The Cucumber Crisis

As we reported recently these are difficult days in Spain economically with record levels of unemployment leading to continuing protests in most towns and cities.  But in the last few days things have got worse as Spanish agriculture has been hit by the cucumber crisis.

Following a number of deaths caused by e-coli bacteria in northern Germany, the German government pointed the finger at cucumbers imported from Spain as being the culprit. Within a couple of days countries across Europe were refusing to import anything grown here and farmers are facing big losses.  Evidence for the problem being generated here seemed scant at the time and now the Germans have retracted the accusations, having found some dodgy soya rather closer to home.  Being exonerated is nice but doesn't repair the economic damage of the last week, nor the potential further losses from reputational damage going forward.  Farmers are even having to pay to have the crops they can't sell destroyed. Irate farmers were seen dumping their unsold produce at the door of the German consulate in Valencia.  It would be interesting to know whether the Germans ate any of it.

Goats (who presumably hadn't seen the press) eating discarded cucumbers

Throughout the crisis we never doubted the integrity of the Spanish cucumber, or indeed any other vegetables grown here, and we have continued with our vegetable-fuelled fitness regime that is in place now that we have a break from travelling.  The completion of our main travel itinerary has happily coincided with the arrival of a number of our friends from the UK and we will be staying put for a while as a result to enjoy their company.  Last week, we visited Nicki and Jeff, the latest addition to the growing colony of our friends here, at their new house in Moraira and Yvette and Jay came to stay with us for a very relaxing and fun few days over the bank holiday weekend.  Being Manchester United supporters they were keen to watch the final of the Champions League and not being United supporters we were equally keen to see Barcelona give them a good hammering.  In a rare piece of good news for Spain at the moment, the hammering was duly delivered!

Yvette & Jay on the balcony looking happier than during the European Cup Final

Being half-term week both Bruce and Jane and Philippa and Sean were out with their respective kids and it was great to spend time with all of them.  Meanwhile the weather continues to be relatively cool for the time of year and occasionally even wet and we had the unusual experience of sitting in jumpers here watching on TV the cricket at Lords being played in bright, warm sunshine.  Having said that, for most of the time it has been plenty warm enough for the doors and windows to be open, one consequence of which has been an unexpected house guest - a fluffy cat from the house behind which has taken to making itself at home in our house.  He likes it so much he has to be forceably evicted, as the picture below illustrates perfectly...