Yesterday's drive to Barlovento was very nice, even though we didn't go for the best of reasons (see previous post.) We got to the local police station, and found it shut. So we popped into the bar and had a coffee and a nibble. Then Theresa remembered that the insurance firm had given her a photocopied list with all the phone numbers for all the police stations on the island. So I tried the mobile, and got no answer. Great.

So I asked the waitress, and she said he was usually to be found the other end of the village. We'd got about two yards outside the bar when the policeman drove past.

We ran after the car. He must have seen us because he parked. I was amused to see he looked exactly like an American Sheriff in a TV programme - the genial sort, fortunately. It was no big deal for him, but he took all the details and said that he'd produce the report when requested. After all that driving, it only took about ten minutes.

We went to the accident site for some daylight photos (see Helen and Theresa's blog). Then it was on to Franceses, to feed their cat who was very pleased to see us. Meanwhile, I spent ten very happy minutes taking photos of the almond blossom in their neighbour's garden.

And then we drove all the way home in time for a late lunch.

The best laid plans...

So I finished my day's work and waved Helena and Theresa off. Then at half-past nine, they phoned to say, "HELP!"

There they were, driving peacefully towards home, when a sizeable rock detached itself from the side of the cutting and leapt towards them, screaming "Banzai!" It bounced on the other side of the road and rolled to a halt just half a metre in front of the bumper.

Of course, Theresa jammed on the anchors. Of course, she couldn't stop in time, and it went crunch.

So I phoned the insurance who arranged the breakdown lorry. Rather than go home to the middle of nowhere, car-less, I suggested that they come here. We have a perfectly good guest room, and they´d be close to the workshop and hire car firm.

So I excavated the guest bed. Eventually they got to Santa Cruz with the breakdown lorry, and I fetched them home and fed them. We got to bed at 1 am.

This morning we got to the workshop just as they were unloading the poor van. It looked fine from outside, and the mechanics were wondering what the fuss was about.

Then Theresa opened the bonnet, and they all went, "Ooo. Nasty."

Of course they can't give a sensible estimate until they've taken it to bits to see how much internal damage there is. They did say that we should talk to the insurance firm about getting the town hall to pay for the car repair.

Obviously I was going to be very late for work. Ah well, I could sort that out later. So we phoned up the insurance people, and they say we need to go to the local police in Barlovento to complain officially.

Barlovento is an hour's drive away. On the other hand, it's could easily be worth 1,000€ to my friends, so we're going, and they´ll babysit later so I can make up the hours at work.

Buggerlit millennium shrimp!

The Battle of Lepanto

Sunday was busy.

I left home with my son at 10 am to go to Puntagorda, so he could have a go on the Karts. Sadly, it turned out to be a demonstration of Karts, and he couldn't have a go himself. So I took one very disappointed kid off to lunch at my friend's house on the edge of the village.

It was a nice lunch, with better company.

We popped into Puntagorda's farmer's market, right at the last minute. I only just had time to grab some freshly squeezed sugar-cane juice and a bottle of wine before the place shut, which was a pity, because it's a great place for veg.

Then we drove to our friends in Franceses, where my son got a brief video game fix, before the four of us headed off to see the Battle of Lepanto in Barlovento. By the tie that had finished, we were tired and hungry, so we had a quick plate of soup in the local restaurant and went home.