... or we'd be starving! Sorry we've been so negligent lately. If David and I had a blog post for every time we said we needed to write a blog post, there'd be a whole lotta posts here.
I've taken it as a fact of life that as we grow older, time passes more quickly. July, however, proved me wrong. ¡Madre mía! That month was the houseguest who overstayed her welcome and didn't seem to notice me gesturing toward the open door.
The heat had a lot to do with it: the temp is often in the high 90s by the afternoon, so we spent much of that time indoors, with the blinds drawn, in front of the fan. At least where we live things cool down at night a bit more than in the city, and we've enjoyed some nice evening meals with friends by the backyard barbecue and quite a few refreshing mornings on the terrace or puttering in the garden.
Also adding to the sluggishness of the month was that our only departure from Granada was a day trip to the nearest beach, in Salobreña, about an hour away by bus. It was definitely a fun trip, though. For 10 euro we rented a pair of cushioned lounge chairs under a big thatched umbrella, and spent the day reading, snacking and jumping into the beautiful blue Mediterranean. A passing beer and soda vendor—a guy with a mini-cooler—was always on hand when we needed refreshment. He had a catchy little sales pitch that he chanted in one long breath as he strolled the beach: "Agua-cerveza-cocacola-un-euro-no-fria-no-paga" (water, beer, coke, one euro; if it's not cold, you don't pay).
In any case, August has finally arrived, and we're kicking off the month by heading to the Alpujarras mountains for a week-long camping trip. We'll spend the first few days at Camping Trevélez and then a few more at Balcon de Pitres. On the agenda: hiking, exploring cute mountain villages, indulging in the ham and other edibles for which the region is famous, lounging by the campground pool and enjoying some considerably cooler temps—highs around 80 and lows around 60.
And we promise a complete report, along with loads of photos, as soon as we get back. Really!