Happy new year to you all.

We were invited to Isie’s house for new year. Isie is the cleaner on the campsite and we have made a great friendship with her. She would be picking us up at 8pm and we would join her and her family at their house. She has a husband and two daughters, one 17 years old and the other 9 years old. For two days Isie didn’t come to work which was unusual and then on Friday she arrived at work, she had a bad ear infection and was on antibiotics for it. We tried to tell her not to worry about new year if she is feeling rough, but she was having none of it. The plan changed and now we were going to her friends house to celebrate new year. 

We were a little apprehensive about the evening, as everyone would be talking Spanish and didn’t want to be sat in the corner like Billy no mates. She arrived at 8pm and off we went to her friends house which is on the outskirts of Benidorm. We were greeted like royalty by Manual whose house it was,  come in, come in, he spoke very good English, a relief I can tell you. This is my house, make yourself at home take what you like but not my wife or my donkey he said while laughing loudly. We were introduced to his wife their two boys. 

The Spanish like family life and all eat together in big groups and are very loud, lots of music etc. So the house was no different music blaring, a TV the size of our camper on the wall and the boys playing some war game in it. We were offered drinks and Manual was really chatty telling us about his life, job etc and translating things to the others. We were really made to feel at home. 

The table was laid out with food, king prawns, muscles, cheese, crisps etc and we sat down to eat, all very nice, and noisy.That was the starter Manual said, now we dance and then we have big meal. And boy did they dance. Manual and his wife and Isie and her eldest daughter and husband,  can move. Isie is from Colombia so I think that it is natural for them to move like they do. We had a little dance but soon tired. 

The next course of food came out, a huge roast of pork and rice, and different sauces. All washed down with beer and wine. We declined the shots of rum. More dancing followed, not by us. Just to watch them was  making me tired. And then the TV was on all ready for midnight, an hour before you guys in the UK. In Spain it is tradition to eat twelve grapes at midnight and make a wish. One grape for each bell chime. I asked Manual if a glass of wine was the same as twelve grapes. My friend he said, you can have both. The pictures below show both families 

We were returned back to the campsite at about 1.30 am very tired but what a fantastic experience and a new year we will not forget. As we left Manual shouted see you again next year, and you just knew he meant it with all his heart. We left having drunk his beer and wine, ate his food, danced in his house, laughed and joked and took with us some great memories, but we left his wife and donkey. Funny thing was we never did See the  donkey, must have been in the shed in the garden. Today is rest day.