A Mini Adventure

While my work life remains fully online for the next few weeks, I decided to make hay while the sun shines and try this whole working from abroad malarkey and what better time to do it than October? The temperatures are dipping in Ireland, but it's still a balmy average of 26 degrees here in El Puerto de Santa Maria, on Spain’s Costa de la Luz, the sun is still here, but the bulk of the tourists and mozzies have departed.  

I found a little airbnb apartment in this town where I've never been before and so far so good.  Having done a little bit of research before I arrived, I’ve been getting my bearings.  My first task was to get myself to Decathlon which is only 1.7km up the road.  I needed a good thick yoga mat and dumbbells for my classes. I walked up on the toasty warm Saturday morning - loaded up, was very pleased with myself coming out of Decathlon, loaded down with 8kg of equipment.  It turns out they don't have Uber in El Puerto.  Cue a very puffy panty sweaty walk back to the apartment.  Later that day, not fully convinced by my apartment’s wifi - hence the reason there’s no picture included in this post - it doesn’t like uploading or downloading and is downright contemptuous towards netflix, I attempted to buy a dongle from Vodafone, but after much gesticulating and fruitless googling, I left empty-handed. Spanish for dongle anyone?

If you like fish, I’m pretty sure you would love it here, the place is falling down with fish restaurants. I don’t. I wish I liked fish and instead of being a pesky vegetarian could be a pescetarian.  I also wish I spoke more than ten words of Spanish.  My usual tapas staple in Spain of tortillas, pimientos de padron and deep-fried aubergine have been replaced with fishy versions.  I was close to fainting yesterday when I found a place that served a non-meat or fish salad.  With all that said the supermarkets and food market are fabulous AND I have to keep reminding myself and everyone else, that I'm not actually on holiday, so eating out every day isn't part of the plan.  And I am determined to improve my Spanish.  Lessons start this week.

But life is settling into a routine, I've got into a nice little morning ritual - up early, do all the usual bits I do when I'm at home but I have an extra hour to do it and don't have any of the distractions.  My new favourite morning activity is listening to the Irish weather forecast. Gloat? Me? Never!

While I have a close friends a couple of hours up the road and down the road, I don't know anyone else in the immediate area, however I am determined to make an effort to meet some people.  With a major push to exit the comfort zone, I joined an ex-pat facebook page where I found a  Spanish teacher, have been invited on a hike and wrote a post saying where I was, that I was a total newbie and would anyone like to meet for coffee.  My toes were absolutely curling when I did it and it does feel like standing in the middle of a playground asking would anyone like to be my friend?  After several 'likes', which mortified me further, I've found a willing coffee companion who can hopefully give me the inside track and isn’t deranged.

So for the next few weeks, I'll be broadcasting live from El Puerto - business as usual - think Emily in Paris but 'Gráinne in El Puerto de Santa Maria', really rolls of the tongue, and more Decathlon and flea markets than Chanel and Balenciaga.  I've yet to find an extremely handsome chef who makes a great Spanish omelette in the building but I'll keep looking. 

Hasta luego babies!

Not Your Regular Bread

Way back in July – ok it was only the month before last but it already seems like ages ago – I spent a week at Kaliyoga, the most wonderful yoga retreat, in Puglia, right in the high heel of that beautiful boot that is Italy.

I will most definitely do a blog on the retreat, I’ve started it a couple of times but either ended up in a daydream or downward dog.

One of the many high points of the retreat was the food.  The most delicious vegetarian and vegan delights which totally tantalised the tastebuds on a daily basis.  (Yes, I love alliteration almost as much as I love yoga retreats.)

The queen of the kitchen at Kaliyoga is Alessandra, this woman has more health and wellness qualifications than you could shake a celery stick at.  As well as overseeing all the culinary goings on at the retreat,  she also offers a weekly food workshop to the guests, which of course I signed up for. 

The most beneficial part of this for me was learning how to make the ‘Life Changing Loaf of Bread’, which was a very popular staple at meals throughout the week.  Even more importantly, I learned that it was really easy to make – seriously – it’s a step up from a mud pie and it’s awesome.  It’s wheat free, full of nuts and seeds and even has psyllium husks, definitely not your ‘regular bread’, more so ‘keep you regular bread’. 

I have made it several times since I came back from Italy and think I have perfected it now, it takes less than 15 minutes to prepare and less than an hour in the oven.  The recipe originally comes from the My New Roots blogger; holistic nutritionist and cookbook author Sarah Britton.

I like to slice it up and stick it in the freezer.  All summer I’ve just extracted a slice or two for lunch, toast it, dice it and put it on a salad.  It’s a taste and texture sensation!  I don’t think it has changed my life, but it has definitely changed my lunch.

