Mal's travels - A story about my journeys by Mal J Robinson: Day 84 - Aviles

Today was the day for my next presentation and this has to be the hottest place I have done one so far. I had a couple of meetings before it was time to put on the suit and meet up with my UK colleague before heading out into the sunshine and it was hot.

The meeting went OK but and here is the big but, when I was sent through the invitation we had a time slot of six hours. I know I talk but six hours is a lot even for me. So at 12:00 noon I started and by twenty past my UK colleague was up doing his slot and by 13:00 he was down and I was up again. At 13:30 I got to a pivotal part of the presentation, knowing that the next bit would take a good hour and then questions I suggested we took a break maybe for some lunch as there had been some mutterings about the locals wanting to eat. The seized the chance and the main guy suggested that we take lunch and meet back in one and a half hours. I was shocked but an hour and a half lunch it was. At 15:00 I was back up and continued with the presentation and at 18:00 we were looking for excuses to get out of the room, not that the people there were nice, they were, but there was no real air con and the room was stifling.

We were dropped back at the hotel and after a brief moment of doing a few emails I met with my UK colleague at 19:15 for a walk around the town. We walked down to the innovation centre that seems to be a nice place and very popular, it was closed.

So we had a quick diet coke at a little cafe nearby and carried on walking back through some of the side streets and looked in a few shops. It was nice for a relax. Then as my UK colleague was hungry, I was going to have some ham and cheese I had left over from last night, we stopped eventually at this little restaurant and whilst he ate I had a drink.

Now here is the puzzling thing.

When we were sat there we noticed that everyone was drinking the same thing, i have taken a picture of the label. It was called La Larada and the waiters all poured it in a strange way, they held the bottle as high as possible and then looking at the glass that was tilted as low as possible they poured it. Obviously some went to the floor but most into the glass, they poured about a quarter of the glass, maybe even less and then hand it to you to drink in one. What you don’t drink in one you pour away onto the floor. So my UK colleague decided to get a bottle to share. The drink is very nice but it does seem like a lot of faff. Inside was a bar where all they served was this stuff and every time someone wanted a drink the barman has to pour a little into a glass, you can’t do it yourself. At least this has been another first for me. By the way the drink seems to be a cider and not really used to drink it was very strong and I only managed a few glasses before we paid up and made a quick exit.

Tomorrow is time for home and my final travel day as next week I will be staying at home as my son is in the show West Side Story along with the Stagedoor Acadamy, a drama group in the local town where we live. So I am really looking forward to that and having all week at home.

But that will just be a one off as the trip for the week after to the Czech Republic is already booked.

For now though, it is a little early for bed and there is still some work to be done so I will spend my last few walking hours of my final night in Spain working and hoping the effects of this cider will wear off.

Night All.