On Parade, again.

I met her in her local supermarket, took charge of a few carrier-bags of goodies at the checkout and outside was left waiting in the glaring sun while she went to another shop for some, as it turned out, cigarettes. "¿Estás fumando ahora?" I asked to which, after a jokey "yes" reply, she explained that the owner of the apartment is here for a few days from Moscow and they are his. At first Viktor was quite shy towards me, even calling me Sir when talking to me, but I soon stopped that. Then, taking pity on my hot and bothered self (after the uphill struggle in the heat laden with full carrier-bags) he disappeared upstairs to return a minute or so later with a towel and a pair of shorts and, using sign language, beckoned me out to the pool for a refreshing dip. He's a Russian businessman with, by all accounts, apartments here, there and everywhere and Larisa is "house sitting" this one in Spain for him. Nice work when you can get it - rent free!! Now I know why. Why she hasn't bothered to find a job since she moved into it. Why she moved so far away from here, etc. After I'd had a swim he and I were posed, by her, out on the terrace in a photoshoot with my camera and I grabbed one of them both a little later. A nice man and, despite his lack of Spanish or English, we got on well together, as you are going to read. Poor Larisa was kept hard at it translating both ways for our benefit.

Serrano Ham with pickles started us off, followed by Pork Chops, Kebabs, Chorizo sausage and Baked Potatoes from the barbecue with a salad bowl and a fruit bowl in accompaniment. Difficult to see in the picture but the chops and kebabs on the barbie are pasted with a mayonnaise mixed with some onion and black pepper. Unusual. And all washed down with lots of Vino Collapso although Viktor preferred a brandy or two. In fact, there was so much wine flowing that I began to worry about getting home later. "You will stay here" he said, "there is plenty of room." So I did, and after much more wine, a midnight dip and plenty of conversation went to bed a happy chappie who didn't see the light of day until 1130 the following morning!!

He took great interest in mine and Lary's friendship, wanting to know when, where and how we met etc., and Lary seemed very pleased that I am able to recall the day, date and time that we did, what we spoke about and even what she bought to drink while she waited for Katia to join her there in El Bar Jardin and the fact that I gave up my seat beside her to Katia when she arrived and moved along the bar leaving those two to natter together. I now have invitations to use his membership facilities at a Club that he belongs to somewhere here on the Costa del Sol (including my Family) and should I ever go to Moscow I can use an apartment of his there for free. All it would take is a few days notice via Lary. He also said something about buying a bar here, making it into a Russian Bar, and having me and Larisa run it. I might follow that one up next time I see her.

Katia is expected on or about the 6th July and I'm to cook a Paella pretty soon after. Hopefully we can arrange it for a Wednesday assuming that that is still my day off and Lary has said that she will buy a big Paellera because she wants to invite others as well. I said that I will do things slightly different this time and shop for the stuff down the road on my way up but she says that Mercadona is a better supermarket so I will still have some lugging to do. There again there is a car in Viktors garage and I've been told that I can use it if I want (it was at my disposal yesterday to get me home but I declined to use it so soon after drinking wine.) How long Katia can stay is not known but it sure will be nice to see her again...La Paparrazi!!!

Last nights session at work was undertaken with me in a rather tired state and still slightly feeling the effect of all the wine. I'd left them to get back here just in time to open the bar at 6pm after a long and lazy afternoon spent over an extended lunch of Ravioli and soup. All in all, a good do.