountains, its 3 years since the fires burnt thousands of hectares of land there and now the land has recovered and plants and wildlife have returned. The blackened hillsides around Bedar that look so terrible now just need the rains to come so nature can put a huge green plaster across the wound to heal the landscape.
As is the case 90% of the time the cause of the wild fire seems to be man-made; somebody allegedly was welding on their country property. Two other fires were also started deliberately near Vera and Antas, I hope they catch the culprits and string ‘em up!
One advantage of living nearer to the coast is that now it’s easier to go out. Before we moved it was too much hassle to drive the 30 minutes down the mountain, then whoever was Des had to eat without drinking any pop so as to have a good chance of escaping the Trafficos lurking everywhere. Finally there was the twisty drive back up them thar hills.
In fact it’s so easy now I doubt we have been out more than two or three times in the last month. Human nature is a funny old thing so now we have it on the doorstep it’s enough to know it’s there without having to venture out. We did venture down to Mojacar one evening and it was great to see the bars, shops and restaurants all doing a brisk trade. We had a hankering for a yummy burger and so Cowboy Cocina was the obvious choice. My eyes are always bigger than my tummy and the John Wayne burger defeats me every time which the waiting dogs at home never complain about.
The Spanish as a rule don’t like spicy food which is evident when eating at the new Thai chiringuito outside La Bola. The staff told me that every Sunday it’s like the Marie Celeste whilst they watch a steady stream of clients pass through La Bolas door for a pizza or plate of pasta. Thai food made well is a delight to the senses and it’s well worth a visit as the food there is delicious and really good value too.
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