Unfortunately it’s not a picture postcard since I didn’t think to bring a USB cable to connect my camera to the laptop which is a real shame since the place is spectacular! I’ll post some pictures when we’re home. All in all it’s one of the nicest places I’ve been to. I wrote how we’d chosen La Palma for, amongst other things, it’s lack of mass tourism. This has proved to be very true to the extent that it’s been difficult to find anyone who speaks English. I’m not the sort of Englishman who expects everyone to speak English and there is no need to bother with the language of the native! But I am surprised at how few people in a European location speak English – the hotel is 4 star but only one of the guys on reception speaks any English and he’s not always there. I’d have thought they’d use English as a ‘universal’ language for Scandinavians, North Americans and non Spanish Europeans but it seems not. However, I think the local staff can speak German because, apart from us, the only non Spanish guests in the hotel are German. We also hear German spoken by other tourists we see around. So much so that Essy and I mouth to one another “Don’t mention the war!” in true Fawltey Towers fashion everytime we hear German.

We had to visit a pharmacy today because Essy has developed a rash on the side of her face, again no English spoken so it was all done with sign language. Essy pointed to her rash and made a scratching motion to indicate that it itched, the pharmacist moved her hands over her body asking if the rash was on her whole body but the hand motion looked like she was making the sign of the cross. “I think she says you’re going to die” I said to Essy! But no, it wan’t that serious.

Lunch was eaten on the balcony of a restaurant, overlooking a tiny harbour and a beautifully blue Atlantic Ocean, there was not a cloud in the sky and it was 24 degrees celcius in the shade. Essy started with fish croquettes and I had a very large plateful of boiled prawns. The prawns were very similar to Selsey Prawn I’ve mentioned before and were superb. I then had Paella which was good but Essy’s looked even better, she had three different fishes which had been dusted with flour and fried. One may have been a gurnard, it was red and spiny and not very attractive, but the flesh was terrific. Neither of us have eaten meat since we’ve been here. Essy always has fish but I’ve had octopus, squid and fish.