The Life-Changing Loaf of Bread
Makes 1 loaf

Ingredients:
1 cup / 135g sunflower seeds
½ cup / 90g flax seeds
½ cup / 65g hazelnuts or almonds
1 ½ cups / 145g rolled oats
2 Tbsp. chia seeds
4 Tbsp. psyllium seed husks (3 Tbsp. if using psyllium husk powder)
1 tsp. fine grain sea salt (add ½ tsp. if using coarse salt)
1 Tbsp. maple syrup or agave (for sugar-free diets, use a pinch of stevia)
3 Tbsp. melted coconut oil* or ghee
1 ½ cups / 350ml water

Directions:
1. In a flexible, silicon loaf pan combine all dry ingredients, stirring well. Whisk maple syrup, oil and water together in a measuring cup. Add this to the dry ingredients and mix very well until everything is completely soaked and dough becomes very thick (if the dough is too thick to stir, add one or two teaspoons of water until the dough is manageable). Smooth out the top with the back of a spoon. Let sit out on the counter for at least 2 hours, or all day or overnight. To ensure the dough is ready, it should retain its shape even when you pull the sides of the loaf pan away from it it.
2. Preheat oven to 350°F / 175°C.
3. Place loaf pan in the oven on the middle rack, and bake for 20 minutes. Remove bread from loaf pan, place it upside down directly on the rack and bake for another 30-40 minutes. Bread is done when it sounds hollow when tapped. Let cool completely before slicing (difficult, but important).
4. Store bread in a tightly sealed container for up to five days. Freezes well too – slice before freezing for quick and easy toast!

*I found ‘odourless coconut oil’ recently and would definitely recommend that.

https://kaliyoga.com/yoga-retreat-italy/

https://www.radiantlyalessandra.com/about

https://www.mynewroots.org/site/2013/02/the-life-changing-loaf-of-bread/

An Afternoon of Aerial Acrobatics

Swinging From The Ceiling
The last weekend in July found me literally swinging from the ceiling – I know the word ‘literally’ tends to be overused these days but trust me, I’m using it in context thanks to my Aerial Cirque ‘Introduction To Silks’ workshop.

I managed to persuade two of my pals to come along with me – Debbie, who was a willing victim and Aoife, less willing but suffers from severe FOMO which makes her an easy target. 

What? Who? Where?
 In case you’re not familiar with it, Aerial silks is the performance of aerial acrobatics while hanging from long lengths of fabric.   Perhaps you saw Pink’s unforgettable performance at the 2010 Grammy’s…as if singing in front of a massive audience of your peers wasn’t challenging enough, she threw in some aerial silks work aswell ttps://www.youtube.com/watch?v=htaKHoihSSA

 Aerial Cirque is run by aerialist extraordinaire Ria Murphy and is situated in an old Victorian building at no. 10 Exchequer street. The studio itself is full of space and character, with beautiful stained glass windows providing colour and light to the shabby chic interior.   

An Historical Site
Bear with me while I go off on a bit of a tangent, but the building itself is so interesting I had to do a little bit of snooping.  As it turns out Exchequer Street has a fascinating and at times sordid history.  The site of at least three political assassinations, home to the 12th century exchequer, that’s probably not a revelation, and later on brothels and at one stage a temperance hotel - that was never going to catch on.  Particularly interesting it seems No. 10 played home or at least ‘office’ to the Irish National Aid and Volunteers’ Dependants’ Fund and in turn was workplace to Michael Collins who became secretary to the fund in February 1917.    

Warm Up
Back to the business of aerial acrobatics.  After we all signed the very thorough waiver, we met our teacher Nicola. As bendy as she was patient, she got us off to an energetic start with our warm-up which served as a good ice breaker. 

Tying Ourselves Up In Knots
As soon as the warm-up was done, the crash mats come out – yikes.  We were split up into groups of twos and threes to each silk.  The vibrantly coloured silks all hang from the ceiling looking like props from a Bollywood movie.  Our first lesson was how to tie a knot.  I failed miserably at this, thankfully one of my team was more than competent and happy to be the chief knot tyer.  

Once our silks were safely knotted (thanks Hayley), we were ready to start some simple ‘bum hoists’, I’m not sure what the official term is.  Nicola demonstrated each move a couple of times and then it was our turn.  We quickly graduated from sitting to standing and onwards to a standing lunge out of the silks, on to the flying splits or at least that’s what it looked like when Nicola was doing it.  My version of it looked a bit more like Penelope Pitstop with a hamstring strain.  

Taking Things Upside Down
After quite a bit of to-ing and fro-ing, again I’m talking literally here, we graduated to the inversions. Although hanging upside down looked quite complicated in the demo and yes, I had to be talked through it very slowly, we all managed it.  The two hours flew by and I would certainly recommend it as a fun way to spend a Saturday afternoon.  The workshop kicks off at 15.30 and costs €30.

That’s a (Silk) Wrap!
It is quite strenuous, if you have any issues at all I would make sure to discuss with Aerial Cirque before booking in.  I would suggest bringing a long sleeved top as there are one or two moves which are a little bit chafey on the old underarms.  Remove your jewellery, bring your friends, or go it alone, the vibe is welcoming and fun for all.  If you fall in love with aerial performance on your first date, there’s a six week beginners course take you to the next level.

 www.aerialcirque.org
(01) 444 8959
info@aerialcirque.org