Connecting with Venta Gloria

Venta Gloria is a family-run restaurant/bar/event venue owned and managed by my cousin, Pedro Ruiz a couple of miles from la casa redonda, the round house.  When I met him the first time in 2012, he was obviously delighted to see my brother, Steven, walk in the double doors.  He must have recognized that we were from the same family because his first words to Steven after,”como está?” was “tu hermana?” (Your sister?). After that point, he’s been one of the favorites in the area as well as his family, plus Paco the bartender, and Andres the server/bartender.  Paco’s wife is the cook.  Laura Ruiz tried to teach me to dance flamenco 💃🏻 and Elisa Ruiz was happy to practice English with me. When I asked for Tempranillo wine, he shook his finger at me and grinned.  “No, no, mi favorito es Ribeiro de Duero.”  (a deep red wine).  From that day forward, each time I see him, he raises his eyebrows and says, “tu favorito vino?”  (Your favorite wine?). And I always nod yes.  It is a delightful treat to see him and the Venta Gloria people again.  Pedro cannot speak one word of English, “okay.”  Unfortunately, he was not there tonight, but the other señors were there...  

Andrés gave us the kiss on each cheek kisses and brought us a small plate of those beautiful Spanish olives with pits and a bowl of bread...with our Spanish wine.  The dinner consisted of eggplant slices dripping with dark sugar cane honey, gambas pil pil, which is shrimp drenched in olive oil, my pig cheeks called carrillada that I first testad in Sevilla and then conejo, rabbit! 

Earlier today, I lounged beside the pool after helping Lynn sweep all the patios. She, however, was back to trimming the avocado tree and other trees down there all by herself on a very steep hill. I worry that she will slip. But she tells me that she is in control. I swept up the leaves and branches, weaving my way around the balcony,  and swished everything onto the gardens below. 

Our amazing lunch smelled so good!  Lyn called it the poor man’s meal, or plato de los montañas: chorizo, baked potatoes in oil and baked peppers.  Lovely!  For dessert, she brought me a tin of flan made with milk.  It was also very good.  She is treating me like such an honored guest. 

 Later Lyn left for her meeting regarding her choir, Scally and scamp did not know what to do because they were so confused. So when I return to the pool they both sat down next to me and stared at me.  I swear their imploring eyes spoke to me; it was the strangest thing. They are such nice dogs, and look completely different from one another and yet they are sisters from the same litter.

Clouds kept the hot sun corralled for a few hours today and a breeze moved the air.  Sometimes, I sit in the lounge chair with my book and stare into forever with trees, flowers, trailing vines and the sound of birds, roosters and doves as company.  Lyn and I share a lovely camaraderie as we read our books in the shade, step in and out of the pool and chat.  She was right when she promised if I came to visit her in Spain, that I might find peace from within.  Lyn helps me face my grief from her own widow’s viewpoint and her soothing words have lifted me up.  Feeling this glorious space around me has given me a new sense of being me.  

Tomorrow is a short road trip and I’m trusting Lola to get us to Torrox and back.