Well, Jorge and I spent the day in Alicante, one of the next cities that is much larger than Albatera. We went with Angela another teacher that goes there every Saturday for classes to prepare for the once a year exam from the government to become a “permanent teacher” something all the teachers strive for because then they can finally choose a home base school and will have a job for life. So, while she was in class we wandered around Alicante, got on a tram and saw some of the urban beaches and neighborhoods etc. Alicante seems to have everything and is also a bit of a tourist areas as there is a walled castle overlooking the port. So, it’s kind of cool to meander.

Anyway, we were there to take her for a special lunch for her birthday as she has helped me a lot here since my arrival; taking me places and mentoring me at the school.

So we had her pick a place off a lovely street with rows of old stone buildings and many outdoor cafes with fire… we went to a nice place she picked La Terre Gourmet “and had a wonderful  3 course meal that was more expensive than we normally ever spend but everything was plated and beautiful. I had Bacalao a cod fish type dish with wasabi sauce and she and my BF had the “entrecote of beef” which doesn’t say much or what cut it is. I did not order that because last two times in this country I ordered a medium rare steak it came out raw and even when sent back it was still raw. So I didn’t trust what might come out no matter what the price was.  

So being from Texas I asked the waiter what cut the steak was. Angela and my BF translated “ribeye, T- bone, NY strip and filet mignon to him. But both the waiter and another waiter couldn’t answer it. They went to the kitchen to ask the chef and came out pointing to their ribs. Ok maybe ribeye I’m thinking. But I’m sticking with my Cod.

 The first course, a wonderful salad with mango, walnuts, Foie gras and greens was phenomenal. The 2^nd course was 3 layers of potatoes with truffle sauce in a Mason jar. Interesting delivery I thought but the truffle sauce was delicious.  Then the steak came out, it was served on a slab of black slate as the plate. The steak was sliced, which is unexpected because that means all the juices will run out of it. And they both looked very very raw. My BF ordered medium which was nowhere near that.  Well that certainly was a malentendido (misunderstanding) and Angela’s was medium rare and it was bleeding so much it was still alive as far as I could tell. I almost told her to stab it and kill it. My instincts were right, the steak was not as expected in any shape.

 I was glad to eat my Cod. They both liked their steaks but expected them to be cooked more and chose not to send them back. I saw a photo of what medium, medium rare and rare looked like somewhere. I’m going to find it, laminate it and take it with me for the waiters to show the chefs if I ever decide to try another steak here.

I did hope the chef would come out and speak to us though. As I asked so many questions during the meal the waiter must have thought “ugly American table 2” But he was cute and Angela enjoyed speaking to him via me. I even asked her to ask him who thought up the mason jar idea with 3 kinds of potatoes in it. He kind of stopped coming back to the table about then. Ok too many questions.

We finished our meal and walked to the boardwalk which was quite lovely, lined with huge palms, and yachts parked in the port, cafes everywhere overlooking the water. As we walked a boat that does $4 quicky tours around the inlet honked at us as they were pulling away, the captain waived “come on” get on and pulled the boat up to the edge and we each hopped on. Smart man I thought making money picking up tourists on the sidewalk. As long as we don’t fall in, we are good. So that was cool, we could see Alicante boardwalk and the castle from the water side. Pretty cool and a nice surprise.

Hopping off we continued and walked down to the beach found a café facing the water, watched the sun go down over the castle and had coffee.

It was a great day and a nice ending.

Until we got home.

Early Jorge asked me if I had my key to the apartment as he locked it but then couldn’t get back in before we left. I did not have it but knew the owner had a spare in case. So about 8:30 pm Angela drops us off and the door won’t open. We call the owner, and he is out of town oh shit.

We push pull shake and even run next door to buy some oil to squirt in the lock. Nope no go. We call a locksmith and for $160 he will come out. Shit ok we say. He is there by 9 pm. He can’t open it. He pulls out a steel saw and sparks are flying as he cuts out the lock. The noise is deafening. And interestingly the neighbors don’t step out just to find out what the hell is going on.

But it still won’t open. What next cut the door in half?  He pulls out more equipment. A huge drill. More deafening noise and he finally gets it open. On the inside there is my key inside the lock from the inside. He says it’s an old lock and the newer ones would not cause this issue. A key on the other side would not have caused us to be locked out. Lucky for him he gets paid big time for an hour of work and we get educated on how never to leave a key in a lock. Any lock. I say to him the most important people in the world are plumbers and locksmiths. He laughs…of course he does, today is payday.

Then I go to get money and he explains as it’s afterhours the cost is $160 plus $30 for drilling, and now since we have no lock, he will put in a new lock for another $190. Which I’m sure cost him what $10? If we pay cash it’s only $390 he says… that’s near $500 US. My mind went blank when Jorge said it was over $300. Every bit of cash we had in the house was handed over. He knew I was American. “screw her good” is stamped on my head. And paying cash he gets to run to the bank and pay no taxes on it. I’m sure he went home and had a nice glass of the best whiskey on my account.

Yea for me I’m thinking, first I drop $650 for a damn AC unit when I first moved in at the dead of summer so I can breathe is this apartment. Now, near $500 again for a fricking damn lock. The owner is getting a hell of a deal with me as his renter. What’s next?

Is it bad feng shui? Or my stupidity at leaving the key in the lock as if I ever in my life thought that would be a problem. Well, it’s also Mercury retrograde, and things continue to go awry. Anything that can go wrong will, and for me it seems to be becoming my mantra, at least in this apartment. Seems no matter since I moved in nothing goes right. And if it does, then it’s a miracle. Otherwise, $500 or more seems to be the only fix in site when an issue arises. So much for moving to Spain which is supposed to be cheaper to live….

The good news is I found an apartment in Elge and I’m to inspect it next week,  if I like it I take it. It has central heat and air, furniture, and walking distance to the bus and train, and is in an area of very nice places to hang out. My only concerns are mercury retrograde.

But of course I have to pay cash. Seem since I only make $1000 month the owner won’t approve a lease. But but but.. here it comes…. Pay cash up front for a year and it’s all yours. Then they get out of taxes…. I told them 6 months. Well they accepted it. So lets see what happens next week. Please please please even though its Mercury retrograde no more problems.. I need a real bed, real heat and a nice couch to sit on…and a bathtub… is that too much to ask? It might be with my luck.

More to come….

Somewhere in Spain