Oviedo in October.

Expect news that the Spanish economy has bounced back from the crisis and is well on its way to financial stability. In other words, I made a triumphant return to Parque Principado yesterday. Oh dear. I have since been told that I had "crazy eyes," going on as we took a stroll around the shops. I can only apologise to the new people I have met who had to see me like that. (Holly, you should have known better.)

So, apart from ensuring that Mango will not be going out of business for the foreseeable future - what else have I been doing? Well, to the great happiness of all - Messi especially - I have moved from Holly's living room and back to Calle Jovellanos. Yay! Such a relief to have somewhere to stay. Although the internet is still a work in progress, but hey, it's Spain, let's not be picky.

It was pointed out to me that flat 3F is becoming like the apartment in Friends, with a revolving set of residents who all have one connection or another to the people who lived in it before! It's just as I remember; unnecessary wall-carpet, questionable electricity sockets and all.

LOOK AT THE WARDROBES!

I'm very happy to be living in the centre of Oviedo again, and even happier that I know - to the second- exactly how far away I am from all the essentials (gin, coffee, bread etc). This also means that I have returned to the wobbly tables of Cafe Oriental and am enjoying a pincho de pollo right this second - even though, everything is much prettier at 26 Grados....

I should maybe talk about work, since I'm apparently going to be doing it ALL THE TIME. In addition to the academy I had been talking to before I came back to Oviedo I've also got a job at another in the centre of town. I'm working from around 9am till 11.30am at one and 4pm till 10pm at the other. Sympathy please? After moaning to both parents about this strenuous schedule they reminded me that I'm still living in Spain, where Albarino is 1.50 a glass, cafe con leche is a euro and I can eat a three-course meal for less than 10 euros. They might have a point there....
I'm teaching a complete variety of classes, from adult beginners to advanced conversation classes and a class for infants. And when I say infants, I mean infants - 3 YEARS OLD! They are slowly stealing my soul. 

Right, culture. Last weekend it was "Noche Blanca." In true Spanish style, no one seemed to know what was going on, where it was going on or what exactly it was all about. It seemed to be a night in which all the museums and galleries would open up during the night for people to explore - sounds great, until you realise that I could only think of one gallery in Oviedo and it was entirely rammed with people. It turns out that we, thinking that everything would be winding down after midnight, missed out on most of the events which didn't start until 2am. (#vidaespanola). The one thing we did manage to see was a cloud of white balloons being released throughout Old Town. Why? Don't know. But it looked pretty. 

Apart from all of that its been three weeks of coffee, lesson planning and and wine. Also featured was my first menu del dia since moving back, the standard trip to Ikea for household necessities, successfully building an Ikea lamp which had stumped many, and a few cocktails here and there.  

In a few weeks I'm looking forward to a trip from Miss Olivia McGrath who is taking the (ridiculously long) journey up to Oviedo from Ourense. Expect many a touristy picture.

And now, to appease those who commented on my last post with "More cat pictures please." (Yes you Kate Newton.)